Students Of Success

Medical casting or “Medcasting” is the commercial application of podcasting for medical related institutions. Medcasting is the distribution and publishing of audio and video feeds, that offer medical information delivered over the Internet, for on demand listening.

This is a new step in the evolution of on-demand medical information delivery, making it accessible, informative, useful and appealing. This mix presents the medical industry with a very unique opportunity to reach its community through this new medium. Those individuals, who are already seeking medical information actively, will use RSS subscription technology built into each podcast feed, to receive information immediately as it is updated by the medical institution. With one click of a button, a user can subscribe to a feed that may be interesting, and any related information that is ever updated to that feed will be automatically processed to their personal aggregator. An aggregator is able to subscribe to a feed, check for new content at user-determined intervals, and retrieve the content.

To take this process one step further, podcasting publishes each feed with the capability to be transferred to any portable audio or video device. So with the growth of the ipod and all the other portable media devices, you have the ability to grab Medcasts and place them on your portable player for listening or viewing. Most users attach their portable players to their computers daily or weekly, and once the player is attached they automatically receive the new medcast updates.

The flexibility of this medium is what will drive the growth of Medcasting tremendously over the next few years. Currently the most useful application for medical institutions worldwide is to compliment already existing medical information web pages. Most institutions have numerous web pages which deliver medical information in text format, by providing an audio or video link on that page it gives the user a different and potentially more effective format for receiving the information. This is also a great way to teach your existing users how to start utilizing medcasting services.

The popularity of portable on demand information will grow even greater as wireless internet services continue to flourish across the country. These portable devices will no longer have to be connected to the internet; they will receive information wirelessly as it is updated. In addition, as cell phones and portable devices continue to merge together, the market grows larger.

Additional formats that are being used consist of; medical talk shows, where various specialists within each institution will speak or answer questions on a certain topic. Medical lectures and seminars can be recorded and made available for the public or employees to download easily and on-demand. In addition, any information that may need to be delivered to employees can be recorded and made available on an in-house delivery network. For institutions that have thousands of employees, the distribution of company information is very important, and once again this offers each institution a method of on-demand delivery which is convenient to all. Medcasting can also be used as a direct line of communication, by recording video-casts of company messages from executives for company wide distribution.

There are numerous uses for medcasting currently, and over the next few years it will explode in popularity. It is beneficial to institutions as well as the consumer, and it will be seen as a great tool in any medical organizations’ operations.

Ryan Hoback is CEO of What I Want Podcasting.
They specialize in developing podcasts & nanocasts for a wide range of industries. Their development team guides each client through the process of creating podcasts that incorporate brand integration and deliver the target message through a positive visual & listening experience.

http://www.WhatIWantPodcasting.com

info@WhatIWantPodcasting.com

Although a monitor makes some of the least difference in terms of your computer’s speed, it can make some of the biggest differences in terms of comfort and productivity. This guide aims to give you the details you need to know to choose the best monitor for what you need it for.

LCD flap panel monitors have become all the rage, in a matter of just a few years, the old CRT monitors have nearly become obsolete, expecially on new computers. The old monitors are not bad. There is much to be liked, especially in terms of value for money, and in terms of performance. But you can’t fight the change. We will focus on the LCD flat panel monitors as there is often more to be considered.

Firstly there is the connection to the computer. Older monitors utilised a VGA cable that carried the signal from the computer to the monitor. The signal that goes along there is an analogue signal and it can become slightly degraded, and is just an old technology. Many flat panel monitors support this old style, but that is usually just for backwards compatibility. The newer cable type is a digital kind which is designed to be used for LCD monitors. The performance from this newer kind is better, but if you are upgrading an old computer, make sure your computer can run that monitor.

Secondly is the screen resolution. This is how many pixels can be displayed on the monitor. The higher the resolution, the more can be fit on the screen. This means clearer images with much smoother textures, but it also means that things appear smaller as an increase in resolution does not increase the physical dimensions of the monitor. Usual nowadays is 1024 x 768 or even 1280 x 960. Computers used to have 800 x 600, but that has all but disappeared, except on very old computers or those that are not maintained properly. I run 1280 x 960 as it gives room for a lot of working space on the monitor, but with less than a 19 inch monitor, 1024 x 768 would be more suitable.

Screen refresh rate is another factor that comes into play. CRT monitors used a process of changing the pixels on the screen to show the new images, updating from top to bottom in lines, at a certain rate per second. With that old style 60MHz (60 refreshes per second) would be the minimum before the screen started to flicker. LCD monitors do not have this problem and will look fine at 60MHz.When running games a refresh rate higher than that is required, often up to 85MHz or more. Make sure the monitor you plan to use supports at least 60MHz at your desired resolution for normal use and 85MHz if you want to play games.

A specification that is new for flat panel monitors that didn’t effect CRT monitors is latency. Although the refresh rate may be high, the table of little dots that make up the LCD panel take a small time to change, that change is the latency. Obviously if this latency is too high it is possible that you get shot in games before you even know it, which is no good. Latencies have improved, but only monitors claimed with 8ms latency have been really good for games. Latencies tend to be exagerated and a latency of 8ms actually averages out to 12ms. With most ratings multiply by 1.5 to get an average rating.

The actual brightness of the screen can vary from spot to spot on the screen. Certain monitors have obvious bright parts and dull parts while others are more consistent. Most have some variation, but the less, the better. Name branded monitors tend to give better results than cheaper no name brand versions.

Extras like little speakers are not worth talking about much. They have limited use and I would rather have seperate speakers and keep the monitor simple.

After considering these, you should have enough to make a good purchase decision. Remember that a little extra money spent on a monitor is a good investment, and unlike many other computer parts, upgrades are not needed that often.

Peter Stewart is a computer enthusiast, his interest in computers and focus on practical down to earth advice inspired his two websites.
http://computer-buying-guide.com - Practical buying tips
http://computer-reviews.net - Fair and honest reviews and opinions.

Developing brand value is critical to every organization and when professionally executed, delivers a clear and measurable competitive advantage to your firm. It does so by helping you establish a positive connection and value-relationship with your customer, which, over time, will build brand equity and increase brand value.

Once this value-relationship is established, both internally and externally, it can be measured, monitored and enhanced periodically, as needed, to strengthen your brand’s effectiveness and increase your bottom line. Whether you’re building a new brand or energizing an existing one,
developing brand value maximizes the value-relationship between corporate profitability and the perception of your brand.

The Assessment

The first step in the fine art of branding

Customers factor brands into every purchase. The stronger the brand, meaning the clearer the position it occupies in their minds, the more value it has and the more likely they are to choose it — again and again. The goal is to get them to choose your brand over your competitions. And that’s where a strong brand value can help.

I recommend an in-depth assessment, a strategic survey used to determine the state of your company’s brand. It helps you discover key elements important to satisfying your customer base utilizing brand research findings. The assessment provides a foundation upon which to develop the best model for customizing your brand communications master plan.

The Assessment allows you to accurately measure the present effectiveness and value of your brand. It establishes brand value as a benchmark for future enhancement. How? By zeroing in on which qualities and attributes of your products, services and company make you different from your competition. And, how well they are perceived in the market. It helps you modify and align products, positioning messages and communications with laser point accuracy on your customers’ specific needs and wants.

The Assessment is really a personality profile of your brand. It describes your good points, but more importantly, highlights where you are weak. It does so by using a system of inter-related measurements to gauge brand perceptions and effectiveness.

Using a grading scale of 1-10, the assessment can test vital aspects of your brand as it relates to:

• Products or services

• Target markets

• Messaging

• Communications.

An assessment conducts interviews with management, marketing, sales and other key employees. It will uncover segments of company operations that can do more to nourish the brand, helping you pinpoint areas ripe for improvement. The external research of an assessment includes surveys with clients, prospects, vendors and key industry personnel. It will conduct a “competitive analysis” which tells you how targeted audiences see you, your products or services and how you stack up against the competition.

After your assessment is complete tabulate the results and ask for a customized Brand Analysis Report. These are usually very informative. Often revealing. Only after analyzing all the essential components of the branding assessment can information be provided. This detailed document shows exactly where you can improve.

The Brand Plan

How your brand can become a work of art

Your brand is your company’s power base, its number one asset. Developing a Brand Plan is designed to ensure that your company delivers on its brand promise. It provides companies with a guidebook for continually building, measuring and enhancing brand value and helps you achieve clarity of branding focus and direction.

First, I recommend an Assessment to find your brand’s present position and value. Then I recommend developing The Brand Plan, an in-depth master Brand Plan that defines the strategies, which can strengthen and improve your brand’s performance and market position by establishing a connection and value-relationship with your customer.

Unlike The Assessment, the picture that is painted is not a snapshot of what you are today. The Brand Plan helps you redefine brand personality in the marketplace. It’s how your company will be tomorrow, how it will be seen and perceived by customers, potential customers, your managers, employees and vendors. When managed properly, The Brand Plan increases financial security, growth and earnings potential. It will establish a clearly defined brand vision for employees and management. Both their motivation and commitment to the delivery of the brand promise will greatly increase.

The Brand Plan is a strategic master Brand Plan that will contain specific internal and external strategies and tactics, all with the goal of turning your brand into a work of art. It’s a brandmaster action Brand Plan that encompasses:

• Brand objectives

• Brand positioning, the promise of the brand

• Brand strategy & tactics

The Brand Plan aligns products, services, and communications for uniform delivery of the brand
promise throughout your enterprise. Everything is spelled out, integrated, and ready for execution. This vital tool empowers every person in your company to show the true colors of your brand. It gives form and unity to communications that differentiate your brand in the marketplace. It provides a rallying point for employees and provides a cornerstone document of all corporate resources to support brand core competencies.

As people understand the defined objectives, more ideas blossom, making the brand grow even stronger. After all, the true test of any Brand Plan is for it to appreciate over time. The Brand Plan is not a static document to be hung in some dusty museum. It’s a living, breathing, dynamic statement of change based on proven scientific testing, data analysis and measurable results.

Capture more mindshare with a Brand Value Plan… your palette for branding success.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru a leading Corporate Branding and Branding Research firm in Boston, MA.

Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

This Article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks.

Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.

Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, American Federal Mortgage, Franklin Sports and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.

I love goals. I set them every year, and revisit them and set new ones throughout the year.

I also hate goals. I follow the advice of goal setting experts and set big goals, and put them in writing, and visualize them, but it seems that many of the goals never seem to hit.

This often leads to the slightly depressed feeling of realizing that I didn’t hit my goal, coupled with the acceptance that my life is not where I wanted it to be.

The real problem occurs though, in the fact that my mood, energy, and sense of self-esteem end up tied into whether I achieved those goals. You’ve probably been there: You just did a great sales presentation and you’re waiting to here back from the client. If the client comes back with a “yes,” you feel happy and great. If you get a “no,” you feel down and sad. Or perhaps you’re trying to lose weight, and you eat well and exercise, but when you step on the scale the number hasn’t changed - that’s a quick route to depression. Once in while the reverse happens: you eat poorly, skip a couple of workouts, but the scale still shows a drop. Here you may feel good even though you know you messed the week up.

Having goals is great, but judging our success and feelings on the achievement of those goals is a dangerous game, because we place our sense of self-esteem on external factors.

The next time you set goals (New Years or otherwise) make sure to set two types of goals: result goals and activity goals.

Result Goals - These are the things we want to get or achieve. “I want to make $100,000 this year.” “I want to lose 25 pounds.” “I will own a new home.” And so on.

Activity Goals - These are the daily tasks we set for ourselves to achieve our result goals. “I will make 10 sales calls a day.” “I will exercise 3 days a week for 45 minutes a day.” “I will set aside X dollars per month to build up my down payment.”

Both of these types of goals are important. But there is a critical difference. You have almost absolute control over your activity goals. Your result goals almost always rely on things outside of your control. In the sales example, you might not be able to control how many sales you close (buyers are fickle, after all), but you can control how many calls you make per day.

The key then to achieving your goals and being happier doing it is quite simple:

“You must measure your success by your Activity Goals, not by your Result Goals”

You should set result goals. They should be written, and vivid, and specific, etc. You should take time to visualize them everyday. But, when deciding whether you are a success, you should simply look at whether you hit your activity goals.

The two are related. You set your result goals first, then you determine the consistent actions you must take to achieve those goals. These consistent actions become your activity goals. When you plot out your day, or week, or month, determine what activities you will do and when you will do them. Then, at the end of the day, week, or month, let your sense of success and self-esteem be guided by one questions: “Did I do what I said I would in my activity goals?” If the answer is yes, regardless of what you achieved, then you should sleep easy. If you said no, then you need to revisit and adjust.

I can hear the dissent now, “but if I ignore my result goals, how can I be sure I get what I want?” Make no mistake; I never said to avoid result goals. If time goes by and you are not getting the result you want, than you need to adjust your activities to increase the likliehood of getting what you want. The difference is, you judge your success on what you do, not on what you get. Results are your feedback - if you get what you want, keep doing what you are doing. If not, try something different.

Measuring success based on your activities has three powerful benefits:

Internal vs. External Self-Esteem - This whole idea began when I realized how ludicrous it was for a person to let their self-esteem and mood be based on events they have no control over. Why be depressed because some client doesn’t have the budget for your service or product? Why get down because the guy or girl you were interested in didn’t call you? Why sulk just because your body didn’t drop two pounds this week? There are so many variables outside of your control taht all you can do is do your best.

When you base your success on what you do, you can always feel good. Whether or not you close a sale, you can sleep well knowing you put in your 100 calls for the week. Even if the scale didn’t drop, you are happy knowing that you are doing the right thing in eating right and exercising. Don’t worry if one guy or girl doesn’t call you - be content in knowing that you are out there and doing what you need to to find the right person.

Of course, this only works if you actually do the activities you’re supposed to. If you don’t, then you might feel down - but at least you know that you deserve to feel down and you’ll know what you need to do to fix it!

Foward Moving Action - By judging yourself on your activities, you will force yourself to take action. Sometimes, when you focus just on the result, you procrastinate or feel overwhelmed. If you focus on the individual activity you committed to doing (and judge your success just on whether you do it) you will be much more likely to take that action. This will have the effect of constantly moving you towards your goals.

Ironically, the more you focus on your activity goals instead of your results goals, the more likely you will be to actually attain the result you want.

Law of Detachment - There is a principle in spirituality, improvisation, martial arts, sports, and many other areas called the Law of Detachment. It goes by different names in different arenas. It is the Law of Detachment in spirittuality. In improv it is “let go of control and go with the flow.” In martial arts, it’s the “resolute acceptance of death;” in sports, it’s “playing loose.”

Whatever the arena, the principle states that the more attached we are to an outcome, the more unlikely we are to actually get it. This is because the attachment creates resistance. We send out the wrong kind of energy (spirituality), resist the positive things going on around us (improv), get overwhelmed and paralyzed by fear (martial arts), and just plain tighten up (sports). By letting go of attachment to what you want, you free up resources and energy that makes it much more likely for you to get it.

Focusing on your result goals creates attachment. Focusing on your activity goals detaches you from your outcome; you go about the business of doing your activities, confidently knowing that they will result in something good. This is a terrific way to not only happily achieve your goals, but also to just reduce stress in general.

Try this method the next time you do your goal setting. Make your result goals - make them big, make them great, and write them down. Then determine the activities you consistently need to do (and are willing to do) to achieve those goals. Then, even if just for 30 days, commit to ending each day judging yourself as a success or not based simply on whether you followed through or not. Do this, and your self-esteem will soar, you will be happier, and yes, you will be on your way to achieving your goals.

Avish Parashar is the world’s funniest (and potentially only)
“Improvising Motivational Keynote Speaker” To learn more about
how to bring the hilariously powerful lessons of improv comedy to your organization, visit http://www.avishparashar.com.

To learn how to use Improv Comedy to be an amazingly powerful speaker, visit http://www.improvforspeakers.com.

Imagine going to bed and waking up in the morning to find
that you made sales while you slept - all because of your
autoresponder!

What exactly is an autoresponder? An autoresponder is an
automated email program that responds to an incoming
email with a message written by you. The message can be
written once and loaded in the autoresponder and forgotten
about. It’s as easy as that.

Some Uses for Autoresponders

1. Use autoresponders as an immediate acknowledgement to those who send you information. Let the recipient know that you have received their message and when to expect a reply.

2. Create a FAQ document to answer commonly asked questions about your product or service. Use the familiar question and answer format.

3. Collect names and email addresses by using a capture form. This allows you to build a list and as marketers keep saying, lists lead to repeat sales.

4. Make all your articles and newsletters available via autoresponder.

5. Offer free reports or e-courses to show your expertise to your customers. This is a great way to capture prospects’ name and email address for future follow-up.

6. If you publish an e-book, put the different chapters or excerpts in your autoresponder.

7. Archive issues of past ezines and put some of the best ones in an autoresponder and let your prospects access them.

Before you send out information via an autoresponder you
should always check the content for spam triggers that
may prevent your messages being delivered. To have a free
check on your emails/messages go to:
http://www.merchant-account-service.com/stop_spam_mail.html

If you are not using an autoresponder already you may be
losing up to 400% of potential sales. Research shows that
autoresponders increase your exposure to your prospects
and this increased contact with them leads to higher sales.

Remember if you’re not using an autoresponder and gaining
these sales, your competitors will!

(c) John Lynch

To get a Free autoresponder and a Free email marketing course go to: http://www.merchant-account-service.com/free_autoresponder.html

Last year my husband and I went on a trip to Hawaii with a group of friends who we have traveled with for the past six years. We divided up the responsibilities: which islands to visit, where were the best places to stay, and what were -the things that we “had” to experience while visiting Maui and Kauai. Touring the “Grand Canyon” of Kauai by helicopter was definitely a must.

Our friend Tony took the lead in finding us the “Cadillac” of helicopter tours. He gave us a website link so we could see the luxury helicopters that we’d be flying in and could read what to expect from the tour. I spoke with a couple of people who had taken this same tour before who exclaimed profusely that flying over the volcanoes while listening to piped-in music was definitely the way to go. Even though I have suffered from panic attacks when I flew in the past, with the help of therapy, nutrition and “better living through medication”, I was ready to ride in the chopper.

About a week before our trip, we all met for dinner at our friends’ home to go over any last minute details about our vacation. Tony discovered an even better helicopter tour than the one we’d scheduled and as a matter of fact, he believed that though our current tour was considered the “Cadillac” of helicopter tours, this new one was the “Ferrari” of helicopter tours. Buoyed by the collective joy, love and excitement of our group, we all agreed to change to the Ferrari tours.

Herein lies what I affectionately term, “The Helicopter Effect” so pay attention because maybe you’ve had this happen to you too. My life was very busy at this point. I was then still with the IT Consulting company and my long-time college, just left to frolic in greener pastures . I was not only trying to keep up with all my own responsibilities at work, but also - hers, as well as interviewing for the two new positions that her leaving created. I say all this to try to find some semblance of sanity in my thinking then as to why oh why it never occurred to me to:

a.) Ask Tony to clarify what the differentiation between “Ferrari” and “Cadillac” meant to him.
b.) Find out exactly what “helicopter without doors” meant;
c.) Go look at the new tours’ website to see what the helicopter without doors looks like and read about what this Ferrari tour would entail.

No, I simply trusted my friend Tony to intuit the dark shadows of my fear and blindly created my own definition of what this new tour would entail. In my mind, without any validation via words or photos, I told myself that our helicopters would be the same kind that we had seen photos of before (large and luxurious), that “without doors” meant that the apostrophe shaped doors that were in a normal helicopter would simply be “pushed out”, leaving the frame of the door behind, and that we would be thoroughly strapped into our bucket leather seats with a multi-faceted, multi-winged seatbelt with a final padded row bar pulled down and locked in place for added protection.

I truly went to great lengths to deceive myself via my imagination. Stay with me as I now describe what ACTUALLY took place.
All the way up to the minute of our helicopter tour, I kept the same fantasy alive so that I could feel okay about taking this risk. Even when we drove up to the heli-port and observed painfully small helicopters on the runway, I told myself that the small helicopters were actually the “mechanics’ helicopters” which meant they were the ones used by the mechanics to fix the big luxurious one that I was so sure would be used for our tour.

We even watched a tape of the tour we’d be doing and saw that those same small helicopters were being used for the tour. I suspect at this point my mind had begun to shut down. No more information could be reconfigured. As we walked towards our helicopter and saw the group ahead of us coming back with one man having a very scarily pale grey face and vomit circling his chest as he dangled from the necks of his friends, I realized that perhaps this helicopter tour was not all it was cracked up to be.
Then we indeed prepared for our long-awaited tour by entering one of those little “mechanic” helicopters. When they say, “NO DOORS” on these suckers, they mean, NO WALLS. Gone were the plush, comfy bucket seats of my dreams. Instead we had a metal bench with seat belts like you’d find in an old Honda Civic. That was it. Oh, plus the little nylon strap above your head where you could hold on for dear life. Did I tell you that my hands sweat uncontrollably when I get nervous? We did get headphones, but there was no piped in music. Just the loud hum of the helicopter and the non-emotional voice of our pilot, who by the way was old enough to be my son if I had had children. He wore a big huge cushy winter parka and padded boots. We, of course, had on our shorts and shirts to allow for tans when we landed at the waterfall for lunch.

The next thing I knew as soon as we were belted in was the helicopter lifted up to what felt like 1000 feet almost immediately the wind began to blow through from all directions. I really believed at that moment that I had completely “done it to myself this time”.

My husband and I were sitting on the bench together and both of our hands were turning purple and sweating. I couldn’t look at him because I could sense that he was just as afraid of this adventure as I was. As the pilot flew over the Grand Canyon he actually tilted the helicopter to the side so that we could get a better look out of the wall with no door. I found out many days later after we landed that my husband and I had both shared the same macabre thoughts a.) How good are these ole one strap seat belts anyway? and b.) What would happen if I had a sudden “break” and unstrapped my seat belt and jumped just to get this horrific fear over with!?!?! Had I known that David had been thinking the same thing, we may have just gotten into a huge tangle trying to be the first one to fling ourselves from the helicopter.

Needless to say we did make it back to land. What I learned from this adventure was to:

1.) ask for clarity when you’re going to take a risk, even if you’re sure you know what it is all about;
2.) once you get the clarity, sit with the information to learn how you feel about taking the risk and then make your decision if you want to do it or not;
3.) it’s okay to say no
4.) When they say the helicopter does not have any doors, they mean it!
Be willing to notice the “stories” that you tell yourself to get through your day, you might be surprised at how creative you can be and it’s one step towards recognizing how your thoughts do pave the way towards the actions you will take.

Copyright 05/02/06

Bio: Coach Lynn Kindler – http://www.sacredpathcoaching.com, offers Professional Life Coaching for individuals and groups wanting to actively engage in conscious choices for their lives and work. She is a graduate of Coach University, an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and has obtained certification from SUN (Success Unlimited Network). Lynn’s forte is helping clients discover their life purpose so that they can live their lives “on purpose.“ She also coaches high profile people who want to define a successful life in their own terms. Coach Lynn leads self-care retreats in the state of Texas that combine Spiritual growth along with Career and Personal Success.

Today we are talking with Betsy Durkin Matthes, author of “Dressing the Man You Love.” Welcome to Reader Views Betsy.

Betsy: Thank you. I’m delighted to be here.

Juanita: “Dressing the Man You Love” is a thoroughly detailed compendium of information. How did you go about researching and compiling the information into book form?

Betsy: Actually I compiled the information in very much the same way I wrote term papers while I was in college. I poured through massive amounts of material, filling out index cards with information, always making sure to list their sources and page numbers. Later, when I began my actual writing, I was able to divide my subject matter into chapter headings and could always refer back at any point to double check facts. I also spent a great deal of time talking to women, taking notes on their ideas and suggestions. I think you could say that I assembled the book piece by piece much as a brick layer constructs a building.

Juanita: Betsy, what inspired you to write “Dressing the Man You Love?”

Betsy: Initially it was my desire to support my fellow actors. Three years ago Joan Jaffe, an actress and a lifetime friend, told me about a class in “on-camera techniques” that she was teaching at the Screen Actor’s Guild Conservatory. I volunteered to do some research for her on various aspects of dress. It was at that time that I became fascinated with men’s classic clothing.

Juanita: Why do you think there is such a lack of knowledge regarding classic men’s clothing?

Betsy: I wouldn’t say that there is a lack of knowledge really. It’s more that it’s spread about in many diversified locations. During the course of writing, I discovered many wonderful sources of information written by some of the acknowledged giants in the world of men’s fashion. What I felt was needed was to bring it all together for women in a form that would be easily accessible as well as enjoyable to read.

Juanita: What can readers expect from your book “Dressing the Man You Love?”

Betsy: They can expect to find down-to-earth information on men’s classic clothing. I have tried to present useful facts in a non-intimidating way with a lot of easily understood illustrations. Some of the topics I cover in the book include, assessing a man’s clothing needs, the best suit cuts for major body types, color considerations for different complexions, recognizing the important elements of quality and a great deal more.

Juanita: Tell us a little of your thoughts regarding how successful attire can equate to success in life?

Betsy: I think we would all like to believe that our various talents are all we require to win the opportunities for success in life that we seek. Whether we like it or not, first impressions open the door to these opportunities. When we don’t take the time to care about how we look, we send the message to others that we approach our work in the same haphazard manner. Is this a fair assumption? Possibly not; but it is a fact of life.

Juanita: Why focus on ‘classic’ clothing for men as apposed to fashion and trends

Betsy: Classic is forever. Like a great movie we can experience it over and over again and never cease to appreciate its value. And buy the way, classic dressing for a man doesn’t necessarily mean up-tight and conservative. What it does mean is tasteful styling that has stood the test of time. Trends come and go. Classic dressing for men will always be around.

Juanita: What could be the biggest stumbling block or challenge a woman may have choosing a new wardrobe for the man in her life?

Betsy: Getting his cooperation. Shopping, as every woman knows, is not a man’s favorite thing to do. Still, when you love someone, you enjoy doing things together; so why should shopping for his new wardrobe be the exception? In my book I give women a few simple rules to follow that will not only get the job accomplished, but will allow her to do it in such a way that it becomes enjoyable for both parties.

Juanita: What advice do you give women that can not afford to immediately purchase a whole new wardrobe? Any tips on essentials or how they can integrate new pieces as the budget permits?

Betsy: When shopping for a new wardrobe especially with a major change of career involved, a few standard core pieces should be selected initially. After these purchases he can then move on to expand his inventory. For example, a young man graduating from college and moving into the world of corporate business is going to need the “ultimate power” solid navy blue suit with complimentary shirts and ties for a start. His second purchase should be a charcoal gray suit. Once he gains a foothold in his new profession with the accompanying salary increases, a lighter gray or navy pinstripe is in order. Buying selectively, and knowing what to purchase first can help him to look his very best on a limited budget.

Juanita: Do you talk about dressing different body types in “Dressing the Man You Love?”

Betsy: Yes, I do. The entire first chapter is dedicated to assessing men’s various body types and the best suit cuts for each. I also discuss the most appropriate fabrics, patterns and colors, not only for his suits, but for his accompanying dress shirts, ties, belts, shoes and pocket squares. For example, a shorter, heavy set man will look best in a dark, solid or vertically striped suit, made up in a smooth woolen fabric, with side vents in the jacket, and cuff-less trousers. For him the object is to create a long un-interrupted line from his jacket collar to the floor. This in turn will help him look taller and slimmer.

Juanita: You talk about the triangle of interest. What is that exactly?

Betsy: The triangle of interest is the area just below a man’s chin. It includes the labels of his jacket, the collar of his shirt and his tie. This is the most important area to focus on when putting together a man’s outfit. The color, angles, and proportion of the items in this triangle will either enhance or detract from his facial features making or breaking that all important first impression.

Juanita: “Dressing the Man You Love” is geared towards women dressing the men in their life. Is it also written in a way that a man without a significant female in his life could read it and change the direction of his wardrobe?

Betsy: Absolutely. Although my original intention was to direct my book to women shopping for their men, I have been delighted to find that men are reading the book as well. It seems that men know less about their own classic wardrobes then I had thought, and they are anxious to know more. From my point of view this makes “Dressing the Man You Love” a more than useful resource for women; it makes it a resource for single men as well

Juanita: Betsy, you have had a significant and successful career as an actress, singer/ dancer and as a lyricist. Your work has included Broadway, off-Broadway, touring productions, day time dramas, over 100 television commercials, and songs that have been recorded by major artists. What has this impressive life experience taught you about the importance of “dressing for the part you want?”

Betsy: As a young actress, I learned very quickly that “dressing for the part” gets you the job. As you have so kindly pointed out, I have done a lot of television commercials over the years. I don’t believe for a moment that I was always the best actress auditioning; but I certainly did take the time to present myself as the character for which I was being considered in each of the winning commercials. I think that holds true in any and all professions.

Juanita: I understand that you went back to college and received a degree at the Marymount Manhattan College in 1996. Tell us about your scholastic history and what led you back to college at this point?

Betsy: Much to my parent’s horror when I graduated from high school I decided, instead of heading off to college, to accept a scholarship to The American Theatre Wing in New York City. After attending the wing for only one year, however, I obtained my first professional job as Polly in “The Boy Friend” with the Cherry Lane Theater. From there I went on to have a long and rewarding career. Still, I always felt very badly that I had never received a real college education. So later in my life, I decided to enroll at Marymount Manhattan College. I wasn’t even sure that I was college material, but I was determined to give it a try. It was a tremendous experience for me. I even graduated in 1996 as the class Valedictorian. Aside from all that I learned from getting my degree in both International and Women’s Studies, I discovered that there is never any one time in person’s life for doing anything. If you are willing to put in the effort, wonderful and surprising things can happen to you at any stage in your life.

Juanita: Well Betsy, with a whole new audience evolving from your writing talents, you will continue to be an inspiration for many years to come. Thank you for talking with Reader Views today. Your book “Dressing the Man You Love” is a classy, definitive, easy-to-follow guide that is not only highly informative, but a complete joy to read. Please let your readers know how they may find out more about your endeavors, and do you have any final thoughts for us today?

Betsy: I have really enjoyed sharing this time with you. For any of your readers who would like to obtain more information on “Dressing the Man You Love,” they can visit my website at www. dressingthemanyoulove.com. I have included a little peak into my chapter on men’s shoes, some additional tips on selecting men’s classic clothing and a listing of any up-coming events including book signings where I hope women will join me in sharing their own unique experiences. There are many expressions of love, but I believe that helping your man feel better about himself by assisting him in looking his very best is a kind of love that men never fail to recognize and truly appreciate.

Many families will find themselves without medical coverage at
some point in their lives. So, what do you do if you find
yourself in this situation? Here are some thing that you should
consider when purchasing quality, low-cost temporary family
health insurance.

Low-cost temporary family health insurance is available for
those under 65 and who are in generally good health. It also
usually covers dependants under 19, as well. Although these
policies are only good for six months or so, you can reapply for
coverage, as needed. Bear in mind, however, that any illness or
condition that occurred during this temporary coverage will be
treated as a pre-existing condition under the new policy.

Before you apply, however, there are some questions you should
ask the salesman or representative. You need to be certain of
the maximum policy benefit, for example, and you should make
sure of the co-payment schedule. Many low-cost temporary family
health insurance plans are PPO networks, so you need to find out
if you are required to have a primary care physician. You should
also ask the representative how pre-existing conditions will be
treated under the plan. Some companies will not cover
pre-existing diseases or conditions; some will do so, after a
pre-determined period, like twenty-four months.

There are many good low-cost temporary family health insurance
plans available and with a little patience and research, you
will find the policy that is just right for your family.

Have you stopped to think what your favorite quotes are
saying about you and your life experiences?

How you relate to them? How they relate to you?

Today… I decided to take one of my favorite quotes and see
how it applies to me. You may want to do the same thing.

This quote by Louis L’Amour is one of my favorites…

“Up to a point a man’s life is shaped by environment,
heredity, and movements and changes in the world about
him. Then there comes a time when it lies within his grasp
to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes
to be. Only the weak blame their parents, their race, their
times, lack of good fortune, or the quirks of fate. Everyone
has it within his power to say, “This I am today; that I will be
tomorrow.” -Louis L’Amour

I can look back and see how my life was shaped by early
environment, heredity and changes in the world around me.

My life was shaped by my parents, friends, schools,
experiences, injuries, where I lived, moves I made, and
treatment from others, all had an effect on me.

Some experiences affected me deeply. Some of these
emotional feelings remain with me and affected me later in
my life.

There came a time when I realized I control my own reality
with my thinking, imagination, ideas and actions. What I
think about and focus on creates my reality. My thoughts and
imagination cause my actions. So I began to shape my life.
Knowing, I control what I can DO…BE… and HAVE.

That’s when I made the most progress in my life, when my
ambitions and goals came to the surface. I decided what I
wanted to do with my life. Many times these were goals and
dreams I had at an early age.

Sometimes, my early goals and desires faded into the
background, but were still in my memory.

I know people who habitually blame parents, environmment,
race, color, location or anything else they can think of
except… where the blame should be… On them!

No one else is to blame… I take responsibility for the
good and the bad in my life, because, I create my own
reality. It’s a weak person who blames everything on
somebody or something else.

The things I put off are my own fault. I can’t blame others,
or my environment for not taking an action… because, now
I see clearly…

I Create My Own Reality!

My point of power is Now… Today! I can’t change the past.
The present moment is where I can make changes for my
future. My thoughts, imagination, ideas and actions today,
create my reality tomorrow.

I become what I think about all day long. That determines
what I will do, be, and have tomorrow and in the future. I
create it!… I’m responsible for the good and the bad. What I
focus on becomes my reality. That’s true for any and all
areas of my life.

And… I believe it and accept it!

Bill Parks… Computer Consultant, specializing in Filemaker
Pro database design. Publisher of “Information Age
Products Ezine” and “Bill’s Business Boosters Ezine.”
http://www.Build-UR-Business.com And…
http://www.InfoAgePro.com

If it is what I am having in mind right now, this myth is what
sets the realistic apart from the unrealistic. You have
definitely heard of stories of how people make 4, 5 and maybe 6
figure incomes in the shortest period of time imaginable.

While that is true in genuine cases, and I do know of some of
these powerful, wealthy individuals, what is often not seen in
the success story is the kind of hard work and wisdom put in by
these individuals before they saw the results.

It may seem as if they were overnight successes, but I do not
think that they would agree to it, after having put what it
takes to be successful on that day itself. That is like calling
a new-found star an overnight success, which I doubt he or she
would think so, after having put in all his or her effort,
talent and dedication for perhaps, the past several years or so.

Yet, being attracted to advertisements that goes “Earn
$10,000.00 in 6 months” or the likes is what most people
subscribe to. If you appreciate your intelligence, you will do
well to stay away from ads or programs with hooks like this.