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I met a girl, a nice girl. There isn’t anything wrong with her, as such. However, I have an issue.

A few friends and I visited a regular spot of ours a just under a month ago. We’re all single apart from my brother who has now apparently found the love of his life etc. but he came with us anyway. Despite the consistent single status of the group none of us really chase women. In fact, we don’t get them. Not in terms of psyche and all that, but in terms of physically getting them. Actively ‘getting’ one. We don’t. You could say we get no chicks. It is a choice, not a restriction.

Right so we’re at this club, it is a favourite of ours. The music is always right and it always has a pretty nice atmosphere. None of us have ever taken a number in here though. We generally don’t go after numbers, but for whatever reason we NEVER have in this place. We’ve been inside for like an hour and I see this girl with her friends. She’s pretty and from what I can see has a pretty good figure too. I say that, but I don’t want you to get carried away thinking that I am REALLY attracted to her or anything. She’s hot, but not out of the ordinary. You get what I mean right? She did have something about her though, I could tell for some reason that she wasn’t British. This served as motivation. For the sake of clarity I will at times refer to this one as Chick A.

I get up from our table and go over to her and her friends. As I stated earlier I never really go after women, especially in bars or clubs so I didn’t really have anything in mind when I walked over. I look at her friends, smile and say, “excuse me” as I approach her. I say hello, she says hi or something like that. I can’t actually hear her, which of course pisses me off. Whatever motivated me to get up and approach the out of town-er has now faded. I realise I can’t actually be bothered so I just say, “I can’t really hear you, so I’m going to be quick and ask you two questions. Firstly are you having a good night?”

I asked the first question because she didn’t actually look like she was having a good night. The fact that she looked that way kind of annoyed me if I’m honest. I always feel that if people are not having a good time when they are in a bar/club they should just go home. I offered to pay a girl’s cab fare last week because she had a sour face. She said no though.

So my girl says “yes” and smiles at me. I’m thinking, ok that’s a lie but whatever, it is loud and this is just long – let me hurry up and ask my next question. I smile back, lean in again and say “ok second question, yes or no?”

Chick looks confused. I don’t understand why and as such I am growing more impatient. This isn’t a hard fucking question. “Yes or no, are we or aren’t we. If you want to continue this conversation in an environment more conducive to conversation say yes, if not no.” I think I may have come across a little angry and a little more verbose than advised in a club. Good. She says “yes” and gives me the same smile, but this time with what I could swear looked to be a tad of awe in her eyes.

What happened next did nothing to quell my anger. I remember asking for her number or something and then her telling me that she didn’t know it because she has a new phone and her phone is in her bag in the coatroom blah and that she was going to come and find me before she left when she had her stuff and we could talk some more. I just said, “Ok, cool”. I smiled, nodded at her friends and walked back to the table. I carried on my night, had fun and my anger ebbed away. Somewhere in all of this I forgot about the girl from earlier.

When the club was winding down I started talking with this other girl I have a weird sort of thing with. She wants me. She is too up her own arse to go about this like a normal woman though. I think she is hot and very interesting, but I need to humble her first. I actually have a bit of a thing for her. As such, we have this on going a battle of sorts. She also has a boyfriend. He’s irrelevant though. I am going to call her Chick B. So yeah, mid conversation with Chick B the foreigner Chick A came and stood in front of us. Couldn’t have been more perfect. She looked up at me and was like, “let’s talk after you’ve finished.”

Now if it were not for this unresolved conflict I have with Chick B I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid at Chick A when she came around. However Chick B was acting up so I decided to be childish and utilise Chick A. I kissed Chick B on the cheek and walked off with A. I took her number.

I really shouldn’t have. Well that wasn’t the problem; the problem is she took mine. I don’t think I was going to call her. I had no intention to, not after she pissed me off with her earlier anyway. Yeah, so she called me a couple days after. I shouldn’t have answered or just killed it, but I played along. We hung out, then again and again etc.

This is not good. I thought she was a tourist. She isn’t. She’s here to stay. She got a promotion with one of these stupid investment banks and is now based in London. I can’t seem to get rid of her. This explains the eyes, the smile and her eagerness to come find me. When I thought her saying she was coming to speak to me after was just a tactic to get rid of me, it was really her preparing to hunt me down. I wasn’t prepared for this. What I thought may have just been a summer fling thing, is turning into something much more sinister. Like I said the reason I spoke to her is because I knew she was new to town. I assumed tourist. A part of me went after her for the wrong reason in the first place. Tourist means casual ‘squeeze’. I don’t do the casual squeeze. I don’t know why the fuck I decided to try and change that.

I made a few mistakes. Firstly I shouldn’t have talked to the girl. Secondly I shouldn’t have use the poor girl to play a game with another girl. Which, by the way I am winning. Thirdly I should have never EVER let her have my number. Honestly, I don’t know why I let that happen.

This story has a few lessons in it. Primarily don’t try and be clever because shit will haunt you; like this chick. She is literally haunting me. Thank God she doesn’t know where I live. She wants something that I was never prepared to give to her. Knowing this I should not have initiated things with her. I know me. I should have been responsible. I wasn’t though. I haven’t been responsible, because I am letting this continue for God knows what reason. I am a traditionalist; this is why I tend not to get women. I like to keep these things simple and linear. When I find one I like to try and keep them. I was never going to keep this one though. I knew that.

I had no point in writing this other that getting it off my chest and identifying my mistakes. I need to take action and get rid of Chick A, focus on Chick B and stop being a kid about it.

Often in life we judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions. This girl has done nothing wrong; there is nothing wrong with her. From her actions I have no reason to drop her out. I’m the problem; my intentions from the outset were not ok. Like I said, nice girl, nothing really wrong with her. There are several things wrong with me though. That’s what’s been bothering me.

Author Bio

Hi, my name is Melvin and I like to write. I never liked to read though. If I'm honest it is because I never really respect my peers. Plus I hate everything I read. If I read something that is bad I hate it and the author because it is bad and was a waste of my time. If I read something that is good I hate it because I didn't write it and feel nothing but contempt and jealousy toward the author. I also like long walks at night, men and women. I detest queuing, and people that use the word eclectic.  Read on.  You can also find me on Twitter.

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Have you recently broken up with someone special and in need of some singles dating tips? Maybe you’ve been single for a while and need to start a new plan to find that elusive someone. Starting to date again no matter how you became single can be a little scary so here’s some top tips from one of the best online dating sites on the internet, Singles Warehouse.

Tip 1 : Sign up to a site that’s relevant to you. The internet really can help your love life. There are dating sites out there for many different things. You can find a site just for redhead dating all the way through to adult dating. If you are looking for a lasting relationship then we’d recommend that you sign up to a general site. Also sign up to one that is free to get started. You can pay later if you like what you are seeing on the site.

Tip 2:  Spend some time writing your online dating profile. This is going to play a big part in getting people to message you. If you have trouble writing about yourself consider paying for a service to help you. Without a strong profile your online dating will be short and not very sweet.

Tip 3:  Get the picture right. You need to have a strong online dating picture for sure. Most good sites allow you to upload multiple pictures to tell your story however the main picture should be you and you alone. Consider a shot of the waist up so that people can see what you look like. Attraction is also a key part to dating.

Tip 4:  Talk to everyone. Sure not everyone that messages you will be right for you however if you respond you never know where the conversation will lead…give things a chance.

If you follow those top 4 tips your be off to a flying online dating start.

Singles Warehouse is the UK and USA’s fastest growing online dating site. With over 13 million members on our network we’re bound to have the single your looking for.  Follow them on Twitter

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The reputation of your business is everything. A great reputation means great scope and opportunities to having a very successful business. A bad reputation will mean less new business and can jeopardise your clients returning to your company. Bad reputation can also suggest a lack of trust and confidence in your company- two things that are vital to a successful business.

It is of paramount importance to manage your reputation across the internet, because if you don’t others will by posting negative feedback tarnishing your name. You can improve your company’s online presence by using the following simple techniques:

Claim Your Territory

First things first, taking ownership of your name is the first priority. Register and purchase all relevant domains and Top Level Domains as well as social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Google+ and so on. Holding the domain and TLDs without social networks leaves a gaping hole in your branding strategy which can have a big impact on your business as a whole.

Use a website like Knowem.com to check the availability of your brand name across hundreds of social media networks.

The Importance Of The Search Engine

One of the most important things to remember is that search engines affectively display your reputation before users even view your website. So if the generated search results are producing negative portrayals of your company, users (potential customers) will most likely be put-off because of these reviews and choose to give their business to your competitors.

Monitor your company by conducting regular search engine tasks to find out how you’re being presented. Remember that most users will only scroll through the first couple of pages so concentrate on those.

Constructive Use to Negative Customer Feedback

It may be difficult to do in some cases but try to benefit from negative reviews and comments. Instead of leaving or eradicating negative feedback, attempt to resolve the issues by contacting the disgruntled or genuinely upset customer and find out how you can turn their negative review into a positive one.

Firstly apologise and then assure them that you are in the process of resolving the issue and would like them to help you do so. Also offer a refund or freebie to help win back the customers confidence and trust.

Google Alerts or Reader

These two are great free tools for keeping an eye on what people are saying about your company on the web. Spend some time setting up specific keywords relevant to your company to ensure you received optimised results.

Revisit Keywords

If you believe you are really suffering from negative reputation management, you may need to re-evaluate your keywords. Changing your keywords may help hide negative feedback and reviews but this is only a temporary measure, not a cure.

Proactive Reputation Management

The main way to positively help your reputation is to establish your company as an authoritative figure as this will provide a variety of benefits (more backlinks, more business opportunities etc). Leaving your credibility aside, you should try to strengthen your search engine rankings by:

• Starting groups/organisations
• Giving free advice by participating in forums/Q&A pages and making guides etc
• Write blogs and guest blogs on popular industry-leading websites
• Try to get as much (positive) media attention as you can- especially local as this will establish you in your community

If these suggestions do not appear to help your company’s online reputation, there may be a more serious underlying issue that needs to be addressed. You may not be wholly comfortable tackling such a serious problem so if you think you are over your head you need to contact a Search Engine Optimisation or reputation management company to effectively manage your company’s reputation.

Harrison Sharp works with SEO Positive, industry leaders in Search Engine Optimisation and online promotions.  The company is UK based.  You can follow Harrison on Twitter and Facebook.

 

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Summer is right around the corner, and you might not have the chance to lose weight or tone your abs in time for the season. So what do you do when you have to don that two-piece bikini when you hit the beach and you feel like you don’t have the body to show off?

Well, here are some tips to help you let go of that towel and get those bikini tan lines:

Choose the right bikini for your body type. If you’re really fussy about how your bathing suit looks on you, look up the internet or get the aid of lifestyle magazines for a swimwear that will emphasize your assets and hide your extra flesh. You’ll be amazed how a strategically-placed accessory, design or cut can do wonders to make you look slimmer.

Try your bikini on at home. Look at yourself in the mirror while you’re in your swimsuit: the more you get used to the image of you wearing it, the more comfortable you get wearing your bikini in public.

Check your posture. Some women tend to suck their tummy in to look thinner, but that’s not really necessary.  Practice the correct posture: keep your chin up and don’t slouch. It won’t be long until your posture rubs off on your confidence.

Switch off your negative thoughts. Scan the beach, and you will see that you’re not the only one who doesn’t have the body of a supermodel. Look at some gossip magazines, and you’ll see that even celebrities and socialites have flaws, too. Keep in mind that the term “sexy” does not always equate to great abs, long legs and slim arms; you can have a pot belly and meaty limbs and still look sexy. It’s all about having confidence and esteem in yourself.

Accept compliments. When your husband tells you that you look good in your bathing suit, believe it. It will help you embrace your figure and feel good about yourself. After all, how good you feel also reflects on how well you look.

Think fun. It’s the reason why you’re there, in the first place. Don’t ruin your vacation or deprive yourself of the enjoyment you should be having with your loved ones, just because of what other people think about the way you look. Focus on having fun, and it won’t be long until you’re just shrugging off all those negativities.

Amy C. Fountain is a passionate lifestyle writer who believes that every woman should feel proud of herself. She is also the woman behind the Tabletop Fountains and Home Décor Art websites.

You can follow her on Twitter, and check out her FaceBook Page and Blog to get the latest on home decor.

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It is impossible to have a successful long-term relationship without having the ability to forgive. Even the best relationships suffer from hurts on occasion, and it is necessary to learn to deal with these hurts and to truly forgive your partner before your relationship can continue to grow and thrive. The problem is that many people refuse to forgive because they feel that doing so justifies the wrongdoing. Others will use forgiveness as merely words without truly processing their feelings and letting them go.

In reality, forgiveness is more for you than for anyone else. It doesn’t mean you are justifying a wrong that was done to you. Instead, you are making the decision to understand your feelings and to stop holding it against the person you are with. Forgiveness isn’t a once and done thing. Instead, every time the feelings from the past hurt arise, you must forgive again and refuse to let it interfere with your relationship. After a while, you will achieve true forgiveness.

Forgiveness is more important the larger the hurt you experience. The more you care about someone, the more they can hurt you. It is also more important to forgive these same people because they are the ones you care for most. The reason forgiveness is so vital is that your partner cannot do anything to make up for what they have done to wrong you. Instead, you have to make the decision to let the hurt go and move forward.

How to Truly Forgive

The last thing you want is for all the old hurts to come up every time you look at your partner. My sister, who is a pediatric nurse, gave all of these tips to me, because they have helped their relationships. The only way to prevent this from happening, and from ruining your relationship is to get rid of all of your hurt and related negative feelings. That may seem like an impossible task, but it is possible. Here’s what you need to do:

• Journal your feelings. Take the time to journal everything you feel about the hurt and how it has affected you. This is a necessary step because it forces you to truly think about the process of forgiveness instead of simply forgiving because you think you must. Do not dwell on why the other person acted as they did. You are not a mind reader and dwelling on the reasoning can only cause you more hurt.
• Make a choice to forgive. Once you fully understand your feelings and what exactly you are forgiving the other person for, you have to decide in your mind that you want to forgive. Allow yourself time to make the choice. Your choice is in intellectual one, in that you must realize that you have needed forgiveness from others during your life and that you are willing to do away with the hurt in order to grow closer with your partner.
• Remind yourself that you forgave. Every time you remember the old hurt, remind yourself that you decided to not allow it to cause distance in your relationship. Deal with the decision and dismiss the old feelings of hurt until you have truly achieved lasting forgiveness or your partner.

Kara G. loves to write on all things relationships.

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Image by: Taz

The Psychology of Clothes

In a hoard of people, you’ll hear one or two voices arguing for the irrelevance of clothes and appearance: “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” “Looks don’t matter!”

I’m averse to being shallow here, but I’ve got to say it: Looks do make a difference. I’m not too scared of saying that though because secretly everyone knows it’s true.

I’m not saying that I have categories of ‘looks’ that I will and won’t accept. It’s more just recognition that it happens: If I don’t know a person, and I haven’t spoken to them before, of course how they look is going to affect me -  it’s the only thing I have to go on!

But what exactly makes us choose the clothes we do?

Is there a reason why I like blue?

Why do some people go for certain patterns over others?

I’ve found the following explanations for different shirts a man might wear: Do any of these things ring true for you or your partner?

Blue Striped Shirt

This shirt would probably be the easy choice for the majority of my male friends.

Research has found certain colours of blue trigger feelings of calm and some studies have shown people to be calmer and more focused on specific tasks when they’re sat in a blue room.

There’s also something about darker navy shades of blue that beckon notions of dependability and steadfastness: Just think about the number of uniforms you’ve seen of this colour!

And the stripes?

Well, analysts of drawing and those interested in the meaning of shapes have concluded vertical lines associate in people’s minds with ‘masculinity’ itself.

Hard vertical, straight lines are also supposed to represent traits like willpower and self-control.

Could these things explain why the blue striped shirt is such a popular business clothing choice for men?

Pink and Purple Shirts

If you find yourself in a stressful, pretty competitive aggressive working environment, do you think a pink shirt would help?

Well, actually, maybe it would – studies have shown that pink is one of the most pacifying colours there is and may neurologically encourage the calming of aggression.

Some prisons have put this to the test to see if makes a difference to inmates’ behaviour: The prison colour scheme is pink, they sleep on pink, and they dress in pink. You can read more about this here.

Purple: The average person considers purple to be the closest thing to pink there is but actually purple is unique in that it’s supposed to stimulate problem solving areas of the brain.

In the old days, purple was often used in the garb of kings and queens, so many people also read royalty and prosperity into this colour.

The question is, how does purple make you feel?

Grey Checked Shirts

The grey checked shirt is another popular choice amongst mens clothing.

The colour grey in itself, as you can guess, is more than anything a safe, neutral option. It’s associated with the practical, timeless things in life.

Much about grey suggests conservatism, composure and sturdiness – and a desire not to attract too much attention oneself.

Interestingly, the squares of a checked shirt go hand in hand with all this, representing stability and trusted forms.

Like ‘grey’ itself, there’s something about a checked shirt that suggests order, rationalism and a degree of formalism.

Clearly every person is different, and different combinations probably produce different results. I’ve looked at just a few here.

Do you believe in clothes psychology?

Susannah Perez writes blogs for Gagliardi shirts and appreciates seeing high quality, fine-looking clothing for men. She’s also interested in the surreal world of clothes psychology.  Catch her on Twitter now !

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The thing I find about great songs, is that they are crafted in a way that they tell a story, not necessarily with its words, but with rhythm, dynamics and feel.

There are countless arguments and discussions into what makes a great song, but as a songwriter, I know that there is a limited science to creating a great song. Songs are made to find an audience, and it’s the audience, not the critics or even the musicians that determine when a song is great. So the question I’m going to explore is one that all songwriters ask. What makes a great song, great?

Some of the song writing greats such as Burt Bacharach and Diane Warren seem to have a magic formula that has produced a succession of hits through a multitude of artists. Lennon and McCartney have a catalogue of songs that have shaped music as we know it today. Today, the likes of Bruno Mars and Alicia Keys storm the pop charts with their work. Then there are those artists who have come up with the great hit song, for it only to be surrounded by boring ‘filler’ tracks on an album.

More often than not, I’ve found that the great songs need time and a few rounds to develop and mature. Paul McCartney noted in his autobiography, that the first draft of his prolific song ‘Yesterday’ were remarkably different. The opening line was ‘Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs’.

The problem with today’s popular music, is that a lot of it isn’t that popular with the masses that are still forced to listen to it. My theory, is that the producers are given a tight deadline and have to move quickly and force songs to be manufactured in a short timeframe. Often the artist’s best work, whilst it may take a shorter time to write, needs much longer for it to develop and mature. This could explain why ‘break through’ artists, only break through, with their first album. Their second album is rushed, to catch the audience’s attention span, with the songs less organic and more processed.

More often than not, the songwriter is often a taunted soul, often mocked by creativity itself, as that creative spark is not a tap they can turn on and off at will. Trying too hard to create a story can sometimes render the writer, lost for words.

I would argue that songwriting is more of a craft than an art, just as the act of painting is the craft and the painting itself is the art. Great songs are crafted, and it could take 10 minutes or it could take 10 weeks. However, in my experience I feel that my best songs seem to have found me, rather than me creating them. It almost seems like these songs are stories from the subconscious.

Jomar is an independent songwriter, producer and performing artist. He is an Australian of Filipino origin now based in Copenhagen, Denmark. He started writing music in 1985 and has had professional gigs over the years. He has also worked with artist development, management and promotion, and is now focusing on song writing. In 2007 he started the Music Producers Forum online community and blog, organising meet-ups in Australia and Europe.

Jomar is always on the lookout for talented bands, musicians and vocalists to compose music for or to produce and promote.  You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Reverbnation and of course his website www.JomarMusic.com

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A Tuscan wedding is a very much desired experience to tie the knot in an unforgettable way. There are many Tuscany villas and gorgeous settings in the region offering an idyllic location for both your wedding ceremony and celebrations. Some properties are large enough to welcome the newly wedded and all their guests. It is the perfect solution for an intimate wedding with friends coupled with celebrations and a honey moon in Italy. When it comes to it, however, choosing the perfect property in Tuscany for the perfect wedding isn't easy! There are many criteria you have to take into account, but the most crucial ones are the season you want to get married in, how many guests you have, and whether you should consider hiring a local wedding planner.

How Many Guests Do You Have?

If you are considering to enlarge your wedding party from just you very best friends and family members, it is fundamental that your desired Tuscan villa has enough comfortable room for everyone. This is going to be a vacation you are offering to your dear guests. Some have children, some may not be very fond of one another. You have to consider that just a bed-count might not fit the needs of the group. You cannot just group people that do not belong together under an intimate accommodation. So make sure everyone will be happy with their arrangements. Fortunately, Tuscan villa owners are very helpful with this, and will sort the room arrangement for you. In case your wedding is going to be really grand, then you may need extra properties in the area. Some owners have castles and nearby apartments. In other cases you will need to arrange two or more separate accommodations.

The Right Season

The months with the fairest weather in Tuscany are those going from April until October, while from June to September you have the high season when most weddings are celebrated. These are the months you should avoid, since they are the busiest, most crowded and expensive. It is harder to find suitable villas during the peak months, while all other service providers are less available and more stressed out. It is true that chances of getting rained in are very slim during this time frame, but June and September are also great candidates to have the highest number of sunny days. In order to make sure you get your accommodation, book it a couple of years in advance; this will also give you enough time to visit the property personally and solve any logistic issues.

Is a Wedding Planner Necessary?

Even if you are a natural-born organizer, planning a wedding abroad may be challenging. Most people would benefit from a Tuscan based wedding planner, at least to accomplish the prominent wedding duties such as paperwork, church or state house arrangements, florists, catering and the photographer. However, if your party is small in size, then you will probably be just fine without a wedding planner. Depending in the Tuscan villas you are renting, you may even find wedding services are catered with your rental for an extra fee.

A writer and in love with Italy, Matt will be able to advise you on the best Tuscany villas available for your wedding or just for a relaxing holiday in Italy.

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If you’ve ever been on the wrong side of a breakup then you are probably familiar with the top three breakup excuses. Do any of these sound familiar?

“I need some time to think.”

“Things are moving too fast for me.”

“You deserve more.”

Obviously these excuses won’t help you much if you’re trying to figure out where things went wrong. Each one is purposely broad and could be interpreted in several different ways.

Sadly, this is precisely what your ex had in mind by using them. They didn’t have the courage to tell you the truth, so they decided to hide behind a lame excuse.

But the real question here is… what was your ex was so afraid to tell you? Why not just tell the truth and attempt to work on the problem together? Well, the short answer is because the truth isn’t always pretty. If your ex used a one-size-fits-all explanation for breaking up then perhaps your relationship was suffering from one of these embarrassing issues...

Pure Boredom
If you spent more Fridays on the couch watching Netflix than you did going out to new places there is a good chance your ex felt stuck on a treadmill going nowhere. Being young and in love is all about experiencing life together and breaking free from your comfort zone. Of course no one is going to tell you to your face that you bore them to death, so the easier option for your partner was to simply get out of the relationship.

Lack of Romance
The difference between being friends and being lovers is pretty obvious. You don’t kiss your friends, so a relationship without affection is anything but romantic. Physical attraction is big part of dating and sensual signals confirm a deeper connection with someone you love. If you and your ex weren’t connecting on this level then you are better off as friends.

Too Much Negativity
We should all feel comfortable sharing our troubles with our partner, but a relationship without smiles and laughter quickly turns into a chore. Positivity and perseverance can carry love through even the hardest of times. Solving problems together builds trust and brings you closer together. Negativity on the other hand literally sucks the life out of a relationship. Don’t blame your ex for leaving if you spent the majority of your time together complaining.

I’m always surprised to hear people say they don’t know why they got dumped. Really? I’d say in most cases the writing was clearly written on the wall. Whether or not you are honest enough to admit your faults will determine how successful you next relationship will be.

Elliot Beers has been serving up uncensoreded relationship advice across the web since 2006. He writes about breakups and how to fix them at GetBackMyEx.com. Follow him on Twitter and don’t forget to check out his Facebook page.

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This lil’ Diva is off on holiday starting 11th June. New York – Bermuda – Montreal – London – Paris and maybe Ibiza. I’ve been waiting for a vacay like this for a while and can’t wait to get my trip started !

I’ve already started packing my bags, have a few more gifts that I need to buy for friends and next week sees me off on a 3 month adventure ! That’s right – 3 months.  I’m thinking of it as a birthday present to myself for my 30th.  2012 is my big year so I get to do fun things (although I assure you my wallet and bank balance do not see things the same way)

Whilst I will have my laptop with me, I’m not sure how often I’ll be blogging (come on, I’m supposed to be out having fun, meeting friends & potential hot guys for equally hot dates – at least that’s what I’d like to do!) and as I did last summer – I would love to host some of you amazing bloggers as my guest on my blog. 

Would you like to be Diva’s Guest Blogger ? Here’s the general criteria :

1. Original Post (never published before)
2. 500 – 1500 words
3. You can publish the entire post on your own blog 2 weeks after it’s been published on mine (should you wish to do that)

The theme for July "Summer Love / Summer Lust / Holiday Romances” and can be approached from any angle that you perceive it to be.  We’ve all had our share of summer loves, crushes, and holiday hook-ups and I’d love to hear your perspective on it.   Posts need to be submitted by 30th June 2012 for July publication. 

The theme for August is “Relationship Deal Breakers” and can be approached from any angle that you perceive it to be i.e. be it with friends, potential partners, first dates, your office co-workers, your boss even !  Posts need to be submitted by 20th July 2012 for August publication. 

If you feel like you want to add your Blogger Voice towards my very sporadic reflections – then drop me a line on dazediva@gmail.com with :

1. A small blurb about yourself along with your Photos / Avatar
2. Please include a link to your blog / twitter account
3. Final Post with Post Title on Word Document (min 500; max 1500 words)
4. Any relevant photo / image you would like to include with your post (otherwise I will choose one for you)

Don’t let the choice of themes stop you from sending over a guest post.  Since my blog is so sporadic I’m always open to something different – so anything from fiction, flash fiction, poetry or even a cool product review – so hit me up on email or DM me on Twitter and lets work something out.

This is your chance to de-lurk and show off your creative skills … be my guest .. seriously !

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Creating the guest list for your wedding can be one of the most challenging tasks you need to complete. A dress? A venue? They are simple decisions when compared to deciding who you want to include in your big day. You don’t want to leave anyone out, and you don’t want to invite everyone. To make things a little easier, here are the people you should never invite to your wedding.

Your Ex-Boyfriends/His Ex-Girlfriends

It’s surprising how often brides and grooms have a difficult time deciding whether or not to invite their exes. It should be a no-brainer. If inviting your ex isn’t uncomfortable for you, it will be uncomfortable for your husband and anyone else who knew you two as a couple. What are they supposed to say to someone you used to love? You might be genuinely good friends with your ex, but they still shouldn’t get an invite. This is a time to celebrate your forever love – former loves not included.

The Co-workers who Annoy You

If you have a few good friends at your job, you might want to invite them to your wedding. If you invite your good work friends, you might be obligated to invite everyone else from your office as well so no one feels left out. Don’t do it. This is your wedding, and you shouldn’t invite anyone you don’t enjoy spending time with. If you don’t want them to feel left out, just avoid talking about your wedding while you’re at work.

Friends You Haven’t Talked to in Years

Maybe you had a close college roommate you did everything with, or close friends you used to talk about your dream weddings with. When you’re planning a wedding, it’s easy to get nostalgic and want to invite everyone who is or was important to you. If you haven’t talked to these friends for years, you shouldn’t invite them to your wedding. It’s a little weird to decide that the first contact you’re going to have with them in a long time is sending them an invitation to your wedding.

People Your Mom Wants You to Invite

If you have a mom who is super excited about your wedding, she probably has a guest list already created for you. She is so happy for you that she wants to share her joy with all the important people in her life, even if they’re kind of irrelevant in yours. You shouldn’t feel obligated to invite anyone just because someone else in your family wants them there. It is about what you want, and everyone you invite should have a direct connection to you.

Your Friend’s Brand New Boyfriend

When you’re inviting single friends, you have to make the decision of whether or not to allow them to bring a date. If you understandably don’t want to pay to have people at your wedding that you barely know, you won’t allow dates other than people in well-established relationships. If your best friend suddenly gets a new boyfriend she wants to bring along, don’t invite him just because she asks you to.

Alisha White, recently married at a gorgeous luxury resort in Mexico, knows all about inviting the wrong people to weddings.  She is also a school teacher and freelance writer who loves to give advice on subjects she knows well.

Photo Credit: gvSAXBOY

birthstones diva guest bloggers facts about birthstones guest blogger guest blogging guest post myblogguest

When it comes to gemstones, the mainstream folks who are not really into the industry of fashion and jewelry look at them as birthstones. Birthstones are gems that symbolize a given month of the year, dating back all the way to the first century.

Folks look at these birthstones as good luck charms and is said to be filled with magical energy. Chinese fengshui experts also suggest folks to wear birthstones to ward off diseases and bad events in someone’s life. The more sceptical folks, however, say that these myths and legends are nothing short but marketing strategies made by miners back in the day. Regardless, no one can argue that these stones are quite beautiful, and that they will make an excellent addition to your jewelry collections.

Let’s take a look at this awesome Infographic made by Brilliance.com regarding different Birthstones and what do these stones actually stand for. Enjoy!

Brilliance Birthstones

 

Source: Brilliance Birthstones Guide

Jonathon Ohayon is a Graduate Gemologist and has extensive experience in the field of Gemology including diamonds, gemstones, and precious metals.  He has been working in the jewelry industry for over 10 years; apprenticed under Head Gemologist of Brillilance.com for 2 years, and also appraises diamonds and jewelry for Brilliance.com. 

You can find out more on Facebook and follow on Twitter if you have any diamond, jewelry or engagement ring related questions.

beauty tips diva guest bloggers guest blogger guest blogging guest post myblogguest skin care

It’s downright perverse…The beauty industry says blackheads, pimples, and blemishes are signs of unhealthy skin. They are in fact signs your skin, as an organ, is working properly.

The skin, you see, is an organ of elimination. What your body can’t expel in urine or faeces it will push away through your skin. And what comes out? In a sense, your breakfast, lunch, and dinner—or rather the toxins arising from unhealthy eating.

The beauty industry says two things: 1. Be tender to your skin. 2. Put this cosmetics on…

I say:

Cleanse and nourish your skin from the inside, and give it some discipline. It’s easy: the purest nutrients…rigorous daily beauty routine. The beauty industry (at best) works on symptoms. I want you to work on underlying causes.

My simple message: Cleanse and hydrate your skin, within and without. Work with your skin’s natural month-long cycle—the time it takes for your skin to shed old cells and replace them with new ones. Follow these five simple steps and, starting in about a month, you’ll begin to see the healthy, glowing skin that, regardless of your age, you were meant to enjoy…

For more information about raw diet and natural beauty visit BeautifulOnRaw.com

Tonya Zavasta is the author of five books and two e-books about natural beauty and the raw food diet.

Check out her website BeautifulonRaw.com and follow her on Twitter here.

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There are many ways to meet singles … you can meet them online, you can meet them at parties, you can meet them at grocery stores or even meet them while out with your friends. But how do you know if you will enjoy each other’s company? How do you know if you have anything in common? You really don’t. You have to go through the “getting to know you” process and learn as you go along. What if I tell you that you can skip a step and meet singles that you actually have things in common with? It’s true. I’ll show you how.

There are countless ways of meeting new people, but to meet singles doing the things you love ensures you at least have some things that you share. You can either do this on your own, or there are agencies that have these events lined up that you can register for (such as Meet Market Adventures). You can meet singles while biking, hiking, taking flying lessons, going parasailing, going bowling, wine tasting or even challenging yourself to some trivia. There are countless possibilities. It gives you an alternative to the regular dating scene and you know there are like minded single people attending.

If you aren’t interested in those types of activities, you can also take a class in something you love. Not only will you learn something new and enrich yourself, you have the potential to meet singles who enjoy the same thing. Have you ever wanted to learn how to cook Indian food? Did you always wish you could speak Italian? Perhaps you always wanted to become skilled at painting. Whatever it is, you will have fun and at the very least leave a bit more knowledgeable than you entered.

What other options? Well, you could join a gym or a sports team. I have met many men at the gym – it’s one of the best places to meet singles. It’s a great place to mingle with others and there’s ample opportunity to chat someone up over a barbell. Strike up a conversation with a hot guy/gal working out by asking how to use a certain machine or how best to lift certain weights. Co-ed sports are also great because you quickly develop a rapport with others in your league. At the very least you know these people care about their health and appearance which is a bonus if that’s important to you.

As you can see, there are so many fantastic ways to meet singles while doing the things you love. It’s a win-win really. The ideas above are fun, no pressure ways of keeping yourself out there and available while being true to yourself. So go out there, do what you enjoy doing … you never know, you might just meet the person of your dreams!

Your Sister in Dating Bliss,

Single Dating Diva for Singles Warehouse

Single Dating Diva is a divorced 30-something from Canada who is exploring the adventures of being back in the dating world. She is discovering that it is a totally different world than she left in her 20’s. Not only is she older with a different life perspective, the men that are single are also different. They range from the spectrum of non-committal players to the desperate. She decided not to discriminate and to give everyone a chance. It has led to some interesting experiences which she shares on her blog.

Single Dating Diva is one of Singles Warehouse's original bloggers and has provided some great advice on how to navigate the online dating world. Single Dating Diva has a background in Communications and Public Relations. In addition to writing her blog, she works in Health and Safety education. In her spare time she enjoys reading, trying out new restaurants, visiting museums and galleries, as well as spending time with friends and family. Follow Single Dating Diva on Twitter . And CLICK HERE to read more of her work on Singles Warehouse.

diva guest bloggers geeks vs nerds guest blogger guest blogging guest post myblogguest

At first blush, there seems to be little difference: Nerd or geek. What does a name matter? Both geeks and nerds are intelligent, often socially awkward and interested in obscure topics, right? Wrong. For geeks and nerds alike, there's a lot in a name.

Nerds find their origins in a Dr. Seuss rhyme – "A nerkle, a nerd and a seersucker too!" Nerds are more interested in academics and usually have specialized but often impractical skills. You are likely to find them watching Battlestar Galatica and Lord of the Rings and playing away on a PC.

Alas for self-identified nerds, geeks are more appreciated by the public at large. People see geeks as cool early adopters of new technology, a good person to troubleshoot your computer and even possibly a successful professional. Geeks can be found watching Arrested Development and Anchorman (really anything with Will Ferrell) and playing with their iPad.

From: Masters In IT

Gerri Elder is a web content producer, editor, social media strategist and most importantly, Mom. 

You can find her on Twitter via @absolutelytrue and check out her website Absolutely True and Masters in IT

blogger tips blogging tips diva guest bloggers guest blogger guest blogging guest post social media monitoring social media tools

It has taken me nearly 9 months to come up with a way of dealing with all my social media accounts and not be overwhelmed with the responsibility. Many people now have multiple social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and so on, so it’s important not to spend your whole day stuck to your computer screen, it’s bad for your health for starters!

Whether you are a small business or just an avid social media fan there are a wealth of tools out there which can help you manage your time online. Maybe you like spending a lot of time online interacting with your friends, family and followers, or maybe you’re in business and need to free up some time to actually get on with your work.

Here are some great tools (in no particular order) I have come across in the last 9 months which I wouldn’t be without, I have written about most of these on my own blog:

Tweetdeck

Since Tweetdeck was updated a few weeks ago I have been using it a lot. You can use Tweetdeck with Twitter and Facebook. I can consolidate all my own accounts and my client’s accounts on here and can easily scroll through them quickly to see any mentions or interactions. I used to schedule tweets through Tweetdeck but it was a cumbersome operation and took me such a long time just to do a week’s worth of posts, I now use SocialOomph for scheduling...

SocialOomph

Automation of updates is a hot topic among the social media circles, some like it, others hate it... it’s a bit like marmite!

If I was being honest I didn’t like automation when I first started out, it seemed as though the person didn’t really care about being on social media. My opinion quickly changed when I realised how much time social media can take up, I just wasn’t getting any real work done and I was starting to get stressed with it all.

SocialOomph lets you schedule tweets, and with the advanced plan, Facebook and blog posts as well. I have a paid account and it has definitely paid for itself in the number of client’s I have gained through Twitter alone. I love the queue reservoirs, I can add updates when I think of them and add them to the queue. You set a time frame, so say every 2 hours and the queue is tweets out and it goes to the back of the queue and so it carries on. To really benefit from this you need to have a lot of updates in your reservoir because people don’t want to be seeing the same updates over and over. I tend to check mine once a week, delete old irrelevant ones and add some new ones.

I also have my clients profiles on here using queue reservoirs and it’s a great way of getting your updates out there but not being tied to your computer 24/7 - plus it frees up your time to interact more with your followers/fans.

Buffer

Buffer works by scheduling Tweets, Facebook or LinkedIn updates at optimum times of the day. When you install it, either as an add-on for your browser, on your iPhone or a widget on your blog/website, you can click the Buffer icon and the tweet/link/update will automatically be scheduled to post at the next time slot.

I recently upgraded my account with Buffer so I am now able to have 6 accounts and 50 updates per account.

I use Buffer with Flipboard and SocialBro, they link very nicely!

SocialBro

SocialBro is all about stats, it tells me everything I could ever want to know about my followers and who I follow on Twitter.

Within the application you can customise what you want to see such as 'Best Time to Tweet' or 'Analyse Your Competitors' and so much more! You can also link it to Buffer and it will automatically customise the best times to tweet, it suggests you do it once a week so your tweets go out at optimum times.

Flipboard

This app is for the iPad and iPhone. When you are overwhelmed with social media this is a great app which consolidates everything into a magazine style format. You can flip through page after page of updates, it's nothing like your Twitter feed, and it includes the images so it makes it so much easier to pick out items of interest. You can also add customise searches, and you can link a lot of your social media accounts. I have mine linked to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Reader, but there are other options too.

I am always interested in what others use for managing their social media, so why not follow me on Twitter and let me know, or comment on this blog post.

Jo Harrison of Writer's Block Admin Services is a British Virtual Assistant based in South West France. Jo specialises in social media management for small businesses and eBook formatting. Jo's blog contains further articles on social media tips and the eBook industry.