Book Review - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Long before J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Lewis Carroll in the British literary scene, there was Charles Dickens. He was a prolific writer who made references in his writing to child labor and cruelty, social structure, political turmoil, poverty, etc. His most famous and (in my opinion) his best work is the classic novel, "A Christmas Carol". His most iconic characters are from that novel: Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, and Tiny Tim.

Many people are familiar with various film adaptations of "The Christmas Carol". It has to be the most popular Christmas film in history. Why is "The Christmas Carol" so popular and appealing? It has to do a lot with the sentimental story and remarkable transformation of Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge. He starts off as a single-dimensional character- a character who was greedy for gain and negative. There is a reason why he became that way. As we journey into Mr. Scrooge's past, we understand (alongside with him) on why he became that way. As we develop compassion for his, Mr. Scrooge also starts to develop compassion within him for other people. The way Charles Dickens relays that story through the visitations of his former business colleague, Marley, and three ghosts aspects of Christmases- past, present, and future. In the original work, Charles Dickens directly references hell and punishment if Ebenezer Scrooge remains the same greedy person. He had to transform to a better person to serve mankind.

Upon reading the original version or even watching the older classics starring Alastair Sims or Reginald Owens, it seems like a ghost story that scares you more than it inspires you. But, when you experience the fear, wonderment, and transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, it is well worth reading or watching the movie- though you will get a more impactful experience if you read the original book.

"The Christmas Carol" should be read every year to remind us and our family about the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of giving. It is a good book to allow us to reflect on our own lives and what we did throughout the year. There is something magical when you can experience "giving back" or charity the way Ebenezer Scrooge was able to towards the end of the book.

The creative genius and ingenuity of Charles Dickens comes alive in "The Christmas Carol". Reading the book in its original unabridged format is more impactful than using 3-D glasses and watching it on-screen. There is magic in the words of the book.

As an author, Pascasio Felisilda recently published the book "Nanay: Lessons from a Mother". This is a very inspiring book. Its simplicity empowers the message and story about a legacy that is worth living. The book is available through http://www.ebookstand.com/book_details/Nanay_Lessons_from_a_Mother_PAPERBACK_VERSION or through

http://www.amazon.com/Nanay-Lessons-Mother-Felisilda-Pascasio/dp/1589096673/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291229112&sr=1-1

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Eat, Pray, Love By Elizabeth Gilbert - Book Review

The author partakes in a yearlong trip, after she discovers that she no longer loves the man she is married to and a bitter divorce ensues(of which she does not go into detail with), that would make most readers drool. Myself included! This is a book for the person that travels and enjoys living in their current surroundings- whether it is an ashram in India or a small house in Bali. The author was looking for total immersion in a culture or perhaps escape from her other life and throws herself into each new situation with abandon. Not all of us can escape from our responsibilities as easily, but some are possibly envious of this disregard for status quo.

In Italy, the first stop in the adventure, Elizabeth Gilbert is trying to get a bearing on her life. And as many do, food becomes a great substitute for living. The author even admits to not visiting a single museum in Italy- she was too busy learning the language, for fun I might add, and eating her way through the various cities. I think I gained 5 pounds just reading about the food. Not your typical travel log, but I liked it.

The author leads you on her own personal spiritual healing in India, but is lighthearted about this theme and does not preach. Through meditation, yoga, fasting, and a good friend, Elizabeth Gilbert starts to heal and gain control of her life again. In a sense, she learns to live with herself again. Even in her darkest moments, however, she can laugh at herself, and take the reader with her.

Bali is her last stop, and fits the last word in the title. When you think of love and romance, a tropical island is really the location that pops into my mind. She comes to love others as well as herself, amidst the beautiful scenery. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am quite envious of the ability to just get up and go someplace. My only criticism is the lack of details in the surroundings in India and Bali. I would have liked to experience the people and countries a bit more in depth. I realize India was all about the ashram, but I, personally, wanted more from the villages. The same is true about Bali- less about the love interest and more about the island and its ways. With that said, Elizabeth Gilbert has captured my attention, and I would love to join her on her next excursion!

Tracey Schabel is the editor of http://www.GirlzDealz.com and [http://www.GirlzNetwork.com], websites "for women by women", where you can find ideas, tips, and deals about home and lifestyle trends. Be sure to check out our websites for the latest in interior decorating, green living, lifestyle trends, handpicked shopping deals, entertaining, book reviews, and much more.

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The Pursuit of Happyness- Review

In 1981, Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith) was a broke, struggling salesman of un-needed overpriced medical bone density scanners, while his wife wallowed in misery over having to work double shift to support the family including a young son. Chris, seeing that his medical sales career was not going anywhere asked two very pivotal question to a passerby in a Porsche, what do you do and how can he do it. These two questions changed his life and set in motion his pursuit of Happyness.

Desperate to gain financial happiness for his son and himself Chris takes a chance and applies for a stockbroker internship where one in twenty has a chance of a lucrative full time career. But this chance does come with a price. The opportunity does not come with a salary as he trains for the position. Chris is forced to get serious about his medical bone density business and make it work while he studies for his brokers exams. Because of his pursuit of this dream and the downfall of the medical sales business Chris's wife leaves him and he eventually becomes homeless. But he never loses his dream. He fights every step of the way for the pursuit of Happyness.

I absolutely loved this movie. It teaches tenacity and determination in the face of adversity. I especially loved the line Chris states to his son "Don't ever let anyone say you can't do something, their just trying to discourage you from something that they could not do". What a statement, what a line. This movie is a tear jerker from beginning to end. It brings into focus would most of us fight for what we believe in after losing a wife, losing a car, losing a home and sleeping on the streets with their son or daughter. Or would we just fold away and settle for what life give us. If you have not seen this movie definitely rent this movie. Matter of fact "BUY IT", you will not be sorry.

Visit Rental Movie Guide to learn more about upcoming movies and feature presentations. For video games visit Video Game Rental Guide [http://www.videogamerentalguide.com]. Come by and visit today.

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The Pursuit of Happyness - How Can We Be Happy?

In Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a motivated man living on the last of his means. Chris is constantly looking for a consistent quality of life, but seems to get beaten down at every road. A few times throughout the movie, Gardner expresses his thoughts on happiness, and whether or not it is actually attainable. Happiness can be looked at in many ways, but I will outline two of them: Short-Term and Long-Term happiness.

Short-Term happiness is achievable by anyone. Regardless of your age, gender, social status, economic status, etc. It can be experienced everyday. The exciting feeling of getting that paycheck, the excitement of watching your favorite movie, the internal joy of expressing gratitude, or it can be the motivational nudge received when you complete an activity/goal. We may not notice, but feelings of happiness occur often throughout our lives, we just need to know how to look for it. It can strike us when we need it most: In the Pursuit of Happyness, Chris gains short-term happiness when he sells each bone density scanner for $250. It is the happiness that he will be able to sustain his family for another month. And it also provides him with enough happiness to accomplish his long term goal of becoming a stock broker.

Long-Term happiness is much more difficult to notice in our everyday lives. 60% of our LT (long-term) happiness is predetermined at birth (genes, heredity), and the other 40% is determined by what we do in our lives. Some people are genetically inclined to be more happy than others. But regardless, we all have our long-term goals, set with the intention of making us happier. We tell ourselves, "I am going to finally be happy when I achieve this goal". But when the goal is achieved, the happiness soon goes away, and we are looking for more things to make us happy. Long-Term happiness is very difficult to notice; and is a gift of living. Try to monitor your happiness levels for a day, and try to notice how happy you are.

We are all different in virtually unlimited ways, but we are all looking for happiness. Happiness can be experienced in life everyday, in both the short and long term. Look for both, and be twice as happy. The Pursuit of Happyness inspired me to write about the different types of happiness in our lives. Whether short-term or long-term, we all have something to be happy about.

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How to "Do" Happiness and Get Ahead Even in Difficult Times

It hardly needs pointing out that one of our core desires is to be happy. Yet happiness is as elusive as the Scarlet Pimpernel for most of us. We are caught up in the uncertainties of life and the daily worries of survival in an environment that seems to be getting tougher rather than easier.

All the talk about the energetic shift, ascension and the like are of little help when you are facing your own demons in a world that appears basically unfriendly and dangerous. Most of us are at a level of our cognitive development where we need to see proof that the things we are doing are working.

There is now an unprecedented number of alternative therapies about and alternative medicine is booming. For good reason, because more and more of us are waking up to the fact that the old ways of dealing with our emotional health, which also ultimately dictates our physical well being, have ceased to work.

Our growing understanding of universal laws makes it clearer by the day that the draconian methods of old suppress the body's natural healing powers rather than supporting them.

In case you wonder what this has to do with your ability to "do" happiness, let me tell you this: It has a great deal to do with it. Only when you understand your body and mind and how it functions as part of a much larger part, namely the universe, can you begin to understand what is involved in becoming truly happy.

Happiness basically consists of three things: A healthy working and living environment, a healthy body and a healthy mind. This in itself is not rocket science, however, most people make two fundamental mistakes on their happiness quest. First, they underestimate the importance of their immediate surroundings on their mental and physical well being. (I have written about the dangers of geopathic stress and EMR, electro magnetic radiation extensively and will cover this important subject again in another article.)

Second, they spend too much time figuring out why they are unhappy instead of working out how they "do" unhappiness. This is a common flaw in many therapies and personal development work. The emphasis is on understanding why you have problems. Yet, the answer to this question is so simple, that it would put most psychiatrists and therapists out of business tomorrow. The reason is always to do with unresolved early live trauma, if you have persistent problems, and if you encounter isolated problems they will be linked to an undigested experience later in your life and finally, environmental factors can seriously affect your mental and physical well being.

The point though is this: While it is necessary to neutralize unresolved negative emotions to clear the road to happiness, you do not need to know, nor analyze in great detail why you have these problems. You just need to know how to clear them and there are a number of techniques you can learn easily.

Remember this: You will always get what you focus on. It really is as simple as that. If you focus on why you have a problem, now, that might be interesting knowledge to have, alas it will do precious little to solve your issues. On the other hand, when you work on figuring out how you do unhappiness and begin to see the often absurd pattern you are running, you will stop running them automatically over time.

So my advice to you is this: Learn techniques to increase your cognitive awareness. Focus on the how rather than the why of your actions. You will be amazed what you uncover. And your ability for true happiness will grow accordingly and your life will become more successful too.

Mercedes Oestermann van Essen is a human development coach, energy therapist and author. She has created the Happy Venn Diagram for environment, body and mind, a unique approach for happiness and success. Get your free report, 5 Little Known Keys To Happiness

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How to Say Happy Father's Day in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, and German

If you think back to when you were a child you can probably remember sitting in the front room eagerly waiting for your dad to get home. You can probably envision the excitement that you felt when his car turned into the driveway or even when you heard the garage door open and he pulled inside. You couldn't wait for him to walk into the door so you could give him a huge hug and tell him everything that had happened to you during the day.

For most kids their dads are their rocks. No matter what is going on with you, whether it is good or bad, you knew you could always tell your dad what was happening. The best part of being able to tell your dad what was going on is that it seemed like he could magically fix everything for you. As a little kid falling and scraping your knee required a kiss from Mom to make it better, but when your bike had a flat tire it was only Dad who could make it right.

No matter where you live, whether it is in a remote village in Alaska or on the island of New Zealand, how you view your dad is going to be similar to how other children view their dads. The relationship that a child has with their father has even withstood the sands of time. Dads all across the world play with their kids when they are young and teach them to drive when they get older.

It is because of this relationship that a child has with their father that all across the globe we celebrate Father's Day. The date that Father's Day is celebrated on in various regions around the world varies, as does the language you use to wish your dad a Happy Father's Day. However, despite these differences the main point is to show how dads how much they mean to us.

Here is how you would say "Happy Father's Day" in a variety of different languages:

• Portuguese - Feliz dia do pai
• Spanish - Feliz dia del padre
• Italian - Giorno di Padre Felice
• Polish - Wszystkiego Najlepszego Z Okazji Dnia Ojca
• Dutch - Gelukkige Vaderdag
• German - Alles Gute zum Vatertag
• French - Bonne fete des peres

One thing that is interesting to note is that most countries follow the American custom of celebrating Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, but there are a handful of other countries that follow their own customs. Austria, Costa Rica, and Belgium celebrate Father's Day on the second Sunday in June. New Zealand and Australia celebrate it on the first Sunday of September. Russia doesn't celebrate the event on a Sunday instead the celebrate it on February 23 every year. China also has a specific date for Father's Day, which is August 8. Iran and Germany have no specific date for celebrating Father's Day instead they celebrate it based on certain events. Iran follows the Islamic calendar, so they celebrate it on 13 Rajab, while Germany uses Ascension Day, which comes from the Bible, to decide what date they are celebrating the event.

No matter what day you celebrate the event or what language you use to tell your father Happy Father's Day celebrating Father's Day is all the same. The day is set aside to show our father's how much we love and respect them for everything that they have done for us.

Gwen Addison is an avid writer and greeting card sender. She highly recommends sending your dad a personalized Father's Day Card with easy-to-use greeting card software.

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Christmas and Ascension

The energy of this Christmas season has been interesting. Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love the lights and displays that everyone decorates with, the music and the love that people express at this time of year.

This Christmas is entirely different. Though people seem to be decorating more this year than in past years, the enjoyment of it is not there. The stores have very little in them and I have not heard one person wish anyone a 'Happy Holiday'.

I love window shopping, just walking around looking at what is available. This year, window shopping is very depressing. I walk around the stores and feel such sadness and depression. When I first experienced this, I thought it was because this is our first Christmas without Samantha. But, I soon realized that this was not it. I was feeling the energy that was being left in the stores by other shoppers.

People are so sad and depressed this Christmas. We are finding no joy in the Holidays this year. I have been meditating on this and realize why this is so.

Christmas is a very third dimensional Holiday. It is extremely stressful. People put lots of stress on themselves to find the perfect, most expensive present possible. They spend time with family that they usually avoid most of the year. They max out their credit cards and eat until they are miserable. This is all very unspiritual.

Humanity is now moving into the fourth and fifth dimensions. There is no place in these higher dimensions for materialism such as Christmas represents. These higher dimensions are places of Love and Peace. Our third dimensional Christmas does not represent either of those qualities. We must move past the materialism and into a more spiritual based honoring of this Holiday Season.

The Christmas Season occurs at the time of the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. It is the time when the Earth is about to be reborn and the days become longer. It is a time of letting go of the old and beginning anew. This is the time of new beginnings, a New Year when we can create a New Reality.

These are the concepts of the Holiday Season that we will be celebrating in the higher dimensions. These are the more spiritual qualities that we will be embracing during the holidays in years to come.

So, take some of the stress off of yourself this Holiday Season. Step out of the third dimensional Holiday Season and into the fifth dimensional Holiday Season. Let go of the stress and disappointment you have experienced in 2006 and move into 2007 with a heart filled with Hope for the future, Joy to be alive, and Peace on Earth.

Rev. Claudia McNeely DD - http://www.askclaudia.com - is a world renowned Psychic/Healer who offers accurate psychic readings, emotional healing, spiritual counseling, life coaching and many forms of alternative healing for healing in body, mind and spirit.

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Christmas Traditions with origins in the Civil War era

These days we read so many articles detailing the origins of various Christmas traditions - the placement of a ornamental tree inside the home, egg nog and other culinary delights, and the Christian adoption of the season to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many would be surprised to know, however, that a number of seasonal traditions actually have their origins in the Civil War era.

During this tumultuous time of brother against brother, the holidays were still celebrated (mainly in the South) with the hope of a swift conclusion to the conflicts that divided our nation for many years. It is said, too, that the states were split on the issue of celebrating the holiday as much as they were on subjects that led to the war in the first place. Being that the nation was young, this generation grew from a Puritan time where celebrating Christmas was considered sinful, due to the roots of many traditions being steeped in paganism that the early Christians sought to suppress. It wasn't until the early nineteenth century when US states finally legalized the holiday - the first three being Alabama, Lousiana, and Arkansas.

These days, we might catch a glimpse of traditions we observe now in the Christmas scenes in Gone With the Wind and other movies depicting the time. They, however, only tell part of a story. Here follows just a short list of Christmas mainstays and traditions that evolved from this time in history.

Santa Claus

While the legend of Santa Claus has its roots in a much earlier time - reaching as far as the origins of Christianity itself - it is the modern depiction of this jolliest of elves that saw its creation in the mid-nineteenth century with Thomas Nast. Nast, a widely-known cartoonist of the day (arguably credited with being the father of the modern-day political cartoon), created the visage of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly around 1863. The billowing white beard, nose like a cherry, and wide-girthed figure bearing a sack full of toys soon became synonymous with the secular aspects of the holiday. These days, contemporary depictions of St. Nick do not stray from Nast's original vision.

Christmas Carols

Did you know that many of the songs we sing during this joyous occasion had originally been written during the darkest time of our nation's history? Indeed, one could argue that some Christmas carols are actually the forerunners of the modern day protest song, as some carols penned in this time were actually thinly veiled commentary on the war. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," written by minister Edmund Sears, touches upon the desire for peace during this time, while Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" contains strong anti-war sentiment. Of course, one likely doesn't sense this because the more blatant verses of Longfellow's poem are omitted in the traditional carol we sing today. By contrast, Phillips Brooks' "O Little Town of Bethelem" touches on the hope for peace in the aftermath of conflict.

Care Packages

While the troops were out to war, it was not uncommon for a soldier to receive gifts while at battle. Barrels of food and drink, warm clothing, and trinkets from home were especially prized and brought a modicum of cheer to an otherwise dismal situation. One could easily liken these gestures to traditions we hold today in sending care packages to our men and women overseas.

From the songs we sing to the icons we identify, one would be surprised to know how the Civil War influenced our contemporary observance of the Christmas season.

Kathryn Lively is The Write SEO [http://www.thewriteseo.com], providing freelance content and marketing assistance for websites like GoStaffordVA.com, the official site of Stafford County tourism, preserving Civil War history for visitors. She works for CINIVA Systems, Virginia Web Design.

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First Manassas - The Civil War's First major Land Battle

On July 16, 1861, General Irvin McDowell's Federal army, 35,000 strong, marched proudly out of Washington, heading for a confrontation with the Confederate army at Manassas, Virginia, a key railroad junction. The talk had all been confident that the Federals would defeat the South easily. After all, the Philippi Races had shown the Confederates to be untrained and weak.

No one wanted to hear the naysayers, those who cautioned that the Northern army, too, was untrained and unready. The prospect of preparing for a long war was rejected, and those who, perhaps, knew better were shunted to the back of the cheering throngs. Even President Abraham Lincoln had commented, "You are green, it is true, but they are green also; you are both green alike."

The summer sun shone down hot on that July day, and a holiday mood was in the sultry air. Behind the ranks of troops, the citizens of the city decided to drive out to the country in their buggies and watch the exciting battle that was about to take place.

McDowell's troops only covered twenty miles in two days due to the heat, the long baggage trains lumbering along behind, the inexperience of the soldiers, and the ungainly size of the army. On the afternoon of July 18, the army approached a little river called Bull Run. On the opposite side, General Pierre Beauregard waited with his 22,000 Southern troops, entrenched along an eight mile long line. Beauregard had known the Federals were coming, and he knew something the Federal command did not know: not far away, in the Shenandoah Valley, General Joseph Johnston and his 9,000 soldiers were on the march to Manassas.

The Federal officers then made their fatal mistake-they delayed their attack in order to rest their troops. By the time their troops were in position, it was too late. Joe Johnston's regiments had arrived by the Manassas Gap Railroad. When McDowell made his attack on July 21, he was now facing 31,000 grim Confederate soldiers.

The sound of Northern guns, pounding the Confederate positions, began while it was still dark. The battle had begun in earnest, and at first it seemed as if the Federals would easily take the day. The Southern army was being pushed from one position to another.

One brigade, from Virginia, as indicated by the regimental flag, stood firm behind an officer sitting still on a tall black horse. Another Southern officer pointed with his sword, crying, "There is Jackson, standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!" His men turned again to the battle. Brigadier General Thomas Jackson's own brigade, later known as the "Stonewall Brigade," was in the center of the fighting. Jackson's men were giving voice to loud, ululating howls that would become known as the rebel yell.

The battle continued into the afternoon, as both armies struggled to control Henry House Hill. A unit of Southern soldiers approached the Northern batteries. They wore blue uniforms, and the artillery troops thought them to be Northerners. The Southerners captured the batteries. The guns fell silent, giving the Confederates the opportunity to charge. In addition, new, fresh Southern soldiers arrived from the trains, and the Northern attack collapsed.

General McDowell gave the order to withdraw, but the greenness of his army was now exposed. They moved, however, without panic until they crossed Bull Run and crashed headlong into the Washington spectators. Carriages blocked the road and bridges, and troops and civilians tangled with each other. Soldiers threw down their arms and struggled to get through the mess.

The Northerners expected the Confederates to chase them down. The Rebels, however, were exhausted and scattered as well. Their officers were unable to form a charge against the retreating Yankees, and the battle wound down. There would be no more fighting for days to come as both sides licked their wounds.

In Washington, as well as the rest of the North, the population was stunned. Their proud army, which had so recently paraded through the city streets, had been soundly defeated. The victory celebration-already planned-would not be needed. The quick victory that would have decided the war did not occur. Citizens and government alike took a sober assessment of the future and realized that the war was going to be long, hard, and bloody. The casualties on the Northern side were 2,896 men, killed, wounded, and missing; numbers that seemed high-at the time.

Although the South had lost 1,982, their view of this first major battle of the war was completely different. They had defeated an army of superior size and proved that one Rebel could beat ten Yankees. Although the military knew that the war would not be easily won, Southern citizens went to bed on the night they heard the reports convinced that the war would be over soon. Like the citizens of Washington the day before the battle, they could not have been more mistaken.

First Manassas (or Bull Run) was the first major battle of the Civil War. It was apparent after this battle that the war would be long and costly. The 150th anniversary of this important event took place on July 21-24, 2011.

Donna Gruber Adair is a former teacher of high school English and creative writing, with a degree in history. Her short stories and poetry have won awards. Her new book, An American Odyssey, is available at Amazon.com in soft cover or for Kindle or at http://www.createspace.com/3618194.

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Alton Civil War Prison

Positioned near the intersection of William and Broadway can be found the remnants of the Alton's dark fleeting moment of glory. All that remains of Alton's previous Civil War penal complex is a small state marker and a few leftover bricks derive from the cellblocks of Illinois first Penitentiary.

No prison is a pleasurable location to take a vacation to even if that holiday is escaping from a war zone. As the Civil War waged on, this Union prison acquired a ghastly and lingering reputation as the death center for thousands of Confederate army soldiers taken as prisoner by the opposing Union forces. Their prison conditions were deplorable as the cells were nothing short of breeding grounds for anguish, disease and malnourishment. The pent up resentment felt by the conflicting forces produced unheard of acts of cruelty among the guards and the prisoners. This prison from its moment of activation endowed a series of horror accounts from those who came home afterwards.

Alton prison was a construction project like no other. It embodied the states first penitentiary and opened its doors to receive prisoners in 1833. The men who were incarcerated there would be forced to labor during the daylight in the local quarries while they were housed in their prison cells as nighttime approached. This unique structure was the only Penitentiary in America at the time was in existence for twenty seven years before finally closing its doors only to be revived into another life.

The first building of the penitentiary was concluded in 1833 and held 24 cells, however as further prisoners were incarcerated funds become available for expansion with additional cells. As of 1846 there were 96 cells added with more scheduled to follow. At the time of its closing the prison had grown to 256 cells. The actual size of its cells has been determined to be 4 feet wide and a little over 7 feet long. Most reports seem to indicate that there were three men in each of the cells. Even though the quantity of cells had been significantly augmented the prison was still extremely overcrowded and consisted of acutely unsanitary conditions. As the year 1841 was ushered in, Dorothea Dix's reform movement centered upon prisons as they targeted Alton for its unhealthy environment. Her group exposed a grim and horrific picture of rats and vermin while the prison population was continually plagued by various diseases. Although she proposed closing the facility in 1847, it remained open until 1860 when it was finally abandoned.

During the initial years of the Civil War the prison had been transformed into a military post. This demonstrates to be a beneficial advantage for the Army since it was located along the Missouri border making it accessible by river. The original military garrison to be stationed at the former prison consisted of several companies from the 13th U.S. Regulars who were at the time under the command of none other then General William T. Sherman with local troops commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sydney Burbank, a West Point graduate with seasoned infantryman experience. In December of 1861 an assignment was given to Lieutenant-Colonel James B. McPherson to scrutinize and provide his recommendations for the possible use of the facilities as a military detention center. The proposed numbers of prisoners were estimated at 1,750 with a final cost of the planned improvements amounting to $2,415. In February of 1862, the first prisoners arrived and the complex was placed under the authority of the 13th U.S. Infantry division with Burbank as the commanding officer. There were several Army units assigned to Alton upon the departure of the 13th Infantry. They were followed by the 77th Ohio Infantry, then the 37th Iowa Infantry, the 10th Kansas Infantry and finally the 144th Illinois Infantry. Of interest is the fact that the Illinois 144th was composed entirely of Alton area citizens.

The prison was constructed as a fortress style and made entirely of stone. The walls attained a height of 30 feet which were just about escape proof. Since the prisoners were maintained in solitary confinement in most prisons those in Alton had limited access to the prison yard where the latrines and drinking water was located. As a consequence of this limited freedom the public viewed the prison as extremely humanitarian for its time. Unfortunately for the prisoners, shortly after they had been relocated to Alton the water supply was found to be highly contaminated.

During the subsequent three years there were in excess of 12,000 Confederate soldiers incarcerated within the prison walls. Being a military detention center it still had a diverse populace with the majority of the prisoners naturally being Confederate soldiers. Common citizens were not above being detained within the confines as well. Several women have been listed for crimes relating to treasonable actions while it is known that two of them eventually dying while incarcerated in the prison. Other crimes which would initiate imprisonment are spying, making anti-Union comments, saboteurs, southern sympathizers or those aiding escaped Confederate soldiers. A third group of prisoners held at the penitentiary were the bushwhackers or Civil War guerrillas who were imprisoned by the Union government for acts such as bridge burning or vandalizing railroads.

The conditions found in the prison were exceptionally harsh and oppressive with the death rate at an above average level. Punishments were dealt out ruthlessly for any infraction and these penalties could range from a brutal beating to outward flogging. Being inmates were undernourished and disease ridden, the high temperatures of summer and the bitter cold of winter took a heavy toil on the lives of the prisoners at Alton prison.

It was not unusual for outbreaks of serious consequences to occur. Pneumonia, dysentery, smallpox and rubella were continually taking its share of the prisoners, while scurvy, fever and malnutrition plagued the prisoners on a continual basis. The inmates suffered greatly from a lack of clean clothing, edible food, fresh water and proper medical care. It was the dreaded smallpox which averaged 6 to 10 deaths daily resulting in prisoners being sent to the quarantine hospital on a Mississippi River island once known as Sunflower Island and later changed to Smallpox Island. The island is now hidden underwater but previously one can find the graves of 300 Union officers and their prisoners who died of smallpox infections.

The death toll for Alton Prison is estimated at 1500 to 2200 Confederate soldiers. The nearby Confederate Soldiers Cemetery in Alton was never properly tended to and as a result most of the graves are unidentifiable.

On July 7th of 1865 the prison closed its doors as the last of its inmates were released. The building was eventually torn down and the land reclaimed as a city park. Stones from the buildings within the prison walls ended up in structures located around the Alton area.

Copyright @2010 Joseph Parish
http://www.survival-training.info

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Arlington Attractions - Robert E. Lee Memorial House

Arlington County is a part of the Virginia state and is located directly across the Potomac River in the proximity of Washington D.C.They are connected to each other with several highway and railroad bridges and also one tunnel beneath the river.

Arlington is a meeting place for history and fun.The history of this city is closely linked with that of Washington.It was part of the original Federal City designed by Pierre L'Enfant.It is many a time said that Arlington is either the "Biggest Small Town" or the "Smallest Big City", which ever way you perceive it to be.

The neighborhoods are fondly called the Urban Villages and include a mix of high-rise structures and the turn of the century homes.There are also high-end shopping malls and exclusive boutiques, best places to enjoy fine dining and lots of fun places to visit and cherish.

Arlington has 11 Metro shops and pedestrian friendly neighborhoods which makes cars a distant option.Visitors can access any place in Arlington with the minimum of hassle and saving up on time.

There are plenty of hotels and motels in the city which provide the best amenities and a world class service.Most of these lodging options are located near the major city attractions.

There are plenty of places worth visiting in Arlington.Some of these exude a historical solace while others showcase the more modern events in the country.Some of the most prominent attractions in Arlington include The Arlington National Cemetery, The Robert E.Lee Memorial, Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), The Air Force Memorial, and the most famous The Pentagon (US Department of the State).

The Robert E.Lee Memorial: Arlington House was built by George Washington Parke Custis and his slaves between 1802 and 1818.It was later converted into a National Memorial and named after its last resident General Robert E.Lee whose wife Mary Custis had inherited it from her great grandfather George Washington.The Lees raised seven of their children in this home.Over the years it has served many purposes from being a home to the Head Quarters of the Union Soldiers.It was meant to be a monument dedicated to George Washington and also housed the community for the emancipated slaves.The area surrounding the house is now part of the National Cemetery.

The memorial is furnished as it was when the Lee family resided here.
Arlington National Cemetery: This is one of the most significant landmarks of the Arlington County.The cemetery is a shrine dedicated to the thousands of men and women who have given up their lives for the country since the Civil Wars.It is within walking distance of the Arlington Cemetery Metro Station.

The cemetery is spread over an area of over 612 acres and is the resting place for more than 200,000 veterans and their dependents of every bloody conflict that the US has faced till date.The site also has the eternal Flame at the gravesite of John F.Kennedy and his wife.

The Pentagon: This is the Headquarters of the Department of Defense of the United States and is considered to be a virtual powerhouse of activities.It is one of the largest office buildings in the world.The premises are a virtual city with 23,000 employees, both services and civilian, engaged in formulating plans and techniques for the security and defense of the country.

The Pentagon was built in the era of the World War II.This feat was actually achieved within a short span of 16 months and the formal completion was over by January 15, 1943.
Given such historical attractions in the city, Arlington is bound to be one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the country.

For more information on Cheap Arlington Hotels [http://www.arlington-hotels.net/] and Cheap Hotel Rate [http://www.arlington-hotels.net/] please visit our website.

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REAP Your Own Happiness

One of my favorite expressions is that "you reap what you sow". While I often hear it used negatively by someone who expects some "chickens to come home to roost" I prefer to think of it as something positive. How comforting to think that all our hard work and toil will be rewarded with a crop of something good? How wonderful to think that putting love and care into some project or person will indeed be rewarded.

Of course, while most Americans give lip service to the notion of our right to pursue happiness all too many people do not really believe it applies to them. Many people simply believe they don't deserve happiness. And even those few who do believe it seem to accept unhappiness as simple bad luck.

Every person does indeed deserve happiness and what is more happiness is contagious. The more happy people there are around then even more people will find happiness. We owe it ourselves to work on our own happiness and we owe it to society as well. Our own happiness will help others and inspire others to find happiness. If we are unhappy then we are likely making others unhappy as well (even if unintentionally) and it is extremely unlikely we are doing much to contribute to the happiness of others.

So how do you become a happy person? You simply REAP your own happiness. But how? Take these four simple steps:

Step one -- Ready Yourself For Happiness

You can accomplish this step by first determining that you want to be happy. Part of being happy is wanting to be happy. Once you have committed yourself to the course of finding happiness for yourself then you must rid yourself of the notion that happiness is luck or based on possessions or persons. No thing and no one can make you happy. Happiness comes from within yourself.

Step two -- Envision Yourself As Happy

Every day when you first wake up and at various points during the day spend some time envisioning yourself as a happy person. Picture yourself laughing, smiling, relaxing. Imagine yourself as happy. The more you can fix this image of yourself as happy in your mind then the easier it will be for you to truly become happy.

Step three -- Assume You Will Be Happy

Many people tend to assume that they will spend much of their lives either unhappy or at least not really happy. However we have all seen those people who do seem to be genuinely happy with their lives. They smile frequently, laugh often, and seem to be in good humor most of the time. Yet this is not because they are richer or more successful. Sometimes these people were just born with the good fortune to have an optimistic outlook that life has not yet knocked out of them, but often these people have simply chosen that they will be happy and they recognize that there is always something about their lives that makes them happy. You know this is true of yourself as well. Concentrate on the areas of your life that give you happiness whenever you feel unhappiness seeping in and no matter what assume that you will be, you can be, a happy person.

Step four -- Pursue Your Happiness

Happiness is rarely a wonderful accident of fate. Happiness is rarely found by accident. While you may find happiness in unexpected places you must first open yourself to the possibility of happiness and prepare yourself to accept it when you find it. Some people are so miserable that they step right around happiness when they encounter. Don't let this happen to you. What is more, don't simply sit at home waiting for happiness to come knocking on your door. Go out and live life. Think about what currently makes you happy and spend time in those activities and think about what might make you happy and spend time experimenting. The more time you spend actively living your life then the more likely that you will also lead a happy life.

Remember, you deserve a happy life and you can lead a happy life, but in the end you reap what you sow. If you are sowing happiness in your life then you will reap happiness as well.

Deanna Mascle shares more inspirational writings in her blog Words Of Inspiration at http://WordsOfInspirationOnline.info

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Happy First

What is it that we are so afraid of? Why won't we let go?

A shark cannot rest, it cannot stop swimming or it will die, it will drown.

Humanity seems to be acting in the same manner. It is though we are running for our lives. We are being chased and if we stop we will die.

There is an urgency to get somewhere, anywhere, and we do not know what to look for or where, but it is always out there, somewhere.

Unknowingly we have left the place that we are looking for. From the inner peace that we experienced so long ago as children and as the person we once were. We seem to have lost our way and are running just for the sake of running. It is as though we are in a cattle stampede. One starts running and we are following blindly.

What happened to the peace, the serenity and joy of just being, what happened to our innocence? Somewhere along the way we believe that we have lost it, and that we cannot have it again. Someone told us to run and we haven't stopped.

The industrial revolution has pushed us forward in a frenzy to acquire things, the latest is always best, always desirable and it is the carrot that moves us beyond our means, away from what we really desire.

It has taken us away from our natural ability to be at peace, to be happy and content. 'Things,' have promised us happiness, but we do not feel happy when we have them. There is always a promise of happiness but never delivery. Things may be symbols of our happiness but they do not bring the promise with them, because there is another thing dancing in the shadows, calling to us, beckoning, luring us from one thing to another.

We are so far gone that we now believe that we cannot be happy unless we have a thing. We have forgotten how to be happy naturally without being stimulated. We have been told that we cannot go backwards; we cannot go back to the way it was before because we would not have our things.

This is one of the greatest lies that have been passed on from one generation to another. Happiness is where you find it we are told, and this is absolute true if we understand that we can find happiness anywhere if we are happy first. The thought of being happy brings happiness into our lives. Happiness comes from within and is not put upon us by things.

Unhappiness is created from the thought that we need something to be happy and this unhappiness comes from the very things that we are depending on to bring us happiness.

If illness, accidents, sorrow, suffering, lack and loneliness comes from an error in thought, then only the thought has to be changed in order to achieve the happiness, and once our basic needs are met, there is only room for happiness. When thoughts turn towards wants then they turn away from comforting human emotion, natural love, joy, pleasure, contentment and belonging. The simpler life is the closest we get to true happiness, because we become focused on it, it is what we think about and all thought becomes manifested in our experience.

"I can't go back, I won't, I worked too hard to get where I am and what I have; I won't live in a cave.

If all we really want is to be happy, why would we not live in a cave and live simply if it brings us back to happy. If we are heading in a direction that leads away from happiness, why do we keep going there? Is it that we are happy to be unhappy or that happiness does not really exist except in our thoughts? Is it that we believe that happiness does not last, so why pursue it? What is it that we do with the butterfly once we catch it? Is the happiness found in catching the butterfly or letting it go once we have been there, or is it both? Can we experience happiness without experiencing all its opposites? Is the joy of letting go a precept in experiencing happiness once we have found it? Must we turn away from happiness so that we may find it later? If we are happy and remain that way, will we forget what it means to be happy?

All of our experiences are this way, they are cyclical, and we cannot know what we have or experience it until we no longer have it. We must move away from it so that we can come back to it. So if living our complicated lives is not bringing the happiness that we choose, is it because we forgot what it is or are we now ready to return to it?

Is it that we are running from something or is it that we are now running towards it? The trip will stop when we know that we already have what we desire, we simply need to choose it. Happiness, joy, fulfillment, belonging are things that we do not have to look for. They are what we are naturally and we simply have moved our thoughts away from them.

Our things, our toys are symbols, but they are not symbols of happiness, they are symbols of trying to be happy. They are symbols that we have moved away from what we already have, what we know. In trying to make our lives easier so that we have "time," to be happy and enjoy our lives we have created less time to be happy. Happy is scheduled for events and things and then we are too tired. To numb our loss of the sense of happiness we drug ourselves so that we don't have to feel anything.

The truth is and always has been that we can be happy without "things," or doing anything. The sacrifice is that we have to give up on the notion that we need anything and we must be prepared to give up things that do not demonstrate our happiness. Happiness comes as quickly as thinking about it. Be happy first then go out and do things that represent happy to you. Happiness comes in the silent moments between events, when there is nothing left to do, when we have given up on finding it, and when we have done everything else. When we have given up on the notion that we have to find it, it finds us.

I don't know anyone that is happy all the time or even most of the time. I think happiness must be dessert. We have to go through the main course to find it. If dessert was the main course we would still move away from it once we had finished or had enough of it.

I believe that we can be happy all the time, but not experience it. As we get involved in doing the happy things we forget that we are happy until it enters our mind that we are happy. Too much happiness or dessert becomes irritating and mundane, like sex, you got to move away from it in order to appreciate it and be grateful for the times that you are experiencing it.

An emotion that comes from happiness is contentment, which is not as intense. But even contentment as happiness must be recycled. Life without extremes is none life. Life moves in waves and begins on the edge of all our emotions. Once you hand gets used to being in warm water, it is no longer appreciated as warm until you pull it out.

Once we let go of the thought that we will not longer experience happiness, then we will have time to focus on simply experiencing this emotion and it will be drawn into our lives. We won't have to do things to find it. Stop running, move away from the crowd, simplify your life become aware of your environment, learn to appreciate what is already around you and happiness will enter your thoughts always. Find the beauty in the simple rock, a blade of grass, or the people around you. You have created them, they are your wonders, and you brought them to you as opportunities to experience happiness.

Roy E. Klienwachter is a resident of British Columbia, Canada. A student of NLP, an ordained minister, New Age Light Worker and Teacher. Roy has written and published seven ebooks on New Age wisdom and a new book coming out in late 2005 in paper form. Roy's books are thought provoking and designed to empower you to take responsibility for your life and what you create. His books and articles are written in the simplicity and eloquence of Zen wisdom.

You may not always agree with what he has to say. You will always come away with a new perspective and your thinking will never be the same. Roy's style is honest and comes straight from the heart without all the metaphorical mumble jumble and BS. For More articles visit our new Article directory at http://www.klienwachter.com/spiritadp/

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Pursuing Happiness And Happiness Habits

Exactly how do we pursue happiness? We know happiness is far more than just money, fame or power. There are lots of people who have all three who are not especially happy. What are the secrets to living a happy, spiritually successful life? Are there reliable road maps to the state of happiness?

If you want to live a happy life, study happy people. Observe what they do, understand why it works so well and then adopt their behaviors and beliefs. We can choose to pursue and cultivate habits and skills we know will lead to happy, spiritually successful lives.

This is the approach we used to develop "How To Live A Happy Life - 101 Ways To Be Happier." Here are secrets from the habitually happy people we studied and interviewed:

Cultivate a sense of fun and share it with everyone you meet. Habitually happy people truly try to have a good time all of the time. Critics cry, "Don't be silly, you can't expect to have a good time all of the time!" Habitually Happy people reply, "I can!" Or, "with an attitude like that you will never be really Up or happy!"

Exercise your freedom to choose happiness. Decide who you want to be, what sort of person you want to become. Define yourself as a happy, spiritually successful person. Let that goal become a sort of role that is real and authentic for you. Try to be your best, spiritually successful self all of the time. If we don't consciously decide what sort of person we want to be, our environment and experiences define our identity and our destiny for us.

Rebel against people or situations that try to drag your spirits down. Don't hand control of your thoughts, actions, feelings and well-being over to annoying people or outside circumstances that can rob your happiness. Cultivate an indomitably strong, independent, positive good spirit.

Choose emotional independence. Decide how you want to think and feel. There's no rule that says just because something bad happens, you have to feel sad. Remember, you must be at your best to do your best. Choose actions and attitudes that help you to succeed and be happy.

Make Goodness a Guiding Goal. We are amazed how truly happy genuinely good people are. "Goodness for goodness sake," one said. Habitually happy people are extraordinarily kind, caring and compassionate. The Dutch proverb "Happy people are never wicked" was proven by our research.

Give freely and without strings attached. Habitually happy people are genuinely altruistic, they do good for the joy of doing good. They give without strings attached, they do not give just in order to get. Goodness is it's own reward. They rarely pass up an opportunity to be kind when it costs them or risks them little.

Don't be a people pleaser. Enjoy sharing joy and making other people happy, but don't depend on other people's approval to be happy yourself. Feel good by knowing and appreciating your achievements and all the things you do well.

Take care of yourself, value yourself. Habitually happy people value their time, their talents and their resources. They continually seek to develop themselves, strengthen their skills and gain a greater understanding of the world and the people around them. They value other people's time and resources as much as they value their own.

Be adventuresome. Habitually happy people continually explore, try new things and do new things to stay fresh and to continually experience difference and change. It helps them grow and maintain their enthusiasm and positive spirits. One commented, "I get bored with the same old stuff, I want each day to be new, different, something special." They try to make each day special.

Don't beat yourself up. Habitually happy people move from problems to solutions quickly. They know time spent dwelling on problems tends to reinforce mistakes they want to avoid. They don't condemn themselves for errors. They channel their angst over mistakes toward finding solutions or rectifying problems. They do not intentionally hurt themselves.

Avoid The Fault Finding Feel Goods - Criticism, blame, ridicule, bigotry, all falsely elevate our sense of power and self worth by finding fault with something else. These feel goods are fed by a negative focus. You cannot be truly happy by continually finding fault, focusing on what's wrong, judging or criticizing. Habitually happy people don't complain and they avoid people who do.

Have high integrity and live according to your values. When you live by the highest and best values you can feel confident that, even if you stumble, you have done YOUR best. Few things are worse than compromising your integrity and then failing too. Habitually happy people cherish good values and they live by them. They know happiness only comes with a clear conscience.

Love is an active verb. Love is an action, it is something we decide to do. It is an emotion we can choose to feel and to project and share with others. Love can be expressed in everything we do. It's not just something that happens to us. Love propels happiness. The more we love, the happier we become.

Don't be a snob, value everyone. Happy people don't have to feel better than others in order to feel good about themselves. They try to find something of interest and value in everyone they meet. They try to touch each person they meet with a smile and a bright, positive spirit.

Continually celebrate success. Habitually happy people continually celebrate success, their own and other people's successes. This fuels everyone's positive energy, confidence, desire to do well and propels people to achieve more. Celebrating success provides positive role models.

Michele Moore authors the Happiness Blog http://HappinessBlog.com, serves as CEO of Happiness Habit, Inc. and recently released "How To Live A Happy Life - 101 Ways To Be Happier" which is available at bookstores near you and on Amazon.com

She is author of "Sound Like A Million - Super Charge You Career in 60 Minutes" and a line of Magnetic Voice programs available through http://MagneticVoice.com

Michele holds an MBA in Finance and enjoyed twenty happy years in corporate consulting and effectiveness engineering. She writes and speaks extensively about happiness, spiritual success and workplace well-being from her offices in Atlanta.

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Summer in December: Convert your car into an electric car

Summer in December: Convert your car into an electric car:
With petrol becoming more and more expensive and no respite in sight many drivers are looking for someothing else. Is a hybrid or electric c...

Why Not Take The Happiness Quiz And Discover The Real Meaning Of Happiness

Why not take the following short quiz to determine where in your life you could find more rewarding and lasting happiness. The one common denominator in every human is the desire for happiness. One of the most sought after traits is happiness. So, either you are happy most of the time with all aspects of your life or, you would like to be happier more often somewhere in your life. This quiz will help you self-discover; what happiness is for you, why you have it, why you are not happy, what it will take for you to be happy, or who or what you feel is responsible for your happiness. I recommend you make a copy of the quiz before you complete it. You might want to share it with a friend, relative or fellow employee. Please give me a call if you would like the answers to this quiz.

Other quizzes are also available on the following topics: Customer Service ¤ Relationships ¤ Sales
¤ Management ¤ Success ¤ Motivation

See the end of this quiz for quiz answers.

1. Happiness is:________________________________________________________________

2. Happiness is not:_____________________________________________________________

3. Who is responsible for your happiness:___________________________________________

4. Who is not responsible for your happiness:________________________________________

5. It is possible to be happy all of the time. True/False.

6. Happiness is: inside-out - outside-in.

7. If you had more:___________________________________________ you could be happier.

8. When you:___________________________________________________you will be happy.

9. Stuff can make you happy. True/False.

10. Happiness is: more, bigger, better. True/False.

11. Most people are reasonably happy most of the time. True/False

12. You will be happy when:_____________________________________________________

13. If you are successful, you will be happy. True/False.

14. If you have your health, you will be happy. True/False.

15. __________________________________________is getting in the way of your happiness.

16. Hanging on to old emotional baggage prevents happiness. True/False.

17. People who are happy smile a lot. True/False.

18. Living in the present moment is not important to be happy. True/False.

19. Happiness is easy to achieve. True/False.

20. One of the biggest things missing in people's lives who are not happy is:

_____________________________________________________________________________

21. Other people can make you unhappy: True/False.

22. Un-managed stress is a cause of unhappiness. True/False.

23. People who are happy have no regrets: True/False.

24. Happy people always want more of something: True/False.

25. Unhappy people are never satisfied with:_________________________________________

26. Happy people see other's as teachers: True/False.

27. Unhappy people tend to see themselves as:_______________________________________

28. One of the most important things to do to find lasting happiness is:

_____________________________________________________________________________

29. Most people take themselves too seriously: True/False.

30. Happy people have just as many problems as unhappy people: True/False.

31. The power of choice contributes to a person's happiness because:

_____________________________________________________________________________

32. Happy people lead with their head and let their heart follow: True/False.

33. Unhappy people would rather be right than happy: True/False.

34. Accepting differences in others is not important to your happiness: True/False.

35. Happy people are always doing, going, learning: True/False.

36. A lack of patience is a sign of:_________________________________________________

37. Happy people have more fun in life than unhappy people: True/False.

38. Unhappy people believe that other people need to be fixed in some way: True/False.

39. Happy people are interested in others and listen to them: True/False.

40. Something is always missing in the: happy person - unhappy person.

41. Unhappy people tend to:______________________ in life.

42. Happy people are always:_____________________________________________________

43. Unhappy people never:_______________________________________________________

44. Self-disclosure is a trait of:_____________________________people.

45. A lack of forgivenes is a trait of many unhappy people. True/False.

46. Happy people live for:________________________________

47. Unhappy people live for:______________________________

48. You know someone who would benefit from taking this quiz. True/False

49. You learned what as a result of this quiz:_________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

50. You are happy you finished this quiz: True/False

SCORING

50 correct answers..........You should be giving the quiz.
45-50 correct answers..........You are happy with most of your life.

40-45 correct answers..........You have it together unless you lied about some of your answers.

35-40 correct answers...........Read my book: The Road to Happiness. It will help you.

25-30 correct answers...........You live in fantasy-land most of the time. Get a life.

25 or less correct answers......You have really big problems. Get into therapy.

Correct Answers: Happiness Quiz

Keep in mind that the answers to several of the questions are subjective. In many cases there is no right or wrong answer only - a best or better answer. This quiz is not designed to give you an in-depth explanation for each answer but rather to stimulate your thinking. With this in mind let's take a look at what I believe - are some of the vital issues in the area of happiness.

1. Up to you.

2. Possessions, your address, success, power, fame, good looks, up to other people.

3. You are.

4. Anyone else.

5. True.

6. Inside-out.

7. You fill in the blank.

8. Again you fill in the answer.

9. False.

10. False.

11. False.

12. Your turn.

13. False.

14. False.

15. Your turn.

16. True.

17. True.

18. False.

19. True.

20. The willingness to take the responsibility for their life and happiness.

21. False.

22. True.

23. False.

24. False.

25. Anything.

26. True.

27. Victims.

28. Take responsibility for your happiness.

29. True.

30. True.

31. They get to chose their outcomes, attitudes, happiness.

32. False.

33. True.

34. False.

35. False.

36. A lack of trust, faith.

37. True.

38. True.

39. True.

40. Unhappy person.

41. Complain a lot.

42. Interested in others, listening, concerned.

43. Take responsibility for their station, position, circumstances.

44. Happy.

45. True.

46. The present moment.

47. Yesterday, tomorrow, always.

48. Up to you.

49. Up to you.

50. Up to you.

Tim Connor, CSP is an internationally renowned sales, relationship, management and leadership speaker, trainer and best selling author. Since 1981 he has given over 3500 presentations in 21 countries on a variety of sales, management and relationship topics. He is the best selling author of over 60 books including; He can be reached at tim@timconnor.com, 704-895-1230 or visit his website athttp://www.timconnor.com.

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