Big brother at it again

A bill passed in 2005 with a premise as emergency military spending and tsunami relief has reared its ugly head in the form of Big Brother in our business. The "Real ID" combines state issued cards and drivers license into one ID card, or as the DHS claims, an essential weapon in the war on terrorism.

A National ID card was buried in the first patriot act as well, but never really took ground. It appears now this card will be required to even visit a national park! What does a national park have to do with terrorism? Are the bears and boars in cahoots with the terrorist? Are they afraid a family may now be able to go enjoy a picnic without being monitored by big brother?

According the the Real Id plan, all citizens must apply for a card no later then 2013. When applying one will be required to bring a birth certificate, photo ID, proof of social security, and proof of residence. I wonder if illegal immigrants will be required to show all this. Why are we, the American people being forced into this? If they want to stop terrorist from entering the country, then start at the borders instead of letting millions of illegals in, then giving them money and housing! Since when did being an American mean oppressed under the government?

This plan is expected to cost states $14 billion over the next decade, and only has funding approved for $40 million. But don't worry if your state doesn't have the bill in place, Chertoff says this is not a mandate; however citizens who live in states without the "Real Id" will not have an ID acceptable for federal purposes.

For more information on this see CNN or wiki.

The Wiki has lots of information, plus other links to pages with more information.

Whittle Springs Middle-Knoxville TN

Had some complaints from my daughter and some of her friends about the cafeteria in whittle springs middle school. Yeah, what kid doesnt complain about school food, but this seemed a little different. They were saying there is not enough room in the cafeteria and a lot of the kids have to stand up during lunch break, and that the food is just leftovers and never warm or fresh.

In my opinion, neither one of these conditions are acceptable. They can easily stagger the lunch times to accommodate the crowding, and a hot meal should be standard. Kids need that meal during the day to recharge and get some energy back to prepare them for the afternoon.

I called the school and talked to the receptionist. I was informed that children are not standing to eat, but standing around waiting to go through the line. Will verify with daughter if she sees kids standing and eating. Thank goodness for camera phones. I was also informed that the food is actually not cooked there, but brought in from another school and reheated. This of course could give the impression of leftovers.

After talking with my daughter some more, I will repost some more information soon.

Making money in WoW: The AH

Now its time for part two of how to make gold in World of Warcraft. Part one an be found here. This requires some initial investment, a lot of patience, and a personality that enjoys watching the flux of markets. Playing the AH now is a cutthroat business. Just remember one basic rule, no matter what the price you put on it, it won’t sell if somebody doesn’t need it. If it does sell, somebody needed it, and the price was good. Ignore the naysayer’s who in their superiority claim that it is overpriced( but use common sense, 2g for a stack of linen is rather stupid) and play the AH the way you feel you can do it.

First and foremost, download the mod, Auctioneer. This will save you a lot of time, and when you are out grinding you can get an idea of how much the stuff you have is worth, what does and doesn’t sell, etc etc. Spend some time learning to use it, and what it can do; it’s a really amazing mod. A note to be wary of, it’s not all knowing. Some people have learned to fool the mod by putting a few things up with extremely high buyouts to confuse auctioneer, and drop the average price so you sell lower then you should. Always do a visual search to make sure you are putting a competitive price up.

Playing the AH can be done either a little, or dedicating entire play sessions to it. The main part of playing the AH is knowing what sales, what doesn’t, what’s in high demand, and what isn’t. It’s similar to when looking for a grinding spot, except now, you are using what they farmed to make you money. I generally start off with ore/bars. Browse through the copper bars/ore first, look for what the highest price per stack is. Say 1g50s per stack of 20. Look for combinations of singles or other stacks that are lower. Buy these up; re-list for 15s lower then the highest price. Make sure it will make you enough profit to cover the AH fees. Double check the price before you buyout anything. Continue this all the way to Khorium bars. Check and see at each stage which is selling for a better overall price. Are stacks of bars/ores selling higher then singles? Can you buy out some eternium and fel iron bars, make felsteel and resell it for higher? Ore is one of the easiest to make money on, because 3 professions (blacksmithing, jewelcrafting, and engineering) rely on them to make items. Plus some alchemy recipes do as well. Since ore is so heavily needed, you can make a tidy profit doing this; even more if you have your epic flying mount and mine yourself.

Next are the primals and motes. I have several times turned 100g+ profit with these just by paying attention. For example, primal fires were selling for 32g a stack. I looked over in the mote of fire section, and found stacks of 5 selling for 10g a piece. It takes 10 motes to make a primal. I bought up all these, and some odd and end motes, made my primals, listed them for 30g, sold them all in about 2 hours. 10g profit per mote. Browse all the primals, look for the two or three that are always listed 5g below average, buy them up, relist them. If you find a lot of deals that are cheap, you can buy them all up and hold them till demand goes back up, just be careful of flooding the market. I bought up 2 stacks of primal shadows back when they dropped a lot. Saved them for a couple months till the demand was higher and the price was higher, made a nice tidy profit off them as well.

Look for epics/rares that are marked lower then average. This is a risky business, because sometimes they just won’t sell. Good ways to tell is look at the weapon, the stats, and think what class can use it, and what level. Remember that anything level 17-19, 27-29, etc is in high demand for twinks. Especially blues and epics. They will literally pay more then is even reasonable to get these items. I don’t dabble much in the weapon/armor trade, but do browse it once every day to see if anything jumps out.

You can apply this to any aspect of the AH. Cloth, herbs, rare recipes, or whatever you feel you know the most about. Keep an eye on the test server. When new recipes are released, get a character over there and list the materials for the recipes, buy them up, resell after the patch and you will make a good profit, if you are fast and the first. Some people hate to farm their own materials, and would rather just buy it off the AH. This is where we make our money.

Gay bears?

Yeah...okay, this was an interesting adsense ad that popped up this AM. Meet Gay bears. I am afraid to click the link, but almost afraid not too. What would one of these meetings be like? Do bears even care? Just had to share this interesting ad before it went away.

Same Sex unions

Gay marriage is a touchy subject in today’s world. With the upcoming elections, it seems to be a topic of discussion. Some of the candidates support, others support civil unions, others don’t support either. Of course, choosing a candidate on one topic alone is a mistake.

Why should gay marriage not be legally recognized? What part of the constitution disallows it? Currently individual states are the final decisions on marriage. Only one state supports it, Massachusetts. The federal courts have overturned other marriage bans (such as one banning interracial marriage) and a few civil union cases as well.

In my opinion, this is a form of oppression, similar to what the founding fathers encountered when they decided to leave England and travel to the New World. It is the government interfering in the happiness of people. Who cares if you don’t believe in it, believe in homosexuality, or believe in same sex unions? The fact is an increasing large part of the population practices or is in a same sex relationship. This is a large part of the country that is having their very freedoms restricted from them. The very basis of this country was built on freedom. What is being done to same sex couples is stripping this freedom from them.

The main push to hinder and restrict gay marriage comes from religion. Rather ironic, that religious freedom doesn’t extend to recognizing other people’s happiness. Does gay marriage affect people in any way, at all? No, it doesn’t. I don’t want to know what goes on in anybodies bedroom, straight or gay. That’s private between partners. I have never met a homosexual who tried to influence me to change my way (which wouldn’t happen anyway). All they want is happiness, to be with the one they love. Who is the government, or the church, or anybody think they are to restrict this happiness, from a portion of this counties free people?

When all is said and done, the only argument that should be presented is how will this affect people’s freedom? That’s what it is, the freedom to be happy with the person they love. Religion and politics never have, and never will mix. There should be no law stating marriage is only between a man and a woman. Equality, freedom and happiness are at stake for a portion of our country. Nothing will change unless a voice changes it, makes the stubborn masses see that they are restricting freedom. Not the freedom to harm others, influence others, kill others, or steal from others, but the freedom to be happy.

Review: Black Bears of East Tennessee

Black bears are becoming more abundant in East Tennessee. This year with the drought, they also have a more visible presence as the desire for food and water bring them closer and closer to the biggest threat they have, mankind.

Based on current data, there are over 1800 black bears living in the Great Smoky Mountains national park. That is equal to 2 bears per square mile. They can be found in most all areas and elevations of the park. Black bear attacks on people are rare, and most of those come from people interfering with the bear.

When out this fall enjoying the colors in the mountains, whether hiking, camping, or just on a short drive, there is some important information to remember.

• If you see a bear, do not attempt to approach it, pet it, or antagonize it in any way, shape or form.
• When camping, keep all food away from the tent, and suspended from the ground.
• Immediately dispose of any and all food scraps, containers, wrappers, napkins, or anything that may have the smell of food on it.
• When hiking, do not leave backpacks, food, small animals or children unattended. Bears sense of smell is many times greater then ours.
• Never, ever toss or feed the bears, or any wildlife, at any time. A human food dependant bear becomes a nuisance bear.

Food management is one of the easiest ways to prevent hostile bear encounters. Keep your food away from your sleeping area, and out of reach. Very, very rarely do black bears just attack people; although, there has been stories of them actively stalking and killing people. This is in the minority though.

What should you do if you encounter a bear? Keep the bear in your field of view and back away slowly. If the bear has interest in you, and you have food, lay it down and walk away slowly, never turning your back on the bear. If the bear begins making noise, slapping the ground, acting aggressive, it is a sign it is feeling threatened and cornered. Never approach a cub, its momma will be near by. The saying, “mad as a momma bear” comes from this very instance. Cubs are cute and all, but one cry from the cub brings momma running, and at this point your very life is in danger.

If a black bear notices you, and comes towards you, begin making noises, make yourself as tall as you can, look for a branch or rock to defend yourself with. Most experts now agree playing dead is a bad thing to do.

Black bears are wonderful animals, but like all wild animals they need to be respected. Respecting them, their space, and nature will ensure many generations are able to experience the thrill of a mountain drive, and seeing that elusive bear.

Mens Advice: Enduring the heat

Its hot. Hot and humid. Temperatures are in the upper 90's, heat index near 110. The heat takes your breathe away just by stepping outside, you begin to sweat in seconds. That good looking woman in the office next to yours looks good, cool, and very non-sweaty. What should you do next? Well, unbuttoning the top button on your shirt and flexing your fleshy man boobs wont get you noticed, except snickered at. How do you beat the heat and still manage to flash that winning smile?

Dress cool for hot weather. If you aren't required to wear a tie, don't wear one. Wear short sleeves if possible, and if wearing a dress shirt, wear an undershirt. You may think the extra shirt will be hotter, but by wearing an undershirt ( and no, not your old rotted motley crue shirt) you will avoid the unkempt look of having your shirt plastered to your chest, and reduce the amount of armpit sweat you show the world.

Keep that mop on your head trimmed short, keep all facial hair ( if you have any ) trimmed short and close to the face. The hair style may be loose and floppy, but a close trimmed haircut will cut down on the sweat, and keep your hair looking professional for the better part of the day.

If you are going to exercise, get up early before the heat of the day and get in your workout before work. Take a shower before getting re-dressed for work, and make sure you drink plenty of water to cool yourself down. Throughout the day be sure and stay hydrated, snack lightly, and keep heavy meals to a bare minimum. Be sure and wear loose fitting pants and shirts, and light colored clothes as well. Use deodorant! That should be common knowledge, but it is amazing how many do not do this. Keep drinking the night before to a bare minimum, or avoid alcohol all together. If you do sweat, the alcohol smell will be all around you.

If you have a flashy convertible, it is best to keep the top up and the AC on. Sure, it may use a bit more gas, but in hot humid weather you will overheat quickly, and still sweat.

Not much you can do about the heat, but following these simple steps will help ensure if she looks your way, she probably won't wrinkle her nose and look away.

Boomsday Labor Day Celebration

Labor Day is fast approaching, and with it the end of summer, the beginning of college football. Here in Knoxville Tennessee; however, Labor Day is so much more. One of, if not the largest fireworks displays will occur on Labor Day. Boomsday has been going on in Knoxville for over 10 years. Over 325,000 people view this display, over the riverfront in downtown Knoxville. The fireworks display last for 30 minutes, is perfectly choreographed to music, and is absolutely amazing. The Henley Street Bridge is closed down the morning before Boomsday to allow for the fireworks to be put in place on the bridge. Under the bridge, near volunteer landing will be food, drink, games, activities, live music, and lots of people enjoying the show.

This attraction draws people from all over the country. Sure it’s great for Knoxville’s economy, but its better for the people. Getting to meet and interact with everybody is one of the big draws, in addition to the fireworks. People watch the show from the road, Volunteer landing, downtown Knoxville, even their own boats. If boating in, be sure and leave early enough, the Vol Navy is usually out in full force, and the water ways can be a bit crowded.

There is no fee to enter the festivities, and they begin at noon on September 3^rd. Parking has been known to be a problem, but recent changes should alleviate that headache this year. For visitors coming in to Knoxville be warned road construction is affecting I-40 east and west bound, coming from the east into Knoxville. If coming for 40 east or 81, be sure and take the 640 bypass to 275. This will let you bypass the bulk of the road construction. Lodging can be found all over Knoxville, but anything in the merchant road exit area will be most convenient.

Some other things to do in Knoxville while visiting for Boomsday include clubs, fine dining, the Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove, Cherokee NC Harrahs Casino (1.5 hours away), Pigeon forge, Dollywood, and Gatlinburg.

Boomsday is always an exciting event, lots of fun, and best of all, fireworks! Come see and enjoy all the fun.

Men welcome to the 30's

So, you have hit 30, you feel your life is over when in reality it is just beginning. As long as we men are in our 20’s we still can maintain that 20 something mentality. Once we hit 30, our perspective changes. We look in the mirror and notice that our stomach no longer shows that 6 pack, but appears to be the result of many 6 packs. Our guns are without ammo, we have some wrinkles, our hairline may be receding, our butt is disappearing, and our pecs are soon becoming fleshy man boobs. We are hit with the realization that we are getting older.

Some men handle this well, start back to the gym, eat better, cut out the late night beer drinking, quit smoking, and have a complete lifestyle change. Others shrug, figure there is nothing to do about it, go buy a fast car to compensate, and try to live with it.

Life doesn’t end in the 30’s guys, it just begins. At this age we should have a good idea what we are doing with our lives, most of us married or divorced, have kids, have a career. We have work commitments, family commitments, children’s sports, wife/girlfriends, and hopefully good credit by this time. We feel pulled apart in many directions and feel at times that we never have enough time for everything. Obviously we put our kids and significant others first, and our jobs, then ourselves.

There are some things we can do to ease the stress of the 30’s and get some of that energy back.

• Get plenty of sleep: We aren’t spring chickens anymore. We can’t go all the time on just 5 hours a night. Make sure you have a comfortable sleeping environment, no TV in the bedroom, no computers, nothing that gives off any ambient light.
• Eat healthy: It’s hard to eat healthy in a world of constant being on the go, but make it a priority to try and eat the healthiest you can when you can.
• Couple time: Schedule some time for just you and your wife/girlfriend. You all are both going in opposite directions all day long; you need to re-connect frequently to keep that bond intact and growing. Relationships aren’t a whim, they are a commitment.
• Exercise time: Make sure to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in a day. This relieves stress, keeps the blood flowing and actually gives you energy.

These are just a few tips to help us men cope with the fact that we aren’t getting any younger. Getting older is a fact of life, and in reality, it sure beats the alternative.

Blog writers union

Some bloggers blog as a means to express themselves, helping others, actual reporting and investigations, or a means to supplemental income. The internet allows anybody with an opinion to express it to the world. A group of bloggers recently met to discuss the possibility and feasibility of forming a Union. They wish to qualify for insurance, set standards and regulation, and turn blogging into more of a profession. It is to be expected, with the presidential election upcoming, that bloggers feel they have a hand in the decision making of America. I believe this is what is driving this movement at this time. Most any message board contains links to blogs, people swear by their favorite bloggers, their work is considered law by many.

Anybody can post a blog, make it look real, and get famous for it. These are the type that need to be avoided. Anything written on-line needs to be verified as much as possible. Benefits of belonging to a coalition of bloggers would be more credibility, more exposure, press passes and the above mentioned insurance and possible more income.

A big downside, and one voiced by others as well is the fact that blogging currently allows people to express their view and opinion as well. Under union or coalition rules, they feel that they will become controlled, or not even allowed to voice certain viewpoints. Even though news reports claim that they are unbiased, most everybody has some bias to their writing. Even Fox news, claiming to be fair and unbiased, has a visible slant to most of their stories. For every blogger that thinks Bush is the greatest and reports his victories, there is a blogger that points out his weakness. Freedom of speech allows these viewpoints, in addition to the fact that there is no governing body forcing them to write with a specific slant. All viewpoints are considered and expressed through the blog empire now.

Some bloggers are very professional in their writings, others not as much, and still more that just write because they enjoy writing. Thousands of people daily log on and read their favorite blogs. A blog union will create a rift in the blogging community, and a sense of elitism could develop among those who are union, and those who are not.

Power Demand in the Tennessee Valley

The Tennessee valley is currently facing the highest temperatures of the year so far. Highs in the 90's, heat index expected to reach over 105, its not a comfortable place to be. Granted other places are hotter, but in Tennessee as in much of the southeast, the humidity is the deal breaker. Air so humid, so unmoving it takes your breath away at times.

The first part of the year was the driest in over 118 years. Due to this heat, hydro generation is down over 54% of normal, and the rivers, reservoirs and lakes are well below average. Hydro is TVA's cheapest form of generation, and having this cut in half may make them buy more expensive power from elsewhere.

It is expected that the current heat wave ( which is expected to last the next week or longer ) could possible task TVA's system. It is projected to exceed the record setting of 31,703 megawatts, set in July 2005. During that record setting, they provided power without a single interruption to clients. Will this year be any different? Will they be able to meet the demand with hydro down?

Currently to supply power, TVA uses Fossil Fuel plants ( 15,000 megawatts of capacity ), Nuclear ( 6,900 megawatts ), Hydro ( which varies based on water ) and Green power ( solar and wind). With water levels down, hardly any air moving for wind generation, TVA will have to rely on their other plants, and possibly buy more expensive power from other generation groups.

TVA has a good solid record, and there is no reason to believe they cannot handle this upcoming demand. However, everybody needs to do their part to conserve while they can. Don't water your yard, wash your car, or fill your pools during the heat of the day. Keep your thermostat above 71 degrees, keep your windows and doors shut, invest in a programmable thermostat, use energy efficient appliances and light bulbs, take showers not baths, and many other little things we can do to conserve energy.

Preview 2007 HOG Rally

Knoxville TN is going to be hosting the 2007 Club HOG downhome rally this year on August 24th and 25th at Chilhowee Park. This event will bring riders from all over the country to Knoxville, and includes many activities. Montgomery Gentry is scheduled to be there on their bikes as will many other bands. There will be stunt shows, demonstrations, and a preview of the 2008 HD. One of the big draws will be Saturday August the 25th in the Maryville shop. They are preparing to do a world record burnout. 100's of motorcycles lined up, smoking the tires at the same time. Registration is required and can be completed every Saturday from 1-4. The Kentucky Headhunters will be performing live after the burnout.

While in town, if bored of the activities, be sure and check out a few other local attractions. If night life and country music is your cup of tea, be sure and check out Cotton Eyed Joes in West Knoxville, conveniently located behind the West Knoxville Harley Davidson store. A ride through the mountains is a must do as well. All though it would be better later in the fall, it is still beautiful and majestic this time of year.

Also, if so inclined one should make the trip to the Dragon, a harrowing series of switchback curves that draws riders from all over the world. Not for the weak at heart. It used to be much better; however, Tennessee Highway patrol is attempting to make an effort to slow down the riders.

East Tennessee plays host to many motorcycle groups through out the year, most notably the Honda Hoot. The hospitality, easy access to mountains and lakes, and good food make East Tennessee a prime spot for such gatherings.

Warcraft Expansion Wrath of the Lich king

A snapshot has been leaked from Blizzcon showing that the next expansion will be called Wrath of the Lich king, Level cap to 80, Deathknight as the new class, character customization, new weapons and armor, new PvP battlegrounds, siege weapons, and more. Will be updated as more information is released.

Edit 1: The official website is now up and open! Click here to check it out.

Identity Theft

Identity theft

Identity theft is always on the rise by people who think nothing of stealing your identity and hard earned money to better themselves. Why would a person do this, and what can be done to protect yourself?

There are some people who are just lazy and have no morals. They spend more time and energy getting out of work, and trying to find ways to avoid work then the normal person does working. They dumpster dive, intercept mail, setup online scam sites, phish, and even hack networks.

One of the more popular ways to steal your identity or scam you is with a phish attempt. An email arrives supposedly from your bank or credit card, asking you to login in and update your personal information. The link looks legit, even the email is formatted in the correct format. You follow the link and see what appears to be your banks website. After your login, you come to a page that still looks somewhat official, but notice there is some questions being asked that make you feel uneasy. Questions such as your check/credit card number, your pin number, and your social security number. Unless you are aware of this a lot of people simply enter the information, click submit and go on their merry way, completely unaware that somebody now has their information. How to spot these? What protection can you use? Firefox will inform you if the website you are on appears to be a phish attempt; I believe IE does as well. But some things to remember, if your bank/financial institution are asking you for your card number, pin number, password, or social, never, ever give it online. Odds are it is a scam.

When you click the link, examine the address in the bar very closely, unless it matches your financial institute of question, do not continue. Contact them by the phone number listed on your card, inform them of what is going on, and ask if you can forward them the email. They take this very seriously.

Dumpster diving and trash sniffing is another popular way to get your information, but it is so easy to protect against this. The sad thing is most people do not do it. Buy a shredder that cross-cut shred. A quick Google search will turn up makers of these products. Cross shredding is more efficient then normal shredding. And when you shred a document, put your hand in the trash and stir it around to further disorient the scraps. What should be shredded? You should shred everything that comes in your mail box, old credit cards, statements, credit card offers, and basically anything with your name or address on it. It takes minutes to do this, and offers lots of protection to you and your identity. When mailing bills, or anything with personal information, don’t use your roadside mailbox. Take it either to the post office, or a big blue postal drop off. This reduces the risk of somebody intercepting your outgoing mail with checks or personal information as well.

As technology improves so will the need for vigilance and increased identity security. Thieves and scammers always look for new ways to steal your money, but by being wary of everything, following these tips for protection, and learning more about identity theft, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to these financial predators.

Deathknights and the Lich King

Some serious sleuthing is going on in anticipation of the World of Warcraft Expansion. The EU website has been theoretically mined to find the FaQ for the new expansion, and clever sleuths uncovered the patent for the title "Wrath of the Lich King"

So far it is suspected that the level cap will be raised to 80, players will get to invade Northrend, as reported here, Deathknight will be a hero class( which will more then likely cater to hard core raiders), a new profession, and of course new rep grinds, new mount money grinds, and new dungeons. On the PvP side of things, siege engines and destroyable objectives.

In my opinion, we will also see new talents, possible reworks of the current talent tree to avoid overpowerness, new mounts, new dungeons, etc etc.

The introduction of the hero class does imply some serious implications. First and foremost, will there be a limit? If it is anything like previous blizzard titles, anybody with enough time can make it. Sure it will be prestigious in the beginning, but after that, it will be common place. Of course if it is too hard, people will complain, too easy people will complain.

Balancing the talent trees will be difficult, as blizzard found out last patch. They promised the 41 point talents would be so strong, nobody would go for a 31/30 build. They were wrong. several classes have lackluster 41 point talents.

This will also bring about lots of PvP balance issues. It is only hoped that serious players get Beta invite and can iron out a lot of the balance issues before live.

Beginning a Relationship

Technically this relationship advice should have been written before my other one, but sometimes the words just have to flow when they do. Starting a relationship is difficult for many men, and for women as well. Worries about is she the one, will this work, what will my friends/parents think, will we get married? Many questions go through a mans head, and sometimes it shows in how we treat that new Ms. Right. As hard as it is, don't focus or dwell on this stuff.

Sometimes when you meet someone, you get that feeling that maybe she isn't our type. If that is the case, be honest with her. Women don't mind being told there is no spark, they may be hurt but in the long run they will respect you for being honest and upfront with them, instead of dragging on something, or worse, seeing somebody else at the same time. On the flip side, sometimes you will feel something, they won't and they let you know. Take it like a man, say thank you for your honesty and move on. Don't stalk them or call them all the time and try and change their mind.

A lot of time people meet online first. Be it through matchmaker, e-harmony, yahoo, or myspace, a lot of first impressions come from your online presence. When you meet, depending on how you portray yourself online, they will either be pleased, or disappointed. Be honest in your online presence. Its easy to pretend you are something or somebody you are not, but no relationship should be built from the ground up based on a lie.

Regardless of how or where you meet, when you experience that first magic date, and you both have a good night together, be sure and call her, text her, email her, IM her, or however you decide to communicate next. One of the nicer things you can do, is as soon as you drop her off, go home, log on, find a online card service( I use 123greetings.com) and send her a cute funny e-card. When she logs into her email, she will have something from you there waiting on her. Be sure and call her if you say you will. Don't make her wait for your call. Don't play hard to get or indifferent. If the date goes very well, nail down a second date within 5 days time, to show her you are interested. If she won't commit to a second date, she may need to think about it and discuss with her friends.

Above all else, be honest with her, and yourself. You may hurt her by being honest and telling her that you don't think it will work, but not as much as you will by leading her on, letting her become more attached, then breaking up when you find somebody else. We don't like to be lead on, neither do women. Always ask yourself how you would feel if somebody did it to you.

Relationships are tricky, and getting started in one is hard, especially with two different personalities that don't know or understand the other yet. Always be honest, always follow through on your commitments, and always be upfront.

Relationship tips for men

Okay guys, we all have wondered at one time or another, what’s it take to have a good relationship? Hopefully I can help some of you struggling fellows out a bit.

Woman are mysterious, strong, soft, weak, compassionate, caring, thoughtful, delicate and many other emotions, usually all at the same time. Men, well, we just are what we are. We get confused when they cry, laugh, get mad, scream and sleep. It’s a basic difference between men and women. Some things you can do to help your woman and make her think she is the best and only person in your life. This is of course directed to men in a relationship.

Pay attention to her. This is the number one thing you can do. If she is talking, don’t be text messaging a friend, watching sports, playing games, or reading. Give her your undivided attention. And keep that thought running through your head out of there, it will show up in your eyes. Make eye contact with her. Gently lay your hand on her arm or leg to let her know you are focused completely on her. It makes her feel that she is worth your time and attention.

Do thing with her that she wants to do. She goes with you to sporting events, the latest action flicks, your sports bars, your greasy restaurants. Go with her where she wants. See a movie she wants to see. Maybe *gasp* get dressed up and go to a nice restaurant. Go for a quite walk in a park, by the lake, in a flower garden. During this time, turn your cell phone off, or on silent, hold her hand, look at her. Listen to what she says, and reply in full sentences instead of monosyllable words.

Compliment her, but don’t over do it. Don’t use the standard, “you are hot” or other cheesy lines. Pick out something specific. If you watch her get ready, see what she spends the most time working on, and compliment that. Compliment her hair, shoes, clothes. Tell her she is beautiful. Look in her eyes when you say this and maintain eye contact. Never complain about how long it takes her to get ready. She is doing it for you.

Having other female friends is not necessarily a no-no, but if you do have any make sure your woman knows about them. If they want to meet for dinner/lunch, always, always, always make sure your woman is invited. This is a touchy subject, some women want no other woman talking to her man, others don’t mind as long as they are included in every aspect of your friendship as well.

If anything is remembered from reading this, remember this. When you have a woman, and she is everything to you, make sure she knows it. Don’t take her for granted, cause somebody else out there will show her what you can’t, and you will be without your everything.