Kilty Larkin’s

Your kids want to go to Disney World. They have been driving you crazy with their pleading. Meanwhile, you want to experience a warm, tropical island. Life has been pretty stressful and you want to spend some time relaxing on a sunny beach. How can you please everyone? It’s easy! Plan a Disney cruise vacation. Everyone is happy. The kids meet some of Disney’s most popular characters. You get to visit the Bahamas. Finally, everyone get to spend a few days at Disney World.

With a seven-day Disney cruise vacation, you begin your vacation by spending either three or four days at all of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Travelers get to experience the wonders of Epcot Center, MGM Studios, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. Guests stay at one of the Walt Disney World popular resorts. This is only the first part of your Disney cruise vacation. The fun has only begun!

The remaining three or four days of your Disney cruise vacation is spent aboard one of Disney Cruise Line’s cruise ships. This portion of your Disney cruise vacation begins at Port Canaveral. You will board a Disney cruise ship where delicious buffets, live entertainment, fun activities, and plenty of other luxuries await. The cruise ship sails to Nassau in the Bahamas. You get to spend a full day in Nassau. You can sunbathe on the gorgeous beaches, partake in some water activities, go shopping, or do some sightseeing. That evening, you board the ship and set sail for Castaway Cay.

A Disney cruise vacation includes a trip to Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay is modeled after Peter Pan’s Neverland. Children love the wide array of tidal pools. Teenagers love the ìteens onlyî beach where they can sunbathe or do some snorkeling. Adults love the pristine beaches. All areas of Castaway Cay are supervised, so parents can have some alone time while their children go off and have fun!

To go on a Disney cruise vacation, effective in December 2006, travelers will be required to carry a valid passport. The passport must be shown when entering the Bahamas, boarding your ship, and reentering the United States.

Rates for a Disney cruise vacation are very reasonable and include your activities, meals, and accommodations. Airfare can be requested for an additional fee. Taxes and airport surcharges are not included. It’s an economical way to take your whole family on an unforgettable vacation.

When it comes to booking a cruise you can handle the details yourself by visiting one of the online travel sites. If you’d prefer to leave the details to someone else, a travel agent can handle everything so all you need to do is enjoy the cruise.

My friend still has a Britney Spears poster in his bedroom. In this poster, she is wearing a cap, doing a semi-wink at her viewer, has a crop top on to expose or reveal her naval piercing, and is quite voluptuous for the rails that usually top the fashion and celebrity charts.

The Britney Spears poster stays on my mind for a number of reasons. First, for probably the first two years of her stunning shoot to pop-stardom, I had no idea who she was, despite being really into pop culture for my own interests and for those at the time of my students, who when they took a composition or critical thinking or other class with me got everything from Teletubbies shows to Madonna concerts to films like Trainspotting and Little Big Man. That is, I stayed up on current celebrities, shows, film, music, and other media to incorporate it into the classroom where we would analyze, deconstruct, or somehow connect literature and rhetoric.

Working with one student who is a brilliant writer, I would come to collaborate on plays and other works with him. And, because of him, I would come to know of this dynamo, this mini-diva, through my first Britney Spears poster and through his obsessive allusions to Britney Spears as the be-all and end-all of performers.

Next, becoming close friends with another student a couple of years later (another brilliant writer who is now finishing her graduate work to become a teacher), I found myself face-to-face with another Britney Spears poster. This time, rather than having a penchant for her music/on-stage performances (which I now see as wonderfully engaging events to watch, by the way), this student saw Brit as the epitome of health. She didn’t appear to diet, gorge and puke, or starve herself by living on hi-test caffeine and cigarettes. My friend was a beauty herself, but was often fixated on being "too fat" (and wasn’t), so the Britney Spears poster reminded her that women with curves were acceptable - even gorgeous and sought-after.

So when I now visit my new friend, who is gay but has Britney Spears posters on his walls (as beards for his unknowing father) and who idolizes her for her pop value, I think, I re-visit the positive images in my head and likely in the head of thousands of young females - who may just grow up emulating someone healthier and more real than the boob-job queens or the coat hangers whose claim to fame is how exaggerated their rib cages are when they walk down a runway or gyrate on a stage.

Now Britney Spears is a mom and in the news more for her celebrity, but if she never returns to the sexy little musical pin-up girl, she may very well be remembered by her Britney Spears posters, pictures and desktop wallpaper. Britney Spears may very well be our generation’s Marilyn Monroe.

Love, love, love… Are you scanning the local hot spots for that perfect mate? Are you looking for love in all the wrong places? Okay, for those of you who haven’t found your better-half, it can get a tad hairy spotting that special someone in this haystack we call the world. I mean, let’s face it; there are literally six billion of us running around. We need all the help we can get in order to find a compatible mate that makes us happy - or even just a good movie date for companionship. This is why a little concept known as the dating service was invented. We can now be set up with other singles who share our interests and morals. You’ve got to love technology.

Now, the question is; have you ever tried a new-age dating service, or an online dating service, or how about a Church mixer? That special someone is out there waiting for you, so why not take advantage of any and all methods to finding them?

Do you find yourself lingering in clubs every Friday and Saturday night? Are you the guy sitting in a corner chair, holding a mixed drink, and bobbing your head to the beat of some random techno tune? Okay, if this is you, then it’s official; you’re a dork. You need a date. Get thee to a matchmaker.

Actually there’s no reason to fret; many of us go down this same lonely path. We become irrelevant voyeurs. Why are we observing from the sidelines when we could be in the game? Stop waiting for that special someone to stroll by and accidentally bump into you. It’s probably not going to happen. Get thee to a matchmaker - fast.

What you need is a quality dating service or matchmaking service. It’s true, these were a tad cheesy in the past, but the concept of the "dating service" has risen to new levels. For example, so many of these new-age matchmaker services are done via the Internet. Yes, I said the World-Wide-Web. You have access to this, right? Basically all of us have a PC or Mac in our homes with Internet access. Therefore it’s time to get jacked in.

Hop online and check out where the ever-popular dating service has gone. No more of that sending VHS tapes of each other back and forth. These days you can simply log onto a dating service website, and get started. It’s a cinch to browse singles in your area. Maybe you’re in search of that certain someone who loves hiking or hockey. No problem, you can narrow your searches in order to pinpoint those select few who will better relate to you and your preferred activities. How cool is it to be able to search by age and location?

Finding that special someone should not be difficult with this kind of technology. If you are interested in one of these innovative and effective dating services, then get online today and get thee to a matchmaker - pronto. All you need is love.

Do you remember where you bought your very first car? I’ll bet that you purchased it used like most of us. What 16 year old can afford a new car? Well, I probably shouldn’t ask that these days. Fortunately buying a used car has gotten easier in more recent times. Sure, you can flip through the local paper for individual ads. In fact, this might be the best way to find what you’re looking for. However, there are other options at hand. For example, there are always the local dealerships that often carry a decent variety of used cars. One thing is for certain; no matter where you decide to buy, you don’t want to get shafted.

In this modern world of technology, buying a used car has become simpler than ever. We have a little concept called the Internet that actually allows us to browse through a variety of vehicles for sale around the world or in our immediate areas. This is great for those collectors out there who are in desperate search of a vintage 67 Porsche. That vehicle of your dreams can be a reality thanks to the World-Wide-Web. Probably the greatest thing about buying a used car, or at least researching used cars online is the information at hand. You no longer have to listen to some car salesman’s spiel about what a car is worth and what great deal they are giving you because you’re special, bla bla bla. The age of getting duped is over. Anyone can pop open a search engine and get some quick info on any car and its estimated value. This makes it very difficult to get ripped off; right? Even with new vehicles, you can see the true price tag before heading out to the dealerships.

Are you currently in the process of buying a used car, or maybe just browsing for one? A wonderful place to check is Carmax.com. This company sells used cars for realistic prices, but does not deal with haggling or debating the cost. There may be a Carmax in your area. It’s easy to find all of their current locations online. There are some advantages to buying from a dealership or professional business. If you get a lemon, you can do something about it. That’s always a concern when you purchase from an individual. Is the car going to break down in a week? Well, you hope not anyway. The fact is buying a used car can be rather easy in modern times. It’s all about doing your research online first.

Diets galore have flooded the markets these days. Everyone on the planet wants to know how to lose weight, and do it fast. It seems like whenever those summer months draw near, the human race becomes immediately concerned with their weight. It must relate to the whole swimsuit and beach factor. Well, if you are one of the many, there is surely a diet and fitness plan out there to suit your personal needs. Sure, you want to know how to lose weight fast, but you also want to stay healthy.

Many individuals all around the world have an issue with their weight. Now, this doesn’t mean they’re all overweight, but only that they’re unsatisfied. Take my friend’s stepdaughter for example. She is 17 years old, 5′9" and weighs around 160. While she looks average sized to me, she constantly scrutinizes her every curve. She’s completely stressed out about her weight. I always tell her; if you want to understand how to lose weight and keep it off, then consult a nutritionist and personal trainer. A key factor that I try hard to instill is the concept of tenacity. You truly have to stick with your weight loss - diet - nutrition plan even after you’ve dropped the desired pounds. Now I’m not saying that it always has to stay at the same severity, but you want to continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly. This is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off.

One way to become better educated on how to lose weight these days is via the Internet. If you already haven’t checked out the plethora of websites at your fingertips, then you’re missing out. Web sites such as Weight Watchers, Zone Chefs, NutriSystem®, and Jenny Craig are great places to browse for meal plans that are targeted for maximum healthy weight loss. Most of these programs now offer to send you full daily meals already prepared. This can aide tremendously in the health and nutritional aspect of your weight loss endeavor.

A site such as Bally Total Fitness, is also a great resource for nutritional information, as well as a great place to begin focusing on the fitness aspect of weight loss and a healthy, nutritional lifestyle.

Two weight loss programs that have been very popular in recent years have been the Atkins Diet Plan and of course Dr. Phil. Both weight loss programs have garnered a great deal of criticism, but you must throw these two weight loss and nutrition philosophies into the mix, when trying to get the best information.

There is also a deluge of free information on how to lose weight effectively, in cyberspace. You can sort through a variety of reviews by satisfied and unsatisfied customers who’ve tried various weight loss and diet methods. The Internet is your ally when it comes to issues like these. Jump online and find a perfect diet plan that will suit your hectic lifestyle, or browse the numerous fitness regimes in order to discover one that’s right for your needs and desired figure.

Google a phrase like "how to lose weight." My search returned about 72,700,000 web pages (all this in 0.29 seconds!) How about the phrase "weight loss?" 197,000,000 in 0.56 seconds. Now try the keywords - nutition, nutritional, nutritional diet, herbal nutrition supplement, food nutrition, fitness nutrition - the list of possible searches is as endless as your imagination.

If you truly want to know how to lose weight the right way, then check out the World-Wide-Web today. There’s an abundance of valuable data within your reach. Seize the day and start losing weight now. It’s your health that’s on the line. Hey, what are you WEIGHT ing for?

Have you ever had an irritating and painful sunburn? Wow, this flaming red skin affliction can certainly get your attention. Tan lines can be very obvious but the problem is that so many people don’t understand what a sunburn actually is in the first place. I can tell you right now that it can be easily avoided. One option is, staying out of the sun. You can always have it "made in the shade." Okay, if that sounds unreasonable, I will provide you with the more popular one. Use a quality sun screen. There are a vast variety of these gracing the shelves of your local drug store. A decent sun screen is easy to find and is worth its weight in gold. Don’t let that terrible sunburn ruin your week.

In the old days, a sunburn was the sign of a working class person. The upper class had their large hats and parasols to protect their milky white skin. A sunburn was out of the question for a person of means. These days tans are all the rage, and while it is an attractive look on some people, a sunburn is just plain scary looking. Hey - get your self some indoor tanning cream!

Are you aware of what’s happened to your skin when you acquire a nasty sunburn? Let me first inform you of what a sunburn is. When you expose your delicate skin to the sun’s powerful UVA and UVB rays, you are certainly doing some damage. The redness is virtually millions of busted blood vessels. Yes, the sun can do some serious cellular destruction. Most people will say, "Well I have to get burnt first, so it will turn into a tan." Well, guess what sun-bathers - this is quite damaging. Not only does it result in premature lines, wrinkles and dry skin, but may also evolve into skin cancer. That sensitive sunburn is just the beginning. However, if you did spend a day basking in the glorious rays, you may want to apply some decent after-sun products. Some of the more popular treatments for sunburn are aloe vera gel and a variety of creams you can find online. This will help re-hydrate the delicate skin and encourage repair from that nasty sunburn.

If you’re an avid sun-bather, I suggest you browse for some quality sunscreens. Your product should at least have an SPF of 15. This basically means that your skin can be exposed to the sun 15 times longer than normal without getting damaged. Sunscreens are definitely a smart contemporary trend that will surely get bigger as time moves on. In reality, the best way to avoid a vicious sunburn is by taking the necessary precautions. If you are headed out into the sun, you’ll want to not only apply a good sunscreen, but bring one along to re-apply later if needed. That powerful star should not be taken so lightly. The age-old myth about the sun being healthy has finally been obliterated. After all, who wants to suffer the pangs of a harsh sunburn?