If you’re like me you might have noticed the old bank account getting a bit lean over the past few months. The economic crisis is affecting everyone and it means that we’re all traveling less, not going to restaurants and generally staying at home in order to conserve every last nickel. It also means buying a gift for Mom this Mother’s day is a bit harder this year too.

I have a solution. Don’t buy her anything. Make her something instead. It’s far more personal and she’ll really appreciate the effort you have gone to. Here’s three great ideas that will cost you hardly anything and are sure to make your Mom very happy when May 10th comes around.

1.  Cook something amazing. It’s such a simple idea but works a treat every time. A great meal, some nice wine and good chat will make her day. If cooking isn’t your forte you might want to have a quick look here, here or here for some yummy recipe ideas.

2.  Make a handmade card. All it takes is some cardboard, glue, a pen and maybe a photo or two. Mom will love the personal touch, and you’ll have a lot of fun making it. Be creative and come up with something special. There’s a whole bunch of card and other crafty Mother’s Day ideas here.

3.  Record a CD for your Mom this Mother’s Day. You can use simple computer programs such as Voice Changer Software to create special remixes of your Mom’s favorite songs. Voice Changer Software is really good as you can use it to morph your voice to sound like any famous singer and sing over the top of any song. You can easily get a recording of Sir Paul McCartney, Tom Jones or Garth Brooks singing a personalized song for your mum. It’s a lot of fun and a makes a great gift for Mom that she’ll always remember.

So there you have it. 3 simple ideas that Mom will love and won’t break the bank. Hope you’re all doing OK out there.

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Halloween is a lot of fun, and you don’t have to have a party to enjoy all that the night has to offer. However, this is what many look forward to, and these parties do not have to be held on that night to have a lot of fun. Most like to have them the weekend before, as kids have school to think about, and adults want to know they are going to get up for work the next day without a raging headache. If you are having any type of party, you may want to find Great Halloween party ideas so that you are not having the same old party that everyone else is hosting.

The haunted house Halloween party ideas that are out there are pretty easy to go about at times, and though others may do them, your ideas are going to make your party unique. That is because everyone has a different idea of what they think is scary, a different budget with which to work, and also, different amounts of space. You can have one fully in the house, though you do have to think about clean up. You can also have one that goes out into your yard, or maybe in contained outside completely. Just be aware of the rain on your party.

You can also have game themed Halloween party ideas. You could look around for some good game ideas that capture the spirit of Halloween. This could be easy enough, but make sure you are aware of safety issues when you are get up with your ideas. Think about the age group, and then plan accordingly. For adults, these Halloween party ideas can be a bit more wide open than what you would do with children, but that does not mean kids ideas are not going to be a lot of fun for them, and for the adults that are in attendance.

Your Halloween party ideas do not have to be complicated. You can simply go with a theme through which people can come in a costume that matches that theme. You can focus on the neat food ideas that you can come up with for the party if you want. If you are having a party with close friends, Halloween party ideas got to be very easy to come up with. You know your friends well, and really close friends tend to wing it when they are together. Sometimes, that is the best way to go anyway.

How to turbo charge your brain, boost your creativity and generate creative ideas.       by Dennis Fisher.

Your brain is similar in many ways to a unique electric motor.  It interprets thousands of messages, electrical impulses sent by nerve cells in your body. In  the same way as an electric motor can be turbo charged by means of special techniques, your brain can also be boosted and stimulated. 

There are special ways to turbo charge your brain. Learn how to use these techniques. You’ll become much more imaginative and able to think far more creatively. Your mind will produce a continuous  stream of original, new ideas.

One of the most effective ways to turbo charge your brain is a technique you can learn from the bible.  The particular passage in Exodus 24.23 refers:

“For six days you will do your work, but on the seventh day you must not   work…..”

THE VALUE OF  COMPLETE REST FOR YOUR BODY AND YOUR MIND.

The value of rest to stimulate your brain in order to become creative cannot be overestimated.    By all means work as conscientiously as you can for six days of the week.  Brainstorm as much as you can; come up with original new ideas that will help you in your business or your profession.  But choose one day of the week to rest completely.  Do nothing at all that involves deep, concentrated thinking or the use of your brain.

Go for a long walk in the country. Admire and enjoy the scenery.   Sit by the side of a beautiful river or valley. Meditate.  Think of nothing at all.

 The next day you’ll find your mind is fresh.  You’ll see things more clearly in a different light and from a different perspective. Innovative solutions for difficult problems you were unable to solve, will suddenly come to mind.

THINK LIKE  A CHILD AGAIN.

Another very effective way to begin turbo charging your brain is to think like  a child again.  This doesn’t mean that you have to start acting childishly!  But it does mean that you have to begin using your mind more imaginatively than you are doing now.  

When you were a child you had the ability to fantasize and create dreamlike, fanciful visions while you playing games.

You were able to look at ordinary, everyday items and use your imagination to visualize something quite different to what you saw.   A pillow on your bed became a white horse with wings that could fly you to a distant land.

In your imagination, a stick can become a ray gun with which you could wipe out enemies from outer space.  Thinking about your favorite sport, you became a famous athlete, tennis, football or swimming star.  You imagined yourself standing on the winner’s podium receiving your gold medal.

 Think like a child again.  Let your imagination soar and run riot.  Daydream. Imagine you are famous and successful and everyone crowds around you to congratulate you on your success.

When we are children we enjoy having day-dreams.  Unfortunately, as we become adults, we lose our ability to make use of our imagination. .  We tend to see things as they actually are.

VISIT A GALLERY OF MODERN ART.

Another way to stimulate and turbo charge your brain is to visit a gallery of modern art.  If this is not convenient, examine illustrations of modern art in a book.   Very often the paintings may be quite meaningless to you  and you struggle to understand what the artist is trying to say.

Don’t try.  It’s really not important.   Examine the paintings and interpret them in any way you want.  Let your emotions flow unchecked.  The painting may make you feel disturbed, sad, happy or even confused.   The purpose of this exercise is to stimulate your emotions.  When your emotions are stimulated your brain becomes more active.

Listen to a piece of classical music in the same way, especially a piece of music you find difficult to understand.  Try and imagine what the music means to you.  What thoughts go through your mind as you listen? Allow your emotions to be uninhibited.

Inhibition and emotional restraint are the enemies of creativity.  Creative people have uninhibited personalities. They are unconventional and do things differently from others.     

Foster and encourage you own individuality and your creativity.  Allow yourself to be emotional if you want to be.   In this way you’ll be able to turbo charge your brain, boost your creativity and generate a continuous stream of creative ideas.

Visit the following site  http://www.creativemindpowers.com  where you’ll find a great deal of information about ways to generate creative ideas, and details of the widely-read book           “The Complete Guide to Creative power“

Legendary parties have legendary party themes! What separates a good party theme from a legendary party theme? Specificity.

Your party theme idea should be as specific as you can make it. The more specific you are with your theme, the easier it is to plan your party. Thinking of having a pool party? Great! Expand the theme to be specific as in an 80’s Pool Party. Even then you should take it a step further and be even more specific such as 80’s Neon Pool Party. See the difference? With a pool party, the theme is vague and the vision for your party is weak. With an 80’s Neon Pool Party, you envision bright neon, graphic shapes and big hair! Now you can take that vision and you’ll find it’s easier to get invitations, decorations, food & drink ideas, and party games that all match.

Having trouble thinking of a specific party theme? Here is some inspiration for you!

Decade Party Themes
20’s Gangster
50’s Sock Hop
60’s Psychedelic
60’s Peace
70’s Disco
70’s Hippie
80’s Neon
80’s Punk
90’s Grunge
90’s Hip Hop

Movie Party Themes
Animal House
Austin Powers
Dazed and Confused
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Gone With the Wind
Grease
Harry Potter
Pirates of the Caribbean
Star Wars
The Matrix
The Wizard of Oz
Top Gun

Holiday Party Themes (don’t limit these to the specific times of year that they fall)
April Fool’s Day
Armed Forces Day
Chinese New Year
Christmas
Cinco de Mayo
Columbus Day
Earth Day
Election Day
Fall Equinox
Halloween
Hanukkah
Independence Day
Kwanzaa
Labor Day
Mardi Gras
Memorial Day
New Year’s Eve
Oktoberfest
Passover
Spring Equinox
St. Patrick’s Day
Summer Solstice
Thanksgiving
Valentine’s Day
Veteran’s Day
Winter Solstice

TV Show Party Themes
American Chopper
American Idol
Emmys
Grammys
Oscars
Sex and the City
Survivor
The Apprentice
Top Chef

Sport Party Themes
Baseball
Basketball
Euro Cup
Football
Gymnastics
Hockey
March Madness
Nascar
Olympics
Skiing
Snowboarding
Soccer
Superbowl
Surfing
Tennis
Volleyball
Wimbleton
World Cup

Location Party Themes
African Safari
Around the World
Carnival
Casino
Hawaiian Luau
High-Sea Pirates
Hollywood
Party Bus
Pool Party
Slumber Party
Wild Wild West

Music Party Themes
Beatles
Country
Elvis Presely
Golden Oldies
Hip Hop
KISS
Phantom of the Opera
Pop
Rap
Rolling Stones

Don’t forget that you can always mix and match themes!  Why not have a 70’s disco pool party, a Grease slumber party, or an Oktoberfest party bus? By mixing and matching themes, you get even more specific and have even more fun!

Use your imagination and the themes are unlimited! And remember, the more specific your theme is, the easier it will be for you to plan your legendary party!

Dressing up like a banana or an apple could be a hit, especially if you are an elementary school teacher. Kids love teachers Halloween costumes that they can relate to. You may also want to consider dressing up as a fairy or a cartoon character. Teachers Halloween costumes are such a hit, and costume manufacturers know this. For sure an apple or a banana costume will be available for you.

Older students will think you’re cool if you dress up for Halloween, they will appreciate you even more. For older students, movie theme costumes for teachers will definitely be a hit. Movie theme costumes like GI Joe, Transformers, Twilight, Xmen, Watchmen, and a whole lot more are great teachers Halloween costumes.

In college levels, celebrity Halloween costumes are the best teachers Halloween costumes. You can just pick the most recognizable celebrity today like Lady Gaga or Kanye West. It’s also great if you can make Michael Jackson or Marilyn Monroe come back to life by wearing their costumes for Halloween. Choosing what to costumes to wear for teachers can be very easy, it can be anything that comes to mind.

Of course, not all teachers feel comfortable dressing up on Halloween, just like many people in general don’t. But, it’s useful to keep the perspective in mind. That Halloween is a fun time to perhaps break down the barriers between students and teachers. It could be a way for teachers to show the students that they’re just regular people who also know how to have fun!

Nostalgia look? Yes, this could also be a hit for college level teachers. Take Michael Jackson costume for example, or ask your co-teachers to join you to wear Beatles (the band) costumes. Kick off your nostalgic look with these costumes, your students will appreciate you for sure.

Teacher’s Halloween costume are there for two important reasons: to laugh and enjoy the Halloween. Just enjoy the day with your students and you’ll definitely won’t regret wearing a Halloween costume.

#1) The Beatles in Stereo Box Set – This is probably the most obvious choice as it’s a comprehensive collection of every Beatles song released from 1962 through 1970 in newly remastered sound (these CDs sound far superior to the old Beatles CDs) and with really great packaging (much better than the old CDs.)

#2) The Beatles in Mono Box Set – This is the best choice for the really serious Beatles fan who wants to hear The Beatles music as it was originally intended to be heard. Also, since these box sets are being made in limited quantities – it’s a great gift idea for anyone who considers themselves a “collector.” Who knows how many copies of these will be made? In my view this box set is just as essential as the stereo box set and to my ears many of these mono mixes actually do sound better than the stereo mixes (and they often sound quite different which makes them essential for a completest.)

#3) The Beatles Rock Band Video Game – Completing the first three gift ideas of new products released in 2009. Of course this game requires a video game console of some kind (either a Wii, PS3, or an XBox 360) but don’t think that this game is only for those who love games. I actually think many older Beatles fans who have never got into playing video games before will love playing this game. Also, it’s a really great way to improve your drumming and your singing!

#4) The Beatles Anthology DVD Set – Many Beatles fans already own these of course, but if you notice that they don’t then this would make an excellent gift! Every fan should own The Anthology. It’s a 10 hour documentary for God’s sake! It’s brilliant!

#5) The Beatles Anthology CDs – There were three sets of Anthologies released in the mid 1990s and they are all really great gift ideas (obviously you may want to snoop around and see if they already own them.)

#6) Love – The Love CD was released a couple of years ago and it’s really a very interesting “mash-up” of The Beatles music. It really sounds fantastic and gives a new perspective on their songs. This hasn’t really sold in huge quantities so I think there’s a good shot that the fan in your family may not already own it!

#7) The Capital Box Sets – Not too long ago there were two Capital box sets released which contain the band’s first 8 American LPs on CD for the first time. After those first 8 American LPs, the same LPs were released in the UK & and in the US but for for the first couple of years there were totally different albums released in America and many older American fans still remember those albums and would probably love to have them on CD!