Kathy Burns-millyard asked:


Exercising and staying fit doesn’t have to mean hard work. Simply being active will help you get or stay in good shape… and it’s a great way to burn extra fat too. So with that said, here are some enjoyable activities that can help with your fitness and weight loss goals too.

1. Bicycling – When you ask many adults when the last time they rode a bike is, they cannot answer. Although bicycling is a favorite pastime, many adults do not take advantage of this great option for exercise. Not only does bike riding exercise the body and build a stronger cardiovascular system, it allows you to get out and enjoy nature, fresh air, and see new sites.

2. Jogging or Walking – Both jogging and walking are GREAT ways to get fit. Not only do they tone the muscles, relieve stress, create a healthier heart, and improve lung capability, they make you look wonderful, which in turns helps you get excited about doing other exercise for fitness activities.

3. Swimming – Swimming is an excellent way to get into and stay in shape. If you do not own a pool, many high schools have aquatic centers, or there is always the YWCA or YMCA, or your local gym. Many offer water aerobic classes that will help you tighten your body, lose weight, and get a good overall workout.

4. Tennis Anyone? – Tennis is not only a fun sport, but also a great way to exercise. You do not have to be a professional to play – in fact, you do not even have to be good. Just running after the ball alone will help get you into shape. This is a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular system and lose weight. You can find tennis courts in just about every city and if you would like to play but have no idea how, lessons are reasonable.

Tip: Raquetball is sort of a “one person tennis”. If you don’t have someone to play tennis with, or you aren’t feeling sociable, try raquetball instead.

5. Dancing – Dancing is so much fun and whether you enjoy a slow, Ballroom dance or a nightclub packed with people all moving to heart-pumping techno, as long as you are moving, it really does not matter what type of dance or music. The whole idea is to move your body. Dancing has long been recommended as an avenue to fitness.

Tip: Belly Dancing is an excellent workout for your stomach, waist and hips ladies!

6. VCR or DVD – If you have a VCR or DVD, rather than just using it for your favorite comedy or action-packed movie, try sticking in some good workout tapes. Even taking 15 minutes every day to work out will get you started. Try that for two weeks and you will be surprised at the results. Once you see that 15 minutes a day makes a difference, you will be encouraged to increase the time spent.

7. And one of my personal favorites… Yardwork! – Whether you’re pulling weeds, planting flowers, mowing the grass or chopping wood: All of these activities can help you get into better shape. Don’t cheat yourself though. Using a riding mower to cut the grass won’t help you use the muscles or get your blood pumping

So go out and get active, have fun, and work on getting or staying fit too!



Swimming Lessons

Smith & Chen asked:


The SS Norway, of the Norwegian Cruise Line, was one of the superbe olde ships I had forever hunted to go on. Their seven-day cruise was over Thanksgiving out of Miami to the Caribbean. It was a Big group Cruise with dance masss and four well-known swing posses from the beyond. whole — I like the old jazz and big posse song and I like to dance but evenly don’t have a good dance partner. I marked up.

Sailing on the Norway bowed out to be a outing back in time. She was built in 1960 as the notorious SS France, more than 1,000 feet long, a 110 base beam, and with about 2,000 passengers and a crew of 900 who come from all over the world.

You felt the superb tradition as rapidly as you paneled. The Norway still coretained a type and graciousness reminiscent of prior cruising. The ship has been refurbished numerous stage, but the art deco murals, hand-laid tile mosaics, polished teak rails, and the sailing antiques from cruises past have sensibly been preserved, and as you strolled the long stroll deck you felt like you were cruising where back in time. As you dined, you knew you were dining where notorious stars had dined, and you look at the murals and primary art machinery conscious they were there in those early time when others before you sat in this locale, outlooked those same murals, and engaged in the same kind of lively conversations with others as you’re liability now. Later that sundown, you half assume Cary award, elegant in his tuxedo, to wander down the deck and spare nonchalantly next to you on the rail.

It takes a while to find your way around. The Norway is 10 blocks long and 12 decks high. There is an Intercitizen Deck lined with footpath cafes and boutiques; on the Olympic Deck is the ability pivot with schooner ramparts so you can effect while gazing out at the sea; on a minor deck you come leading a depraved Roman Spa that offers massages, aromatherapy, body wraps, saunas, steam locales, and an covered team for water effect. On assorted decks are two teams, a jogging road, seven bars, six inputtainment lounges, one superb balllocale, a club, a large nightclub, disco, an ice-cream parlor, files, piano bar, and a drama for first run and old classic films. If you indigence them, there is a hairdresser, laundry, dry cspareer, masseuse, and strength facilities.

The Norway has 1,039 statelocales, each with individually controlled air-conditioning, beingal bath with shower, TV, radio and handset. Some suites have a isotardyd living locale and bedlocale in addition to a master bedlocale. Most penthouse suites have beingal balconies. One sundown we were invited to a gang in the vendor’s suite. It was spectacular, with a wrap-around loggia, living locale, bedlocale, dressing locale and jacuzzi. Our mass — a previous regutardy detective from Illinois who had won a core gamble of many millions and was celebrating. We had a minus spectacular small lodge with a aperture.

prime job every day — choosing from among the substance to do. There were Broadway shows, effect lessons, dance instruction, basketball, golf energetic and putting, paddleball, ring pong, shufflepanel, skeet shooting, snorkeling lessons and excursions, volleyball, devise shows, mauve-tasting, art auctions, lectures, a tea for superbparents, a churn for singles, and a champagne gang for honeymooners. There weren’t many kids apanel this cruise, but generally there was a youth series with a children’s playlocale, kids and teenager activities, and special shore excursions. How can anyone ever say they would be bored on a cruise?

We left Miami tardy in the daylight and the activities happening immediately. Some passengers immediately headed for the nightclub, waiting for it to open when we got farther the legal miles. The nightclub was set up for blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, 200 slot apparatus and a few new playoffs I hadn’t heard of. I was pleased on deck, listening to the song, snacking off the reception-apanel pummel, and study the seashore fade behind.

I’ was alswift relieved I had made this surety. I felt like a different being. The holiday scuttle on land doesn’t utilize here. I watched the waves violate alongsection the ship and the kindle trail behind. The air was light. Holiday weakness? — poof. The only transfer jam here would be the first people in line waiting to input the dining locale to dig in to another meal. The only suretys would be whether to store on panel, in seaport, or both, or play golf or tennis, go swimming at some composed stifling seashore or work hard at booming-sea fishing. And tonight I would have to elect whether to have the conch fritters or shrimp, or light baked bread or blueberry muffins, or substanceed Cornish hen or grilled swordfish, or coconut meringue pie or that ‘casualty-by-chocotardy’ dessert. Or a little of each. And I never would have to look for a according place!

By the first night we were assembly people, and grim dancing had alswift begun. I have never seen so many people in one place who enjoyed dancing so greatly and who knew so greatly about jazz and big posse song. You could wander from balllocale to balllocale, and in between on the Intercitizen Deck you could sit and confer to the passengers reminiscing and comparing memories as they listened to a complimentary 24-hour CD jukebox stocked with abundance selections of living of jazz and big posse recordings.

Four posses were singing this week, alternating two each night: the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by partner Morrow, Si Zentner and his Orchestra, the Bob Crosby Orchestra conducted by Ed Metz Jr, and the irritate James Orchestra conducted by Art Depew. And every night in the Cafe Intercitizene, which bowed out to be my desired place, was the posse whose drummer worn to play the background song for the old Fred Astaire movies. He still played the old personal bscuttle drum arrangements for ‘Stepring Out with My Baby’ and ‘Top Hat and Tails’. I met the six gentlemen dance masss in their flotilla blazers and colorless khakis and danced my first dances.

A few time out at sea the baton began to put up Christmas plants, more than 50, around all the decks. A few passengers helped put on some substance. In the spirit of the holitime, the tape route featured classic holiday films as well as stage movies, big posse performances, and interoutlooks with old well-known big posse stars. We all had the holiday spirit. But it’s different out here. There’s no hassle. Our first seaport finish was St. Maarten/St. Martin. (The island is alienated in two, half Dutch and half French.) The Dutch seaport, where we docked, was Philipsburg. On the other section is Marigot, with some seasection French cafes. In between there is the seashore at Mullet Bay with heaps of sway formations for good photo ops, swimming, and exploring. There is task-boundless storering on both sections, with merchandise ranging from inpricey t-shirts to pricey bracelets and French and Caribbean demarker clothing. some shore excursions were vacant. In the morning we chose to go sailing on a 12-Metre racing schooner that had raced in the America’s Cup. In the daylight we wandered along from store to store in the sun with calypso song in the background, then finishped for a cool swig on a respiteaurant yard along the ocean, and thought about the people storering in the crowds back home.

Next finish was St. John, the U.S. Virgin Island that is a sheltered citizen accord. There are drain seashorees there and some superb climbing trails. We chose sailing again, while others chose seashoreing, sightseeing around the island by trip bus, or went on one of numerous snorkel/scuba dives. Our schooner took us over to St. Thomas, where we trapped up with the ship. Most of the people went into urban to do some task-boundless storering so their Christmas storering would be done when they got home. Others headed for Magen’s Bay, most accepted seashore in the locale. Another group went snorkeling at the sheltered reefs of lowest Island, where feeding fish by hand underwater is a highlight, and others outlooked coral and sea life on the Atlantis marine. We were back on panel in plethora of time for a respite and a shower before dinner, and more big posse song and dancing.

I have three brilliant memories from the support decorous night. One was the group of songians meeting around the CD juke box, singing the old substance and reminiscing. “That’s foremost Holley on deep, with thump Stewart, one of those brilliant stage they played together.” “Who’s the drummer?” “Sounds like Oliver Jackson.” “Right. evoke the night …” I just sat and listened, grinning, pleased to be part of it. The support recall was the outlook at 1 a.m. in the core balllocale. Some of the adult people were snoozing meeting on the section banquettes, too bushed to dance anymore, but too immovable to delay the good song.

It was after 2 a.m. when I happening back to my statelocale, pleasing my everyday stroll beyond the CD juke box to get a breath of sea air before rotary in. The reminiscing songians were vanished, but one elderly join were there, slim and tiny in their decorous clothes, with their arms around each other, forlorn in memories, dancing to an old Tommy Dorsey modify. I had tears in my eyes as I strolled back to my lodge.

The next day was seashore day on a little island in the Bahamas — Great Stirrup Cay. I worn to live in the Bahamas on one of the outislands, so it was brilliant to get back to transparent turquoise Bahamian waters. I strolled the seashore, and remembered my five living living in the islands.

At the end of seven time, the ship was saccordling with decorations, swift for the Christmas and New Year’s Cruise. They were alswift perfectly booked. But, I thought, I can mark up for next year. But time got away and now she will sail no more.



Swimming Lessons

Elsabe Smit asked:


Stories have played a major role in all our lives. When we were small children we looked forward to bedtime when we would hear a story from a parent. If we were not so lucky, we would hear a story at school. Those of us who went to Sunday school heard stories from the Bible that were meant to educate us, but often scared us into submission. Sadly the different layers of the Bible stories are hardly ever explained to us. Emanuel Swedenborg provided interesting spiritual explanations of various Bible stories. Refer to my blog for a link to the website.

Another fascinating website that sheds a different light on the hidden meanings of the stories in the Bible is one where the author claims that none of the stories in the Bible are real or actually happened. Refer to my blog for a link to the website.

And by the way, it is not a sin to read these websites and then decide for yourself what you want to believe. God gave you a mind so that you can use it to decide what is good for you. Remember that what is good for you is not necessarily good for other people, and it is not for us to judge one another.

We all grew up with the tales of the brothers Grimm. Those tales are seen today as fairytales for children, but they were originally meant for adults because each one of them contain a lesson that is much deeper than what a child would hear. Each one of these tales is a metaphor that explains a facet of life.

And of course we are told stories every day on television. The soap operas are not real at all, but for some people they are a window into the lives of an imagined family. There are also various series that make characters familiar to us and we learn what to expect of the characters, like the heroes in science fiction or action movies. We all have our favourite actors and actresses, because they are masters at weaving a web that we want to believe. Sometimes these soap operas are used for edutainment (a combination of education and entertainment) to convey important information on health or civil issues, and this is more powerful than for example providing written material to people that have difficulty reading, or providing verbal warnings to people that did not have the good sense to heed such warnings.

Stories are part of many different traditions. The stories of the Grimm brothers and comic characters such as Asterix and Tintin originated in Europe.

There are also the tales of the Arabian nights that reflect ancient life in the Middle East. The Arabian Nights is a collection of Persian, Arab and Indian folk tales that were handed down through the centuries. Legend has it that a beautiful lady called Scheherazade had to tell a murderous prince a story each night to prevent the prince from killing her. The result is a beautiful collection of stories including the famous ones about Sinbad the sailor and Aladdin.

The Hassidic Jews have their own traditional stories. One of the disciples of the great Rabbi Baal Shem Tov was lame. One day, this disciple was asked to tell a story about his master. He began to tell how the Baal Shem Tov used to leap and dance when he prayed. The disciple became so engrossed in his story that he stood up, and began to leap and dance as his master used to. At that moment, he was cured of his lameness, and became completely healthy. There is a beautiful story called Let the story choose me that explains the healing value of stories. Refer to my blog for a link to the website.

On the African continent stories often feature talking animals that convey important lessons in life. Refer to my blog for a link to a website with examples of these tales.

Why are stories so important to us? We use stories to share experiences, understand each other and create a sense of community. Parents use stories to bond with their children. Sages use stories to convey important life lessons and explain customs and values. People express wisdom by means of a story. Stories are used to break down barriers within and between groups.

Most stories have some entertainment or educational value. The advent of the internet has brought us the genre of urban myths. People’s need to believe things is often proven by the circulation of the most absurd stories, such as the one about the rapist who got into the car of a lady who was putting petrol into her car, or the various versions of the very ill children whose parents need money for emergency treatment. A very useful website to get to the truth of these myths can be found on my blog. We would do each other a favour by first researching even the most heart rending story before we circulate them.

Stories enable us to look inward and understand story patterns and characters that intertwine with the hard-to perceive forces that shape our lives. The stories also enable us to look outward, because story-threads join us to a larger cultural fabric. The most important stories may be those we share with family and friends. All stories help preserve memory, explain our present, and imagine our future. Stories that evolve across time bind individuals to families and families to society, defining our collective values, beliefs and goals.

Stories also connect us to the eternal Source of creativity. Professional writers know that the muse is a combination of discipline and inspiration. That inspiration comes from tuning into another dimension that contains all the stories that we could possibly want ‘ from Tolstoy’s War and Peace to the Harry Potter saga to all the Bible stories.

Here are two lovely short stories that convey lessons to us in a thoughtful manner.

The first one is about the young boy that wanted to become the pupil of an old priest. The priest looked in the eyes of the boy and realised that the boy was not going to live long. He decided to send the boy back to his family to die, but told the boy to come back the next summer.

A year later the boy was back, lively and happy. The priest looked at the boy in astonishment and realised that the boy was not going to die for a very long time. Never questioning what he initially saw in the eyes of the boy, he asked the boy to explain to him in detail what had happened during the previous year.

The boy told the priest how, on his way home, he saw a colony of ants trapped on some high ground in the river. The boy found a long stick and held it over the river so that the ants could walk on the stick to dry land. His arms got very tired, but he held the stick in place until the very last ant had reached dry land. The boy then described the rest of the journey, but the priest was no longer listening. He had realised that that one single act had wiped out all the bad karma that the boy had accumulated in previous lives. That was why the boy was no longer going to die young.

The second story is about two priests that were travelling together on foot. They came to a river crossing where a woman was standing, looking frightened. Brother Benjamin asked her: “Why are you looking so frightened? Can we help you?”

“I need to get to the other side of the river”, she said, “but I can’t swim and am frightened that the water will take me.”

“I can help you,” said Brother Benjamin. The woman got onto his back and they waded to the other side. She thanked him and walked away.

The two priests walked in silence for the next two hours. Brother Benjamin eventually realised that Brother John was silent because he was angry.

“You are very quiet, Brother John? Is something bothering you?” Brother Benjamin asked.

“Is something bothering me! You swore a vow of chastity! You promised never to touch a woman! And there you did not just touch a woman! You carried her on your back in a most indecent manner! Shame on you. Shame on you!” Brother John said.

Brother Benjamin stopped walking and looked at Brother John.

“Brother John,” he said. “I put the woman down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?”



Swimming Lessons

Paul Gold asked:


There are many components that contribute to an effective tennis-training programme but whilst most people will readily mention strength, endurance, flexibility, speed etc one of the most important yet understated components is variety.

Your body is fantastically adaptive in as much as if you repeat the same thing over and over you will adapt and it will become the norm (an important factor in learning), however if you perform the same workout routine (no matter how good it is) it will eventually prove counter productive as all initial gains you make plateau and there will be no overload and any gains will be reversed.

Think of it another way, if you play your favourite song over and over again for too long it will eventually lose its early appeal.

This is where using other sports and methods of training (or cross-training as it is known), is important.

For the pro players that I work with, participating in other sports keeps them physically and mentally fresh (they obviously play so much tennis) whilst still promoting a training stimulus.

For my junior players (minis included) as well as my recreational adults (some very serious and not too recreational by the way), it is a way of training many of the fitness components critical for tennis away from the tennis environment whilst still retaining a competitive games - based edge. This is especially true of the “mini” juniors for whom early “specialisation” in a single sport has been shown to be counterproductive.

Here are some ideas to either spice up or enhance a program you are currently doing, or to get you started on a new one.

1. Participate in sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball or volleyball.

All these sports have the stop-start repeated sprint tempo that tennis requires with soccer providing a multidirectional agility-training stimulus that is vital for effective court coverage. Although basketball and volleyball include many directional changes as well, they have a large leg power component to them through the repeated jumping that takes place.

Baseball has many useful tennis related aspects to it such as pitching and getting the ball from base to base (which are throwing actions like the tennis serve) and sliding to make base can be very useful when you come to play on clay where sliding is a vital component for success.

2. Use outdoor activities.

Cardio training can be achieved by running, hiking (also good for leg strength), skating (balance and agility), skipping (co-ordination), cycling and swimming, to mention just a few. If you are in a park you could use equipment such as benches, balance beams, monkey bars, rope climbs etc. to do body weight driven exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, balancing, step-ups, squat jumps, tricep dips, calf raises, etc.

As always start slowly and at your own pace and progress slowly increasing the length and/or intensity as you improve.

So, with a little thought and creativity you can combine all the fitness components necessary for improving tennis performance into workouts that take place away from your normal tennis environment, thereby allowing you to be physically and sometimes more importantly mentally fresh every time you step back on the court to play a match or have a lesson.

Who knows you may even find yourself having fun whist getting fitter and improving your tennis!

Before starting any exercise program, always be sure to first consult your physician.



Singapore Singapore Swimming Classes

Robert asked:


rk is a municipality in Pennsylvania State. The town has many leisure activities for residents and non residents. Let us check out some of the leisure activities in this town.

The Municipality of the town offers the residents of the town with a variety of recreational and leisure activities. The recreational facilities of Bethel Park have been developed keeping in mind the requirements of people of in all age groups. It would be of interest to know that residents of the town are privy to art lessons, swim lessons, karate classes, ballroom dancing classes which are provided by the Municipality for a small amount of fees.

Apart from all these training sessions, residents of the town can enroll themselves in aquatic programs, youth programs, adult programs or many other amusement programs that are organized frequently. There are also leisure centers like the amusement park where families can spend a complete day without getting tired. There are many among us who would like to spend their leisure time in an open park. For this purpose, the town has got quite a few parks namely the Simmons Park, Village Green Park and Millennium Park. The Millennium Park is located on 5900 Baptist Road and spread over an area of 40 acres. We know that Bethel Park is indeed famous for its parks. The list is long but some of the other notable ones are the Peter Page Park on Church Road which is over an area of 16.65 acres, the small but nice Oak Tree Park on Summit Street and Mollyhill Park. The residents of the town will always have a place to visit during their leisure time.

Adult Swimming Lessons

Bev Grey asked:


The Best Exercises for an Overweight Child

 

People often find my website using search phrases such as “Exercise plans for overweight children”, “Exercises for obesity”, or “Exercise DVD’s for overweight children”. So what are the best kinds of exercises for children—especially children who are overweight or lazy?  The answer is THE ONES THEY ENJOY!

 

Exercise should be fun for kids. They are not miniature adults, but parents often want to make them follow adult-type exercise programs. Some children, especially those who are extroverts, may enjoy team sports such as soccer, football, or volleyball. Very shy children or those who are introverts may avoid exercises that involve lots of other children. If they are self-conscious about their weight or starting puberty, they may avoid any team sport where they are forced to undress in front of their peers, fearing the teasing or stares that are sure to come.

 

The shy child might prefer an activity where he can spend more time with a parent, such as walking, jogging, riding bikes, shooting hoops, playing catch, rollerblading, bowling, or golf. Wearing a pedometer and keeping a pedometer journal will help motivate him to be more active. Try different activities with him, and see which ones he gets excited about. If he seems to be especially passionate about an activity such as golf, tennis, or ballroom dancing, arrange for a few private lessons if you can afford it.  You may see your child start to “blossom” right before your eyes!

 

Other activities your child might enjoy are martial arts (it teaches discipline too!), boxing, tap, ballet, or modern jazz dancing, or swimming.

 

If you need activities for indoors, try jumping rope or a video on hip hop dancing or Tai Chi.

 

According to a chart Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour on the Mayo Clinic website, the number of calories burned in 1 hour by a person weighing 160 pounds are:

 

·        Running – 986

·        Rollerblading – 913

·        Rope jumping or Tae Kwan do – 730

·        Stair treadmill – 657 (probably not much fun for a child!)

·        Jogging, 5mph; basketball game; football (touch, flag, general); or tennis singles-584

 

If your child is not already active, start with about 30 minutes of mild exercise every night and gradually increase the time and intensity of the activities. Have your child keep an exercise journal, writing down the activity, time spent, and how it made him feel (smiley face or sad face). Ask why he felt sad or happy doing the activity. Listen to his concerns without passing judgment.

 

By helping your child find physical activities he enjoys or can excel in, you are making a valuable contribution to his health and quality of life!



Swimming Lessons

Eric Morgan asked:


Lake Tahoe both Nevada and California is world renowned for a great mixture of terrains, scenery, resorts, nightlife, and quality of snow. People from all over the world travel to Tahoe every year to experience skiing, snowboarding, and backcountry skiing and shoeing for themselves… Tahoe boasts that not many are disappointed. With 7 resorts to chose from, casino’s and gambling on the Nevada side, and outlets, shopping and fine dining on the California side, South Lake Tahoe, paired with the beautiful scenery in absolutely every direction, it is pretty hard for any vacationer to loose.

One of the most highly regarded resorts is Heavenly Resort who claims to be “Lake Tahoe’s premier winter playground.” Heavenly is the largest resort in California, but is bordering Nevada and Lake Tahoe making the possibilities for fun threefold. Heavenly boasts the not only the largest vertical drop in California (3,500 feet) but also the owner of Lake Tahoe’s tallest summit (10,067). The mountain, at Heavenly, has 95 different and diverse trails that cover all levels of skiing ability and thrill seeking with access from their 30 lifts, nine of which are high speed. Heavenly is also the proud owner of the West Coast’s most powerful snowmaking system ensuring that there will always be enough snow, no matter what Mother Nature has to say! The resort also offers a wide array of skiing schools, clinics and services to make your day perfect. You can take private or group lessons, clinics specifically geared towards women’s adventure, or a host of classes specifically aimed at problem areas. They also have an on site day care, tours, photo and shuttle services, and an area to check your Skis or Snowboard while you enjoy other parts of the mountain. Heavenly also has great tree runs for snowboarders and has the reputation for being a very boarder friendly resort.

There is not lodging on site at Heavenly, but they have worked hard to make sure that your stay at Lake Tahoe can be the best vacation ever. With this goal in mind, they have worked to develop relationships with Hotels, Motels, Condos and Bed and Breakfasts in the area and have special “Heavenly” rates when you select a “Preferred Property.” Prices range from $49 to $200+ a night depending on number of rooms and dates of stay.

Lift tickets to Heavenly vary in price depending on length and time you will be skiing; however, they offer a discount plans if tickets are purchased online a head of time. Prices begin at $106 for the 2007- 2008 and vary from there, but not exceeding $158 for a 2 day pass during the Christmas season. They also have teen and children lift ticket rates. They also offer lift ticket for longer stays 7 to 10 days.

If looking to enjoy some of the most unique runs and chutes while visiting Lake Tahoe, skiing or snowboarding Heavenly is a must on your to do list!

Ski Heavenly

The NorthStar resort at Tahoe is a unique experience in ski resorts. It has a village full of restaurants, stores, ice rink, as well as the home of a great run for beginners or for pros to warm up on! Along with the Village Run, Northstar has six other attractions to chose from. Mt. Pluto is one of their most family friendly areas. It has many well groomed, moderately pitched runs. For those looking for something just a little harder than Mt Pluto, the Northstar Northwest Territory is perfect. Aimed at intermediate skiers and is ideal for refining your technical skills, training for harder runs, or racing. The Backside is prime skiing for moderate to advanced skiers and offers seven different mile long runs as well as acres of tree skiing. Lookout Mountain is one of Northstar’s local hotspots. Known for its steep inclines and bump runs is a challenge even for experienced skiers. If you are looking for a challenge, this is the place. The Terrain Park is considered one of the “top ten best Terrain parks in North America.” It offers all sizes and skill levels within its 45 rails, boes, 50 jumps and jibs. There is also a 420 foot Super Pipe for snowboarders to enjoy! Another great feature at Northstar at Tahoe is their X-Country and Snowshoeing area. Over 24 miles of are open for snowshoeing, tracking, or skate-skiing in a safe, well groomed environment, away from all the hustle and bustle of the higher paced runs. If you come to Northstar as your first skiing experience, you are in luck they offer many skiing and snowboarding classes for adults, children, and women only classes.

Lift tickets at Northstar vary from $28 to $68 dollars for a single day pass (children/senior to adult). There are discounts for multi day passes and different pricing schedules for holidays.

Northstar also has a great selection of lodging from the Northstar Village rooms, to Northstar Condos, to Northstar Mountain Homes, and the new Northstar Village Condo’s that vary in price and number of rooms from 1 room lofts for $139 a night to deluxe housing packages with 6 rooms, 4 bathrooms for $1800 a night. All in all, Northstar at Tahoe is centered around having everything a family needs for a great ski vacation.

Mt. Rose ski resort boasts Tahoe’s highest elevation point at 8,260 feet and being the closest to Reno, Nevada, the nearest airport to Lake Tahoe. Mt. Rose offers 1,200 acres of powder and the new Chutes has added over 200 acres of steep, 1500 feet of vertical drop at 40-55 degrees, for the experienced skiers enjoyment. There are four gates, or entrances to the Chutes that can be accessed by the normal Zephyr lift chair, or by the express Chuter Chair. Mt. Rose also has a well rounded array of skiing options, with over 60 runs, beginner and intermediate runs as well as advanced and expert runs. The longest run is two and half miles long.

Offering day and half day lift tickets from $68 to $42, Mt. Rose is an inexpensive option for those that may be in Reno or Tahoe for other reasons and just have a day to ski.

There are not lodging accommodations located on Mt. Rose, but the short half hour drive to Reno make the options of lodging, gambling, night clubs, and entertainment when you are not on the slopes very diverse and accessible. Room rates and vacation packages are usually less expensive in Reno than in Lake Tahoe, Mt. Rose gives the budget conscious vacationer a great option!

Kirkwood Resort

Kirkwood Resort offers the intermediate skier the most options on the more than 65 trails, over 50%. They also offer beginning, advanced and expert choices on their 2,300 acres of skiable terrain. One of the most distinctive things about the Kirwood Resort is the many unique and interesting classes and tours. They have a backcountry guided tour, a snowboarding tour, several different skiing tours, as well as classes and clinics for skiers and boarders of all ages. They have safety clinics and take avalanche safety and teaching skiers about it very seriously. They also offer several different types of their Kirkwood: Expeditions series with such tours as the Powder Cat tour or an avalanche tour. They also offer Kirkwood: Expedition tours geared to children and teens, giving them a supervised, educational activity to participate in while their parents are enjoying the runs. The prices for these tours and classes depend on the length and complexity of the tour, but start at $100 and go clear up to thousands for the overnight expeditions. The daily lift tickets are $15 for children and seniors to $69 for a full day adult.

Lodging at Kirkwood can happen on site. They have several different options of small studio rooms, to spacious condos with three plus bedrooms. Most of the accommodations come with TV, VCR, DVD and cable in the room. Many have fireplaces, kitchens, Jacuzzi tubs, and feature hot tubs, recreational rooms, on property as well as options for covered parking and covered swimming pools. There are 10 different locations to stay at while visiting Kirkwood: Meadowstone Lodge, The Lodge at Kirkwood, Lost Cabin, Snowcrest Lodge, The Mountain Club, The Sentinels, Kirkwood Towers, Sun Meadows, The Meadows, and Base Camp all offering different price and luxury accomodations. Prices at these locations depend on time of year and availability, viewing options at their website is probably the best option.

The Sierra at Tahoe Resort is situated farther away from the lake than most of the other Tahoe resorts, and this allows the California skier from San Francisco or Sacramento a shorter commute. Sierra at Tahoe also prides themselves on being a family resort and have tubing, sledding, snowshoeing, and family tours and lessons to encourage parents to bring their kids along for the fun. Even the shape of the resort is family friends, the oval shape allows family member of difference skill sects to go on the runs that they enjoy, and meet back in the middle easily.

There are six parks for everyone to choose from, The Alley, Bashful, Broadway, The Circuit, Smokey, and Upper Main. Smokey park is probably one of the favorites at Sierra at Tahoe, located in the rear, the Smokey area is designating for racing and training. It has diverse terrain making it fun at high or low speeds and for people of all skill levels. For the adrenaline junkies, Bashful Park is the place to be, it features a vertical pitch all the way down and the ability to hit five jumps in a row, there is also a 12 foot wall ride and a line of jibs making this a great place for the advanced to expert skiers. The Broadway is a great place for the more advanced beginners to moderate skiers to start and getting a little bit fancy, it has 10 to 20 feet rails, small jump, tables, and boxes to help them see what the “rush” of skiing is all about!

Lift tickets are $65 dollars for adults on a one day pass and $68 for Holidays. They also offer children and senior passes from $16. Sierra at Tahoe also has a “Parent Perdicatment Tickets” which allow parents to use the same pass back and forth while one parent stays with the younger kids, the other can go up the lift, then they can switch off. This is a great feature for those skiers with small children!

One of the drawback to this resort is there are not any lodging accommodations available, but this could be a great place for a day trip.

Sierra Resort

Alpine Meadows is proud of their 2,400 acres of patrolled, skiable terrain. It has over 100 runs that encompass all skill levels. They offer many different skiing and snowboarding classes and not just the basics, but private out of bound tours and beginner classes that teach using the Direct-To-Parallel program. They also have an on mountain restaurant and snack bar and an indoor children’s play area.

Lift tickets to Alpine are $58 for an adult full day, or $63 for holiday. Child, senior and teen tickets start at $10 through $49. Alpine Meadows also offers discounts for multiple day lift packages.

Although there are not any lodging accommodations at Alpine Meadows, they have several package deals with Reno and Tahoe hotels, resorts, and casinos making the options of visiting Alpine more accessible. They also have shuttles from certain hotels and the parking areas.

Squaw Valley Resort

Squaw Valley, USA is one of the larges Tahoe resorts having over 4,000 acres of terrain. Over “70% of the mountain’s terrain” is for the beginner and moderate skier and/or snowboarder. This is a huge amount of space for someone to explore. They have all sorts terrain parks with half pipes, jumps, and rails. They also have racing services. Squaw Valley offers classes in skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, night skiing, and everything in between.

Having held the 2006 winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, there are also lots of historical and site seeing to be done. High Camp has an ice rink, a fine dining restaurant, and shops to explore, not to mention a cable car ride that gets you there! Squaw also has a swimming lagoon and spa, snow tubing, dog sledding rides, and a climbing wall. If skiing or boarding is not your thing, there are plenty of other options when you visit Squaw Valley.

The lift tickets at Squaw Valley, USA are $73 dollars for an adult day pass, however, they offer great mid-week and multiple day discounts.



Swimming Classes

Benedict Smythe asked:


Having difficulties in finding ways to encourage your children to have some fun in the outdoors? Stressed and worried about having them addicted to unhealthy leisure activities such as video and computer games?

Then, you must do all that you can the earliest time possible to help them love the outdoors. Let them discover the kind of outdoor activity that they would be interested in to.

It’s a very challenging task since the world is already plagued with a lot of indoor entertainment. Even parents tend to forget the importance of healthier activities done beyond the four walls of the home.

It’s about time to stop the cycle. Here are some few things that parents can do:

? If we start early, this should not be so hard. Babies or toddlers do not need that much entertainment to be encouraged, unlike adults do. They just need the exposure. It could be as simple as taking some time to walk outside with the baby safely seated in the stroller.

? After some time, as they get a bit older, you can find a nearby park where they could spend some time to play and enjoy. If it is possible, find a friend who could take their child along with them, to make it even more fun.

? There are a lot of other options available. There are a lot of sports activities that could encourage them to love the outdoors. You may also take them to the zoo. Most children love the zoo. These are just few of the things they could enjoy, as you also spend some time to relax. You may also pack some lunch and get to have some picnic.

? As children get older, it gets more challenging. This is just about the time when they have already learned to love and fall in love with television shows, video and computer games for hours and hours.

? You will have to set some boundaries by this time, and carefully plan setting up active outdoor activities to get their attention. You can get them into hiking. You can get them to learn water skiing. If they do not know how to swim yet, take them to swimming lessons.

? If you’ve got adventurous bone in your family, why not go on an overnight camping expedition? Each area has some special feature that makes it a unique type of outdoor activity.

After all is said and done, hopefully teenagers will be able to appreciate your efforts in getting them to appreciate healthy recreational outdoor activities. With luck, you can create an open communication line with them as you manage to build special connections during those activities that you have spent together.

Mowing the grass, weeding, and planting flowers may not sound exciting but you may also teach them to your children to. These skills may even get them some part-time job. Think creatively and explore on the things that you could actually add to these suggestions. Later on, the children themselves will start to tell you what they like, which will only include more ideas for it to be more effective.

This will not only benefit them individually, but the whole family as well. More outdoor activities spent together equates to more family bonding time that makes the family even stronger.



Swimming Lessons

David. A. Goldsmith asked:


Why is it that no matter what you do to boost morale, from parties and picnics to pats on the back, you end up with the same short-lived results? You know, everyone’s happy for a couple of weeks, then they default to heel dragging and excuse making again? If you’re banging your head against the wall looking for new tactics, the only guarantee is a sore head. Here’s why. Traditional tactics address symptoms, not causes of low morale. Look to mechanics rather than people when seeking solutions.

Employees want to feel good about the work they output. Most want to excel and see hope for advancements in position and pay. But when they’re always swimming against the current, they lose hope. As a leader, your role is to equip employees with the right tools to do their jobs well. Functional equipment and systems breed success and maintain hope. Sometimes management tries to make everyone happy without really addressing what’s causing unhappiness to begin with. The mistake is more common than people realize.

Vermont’s Sugarbush ski resort suffered low morale at its ski school a couple of seasons ago. When parents came to sign in their children for daily classes, they could expect to wait at least an hour in long, winding-out-the-door lines. Management directed employees to use the lengthy Disney-Magic-Moment approach to greeting customers: how’s your stay and how’s your life. Overheating under a bazillion layers of ski clothing, sweat-soaked kids whined and wailed about the uncomfortable wait. Tempers flared. Irritated parents and frantic employees clashed, using words so colorful they’d have burned a sailor’s ears. To alleviate congestion, management solicited “group think” from employees. Frazzled, the well-meaning workers spit out ideas like expand the size of the facility and buy faster computers. When in doubt, make a bigger place to house even more angry customers…yeah, right. Good intentions, wrong solutions.

One afternoon, some outside help pointed leadership in the right direction. Solutions emerged when simple questions were asked. By late afternoon, management and staff began restructuring procedures. They didn’t leave until 2:00 the next morning. Here were the questions they asked:

1.”What do our customers really want?” A skier’s “Magic Moment” happens outside, on the slopes. Check ‘em in and move ‘em out like cattle. That meant reworking the ticketing and check-in systems to expedite the process and get adults outside fast. Forms were filled out at stations before customers got in line. The fastest-working employees were put on the front lines. Trainees worked at slower times.

2.”How can we further reduce congestion?” Many people who were waiting in line wanted services unrelated to the ski school. Management stood at the doors to redirect non-ski-school customers to other buildings. Those seeking season’s passes, rentals, and adult lessons comprised nearly 25% of the people clogging up the check-in lines.

3.”How can we direct the flow of people more smoothly?” Too often, people entered (or re-entered) via exit doors. They interrupted check-in employees with unrelated questions, added to confusion, and slowed the process. By removing outside handles on exit doors, no one could sneak in. Anyone entering the building would have to get past the gate-keeping management team guarding the main door.

Even though the sky was overcast and the wind chill factor drove temperatures below zero, the sun shone in the Sugarbush ski school that same day. These few changes shortened wait time from over an hour to less than 10 minutes per customer. Common-sense systems and procedures resulted in happier customers and employees.

So what can you do to get started? Here are some places to look:

1. Check the toolbox. Are you asking subordinates to fix a leaky roof with a sledgehammer? Frustration erupts when there’s a gap between what’s expected and what’s achievable.

2. Be a matchmaker. Do you have qualified, competent employees assigned to the right positions? Do the positions meet the skills of the available work force? Should the position be human-filled or automated?

3. Get in sync. Do your systems enable employees to meet customers’ needs? Remember skiers didn’t want to wait in a bigger building, they wanted to glide through the check-in process and hit the slopes. Find out what customers want. Then use the info as a basis for strategies and tactics. Realize also that customers don’t always know what they want: it’s your job to know.

4. If you’re the lead dog, get out front. Are you creating a better mousetrap, or are employees constantly thrown into problem-solving exercises? Input creates buy-in, but too much is a burden. Employees want management to plan, direct and lead.

5. Mirror, mirror on the wall… Are employee complaints repetitive? Have you listened to or ignored feedback? Maybe you’re the problem.

6. Walk a mile in their shoes. Have you ever performed an employee’s job for a few days? You may find that you’re expecting him to complete jobs that are unclear, work with tools that are broken or slow, and perform with inconsistent direction. You control the checkbook and can fix problems on the spot.

7. Thrill seeking on the job? If you’re always trying something new to keep things interesting, cut it out. People like a change of pace…sometimes. But too much change creates stress. Build good systems and save the adventures for vacation.

Mass mental sludge is a symptom of dysfunctional systems and equipment or lagging employee skills. Morale won’t improve long-term if your aim is to cheer up people. Keep a sharp lookout for real issues plaguing employees to improve morale and give your headache the sendoff.

© David and Lorrie Goldsmith



Swimming Lessons For Beginners

Jawahn R Thompson asked:


Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Mexico family resorts? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Mexico family resorts.

The information about Mexico family resorts presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Mexico family resorts or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Vacationing with your family in Mexico offers many benefits. Though many cities are associated with constant partying, there are also many activities that are designed for young children and teenagers. Many children receive discounts at many popular tourist attractions. Selecting an all-inclusive vacation package for the whole family is one of the best ways for everyone to enjoy their vacation in Mexico, without having to worry about the cost.

If you are interested in visiting Mexico with your family, you will want to examine some of the many attractions that are specifically geared towards children. These attractions and activities are ideal for making the most out of your family vacation. Below is a summary of just a few of the many attractions and resorts that you may find exciting in Mexico. For additional information, you are encouraged to contact your local travel agent or use the internet to guide you in your search.

Located on the Mayan Riviera is the Xcaret Theme Park. The Xcaret Theme Park is a wonderful attraction for those who are looking for a family resort. Located in Cancun, Mexico, the Xcaret Theme Park is a theme park that is often compared to Disney World or Disneyland. Similar to Disneyland and Disney World, you can expect to enjoy a fun filled day at Xcaret, thanks to amazing rides and attractions.

An deep underground river is a popular feature of the Xcaret Theme Park. You and your family can see plenty of beautiful tropical plants as you enjoy the river. Xcaret is also host to many wild and exotic animals. There is a butterfly pavilion, a coral reef aquarium, and you are given the chance to swim dolphins. Many children, as well as adults, will be thrilled with this theme park. In addition to the Xcaret Theme Park, Cancun offers many family friendly resorts. To find a luxury resort that offers family oriented activities you may want to check on the internet or speak with your local travel agent.

Cozumel also offers many great attractions and activities that are designed for individuals of all ages, including children. Cozumel is ideal for family vacation, especially because it has one of the lowest crime rates in Mexico, as well as the world. Cozumel is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs. This often creates an incredible adventure and learning experience for children. If your children will enjoy scuba diving or snorkeling, then you will want to plan a trip to Cozumel.

With so many options for families, choosing a Mexican all-inclusive vacation is a great idea. The vacation package will also include items such as snacks, drinks, meals, as well as hotel accommodations and airfare. Teaching children about various cultures and customs and letting them view the Mayan ruins first hand is an amazing lesson in geography and history. While education is nice, the above mentioned locations do not completely just focus on it. There are so many fun filled activities such as snorkeling, diving, swimming, hiking, fishing, sailing, and parasailing. These activities are great for families with active children.

In addition to the above mentioned popular Mexican destinations are that are designed for the whole family, you may want to consider additional sights and attractions. Mexico has so much to offer you and your family. In fact, you and your family may wish that you could stay in longer.

Now you can be a confident expert on Mexico family resorts. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Mexico family resorts.



Swimming Lessons