Learning Through Words

The world of mediums is filled with controversy, to say the least. To put it succinctly, they’re everywhere. Many of them are opportunists, who seek to tell people what they want to know in exchange for money. Others really do think they’re communicating with the other side, but they don’t actually offer accurate advice. Then there are others who have something special, something really different that honestly defies any logical reasoning. I know of one woman who has a very, very special gift, and that is Patricia Nelson.

Patricia has been a dear family friend for fifteen years now, and she is, quite possibly, one of the most astounding mediums on this planet. I’m a natural skeptic, but knowing Patricia’s background and seeing her work firsthand has made me think otherwise. First of all, Patricia doesn’t come from a mystical background, nor does she have a flare in the dramatic.

Patricia had worked for the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and was a licensed nurse before she married Peter, a carpenter. Peter has a talent for bringing out the natural abilities that we all have. Yes, that’s right, people, we all have natural psychic abilities that many of us have yet to cultivate. Patricia was experiencing some things that she couldn’t explain, but Peter recognized them as a natural ability for channeling.

This really scared Patricia, because at the time she was a devout Catholic, and this goes against their beliefs. I should mention that Patricia remains a devout churchgoing Christian, although she has since changed her denomination. Her channeling does not go against the Bible or Christianity in any way, because the spirits she channels are not evil or malevolent. I’m a Christian and I questioned all of this as well, but the spirits she channels ardently support the Bible and often, in her channeling sessions, share scripture. The spirits that Patricia channels also specialize in healing. She now knows that her channeling abilities are a gift from God, and that He is using her as a way to reach those who have not yet been touched by His word.

Anyway, when Patricia first realized she had these abilities, she had herself tested for multiple personality disorder. The results confirmed that she didn’t have it. Peter continued to work with Patricia until she reached the point where she could teach others via her channeling. They did circle groups, wherein Peter would sit next to her (to provide energy, because channeling can be quite draining). The attendees would sit in a circle, just as if it was a regular meeting. The spirits she would channel would come in and offer guidance to various members who asked for it, and give lectures.

I sat in on one of these circle readings, and one of the people present was a young woman from Japan. This woman had recently lost her grandfather, and wanted a sign from him that he was alright.  Patricia (under trance) wrote down something in Japanese and handed it to the woman, who then cried because it was something that only her grandfather would have said. Patricia doesn’t know Japanese at all.

Patricia mainly channels Dr. Heinze, who was a German Jewish doctor killed in the Holocaust. I remember the first time I met Heinze. I was afraid of the whole idea of talking to the departed, and hesitated at first. When I did come in, it was the strangest thing. I looked at Patricia and her eyes, usually green, were literally silvery-white. He gave me the option of shaking hands of getting a hug in greeting, and I chose the hug. It was a big bear hug that a man would give. Patty doesn’t have a lot of physical strength because of numerous health problems (she was born with a form of spina biffita).

Because of these health problems, Patricia took some time off from giving channeled readings. However, her health has improved, and she has started Spirit Soul Creations, where she offers channeled e-mail or online chat readings. Handmade jewelry, cards, and other items will be for sale there in the future too, so please be sure to bookmark the site, and also connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks

I have been in a pet store more than once and overheard people commenting to each other, as they look at the guinea pigs for sale, that taking care of a hamster is so much easier, and that they wouldn’t have a clue as to how to care for a guinea pig. I used to be one of those people, too, and I’m happy to say that taking care of a guinea pig isn’t not anywhere as difficult as some might think.

Guinea pigs have been misunderstood - not all of them are dirty and nervous. If they’re dirty, then that’s a sign that their cage hasn’t been cleaned properly, or that they’re lonely and need more interaction.  If they’re nervous, that’s because they’re in a loud environment, or because they haven’t been socialized properly. Yes, owners will notice that they can’t hold a guinea pig for a long time without them pooping, and that they have a tendency to eat their droppings, but that’s because of the way that a guinea pig’s digestion system works - they don’t fully process their food the first time, so they will usually ingest their droppings a second time so that they can get the full nutritional benefit of it.

Of course, a spacious cage is also very important, because guinea pigs do get energetic at times, and might like to run laps around their cage. Then, there is the water bottle, food dish, and a little house for them to take shelter in. It is very important to keep the cage in the same location, since guinea pigs can get sick from changes in temperature.

Supply Suggestions:

• Super Pet My First Home Complete Kit for Guinea Pigs 
• Super Pet Igloo
• CAREFRESH Pet Bedding and Litter

When it comes to food, there are three main things that guinea pigs should have: Pellets, alfalfa (for their teeth) and lettuce or carrots, with carrots being preferential. A suggestion is to feed a guinea pig three baby carrots (that are about the size of a human thumb - not the really little ones) and a good handful of alfalfa daily, with a full bowl of pellets every other day. Keep the brand of pellets consistent, because the digestive system of a guinea pig is sensitive to food changes.

Food Suggestions:

• Mazuri Guinea Pig Diet
• Kaytee Timothy Hay

It is important to clean a guinea pig once a week. Place the guinea pig in a safe place, take out all the accessories, and then empty the shavings/leftover food into a plastic trash bag. Clean the bottom of the cage with a wet paper towel, or a safe disinfecting wipe. Next, replace the shavings so that the floor of the cage is covered and the guinea pig’s feet are comfortably cushioned.

Wash out all acge accessories in hot water, preferably in the bathroom sink. Be sure to thoroughly clean around the inner and outer base of the nozzle to the water bottle, since that’s where water and food residue tend to collect. Be sure to also use a bottle brush (you can generally get them in the cleaning section of the grocery store) to clean the water bottle. Use bottled water instead of tap water if possible, since the tap water will need to be changed more often (every two days or so) than the weekly changes with bottled water. Once all of the cleaning has been completed, and everything has been refilled, it’s time to return the guinea pig to its clean cage. You might want to spray the sink that you used to clean everything out in with disinfectant for additional cleanliness.

When it comes to maintaining a guinea pig’s appearance, the ones with long hair should be brushed daily, while shorter haired guinea pigs can be brushed whenever convenient. Their nails will need to be trimmed every so often, which can be done with small nail clippers. It is important to start clipping their nails as early in their life as possible so that they get used to it. You’ll be able to tell when the nails need to be clipped, because they will start to curl under. Just clip right above the part that’s curling under, because you don’t want to get the nail’s quick. Sometimes the nails and the genitals will accumulate dirt, in which case just take some warm water on a paper towel to gently cleanse those areas. However, guinea pigs usually take care of that by grooming themselves.

As for human interaction, be sure to hold your guinea pig daily. Some guinea pigs like to sit on shoulders and nuzzle the neck of their owners, while others like to sit in laps. Regardless, have a towel for your guinea pig to sit on while you’re holding it. With the proper nutrition and love, your guinea pig can live 5 to 7 years.

I’m not an affiliate for any of the sites or products in this post that I link to or mention in any way.

If you’re going to be selling your house, and have never gone through the process of doing so before, you’re probably experiencing some stress about what you’re going to do with everything. Yes, selling a house can be a very stressful experience, but it doesn’t have to be if you plan properly.

First of all, unless you’re an extremely clean person with very little clutter in your house to begin with, you’re going to have to start getting rid of anything you won’t need at your new place. This part can take just a few weeks, or a few months, depending on what kind of schedule you have. Here are two of the most common options:

• Doing the cleaning on your own: This is a good option if you really want to take inventory of all the things they have and make sure that nothing gets misplaced during the move. It can actually be a fun experience, since people might come across items that they thought they had lost long ago, or things that remind them of happy memories.

• Hiring a junk removal truck: If you’re pretty sure that you don’t have anything in a particular room that you want to keep for the move, then this is probably the quickest option. However, depending on how much you have to get rid of, it can be expensive. You also risk losing things that you might have wanted to keep, had you known they existed.

Once you’ve gotten all of the clutter out of the way, you’re left with all of the things that you want to take to your new place. In order to minimize the stress of the actual moving in process, it’s best to move your belongings in gradually, since that’ll be easier than wading through a maze of bags, boxes, and furniture.

So, you might want to consider using Self storage for your belongings, rather than leaving them in the garages of various friends with the promise that you’ll come back for them soon. This way, you can keep everything in one place to access at your leisure.

Storage units are generally easy to find – you can just do a simple Internet search, or look in the phonebook. For example, if you’re moving to Tennessee and need a Chattanooga self storage place, chances are you’ll find one that meets your needs within a day.

It’s important to note that in addition to varying sizes, there are also different environments for self storage units. These can range from just basic units that keep things out of the elements, to climate controlled units that can protect items from deterioration factors.

There are several people that I know who are in college at the moment, and more than half of them are getting a business degree. Taking a detailed course in various business analysis procedures wasn’t on my list of things to do in college, and for these people, taking a literature course as an elective certainly isn’t, either.

So, what should writers go for: A writing degree, a business degree…both? Although I got my degree in writing, literature, and publishing, two of my college friends were marketing majors, and from them I learned advertising techniques that have been really helpful in my freelance writing and editing career.

For some writers, learning about business, or even writing, is done mainly through experience, rather than a degree program. However, a writing degree certainly helps in this very competitive field.  I recently spoke to someone at a party who’s going to be graduating from the University of Redlands; he referred to it as being an “Inland Empire college”, which I, being from the East Coast, didn’t really understand until he explained that it’s a term for part of Southern California.

He told me that at this Southern California university, he had taken elective writing courses while working on his business major. For him, the writing classes were essential because, when he started his own online business, he wanted to write persuasive business copy for his website. I think that’s a smart move, because that saves him the money he might have spent on outsourcing.

Regardless of whether it’s a California business school, or continued education program somewhere else, writers might want to choose a variation of his choice and take business courses in addition to a writing degree. Creative writers might want to know about various literary business practices, while technical writers could use what they’ve learned in a business degree program and apply it to writing for applicable publications.

Regardless of how busy I am, I like to look at the latest freelance writing job listings on various sites, because those can reveal the current direction that the freelance writing industry is going in overall. For example, lately it seems that technology and finance articles are what many clients are seeking writers for. I have also noticed that some job advertisements aren’t really advertisements at all, but rather ways for various people to market their websites or to take advantage of writers. It’s really important for freelance writers to be aware of what does, and does not, make for a promising job advertisement.

First of all, I have seen many “sketchy” advertisements, wherein it’ll be just one sentence asking for a writer. Oftentimes, this sentence is poorly spelled. Advertisements such as these can be fake, meaning that whoever posted the advertisement is looking for e-mail addresses to send unwanted opportunities (spam) to. Instead, look for advertisements that clearly outline job responsibilities/requirements and more information about the client or client’s website.

However, when the client includes the name of their website in the advertisement, it could be a marketing tactic, meaning that there really isn’t a job, but rather the “client” is trying to get more traffic to their website. Other advertisements will claim that their website is a new business - you can find out if this is true or not by going to websites such as Whois.sc (I’m not an affiliate of this site, by the way) to verify when the current owner registered the site.

Something else to look out for are writing samples. If an advertisement asks for a writing sample in the form of a link to work that is already published somewhere online, then that’s okay. Advertisements that ask for specific writing samples about a topic and promise payment for the sample are “proceed at your own risk” sorts of things.

My suggestion is to avoid an advertisement that asks for a writing sample that has to do with a specific topic and mentions nothing about payment. Why? Because some people look for samples and then, when they get writer responses with those samples, actually just take them, re-word them, and use them for their own benefit, without ever letting the writer know the status of their application. It’s not right, but it happens, and it’s something to definitely watch out for.

Yes, it can definitely be frustrating looking through all the jobs and determining which ones are real. However, the more information that is provided, the better. Be sure to also do an internet search on company names that are mentioned in advertisements, along with the word “scam”, as another precaution.

Applying to freelance writing job advertisements takes patience. I personally think that it’s rude for clients not to contact applicants when they haven’t received a job, but that’s the way it is much of the time. You might want to apply to a couple of jobs so that you’re not waiting on only one response. Above all, it’s your career, so it’s your discernment that is most important when it comes to finding freelance writing jobs.