Announcing my latest Ancient Egyptian Fashion blog post.
During the reign of Khufu, during ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom, dwarves carried out the work of designing and making the royal wardrobe. You heard it here first. Check it out.
Ancient Egyptian Dwarves Made the Royal Wardrobe
http://ancient-egyptian-clothing.blogspot.com/2011/12/ancient-egyptian-dwarves-made-royal.html
Monday, December 26, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Amber Jewelry -- Amber Secrets: Top Gifts for Her
Amber exerts a mystical force -- it travels the world and has been a treasured item of trade since the Iron Age. Prehistoric people carved amber into animals. Many cultures make protective talismans out of amber and it has a reputation as a healing stone.
For a few years I imported and sold jewelry made of silver and natural stones. When I was a kid, I learned about fossils and minerals -- and I never stopped noticing and finding out about stones and natural things that inspire me. Amber gripped my imagination years ago -- and hasn't let go. The power of this resin to take captives and preserve them through time -- beetles, spiders -- even lizards and other small animals.
Amber is fossilized resin. People have been writing about amber since the 17th century. Countries along the Baltic sea collect and export it, and it's found in many other areas as well. The deposits sometimes occur with coal, and sometimes come in ring forms, at the base of where an ancient tree stood. Although some amber resembles sap, it's actually a resin. The resin comes from ancient plant material. It can be clear or cloudy. Certain pieces of amber contain bubbles, when air is trapped in it. It's often pale amber and shades of honey, but it also comes in yellow, deep orange and dark brown. It sometimes has dark flecks in it, and some pieces contain plant material.
The challenge in choosing amber jewelry is in locating genuine amber. Some vendors offer certified genuine amber, so that you can have quality assurance. There are many suppliers of fake amber. Although some are honest about it, selling insects in amber colored plastic, others are deceptive, selling faux amber at the prices of genuine amber.
Amber makes glowing earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets and rings. It's prized by women and men for its rich appearance. It's lightweight, luminous and appears as magical as the legends say.
Here's my article and shopping guide for amber Christmas gifts: Jewelry -- Amber Secrets: Best Gifts for Her
For a few years I imported and sold jewelry made of silver and natural stones. When I was a kid, I learned about fossils and minerals -- and I never stopped noticing and finding out about stones and natural things that inspire me. Amber gripped my imagination years ago -- and hasn't let go. The power of this resin to take captives and preserve them through time -- beetles, spiders -- even lizards and other small animals.
Amber is fossilized resin. People have been writing about amber since the 17th century. Countries along the Baltic sea collect and export it, and it's found in many other areas as well. The deposits sometimes occur with coal, and sometimes come in ring forms, at the base of where an ancient tree stood. Although some amber resembles sap, it's actually a resin. The resin comes from ancient plant material. It can be clear or cloudy. Certain pieces of amber contain bubbles, when air is trapped in it. It's often pale amber and shades of honey, but it also comes in yellow, deep orange and dark brown. It sometimes has dark flecks in it, and some pieces contain plant material.
The challenge in choosing amber jewelry is in locating genuine amber. Some vendors offer certified genuine amber, so that you can have quality assurance. There are many suppliers of fake amber. Although some are honest about it, selling insects in amber colored plastic, others are deceptive, selling faux amber at the prices of genuine amber.
Amber makes glowing earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets and rings. It's prized by women and men for its rich appearance. It's lightweight, luminous and appears as magical as the legends say.
Here's my article and shopping guide for amber Christmas gifts: Jewelry -- Amber Secrets: Best Gifts for Her
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Make Money Online I: Writing, Selling & Productivity
Whether you're just starting to sell your writing online, beginning to diversify post-Panda, or looking for ways to become more proficient and efficient with your current writing and blogging ventures, learning ways to boost your productivity and make more money can help you.
Tips on finding legitimate online writing opportunities, writing faster and submitting clean copy, productivity software and links to resources.
The faster you can write -- and produce quality copy -- the more money you can make.
Make Money Online I: Writing, Selling & Productivity
Tips on finding legitimate online writing opportunities, writing faster and submitting clean copy, productivity software and links to resources.
The faster you can write -- and produce quality copy -- the more money you can make.
Make Money Online I: Writing, Selling & Productivity
Pumpkin Seeds Benefits and Nutrition: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipes
When you're making pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, save the seeds and roast them for a snack. Pumpkin seeds supply vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. These tasty treats give you protein and quality nutrition to sustain the energy you need during the colder weather and time-consuming holiday tasks. By snacking on pumpkin seeds instead of processed snacks such as sweets, potato chips and other devitalized foods, you give your body and brain a nutritional boost to support your work -- whether you're a freelancer, blogger, busy parent, student or employee.
Roasting pumpkin seeds doesn't take long, makes the house smell great and can become another holiday tradition to add to the savory memories of the season.
If you remember toasted pumpkin seeds from your childhood and aren't sure how to make them, or you want to check out some variations for roasted pumpkin seeds and learn more about their nutritional value and healthful properties, check out my article:
Pumpkin Seeds Benefits and Nutrition: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipes
Enjoy the season and remember to take time to relax and include good nutrition in your busy days.
Roasting pumpkin seeds doesn't take long, makes the house smell great and can become another holiday tradition to add to the savory memories of the season.
If you remember toasted pumpkin seeds from your childhood and aren't sure how to make them, or you want to check out some variations for roasted pumpkin seeds and learn more about their nutritional value and healthful properties, check out my article:
Pumpkin Seeds Benefits and Nutrition: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipes
Enjoy the season and remember to take time to relax and include good nutrition in your busy days.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Costume-Making: Ancient Egyptian Clothing
If you've ever wanted to dress up as Cleopatra, Nefertiti, King Tut, Ramses the Great, Cheops or any other figure looming out of ancient Egyptian history, here's some historical background and costume-making tips. Create a simple or elaborate fashion statement or costume based on ancient Egyptian clothing. Ideas for materials, jewelry and completing your ancient Egyptian look are included for women and men. Find out what Egyptian men wore under their kilts. Learn what to use to make an Egyptian collar. Compare an artist's rendering of the famous bust of Cleopatra with the damaged original. Take the 'Walk Like an Egyptian' poll.
This article includes authoritative resources to learn more about ancient garments, ancient Egypt and the clothing of ancient Egyptians. Consider your costume options, whether you want to dress as a dancing girl in bead work, a common working man -- or one of the most powerful women in the world. You can even learn the secret to creating an authentic-looking shambling mummy costume.
Costume-Making: Ancient Egyptian Clothing
This article includes authoritative resources to learn more about ancient garments, ancient Egypt and the clothing of ancient Egyptians. Consider your costume options, whether you want to dress as a dancing girl in bead work, a common working man -- or one of the most powerful women in the world. You can even learn the secret to creating an authentic-looking shambling mummy costume.
Costume-Making: Ancient Egyptian Clothing
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Power of Happiness
“When I have been unhappy, I have heard an opera... and it seemed the shrieking of winds; when I am happy, a sparrow's chirp is delicious to me. But it is not the chirp that makes me happy, but I that make it sweet.” |
-John Ruskin
-John Ruskin
Attitude has a major impact on our efforts, our results and our interactions with others. Lately, I've been taking time to focus on happiness daily. To notice and celebrate the things that make me happy, to connect with people who add to my happiness, to share things that I hope bring happiness to others.
During setbacks and difficult times cultivating happiness is even more important than when it's easy to be happy. Creating a positive attitude and a healthy routine in life changes everything. I've been exploring using a routine to improve my productivity. Staying active helps to keep things in perspective and nourish a sense of accomplishment. I find my work gratifying, so even when there are distractions, I make time to write.
Celebrating small things -- the artistry of a spider web, the diligence of a squirrel hiding nuts, an insightful comment from a reader -- each moment of joy deserves attention. It's a quality of being present with life that makes each day good, and full.
My new articles:
Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss: Quick Poblano Chiles with Fresh Mozzarella
My recipe for stuffed poblano chiles with fresh moz for a quick weight loss meal, including how to select poblano chiles, full cooking instructions, toppings, serving suggestions and weight loss menu tips. I've lost nearly all of my excess weight eating healthy, whole foods.
Make Money Online 3: Writing Basics
How to polish your writing for success with online article writing, blogging, websites, upfront-pay articles, rev share articles, selling or running your own business online. Learn to catch common errors and improve your grammar and writing style for online readers. Make your message clear and professional -- and make a great first impression by getting the words right and correcting errors. Includes links to high-quality resources for improving your writing and grammar. This is part of my making money online series, based on freelancing full-time online.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Boost Productivity: Feel-Good Tips
Here are tips for creating a positive mood for productive work on your writing and freelancing projects. Getting into a positive mood and making it a habit to maintain a happy state helps the work to flow faster and better. It's a great way to improve the speed and quality of your work to make more money with less stress.
Write a gratitude list often. This tool gives you perspective on your life, to see what you have from a place of thankfulness, rather than focusing on deprivation or scarcity. Taking time to appreciate the wonders in nature and the good people, belongings, conditions and skills we have creates a strong foundation for building success.
Clear clutter. Donate a box of things you don't need to people who are in greater need than you are. Do this regularly, at least once a month. This helps to prevent stagnation and makes room for new things and change by letting go of the past. Even if it's difficult to start, once you begin to let go of things from the past than no longer serve you, your home becomes more organized and attractive, finding things and organizing your work becomes more efficient -- and you feel better about yourself and your environment.
Don't feed the tigers. This wonderful idea I learned from Buddhism has great wisdom. If you keep your attention on disturbing thoughts, they become like tigers taking over a village. If you don't feed the worries, resentments and other negative distractions, they go away from lack of attention. This allows you to create a more productive frame of mind to support your goals and productivity.
Keep your mind on positive, constructive thoughts. Start the day by focusing on your goals. If you begin to become distracted, stop any negative thought by talking back to it. Think up a counter-thought or conclusion.
Play up-beat music. This creates a positive mood for writing and working on freelance projects.
Write down your goals. Getting clear on what you want to accomplish and being specific about it helps you to be more productive -- and can help you stay on target all day. Keep your goals in mind as you work to help avoid distractions. Action is powerful.
Work in short bursts. Try the Pomodoro technique to increase your productivity. Set a timer for 20 minutes, focus completely on the task at hand. When the timer rings, take a five minute break. Repeat three times and then take a longer break. Continue this pattern for the duration of your work day. Breaks help you increase your productivity and work more efficiently.
Write a gratitude list often. This tool gives you perspective on your life, to see what you have from a place of thankfulness, rather than focusing on deprivation or scarcity. Taking time to appreciate the wonders in nature and the good people, belongings, conditions and skills we have creates a strong foundation for building success.
Clear clutter. Donate a box of things you don't need to people who are in greater need than you are. Do this regularly, at least once a month. This helps to prevent stagnation and makes room for new things and change by letting go of the past. Even if it's difficult to start, once you begin to let go of things from the past than no longer serve you, your home becomes more organized and attractive, finding things and organizing your work becomes more efficient -- and you feel better about yourself and your environment.
Don't feed the tigers. This wonderful idea I learned from Buddhism has great wisdom. If you keep your attention on disturbing thoughts, they become like tigers taking over a village. If you don't feed the worries, resentments and other negative distractions, they go away from lack of attention. This allows you to create a more productive frame of mind to support your goals and productivity.
Keep your mind on positive, constructive thoughts. Start the day by focusing on your goals. If you begin to become distracted, stop any negative thought by talking back to it. Think up a counter-thought or conclusion.
Play up-beat music. This creates a positive mood for writing and working on freelance projects.
Write down your goals. Getting clear on what you want to accomplish and being specific about it helps you to be more productive -- and can help you stay on target all day. Keep your goals in mind as you work to help avoid distractions. Action is powerful.
Work in short bursts. Try the Pomodoro technique to increase your productivity. Set a timer for 20 minutes, focus completely on the task at hand. When the timer rings, take a five minute break. Repeat three times and then take a longer break. Continue this pattern for the duration of your work day. Breaks help you increase your productivity and work more efficiently.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
New Articles
I started writing on Hubpages three years ago. Some of my favorite topics are science, nature, weight loss, writing, living green, stress-reduction and making money online.
These are my newest articles on Hubpages:
Make Money Online 2: Write Faster and Increase Productivity
Tips for writing more content, faster to raise your hourly pay as an online freelancer. I've learned many tricks for improving my writing productivity while freelancing full-time. In this series I share my methods for writing faster to make more money online.
Dark Energy: 2011 Nobel Laureates Discovered Universe's Expansion is -- Accelerating
This year's Nobel laureates in physics discovered that the universe has been expanding at an accelerating rate, countering previous theories that gravity would cause the expansion to slow down. The implications are mind-blowing. The universe's accelerating expansion could rip the universe apart. These researchers arrived at their shocking conclusion by examining images of supernovae. Pictures from the Hubble space telescope played an important part in this discovery. Dark energy requires further investigation, but for now it offers a possible explanation for this speeding expansion and the fact that the expansion rate isn't giving in to gravity.
Crazy Hairy Ants Invade Texas
It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but these ants that eat everything are infesting Texas and the gulf states at an alarming rate, causing property damage and astronomical costs in pest control. Standard ant-control methods available to consumers don't stop these crazy ants, also known as rasberry ants, after a Texas exterminator. The infestations can damage wiring, destroy equipment and shut down businesses. Two chemicals approved in Texas combat crazy ants, and these chemicals are only available to professionals. The infestation affects several gulf states and is spreading. The crazy ants ride along in hay bales or tires and invade new areas with alarming speed. They next in damp places, rather than creating ant hills. Although only the size of a flea, these pests are already crowding out fire ants and causing Texas homeowners and businesses hundreds to thousands of dollars in pest control expense each year.
These are my newest articles on Hubpages:
Make Money Online 2: Write Faster and Increase Productivity
Tips for writing more content, faster to raise your hourly pay as an online freelancer. I've learned many tricks for improving my writing productivity while freelancing full-time. In this series I share my methods for writing faster to make more money online.
Dark Energy: 2011 Nobel Laureates Discovered Universe's Expansion is -- Accelerating
This year's Nobel laureates in physics discovered that the universe has been expanding at an accelerating rate, countering previous theories that gravity would cause the expansion to slow down. The implications are mind-blowing. The universe's accelerating expansion could rip the universe apart. These researchers arrived at their shocking conclusion by examining images of supernovae. Pictures from the Hubble space telescope played an important part in this discovery. Dark energy requires further investigation, but for now it offers a possible explanation for this speeding expansion and the fact that the expansion rate isn't giving in to gravity.
Crazy Hairy Ants Invade Texas
It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but these ants that eat everything are infesting Texas and the gulf states at an alarming rate, causing property damage and astronomical costs in pest control. Standard ant-control methods available to consumers don't stop these crazy ants, also known as rasberry ants, after a Texas exterminator. The infestations can damage wiring, destroy equipment and shut down businesses. Two chemicals approved in Texas combat crazy ants, and these chemicals are only available to professionals. The infestation affects several gulf states and is spreading. The crazy ants ride along in hay bales or tires and invade new areas with alarming speed. They next in damp places, rather than creating ant hills. Although only the size of a flea, these pests are already crowding out fire ants and causing Texas homeowners and businesses hundreds to thousands of dollars in pest control expense each year.
Monday, October 3, 2011
My newest online articles on Hubpages
Fountain of Youth -- Exercises for Looking Young & Long Life
http://hikeguy.hubpages.com/t/29bea5
On the Tibetan five rites
Red Tide
http://hubpages.com/t/29bbff
The red tide in San Diego, and causes and results of algae blooms in general
Make Money Online
http://hubpages.com/t/29b940
Legitimate ways to make money on the Internet from home and my favorite productivity tools and software
If you enjoy the hubs, please vote them up! Thanks. Trent Adams, aka HikeGuy
Monday, April 18, 2011
Online Writing Journey
That trip down the coast and the answers I came to led me to write about my hiking and camping adventures on Hubpages. After another shake up in my life I began freelancing online full-time. The freedom from working with the public gave me the energy to start a new novel. I've been freelancing for a year and a half now and I'm about halfway through the novel. The six day a week writing schedule has been demanding, and the rigors of content writing -- writing to formula -- has taught me a lot. It's also left me in need of a new burst of freedom.
So I returned to Hubpages. And I'm starting this blog.
Here's one of my new hubs:
http://hubpages.com/hub/relaxation-and-stress-management-1
I discovered this photographer today on Flikr. He's the source of the evocative photo on the above hub, h.koppdelaney.
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