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Sea Shells

Fort Myers and the adjacent barrier islands are known as one of the best shelling destinations in North America. Thanks to the Gulf Coast's gentle currents and unique geographic features, pristine shells wash ashore by the thousands. Sanibel Island: Famous for its east-west orientation, which acts as a giant natural "scoop" for Gulf shells. Top spots include Bowman's Beach, Lighthouse Beach Park, and Blind Pass. Captiva Island: Located just north of Sanibel; it offers equally fantastic shelling but with a quieter, less crowded vibe.Fort Myers Beach: Specifically the quieter south end or near Bowditch Point.

By |March 10th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Sea Shells

How Many Words are Enough?

How many words are enough?  There are an estimated 171,146 words currently in use in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, not to mention another 47,156 obsolete words.  Most adult English language speakers high school graduates from the United Kingdom from 20,000–35,000 words. Average native test-takers of age 8 already know 10,000 words. Average native test-takers of age 4 already know 5,000 words. But the average American high school graduate knows only about 12,000 words.   Shockingly, the average American only uses about the same 100 words in day to day conversations. So is 1000 words enough to speak a new language?  Some linguists believe that 800 words are enough to hold a basic conversation. However, your vocabulary should be over 8,000 words if you want to speak a language as well as a native speaker. Some dogs can understand 250 words. Dogs are man’s best friend, and the canine ability to understand human words has gone a long way to solidify that world-changing relationship. According to the American Psychological Association, the average dog can understand 165 words, and “super dogs” — those in the top 20% of canine intellect — can understand around 250 words. Dog intelligence can be divided into three main types: instinctive (what the dog is bred to do), adaptive (what a dog learns from its environment), and working/obedience (what a dog is trained to do). Research into the levels of working/obedience intelligence in various dog breeds shows that border collies displayed the highest levels, followed by poodles, German shepherds, and golden retrievers. With the ability to also understand simple math (1+1 = 2, for example), these “super dogs” have an estimated cognitive ability of 2- to 2.5-year-old humans. Although 250 words

By |March 9th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on How Many Words are Enough?

Jumping Rope

We got a new Dope Rope from Lauren Jumps.  She says: These are the most common jump rope mistakes that I see a lot of beginners making: Make sure your rope isn't too long - most new jumpers start and keep their rope too long. The excess rope leads to poor form and less efficiency and more effort required to spin the rope. The heavy impact of the rope on the ground leads to more wear and causes the rope to bounce up, resulting in more trips. Avoid wide arms - this is linked to the point above.  A long rope can lead to wide arms as the user aims to compensate for the excess cord. The optimal jump rope arm positioning is elbows back and hands in next to the hips. When the hands are close to your sides, you can use a shorter a rope, improve your efficiency, go faster and perform tricks and skills more easily Not 'elbows in' - another common mistake is to have the elbows in to the hips which leads to the hands sticking out wide. The elbows need to be in but set back to allow the hands to be in next to the hips. Avoid jumping too high - keep bounces low, only enough for the rope to pass underneath. This lowers the impact on your legs and allows you to go faster. Don't do too much too soon - if you do long sessions at the start, you may get injured. Get used to the movement with shorter sessions of 5-15 mins and only 3-4 times a week max and build up slowly from there. Use the correct rope type - if you want to learn skills and good form, you need something that isn't too

By |March 6th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Jumping Rope

Only Love is Real

I had to remind my daughter the other day, sometimes you meet the right person at the wrong time. People will change horses, you may get really excited about somebody and then all of a sudden realize, ‘Eh, not really my cup of tea.’  The full expression is “don't change horses mid-stream” (or, sometimes, “don't swap horses midstream”). The expression is usually credited to Abraham Lincoln who, during the Civil War, said that voters should re-elect him because it would be foolish to change leaders in the middle of such a turbulent time.  However, not all is fair in love and war.  And the only constant, these days, is change.  Family love, romantic love, the love of an old friendship – it’s not only in our nature to love, it's our evolutionary advantage.  It’s also our highest calling as human beings to love another person fully and completely.  In fact, relationships are our biggest opportunity for spiritual growth.  Love is something we all seek.  It's our highest purpose. But we all come to relationships with different wiring, conditioning, cultures, belief systems, biochemistry, and a blueprint for what love looks like.  And, yet we often make the mistake of thinking our experience of how love should be is the same as our partner’s.  Then, we think we’ve made a mistake or lost love when conflict arises or the chemistry subsides. In reality, this is our opportunity to go deeper.  People think relationships are about selecting the right person.   They are more about becoming the right person.  Using love to grow, to learn and to challenge yourself to find and give more.  Be open to love and love has a way of finding you with the right person, at the

By |February 22nd, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Only Love is Real

Women of a Certain Age

There is a long English history of the phase "women of a certain age" because "it has a long history in French, where it refers to women of fortyish and thereabouts who are able to initiate boys and young men into the beauties of sexual encounters. The early use in English seems to be about spinsterhood, but the French meaning has nothing to do with marriage." In French, the phrase has erotically or sexually charged overtones. "It comes from a society where sexuality is freer," Dr. Rubin notes, "and more understood as an important part of human life." The phrase in French is femmes d'une certaine age. The term, however, can apply to either sex. Without the certain, the phrase un homme d'un age translates literally as "a man of an age" and is defined in the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary as "a man of advanced years." Une femme d'un certain âge is a French expression (“a woman of a certain age”) that suggests a positive attitude toward age, and alludes to the wisdom, experience, and elegance that we acquire along the way.

By |February 14th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Women of a Certain Age

Gear for Traveling

Carry-on bags shouldn't be larger than 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high including handles and wheels. Dimensions of personal items should not exceed 18 inches long, 14 inches wide and 8 inches high. There are no weight restrictions for carry-on luggage.  “Almost all U.S. airline crew members use soft-sided roll-aboard bags,” Patrick Smith, airline pilot, air travel blogger, and author, tells Reader’s Digest. “My roll-aboard of choice is a 22-inch model from Luggage Works, a specialty luggage company that caters to airline personnel. The company’s bags are attractive and extremely durable. They’re not inexpensive, but they can last ten years or more even with heavy use.” According to Smith, the majority of people who buy products from Luggage Works are pilots and flight attendants, but anyone can buy a bag from that brand. Photo: Caleigh Waldman Is Flight-Crew Luggage Worth Buying? We Tore Some Apart to Find Out. PUBLISHED JUNE 14, 2019 Kit Dillon Share this post Save While traveling through airports, I’ve noticed that flight crews all have luggage that’s different from my own carry-on. It’s serious-looking luggage, there to get a job done, both larger and more utilitarian than the typical suitcase. It ignores the frivolities—colorful plastic shells, easy-to-maneuver spinning wheels, USB charging—that many people have come to expect. And as it turns out, luggage manufacturers do make lines of luggage especially for flight crews, pieces that they usually sell via to-the-industry retailers. But would I swap my bag for the luggage the flight crews use? It’s always tempting, when looking for the best things, to go with what the pros have—after all, that gear must be better if the pros use it. So I compared a limited-edition professional-grade suitcase, Travelpro’s Crew Expert—which the company

By |February 14th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Gear for Traveling

Western Art I love

When competing for Miss Columbia, Tatiana Casto was asked if a museum were on fire would you save the art or the guard dog?   She replied, “The paintings are art. Art is to be given away, like love and peace. Animals, plants, and people are life. Life is to be kept.”

By |January 17th, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Western Art I love

Rarities in France

Paris is known for shopping.  Some of my favorite places are Mettez, and others. But, Brooke Chilvers wrote, "In France, I am forever seeking out the remaining bits and pieces of authenticity that offer a window into its past. That combination of old stones and pleasing landscapes, with good tables serving local fare. An interesting church.  Monuments to a lost generation of men worth contemplating.  Splendid trees or wisteria, lilacs, old oaks, or whatever.  Fields with happy cows and good-looking horses.  And now, at my age, good bedding."  Here are some rarities of authenticity from our adventures in France. Antique tortoise scales custom made on a Swiss Army knife, complete with cigar cutter. Reining Lesson with Ferenck in rural France at his father's dude ranch Here is Frenck in action at a reining competition. A Comprehensive Paris Shopping Guide If you're planning a trip to the fashion capital of the world, Paris, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the best places to shop. Beyond the famed fashion districts and architecturally stunning galleries, Paris offers a diverse shopping experience, including food, antiques, and more. Let's delve into the topics this guide will cover: **1. Prime Shopping Streets in Paris** - Paris, often regarded as the birthplace of shopping, boasts a rich history of illuminating its streets at night, setting the stage for romantic evening strolls. - Window displays were popularized in Paris, and the city has a vibrant shopping culture. Champs-Élysées is the iconic shopping street, home to luxury brands and mainstream stores. - Avenue Montaigne offers a luxurious shopping experience amid stunning architecture. - Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is a haven for high-end fashion and renowned brands, featuring art galleries and

By |January 17th, 2023|Categories: France, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Rarities in France

Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban Investment Strategies

The guru does not focus on the short term Warren Buffett's 90/10 strategy involves allocating 90% of assets to a low-cost S&P 500 index fund and 10% to short-term government bonds. The 90/10 rule offers simplicity, lower fees, and the potential for higher returns. The strategy is based on historical returns for the S&P 500, as well as Buffett's skepticism about the performance of the average fund manager. Ben Alaimo  From: https://www.gurufocus.com/news/1865637/warren-buffett-on-predicting-the-stock-market-and-his-strategy Summary Warren Buffett is the leader of Berkshire Hathaway, the world's largest investing conglomerate. In a 1996 lecture at the University of North Carolina, he discussed predicting the stock market, business brands and his investment strategy. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, Financial)(BRK.B, Financial) leader Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) is considered one of the greatest investors of all time and, arguably, one of the wisest men in history. He loves giving lectures to students as he believes they listen and benefit the most from his talks. But it is clear that no matter what your age, we can all still learn from the Oracle of Omaha. I have summarized some main takeaways from a lecture he gave at the University of North Carolina in 1996 and expanded with my own comments. This is the first installment of a two-part series that focuses on stock market predictions and Buffett’s simple strategy. Predicting stock market movements Buffett admitted to not being able to predict the stock market in the short term or based on economic factors such as interest rates. Rather, he aims to buy businesses that would do well even if the stock market was closed. He does not focus on the daily stock movements and believes the market is there to serve you. In the past, Buffett has used the

By |November 17th, 2022|Categories: Money, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban Investment Strategies