Holidays Resources - Plan Fun Activities for Family

By Nicole Mendari

It is so easy to catch up in preparation for the holidays. Shopping, cooking, packing, cleaning, chauffeur and children wherever they need to go. As you make your list of things to do, be sure to include some fun activities which include friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors. After all, the brotherhood and camaraderie is a big part of the holiday season, be sure to spend some quality time with pleasure that matter most to you.

Caroling Christmas is a fun way to include not only those who already know, but a great way to break the ice and meet new people and neighbors. Print up some letters, grasping a stereo portable music Christmas, and the tour of his neighborhood singing Christmas carols. It does not matter if you are not the best singer. People of all ages will enjoy this ancient tradition brought to the modern holiday season. If you do not feel comfortable caroling in neighborhoods or in the homes you are familiar with, consider having a mobile caroling bus to the homes of people you know Carol. Take a bucket of candy canes or Christmas sweets leave the house when it comes out. You might also consider caroling on behalf of a favorite charity. Build a cube or secure donation table clearly shows the name and address of the organization that is helping. Some people may not feel comfortable donating to you personally, and that is fine.

Mano a few strips of pre-printed paper with the organization's name, address and telephone number along with a brief statement about what they do, and encourage them to donate directly.

Curling is another great activity to do with friends and family. Not only promote get a little exercise, but it's a great way to spend time outside enjoying the winter crispness of the air if you live in a suitable climate. Otherwise, most cities have local skating rinks. Check your calendar in advance and send invitations to several members of the family or friends and make an afternoon of it.

Consider encouraging your friends and relatives to join in a tour of volunteers to help a local nursing home or shelter home this holiday season. You can sing carols with the residents of the nursing home, or help dish out hot soup bowls and pass out blankets for those in need. If you know a family in need this holiday season, perhaps their friends and relatives could put together a holiday gift basket and fill a laundry basket of food, baked goods, and treats and small gifts for Christmas children of the family. It is a good way to teach children the importance of reward their community and help those who are less fortunate then themselves.

Remember the reason for the season, and spend time with their friends and family, and maybe even help others in the process. Have a great party!

Chinese white tea

By Jack Robbins

White tea originally came from China about seven to eight thousand years ago. It was discovered on the plains of Fu Ding and Fujian which were in the eastern southern part of China. Ever since it was known the Chinese people took a liking to it and used it as a health energizer as well as an enjoyable evening drink.

I am pretty sure by now you know that all kinds of tea come from a single plant which is the Camilla Sinensis tea bush. How each tea gets its name totally depends on what happens after the tea leaves have been picked.

While the different colors of tea are interesting, it is quite funny that white tea gets its name from the silver fuzz like material that covers its buds. This later does turn into white when the tea is dried up.

White tea leaves undergo much less processing as compared to green and black tea.

White tea leaves are cut when they are just small buds which make the resulting tea a better and healthier drink.

It has a mellow and light taste and as is the case with green tea, you should steep it in very hot water.

White tea contains less caffeine than any form of tea due to it being picked from the tea plant when it was a bud.

As we saw above white tea tastes awesome but besides its awesome taste it's also a good natural medicine. Studies have shown it increases the lipoprotein lipase activity in the human body which increases the metabolism rate thus helping in weight loss. It helps in prevention against cancer, it maintains lower levels of cholesterol, it helps in blood circulation by thinning the blood, reducing high blood pressure, stronger bones, healthier skin, and the list goes on and on.

Karaoke: Making Stars in Your Neighborhood

By Horace Jurdon

Sometimes you've just got to sing, and when the mood strikes you to belt out a favorite tune, karaoke can set the stage to find the hidden star in you.

With karaoke, anyone can be in the spotlight. Singing is a great stress reliever and the perfect way to leave your worries at the doorstep. Besides, singing makes you feel good and it's just plain fun. A karaoke machine is a great way to have a blast with your friends and family and it's the perfect starting point to building your own in-house jam session.

When translated, karaoke means "empty orchestra". The term is derived from two Japanese words: Kara, which means "empty" and Oke, short for "okesutora". Karaoke entertainment systems supply pre-recorded musical scores of popular songs without singing. Karaoke performers follow lyrics on a video screen as the music plays on, providing the words they need to sing along.

After karaoke music and parties fully swept Asia, they began to form a solid presence in North America. Since the first virtual concert machine was introduced in Japan in the 1970's, karaoke parties have become favorite pastimes for small time stars of all types. In fact, karaoke became so popular that the media adopted the term to use for all occasions when live music was replaced by "canned" or pre-recorded music.

Musical elements have always been paramount in the formation of Japanese traditions. Music is reflected in all aspects of Japanese mythology, history and culture. Even Japanese Samurais implement singing, dancing and music into their vigorous education and training regimes.

Tracing the history of karaoke will take us back to the early 1970s, when a nightclub singer by the name of Daisuke Inoue performed regularly in a Utagoe Kissa, a Japanese bar. Inoue was so popular that fans would regularly ask for recordings of his music that they could sing along with. Inoue saw the potential and created a tape recorder that played a song when a 100 yen coin was inserted. Back in the 1970s, 100 yen would buy about two lunches, so it was a fairly steep price for a single song. Still, the combination of old-time jukebox and future karaoke machine proved to be a phenomenal hit in Japanese clubs. Inoue decided that he would lease the machines to stores and bars instead of selling them, so that the owners would not have to purchase new songs on their own.

The development of the karaoke machine held such social importance, Daisuke Inoue was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. His award was based on his ability to provide "an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other".

Since the early 1980s, "Karaoke Time" has been a popular form of entertainment in east Asia. The karaoke phenomenon spread like a global virus, taking on other parts of the world. The popularity of karaoke reached record highs and it became a very productive industry. It wasn't long until the karaoke craze hit North America and took the continent by storm.

This new entertainment import flourished in the western world. Enterprising Americans quickly saw the potential of investing in this new type of entertainment. It provided cool, relaxing fun and was able to bring people together in a patient and tolerant manner. Nightclubs and karaoke bars known as "KTV boxes" began to open across North America, bringing new venues, software and equipment to eager performers.

Since first arriving in the United States and other western countries, karaoke has gained regard and respect. Even though American bars are unlikely to feature karaoke seven nights a week as they do in East Asia, many have upgraded their equipment from the small, standalone machines that started the craze more than twenty years ago. While the singers perform, those in the audience can read along with the lyrics on television screens displayed throughout the bars. Many clubs even provide big screen TVs.

Many North American homes have also welcomed the karaoke sensation. From inexpensive machines for kids to pricey high-end versions, home karaoke machines can be connected to a pre-existing entertainment center, allowing family and friends to join in the fun. When performers tire of the karaoke music on hand, they can simply go online to download karaoke tracks from the Internet. With music available on the web, plus a couple of computer speakers and a microphone, you don't even need a karaoke machine to sing like a star.

If you've got song in your heart and just need to sing out loud, find a karaoke machine and bring out the star in you.

4 Tips To Build Muscle Fast

By Caleb Lee

Want to know a way to build a better looking body... burn more calories... and more fat -- even when you're not spending time working out?

One of the best ways to reshape your body and look better is to build muscle on your body. You can go for a more defined look, or a really BIG look, the choice is yours. Here are some things you can do to build muscle fast.

Believe it or not, building muscle is not that difficult. So, here are a few great tips that will help you build muscle fast so you can get a great body that has plenty of muscle that will keep those calories burning.

Tip #1 - Eat Like Crazy

When you are working hard to build muscle, if you want to build it up quickly, it's important that you eat a lot, especially if you're trying to get bulky muscle. When you work the muscles, they tear and then repair themselves.

If you want to build muscle fast, then you need to FEED your muscles. You need to give them plenty of food so they can repair and regrow stronger and bigger than before. If you eat good foods then you'll build muscle without gaining much fat.

Tip #2 - Do Plenty of Reps

Another important way to build up your muscles is to make sure that you do plenty of reps; however, you don't have to go crazy with it. Doing about 10 reps or so for each group of muscles will really help and they'll keep your workouts from being too long as well.

Great Tip #3 - Eat more protein

Protein is very important for the regrowth and repair of your muscles. You have to make sure you give your muscles plenty of protein if you're going to build muscle.

While you need plenty of protein it's important to get the right amount. Not too much, not too little. About 1 gram per pound of bodyweight is ideal. So if you weigh 150lbs then 150 grams of protein is the right amount.

Great Tip #4 - Decrease Cardio

Cardio is great for burning fat, but it can also keep you from building muscle if you do too much of it. So don't do as much cardio when your goal is to build muscle.

Preparing Yourself For Karaoke Nights - Karaoke Songs

By Johansson Smith

The biggest decision that anyone has to make for karaoke is what song they should undertake on stage. There are literally thousands of tracks available with most karaoke sets, so it can be intimidating looking through the massive book of songs, but if you keep in mind a few tips it will make your night better, and provide as much enjoyment as possible.

First, ensure that you choose a karaoke song that accommodates your voice. Whether it is your first time or 101st time, you have to ascertain that you can achieve at least majority of the musical notes you need. If you have a low voice, there is no point of opting artists like Celine Dion or Whitney Houston, and the same goes for high-pitch voices; Barry White should be out of the question. Instead choose karaoke songs that fit within your range, and that way rather of worrying about if you can hit that hard note coming up, you will be able to unwind and just savour the song.

Selecting the proper karaoke song also depends on what you are getting up stage for. If you are with friends, and looking at getting up as a group for a bit of fun, it is wise to choose an up-tempo song that accommodates your mood instead of a boring ballad. If you are a regular, and want to take something a bit more difficult, there is nothing improper in choosing a slower song if you can manage it.

If you're celebrating an adult / older folks birthday with a karaoke party. You need to know what songs to opt. Do your homework. You don't want to take any old karaoke song; you require to choose karaoke music that arouses a sensation of nostalgia. Find out what songs were favourite when the party honoree grew up. Your easiest bet is to hear the top 10 songs of each year or decade and build your play lists around those karaoke songs.

But a small hint to remember about most karaoke bars is that most people are out to have a good time, so choosing a slow and sombre song that does not really fit the atmosphere of the room can have sharp effects.

Last, when choosing your karaoke song it is best to find a song with a melodic phrase and lyrics that you are at least intimate with. You do not have to recognise every song you get up stage for off by heart (thats why the karaoke screens are there to aid you) but picking out a karaoke song that you have listened more than once or twice will give you a bit more assurance in performing.

Ready for the white tea revolution?

By Jack Robbins

White tea and Green tea both find their roots in China dating back to a few thousand years ago. Green tea has become quite popular over the past decade particularly with its ability to aid weight loss. Both originate from the same Camilla sinensis plant.

Green and white tea are both seen as great natural remedies, however they are quite different. White tea is plucked form the plan when the leaf only a bud, while green tea is plucked after the leaf has been left to grow and ferment a little. This create a difference in their taste and benefits.

There are a number of reasons that White tea is more beneficial than green tea. It won't be long before White tea replaces green tea as the tea for weight loss and anti aging enthusiasts.

White tea has been shown to increase the metabolism rate in a person, this in turn helps you lose weight almost effortlessly. It does this through the increased antioxidant levels it possesses which are far more than those present in green tea.

White tea tastes simply awesome! This alone is responsible for people keeping in line with a herbal tea diet, they simply find it hard to resist. The Chinese people love the taste so much that it was historically treated as a delicacy reserved only for the rich. Weight loss enthusiasts will in fact find it hard to have a diet that does not contain white tea.

White tea contains much less caffeine than green tea, making it an instant healthy drink. It also does away with any caffeine side effects you fear you might have while drinking tea.

White tea and cancer are two words you will hear a lot over the next few years. White tea has the unique ability as an alternate therapy towards cancer as it can inhibit cancer cells using the antioxidants present in it.

White tea is soon going to be ever popular due to its far more valued benefits and great taste as compared to green tea.

A Chess Primer for Beginners

By Jared Conley

Chess is one of the oldest traditional board games you will ever play. The beauty of chess is the almost endless level of skill and strategy that you can employ as you climb the ranks and challenge increasingly skilled competitors.

Irrespective of your age or skill level, you can find opponents to play and challenges to face. It truly is a game for all ages.

Of course, as a novice, you'll find it hard to play chess with other players, especially as you're beginning to learn the elementary movements. You can, however practice on a virtual opponent until you learn the basic moves. There are numerous online services or PC-based games that you can play to improve your skills.

Speaking for myself, I very much prefer a three-dimensional layout, so I almost always play on an electronic board when I want to play solo. There are plenty of great electronic chessboards that can increase in difficulty level as you improve, which is an advantage that they hold; and they also double as an objective measure of your improvement at the game. Some boards will even calculate a ranking for you based on how fast you play and how skilled your moves are.

As you begin to play against these virtual opponents, your aim is to understand the board, learn the various moves of each chess player, and learn the basic defense and attack strategies.

Once you've conquered the basic capabilities of the pieces, and you can construct move sequences without thinking to yourself "okay, two squares up and one square over," you're ready to tackle a real player.

So find yourself a cheap electronic chess set, and start learning one of the world's oldest and best games.

The endless possibilities in game play make chess a superb game choice for the entire family.