The Best Advice I Ever Received

When I was leaving home for higher studies, my father stood with me on the train station and told me, "Remember you are no less than anyone around you!"

It was a simple statement really, but it helped boost my morale and motivation in many a tight spot after that!

I want to work from home : How can I make money online?

It is possible thanks to the internet to work at home these days. The trouble is that most people think it is easy money.

I want to work from home like you do.

What can I do?

How can I make money online?

These are questions that I get asked a lot. Just for the record, I am an HR trainer who decided to joining the "Work At Home Mom"'s club after my son was born. The transition was not too difficult and now I am a very happy WAHM. I work not more than three hours a day. I also love to spend time online so do a lot of blogging and write articles on sites similar to this one.

One of the most difficult things that I have do deal with is not the work that I do at home, but answering the questions that I get asked about it. Almost everyone I know is totally ignorant of the options and opportunities that a person has for making money online. And a lot of them feel that it is easy money, but it is not. You are still working for it.

So what all can you do online? You need to pick something that will complement your actual training. For instance I started with freelance writin jobs because I was always fond of reading and also am an Eng Lit Graduate. Since I had a background in HR I would pick projects that allowed me to write lesson plans or do training module development.

I am also very fond of cooking up puddings. That's why I enjoy sharing my recipes on my blog online. I am not comfortable selling other people's products so I am not interested in affiliate marketing. Also I would like to keep things digital as very often I can not access physical products because of my constant shifting thanks to my husband's job.

You want to make money online? You can do it, but it is not an easy ride. You do have to train yourself to do this. New skills need to be added to old ones and once you find a system that works for you, you will be set. The initial struggle in working online is just as bad as settling into a new office with no friends. If you can stick to it, you will succeed.

Collecting things as a hobby

Are collections a good hobby? Or are they an unnecessary drain of resources?

Some people collect coins from different countries, while others prefer stamps and first day covers. There is someone I know who is crazy about scale models of popular cars and another one who collects seashells. Not to mention the number of people who go antique collecting or pick up oil paintings. All these people have growing collections of which they are proud.

One thing that they all have in common is the deep knowledge about their collectibles. They know the common ones, and search for the rare. They are even known to pay a pretty penny for a particular piece they would like to add to their collection.

Is being so obsessed with a collection good? While it may seem like a great idea to the collectors themselves, the people around them may not agree. I have seen spouses get their eyes rolling as soon as they hear another description of a collectible item coming on.

Then there is also the financial aspect. No matter what you collect, the repeated expenses can add up to a tidy sum. While certain collections may increase in value over the years, other may not. So one cannot always argue that it is a good investment.

There is a degree of knowledge that you gain as a collector. This specialized knowledge will make you an expert. This may mean invites to address people interested in the same field. However again it depends on the type of collection to figure out if you will make any money with it.

Are Vaccinations for Kids healthy?

The practice of injecting children with weakened pathogens to immunize them from disease is called vaccination. Is it really healthy for the children?

There is an ongoing debate about vaccinations for children. There are the hard core supporters who feel that it is a must for each child. Then there are the har core opposers who say there is no need to inject a child with pathogens of diseases that he may never get. And then there is the thrid group of confused parents, not sure if they should get vaccinations done for their children or not. Now lets take a look at the pros and cons.

What is the process

The American Paediatric Association has brought out an immunization schedule for children. This gives the names of the vaccines to be given to the child, the age at which it is to be injected and the diseases from which that particular vaccine protects the child. The concept is that the human body needs to develop antibodies to the pathogens which cause a disease. This set of antibodies help the person's immune system fight and defeat the disease.

The opposition

Childhood vaccinations involve injecting the weakened pathogens into the kids at a very young age. This means that the baby is healthy, but is being given disease causing elements to deal with. The child will suffer from fever and may even develop mild symptoms of the disease for a few days before recovering from the vaccine. This is what most of the opposition say is incorrect. Why make a well child sick for some potential disease that he may never get?

The risk

There is also some research which proves that the kids who get immunized are at higher risk for certain other diseases such as autism. The fact is not yet established that vaccines cause autism, but there is a greater tendency showing in the research and parents are worried about this. Why take a risk and protect the child from a disease which he may never get only to end up giving him another disease.

The conclusion

And this is my opinion, as a parent I have given my son all his mandatory shots. Why I did that is beacuse there is a greater risk in India of children getting these diseases. Also I  have avoided giving him flu shots because I don't think I should totally stiffle his immune system. It too needs to stay active with the minor illnesses of childhood so that it gets stronger as my child grows. So the choice is up to the parents.

In the end remember it is your child and your choice. Listen to every one else but make up your own mind.

How to add a Signature to your Email Account

The easiest way to get people to know your website is by adding a link to your site in your signature block in the email id. That is the most likely place that people will seek to get back in touch with you and the link will them right to your site. So use it wisely. Here is how you add your email signature block in the following services.

Yahoo - How to add a signature:

Login to your Yahoo email account using your password and user name. Click on the Options button in the top right corner. From the Options drop down menu select More Options. Click on Signature on the left menu. Click on the Rich Text link so you can include a link in your signature. Click on Save Changes in the top left when you add the above signature.


Gmail - How to add a signature:

Login to your Gmail account using your user name and password. Click on Settings in the top right corner. Scroll down and add your signature. Click on Save Changes at the bottom when you add the signature.


AOL Mail - How to add a signature:

Login to your AOL account using your user name and password. Click on Setting in the top right corner. Click on Compose on the left menu. Under Rich Text/HTML heading there is a Signature drop down. Select Use Signature. Now create your signature and hit Save when you add it.

The easiest way to get people to know your website is by adding a link to your site in your signature block in the email id. That is the most likely place that people will seek to get back in touch with you and the link will them right to your site. So use it wisely. Here is how you add your email signature block in the following services.
 

Hotmail - How to add a signature:

Login to your Hotmail account using your user name and password. Click on Options in the top right corner. Find the Customize Your Mail menu. Now click on Personal Email Signature. Here you can input the signature you want. Click on Save when you add the signature.

Thunderbird - How to add a signature:

Login to your Thunderbird account using your username and password. Click on Tools. Select the Account Settings button. Now select the check box to right of Signature Text so you can use HTML. Type in the signature text and link. Click on OK to complete when you add the above signature.


Evolution - How to add a signature:

Login to your Evolution account using your username and password. Click on Edit then on Preferences. Click on Edit on the desired email address. Under the Identity tab, click on Add New Signature. Type it in and click on Save and Close when you add the signature.


Outlook Express - How to add a signature:

Login to your Outlook Express account using your username and password. Click on Tools. Click on Options. Choose the Signature tab. Input the desired signature. Click Apply when you add the signature.


Windows Mail - How to add a signature:

Login to your Windows Mail account using your username and password. Click on Tools. Then click on Options. Now select the Signature tab. Click on New. Input the signature. Click on Apply when you add the signature.