Me and My crazy Mind

Getting the Hair you desire

2013-05-29T08:40:00.000+02:00

There are always two important aspects about getting longer hair. If you can, you want to grow them longer over time and patience. The other alternative is to get human hair extensions which is totally convenient. Nowadays, you can even get cheap hair weave!

Hair Weave comes in several types, from Virgin Peruvian Remy Hair, to Malaysian to Indian types. You may choose from body wavy texture or deep curly texture. It is not limiting you to having straight, loose wavy or natural wavy, you just pick the style that you desire for that season. The good thing about having hair extensions is that it generates a brand new style that you can never do so before. You can easily change the color, add more volume to limp, fine thinning hair. Women can choose to have these hair extensions woven in. The best part about it is, it is PAINLESS!

The initial set up time is an investment for this level of beauty. So up to six hours of setup time depending on your hair coverage, you get your hair extensionist perform this magic. Natural look from using human hair are so much more credible than the synthetic ones. A tip is to choose extensions that are not heavier than your own hair. Avoiding the problem of the mismatch saves you a lot of troubles if you pick the right thicknesses of the type of extensions. With gentle treatment, these human hair extensions simply work wonders. Minimise tangles with regular gentle shampoo, using a loop brush, reduce tangling with a light conditioner and keeping your hair supple. Last but not least, a tip to end off: sleep with your hair at night in a braid. It will help you to avoid getting knots waking up in the next morning.

Interview with Aydrien Banks

2013-05-23T11:30:00.001+02:00

Aydrien Banks is an all american Christian Recording Artist, Actor, Director, Fitness Model, Entrepreneur formally known as Oneshot Bk Reppa! We have conducted an interview with him:

How did you get the name Aydrien' Banks? Tell the viewers more about yourself?

Well I wanted a name that represented me In the best way possible. The name Aydrien’ Banks is very smooth and catchy and it rolls off the tongue! The name stands out, which makes it easy to market. I am a Christian recoding artist, Song writer, Director, Fitness Model, Entrepreneur, anything you can name I have my hands in it.

How did you get into Making Films? Tell us about your new Film 24 Hours?

I started making Films when I was 14, and it developed into something more. Similar to my music, my Films provide a great way for me to express myself through media. 24 Hours is a short Christian film that I wrote and Directed. 24 Hours teaches the most important lesson in life “Tomorrow is not promised”. Nothing you do is this world is going to matter after you die, except what you do for Jesus Christ. I had the opportunity to work with a great cast including, Mother Wynters, Elder Wynters, & Mike Allen. The Film was a big hit on the internet.

Tell us about your upcoming Projects?

Wow, I have alot of upcoming projects I don’t even know where to start. I’m working on some more Christian Films, with different Genre’s including Drama, Actor, Horror & Romance. Im releasing a Horror Film next entitled “Escape”, the Film is about 4 teenage boys who go on a trip, and their car breaks down and they end up lost in the woods. Something very evil is in the woods, and one Christian Boy’s uses his faith to save his friends from the evil. Other than that I have a Reality TV show coming to a major TV Network about my life, entitled “The Life of Aydrien Banks”. I’m also working on a clothing line, however I am in the early stages but It will come out this year.

What are some of your musical goals?

I no longer have musical goals my only goal is to change the world with my music, and show people God is real. I have no desire to be famous or a huge pop star anymore. I want to spread Gods love through music, I am a Christian Recording artist and I am not ashamed. Im more concerned about others than my own selfish goals.

What does the future hold for Aydrien' Banks?

Nobody knows, the future is not promised. Your here one day and gone the next. However I hope my future is a reflection of all the hard work I put in, throughout my past. I look forward to all God has promised me. From starting my own record label, Clothing line, & Film company. The future is going to be a wonderful place for me. I hope to do many mission trips to different countries and spread the word of God to those who have not heard it before.

The Director

2013-05-11T21:06:00.004+02:00

Director Tarik Freitekh Host of the famous show "The Director" attended the white house correspondent dinner this year. He posted some photos on his social network sites with different celebrities such as Sofia Vergara, Bradley Copper and many more, also PSY posted a photo with Tarik Freitekh on his official instagram the photo got over 17 thousand likes.

Tarik Freitekh is a filmmaker who takes the occasional adventure into the world of Music videos, commercials, and creative film. Tarik has worked with different artists on a variety of music videos.

He received his first Bachelor Degree from The University of Technology Sydney in arts of Architecture; he also studied Digital Filmmaking and Video Production at The Art Institute.

He recently finished directing a project for the big star Shakira, Snoop Dogg, R-Kelly, Tamer Hosny & Shaggy.

Follow Tarik Freitekh:

www.twitter.com/tarikfreitekh
www.instagram.com/tarikfreitekh
www.facebook.com/tarikfreitekh

Frillyes Arts International

2013-05-07T14:09:00.001+02:00

Tanya lives in Italy. She is the founder of Frillyes Arts International which is a website where books, art exibitions and music are reviewed. We have conducted a short interview with her:

How did it all begin, from your interests to ‘Frillyes Arts International’ that is online now?

Well, my love for the arts dates back from childhood in all directions. Since very young I was a great reader, I loved stories and poetry, I must say that when I was young our primary school books carried many important pieces of work by great writers and poets. I remember I fell in love with the poem “Settembre” by Gabriele D’Annunzio, that started my love story with poetry and literature that has never ended. Also, during childhood we used to go to London every other year to visit our grandparents and when there we always went to the National and Tate Galleries, those visits have had the most dramatic influence in my life. The profound emotions that paintings generated in me nurtured my soul and my imagination, the perfection and accuracy with which paintings, in its many different styles, translate the essence of beauty, are the reasons for which I consider them the supreme form of art; only poetry can reach to beauty in the same way, but poetry slips away with the flowing of its words, it gives you a glimpse of beauty and it’s gone, a whisper or a breath. Painting translates beauty in its eternity.

As far as music is concerned, during childhood I was exposed mainly to classical while modern music came later, in my teens, it started with Duran Duran, I will always love them for this, and from then on it continued exploring more alternative sounds, jazz and blues, classical, etc.

Anyway this is my background, favoured by a family where art in all its forms has always enjoyed high consideration, my being a rather imaginative person has made it so that the role of spectator was not sufficient for me, I started writing very young, then came music making and finally painting. I love creation in all its declinations and computers have been a Godsend in this sense, I can create my own videos, the covers for my albums and books, my own websites and a whole series of things.

The idea for what should have been “The Frillye Freakalillie Centre for Art and Expression” came to me a few years ago. The original idea was to acquire a physical location where concerts, exhibitions and literature presentations could be held, that should have been supported and expanded by a website. Unfortunately my economical situation makes it impossible for me at the moment to buy a physical venue, so I decided to start from the web. I am doing everything by myself and have suffered some drawbacks so my project went online only a few weeks ago and updates won’t be as frequent as I would like them to until I manage to dedicate more time to it.

What is the idea behind your newest project?

The idea came from a reaction to what goes on around me. The mainstream channels are open just to a few and sometimes they are not even the best expression of quality; as far as music is concerned furthermore, even the most “established” independent labels often lack in personality so you end up having to go “very” independent, almost homemade to find original sounds.

So one motivator was the closure of mainstream channels towards most artists. The second one was that I noticed that many contests were addressed exclusively to people within a certain age range. I find this insufferable: art, inspiration, creative power have no age, nobody can be the judge of the reasons for which life brings a person to start his creative activity at 50 rather than at 18 years of age.

So based on the principle that everybody has the right to create, express themselves and communicate, I started laying down the basics for my project. The discriminant for my choice of artists featured on the site will be my own tastes, the originality of the work produced and a certain quality level (in literature for example, with print-on-demand facilities you can find pieces of work that are written so awfully, with so many mistakes that make your hair stand up). I am very much interested in original ideas, even if style is not at its top, a little constructive critique can help artists improve anyway.

My website is both in English and Italian.

What kind of digital artwork do you enjoy creating? Do you do installation art and interactive installation? What kind of software do you use to create your kind of digital artwork?

For the benefit of truth I will say I started creating visual art only recently and I don’t do installation art of any type. My digital work at the moment consists mainly of photography editing, that is, mild editing of land/cityscapes for my poster and prints activity and a more incisive editing for my sensual art poster and prints activity. Every now and again, when I get the inspiration, I create a piece of digital art in its own right, mainly concept art.

Software – I use many, I like diversity and diversity of hues is the basis for art. I rely a lot on open source, such as: Photoscape, Photopos Pro, Gimp, but also Artweaver, Photoimpression and an old software I love, Ulead Photo Express. Finally I like using an exceptional software, which is actually a DTP program, Pageplus by Serif, I use an old version, n°9, a great tool, one of my favourites all round.

Comparing poetry, music and painting, which is your favourite form of art expression and why?

Difficult question, I suppose it depends from the emotional/mind state of the moment. They each have different characteristics to express emotions and that great essence which is beauty.

From an active point of view, poetry and writing in general come easier to me; I approached active painting only a few months ago, I never had the courage before, I love so much painting, it is something so perfect for me that I always felt in awe of it, I always felt the need to express myself by it but until now I never held the key to access it, I don’t know what changed that, it is just one of those sudden illuminations that happen in life.

Creating music is great, often when I finish a piece of work I don’t quite understand myself how it came about and I also enjoy very much the technical part; I believe I have a rather pictorial approach to music and sometimes also to writing, each instrument, timing or word is like a brushstroke. On the other hand I have a rather conceptual approach to visual art, which in some way brings it back to thought and words. It’s all an interweaving.

Intuition plays a great role in art on my opinion, both when you are the observer and the artist, it’s something sort of Zen.

Do you write books? Which ones would you recommend to our readers?

Yes, I have written eight poetry collection books and now I’m writing some prose. My books are all written in Italian, I will translate them someday when I have more time; they are all available as print-on-demand for lovers of paper books or in ebook format, much less expensive, on Amazon. On my site all links are available.

If I were to recommend some, well, being the author is not easy … but I would say these:

Un Giorno in Più Del Mondo Rappresentato Lunare … Tra …

Thank you very much for the chance of this interview and to everyone who took the time to read it.

More info on Tanya's initiative:

www.ediguvan.com
www.theroughandthevelvet.com
www.facebook.com/frillye.freakalillie
http://FrillyesArts.imagekind.com

Wedlock

2013-05-04T21:27:00.000+02:00

Wedlock (known as 105 Deckowls outside North America) is an electro-pop act revolving around singer/songwriter and founding member Paul Allgood. We have conducted a short interview with him:

How did you both decide to form your band and named it Wedlock?

It was political in nature. There were different names brought up like Satori, but in the end Wedlock was the best choice in response to the amendment trying to be passed. "This is what Wedlock looks like" and then depicting all types of consenting adult couples would be most accurate, but too long for a band name. So Wedlock is just a short for all that.

Other than Indie genre, do you also perform other music genres? If yes, which are they? If no, why not?

Electronic synth pop, light funk, and it's probably a misnomer, but R&B. Then there was a really dumb comparison to Bruce Hornsby. That still makes no sense.

Which was the most memorable time when your band perform? Where and what were your deepest impressions?

Bits and pieces come up from each time out. The Polytechnic in England was fun, Wilmington,NC was fun, New York too. Even when things went wrong at least performing in front of people was exciting.

If you have to name three other Indie groups that you both like, which are the ones?

Just speaking for myself I've been listening to The Wild Swans and A.R. Kane, but I wouldn't call them "indie."

Based on your personal experiences, what is the most challenging aspect about being an Indie artist nowadays?

The same challenges as anybody else. What's the difference between an independent shop vs. a corporate chain?

More info on Wedlock:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedlock_(band)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5434672/
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wedlock-mn0000479110
http://newschicago.net/wedlock-band-history-iii-wrapping-the-hell-up/ https://soundcloud.com/wedlockmusic

Racing Auto Parts

2013-04-23T20:43:00.001+02:00

Steve Allred is the owner of Sunday Speed and Custom, an online seller of High Performance Auto Parts and Racing Auto Parts. Mr. Allred has broad experience in the automotive aftermarket including owning companies that fabricate high performance and racing cars and build racing engines. Additionally, Mr. Allred has driven road racing and drag racing cars and has worked as a crew member of many race cars. Today we interview him regarding his new online venture which is an ecommerce website: Sundayspeedandcustom.com and his experience as an ecommerce store owner.

What kind of parts do you sell on your e-commerce website?

Sunday Speed and Custom sells High Performance Auto Parts and Racing Auto Parts. Our online store features a wide variety of high performance auto parts, accessories, tools and race car set up equipment and information such as books and DVDs. We have available all the latest parts and technologies from the best automotive aftermarket manufacturers of high performance and racing auto parts. The specific markets we cover are: Drag Racing Parts, Circle and Oval Racing Parts, High Performance Street Car Parts, Sport Compact Car Parts, Truck, Diesel and Jeep Parts and Hot Rod Parts and Custom Car Accessories. Additionally, Sunday sells a variety of lifestyle products that appeal to all automotive enthusiasts.

What elements do customers look for in a website such as yours?

Customers look for a site that is user friendly where the shopping experience is fun and informative. Customers respond to a site that is easy to use, easy to understand and quick. Many customers are looking for the latest products from manufacturers they know and trust so we must have a wide range of products available for them to choose from. Customers who know exactly what they want need to be able to find and purchase their products quickly. Other customers may want to shop and learn about the latest products and technologies before making a buying decision. We need to have the information those customers are looking for presented logically with easy site navigation to assist them. Also, we must convey to customers a sense of confidence. They need to have confidence the site is safe and secure and confidence purchase transactions are easily made and safe to complete. We try very hard to make our store easy and comfortable for our customers to use with the latest security features for safe and secure transactions.

Do customers need help with product decisions?

Some customers do need help with product or technology decisions. We include all information available from our manufacturers in our product ads and we list answers to common questions on the site. If a customer still has a question, however, our technical assistance department is ready to help answer their questions.

How quickly do you ship a customer order?

When a customer submits an order it is processed immediately and electronically. In stock parts are picked, packaged and shipped the same day. Evening orders may be shipped the next day. If the part is out of stock or we do not have enough stock to complete the order we will contact the manufacturer to determine if they can ship the order directly to the customer for us. If the manufacturer cannot complete the order we have the ability to search numerous other sources electronically to find product and complete an order. We are almost always able to ship an order the same day we receive it. If we have any delay we contact the customer to advise them of the situation.

The majority of customer orders are shipped via Federal Express, UPS or the USPS. Most of these orders can be shipped via air as well if the customer needs quicker delivery. We do provide next day and Saturday air delivery if a customer needs an order delivered that quickly. Heavy weight orders such as crate motors must be shipped via truck.

Can customers return parts?

Yes customers can return most new and unused parts for exchange or refund. Only parts that are custom made or configured for a customer and some closeout parts are not returnable. Our product ad will specifically state if a part is not returnable. Generally, if the part has not been used, the packaging has not been damaged and we can sell the product again as a new product we will accept a return.

Knockout Supplements

2013-04-19T11:01:00.001+02:00

Knockout Supplements is a supplement company providing range of sports nutrition products for people who need help losing weight, building mass, or building strength and size at reasonable prices. They also carry other products designed to boost testosterone, enhance mood, provide euphoria, lower stress and to provide that extra energy to get you through the day. If you want to build muscle, lose weight or boost testosterone Knockout Supplements is the solution for you.

If you have any questions or concerns about the products, feel free to contact Knockout Supplements. They are not only selling these supplements but also using them for working out or to improve their overall health. Highly educated experts are ready to provide you with advices and tips. Feel free to drop a line through their contact us page.

Amirite - Every opinion matters

2013-04-14T19:46:00.000+02:00

Amirite is a cool social network that opens space for real debates. Registering to the site people from all around the world can discover, debate and discuss the hottest issues.

Opening your profile you can share your perspective with the world getting into interaction with open minded people.

The site helps you to share your thoughts to know different opinions and to interact with open minded people.

Amirite will help you to open your eyes to the world allowing you to see the big picture. Surfing on the site I have checked what were the topics of debates:

- racism
- beauty advices
- education
- business
- technology

Create an account today to start an online debate straight away and enjoy all of the benefits of having an opened interaction.

Cycling Hideaways

2013-04-13T20:08:00.001+02:00

Cycling Hideaways is a new initative to encourage people to take up cycling holidays as a way of keeping healthy as well as seeing more of the areas they visit. On their website they would like to encourage rental accommodation owners in towns and villages to register and list their peoperty joining their initiative. We have conducted an interview with the founders.

What keeps you motivated in working on cycling holidays?

Cycling Hideaways provides a much needed link between people who go on cycling holidays and people who offer rental accommodation and can accommodate precious bicycles. Not every holiday rental welcomes cyclists and their bicycles but not every cycling holiday needs to be a camping holiday.

Cycling Hideaways is a new website to encourage people to take up cycling holidays as a way of keeping healthy as well as seeing more of the areas they visit.

 Who do you hope to work with for your initiative?

There is no doubt that cycling as a form of relaxation and as a form of exercise is on the increase. People are much more aware of their health nowadays and the idea of a holiday that is restricted to lying on a beach is somewhat old fashioned. I’d like to encourage as many rental accommodation owners as possible to consider engaging the interests of cyclists by providing secure lock-up facilities for bicycles if it is impractical for cycles to be taken indoors, or by recommending local bicycle hire facilities.

What do you consider as 'non-traditionally thought of' destinations?  

There are so many designated cycling paths, beautiful country walks by rivers and mountains where people can appreciate the natural beauty of a different country. Being eligible to be listed on Cycling Hideawys depends on a number of factors such as:

 1 – 2 years experience providing accommodation for holiday makers.

 Proximity to Places of Special Cultural Interest

 Proximity to Local Craft Artisans

 Proximity to Places that provide local cuisine or music.

 Proximity to Places of Special Historical Interest.

 Proximity to Coastal Routes.

 Proximity to Lakes, rivers or mountains

Understanding nature makes us understand a culture and often this is missed by holiday makers. So much more of a country is open to you when you get on your bike.

Do you charge if property owners list their destination on your site? (If yes, how much)

For a limited period only, it is completely free for rental accommodation owners to list their property on Cycling Hideaways; this can be self catering or Bed and Breakfast. The normal fee is £100 per year.

 Which are the top five destinations so far listed on your site as the best ideas for cycling holidays?

We have properties listed in Thailand, The Amalfi Coast in Italy, The Balearic Islands in Spain and in Romania, so a real variety to choose from. We offer a range of ideas on the site for people considering a cycling holiday.

 Will your site visitors receive any special perks or discount if they cite your website or certain code at the point of booking the accommodation of the properties listed on it?

All properties listed on the site are completely managed by the owners. We do not take a fee for any of the bookings. Holiday makers are encouraged to get in touch with the owners direct to negotiate bookings and so on. Our aim is to open up the world of possibility for people on cycling holidays to find their ideal Cycling Hideaway.

Interview with Breanna Baker

2013-04-09T21:13:00.000+02:00

Breanna Baker is a model, actress, musician, and social media marketer. Recently, she moved from a small mountain town to the Bay Area for her modeling career. We have conducted an interview with her.

What are the uniqueness of your appearance or personality that makes you suitable to modeling? Which is the most stringent modeling criteria that you have ever overcome?

I have a unique face. Many times, people have stopped me, in the store, on the streets... And asked me if I was from some other country (i.e.: Sweden. Germany, France, basically anywhere in Europe). I've even had people mistaken me for being from their own country, and try speaking to me in another language!!

I have high cheek bones, which everyone loves, and a very defined jaw line. Makeup artists always tell me I have the perfect bone structure for makeup. My lips are a bit small, but have a great shape to them. My eyes are blue, and I can open them very wide. My figure is an hourglass: 32-24-36''

The most stringent modeling criteria that I have overcome is being under the ideal 5'9''+ runway height. Many people think I am that tall, until they meet me in person. I have even had an agent think I was that tall, until they saw me in person. Now, I am sure to make my height very BOLD and LARGE on my marketing materials. That way people wont pass over it, and waste my time for thinking I am "exactly" what they were looking for. I am 5'4''. Take it or leave it.

Which kinds of modeling challenges will you want to undertake in the near future?

To travel around the world, doing what I love! I have toured the US twice for music and studied one summer in Europe. This time, I want to model. I want to travel for work!! Most of my clients are in California. A current challenge is to expand. I am targeting my favorite clothing companies, ad agencies, magazines, designers, photography studios, production companies, etc.

Eventually, I will target modeling agencies. They are not my top concern, I know how to market without them, and I'm not a big fan of being tied down. I don't just want an agency that will find me work. I want a relationship. I want to be able to meet with them in person, discuss branding and marketing, make goals, target clients together, aim higher, etc. I want to be part of the process. Finding the perfect agency is like finding love. Rather than wasting time searching for the perfect person, become your perfect person, and they will find you.

My main goals take place in my personal marketing, which will help me to get future work. Recently, I ordered 1,500 cards for networking and mailing out around the world. I just ran out of envelopes yesterday and am waiting on a shipment of 500 envelopes that is over 3 days late. So, I bought a few hundred cheap envelopes from Office depot to use in the meantime.

Working as an assistant (in office and travelling to trade shows) for my father (a historical document dealer, one of the top dogs in the business) since age 5, I am a very fast and efficient mailer. Most of my marketing techniques were learnt from my parents and from growing up. Thanks Mom and Dad!!

In your opinion and based on your experience as a model, what is the greatest myth about the modeling career?

In my experience, most girls trying to become a model, are going after it because they seem to think it is an easy way out. To get paid "just for being in front of the camera". There is a lot more to modeling.

So many girls ask me what it takes, and I think you really just have to learn from experience. I have given private lessons to many people, coaching them on modeling, how to market, how to pose, what photos to use, etc. It shouldn't be a question of "what it takes" it should be an active input of making it happen. When people ask "what it takes" I feel like they are asking to make a one time purchase rather than a life-long commitment.

After hearing a fan tell me about how she tried going to modeling school, and "got nothing out of it". I decided to buy one of Barbizon's handbooks. I was quite amazed while reading it, most of the information was exactly on point with what I taught other models in private lessons. This fan got her first real modeling job, and loved it!! I had given her tons of advice before-hand, online and over the phone.... but honestly, most of the advice I gave her, it looks like she must have already learned at Barbizon. She just needed a little reminder.

Another myth I now believe in.... is that modeling schools are NOT a scam. They are just another way to learn. The reason they don't work for everyone, is that most people don't make an active effort to get everything they can out of it. It's like when people say, "This workout program doesn't work for me." It's not the workout programs fault, it's the amount of work that YOU put in that matters. I wish my parents had put me through modeling school as a kid. It would have helped sooooo much. Regardless, I found my way.

Do you think that every college graduate is going to have a career in what they studied, or get the exact job that they wanted? No. Does that make college a scam?? No. Do you think it is worth it to go to college? If so, then it is worth it to go to modeling school too. It is about making an investment in your career. If you don't go to a modeling school, then you'd better be home-model-schooling yourself at home!!!

Whether you learn from other people, or learn from experience yourself. You have to do the homework. You can't ace the test if you never opened the textbook. Do research, test yourself, learn, learn, and learn some more!! Get the equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in modeling. Think about it, most people go to school for 6-8 hours a day and then have homework and extracurricular activities on top of that..... for 4 years straight!!! That's a lot of work.

You must put that much work into becoming a model. And even more in working as a model for a career. Life isn't easy, and don't ever think it's getting any easier. That will only set you behind. As my mom always said whenever I complained as a child, "Tough". You only get out of life what you put in.

What are the most difficult and easiest aspects about being a model? Why do you think they are so?

I think one of the hardest aspects for me, is rarely being home or rarely having time at home. When I decided to fall in love, I told myself I would always put in 110% to be the best girlfriend I can be. It's very difficult to keep up with being my own perfect vision of me, and work!! Mastering the two bounces back and forth a bit as I learn to level out.

My boyfriend knows I do weird things, like lick thousands of stamps all day, keep up with extremely long beauty routines, do stretching and exercise videos, travel out of town every week, get hundreds of social media and email notifications, have to leave all of the sudden with not much explanation for meetings/castings etc.

Is there anyone in your profession you would love to work with?

I've never been one to idol people much. But the first names that come to mind are Devon Aoki, Kate Moss, Coco Rocha, and Tyra Banks. Devon and Kate are both fighting the same challenge as me, they are under 5'9''. Coco Rocha, the first time I saw her, was the first time I'd ever seen a model move and express as much as I do in front of the camera. Tyra is inspiring. I think it would be cool to be the host of America's Next Top Model someday.

The first time I'd seen the show, I felt like the judges read my mind. Years later, when I had the ability to watch a whole season, I felt so connected to the show. Like, most of what the girls were taught, I had learned through life experiences. Watching their shoots, I wish I were there, cause I knew exactly how to direct them. I've always been good with shapes, and it has helped me so much in modeling. I critique my own photos all the time.

Those are the only model names I can think of right now. Most people I'd like to work with are not models though. They are brands, companies, producers, managers, directors, editors, designers, photographers, makeup artists, stylists, journalists, etc. I write down their name and info on my lists, and research them extensively. I see who they know, get connected with who knows them, find out where they are from, what they do, their work history, etc.

Narrowing down my target, I work to get closer and closer each and every day. I get my face/name in front of them, so they will unconsciously recognize me when I contact/meet them. Once I feel ready, I mail my cards to them, call them, and/or email them.... and I don't give up.

If you are not modeling, what else do you do (what are your hobbies, how do you make good use of your free time)?

Free time? Not a fan. I do have relaxing time, but even my hobbies, I like to consider as valuable learning time. I love to drum, and drumming has gotten me a lot of work!! Just a week or so ago, I was drumming in a national commercial. I've played principal percussion in musical orchestras, taught at 4 different high schools, was featured in a drummer magazine, and was on the Paiste Wall of Fame at the 2013 NAMM show.

When I relax at home, I am usually doing something to better my health and body. Such as stretching, exercising, facial yoga, facials, putting on lotion, getting a massage, going for a walk, etc. Whenever I watch TV, I am always attentive, ready for inspiration, and taking notes. I am not very picky when watching shows with other people, but for shows I watch on my own, I want them to educate me, teach me a lesson, inspire me, and further my career; not just entertain me.

Currently, I visit my family once a week, due to the fact that my mom was in the hospital (sister was in and out too), my snake is there (couldn't take me with her when I moved to the Bay), and I do a lot of my work out of dad's office in Pollock Pines. Being from the mountains, I love to go on hikes, dig holes and mine rocks with my brothers, have snowball fights with our friends, and sip hot cocoa by the fire. Everything should be productive, at least for me. I don't like to waste time, I only invest it in those that I love, and that which I love to do.

You can find more about Breanna Baker at:

http://www.BreannaBaker.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/nxtBreannaBaker
http://www.linkedin.com/in/breannabaker
http://www.sfcasting.com/BreannaBaker
https://www.facebook.com/nxtBreannaBaker
https://twitter.com/nxtbreannabaker
http://www.breannabakercom.tumblr.com

Barbecue Guru

2013-04-09T12:13:00.003+02:00

Wayne Mark Schafer has spent 30 years selling his famous bbq at fairs and festivals. We had the opportunity to conduct an interview with him.

What was the background story behind your bbq pit business?

As a child my mom worked in restaurants. Before she met my stepdad I was carted along to the kitchen. I had a love for watching people cook, then I wanted to do it myself. Later my mom and stepfather started a food concessions business. I helped but in high school wanted to do my own thing. I experimented with smoking meats with different seasonings, and took it on the road at fairs and festivals when I was 19. Remember in this day no one ate smoked meats and beef at fairs or festivals, maybe just the bull roasts. Fairs and festivals had pizza, funnel cakes, sausage, cheesteaks and things quick and easy to make like your regular hot dog.

In the early 90’s, I partnered with my brother and we opened Big Fat Daddy’s Famous Pit Beef which was a tiny restaurant/shack in Baltimore. It became famous real quick. We later closed it, and took the show on the road. I am now the only but still original owner of the company.

What is so unique about your bbq pits and bbq smokers?

Some require less work and some require more work. You have to find one that you enjoy, and that you can operate to the best of your ability. You can talk to ten different Pitmasters, and they will all tell you a different story, and have a favorite brand. I make my own, but I put myself though the extra work of still doing the old time “stick burner” which means it’s an open wood pit and constantly you are feeding and stoking the wood.

How do you price your products? Do you consider the pricing of your product reasonable? I price my products based on the portion size and food cost, and my food is top quality which costs more than most concessionaires. (However, that’s what keeps my loyal following coming back.) Unfortunately a lot of places you vend now make you add in meals tax, this is something new that a lot of counties are doing—and those who aren’t soon will be. Many people don’t realize when they go to a fair or festival and pay a lot for a sandwich that includes the sales taxes and local taxes, plus meals taxes that must be remitted to the local townships.

Barbecue food are somehow not the most healthy food. How do you convince people who are health conscious before they buy your products?

The problem is when you go to a fair and festival, the cheapest foods you can find are not always the best quality or good for you. I give subs and not sandwiches (bigger portions) and use high quality meats so you feel satisfied after eating a sub. I remember I used to eat at stands and feel sick with grease after eating a sandwich or fries. I blame that on cheap crap meats or all those trans-fats vendors were using because truth be told trans-fat oil was the cheapest out there and also no good for you. I am glad some states have outlawed that crap.

I only serve angus, organic, grass fed beef and pork when I can and this costs way more. I sell a lot of turkey legs as a way to implement healthier meats into your diet. Buying top quality locally sourced Ferrante’ Brothers sausage does makes my food prices higher than the guy sitting next to me, but you compare his crap-gristle for five bucks to my high quality for seven bucks we make the same profit margin.

I literally put five different brands of sausage on my grill and watched who had the least amount of fat draining from it while cooking, which tasted better and was the most lean. Most food vendors don’t take the time to do this. It’s no secret that it costs more to operate with health in mind. I also only use Soya Oil to fry real potatoes in. I can’t stand processed frozen fries and peanut oil is great but too many people are allergic to it. Soya bean is a healthier alternative to that other crap. To be honest, you should pick and choose where to eat at a fair and if you buy the cheapest sausage you get what you pay for. Now as for a funnel cake, or deep fried Oreo Cookie, well, moderation is key.

In five years time, what are your plans and what do you hope to achieve?

I hope to retire in five years time, maybe someone would want to take over my legacy but I doubt they will because it’s hard work. My kids would rather work in offices with air conditioning and I can’t say I blame them. What I do I love too much and the satisfaction comes from being able to withstand three decades in my business, I’m still the small family owned company and for now, I’m happy doing what I do.

Interview with Digger Cartwright

2013-04-04T23:38:00.000+02:00

Digger Cartwright is the author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller, and The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West. His latest book, Conversations on the Bench, is an inspirational/motivational novel and is scheduled for release in early May 2013. We have conducted a short interview with him:

What makes writing mystery stories exciting?

You have to be very methodical when you write a mystery novel, because it’s usually a very analytical process. I start and build up the characters in anticipation of the problem. The problem is usually a murder that the reader must try to figure out who did it or an event that leaves the reader trying to figure out why it happened or why other things in the story are happening. You’ve got to be very careful in what you give the reader in the way of clues because that obviously has an impact on how the story ends. And of course, as the writer you get to choose who did it and why. So I think it’s pretty exciting to be able to present a problem, lead the reader along with some series of events and clues that lead up to the dénouement, and then come up with whatever ending you as the writer want. A lot of times it may not be the ending that the readers want, but as the author you get to decide how you want it to end.

It’s exciting for me to be able to start with a blank piece of paper and make the story and the characters and the places come to life for the reader. It’s sort of like an artist with a blank canvas. You start with nothing and you can do whatever you want with the art you create. You get to fill the pages with a world of your own creation. You can bend the rules or you can suspend reality, because in the end it’s about creating something enjoyable for the readers, and to do that sometimes you have to let your imagination run wild and see where it goes. You can be bold if you want in your characters or your storyline. The writer has great freedom of expression in writing the story, and it’s exciting for me to pull a lot of different elements together into a story that makes the reader want to keep turning the page for more.

When you were writing Murder at the Ocean Forest, did you find it difficult to craft the characters?

Crafting the characters was somewhat difficult for Murder at the Ocean Forest since it is a period piece. I had to take into consideration people’s mannerisms and beliefs and emotions that may have been a part of the World War II era. I had to ask myself what motivated people during the war and how did the war impact them psychologically and emotionally. I talked to some people I know who were around during the 1940s and who could remember the times.

As you know, each character in Murder at the Ocean Forest is extremely unique, and since the book is very character driven I went into some great detail about them all and their mannerisms and you even get a glimpse into their thoughts and point of view. Up until the first murder, you get a chapter or part of a chapter from each character’s point of view, so it gives the reader a chance to get to know the characters and what they think and how they perceive some things. That makes for a very interesting dynamic between all the characters when the reader puts everything together.

What was more difficult was trying to craft the setting at the old Ocean Forest Hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Ocean Forest Hotel was demolished in the 1970s, long before I was introduced to Myrtle Beach. So, I’m trying to write a story set in a place that doesn’t exist anymore and for which there is really very limited information. I had some photographs to go by to get an idea of what the hotel looked like on the outside and to some extent on the inside, but I didn’t have much to work with. I interviewed some people who had local knowledge and who shared with me their memories of the place. After that, I set to work to recreate the Ocean Forest Hotel in the 1940s, and from the feedback I’ve received from a number of readers who had actually been to the Ocean Forest Hotel, I’m told I did a pretty good job at capturing the place in my book. I’m glad I could do it justice.

What is the most challenging aspect(s) about writing a psychological thriller like The House of Dark Shadows?

A psychological thriller like The House of Dark Shadows is basically writing about a mind game. Not only does it involve a mind game among the characters, but as the writer you’re also playing a mind game with the readers. As the writer, you’ve got to be very careful and very creative in how you present the story. In The House of Dark Shadows you’ll notice that the story is told complete from one character’s point of view. You’re privy to some of his thoughts and emotions, and the reader can get in his head a little bit. However, the readers don’t get any insight into what the other characters are thinking. Instead, you get one character’s perception of what he thinks they may be thinking or what their emotions are; you get his perspective and his perspective alone. Obviously, if you were able to get inside other characters’ heads in the book, you would be able to figure out what was going on pretty quickly. Because of the set up of all of this, you leave the reader wondering whether their take on the book is right or not. Did this really happen or was it part of the character’s imagination or what? Can you take the explanation at the end at face value or was there more to it? Who was the good guy and who was the bad guy? Was everything really as it seemed or not? I’ve had readers tell me that they weren’t sure how to take the ending of the book, that it could go a couple of ways, and I’ve had readers argue both perspectives and not come to a firm conclusion about it. Thus, that’s the nature of the psychological thriller, in my opinion. Some people don’t like that there isn’t a fully explained and clear conclusion, but I liken it to the twist in Alfred Hitchcock’s works—it leaves you wondering for days after you’ve finished the movie or in my case the book.

Do you write on other business related articles other than books under the mystery genre?

I have written a number of articles and opinion pieces on business, the economy, politics, and other current matters or events. A good deal of what I’ve done in the past few years outside of writing mystery novels has been for Thinking Outside the Boxe, which is a private think tank that writes commentaries on a wide range of issues. They have a symposium every year with panelists to discuss currents events. I’ve participated in that forum several times over the last six years. It’s a good way to step away from the fictitious world that I immerse myself in when I’m writing a mystery novel and talk about real life events and every day issues that affect people throughout the world. I’m a problem solver. I have to solve problems in my businesses all the time, and there are plenty of problems in the United States and elsewhere, both political and economic problems, that need to be solved. I stay current with what’s going on in the world, so I like to contribute my thoughts and opinions on how we can fix some of these problems. Sadly, I haven’t gotten any calls from anyone who has read any of my commentaries to say they liked the idea or that it was a good or a bad idea or that they’d like to try out my idea to see if it would fix some of our problems here in America. But I like expressing my opinions and giving my solutions, and Thinking Outside the Boxe has been kind enough to let me contribute to their website and their efforts, so I’ll just keep talking about what’s important in the world we live in and try to make the world a better place.

So, there’s the economic and political articles that I write as well as the mystery novels, but my newest book that is coming out at the end of April is a motivational book called Conversations on the Bench. It’s about a very inspirational person that I had the pleasure to meet a few years back. He was a great thinker who also liked to solve problems and who had an abundance of personality and charm and wisdom. He had a lot of life lessons to share with people, and he did just that. Even I got the benefit of some of his words of wisdom and anecdotes. This was really stepping out of the box for me to write a story that wasn’t a mystery but that was inspired by actual people and events. I certainly enjoyed the experience, and I hope readers like Conversations on the Bench, but after that I’m going to stick with fiction with a mystery theme.

What are your other interests other than writing?

Business is very important to me. I’ve got good people working for me and that helps free up some of my time to write, but nonetheless, I’m still the boss and I’ve got work to do when it comes to the businesses.

Outside of business and writing, I like to get in some golf every now and then. I’m afraid I don’t get to play as much as I would like, but I do enjoy trying out new courses and seeing if I can beat the course or if the course will beat me. I end up losing to the course most of the time. I play in a lot of charity golf tournaments to help raise money for various causes, so I’m killing two birds with one stone—I get to help out worthwhile organizations and enjoy a round of golf. It’s a win-win.

I like animals, so I’m always looking for ways to help homeless and neglected or abused cats and dogs and other creatures. I want to do what I can to help alleviate the suffering of innocent little creatures who are just looking for a forever home. I’m very interested in finding ways to help stop animal abuse and neglect and stop the senseless killing of animals in shelters simply because they don’t have a home. I’m always researching no kill organizations and trying to help educate people about the importance of having their pets spayed or neutered. And I am really big into the WWE. I’m a life member of the WWE Universe. I love watching it on TV and going to live WWE events throughout the year as time permits. I’m the WWE Universe Best Dressed Fan. I got that nickname from a guy who was sitting near me at Wrestlemania 27 in Atlanta. WWE provides good, clean entertainment, and I really enjoy being part of the energy and excitement at their live events.

Permanent traveler

2013-04-03T20:09:00.001+02:00

Alan lives in Canberra, Australia. He is interested in becoming a 'permanent traveler' and traveling the world, and he is blogging about his journey through life. We have conducted a short interview with him.

What is the uniqueness about being a 'Permanent Traveler'?

Permanent Traveler, Perpetual Traveler, or even Permanent Tourist - there's a few different names for the concept of traveling to different countries and staying in those countries for as long as the tourist visa will allow you, and then move on to the next country.

For me it's about being able to travel permanently, not just for a holiday, but for my life. It's about spending my life seeing the world. Not chained to a desk or cubicle, but being out there seeing the world.

Most people just go somewhere for a holiday, and they get to live in another country as a tourist for a week or two. They see only the tourist locations, and they experience only the shows that are being put on for them.

Being a permanent traveler allows you to avoid all the tourist traps. You can live in a location and you can become a resident for a few months. You can explore all the places that tourists never see, and you get to meet locals that the tourists never do.

Your experience while in a country is much more 'intimate', memorable and meaningful than just being a tourist for a week or two.

How did you come to realize this goal?

I think I've always been living this kind of life, I just never realised it could be expanded until recently. My parents were itinerant workers, so up until I was 10 years old, we were never in any one place for longer than 3 months. This set the pattern of my life, as I've travelled around Australia, living in different cities and even in different suburbs in those cities. And then I moved to New Zealand in 2000 and lived there for a few years before returning to Australia in 2007. It's only in the past few months that I've discovered the concept of 'permanent tourist', and the whole thing excites me so much! Why not travel around the world the same way I've been travelling around my own country?

So now I'm looking at how I can change my entire life around so that I can achieve this goal.

Which are the countries you have traveled and why did you choose them?

I haven't started being a 'permanent traveler' yet, so this one is a bit difficult to answer! But I've travelled around my home country of Australia quite a bit. There's only Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania that I'm yet to see.

I've lived in New Zealand and travelled around it quite extensively, and I've holidayed in United Kingdom and China.

I plan on going back to China and spending some months there and see more of the country and its culture. I also want to do the same with Japan and Sth East Asia. And then there's Canada, South America, and Europe - so many countries to live in!

Which country will you describe as the most interesting/exciting to travel without the knowledge of its local language?

For me, I think Japan is going to be one of the most interest and exciting countries to travel to. I've wanted to go there for many years now, so having a plan to include that in my travels is something I'm looking forward to. I've heard that its culture is about 20 years ahead of our own western culture, so I'm curious about seeing what that actually looks like.

What do you mean by 'pack your life into one bag'?

When you're going to be traveling around the world as a lifestyle choice, you can't carry around suitcases of 'stuff'. Not only is it damned inconvenient and heavy, but it's a nightmare to manage suitcases through airports and flights, hoping that nothing gets lost or stolen along the way.

With careful preparation, you can sell or give away everything you own, pay off all your debts, and establish internet-based sources of income so that no matter where you are in the world, you're still earning money. It's called being 'location independent'.

The only stuff you need to take with you as you travel the world is your essentials for travel for a week or even just a few days. What you wear is half of it. The other half fits into a small backpack and it usually includes just a couple items each of underwear, pants, shirts, sweater, jacket, raincoat, toiletries, laptop and power cables.

All the clothing needs to be ultra-lightweight while also being top quality, so that in hot weather it's cool for you, but in cold weather you can layer warmer clothes. Anything else that you might need or want can always be bought in whatever country you're in, and either used or sold or given away when you leave.

Your life packed into one bag, always with you as travel.

It's certainly a lifestyle choice that's not for everyone, but I can feel in my heart that it's going to be my life. I don't know for how long, but at least until I see as much as I ever want to see.

I'm writing about my life journey on my blog (www.alansjourney.com) and is where I talk about my experiences, observations and insights about various topics of interest to me, as well as my plans for a future of pemanent traveling.

StockBox Photo

2013-03-29T21:37:00.004+01:00

Stockbox Photo® Gallery Software provides an affordable solution for photographers, artists and artisans to display and sell their work online. We have conducted an interview with the founders.

How customizable is the Stockbox Photo gallery software?

The look and feel of the software is highly customizable by editing a set of html templates and a style sheet. This allows simple customizations for the inexperienced user, or very complex and unique customizations for the more experienced user. We can also provide affordable template customization services if the photographer or artist prefers. In addition to the look and feel customizations we can also provide custom coding services to alter and extend the functionality of the software as well.

How quickly can a photographer or artist setup their gallery?

There are three basic steps to setting up a gallery. The first is the actual installation of the software on the customer’s server which only takes a few minutes and we offer free installation of the Stockbox software if the customer prefers. The second is the customization of the look and feel of the gallery. This depends on how much customization the photographer is looking for. Some will just use the sample template set and replace our logo. Others will spend some time to really create a unique look and feel. The third step is the population of the gallery with images. This will depend on the size of the photographers archive and how well they have their images organized and prepared for upload. Step two and three can happen in conjunction, so the photographer can be both uploading and customizing at the same time.

What is the license cost for the Stockbox Photo software and what does it include.

There are two versions of the software depending on the features that the photographer or artist need. The Professional version has all of the core functions to allow them to display and sell their images or artwork online and the cost for this is $599.00. The Enterprise version has all of the features available in the Pro. version, as well as many additional advanced features that are useful for both the administrator as well as the gallery end-user and the cost for this is $999.00. This is a one-time license fee that includes 12 months of support as well as any updates released in that period. After the initial 12 months they can extend the support/update subscription in 12 month increments at a cost of $120 for the Pro. version and $240 for the Ent. version. If they don’t need support or updates, then they can continue using the software without an additional payment. Also, Stockbox does not take any commission on the gallery sales.

Does Stockbox have a money back guarantee?

Since Stockbox Photo is a software application, we don’t provide refunds, but we can provide potential customers with a hosted demo on our servers and/or a trial version for them to install on their server. We encourage potential customers to ask any questions that they may have prior to purchasing so that they know that the software will meet all of their needs.

Which web browsers does the software support?

Since our software is standards compliant it supports all modern browsers and since the gallery admin is web browser based, it is platform independent, which means that it can be managed from Mac or Windows based machines.

Elite Private Search

2013-03-27T20:28:00.001+01:00

Resah Hage is San Diego's Top Matchmaker with It's Just Lunch. She runs the Elite Division in La Jolla, CA serving an unparalleled set of accomplished clientele ranging from business leaders to A-list celebrities to academic visionaries in every field looking for love and romance. We have conduscted a short interview with her.

What is essentially provided in your matchmaking service that makes it so unique?

I provide a very personal relationship that I build with my clients. I am their biggest advocate and I'm always meeting the most amazing people and in return introducing them to my clients.

What kind of special treatment are given to Elite clients as part of your service?

They each have their own personal dating concierge, dating coach, personal trainer and a professional photo shoot to name a few of the special treatments.

Could you provide an example to define the kind of 'very personalized and great care' in part of your matchmaking service?

I hand select each match for my clients taking all physical traits, personality types, intellectual levels and background preferences into consideration. Once a match has been selected, I take care of all the details for the date while my clients get to enjoy a life of hassle-free dating!

Based on your experience, what are the most wanted virtues a bachelorette or bachelor looks for in the 2013? Is it any different ten or even 20 years ago (2003/1993)?

Not much has changed over the last ten or even twenty years. Based on my experience I would say loyalty ranks the highest virtue for men and women. Then you have wisdom, integrity, kind & compassionate also rank high.

How many couples have you successfully match-made?

We've had 100's of marriages!

Why am I alone in marriage

2013-03-26T20:17:00.001+01:00

“Why Am I Alone in Marriage” is a step-by-step guide to a happy and healthy relationship. The eBook was co-authored by Max and Alina in January of 2012 and the response thus far has been heart warming, to say the least. We have conducted a short interview with them:

What do you consider as a ''healthy relationship''?

Healthy relationship is a relationship that makes you better, improves your character traits, and gives you the feeling of endless happiness. You are filled with love directed not only to your partner but to everything that surrounds you. Healthy relationship gives you the feeling of harmony and the warmth that resonates within your soul. This is creative energy that transforms everything around you. Very often, such relationship helps to open “hidden treasures” in people, such as talents previously not observed. And if tomorrow morning you will crave to write the poem or you will hear the bird singing a beautiful melody – do not be surprised. This is all due to the healthy and happy relationship.

How does your background in Psychology help you in co-authoring this book "Why Am I Alone" with your wife?

While studying problems in relationships for many years, we wanted to help more people, not only the ones that we worked with. While traveling we observed the same patterns in human relationships and we realized that there is a need for a comprehensive system. So, we created easy and accessible system that everyone could use for their specific situation and find solutions to the problems at hand. Today we are happy to see that system works thanks to the testimonials we get from different people in various age groups and geographical areas.

Which are three tell-tale signs that a marriage is at risk?

The very first and the most important sign that a marriage is at risk is the irritation from “small things” – it could be anything from the tone of the voice or how “he” is chewing while eating with you. Also, one has to watch for a desire to find the reason to provoke the partner for an argument.

The second sign is the lack of desire to spend time together (this could be from doing something on day off or having intimate time). Here is very important to note the feeling of boredom that people experience at times in their relationships.

Third and the most important sign is the absence of desire to make the other party happy. This could be a little surprise, flowers, love note before leaving for work etc. It is very important to realize that Even what at first Seem like Small Relationship Issue Can End a Marriage/Relationship...

Who would you recommend this book?

This book is written for a wide audience. I would even compare it to the GPS navigator system. Everyone uses one. Before you get to point B , you have to know point A ( where you are – that is where the assignment comes in the beginning of the book for you to see “where you are”. Once you know point A (where you are) and point B (where you want to be – Key to a Happy Relationship) – you start driving there – opening the circles for yourself while reading the book and feeling better as everything comes together in a life puzzle..

This book is for those who already have relationship and would like to improve it (take it to the next level); also, for those who are looking to enter into relationship and are dreaming to know the secrets to harmony. The book includes 7 circles of relationships:
you and your work…where do you think the work should be in your priorities?…while reading you may be shocked and suddenly awake knowing which place your career should place in your relationship… You and friends, you and children… So, your correct priority within the 7 Circles of Relationships is the Secret Key to your Happiness. Because you’ll be using a system, you too will discover it and fell better immediately.

In your opinion (and also your wife), the re-establishment of the relationship with patience, forgiveness and time - amongst them, which is the most difficult to achieve? Why.

For any human being it could be difficult to reach the desired result… First comes the understanding with the reason “why” you should nurture such qualities in yourself… Once you know the secret to a happy relationship - it will be easy to share patience and forgiveness with your loved ones…and the time will not be against you anymore… “7 Circles of Relationship” System will open the veil and you will use it and see for yourself how easy it is to improve any relationships (family, work related, with relatives, children, yourself etc.) You will feel the magic of 7 Circles and thank yourself for being alive and enjoying life again. “Trading life for money” will not be the option anymore as you will finally find the balance in your emotions and set the relationship priorities in the way that the quality of your life will be getting better with time.

The Alter Ego project

2013-03-17T18:21:00.002+01:00

AQUAOVO is a family owned company that designs, manufactures and distributes eco-design drinking water filtration systems. They are launching a new stylish personal water filter bottle and they chose crowd funding to make it happen. We have conducted a short interview with them:

What are the three key differences in the Alter Ego duo bottle versus the normal bottles other than the water charities background?

• Our multi-patented US based filtration technology is EPA/ANSI certified & exceeds NSF standards 42 & 53 removes up to 99.9999% of water contaminants including viruses and bacterias.

• The seamless and stunning V shaped design fits all occasions, leaves no metallic after-taste, is easy to wash and has an easy filling scavenger bottom lid.

• The filter Assembly fits most of the wide mouth bottle brands available on the market.

What inspired the "Aquaovo experience" and how was it created?

AQUA OVO owes its existence to a strong desire to push the limits of drinking water filtration and conditioning in urban areas. In light of the constant degradation of drinking water quality and of its potential harmful effects on human health, we had a visualization of the products that are now at the core of this company: filtration products that are efficient, attractive and environmentally friendly. AQUAOVO products bring together secrets of age-old traditions with modern technologies thereby exemplifying the famous expression “Observe, Understand and Imitate Nature”.

What kind of guarantees does the Alter Ego duo provides?

There is a 1-year limited warranty against manufacturer defects.

Laboratory tested and field-proven over ten years, Our portable water filters are extensively tested by only the highest quality, independent state approved laboratories certified to test under strict protocols and standards. The materials in the filter are FDA food-grade approved, and the filter itself is manufactured under ISO 9000 standards.

Besides the urban travelers and humanitarian workers, which are the other profiles of your customer base?

The Alter Ego duo is your perfect hydration companion,reminding you to drink water daily and taking away the excuse of not drinking enough water: The powerful filtration technology allows for the treatment of any questionable source of fresh water; from a chlorinated water source in the city to a dirty river in a foreign country or a mud pound on week long backcountry trekk. The Alter Ego duo is also a must have in case of natural disaster. When the power goes off and the water supply becomes unsafe, your Alter Ego duo guarantees you a reliable and steady personal water supply.

More infor about the Alter Ego'sIndiegogo campaign: http://igg.me/p/321006/x/1738149

DoBoys

2013-03-08T08:01:00.001+01:00

www.doboys.org provides a venue to introduce Users who wish to provide services and Users who seek such services. We have conducted a short interview with the founders.

What kind of jobs does "doboys" offer? Why is it better to hire from your site?

Doboys.org offers users the chance to post any type of job/task they can think of. This can range from having someone throw out your trash, iron your clothes,or sit down and keep you company.

If someone's personally identifiable or transactional information with any person or entity is shared, how will you deal with it? How do you maintain the privacy integrity of your site?

Its better to hire from Doboys.org. because we offer users the option of placing the agree upon funds into an escrow account, where the funds can only be released once job is completed and approved by the person who posted the job. We do not share, sale or broadcast any of our members information.

How do you explain the concept of escrow to first time bidders/employers?

Escrow accounts are a free service that we offer to bidders and employers as a way to show a sign of trust. A bidder can request that an employer puts the agree upon amount into an escrow account, where neither the bidder or employer can remove the fund until the job is completed and approved by both parties. In other words, the funds are in a neutral account that requires signature of both parties. If both parties cannot agree they file a dispute and doboys.org. reviews the facts and make a decision.

What kind of illegal jobs will your site rejects and considered unacceptable?

Any and all things that are illegal.

What are the top five unique job offers that was ever completed?

(1) WASH MY CAR- in a two pieces bikini.

(2) DRIVE ME AROUND- wearing a clown custom.

(3) BE MY DATE- to a funeral.

(4) EMERGENCY CALL- call me at work crying my mom died.

(5) FOLLOW ME AROUND- taking my picture like I am a star.

Interview with Daniel Bostic

2013-03-01T21:32:00.000+01:00

Daniel Bostic is a young actor from Charleston, South Carolina. His interest in acting grew when he was cast last-minute as a featured-extra in Lifetime's TV show "Army Wifes" in a scene alongside Emmy Award Winner - Catherine Bell. We have conducted a short interview with him.

How was your first experience as a cast working with an Emmy Award Winner like Catherine Bell like? Were there new inspirations from this first experience?

Catherine Bell was an inspiration for me, and, to this very day I credit her for sparking my interest in acting.

My first experience on a major television show was nerve-wracking, even as an extra and despite 3 years of drama training. I had always done theatre and so my jump into film was definitely baptism by fire. The director was yelling at the extras (I don’t fault them for it, everyone does!) and I was so confused and had no earthly idea as to what was going on. That was the moment when Catherine showed up! She was in my scene and she was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt and as a matter of fact, I didn’t even recognize her. However, she went out of her way to be extremely nice to me; all day between takes we chatted about life, life on set, and our families. Being instantly put at ease by someone who would’ve had every reason to snob but instead chose to be so friendly to me was so comforting and made me instantly fall in love with the industry and the people in it.

How does drama training helps in carving a better actor out of you?

Drama class taught me the basics of acting and got me comfortable speaking in front of people. Before, when I would have to get on stage, I would begin shaking and having small panic attacks! Gradually though, thanks to an awesome and caring teacher, I learned to just relax and not try and put on a front. I came to the realization that I would mess up, that wasn’t up for question. Once I acknowledged that, I realized that I should spend my efforts on improving my performance instead of worrying. Slowly but surely I become completely comfortable on stage and eventually camera. Sure, I still get nervous but it’s more of an excited nervousness than a sickening one.  

Which is your latest project? When can fans expect to see this production?

I just wrapped a book trailer for a Harper Collins book by author Debra Driza which is entitled “MILA 2.0”. I’m expecting it to hit the net and airwaves soon. I’m also really excited to see “Secrets in the Fall”, which is my last major project, hit stores nationwide this fall! Right now though, film season is just getting back into full swing and I have several auditions lined up as well as a photo shoot or two. Even when I’m really not busy it still feels like I am!

So you have acted in "Gone for the Day", tell us more about it. Also, which was your favorite character?

“Gone for the Day” was a quirky indie short film that I starred in alongside my beautiful costar Catherine Allen. It is really designed as a lighthearted look at a young man who has a crush on a young lady he meets. They spend the day together just focusing on having crazy fun and forgetting the past. We had a premier in a coffee shop to a crowd of 100. It was my first premier and autograph signing and I still smile when I think about how exciting it was for me.

As a matter of fact, my favorite character was Treavor from “Gone for the Day”. I was really amazed by the fact that he was an incredibly complex and multidimensional character. He was quirky yet confident in his quirkiness, but he also had some underlying insecurity. Having played his character, I felt like being a different person in every line, but I did my best to blend them into one and the result was… well go on and see the film and then, drop by and tell me what you thought of. :)

How do you feel when you see yourself on the screen?

Honestly, I hate it. You know that feeling you sometimes have when you hear yourself on the phone? Or see yourself in a home video? Yeah that’s how I feel. I instantly criticize every small move and facial expression I make. I’ve tried to sit back and enjoy but that never worked for me. I tend to try and take notes as to things I feel should be improved, and that makes me at least feel like I’m being productive.

More info about Daniel:

IMDb

www.danielbostic.com

Kill me now!

2013-02-20T20:39:00.002+01:00

Lawrence Fisher just wrote a funny book all about the world of dating. The author spends his time trying to find the ONE, his soulmate, that special someone that he will spend the rest of his life with. We have conducted a short interview with him:

Your book is about the dates of a man in his late 40's. Why did you choose the title: "Kill me now!"?

That is an excellent question. The difference between a good question and an excellent question is that with a good question you have to think of an answer and with an excellent question, you already thought of the question and have an answer on hand! The book was initially titled “World of Dating from a man’s perspective.” Not sure how many people would be enticed by that. I would not want to read it. However I was on a date with a woman who I referred to as Ms Motor Mouth in my book and I was just waiting for Scotty to beam me out of there because I was bored out of mind and the title just popped into my head. Or else Scotty beamed it into my head.

Is the book more about entertaining and fun or you try to reflect on the situation of an existing generation?

It is both. The book outlines experiences I had while dating to try and find my ONE. Boy did I have experiences. From a woman who threatened my life through one who stalked me when I went on a date through attempts at picking up a lesbian and others. Yet despite all the trials and tribulations, you continue, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

How do you see the dating opportunities of this generation?

It really is not as easy as it once was. Seriously. We are all much busier at work as we want to keep our jobs in this economic climate and political uncertainty worldwide and so many do not have the strength to go to singles places after work. Hence dating websites abound. This brings with it a whole lot of new issues such as is the profile true. Is the picture valid or taken 15 years ago? Online dating means different things when you talk to different people. From sending emails to chatting on Skype but until you meet you do not know if you are actually meeting the person you were in contact with or someone else was chatting for them. One site actually encourages parents to create profiles for their children. I have met many colorful characters from dating web sites but on the other hand, I also met my fiancé there.

The one thing that is now basically dead is the blind date. Almost everyone who is breathing has a Facebook account. If a friend wants to set you up with his sister’s bff’s sister, he will point you to her Facebook page. You like what you see or read, he will give you her contact number. Of course she can refuse the date but at least when you meet you know what one another looks like. Facebook is the number one site. If you are serious about finding a match, you leave enough public information and pictures to let people in. Of course it does not help if your profile picture is of your new Labrador puppy. I wrote a blog post about this: http://killmenow.org/facebook-killed-the-blind-date/

How do you work as a writer? You write for long, always changing and rephrasing every chapter or you just give out quickly your stories instinctly?

I write when an idea strikes me. Anywhere! I have found myself doing much of my writing on the toilet. But please do not tell my readers that. I wish that I had an iPhone with Siri and then I could dictate my ramblings to her. But then again she would have to be able to understand my diction. Houston we have a problem.

You have a great sense of humor. Can we expect more coming books from you in the near future?

Thank you for the compliment. There will be three books in the “Kill Me Now” series. The second will be called “How I didn’t meet your mother” and the third will be “Why didn’t I listen to my friends?”

Where can readers find your works?

It is available from Amazon.com from this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1475141718/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1475141718&linkCode=as2&tag=datinginis-20.

Meteor Strike in Russia

2013-02-15T09:50:00.004+01:00

A series of explosions in the skies of Russia's Urals region, reportedly caused by a meteor strike...

Featuring Artist Da Docta

2013-02-10T19:53:00.003+01:00

Joey Davis, alias Da Docta, pens a verse at his kitchen table after being named Lip-It’s Artist of the Week. (THE COURIER)

Da Docta, began his rap career when he was in elementary school. As he said:

“I can remember rapping back in the third grade. I was writing raps in the classroom.”

It wasn’t until last week that he began receiving recognition for his music...check out his latest songs and connect the artist at:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/da.docta1

Twitter - @dadoctamusic

Everville: The First Pillar

2013-01-21T20:20:00.001+01:00

Roy Huff is the author of the upcoming epic fantasy novel Everville: The First Pillar. He holds five degrees in four separate fields including liberal arts, history,secondary science education, and geoscience.We have conducted a short interview with him about his new coming book:

How does your education and background help you in crafting the characters of the new book "Everville: The First Pillar"?

It helps me draw from a lot of different areas to help develop varied aspects of the story. Understanding the basic concepts in many different fields allows me to put realistic elements in the story and introduce concepts that I might not consider without my existing educational background.

What is the most challenging part about being a writer of the Fantasy genre?

Being compared to other books or authors is probably the most challenging aspect. While this is not limited to the fantasy genre, it certainly does make one consider how unique the concept and storyline is when writing it. Everything from the title to the artwork is scrutinized for originality.

How and where do you normally draw your inspirations from?

I have backgrounds in science, and I am also an avid scifi/fantasy book and movie lover. From a young age, I have been interested in these things and have always fantasized and daydreamed about living in different worlds and being able to do things in scifi/fantasy environments.

You named your book with "The First Pillar", are you expecting readers to see the next book about the 'Second Pillar'? What is exactly behind the name "Everville"?

There will be additional books in the series. I am planning on doing at least seven or eight, though I haven’t decided on the names yet. The concept for the book actually came from a short descriptive paper assignment for an English class I was taking for one of my degrees. The paper later became the basis for chapter 1. I received such positive feedback from the paper and requests from other students to read the full book and not just the first short chapter. A couple of months later I decided to do just that.

The name actually came from the idea of where the main character, Owen Sage, found himself in the beginning of the story and where Everville was. It is a place “somewhere between here and there, sometime between yesterday and another day.” The name Everville seemed to fit.

Where can we read about your book?

The book is expected to be released on Amazon as an ebook in late February or early March and in April in print form on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com. It can be read on Kindle or Iphone and Android with the Kindle App. Currently, people can place it on their to-read lists on Shelfari http://www.shelfari.com/books/32763207/Everville-The-First-Pillar or Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17250700-the-first-pillar which will both link to the Amazon book page once it's released. They can also visit my website at http://www.owensage.com or visit me on twitter @EvervilleFans for the latest news of the release which will include a five day free promotional period on Amazon.

GONZO Marketing

2013-01-19T22:24:00.000+01:00

Frederic Gonzalo lives in the beautiful Quebec City, in Canada. He has worked in the travel industry for 18 years. Early 2012, he started his own business, GONZO Marketing. We have conducted a short interview with him.

Why did you name your business 'Gonzo' and not 'gonzalo'? Is there a story behind the name?

With my family name being "Gonzalo", I received many nicknames through the years. But back in high school, there was a McDonald's promotion linked to the Muppet Show Movie, featuring baby Miss Piggy, baby Fuzzy Bear and, you guessed it: baby Gonzo. After doing something I shouldn't have in class, a teacher screamed at me saying "Baby Gonzo, time to shut up!". Needless to say, it stuck with me and I kinda like it, too!

When I started my business a little over a year ago, I did not want to go with a generic term and wanted to have a personal twist. Gonzo Marketing, it became!

How did you gather your knowledge in the tourism and hospitality industry?

I have always been in the tourism and hospitality world, ever since I entered the work force on the front line. Back in 1990, I backpacked around the world for 8 months and since then worked my way up the corporate ladder in various industry roles:

- barman & ski instructor in various Club Med resorts in the US, Caribbean and Japan

- entertainment director and PR at Valle Nevado ski resort (Chile)

- bell boy in a Marriott hotel

- reservation agent in an inbound receptive agency

- sales representative at Tremblant resort

- sales & marketing director at VIA Rail Canada, the national passenger rail company. I also worked as director of loyalty marketing & CRM

- vice-president of marketing and communications at Le Massif de Charlevoix, a ski hill turning into a full-fledged destination with touring train and on-hill lodging, just east of Quebec City.

You can actually find a good recap of my profile here: http://fredericgonzalo.com/about-frederic-gonzalo/

Who should engage you for your services? What are the range of services offered by you?

Gonzo Marketing basically provides three types of services:

- Conferences & Keynotes: I am hired often to speak about tourism & hospitality marketing, in particular as it pertains to going digital, i.e. social media strategy and concerns, web tactics, mobile, etc.

- Training: I also help clients individually to navigate the online marketing world, understanding content marketing, various types of media (earned, paid, owned), how to manage their blog or Facebook page, etc.

- Consulting: Different clients have different needs, so it can be building a yearly tactical calendar, doing an online brand audit, crafting a marketing strategy, analyzing key metrics and recommend a course of action, you name it!

In only one year as a consultant, I am pleased to have worked with a good range of industry players: destinations, hotels, associations and tour operators. So both B2B and B2C, small enterprise or bigger DMO (Destination Marketing Organization).

If you will be granted three wishes by the end of the week, what would they be and why?

Three wishes?

One, spend a romantic getaway with my wife in of those remote straw huts in the Pacific Ocean, like Bora Bora.

Two, take a year off and travel around the world with my wife and three kids, so they can get a real-life education (They are 3, 6 & 8 right now).

Three, stop violence in general: guns, rapes, assaults, wars... really, why can't we just get along? Play John Lennon's song Imagine on your iTune and that's my 3rd wish...

Which is the most exciting and challenging web marketing project you have undertaken so far?

Before becoming a consultant, as VP Marketing for Le Massif de Charlevoix, we had just come up with the new brand and needed to launch it. We started from scratch, or almost. The ski hill's website was outdated, and we now needed to reflect the three axis reality: mountain, hotel and train.

After one year and many bumps in the road, we launched a critically acclaimed web site in the Fall of 2009, along with a Facebook page and online initiatives that were leading-edge back then.

Learning from my 3 years in that role and from the past year consulting for various clients in the industry has made me realize how important a quality content strategy now has become. It can truly be a competitive differenciator, a way to tell your brand story and gain a unique position in the market you are in. It's what I strive to accomplish now with clients I work with, and so far, so good!

Interview with Celeste Thorson

2013-01-09T21:22:00.000+01:00

Celeste Thorson is a professional actress and writer living on Los Angeles, California. We had the opportunity to conduct an interview with her:

While you have been working with a lot of photographers, which kind of photographers do you like to work with the most?

I love working with creative conceptual photographers that enjoy collaborating on out of the box ideas. I also have a great time shooting fashion, because the wardrobe is so fun. Sometimes, when I want a change of pace I shoot with alternative photographers for a walk on the wild side.

What is your most memorable childhood memories?

I used to love hiking through the wilderness as a child, collecting crystals, rocks and exploring old copper mines. I would always get so excited when I found agates or crystals during my hikes, it was like stumbling on buried treasure.

Given if there is a time-machine, which period of your life would you want to return to and why?

It would be priceless to return to a time where all the of the family I've loved and lost was alive to enjoy a nice conversation with me. I'd give anything to ask them advice about their life lessons and details about family stories.

When was the very first time when you get involved in voluntary work? Which is your favorite kind of voluntary work?

The first time I started volunteering was as a kid for organizations like ASPCA and Humane Society . Now I focus more on environmental and human rights. I enjoy mobilizing groups of passionate people to petition governing committees so we can develop solutions for important issues around the world.

Which causes do you support?

I love Save The Children, Human Rights Campaign, Doctors Without Borders, ASPCA, Humane Society, Sierra Club, Calpirg and so many more inspiring and deserving non-profits, I could go on forever!

What do you consider as your other talents other than acting and modeling?

I love to write and develop stories from creative ideas. It's always exciting to step into the shoes of a character and think about their hopes, dreams and fears. I get to live out the aspirations of characters I could never play on screen, but get to enjoy on paper.

More info on Celeste Thorson:

IMDb

www.celestethorson.com

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fashion blog of Celeste Thorson