Two Words That Make Most Audiences Cringe!

Okay. We are adults, right? Basically, we are comfortable with ourselves or we hide our insecurity appropriately or in a socially acceptable manner (drinking, smoking, etc.) right? Ummmm.

In transitioning from stand up comedian (who speak their minds) to a Toastmasters Humor Speaker in a contest, let me tell you what not to do.

There is a rule known in comedy circles, and actually any performance circle, called 'know your audience.' It is a good rule and one that will always help you craft your message to the correct demographic. Unless you are a smart aleck comedian.

I recently competed at the 'area' level in a Toastmasters Humorous contest. I scratched my way to this second level of five levels. Now, I knew who would comprise my audience. There would be basically conventional Toastmasters types that delight in stories about coffee, the dreams of a boy and a broken television and relatively safe stuff. Hey, let's just say totally safe material!

I knew this coming into the competition. I knew it after I heard the first humor contestant delight in 'why do women in SUV's drive with their cellphones attached to their heads.' I knew it from checking out the audience before the event. By the way, these are the lessons in this article: check out YOUR audience before the contest, mingle with them, and listen to the other speakers to see what the audience is going for, and hopefully these hints will guide your speaking efforts.

I know of these things, yet, I choose to blatantly ignore them for the sake of, one, stage time, and two because the words Penis and Vagina, of which everyone in the audience was in possession of, should not have made them cower or recoil. Which I believe some of them did! Apparently, those accouterments are not used very often...by some. (Another lesson, do not be mad or blame your audience for your performance!) (And, no, I'm not mad nor blaming them...I'm sorta making fun of them, I'm a comedian, remember!)

Which brings me to the last lesson. Do Not, I repeat DO NOT do what I did (you'd have to be really brave or crazy!) Do not use language that will turn some or most of the audience against you! Think through your speech! I made people feel uncomfortable...on purpose! I knew way ahead of time, that I would not nor could not win a Toastmasters humor contest...not with my mouth or my comedic past!

I even mentioned to the audience their discomfort in hearing those words within a speech. My speech BTW was not blue, laced with any expletives, nor did I mention anything graphic. I simply uttered 2 terms that tend to make adults feel like, 'No! She didn't say that! Oh, my God, I'm embarrassed! Now, John (?) knows I have one! Damn Her!" Or they were feeling something like that. I must also say that I am a registered nurse, so those terms, PENIS and VAGINA are part of my working vocabulary. Although, I must say that they are used in the nurses lounge more than in relation to patients!

If you've read my other articles, you know by now that I cannot count. So here is the other lesson that I took a 'hit for the team' in order to write this article (and get the precious, precious stage time!) At some point take the chance, take the risk and say what you want to say! Risk putting yourself out there. I am not talking racism or porn! I was not tarred and feathered. I am still alive. Some of the older ladies gave me a few looks. So what! Actually, a lot of the audience thought I was really funny (one guy stated that I could be a comedian!)

Which of course leads me to the final lesson. Please make sure the MC, or whomever introduces you, gives you the correct introduction! Immediately, after the 'comedian' comment from an fan, I thought, perhaps some of the audience would have accepted my material better, if they had known I was a stand up comedian and nurse from the beginning. I would have been given a bit more leeway in stating or being more blunt...not blue, not offensive, but directly stating certain words!

So those are the lessons I offer to you. Comments?

AUTHOR/SPEAKER, ADRIENNE ZURUB is a former cardiothoracic surgical nurse with over twenty-five years of experience on the open heart/heart transplant team at Cleveland Clinic. She is a CNOR (certified nurse operating room) She is The Nurse Whisperer!

She is an actor/poet/and stand up comedian. As a comedian she has performed in clubs in New York City and LA. In theater she has written and performed her solo performances pieces at Cleveland Public Theater. She performed at the historic Karamu Theater as part of Arenafest. She belongs to Toastmasters Club 6500, NSAOhio, AKA Sorority,Inc., and volunteers in the Greater Cleveland community as a speaker.

She is the Author of 'Notes From the Mothership ~ The Naked Invisibles' a nonfiction work that coalesces some of her experiences on the open heart team with the randiness of many aspects of her life! http://adriennezurub.typepad.com
Find her on: Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal, Ning.com, GoodReads, ...

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Setting the Mood with Your Date

Nothing makes for a more romantic gesture than one that is made purely for the sake of romance itself. When it comes to seducing a woman if you want to make a really great impression on us then you’ll want to pull out all the stops and create a romantic date without waiting for a special occasion. Not to mention there’s no rule that says you have to wait for a certain day or time.

This particular tip requires knowing a bit about your lady and what she likes and doesn’t like. But you don’t have to know her like the back of your hand in order to make a truly romantic evening for the two of you to share. The most important thing is to consider what you know she finds romantic and then do your best to create that for her. The very fact that you thought of her and wanted to romance her out of the blue will really impress her and make her feel truly special.

Many of these suggestions would take relatively little time for preparation. Remember, it’s sometimes the smallest gesture that will really make a woman feel special. The first romantic setting is a candlelit picnic in a park or other quiet location. This is sure to make your lady feel special. There’s no special occasion needed. This is also easy to put together with a bottle of wine, some cheese, strawberries, whatever the two of you like.

If you have a portable CD player you can bring that along with a disc of romantic music and you’ll have an evening that the both of you are sure to remember. Just don’t forget to check the weather and be sure to bring the blanket!

The next suggestion I have is good for any weather, a nice candlelit meal consisting of her favorite foods and dessert at your place. When you’re planning this evening be sure to have soft, romantic music on and a nice bottle of wine. Her favorite flowers would be an extra nice touch. This meal could be prepared by you or ordered and picked up from a restaurant.

As long as you’ve taken care to choose what she likes it’s sure to be a huge hit! If your place tends to be a bit messy, be sure to take the extra bit of time to clean it up so that she’s not tripping over your tennis shoes or gym bag.


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Staying in Tune - The Basics of Piano Tuning

When was the last time your piano was tuned? You might not be getting a true pitch if it's been more than six months. Has it been more than a year? You might be shocked to find that what you thought was middle "C" really isn't. Piano tuning is an important part of maintaining quality sound.

Most major piano manufacturers recommend that piano tuning take place twice per year. The reason for this recommendation is that it doesn't take much for a piano to slip out of tune. It's a member of the stringed instrument family. It functions on a similar principle. It should be tuned regularly just like a guitar, harp, violin or other stringed instrument.

A piano consists of strings of varying lengths. The strings are stretched between pegs, like stretching a rubber band between two fingers. The tone that is produced depends on how long and how taut the strings. Again, if you stretch a rubber band between your fingers, you can see this principle in action. A higher sound is produced if you stretch the band taut. A lower sound is produced if you release the tension.

Notes are produced on a piano when you strike the various piano keys. Each key causes a corresponding "hammer" to strike the corresponding string or strings inside the piano.

The problem is that with time the strings slip out of position. It's usually a gradual slippage. The strings also wear and stretch. These two factors cause a piano to go out of tune. This may go unnoticed during day to day practice. However, you'll begin to notice it if the piano goes untuned for long periods of time. You'll really notice if you try to play along with another instrument and your piano "C" sounds different from another instrument's "C."

This is where piano tuning comes in. Piano tuning involves making tiny adjustments to the various strings in the instrument. You can accomplish this is several ways . The old fashioned way required a very talented ear. A tuning device was usually used to locate a reference frequency. This frequency was most often A440 and corresponded to the "A" above middle "C."

The piano tuner, using his device, would tweak the "A" strings until they vibrated at 440 Hz. This note would then become the reference or "fixed" pitch. All of the other notes would be determined by the piano tuner himself, with just his ear to guide him.

Today most piano tuners use some type of electronic tuner. "A" above middle "C" may still be used as a fixed pitch and is still tuned to 440 Hz. However, modern electronic tuners can be used to tune more strings than just the "A" string. Some tune just a few of the notes. These can then be used as reference pitches to tune all of the others. More sophisticated electronic tuners can tune all 12 notes on the piano.

Electronic tuners work by comparing the sound of a note played on the piano to its proper frequency. The tuner analyzes the note played. It then displays the difference between the frequency of the note played and the proper frequency. It indicates whether the pitch should be adjusted higher or lower. The technician then adjusts the strings until the sound from the piano matches the sound from the electronic tuner.

Regular piano tuning will keep your instrument in top shape. Pianos that are mainly used at home for practice may need tuning only once per year. Any piano that is used for performance or teaching should be tuned twice per year. To make sure you are having your piano tuned by someone who really knows what they are doing, contact the Piano Technicians Guild for recommendations.

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Hiring a Quality Home Movers

Moving from one dwelling place to another is a normal scene in Singapore. A number of occupants are not home owners. They are just tenants. The reason is that owning a house is not easy especially for non Singaporean citizens who obviously make up the lion's share of Singapore's manpower. Thus housing service is mostly on a yearly contract basis.

Given this real scenario and considering the volatile behavior of the real estate market, the demand for home movers is high in Singapore. While there are many service providers, it pays to do your job in screening out the most dependable home movers particularly if you are short of cash. And the necessity to make a good choice is paramount if you would like proper care on the manner your stuff are transported.

The rate of home movers in Singapore can be quite expensive. It may turn out to be much more costly later if you happen to hire unskilled home movers who can only mess up with your priceless stuffs. Other companies engaged in this service because it is good money and those duly registered and professionaly trained to give moving service. You definitely opt to engage home movers who can offer the best rate and the best service possible.

If there is one good venue to locate these movers in Singapore, it is through the internet. Check on ebay Singapore. Search using the keyword "Singapore home movers" and you can most likely generate a good search list. What makes ebay a good source of info is that you can refer to testimonials of previous clients. Yes, while these feedbacks are not 100% reliable you can have at the minimum an idea on the kind of service.

Also, online forums which are Singapore based in nature can give you some guide on home movers. Just concentrate on heavy traffic blogs and forums. Of course, not missing out the classifieds. Home movers tend to post ads on online classifieds because ad posting here for free, if not at a very minimal rate.

With your filtered list, you expect to tap the most reliable home movers in town which will give lesser hassle house moving service for you.


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Three Forex Trading Strategies That You Can Never Go Wrong With

I know that many people are looking for forex trading strategies that will increase their profits, so I thought I would help them along by giving them my top three forex trading strategies that every trader should know about.

1) If you can't explain why you are taking a trade, don't trade. This is very simple, many traders just buy and sell because of their gut feeling. This is a sure fire way to destroy your trading account. I'm not saying that trading is a 100% science, but it takes a lot more to succeed in trading forex than just having a good hunch. It requires knowledge of what you are looking at.

2) Always try to trade with the trend. This is a problem for many, because a lot of people don't really know how to spot the trend. But once you can figure that out, trading starts to get a lot simpler. It's like driving with traffic, instead of going against it.

3) Learn Money Management. This one is HUGE!! You could have the best trading method in the world, but if you don't know how to leverage your money, you will fail. It's as simple as that. You cannot succeed if you are reckless with the way you take trades. You've got to remember that trading is like running a marathon. if you try to sprint your way through it, you will not last. Try to have modest goals, like getting a return of 75-100% for the year, not for the week. Thousands have tried and thousands have failed.

John Templeton has been a successful forex trader after learning how to trade price action. Once he understood that all he needed to trade forex was on a plain chart with no indicators, his profits soared.

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Best Baby Products For Summer Travel

Though the Fourth of July has now come and gone, summer time for families across the United States is hardly over. Local festivals, fairs, outdoor parties, and trips to amusement parks still fill the calendar for many families. With a few of these outings over and done with many parents, especially those with little ones, are beginning to realize that some of their equipment has already seen one too many summers, while the rest just wasn't designed for family outings. Fortunately, several manufacturers of baby products have created solutions for almost every problem ranging from "How to feed the baby without packing the highchair" to "Which stroller is best for someone with a 12-month-old and a 3-year-old that likes to walk, but needs a break every few minutes?"

When going anywhere with little ones, whether it be to a company or family picnic, or even to the state fair the question that parents always seem to struggle with is: What do we actually need to bring, and what will just take up space? With some space already taken up by car seats, storage room becomes a commodity, even in a large SUV. The Sit'n'Stroll by Tripleplay, combination car seat and stroller, helps free up some real estate in the cargo area. Now there's room for the lawn chairs.

What summertime outing isn't complete without a picnic? Company and large family picnics help relieve some of the stress on these outings by having reserved tables or pavilions. For those families just out on their own, the outing can be more complicated, especially on holidays. Once a parking spot within view of a free picnic table has been procured, now there's the problem of getting to it before the family in the red minivan three spots down does. For this problem it might be wise to invest in the Urban Baby Carrier by Combi. This pouch, made of lightweight fabric is easy to squeeze in the family car, right between the cooler and the portable grill. Now, getting the baby, the cooler, and the other essentials to the table in one trip (before the red minivan family) is a snap. This should also save a few parents from having to go through the age-old debate of: Which do I get out of the car first, the restless baby or the cooler?

Once the table is secured and the burgers and bratwursts are almost ready for consumption it's time to make seating assignments. Again, for parents with multiple young ones, this can be quite the challenge. Naturally, the 3 to 5-year-olds will want to feed themselves and, if left unsupervised, make a ketchup-based casserole of their hotdog and chips. This dynamic is further frustrated by the infant that requires even more supervision, especially since the highchair probably didn't make the packing list. Not to worry, the Chicco Travel Seat serves as an excellent alternative. This durable-yet stylish seat slides on the end of most picnic-sized tables, folds up flat for easy storage, and comes with its own bag to carry it in. With this piece of equipment the ritual of balancing an infant on one knee while trying to keep the toddlers at the table from overdoing it on the condiments (all while straddling the picnic table bench) is no more.

With mealtime out of the way and the children loaded with the protein they'll need to scale the stairs of the slide, it's time to take a shaded position near the playground. Here you can keep an eye on the younger ones to make sure they don't get pummeled by the bigger kids (or their siblings) while you relax and enjoy the ambiance. This is the ideal setting for the T2 Travel cot by Phil and Teds. Many child pens are often complex and typically aren't travel friendly. Not so with the T2. This particular pen snaps together quickly, has a self-inflating mattress, folds up quite compactly, and only weighs 4 pounds!

For those families headed to the local fair, amusement park, or even on a neighborhood walk there's one piece of equipment that, thankfully, has evolved to simplify all of these, and many other situations: the stroller. From units with lift out car seats to those designed specifically for active parents who like to take the kids along, strollers come in all styles and configurations. For those parents planning to do a lot of traveling, or even just a lot of walking there are a few models that stand out.

For those with only one child in need of individual transportation there is the C6 by Chicco. This model is lightweight, easy to clean and transport, and has a storage basket making it ideal for parents who plan to be on-the-go this summer. For those with twins, or just two smaller children, there is the Combi Twin Savvy EX. This is a side-by-side model that is easy to maneuver, has washable seat cushions, and plenty of storage. For those parents with a Combi Connection Infant Seat, you can put it either seat, leaving the other side open.

Finally, there is the Baby Trend Sit'n'Stand. This particular stroller is versatile, making it a great buy for many types of families. It has the traditional single seat up front, but also comes with a platform situated behind the seat, near the ground. For the family with only one infant the platform is a great place to put the diaper bag (or a jumbo Slushee.) It's also an ideal choice for parents who need move a young toddler and an infant. The stroller accommodates a car seat for use as a double stroller and the platform lets toddlers hitch a ride until their little legs are recharged. The Sit'n'Stand also has a Plus edition with a removable rear seat for when kids need to have a five-point harness.

For those parents who already have these or similar products and are only in need of something to help move it all around there is the GoGo Kidz Travelmate folding cart. This cart has a flat platform that folds up and is great for moving all kinds of gear, and can also be attached to most car seats. Now parents can keep one hand free while moving all their gear around.

Now, where does one find these amazing products? Most retailers of baby and children's products carry some of them. Manufacturer Web sites can provide information about dimensions, how to use them, and a where to buy them. Some products however, are exclusively sold on one Web site, http://www.strollerdepot.com This was the only site that sold all of the products mentioned, and most were advertised at, or well below retail price. The site also provided in-depth information as well as reviews left by people who have purchased these products. And, if you're worried about getting your stroller or other products delivered before you leave on your trip, StrollerDepot.com boasts fast shipping, and on some products shipping is included. Summertime for families should be a time to get out and enjoy time together, and these products are just a few of many that are designed to make traveling with little ones a more enjoyable experience.

Shawn Swensen is a freelance writer and a graduate from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in public relations. Learn more at his Web site: http://www.shawnswensen.com

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