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The Function of Philosophy
All rights reserved
This s a self-contained section to the Epilogue of my book titled The Mystery of Mind
Copyrighted and published in the United States.
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In the simplest of terms, human knowledge comes in two forms: description of facts, and theories about them. Description tells us what happened, theories explain how or why they happened. More importantly, they also purport to tell us what will probably happen. In other words, the purpose of explaining is to make intelligible sense of occurrences that description alone is not able to provide. This is usually done by generalizing and projecting on the basis of what is known. It is to guess and conceptualize as to what may exist in the unknown. This explanatory procedure is true of religion as it is of science. Religion conceptualizes the existence of souls and other spiritual beings such as ghosts, deities, devils, angels, if not also fairies and so on to account for experiences that are either too boring or difficult to understand. Science conceptualizes the existence of ether, atoms, material forces, laws of nature, space-time, force-fields, dark-matter, anti-matter, black holes, strange attractors and so on for purpose of understanding the observed workings of the physical world.

In the very basic sense of the word, to philosophize is also to explain. By the light of its founding practitioners, the basic business of philosophy is to determine what exist and the relation between the natures of such existents. These two core enterprises are traditionally known as ontology and metaphysics. Thus, as other kinds of theories, a philosophical theory must also depend on conceptualizations in order to explain. Such conceptualizations are usually erected on the basis of two things: presuppositions and basic concepts or categories as they are professionally called. To believe that anything material must be cognitively inert is a fundamental presupposition of dualism. That everyone must take a soul to have a mind is another. These are in contradistinction to the materialist and scientific presupposition that the physical causal system is closed, and that material power and agency is all there are. Of basic concepts, these include such notions as existence (or being) and nothingness, facts and possibility, matter and mind, body and soul, act and object, substance and form, actuality and possibility, attribute and substance, accident and essence, function and structure, and so on and so forth. Between presuppositions and basic concepts, they provide various ways of mapping and relating many of the diverse features of what is known as human reality. However, across the span of centuries, different philosophers have found different ways of conceptualization to be intelligible, resulting in the proliferation of different philosophical styles and perspectives. In this sense, it can be said that every philosophical theory is in the ultimate analysis a consequence of the presuppositions and categories that its owner intends to grind.

For this reason, many philosophical controversies are about differences in conceptualization rather than disagreements about facts. They are, in the final analysis, controversies about the explanatory efficacy of certain concepts and presuppositions upon which the same set of phenomena or facts and events are to be explained. Many times, the gut source of these disagreements are so ingrained that no arguments on the basis of facts are able to settle. This is also why no one philosophical perspective is acceptable to all. Having said that, it must also be pointed out that even in the realm of science, explanation is also a matter of degree, and major disagreements also exist. Besides, the diversity and complexity of phenomena in any knowledge area that has to be tackled is simply too complicated for any one theory to satisfy on a permanent basis. For this reason, theories are often not valued in terms of being true or false. They could only be described as adequate or inadequate, probable or improbable, in the light of what is already known.

There are two general requirements that any adequate theory must attempt to meet. They are comprehensiveness and coherence. Comprehensiveness requires that all known facts must be taken into account. Coherence requires that such accounts should be systematically consistent. But given the progressive character of human knowledge, these are tall orders that no theory is likely to fulfill on a permanent basis. What is considered adequate is always relative to the knowledge context and intellectual climate of the time. Any theory that falls short in any of these respects will sooner rather than later be relegated. The history of thought is littered with many once considered the most comprehensive and coherent of explanations. This is true of philosophy as it is of science. History has shown that in the shifting sand of knowledge and interpretation, even a relatively adequate theory of human reality is difficult to come by. This is why there have not been many who are able to dictate the course of theoretical thought for hundreds of years. And if history is any guide, even these must in the end also come to grief.

Looking back, it must be said that failure notwithstanding, the dominant philosophy of an era is representative of the metaphysical mentality of its time. It incorporates what the era deems to be matters of fact as well as what it does not really know. For this reason, evaluation of the past should always be accompanied by an appreciation for its knowledge and conceptual constraints. No generation should fall prey to the illusion that it has theorized or philosophized any better than its predecessors. Criticism from the benefit of hindsight alone is cheap. It is important to know where others were right and why they were right. It is just as important to understand where others had erred and why they had erred. What was it that made people reasoned the way they did? Given what they then knew and the conceptual bias they had, could they have thought otherwise? How could their theories be improved upon in the light of what we now know? To answer such questions is the basic function of philosophy. As understood by its ancient founders, philosophy means the love of wisdom. It is not only the desire to understand what is the case and how it is the case. It is also the desire to understand what is not the case, and why it could not possibly be the case. The former leads to knowledge, the latter to wisdom. A non-reflective life, as Socrates once said, is not worth living.

Author: Peter M.K. Chan
http://www.geocities.com/themysteryofmind

The strange neighborhood of truth is always less comfortable than the familiar circles of falsehood - PMKC.
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Author of book titled The Mystery of Mind - a systematic and critical introduction to the philosophy of mind.

Are we getting just old enough (and on so many medications)
That we don’t realize how down right irritable we can be?
Or, have we not realized just how unhappy we really are?

Upon first entering the workforce, I was in shock, and sometimes thoroughly angered, to discover the authoritarian, legalistic, generation of adults who (had controlled our every thought and being) didn’t even have their own act together!

Only then, these adults were deacons, Sunday School teachers, and the like … with a different code of ethics in the workplace. Evidently, all that lust and greed wasn’t the answer, because they still aren’t truly happy.

Now, my youngest is 19, with her first experience in the workforce, and she thoroughly loathes her job … not because of employers or even co-workers, but the customers. It isn’t just an occasional cranky old biddy. As she says, “Mom, it’s all of them!”

Customers make the same purchases, over and over, with the same gripes. She’s in the food business. So, there is pre-knowledge that food will taste the same, be wrapped the same way, customers will be charged the same … every time. My daughter questions, “If they really don’t like our product, why don’t they go somewhere else?”

Evidently, customers do like the product, as this store is a multi-million dollar business. Though, multitudes do appear unhappy, as retailers well know. Maybe we can keep it all neatly tucked, take it out on clerks and waitresses, none the wiser. Now, that’s a plan!

Why don’t we just admit it? “I am not happy. My life sucks! There isn’t a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There is no outside source or circumstance that will bring long term happiness.” (Happiness is not a position, situation, or standing that we or anyone else can create. It comes from within.)

Maybe, then, we would face the truth. Our methods don’t work. Not even religion brings lasting happiness. Only God can bring the kind of peace that passes all circumstances. And, to find it, perhaps we could begin considering He really does have the answers!

© 2003 by Joyce C. Lock

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 7:6-8

http://my.homewithgod.com/blessingsandlessons/
http://www.aspecialplace.net/ChristianityMadeSimple/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations-originalwritings/
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/heavenlyinspirations-intro.htm
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

In addition to being a published author and poet, Joyce C. Lock created the religion column, “Christianity Made Simple” for Peru Daily Tribune, continues to write inspirational articles for area newspapers, and shares further in online and e-mail ministries.

When you buy a diamond, how do you really know if it is real?

Of course, if you deal with a reputable jeweler who has a reputation to uphold, your chances are pretty good that you will get the real thing. But if you come across a deal from a relatively unknown source and it seems too good to be true - it just may be!

You might think a fake is a fake, but just like anything else there are different qualities of simulated diamonds. Some are very inexpensive and easy to spot. A cheap cubic zirconia ring in a plated setting will probably look nice for a while but will soon lose it’s luster and any jewelry would be able to tell right off the bat that it is not an expensive gem. That’s not to say that these are no good - on the contrary - you can buy a very nice ring for around $20.00 and have it look gorgeous to the causal observer. It might last a year if you take care of it and that’s not bad for the price!

Other simulated diamonds can be quite expensive. Some are very high quality and set in platinum or 14K rings. These will cost you, but not as much as a real diamond in the same setting. These rings will last a long time and are a good value if you want the look but don’t want to spend the money. Most jewelers can tell the difference between a real diamond and even these high quality look alikes, but a new method has been developed that creates a diamond in the lab which is of such high quality that most jewelers will not be able to distinguish it from a natural diamond. These diamonds that will soon hit the market place will set you back about half the cost of the same size of a natural diamond.

So how do you tell the difference?
Since you need specialized equipment and training, the average person cannot tell the difference between a real and simulated diamond, unless it is of terrible quality. The best way to protect yourself when buying diamonds is to buy from someone you trust. The other thing is to educate yourself about the 4 C’s of buying a diamond so you will know what to look for when you do go shopping.

These 4 C’s - color, clarity, cut and carat weight are what determine the value of the diamond. You may pay less for a large diamond that does not have good clarity, cut or color then you will for a smaller diamond of better clarity, cut and color but is it really worth it? The answer is mostly a matter of personal preference but if you deal with a jewelry you can trust, he or she can guide you as to the best value for the money whether you decide to buy a real or simulated diamond.

About the Author

Lee Dobbins is owner and editor of Artisan Jewelry Online where you can learn more about the 4c’s of buying a diamond.

Feel free to reprint and distribute this article as you like but please do not change the article and you must include the resource box with all it’s active links.

How would you like to prevent spyware and adware from getting into your computer? You need to stop adware and spyware before it gets into your files. That way you’re protecting your private information such as passwords, credit card numbers and other documents that you don’t want to share with anyone.

Spyware and adware removers are important because they clean your computer of malicious files. But the best thing you can do is prevent spyware from ever being installed in the first place. Here are four ways to help prevent spyware and adware from getting into your computer.

Keep Your Windows Software Updated

One of the best ways to prevent spyware and adware from getting into your computer is to keep your Windows operating system software updated. Microsoft Windows update addresses security fixes that are constantly updating so your computer won’t be vulnerable. Windows update is a free download from Microsoft at: http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

Use Computer Firewall Protection

One of the most effective ways to stop spyware and adware is the use of computer firewall protection. Computer firewalls put up barriers to keep any malicious programs from being downloaded without your knowledge when you are on the Internet.

Computer firewall protection monitors everything going in and out of your computer. This acts as a protective shield allowing good data through while blocking the bad data from entering your computer.

Most people don’t realize that if you use Windows XP it comes with a firewall that you can turn on or off. Microsoft’s site explains the step by step process to enable or disable Windows XP Firewall with a tutorial at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283673

Be Careful What You Download

Another good way to prevent spyware and adware from getting in your computer is being careful what you download from the Internet. There are a few types of software that are particularly notorious for including spyware and adware.

File-sharing programs used to trade music, free games, screen savers, and even smiley face packages have been a problem because many of them contain adware.

Be aware of any product that claims to be free because it is likely to contain spyware and adware. Many free programs usually generate revenue from pop up ads or can even hijack your browser to take you to web sites you did not request.

Here’s another tip to prevent spyware from being downloaded without your knowledge. When you close a window on the Internet never click on a box that says “agree” or “OK.” Instead, click on the “x” located in the upper right corner of the window. Some programs trick you into agreeing to download software that you have never seen when you click on these.

Install Spyware Protection Software

Spyware protection software is the easiest way to automatically remove and prevent spyware from infecting your computer. You may wonder why you would need to purchase spyware protection software if there are free spyware cleaners.

Free spyware cleaners are good programs to get rid of spyware viruses you already have on your computer now. But many spyware programs automatically reinstall themselves even after they are removed. For this reason free spyware cleaners are not a permanent solution to solve spyware and adware problems.

Spyware protection software is designed to find all hidden programs and disable them before they have a chance to work. It’s important that you get this software installed immediately on your computer.

Once you remove spyware and adware programs from your computer you’ll find it will run faster and your personal information will be much safer. These tips should give you some insight on how to stop spyware and adware in its tracks. Your security and peace of mind is worth spending a little time to prevent spyware and adware from getting into your computer and taking over.

Copyright © 2005 Spyware Information.com All Rights Reserved.

This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com where you will find free spyware cleaners, downloads, removal software and valuable tips. For regularly updated articles about adware, spyware and protection from identity theft go to http://spyware-information.com/articles_1.html

When selling your home, there’s so much to do and getting the highest selling price possible is probably the most important thing to be considered. Yes, there are a lot of things to think about but the bottom line is getting the most you can possibly get. Sometimes, your situation will dictate whether or not you can fully utilize the suggestions we’re going to cover in this article but understanding the what’s going on in the buyer’s mind will help you to get focused on what needs to be done first and what can wait until later.

The first thing you need to understand is the psychology of your potential buyers. These people, in their minds, are trying to size-up your house and how it will fit into their lives. They are trying to figure out if they will be happy having your house as their home.

A lot of people who look at your home will not like it. It’s usually the “un-changeable” things they don’t care for, like the floor-plan, the location, what school you’re zoned to, whether there’s a pool or not, if you have big trees or not, and so on, you get the picture. These are the things that can’t be changed and these people just don’t like them. Don’t worry, everyone’s different and you can’t change these things either.

There will, however, be plenty of people who love your “un-changeables”. For these people it will be the “changeable” things that convince them to actually make an offer or just keep looking. So, what are the things that will convince these potential buyers to fall in love with your house?

First, put yourself in one of these buyer’s shoes, this shouldn’t be hard because you were there once, when you bought YOUR house. This person is in a state of mind that can be compared to a fantasy, we’ll call it “buyer’s fantasy”. They come through your house trying to “see” what it would be like living there. In their mind’s eye, they “see” themselves always wearing a smile and laughing with their friends and family. They “see” themselves entertaining, relaxing, doing the things they love and loving the place they’re doing it.

Unapparent to them, all the things they “see” themselves doing leaves little time for cleaning, organizing, or home maintenance and repair. The last thing you want to do is take them out of their “buyer’s fantasy” by reminding them of the responsibilities that come with owning a house, especially THIS house. You want them to live in their “fantasy” the entire length of their visit, you even want them to remember the “fantasy” in such a way that they want to return and soon.

So, what to do you need to do set the “buyer’s fantasy” in motion? Here’s a short list.

First Impressions

Curb Appeal - The front outside of your house is the first thing the prospective buyer sees. It’s the beginning of his “buyer fantasy”. He sees his friends and family admiring him when they arrive at his front door. It had better be good, this will reflect on him.

Your house must, with an emphasis on must, look good from the moment he drives up with his realtor, in other words, from the car. First impressions are very important and the front of your home is the first thing the potential buyer sees. So, at minimum, make sure

the landscaping is maintained at all times

the lawn is mowed and edged

the grass is green

the hedges are neatly trimmed

the landscaping or flower beds are weed-free and mulched

seasonal color? - all the better

Obvious repairs need to be made.

make sure gutters are attached

shutters are attached

the doorbell works

screens have no tears

replace rotten wood

paint is in good shape, if not, paint or at least touch-up

If you normally park more than two cars in the driveway or on the street in front, see if you can find another place to park until the house is sold. Maybe a neighbor will help you out, or park one car in the garage.

What you want to do is feed the “buyer’s fantasy” that the lawn is always green, cut, and beautiful. You don’t want to remind him that he will have to do it. You want him to think there’s plenty of room for his cars even if he decides he needs another one. You certainly don’t want him to think about any minor repairs that will need to be done, so just do them yourself.

The Insides

First Things First - When a potential buyer steps into the house, it needs to smell clean. You don’t need or want to burn incense or candles, spray air fresheners, or have a Glade Plug-In going. It just needs to smell clean. You should try to eliminate cooking odors as quickly as possible after a meal is cooked and there should be no pet odors or cigarette smoke odors. Pet and smoking odors are one of the first things that will turn a potential buyer away. Even if they smoke and own pets themselves, they don’t want to buy another person’s odors.

Kitchen & Bathrooms - Once inside, the two rooms that go through the most scrutiny are the bathrooms and the kitchen. These rooms MUST be immaculately clean. They also must look like they have lots of room. To accomplish this:

clean thoroughly, especially the floors, toilets, sinks and tubs

be sure there is no mold or mildew to be found

check the grout in the tubs and sinks, it needs to be white - bleach it or re-grout if it’s necessary

clear your counter-tops as much as possible - in the bath, leave out only one decorative item, in the kitchen leave out only the necessary appliances, as few as possible

clear everything off the front and top of the fridge

put all cleansers and cleaning items out of sight

pack for moving some of the stuff in the cabinets, you only want them to be about 60%-70% full

put all personal items away, there should be no clutter, no bills or mail laying out, no personal items pinned to a bulletin board or attached to the fridge with a magnet

Remember, you want to continue the fantasy. The potential buyer should be able to imagine that when they move in, there will be plenty of space to grow. You don’t want to remind him that he’ll have to do any cleaning, seeing cleaning products is a reminder. The personal items? Do your best, it’s hard for the “buyer’s fantasy” to be fulfilled when your photos and personal items are everywhere, you want him to imagine “his” personal items in those spaces, having yours there makes it harder for his imagination.

Living Areas / Bedrooms

The rest of the house needs to follow the same rules as above.

everything needs to be clean

keep floors mopped and vacuumed

make all beds every morning

keep clutter out of sight

if you have a room that’s an odd color, paint it an off-white color. Light colors make rooms look bigger and off-white will go with every decorating scheme - the “buyer’s fantasy” doesn’t include any time for re-painting

if you have repairs to make, get them done

if carpets need to be cleaned, clean them

Making your space appear bigger is your goal, again, you want the “buyer fantasy” to continue. You want your house to appear so roomy that the buyer won’t be able to fill the space. Eliminating some of your furniture may help a room look bigger and packing away some of the stuff in your closets will help sell your house as one that has “lots of storage space”. Your goal should be for your closets to only be 50%-60% full.

Packing Tip

Here’s a tip to help you get your cabinets and closets down to 50% full - go ahead and start packing for your eventual move. Yeah, why not? Your goal is to sell your house, right? So you’ll be moving, right? Then go ahead and get some of it done and here’s a helpful tip to get you started and make unpacking in your new home easier as well.

Most people have stuff they

A. use every day

B. use sometimes

C. rarely use

Start by packing your “C” items in nice stackable boxes that aren’t too large so they’re easy to handle. Mark the side of the each box with where the stuff came from, i.e., the closet, which room it came from, i.e., Brittany’s Room, and put a BIG letter “C” on the side. Maybe even use some bright paper, like yellow or orange and tape it to the side with the letter written really big with a Magic Marker. Stack these boxes in the garage, people don’t much care how crowded the garage is, they just figure you’ve started packing. The “buyer’s fantasy” doesn’t put those items back into the house.

If that doesn’t get your closets and cabinets down to where you want them, then start packing your “B” items. If you use bright colored paper to mark your “Cs” and “Bs”, use one color for all your “Cs” and a different color for all your “Bs”.

When it’s time for you to move, you will then have to pack all your “A” items. Again, use yet a different color of paper. Now, when you get to your new home, you won’t have to unpack everything at once and you’ll know which boxes you’ll need immediately.

Hopefully your situation will allow you to use some of these strategies to help you get the most money from your home. But don’t let all this stuff stop you from getting your house on the market, don’t use all the things that need to be done as an excuse to not get going. Do what you can, get the house listed, start showing it and keep plugging away.

Good luck with the process!

About the Author

Reba Collins is a homeowner and work at home mom. Follow her journey to sell her home of 18 years at her blog ~ http://www.PuttingUpTheForSaleSign.com. Find out how she copes with all it takes to sell her home and whether or not she follows her own good advise. Also find links, reviews for products, services, contractors and more!

guide casino

Assuming that you are a newbie concerning betting hall risks and possibilities, be sure to read this…

Most commonly a gambling saloon is a structure that caters to games of chance. Aficionados are expected to game by operating coin operated machines or trying out alternative games. Betting house games generally have logically derived likelihoods built in which make sure the company reserves an edge versus the clientele.

Numerous betting room games can sway you into getting hooked very rapidly. A case in point is the vintage one armed bandit, a cash operated contraption with three drums that orbit when a handle latched onto it is manipulated. This appliance consistently compensates based on a string of motifs seen on the information screen of the gadget. Sadly, gambling house games furnish the fallacy of control, effectively conning the gambling aficionado — the participant is provided with choices, but in reality these can’t truly remove the client’s long-term odds. That is precipitated by the gaming establishment never refunding the full stake as hoped for. This tactic is repeatedly noticeable in popular casino games like five-card stud, dice games, roulette or blackjack.

Poker is undoubtedly an immensely trendy casino game. The gambling enthusiasts, holding fully covered hands, are betting into a principal pot that is given to the prevailing gamer sitting on the best hand. (As everybody knows, the shameless bluffing hand may actually win as well!)

Analogous to straight poker, blackjack too is an immensely trendy casino pastime. A considerable part of its appeal is grounded in the mix of luck and ingenuity & choice making, as well as a method called Card Counting. It is an approach in which gaming enthusiasts will switch the probabilities of the game for their own ends by both betting and tactical opetations established on the cards shown.

Craps is another well known gambling hall game utilizing the throw of two dice. Players bet on the outcome of of one roll, or on a succession of spins of 2 dice. In contrast to blackjack, there just isn’t any proven long term killer betting system players could utilize to improve the odds.

Roulette is another eminently popular casino game. A croupier twirls a roulette wheel holding a set of thirty-seven (classical roulette) or precisely thirtyeight (American or Vegas roulette) distinctively tagged places in which a ball will then settle, defining the winner and the related odds. When a player wagers on any given number and hits it meaning it’s their lucky day, the guaranteed repayment is going to be 35 to one, the original wager will be given back. Ergo in totality the bet itself is increased by thirty-six.

Make a point of being very very attentive all the same because such casino betting games may well be particularly addictive. Indeed an incredible number of lives are known to have been wasted by gambling + even if it can be fun, please do endeavour to control your play.

Though playing pokern online limits one’s ability to read a player based on physicality, there are many other methods of identifying the way they play. One of the most common that I’ve seen dependably at average stakes no limit games online is the ‘rock’ style players who are always at several tables at once, each often holding at least the max initial buy in, if not often having built their stack way up. These players, known often as rocks, for their tendency to play long slow sessions of poker in which they play tight aggressive and don’t make a lot of mistakes, are an example of the kind of player that you usually can count on to have a hand when they represent one.

These players are sitting at several tables at once to up their chances of seeing big hands. Though many of them are capable of making moves when needed, often they are folding the mediocre hands and misses and waiting to make the hand that pays them off. This is especially true of medium stakes games where the players may be looking to build a bank roll: they aren’t necessarily there to make risks.

Usually, when I find these poker players, I make a note of them to be cautious against, as they aren’t there to ‘fool around’. This is valuable information when trying to decide how to react, and can make all the difference in certain spots between a raise and a fold.

Polarized sunglasses may be a good idea for outdoor sports pioneers to get. If you are driving, you may want to consider purchasing polarized sunglasses. The reflection of the hood of your car when driving will not be a distraction if you purchase these particular sunglasses. Even if you are indoors or light-sensitive polarized lenses are great to have inside as well.

How do they work? That is a great question and you are just about to get the answer. The light that is reflected from the surface of whatever object you are looking at is horizontally polarized, this the name polarized sunglasses! Polarized lenses may react in an apposed way with LCD’s (which are also referred to as Liquid Crystal Displays).

If you are light-sensitive you may want to purchase a polarized photochromic lens. This particular kind of lens will change with the different type of lighting. For instance, if you are inside with dark lighting the lens will be a lighter shade, versus if you are outside it will change to darker when it is brighter.

Are you an outdoorsman? If so then the progressive lenses would be perfect for you. As you can see there are different options with polarized lenses. They are a safety for drivers and they have great looks and styles to choose from to fit your own personal need. Whether you are light sensitive, or just want to be outside, these lenses are perfect for those harmful sun rays. They do have prescription lenses available, just talk to your eye doctor and you can get everything set up!

Picking your personal sunglasses preferences can be very fun. Sunglasses shopping is always fun. Just bring someone along to do the shopping with to make it even more exciting! Make sure that you ask questions to the clerk about the sunglasses so that you can ensure that you are purchasing the right pair for you.

About the Author

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com. He provides more laser eye surgery, sunglasses and cheap contact lenses and other vision information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Remember the “Type A Personality”? First labeled because a cardiologist found all the front ends of the seats in his waiting room were worn. The “Type As,” so prone to heart attacks, couldn’t sit back and relax for even a second.

Over the years, in working with Type A personalities (and lately, those with “Achiever” on the StrengthsFinder(tm) profile) who want to get more balance in their lives, I’ve learned the ways of the Super Efficient who lack balance, sacrifice pleasure and esthetics for efficiency, and know how to churn it out.

Say what you will, their trains run on time!

If you need more time, try these things. If this becomes a lifestyle, get some coaching.

1. Fix your hair once and for all.

Cut it all off or let it grow long so you can slap it up, or wear it any length and accept it in the wash and dry mode. Eliminate makeup.

2. Buy efficient containers.

Type As will tell you how much time is “wasted” in getting into things. It takes less time to flip a cap on the shower wash than to unscrew it; less time to pull-tab the coffee can than to use a can opener; less time to zip and Velcro than to button; less time to open a new CD with a CD-opener than whatever other d*** thing you try. Leave the top off the lotion tube. It won’t dry out.

3. Eliminate needless decisions.

Fix your work wardrobe so it will work with one pair of shoes and one set of earrings. Have the same thing for breakfast every day. Make Saturday morning grocery shopping day. Wash the car every Sunday afternoon. No exceptions.

4. Focus on purpose and speed in daily maintenance regime and just get them done.

Awaiting an important phone call last week, which of course came when I stepped into the shower, I was out and clean - including hair - in time to catch it on the 4th ring. Why are you spending 20 minutes in there? Same soap, same scrub, I just didn’t enjoy it. P.S. Get good bath and shower mats so the rubber can hit the road at top speed. Then you can really go fast. And buy thick towels; it takes less time to dry yourself with a good towel.

5. Streamline your Search and Seizure Mission.

Spend this week cataloguing the things you’re always hunting for - and note how much time it takes. Then make a place for them and keep them there. i.e., get all the medicines in one place, get all the laundry supplies together, ALWAYS put your keys on the kitchen counter.

One Achiever I work with keeps all his clothes on shelves in the bedroom - no drawers to open, and he can see everything.

6. Use money to save time.

Having 2 school uniforms for your child means you must always be worried there isn’t a clean one, and you’ll be forced to wash at inconvenient times, sometimes just the uniform. What a waste! Go ahead and buy 5 uniforms. Heck, buy 7.

Another application: If you cook and bake, go ahead and buy tiny containers of every spice and herb known to [wo]man so you won’t have to go out and buy them one at a time when you need them. Or have to change recipes after you’ve already spent time deciding on the first one.

7. Quit wasting time on your food.

Another Type A-er doesn’t peel his carrots or remove the greenery and that and a can of easy-open tuna is his lunch. Every day. Another one brings two bananas - easy peel, not much chewing - and a box of raisins he eats in two fistfuls. Then it’s back to work, hi ho!

Work up 3 meals you know your family will eat that are quick and always have those ingredients on hand. In my house it was (1) homemade chili, (2) macaroni ‘n’ cheese with meat and (3) homemade stew. Ingredients required: frozen hamburger, stew beef, and pork chops; can, bag or frozen macaroni and cheese - frozen, of course, being the quicket; cans of tomatoes, beans and consommé, potatoes and carrots. Mindless. And while they “stew” you can build Rome!

8. Multitask

I wrote this Top Ten sitting in Jiffy Lube. Others were picking navel fuzz, complaining to friends on their cell phones about the long wait, making new friends, and reading mindless magazines. Other things to do at Jiffy Lube: make shopping and to-do lists, mark files for your secretary, write write your mother, analyze the Schleiffen Plan. Don’t just sit there!

9. Eliminate some pleasure and wandering in your daily life.

Biggest time wasters for me, because I love them so, are messing with e-mail and chasing rabbit trails on the Internet. Turn off the “You’ve got mail” sound and check your email just once a day. Resist all urges to open links and go exploring the wonderful and wacky world of the Internet. Label it “play” and assign it a time.

10. Get a maid

I don’t care what Flylady says, if I do it myself it never ends - it’s psychological. If I have the maid service it is all done at once, and it isn’t my responsibility. Even flour spilled on the kitchen floor can wait for a week if need be. Doing it all at once saves getting stuff out, mixing things, moving around. The freed energy alone - knowing it’s their job, not mine - makes me 10x as efficient.

© Susan Dunn, MA, cEQc, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . Bringing the power of EQ to your life through coaching, distance learning, eBooks, and Special Reports. Susan is the author of “How to Live Your Life with Emotional Intelligence” - http;//www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html . Want to become a certified EQ coach? Go here: http://www.eqcoach.net . Be certified in 3 months, no residence requirement.

Over the next few months, Gifts Unusual LLC, a Florida based online retailer, will be preparing to launch a line of limited edition, hand carved wooden oil warmers and tart burners and other decorative home decor products.

Currently the Company retails products widely available from many other retailers in the United States. The launch of the limited edition products is an effort to set itself apart from the competition, while offering a unique array of products, which will not be manufactured in bulk and will all be hand carved and signed by the artist.

A maximum quantity of 12 of each item will be produced, after which, production of those items will cease. It is hoped that the unique characteristics of these decorative products will make them highly collectible items as well as attractive home accents.

Initially the wood carvings will be available as tart burners and candle holders, and it is expected that eventually other hand carved wooden items will be added to the range of products.

The new line of products will be available in an enamel paint finish as well as polished natural wood.

It is expected that these products will start to become available toward the end of 2005.

About the Author

Herman Sequira
Owner/Manager - Gifts Unusual LLC
Contact 954-249-6499