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Skating is an elegant sport. It is a sport which can charm and enthrall you and brings magic and enchantment in the air. When you see the performers glide on the skating ring effortlessly and perform stupendous antics, you are bound to feel awed by their talent.

The swirl, the jumps, the glide, the spins, and the twirls may look effortless on the surface but they take eons of perseverance and practice to reach to that perfectionist level. The attire of the skater is also very elegant and eye-catching yet suitable for the purpose of skating, such as leggings, or short skirts, or tight-fitting flexible pants.

There are various types of skating, such as roller skating, ice skating, skateboarding, and snowskating. Each one of the sport is fun and interesting in their own way.

However, amongst them, figure ice skating tends to be the favorite sport of many. Such a sport, performed on frozen ice, is not an easy task specially when it comes to jumping and landing with perfect ease and yet being careful not to put too much pressure on the ice. Figure skating can be performed individually, in couples, or in teams. There have been several competitions in figure skating such as World Championships, Winter Olympic Games, and European Figure Skating Championships.

Such championship events are a pleasure to watch because you come across all kinds of talents and performance at different levels. It is like watching a piece of art. Unlike other sports, which involve cheering, shouting, this is a sport, which imbues an air of sophistication and silent appreciation.

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If you're a reader, Alzheimer's books are an easy way to educate yourself about your loved one's disease. There are literally hundreds of Alzheimer's books flooding the market today, everything from highly personal accounts of people suffering from the disease to the ubiquitous professional manuals on clinical data and research.

Which Alzheimer's books you choose to read is largely a matter of personal taste. The following five are classics that all address different aspects of Alzheimer's disease.

The Thirty-Six Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for Persons with Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss Later in Life by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins

If you never spend money on another Alzheimer's book, make sure you buy this one. It is the Bible of Alzheimer's care, full of advice and sympathetic support from caregivers who've been there. Does your loved one try to remove his clothes in public? Does she wander at night? Is he refusing baths? Is she refusing food? Whatever the problem, this down-to-earth guide addresses it with both tenderness and frankness.

Talking to Alzheimer's: Simple Ways to Connect When You Visit With A Family Member or Friend by Claudia J. Strauss

This Alzheimer's book provides simple, compassionate conversation starters to help you communicate with your loved one in a nursing home. If she doesn't talk much, or if he always begs to be allowed to come home with you, this book will offer you gentle suggestions for easing the tension and finding more pleasant topics of conversation. If you've been avoiding visiting your loved one because you don't know what to say, this addition to your library is a must.

Alzheimer's Activities: Hundreds of Activities for Men and Women with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders by B.J. Fitzray

"Mom just sits there all day doing nothing." If this is your complaint, then this Alzheimer's book is definitely worth checking into. Suggested activities range from elaborate outings and gourmet baking projects to simple tasks like folding clothes or drying dishes. And, with a hundred activities to choose from, you're sure to find at least a few that will spark your loved one's interest.

Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks: A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's by Lela Knox Shanks and Steven H. Zarit

This book is written from the point of view of a woman who cared for her Alzheimer's-stricken husband at home. The tone is supportive, candid, and matter-of-fact. Mrs. Shanks never slips into self pity as she admits her mistakes and details her triumphs. If you find comfort in reading about people who have successfully walked the path that you are on, this is the Alzheimer's book for you.

The Forgetting: Alzheimer's: Portrait of an Epidemic by David Shenk.

Far from being dry and academic, this history of Alzheimer's disease reads more like a suspense novel. Shenk details the first diagnosis of Alzheimer's, current methods of treatment and support, and cutting edge scientific research.

This list of Alzheimer's books offers some suggestions to get your library started. As you look through the available literature, you'll probably find some of your own favorites to add. Whether you're into holistic treatment methods or scientific explanations, there's an Alzheimer's book out there for you.

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Beagles are one of the best kinds of dogs to have as a family pet, you only have to ask our two children aged 5 and 15.

Hunting dogs, (well, yes they were breed for that) tearing up rabbits, and hares yes, but bad publicity is something the Beagle can do without, as with any breed of animal there is always a bad one out there (the same as humans I suppose!)

Ours is a daft and loveable hound, stand on his paw by accident and no you don't get bitten, he just rolls over. The fact was when we came to buy another dog (you know you look at all different breeds, be it at the shops, parks or country game fairs, I'm sure some people must have thought we were planning on stealing their dog at some point, when all four members of the family start to look at the animal and coos of delight come from our children, to see dogs out and in real situations is the best way to see how they interract with many different situations. One big one is children, especially important when having any in the home, as if a dog is bought back from the pound it could have had a bad experience with a child and therefore be aggressive with children.

We visited a breeder for Scooby and was shown his parents and grandparents, even had them sniff our son who was only a few weeks old at the time, (I must say I did feel totally safe with them all, going into a pack of hounds is not something I had done before, but glad I did). Scooby is a great lump full of love and affection for everyone, he doesn't like certain people though (good judge of character in most cases) and I am sure if push came to shove he would protect us if someone were to try to hurt a member of the family.

Exercise wise you always think biggish dog, must need lots of walks, but no you are wrong to think that, he has a nice long walk once and day, and then he is bushed, his best form of exercise is lolling in front of the Aga and only moving when he is forced to (hot pans not a good look from his angle). Very strong though, I sometimes think it is him taking me for a walk not the other way around.

Hard to obedience train though (most of our dogs have been though, so maybe not purely the dogs fault!) My husband tries to blame me and say that after buying the Beagle Handbook of Obedience that everyone including the poor dog is confused,(the book is Amercian and words don't always have the same meaning as in England for example "Down" means to get off in America, whereas "Down" here means lie to most dogs and owners. Also "lie" means to lie down, try saying that though and our five year old tells us not to tell Scooby to say untruths, (I ask you what are you suppossed to do?) Even Scooby got feed up though and ate the sticky note pad with the training words on it.

Maintenance wise a doddle, no long wet hair after a walk in the rain, as the coat just seems to shrug off a quick brush over once a week, and his fur is back to a1 condition (no high maintenance costs here, no cuts, dematting or clipping). Doesn't even have to have his nails clipped (well at the age of 5 nearly six he hasn't yet).

Sociable and loveable are the words that sum up Scooby, I'm sure the whole family would agree.

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There are very few treadmills that can stack up with the Pro Form 495 pi treadmill. Pro form is notorious for their great quality, and this machine is no exception.

Pro form treadmills offer a machine for any budget. Whether you are looking for a top of the line machine or an economical one that is sufficient for your workout needs, Pro form has an offering for you. This article is a review of the Pro Form 495 pi treadmill and how it can benefit your health.

Here are some of the features offered by the Pro Form 495 pi treadmill. First of all, this model is perfect if you are on a budget and simply looking for a machine with some basic features to help you with your workout goals. If you are looking for a top of the line machine, then probably isn’t the right option for you.

One big pluses for these machines is that they offer moving arms which will allow your upper body plenty of room during the workout. Also, these machines fold very simply, ensuring you can fit it into even the tightest of spaces.

However keep in mind that the pro form 495 pi tread belt is not quite up to par with a few other of it’s competitors models. Therefore, you are sacrificing some luxury for price.

Generally, as stated above, these machines are intended for those on a budget. If you invest in one of these machines, you won’t receive a flashy display, style, advanced features and superior cushioning system in the basic variants of these crosswalk treadmills. You get the necessities, and that’s it.

Despite its’ lack of options and luxury features, if you simply want a great machine that will meet your treadmill needs, the pro form 495 pi treadmill is right for you. No, it doesn’t offer a lot of luxury and add-ons that other machines might, but it certainly will help you to reach your workout goals, whatever they may be. Therefore, if you are on a budget, then certainly the pro form 495 pi should be at the top of your shopping list.

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Why boost metabolism? Because that flab around your waste is merely a symptom...

"Of what," you ask?

A slow metabolism! If you are overweight you can rest assured that you have a slow metabolism.

Do you want to lose weight fast?

Sure, you may lose a few pounds by making some lifestyle changes, but until you learn how to boost metabolism your weight loss results will be less than desired. In other words, your weight loss will be a struggle!

Your body is a system and every part of that system uses energy from the food you eat in order to operate efficiently. In fact, your body is using energy at this very moment to move your eyes across this page. The level of efficiency with which your body converts food into energy is called metabolism.

There are 4 things that influence your metabolism:

• Hydration - The amount of water you drink.
• Eating Habits - How and when you eat.
• Nutrition - Your diet.
• Fitness Level

Lack any of these 4 fundamentals and there is a very good chance you will be overweight. The truth is that you probably lack all of them... You are not alone, most people lack them, which is why we have an obesity epidemic!

Unfortunately most diets and other weight loss methods including drugs, pills and surgery do not address the fundamentals and therefore do not lead to desirable results. These weight loss methods are designed for fast results that don't last!

Some of the more popular ways to lose weight these days are through severe calorie restriction and cutting carbs. These methods can produce fast results because the body is forced to use other available energy supplies. However, on such diets the body lacks the proper nutrition it needs to function. Lack of nutrition leads to inefficient metabolism. This is the reason why nearly every person who uses one of these weight loss methods gains the weight all right back. In many cases they gain more back because of the negative impact these methods have on their metabolism.

To effectively boost metabolism and experience fast, lasting weight loss, you must address hydration, eating habits, nutrition and fitness level. Here are 4 simple things you can do to address each of these 4 fundamentals:

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Success, simply defined, means getting whatever you want. However simplistic that definition may be, most people would agree that a person who is successful in a certain field or area is so because he or she has managed to achieve something specific, and that something specific is a target or object which he or she had been wanting or desiring for prior to his or her attaining it.

Before we find out how to get anything you want in life, we must first get realistic.

What are some of the things which we may want but we truly and honestly know that we will never, ever get? Once you've got that list of impossible, unachievable things in your head and eliminate them, we may proceed.

Some examples may include: flying in the air by flapping your arms, make a pink mammoth materialise out of thin air, breathing in outer space, squaring a circle, etc.

Now what are those things which you've always desired yet have never come around to try to attain? These are things which you know are achievable for you, with a fair amount of effort on your part, yet something is holding you back from achieving them, either consciously or unconsciously, deliberately or not.

In order for you to get anything you want in life, you must make the rational decision to concretely define what you truly want and need. It is futile in the long run if you keep getting things out of your whims and impulsive desires rather than out of what you truly need to move you forward in life, in whatever context and whatever way you define that for yourself.

You can begin by asking yourself a few hard-hitting, honest questions about the direction your life is headed and your true motivations for desiring what you seek to have.