Choosing a career path can be challenging. Half of all college students change their majors at least once as they travel the sometimes bumpy road that will lead right degree. If you want to follow your dreams as well as provide for a certain future, take heart. As long as human beings continue to inhabit the planet, there are many worthwhile and fulfilling jobs that will never go away.
Accountant
As long as there are taxes, there will be a need for skilled accountants to work with clients, helping them keep their books in order. While accounting technology becomes more sophisticated, many accountants also assist clients with the technological aspects of record keeping and tax preparation. An online degree can prepare you for this field by providing accounting coursework and career training. Many assistant accountants begin with training and an associate's degree. Armed with a bachelor's degree in accounting, you could make an average annual salary of $63,180, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Computer Support Specialist
If you thrive on helping your friends and family solve their computer woes, consider becoming a computer support specialist. With computers playing such an important part of daily life, computer support specialists provide their clients much needed technical assistance. As a computer support specialist, you will meet with clients in person or answer questions remotely, via Internet, or on the phone. Many computer support specialists either have a bachelor's degree in computer science or an associate's degree in a computer-related program. In 2007, computer support specialists made an average annual salary of $45,300, according to the BLS.
Entrepreneur
To be an entrepreneur you need to be an independent, outgoing risk taker as you establish your own business or company. Although it may be hard to know whether a business will succeed, there will always be a need for a variety of goods and services and businesses to supply them. An online degree in business can help make your dreams a reality, as you earn your associate's or bachelor's degree. Although salaries can vary greatly with the self-employed, small business owners made an average annual wage of $36,000 to $75,095 in 2008, according to Pay Scale.
Mechanic
As anyone who commutes or runs to the store knows, we live in a nation of automobiles. If you know the make and model of every automobile that zips by and have an interest in what's under the hood, consider becoming an automotive service technician or mechanic. Automotive service technicians and mechanics diagnose problems with cars and light trucks and fix them. Mechanics need to be analytical, good problem solvers, and willing to work with computerized diagnostic tools and programs as well as traditional tools. You can also specialize in an area such as brakes or cooling systems. Online career training can get you started. Programs range from six months to two years. Mechanics made an average annual salary of $36,480 in 2007, according to the BLS.
Paramedic
Paramedics make life and death decisions, assessing injuries and providing emergency medical care. To be a paramedic you have to be agile, strong, and be willing to work under pressure. Although the hours can be long, many paramedics find great satisfaction in helping others. An EMT paramedic has usually taken courses in anatomy and physiology and completed a one-to-two-year program -- or the equivalent of an associate's degree. Basic and intermediate certification can get you started in this fast paced, much needed career. According to the BLS, paramedics earned an average of $30,870 annually in 2007.
Teacher
As long as human beings continue to have children, there will be a need for teachers. If you enjoy working with young children and want to teach, you can make $50,040 on average annually if you are an elementary school teacher, and $52,450 annually if you are a secondary teacher, according to the BLS. Elementary teachers have the pleasure of teaching all subjects. Secondary teachers also get to follow their bliss. By focusing on specific certification areas, secondary teachers specialize in the subjects they want to teach. Many online programs can get you started towards a bachelor's degree in education and certification.
Whatever your calling may be, with the right degree and career training, your career prospects for these much-needed jobs can help keep you from becoming outsourced or even worse, obsolete.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
How to fake clean your house
How to fake a clean house partner
by Real Simple Magazine
When you’re short on time, here’s how to give your living spaces the illusion of cleanliness.
The Living Room
Reserve one side of sofa cushions to be shown to guests. Before company arrives, flip over the cushions to reveal good-as-new fabric. When guests are gone, flip them back.
Rid the sofa of pet hair by wetting the fingertips of rubber gloves and gliding your hand over the sofa. The hair will stick to the rubber.
Stack books, catalogs, and magazines in neat piles on the floor or arrange them in a deep decorative basket.
To disguise windows in need of washing, pull curtain panels closed.
Fold a clean blanket neatly and drape it over a stained sofa. Strategically placed throw pillows can also camouflage soiled upholstery.
From Real Simple: Easy Steps for Cleaning the Bedroom
The Kitchen
When the dishwasher is full and the sink is overflowing, stow dirty dishes and silverware in a stockpot and pull them out later to be cleaned.
Cover up the lingering aroma of last night’s supper by boiling nutmeg, cloves, or cinnamon and orange peels in a sauce-pan on the stove.
Declutter the refrigerator by taking down notes, drawings, and magnets and throwing them in a plastic bag. Sort through it later.
Fold hand towels to hide stains. Two tips: Hang the clean side over the oven handle (with the stains in the back), or roll towels in neat spirals and stack them pyramid-style next to the sink.
The Bathroom
Glide a sticky lint roller over the bath mat to pick up hair.
Light a candle. Everything looks better (and cleaner) by candlelight.
Hang a fluffy bathrobe on top of damp towels dangling from the hooks on the back of the door.
Store a rattan or canvas basket on top of the toilet and throw in stray cosmetic brushes.
Hang fresh guest towels. The humidity in this room makes textiles look droopy, even after a recent machine washing.
Mound cosmetics and hairstyling products in a container underneath the sink. In a pinch, pile them in the tub and close the shower curtain. Cross your fingers that guests don’t snoop.
by Real Simple Magazine
When you’re short on time, here’s how to give your living spaces the illusion of cleanliness.
The Living Room
Reserve one side of sofa cushions to be shown to guests. Before company arrives, flip over the cushions to reveal good-as-new fabric. When guests are gone, flip them back.
Rid the sofa of pet hair by wetting the fingertips of rubber gloves and gliding your hand over the sofa. The hair will stick to the rubber.
Stack books, catalogs, and magazines in neat piles on the floor or arrange them in a deep decorative basket.
To disguise windows in need of washing, pull curtain panels closed.
Fold a clean blanket neatly and drape it over a stained sofa. Strategically placed throw pillows can also camouflage soiled upholstery.
From Real Simple: Easy Steps for Cleaning the Bedroom
The Kitchen
When the dishwasher is full and the sink is overflowing, stow dirty dishes and silverware in a stockpot and pull them out later to be cleaned.
Cover up the lingering aroma of last night’s supper by boiling nutmeg, cloves, or cinnamon and orange peels in a sauce-pan on the stove.
Declutter the refrigerator by taking down notes, drawings, and magnets and throwing them in a plastic bag. Sort through it later.
Fold hand towels to hide stains. Two tips: Hang the clean side over the oven handle (with the stains in the back), or roll towels in neat spirals and stack them pyramid-style next to the sink.
The Bathroom
Glide a sticky lint roller over the bath mat to pick up hair.
Light a candle. Everything looks better (and cleaner) by candlelight.
Hang a fluffy bathrobe on top of damp towels dangling from the hooks on the back of the door.
Store a rattan or canvas basket on top of the toilet and throw in stray cosmetic brushes.
Hang fresh guest towels. The humidity in this room makes textiles look droopy, even after a recent machine washing.
Mound cosmetics and hairstyling products in a container underneath the sink. In a pinch, pile them in the tub and close the shower curtain. Cross your fingers that guests don’t snoop.
100 Movies To See Before You Die
After having long conversations with Laura...We found out she hasn't seen some of the Classic movies. We have put together a list of Movies she needs to see. We selected films that we believe are the most thrilling, most dramatic, scariest, and funniest movies of all time. Some of these films you've seen, and some you may not have heard of, but we believe that each one is a timeless classic that you absolutely have to see.
The List
12 Angry Men (1957)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
The African Queen (1952)
Alien (1979)
All About Eve (1950)
Annie Hall (1977)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
The Battle of Algiers (1967)
The Bicycle Thief (1948)
Blade Runner (1982)
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blow Up (1966)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Bonnie and Clyde (1966)
Breathless (1966)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Casablanca (1942)
Chinatown (1974)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Die Hard (1988)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Duck Soup (1933)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Enter the Dragon (1973)
The Exorcist (1973)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
The French Connection (1971)
The Godfather (1972)\
The Godfather, Part II (1974)
Goldfinger (1964)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1968
Goodfellas (1990)
The Graduate (1967)
Grand Illusion (1938)
Groundhog Day (1993)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
In the Mood For Love (2001)
It Happened One Night (1934)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Jaws (1975)
King Kong (1934)
The Lady Eve (1941)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Lord of the Rings (2001,2002,2003)
M (1931)
M*A*S*H (1970)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Matrix (1999)
Modern Times (1936)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
Network (1976)
Nosferatu (1922)
On the Waterfront (1954)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Paths of Glory (1978)
Princess Mononoke (1999)
Psycho (1960)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Raging Bull (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Raise the Red Lantern (1992)
Rashomon (1951)
Rear Window (1954)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Rocky (1976)
Roman Holiday (1953)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Schindler's List (1993)
The Searchers (1956)
Seven Samurai (1954)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Silence of the Lambs (1994)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Star Wars (1977)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
The Third Man (1949)
This is Spinal Tap (1984)
Titanic (1997)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1949
Toy Story (1995)
The Usual Suspects (1995)|
Vertigo (1958)
When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
Wild Strawberries (1957)
Wings of Desire (1988)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
The List
12 Angry Men (1957)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
The African Queen (1952)
Alien (1979)
All About Eve (1950)
Annie Hall (1977)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
The Battle of Algiers (1967)
The Bicycle Thief (1948)
Blade Runner (1982)
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blow Up (1966)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Bonnie and Clyde (1966)
Breathless (1966)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Casablanca (1942)
Chinatown (1974)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Die Hard (1988)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Duck Soup (1933)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Enter the Dragon (1973)
The Exorcist (1973)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
The French Connection (1971)
The Godfather (1972)\
The Godfather, Part II (1974)
Goldfinger (1964)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1968
Goodfellas (1990)
The Graduate (1967)
Grand Illusion (1938)
Groundhog Day (1993)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
In the Mood For Love (2001)
It Happened One Night (1934)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Jaws (1975)
King Kong (1934)
The Lady Eve (1941)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Lord of the Rings (2001,2002,2003)
M (1931)
M*A*S*H (1970)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Matrix (1999)
Modern Times (1936)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
Network (1976)
Nosferatu (1922)
On the Waterfront (1954)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Paths of Glory (1978)
Princess Mononoke (1999)
Psycho (1960)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Raging Bull (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Raise the Red Lantern (1992)
Rashomon (1951)
Rear Window (1954)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Rocky (1976)
Roman Holiday (1953)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Schindler's List (1993)
The Searchers (1956)
Seven Samurai (1954)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Silence of the Lambs (1994)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Star Wars (1977)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
The Third Man (1949)
This is Spinal Tap (1984)
Titanic (1997)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1949
Toy Story (1995)
The Usual Suspects (1995)|
Vertigo (1958)
When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
Wild Strawberries (1957)
Wings of Desire (1988)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Shoes that help you lose weight shapeupshoes.com
How to Use
Here's how to get the most out of Shape Up Shoes:
Walk on the soft, flat platform under the front two-thirds of the shoe (focus on the flat part under the ball of your foot). Your heel will naturally come close to the floor, but do not put your weight into your heel. Stride normally into your next step.
When Standing:
Focus on the flat part of your Shape Up Shoes under the ball of your foot. Try not to put your weight in your toes or your heels. You want to keep your foot parallel to the ground just as if you were standing barefooted. It is ok however to rest on your heels for a good stretch or rock to your toes to engage your quads. 90% of the time you should concentrate on the true challenge, which is staying focused on the flat part of your Shape Up Shoes, under the ball of your foot, while keeping your toes pointing forward.
How They Work
When worn for at least 30 minutes a day, Shape Up Shoes are an effective fitness and weight-loss tool that allow you to tone and shape your body and shed unwanted pounds. Wearing the shoes while active encourages improved posture, a toned inner core and fantastically fit legs, abs and glutes.
The calorie-burning rate when wearing the sandal style is three times that of wearing ordinary shoes and two times that of wearing the boots and clogs.
Staying balanced while wearing the shoes requires the use of muscles not used otherwise in the legs, abs and glutes. These muscles are thus strengthened and toned significantly. The motion when walking is similar to that of balancing on a BOSU board in combination with using a Stairmaster.
The deep vein pumping action that occurs with every step taken can significantly reduce the onset of varicose and spider veins. Wearing the shoes can also diminish existing cellulite and prevent it from developing, and help ease lower back pain due to spinal compression, swelling in the arms and legs, and the discomfort of plantar fasciitis.
Shape Up Shoes work when you wear them for at least 30 minutes a day; it's as simple as that!
Here's how to get the most out of Shape Up Shoes:
Walk on the soft, flat platform under the front two-thirds of the shoe (focus on the flat part under the ball of your foot). Your heel will naturally come close to the floor, but do not put your weight into your heel. Stride normally into your next step.
When Standing:
Focus on the flat part of your Shape Up Shoes under the ball of your foot. Try not to put your weight in your toes or your heels. You want to keep your foot parallel to the ground just as if you were standing barefooted. It is ok however to rest on your heels for a good stretch or rock to your toes to engage your quads. 90% of the time you should concentrate on the true challenge, which is staying focused on the flat part of your Shape Up Shoes, under the ball of your foot, while keeping your toes pointing forward.
How They Work
When worn for at least 30 minutes a day, Shape Up Shoes are an effective fitness and weight-loss tool that allow you to tone and shape your body and shed unwanted pounds. Wearing the shoes while active encourages improved posture, a toned inner core and fantastically fit legs, abs and glutes.
The calorie-burning rate when wearing the sandal style is three times that of wearing ordinary shoes and two times that of wearing the boots and clogs.
Staying balanced while wearing the shoes requires the use of muscles not used otherwise in the legs, abs and glutes. These muscles are thus strengthened and toned significantly. The motion when walking is similar to that of balancing on a BOSU board in combination with using a Stairmaster.
The deep vein pumping action that occurs with every step taken can significantly reduce the onset of varicose and spider veins. Wearing the shoes can also diminish existing cellulite and prevent it from developing, and help ease lower back pain due to spinal compression, swelling in the arms and legs, and the discomfort of plantar fasciitis.
Shape Up Shoes work when you wear them for at least 30 minutes a day; it's as simple as that!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Taylor Swift to your school for FREE!
Taylor Swift is giving away a concert to one lucky high school whose students
text her initials -- T-S -- to 3-4-0-1 from their Verizon wireless phones.
You can also enter at TaylorSwiftConcerts-dot-com. The school with the most
entries by March 23rd will win the free show.
text her initials -- T-S -- to 3-4-0-1 from their Verizon wireless phones.
You can also enter at TaylorSwiftConcerts-dot-com. The school with the most
entries by March 23rd will win the free show.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Adoption going Facebook, YouTube way
(CNN) -- Their paths crossed on YouTube on an August night last year.
Jeremy and Christy Nueman used YouTube to find their adopted baby, Caleb.
1 of 2 Amanda, a college student seven months pregnant, scrolled past a YouTube video of a young California couple seeking adoption.
The couple, Jeremy and Christy Nueman, wanted to adopt a baby after struggling with infertility for five years. But instead of relying solely on newspaper ads or bulletin board fliers to increase their chances of connecting with a birth mother, they created a short YouTube video to show who they are.
Upon watching the video online, Amanda immediately connected with a snapshot of the Nuemans' adorable miniature pinscher named Penny. She giggled when she saw video of Jeremy Nueman dancing happily in his kitchen, which reminded her of her own father.
She played the video over and over again.
"The video was comforting, and I could relate to them" said Amanda, who picked the Nuemans to become the adoptive parents of her baby boy out of hundreds of profiles she viewed online and through adoption agencies. Amanda chose to keep her last name anonymous for privacy reasons. "It's so hard when you are just reading a letter to figure out what are these people like."
With a high demand for domestic infants, adoption experts say the wait for a baby can be months or years. To gain a competitive edge, a growing number of adoption-minded couples are using Web sites like YouTube and Facebook to sell themselves as parents. Going online is cheaper, faster and reaches a wider audience than using just on print advertisements and word of mouth, they say.
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Universal, YouTube near deal on music video site
Some wannabe parents are uploading YouTube videos featuring a hodgepodge of photos, home tours and interviews. Others are writing on blogs and personal Web sites to give birth mothers a glimpse of their adoption journey. To help spread the word, prospective parents also are utilizing social networking sites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook in the hope that their friends may know of a potential birth mom.
"Today's teens and young adults looking for adoptive parents are more tech savvy than before," says Jeff Siler, who owns ParentGallery.com, a free site created in 2007 where couples wanting to adopt can post pictures and video online. "Even before teens talk to an adoption agency, they may already be trying to Google for an answer online."
Social media like YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are also gaining traction among private adoption agencies. Bethany Christian Services, one of the nation's largest adoption agencies, which completed more than 730 domestic infant adoptions last year, advises its couples -- including the Nuemans -- to create a YouTube video.
"Having a video makes you feel like you are with them in person," says Dawn Baker, a social worker at Bethany Christian Services in Madison Heights, Michigan, who says the teen mothers she counsels really connect with the videos. Baker added that she matched a 16-year-old pregnant girl with a family in North Carolina after the teen saw their video last month. The adoption is not yet finalized.
In the past, adoption advertising, which is allowed in at least 34 states, traditionally relied on newspaper and radio advertising as well as brochures, fliers and business cards, adoption experts said. In the digital era, these media no longer have the reach they once did. Newspaper ads can be costly, running hundreds of dollars a month.
Maria Kwarta and her husband, Nathan Kwarta, both 26, of University City, Missouri, saw the Internet as a natural way to reach potential birth moms.
"We were trying to do what was familiar to us. We already had Facebook and MySpace accounts, so why not just use that," said Maria Kwarta, who has been discussing adoption with her husband for more than five years.
The two are also sending Tweets every few days, seeking potential moms on Craigslist, documenting their efforts in Live Journal, updating their Xanga profiles and posting on CafeMom.
"Get to know us a little better," says the Kwartas' three-minute YouTube video with upbeat music in the background. Their video shows a photo montage of the couple with brimming smiles at baseball games and ski trips. The video ends with contact information so the birth mother can reach them directly. Watch the Kwartas' YouTube video
The Nuemans and Kwartas aren't alone in their relentless efforts to find a baby. While there is no federal data tracking the number of private domestic adoptions each year, adoption experts estimate that about 15,000 private domestic infant adoptions are completed in a year. Yet experts said the number of couples trying to adopt is even larger than the adoptions that are finalized.
White American infants continue to be in the highest demand, adoption experts say, but the number of domestic infants available for private adoption has dropped as women have more access to contraception and the social stigma against single parenting has lessened.
For example, from 1989 to 1995, the percentage of children born to never-married white women who were placed up for adoption dwindled to 1.7 percent, a steep decline from 19.3 percent of children going up for adoption before 1973, according to the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute in Massachusetts, a nonprofit that tracks national adoption trends.
"The more people who know you are looking, the better your prospects," explained Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, who has seen more prospective parents start using the Web to spread the word in the last few years. "It's a crapshoot, and you are trying to improve your odds."
Seth Edlavitch, 38, and his wife had waited for a baby for nearly three years. They had made a paper flier to find a birth mother, and on a whim, they uploaded it to Facebook last December. His wife, Melissa Segal, 39, was unable to conceive and had a devastating miscarriage years before.
It took only two weeks before a friend of a friend, who knew someone who wanted to give up her child for adoption, found the flier online.
"It's just one of those right place and the right time situations," said Edlavitch, who brought their newborn son, Noah Edlavitch, to their Maryland home on New Year's Day. "I never would have anticipated that it would work the way that it did."
There are some downsides to advertising online. Driving traffic to the site can be tough. The blogs, videos and profiles need to stand out to be effective, says Lori Dowd, who owns an adoption consulting Web site, ProfilesThatGetPicked.com.
Karen Greenberg, president of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, a national association of adoption lawyers, warns that advertising on Craigslist and Facebook can be a "hotbed for scams." The academy is trying to create a national "adoption information clearing house" where attorneys, agencies and eventually couples looking to adopt can use the site to check the birth mother's status. The site is planned to be launched this year.
"There aren't any regulations to oversee what's actually going on when you go at it alone," she said.
Back in their home in San Diego, California, the Nuemans have celebrated their first Thanksgiving and Christmas with their new son, Caleb, a playful, chubby, brown-haired, blue-eyed baby. The adoption was finalized in October 2008.
"I remember walking through the door with Caleb the first time we bought him back," said Christy Nueman, 29. "Just the thought that our family was going to be full-grown -- it was a sweet moment knowing this would be our new family."
Jeremy and Christy Nueman used YouTube to find their adopted baby, Caleb.
1 of 2 Amanda, a college student seven months pregnant, scrolled past a YouTube video of a young California couple seeking adoption.
The couple, Jeremy and Christy Nueman, wanted to adopt a baby after struggling with infertility for five years. But instead of relying solely on newspaper ads or bulletin board fliers to increase their chances of connecting with a birth mother, they created a short YouTube video to show who they are.
Upon watching the video online, Amanda immediately connected with a snapshot of the Nuemans' adorable miniature pinscher named Penny. She giggled when she saw video of Jeremy Nueman dancing happily in his kitchen, which reminded her of her own father.
She played the video over and over again.
"The video was comforting, and I could relate to them" said Amanda, who picked the Nuemans to become the adoptive parents of her baby boy out of hundreds of profiles she viewed online and through adoption agencies. Amanda chose to keep her last name anonymous for privacy reasons. "It's so hard when you are just reading a letter to figure out what are these people like."
With a high demand for domestic infants, adoption experts say the wait for a baby can be months or years. To gain a competitive edge, a growing number of adoption-minded couples are using Web sites like YouTube and Facebook to sell themselves as parents. Going online is cheaper, faster and reaches a wider audience than using just on print advertisements and word of mouth, they say.
Don't Miss
10 tips on being a good Twitterer
Universal, YouTube near deal on music video site
Some wannabe parents are uploading YouTube videos featuring a hodgepodge of photos, home tours and interviews. Others are writing on blogs and personal Web sites to give birth mothers a glimpse of their adoption journey. To help spread the word, prospective parents also are utilizing social networking sites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook in the hope that their friends may know of a potential birth mom.
"Today's teens and young adults looking for adoptive parents are more tech savvy than before," says Jeff Siler, who owns ParentGallery.com, a free site created in 2007 where couples wanting to adopt can post pictures and video online. "Even before teens talk to an adoption agency, they may already be trying to Google for an answer online."
Social media like YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are also gaining traction among private adoption agencies. Bethany Christian Services, one of the nation's largest adoption agencies, which completed more than 730 domestic infant adoptions last year, advises its couples -- including the Nuemans -- to create a YouTube video.
"Having a video makes you feel like you are with them in person," says Dawn Baker, a social worker at Bethany Christian Services in Madison Heights, Michigan, who says the teen mothers she counsels really connect with the videos. Baker added that she matched a 16-year-old pregnant girl with a family in North Carolina after the teen saw their video last month. The adoption is not yet finalized.
In the past, adoption advertising, which is allowed in at least 34 states, traditionally relied on newspaper and radio advertising as well as brochures, fliers and business cards, adoption experts said. In the digital era, these media no longer have the reach they once did. Newspaper ads can be costly, running hundreds of dollars a month.
Maria Kwarta and her husband, Nathan Kwarta, both 26, of University City, Missouri, saw the Internet as a natural way to reach potential birth moms.
"We were trying to do what was familiar to us. We already had Facebook and MySpace accounts, so why not just use that," said Maria Kwarta, who has been discussing adoption with her husband for more than five years.
The two are also sending Tweets every few days, seeking potential moms on Craigslist, documenting their efforts in Live Journal, updating their Xanga profiles and posting on CafeMom.
"Get to know us a little better," says the Kwartas' three-minute YouTube video with upbeat music in the background. Their video shows a photo montage of the couple with brimming smiles at baseball games and ski trips. The video ends with contact information so the birth mother can reach them directly. Watch the Kwartas' YouTube video
The Nuemans and Kwartas aren't alone in their relentless efforts to find a baby. While there is no federal data tracking the number of private domestic adoptions each year, adoption experts estimate that about 15,000 private domestic infant adoptions are completed in a year. Yet experts said the number of couples trying to adopt is even larger than the adoptions that are finalized.
White American infants continue to be in the highest demand, adoption experts say, but the number of domestic infants available for private adoption has dropped as women have more access to contraception and the social stigma against single parenting has lessened.
For example, from 1989 to 1995, the percentage of children born to never-married white women who were placed up for adoption dwindled to 1.7 percent, a steep decline from 19.3 percent of children going up for adoption before 1973, according to the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute in Massachusetts, a nonprofit that tracks national adoption trends.
"The more people who know you are looking, the better your prospects," explained Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, who has seen more prospective parents start using the Web to spread the word in the last few years. "It's a crapshoot, and you are trying to improve your odds."
Seth Edlavitch, 38, and his wife had waited for a baby for nearly three years. They had made a paper flier to find a birth mother, and on a whim, they uploaded it to Facebook last December. His wife, Melissa Segal, 39, was unable to conceive and had a devastating miscarriage years before.
It took only two weeks before a friend of a friend, who knew someone who wanted to give up her child for adoption, found the flier online.
"It's just one of those right place and the right time situations," said Edlavitch, who brought their newborn son, Noah Edlavitch, to their Maryland home on New Year's Day. "I never would have anticipated that it would work the way that it did."
There are some downsides to advertising online. Driving traffic to the site can be tough. The blogs, videos and profiles need to stand out to be effective, says Lori Dowd, who owns an adoption consulting Web site, ProfilesThatGetPicked.com.
Karen Greenberg, president of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, a national association of adoption lawyers, warns that advertising on Craigslist and Facebook can be a "hotbed for scams." The academy is trying to create a national "adoption information clearing house" where attorneys, agencies and eventually couples looking to adopt can use the site to check the birth mother's status. The site is planned to be launched this year.
"There aren't any regulations to oversee what's actually going on when you go at it alone," she said.
Back in their home in San Diego, California, the Nuemans have celebrated their first Thanksgiving and Christmas with their new son, Caleb, a playful, chubby, brown-haired, blue-eyed baby. The adoption was finalized in October 2008.
"I remember walking through the door with Caleb the first time we bought him back," said Christy Nueman, 29. "Just the thought that our family was going to be full-grown -- it was a sweet moment knowing this would be our new family."
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Helful Household Hints
Instead of buying a special product to water your houseplants
while you are away on vacation, place a towel on the tub floor,
fill with an inch of water for a three-day trip or two inches for
up to a week and set the plants down. They will absorb the water
while you are on vacation.
Instead of adding oil to a pot of boiling pasta water (causing
your sauce to slide off the noodles later) try stirring ever few
minutes so the noodles won't stick.
Instead of running out of the house with unmanacured hands (when
there's no time to polish) try smoothing hair shine serum into
nail beds (your nails will look professionally buffed)
Moth-proof your closets! Looking for a way to keep nasty moths
out of your woolens? Cut off the leg of a clean pair of pantyhose
and fill the foot with crushed peppercorns, Tie a knot around the
ankle, then spicy scent repels insects and is a great nontoxic
alternative to mothballs.
If you can't figure out where an air leak is coming from inside
the house, close all the windows and doors and walk around with
a lit candle. When the candle flickers, you'll know that cold air
is seeping in.
If you kitty loves to jump onto counters, there's a way to break
him of this annoying habit: Put a few aluminum baking pans on top.
The next time he jumps up, the noise should stop him from doing it
again!
Keep a spray bottle filled with a mild solution of dishwashing
detergent and water near the dishwasher. Before loading dishes,
utensils or pots and pans, spray heavily soiled items so the food
doesn't set before you get a chance to fill up the machine. The
dishes will come out perfectly the first time so you never have
to rewash.
Cut out the pocket of an old pair of jeans and glue a magnet to
the back. Put it on the refrigerator to keep coupons, tickets or
notes handy. When you're ready to go to the store, just life the
pocket off the fridge and put it in your purse.
while you are away on vacation, place a towel on the tub floor,
fill with an inch of water for a three-day trip or two inches for
up to a week and set the plants down. They will absorb the water
while you are on vacation.
Instead of adding oil to a pot of boiling pasta water (causing
your sauce to slide off the noodles later) try stirring ever few
minutes so the noodles won't stick.
Instead of running out of the house with unmanacured hands (when
there's no time to polish) try smoothing hair shine serum into
nail beds (your nails will look professionally buffed)
Moth-proof your closets! Looking for a way to keep nasty moths
out of your woolens? Cut off the leg of a clean pair of pantyhose
and fill the foot with crushed peppercorns, Tie a knot around the
ankle, then spicy scent repels insects and is a great nontoxic
alternative to mothballs.
If you can't figure out where an air leak is coming from inside
the house, close all the windows and doors and walk around with
a lit candle. When the candle flickers, you'll know that cold air
is seeping in.
If you kitty loves to jump onto counters, there's a way to break
him of this annoying habit: Put a few aluminum baking pans on top.
The next time he jumps up, the noise should stop him from doing it
again!
Keep a spray bottle filled with a mild solution of dishwashing
detergent and water near the dishwasher. Before loading dishes,
utensils or pots and pans, spray heavily soiled items so the food
doesn't set before you get a chance to fill up the machine. The
dishes will come out perfectly the first time so you never have
to rewash.
Cut out the pocket of an old pair of jeans and glue a magnet to
the back. Put it on the refrigerator to keep coupons, tickets or
notes handy. When you're ready to go to the store, just life the
pocket off the fridge and put it in your purse.
FACEBOOK Etiquette
Here are the top 10 rules of etiquette for using Facebook responsibly
in (and around) relationships (from www.yourtango.com ):
10. Relationship status is a mutual decision. Do not dump your
partner via status change, for example ...
9. It's OK to look at a friend's friends for interesting people,
but use the middle man (your friend). Don't "friend request" outta
the blue. Also, be mindful of friend-poaching -- it's not cool.
8. Ask first before friending a close friend's ex. It's common
courtesy and part of any friend code.
7. It's OK to remain facebook friends with someone you used to
date. Just prepare yourself to see some status updates that you
might not want to see.
6. Skip posting tons of pics, vids, and comments regarding a
recent, failed relationship. Talk to friends; don't retaliate in
a public forum.
5. Avoid TMI -- Keep photos safe for work and don't air your
dirty laundry online (it won't dry). If you wouldn't announce it
in a restaurant, it's best to keep it relatively private.
4. Avoid inappropriate-friending -- specifically, don't friend
people you don't actually know, like an ex's new squeeze...
3. Know the difference between the Wall and a message. Yes,
facebook is complicated by pokes, superpokes, walls, notes, vids,
likes, etc etc (!) ... But knowing what is public and what is private
is essential.
2. Don't drink and book. It can get you in trouble just like any
impaired situation ... for example, there is no need to tell someone
you were in love with them in high school, especially on their
wall. (See tip #3)
1. Above all other rules (and this actually is in the Facebook
rules) do not create a fake page. You may think creating a fake
page for your ex is hilarious -- writing "money grubbing" or
"poop" under "likes" but it's a good way to get sued for about
$40,000. (Wouldn't we call that backfired?
in (and around) relationships (from www.yourtango.com ):
10. Relationship status is a mutual decision. Do not dump your
partner via status change, for example ...
9. It's OK to look at a friend's friends for interesting people,
but use the middle man (your friend). Don't "friend request" outta
the blue. Also, be mindful of friend-poaching -- it's not cool.
8. Ask first before friending a close friend's ex. It's common
courtesy and part of any friend code.
7. It's OK to remain facebook friends with someone you used to
date. Just prepare yourself to see some status updates that you
might not want to see.
6. Skip posting tons of pics, vids, and comments regarding a
recent, failed relationship. Talk to friends; don't retaliate in
a public forum.
5. Avoid TMI -- Keep photos safe for work and don't air your
dirty laundry online (it won't dry). If you wouldn't announce it
in a restaurant, it's best to keep it relatively private.
4. Avoid inappropriate-friending -- specifically, don't friend
people you don't actually know, like an ex's new squeeze...
3. Know the difference between the Wall and a message. Yes,
facebook is complicated by pokes, superpokes, walls, notes, vids,
likes, etc etc (!) ... But knowing what is public and what is private
is essential.
2. Don't drink and book. It can get you in trouble just like any
impaired situation ... for example, there is no need to tell someone
you were in love with them in high school, especially on their
wall. (See tip #3)
1. Above all other rules (and this actually is in the Facebook
rules) do not create a fake page. You may think creating a fake
page for your ex is hilarious -- writing "money grubbing" or
"poop" under "likes" but it's a good way to get sued for about
$40,000. (Wouldn't we call that backfired?
Birth Order
Did you know a guy's birth order could have a big affect on his
personality and your relationship?
A firstborn: He's dependable, conscientious, and a caring guy,
one you can rely on for logical advice and support.
A middle child: He has the ability to get along with everyone.
He's also really attuned to your feelings and super thoughtful.
But as laid-back as he may be, he can demand lots of TLC and major
reassurance.
Youngest: He tends to be a loving, outgoing, freethinking charmer.
He's a great storyteller and great at cocktail parties. However he
can be flaky, leaving you to make all the weekend plans.
An only child: He's a driven guy who'll be totally devoted. But
since he never had to share his parents' love and attention or
any possessions with siblings, he may be self-centered and
possessive of belongings.
That all sounds about right ... But what about a more cynical
approach to the Birth Order Blues?
First born: He got everything first ... so he will be the first to
cheat, lie, and steal your best friend's heart. Proceed with caution.
The middle child: The middle child expects nothing, because he was
always overlooked by his parents. Unfortunately, this attitude spills
over into his relationships and you'll get nothing too.
Youngest: Since he got most of the loving attention because he was
the baby in the family, he'll be a baby in your relationship as well
and will need to be coddled and placated.
An only child: This guy may be your best bet -- since no one was
around to corrupt him -- YOU can do the honors.
personality and your relationship?
A firstborn: He's dependable, conscientious, and a caring guy,
one you can rely on for logical advice and support.
A middle child: He has the ability to get along with everyone.
He's also really attuned to your feelings and super thoughtful.
But as laid-back as he may be, he can demand lots of TLC and major
reassurance.
Youngest: He tends to be a loving, outgoing, freethinking charmer.
He's a great storyteller and great at cocktail parties. However he
can be flaky, leaving you to make all the weekend plans.
An only child: He's a driven guy who'll be totally devoted. But
since he never had to share his parents' love and attention or
any possessions with siblings, he may be self-centered and
possessive of belongings.
That all sounds about right ... But what about a more cynical
approach to the Birth Order Blues?
First born: He got everything first ... so he will be the first to
cheat, lie, and steal your best friend's heart. Proceed with caution.
The middle child: The middle child expects nothing, because he was
always overlooked by his parents. Unfortunately, this attitude spills
over into his relationships and you'll get nothing too.
Youngest: Since he got most of the loving attention because he was
the baby in the family, he'll be a baby in your relationship as well
and will need to be coddled and placated.
An only child: This guy may be your best bet -- since no one was
around to corrupt him -- YOU can do the honors.
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