Be Careful What You Wish For!

This is the first of a two-part series. More of the early histories of the two parties will be published next month.

National elections are bearing down on us, again. I like the way the
Brits do it: the PM declares an election and, a few weeks later, they
have one.  
Here, we torture ourselves with over a year of excess gas and bluster;
regularly reject highly-qualified, yet uncharismatic folks; and settle,
sometimes, for also-rans.  Such may be the case, now. The guy who made
the most sense, to me, was Ron Paul, but he was thrown out way too soon.
It might be instructive to review the histories of our two national
parties. Bear in mind, that many of our founders rejected the notion of
parties, but they sprang up, anyway.

Everyday Hurdles

Getting motivated and staying motivated to exercise can be challenging
for everyone from the average exerciser to the competitive athlete. 
Since most people fall into the latter category, it seems that
motivation is blocked by any number of excuses.  
After much exhaustive research (I asked some people at the gym), I
heard the same thing over and over again: “I’m just not motivated.” 
Furthermore, lack of motivation is encouraged as we create our own
excuses to avoid physical activity.  “I can’t possibly exercise when my
closet is such a mess!”

La Dolce Vita — The Sweet Life

Almost one year has passed since we in Ramona and our sister
communities experienced the horrific fires of October 2007. As we look
around our town and hillsides, we see the rebuilding of homes, and
spirits soar with anticipation of completion. The pumpkin patch on
Highway 78 springs with the potential harvest of pumpkins where our
children can pick “the right one!”
It is approaching fall, although the weather seems to have different
ideas, and we witness the fields and vineyards ready for harvest. Our
economy is uncertain, we do not know the outcome of the elections, but
one thing holds true for us — we have our family and friends to share
our bounty.

5 techniques to realize your goals

Goals keep us motivated. But sometimes, people find it too hard to
achieve their goals. Maybe because they have set long-term goals before
setting short-term ones, or they did not plan their goals carefully.
Goal-setting strategies are important especially for those who want to
achieve long-term goals. Here are five goal-setting techniques to help
you realize them.

Purchasing an Equine Companion

Buying a horse is an exciting, but tricky endeavor. The goal is to find
the ideal companion that will be a partner for many years. The horse,
however, may fail to live up to the owner’s expectations. This month’s
article is about making an informed choice and minimizing the chance of
a mismatch.