Bargain Travel Agency

On Thursday, April 21, 2005, we buried a true NFL
warrior who was an inspiration off the field and on
the field.

The man? Sam Mills, #51.

The Monday before, Sam lost a 2 year battle with intestinal cancer. Not only did he leave behind his
wife and 4 kids but he left, not 1, but 2 legacies.

1st legacy– Sam Mills was one of the hardest hitting linebackers in the USFL and the NFL. But he spent his career proving that his undersized 5-foot-9 frame wasn’t going to keep him from being one of pro football’s best.

Not only was Mills a 5-time Pro Bowl linbacker but he holds the distiction of being the only player in the Carolina Panthers Hall of Fame.

Add to that: A member of both the New Jersey and Louisiana Sports Halls of Fame, as well as, a statue of Mills outside the Bank of America Stadium with the inscription “Leader and Gentleman.”

**Sam Mills’ former coach, Dom Capers**

“Sam Mills was not only one of the finest football players that I have ever been around, but above and beyond that, he was one of the finest individuals.”

And, the 2nd legacy of Sam Mills?

Sam, along with fellow Carolina linebacker Mark Fields, who was likewise diagnosed with cancer in 2003, established the KEEP POUNDING fund.

The campaign raised more than $211,000 for local research at Blumenthal Cancer Center by selling $1 wristbands that bear Mills’ slogan “Keep Pounding.”

**From a fan and admirer of Sam Mills**

“I am Austin Wright and I am 10 years old. I began selling Keep Pounding bracelets in honor of my friend Jody Rodgers in the fall. I sold over 200 bracelets for the foundation, and I hope it helps with the research. I will continue to sell the bracelets in the memory of Sam Mills. I hope this will help others. I pray for you everyday.”

Sam battled the cancer hard. He once gave a news conference the day after a round of chemotherapy before the Super Bowl. As he balanced himself on the podium, he said, “You have your good days and your bad days. I am just glad I am having days, you know?”

**From someone who witnessed Sam Mills’ courage**

“I met Mr. Mills as we were both receiving chemotherapy last year at CHOA. I specifically remember him speaking to a young man who was also receiving chemo and was so impressed with his attitude toward the young man. I had no idea he wasn’t doing well. He was an extremely kind person and meeting him under horrific circumstances is definitely ‘bitter-sweet.’ “
Cindy Helder

Although his football nickname was “Field Mouse”,
Sam was a giant at heart. Everyone was someone to Sam Mills.

**From a friend of Sam Mills**

“Sam, you always called me by name. You told me I wasn’t just a fan but a friend that meant so much. Thanks for the friendship, the smiles, the encouragement. Because of you I will “Keep Pounding”. We miss you.”
Flight Attendant/Golf caddy
Jacque’ kendall

Personally, I came to know Sam Mills when I watched him, at least twice a year, play against my beloved San Francisco 49ers.

Even though he was on the ‘other team’, I marveled at his leadership and courage on the field. I admit—I secretly wished “we” had him on “our” team.

Rest in Peace #51

—
Keep Pounding Fund,
c/o Carolinas HealthCare Foundation,
P.O. Box 32861,
Charlotte, NC 28232.

On-line gifts can be made through the Web site at: http://www.givechf.org.

About the Author

—————————————————–
Ronnie Kimball is a co-publisher of REACH HIGHER,
The Good NewsLetter. To get the Good NewsLetter
and hear samples of Ronnie’s CD, REACH HIGHER,
go to: http://www.reachhigher.com

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If you have been looking for motorcycle insurance, you’ve probably noticed how similar it is to insuring an automobile. Motorcycles are a lot of fun, economical to ride and they give you the ability to experience freedom on the road. However, just like any vehicle, you must at least be minimally insured to be allowed on the road to protect yourself, others and your motorcycle investment. You have the option to shop around to find cheap motorcycle insurance, regardless, there are many factors affecting the premium of your policy.

Motorcycle Insurance Premiums Usually Vary According To ;

- Number of years riding experience
 - Your age
 - Value of bike
 - Type of bike - cruiser, touring, sport, sport/touring
 - Driving record, previous claims - tickets, accidents, etc
 - Where you reside - High crime areas will result in higher premiums
 - Engine size of motorcycle - commonly under 500cc, 500-750cc, 750-1000cc and 1000 and up
 - Commute - Whether or not you commute to work and amount of mileage you ride
 - Training - Whether you have taken a motorcycle safety course or special training
 - Number of years consistently insured

With many companies, you may find that motorcycles are considered to be high risk vehicles, and depending on the size, power, make and year, motorcycle insurance may seem a little costly to some. Get a motorcycle insurance quote and make a few rate comparisons, but cheaper may not necessarily better, depending on what you get. Motorbikes are very fast, and could be somewhat intimmidating to an inexperienced rider. If this applies to you, a great way to obtain cheap motorcycle insurance is to take a riding course and purchase a basic motorcycle that is a few years old with less power. This will keep your premiums low while you learn to handle a motorcycle and accumulate some experience. An older motorcycle may not require as much coverage as a sporty and flashy new one.

Types of Motorcycle Insurance Coverage commonly include ;

- Liability - in an accident, covers damages to others ;
 - Passenger liability - covers injuries and bodily harm to passengers ;
 - Uninsured motorist - protects you from drivers with insufficient or no insurance ;
 - Medical expenses - due to an accident ;

- Collision and Comprehensive - Pays for the repairs or the replacement of your motorcycle, as well as protects against fire, theft and vandalism. Additional insurance may be required to protect any modifications done to your bike, equipment other than standard equipment and more.

Motorcycle insurance policies can be quite flexible considering their level of risk due to theft and danger. An older, more basic one will alter your chances of finding cheap motorcycle insurance. This could be a good option for beginners until they get a few years of riding experience under their belt. You could save a considerable amount.

There are loads of road trips people take in Australia that look like a snap when looking at the map, but surprisingly translate into many hours when actually on the road.

Sydney to Brisbane is one of those road trips. You could do it quickly - as long as you don’t mind strapping a brick on to your accelerator and spending the next 12 hours trying to avoid running into the other, more sedate drivers on the road.

The other, more road-safe option, is to meander your way up the Pacific Highway, and stop off at your leisure. There’s all sorts of nooks and crannies dotted up the coast that you can drop in for a quick visit and wander.

If you don’t have a car, you should think about booking a rental car online and saving yourself a bit of cash. Sites like www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au pool together all of the current prices and specials on offer from the most popular car rental companies in the country. You can directly compare all the prices available with one click of the button to make sure you get a brilliant car hire Sydney deal.

Once you’ve piled into your motorised transport of choice, one of the first popular places for a stretch of the legs would be by the Hawkesbury River, which flows into Broken Bay, and is surrounded by, not one, but three national parks. If you only have time to tramp around one, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase is the most popular - plenty of lovely walks and interesting Aboriginal paintings scattered about at various sites. Or there’s always a spot of fishing and sailing to be had at Broken Bay itself.

Just a little further up the road you’ll find the town of Terrigal. It has followed the tradition of the likes of Byron Bay where a residual alternative vibe has been frilled up to serve a relaxed and palatable mainstream holiday feel. Artsy-crafty shops and a good street-side café culture.

Newcastle will probably be your next stop - although if you’ve paid any attention to word of mouth, you may not be eager to stay very long. But that would be a shame - Newcastle has its attractions. Like what? Well, its got five beaches (try Nobbys Beach, it’s the most popular and it has a bad name - what else do you need?), a huge student population (ie: thriving music scene), some beautiful architecture lurking in colonial buildings and terraced housing - and after a long walk you can head to Darby street to satiate your food and coffee needs.

Ever onwards and upwards will find you pulling in to Port Stephens, which is barely an hours drive away from Newcastle. If you’ve ever dreamt of dolphin spotting, then this is one of the places to do it. There’s a local population of bottle-nosed dolphins which play in the waves near the coast. You can grab any one of the innumerable charter vessels available to take you out.

From here on in, there are plenty of little towns and laid-back cities - you’ll be passing by the beach-laden Port Macquarie, the tiny resort town of Nambucca Heads, the big banana near Coffs Harbour. But you’re now fast-approaching one of the most popular corners of NSW.

The farmers came for the soil, the hippies turned up and hugged the trees, and the yuppies - well yuppies always follow the hippies and make everything fashionable and launch the careers of many hundreds of professional barristas.

The north-east corner of NSW takes in the truly picturesque towns like Bangalow, Mullumbimby, and Byron Bay; the alternative vibes of Nimbin; and tiny villages like Mooball - where the telephone poles and local servo are painted in the pattern of dairy cows. There’s rolling hills, odd communes, pretty beaches, rainforest, spectacular bushwalks and enough chilled-out vibe to make you seriously consider investing in a comby and a didgeridoo.

The local pub scene is fantastic - try to check out Byron Bay’s Beach Hotel, the Nimbin Hotel (in Nimbin of course), and the Tumbulgum Tavern (Riverside Drive in Tumbulgum - just outside of Murwillumbah), just to name a few.

It’ll be a bit of a shock leaving the area and driving through Tweed Heads, Coolangatta and the Gold Coast. Don’t worry too much about the first two towns - not much personality - all fibre glass and concrete. But the beaches can be nice.

The Gold Coast - Surfers Paradise - is where the well-off go to spend money in Jupiter’s Casino, and the young dress in sparse clothing so they can congregate in the loud, vibrating clubs that muscle up against each other in Orchid Ave. Spend a bit of time here, and you’ll eventually be making your sorry way up to Brisbane penniless or hung-over, or both.

Don’t worry, laid-back Brisbane can soothe away your travel wrinkles. You’ve got Southbank, South Brisbane and West End to chill out in, watch the river and the traffic and the people roll on by (although you can’t see the river from West End - you’ll just have to content yourself with people watching).

Alyssa Betts has travelled around a bit (from Europe and the UK to parts of Southeast Asia and Australia) and very much likes the southeast QLD/northeast NSW part of Australia. She works for http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au

Do you dream to make autopilot money while you’re sleeping ? Wakeup in the morning and have orders pouring right in your inbox.

Enjoy the internet lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. Stay away from 10-5 dead-broke JOB (Just Over Broke).

It’s really easy to fulfill your dreams online, ONLY if you do things right.

Here’s how I got started in 7 simple steps…

Step 1 - The first thing I did was researched a niche with sufficient demand. To research demand I visited inventory.overture.com and entered my niche keyword.

This showed me how many people searched for my niche on Overture search engine.

Step 2 - Next thing I did was researched 50 high demand low competition keywords relating to my niche using Overture.

Then I created a content rich site around these keywords.

Step 3 - Now I grabbed resell rights to few HOT selling products in my niche where I could sell them and keep 100% profits.

Step 4 - Now I packed these products creatively and created my own unique package which I could sell for $47 per piece.

Step 5 - I designed a simple site, created a killer copy, designed graphics, setup autoresponders, ad tracking system, order processing system for my package and made it ready to sell like crazy.

Step 6 - Now I used my content site to promote my package and few affiliate programs in my niche.

Step 7 - I started attracting traffic to my content site via…

* Search engines.

* Discussion Forums.

* Writing Articles.

* Pay Per Click Search Engines and

* Many other free and paid traffic
generation tactics.

This killer system once got into pace made me money selling my package and affiliate products.

And this is something amazing, this entire system worked automatically while I was sleeping or moving around with my girl friend.

This simple system once constructed can pull in between $300 to $500 per month minimum.

But you’ve to put in some serious efforts initially to put this system into pace.

Now your income will clearly depend upon the number of sites you create.

Create 10 sites using this system and you can enjoy a passive income of $3000 to $5000 per month.

For achieving this, you’ve to pull up your sleeves and get started today, right NOW!

Murtuza Abbas specializes in creating simple ‘Profit Pulling Minisites’.

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Who is the Anti-Christ? Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and even Barney, the purple dinosaur have been accused of holding this undesirable title. Are there clues to his mysterious identity or is the “Anti-Christ” just a fable of a man who holds no future credence? All one has to do is research the book of Daniel and Revelation, pay close attention to the news, and the characteristics of the beast known as the Anti-Christ will be revealed before your very eyes.

As believers in Christ, we are instructed to await the return of our Messiah, Jesus Christ not the Anti-Christ. In Islam, they are also awaiting the return of their Messiah called, the Mahdi. In Islamic prophecy, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will bring peace and justice throughout the world by establishing Islam as a global religion. The word Anti-Christ is first mentioned in 1st John: Chapter 2. In verse 22, Apostle John states, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the Anti-Christ who denies the Father and the Son.” According to Islamic beliefs, Jesus (Isa, in Arabic) was not the Son of God, but was a prophet, but will physically return to the Earth, and together with the Mahdi usher in world peace under the banner of Islam. In the book of Daniel, we are given more details concerning what to look for once the Anti-Christ steps onto the world stage. In Unleashing the Beast, Evangelist Perry Stone goes into greater details surrounding Daniel’s prophecy:

The Anti-Christ will sign a peace treaty with Israel for seven years.
The peace treaty will be signed after major wars in the Middle East.
The man who signs the treaty will be destroyed at the end of seven years.
In Islamic Prophecy they believe:

A peace treaty agreement will be signed and upheld for seven years.
The agreement will come after a major war.
The Mahdi will rule for seven years, then die.

Who is the Mahdi? Although Shi’ites and Sunnis disagree on a lot of issues, both religious fractions believe the Mahdi or 12th Imam, who went into occlusion in the ninth century at the age of five, will return. Even more critical, Shi’ites believe his return will be preceded by a cataclysmic war and chaospossibly a confrontation between the East and the West. Current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad firmly believes that in forcing a clash of epic proportions with the West, the Mahdi will return within the next two years. In a speech last year in Tehran, Ahmadinejad contended, “The main mission of my government is to pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi. May God Hasten His Reappearance.” Ahmadinejad has made it obvious to the world and the United Nations that Iran will and has the right to acquire nuclear weapons. Yet, President Bush declared that during his presidency he would not allow the country of Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Look at the events in the world. The 9-11 attacks helped escalate an already tumultuous situation in the Middle East. In one attack, the world was changed forever. All of a sudden, three major religions were forced under a microscope by the world due to a senseless attack based in the name of the Islamic religion. According to the CIA World Fact book, there are 2.1 billion Christians, 1.6 billion Muslims, and 14.8 million Jews in this world. Some would argue, wondering how this terrorist attack could have happened if we all serve the same God? Believing these three religions serve the same God is a common but incorrect assumption. Christians and Jews worship the same God, Jehovah, while the Muslims worship, Allah. Aren’t they basically the same God? No. During his research for the book, Race, Religion, and Racism vol. 3, Evangelist, Dr. Fred K.C. Price notes that, “The Koran over, and over, and over, again quotes from the Bible. The Bible never quotes from the Koran.” In addition Price declares, “If they [Jehovah and Allah] are the same God, they should teach the same things of the same subject. They are not the same God if there are two completely different messages.”

In the New Testament, Christ taught, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)”

The Jihad Verses from the Koran teach, “Fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you…[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.” (Sura 2 Verse 190-191)

In the New Testament, Christ proclaimed, “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 10-11)

In stark contrast, the Jihad Verses from the Koran states, “Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fightesth in the way of Allah be he slain or be he victorious, on him. We shall bestow a vast reward.” (Sura 4 Verse 74)

On an interesting note, during the Age of Terror series on the Zola Levitt program, Walid Shoebat, a former Muslim terrorist explained why he believed the Anti-Christ will be a fanatical Muslim. When he read Apostle John’s cryptic 666 description (Revelations 13:18) in it’s original Greek manuscript, Shoebat claimed upon looking the ancient Greek symbols he immediately saw the word “bismillah” which means in the name of Allah. Can there ever be peace between different religious ideologies? For a season of seven years a man will rise up and build a bridge of false “peace” between all religions. Many evangelists agree that the rapture must take place before the Anti-Christ comes onto the world stage. 3 years after he signs the peace treaty with Israel, a great tribulation shall occur. For the Bible clearly says, “For God has not appointed us to [incur His] wrath [He did not select us to condemn us], but [that we might] obtain [His] salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). (1 Thess. 5:9 AMP)” Just like Sodom and Gomorrah, the angels told Lot that they could not act until Lot left the city. The Lord is unable to pour his wrath onto the righteous.

But please don’t take my word for it. This article is not meant to attack anyone’s religion; the purpose of it is to discover the truth. In fact, I hope that you don’t believe me and become inspired to do your own research. The results may surprise you.

Recommended Sites:

http://www.shoebat.com/

http://www.voe.org

http://www.faithdome.org/

http://www.levitt.tv/

Nevada York, Author of Caught Up and Mahogany’s Revelation, released her latest book in July of 2004 to rave reviews from readers. Nevada’s published novels are an accomplishment that has been well worth the wait. Not willing to be deterred, her determination has bought about the publication of two memorable novels. http://nevadayork.com

More than $117 billion passed hands from Internet shoppers to Internet vendors in 2004, according to the statistical research firm comScore. That’s billion, with a B. Compared to the year before, the figure represents a whopping 24 percent increase in sales. Compared to the early 1990s, when the Web was a questionable commercial venture, today’s $117 billion is proof-positive that the Web is the full-fledged money-making machine. It seems to be a big enough pie that any merchant with a Web site can cut out his heaping slice.

Not so fast. As any merchant who’s tried to take a bite out of the Internet will tell you, turning a profit online is not as simple as throwing a few pages together. Professional Web sites cost big bucks for design, consultation, and upkeep. Either you have to hire a full-time editor or technician to manage your Web store, or you need to pay three-digit hourly rates to contract Web professionals. Then you have to face fees for Web hosting, broadband access, and IT maintenance.

Even after you expend all of this capital and launch your Web site, you’re still not guaranteed anything. Your site will only be one among millions, if not billions. Yes, that’s billions with a B again. The Internet, after all, is like a clear sky on a dark night. How can you expect a customer to pick your star out from among all of the others that shimmer for their attention?

On the Web you’ll quickly learn that attracting your clientele-and building your Internet-based business-is just as tough as it was when you first started your brick-and-mortar shop. It takes smart investing, creative marketing, a little luck, and a lot more know-how.

What’s great about the business side of the Web, however, is that your old-fashioned know-how translates quite well on the Web. A great example is the timeless merchant adage: “Location, location, location.” This saying holds true on the Web, too. You can place your store’s site in a spot on the Web where no one will discover you, or you could position it on a “busy corner” on the Internet.

One such spot are online classified sites. These sites provide similar services as you would get from a newspaper classified. Sellers can place ads online that describe a particular product for sale. Buyers browse these ads and contact sellers when they’re interested. Online classifieds, though, are far more dynamic. They allow a merchant to display dozens, if not hundreds, of their goods with pictures and descriptions. And believe it or not, some online classified sites allow you to do this for free. Yes, that’s free with an F.

The benefits don’t stop there. As a merchant on a classified site, you can enjoy:

• A store that never closes. Your goods are for sale 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Internet never turns off.

• A mall of online shoppers. Think of a classified site as a virtual shopping mall, with your grouping of ads under your own virtual storefront. By having a storefront, this allows you to have your own web page and listings, under the umbrella of the classified site.

• A chain reaction of shopping. “Real” shoppers go to a mall to visit one store, but often they end up browsing through all of the stores in the mall. The same is true of virtual shoppers. Even when they visit a classified site looking for one particular thing, they’re likely to “spill over” to your storefront out of curiosity. At the very least, it leads to advertising for your store; at best, business.

• An advantage over pure Web merchants. Your classified site will pit you against wily online vendors who only sell their wares on the Web. This is where your brick-and-mortar business comes in handy. It’s proven that shoppers seem to trust online merchants that have a real address and a real store somewhere.

• A solution to the intricacies of the Internet. Many classified sites can help with setting up your ads and with designing your storefront, providing you with instant IT IQ. For your buyers, the sites offer the security that Web shoppers demand to protect them from identify theft and fraud.

As mentioned before, many classified sites charge absolutely nothing for all of these benefits. The listings, the shopping traffic, the sense of business community, the advertising-you receive all of these perks for free. Oh, and don’t forget your piece of the $117 billion dollar pie.

Donald Lee is the public relationship manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. For global and localized classifieds, please visit

http://www.buysellcommunity.com - Free Buy & Sell Classifieds

This tip is not conventional, but it is guaranteed to help you
follow any diet that you choose…

Follow your diet religiously for six days a week and then on the
seventh day forget about your diet and have a free day.

This may sound unusual advice, but there is a logic here you
need to consider and its psychological impact on your state of
mind.

If you overeat once a week you remove the one reason many diets
fail, which is when choice is removed from you of a food you
want it even more.

Say you love Burger King, spaghetti, chocolate or whatever and
you told you cant have them for 12 weeks or whatever period your
diet is set for.

Guess what? You crave them even more!

By allowing yourself one free day you can say: I will stick with
the diet and I can still have my favourites i.e I have a choice.

So wont this ruin all the good work of your diet?

No it won’t, and there are three reasons why:

Firstly, you will have been eating sensibly on the other six
days and one day won’t make much difference.

Secondly, by overeating and having treats you will perhaps
realise that that your body has adjusted to better eating habits.

This day may not be the pleasure you thought i.e. when every day
was a free day, or you don’t actually want to eat as much as you
thought before you came to your free day.

Thirdly, it gives a choice, we all like to make autonomous
decisions and by giving us choices we are more likely to stay
with the diet we have chosen.

Don’t set yourself up for failure give yourself some breathing
space.

To gain weight you have to eat a lot

Consider this gaining weight is a long term process and you
won’t undo the good you have done on the other six days on your
free day.

What you will do is give yourself the choice and make sticking
with a diet less onerous.

No one wants to be told they can’t have the odd treat now and
again, the free day gives you this and helps you stick with
sensible eating longer term.

You can do your free day on any day you like in the week.

If you have tried to diet and find you can’t stick with a rigid
program give yourself some freedom and some choice and we all
like that!

Almost everyone has attempted to follow diets and weight loss programs at some time in their lives. The trouble with so many diets and low fat diets is that they are hard to follow. Some diets leave you hungry and craving food all the time. A healthy diet is one that you feel good about following and encourages you to eat in a healthy way while at the same time reducing the overall calorie content.

When choosing from among the many diets available, keep in mind what your reason is for altering your eating and exercise habits.

Do you want to feel better and have some more energy?

Are you tired of not fitting into your clothes and that has caused you to consider one of the weight loss diets?

Experts agree that it’s not good to try and loose excess weight in a quick manner. It’s better to take your time and incorporate a package of exercise, proper nutrition and, in general, balance.

As with all new diets, weight loss and exercise plans, it’s always best to consult with your physician and have a complete physical examination before starting.

There are many different diets products to choose from. Choose from only the best providers of coral calcium products that offer great prices. That way you’ll be guaranteed quality and they can even be shipped right to your door.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-weight-loss-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel and Bookpleasures is pleased to have as a guest Judy Allen. Judy is the author of Your Stress Free Wedding Planner (Sourcebooks, Inc.), as well as five professional books on event planning (John Wiley and Sons).

Judy has created-produced-orchestrated special events in over 30 countries for up to
2,000 guests.

Good day Judy and thank you for agreeing to our interview.

Norm:

Judy, could you tell us something about yourself and how you became involved in wedding planning?

Judy:

I started out in travel and managing one of the highest producing offices for a national chain. As part of my office’s growth, I developed corporate business, which evolved into handling all of their corporate events such as incentives, conferences, conventions, product launches and social corporate branding events.
Subsequently, I joined one of the leading incentive houses to design custom one- of- a kind events around the world for corporate clients.

Over ten years ago, I opened my own special events company. As a result, I have created-produced-orchestrated corporate and social special events around the world for over fifteen years, including the gala theatrical opening for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and the co-ordination of Oscar winning director Norman Jewison’s 25th Anniversary Celebration of Fiddler on the Roof.

In addition, I am also the author of five best-selling professional books on event planning that are being used around the world by industry and business professionals, and as teaching tools by Universities and Colleges.

The foreign rights for my second book, The Business of Event Planning, have been sold to China and Russia, and Harvard has deemed my third book, Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette, a “must read” for event planning and small business professionals.

The event planning series of books came about as a result of my being called “to run and rescue” non-profit gala events days before an event was scheduled to take place.

I noticed that many charitable organisations were clueless as to what to be aware of and wary of when planning events. I found this most disturbing.

The same situation occurred with wedding planning. Clients or their friends began to consult with me regarding their personal wedding plan needs. I kept hearing from them as to how stressful they found the process to be- the hidden costs and surprises they kept encountering along the way. Because of the direction I am taking my company, I do limit the number of weddings that I personally become involved in.

I wrote Your Stress Free Wedding Planner as a means to provide couples with what they need to know from a design, budget, implementation (logistics) and orchestration perspective - not etiquette - when they go to plan their wedding. I wanted to give them a wedding planning tool that would held them enjoy the process, lessen the stress and show them how to create a wedding day that is meaningful, memorable and magical.

Norm:

Could you tell us something about your book Your Stress Free Wedding Planner?

Judy:

I have shared with readers the ten key planning steps, that when followed in sequential order, will allow the bride and groom-to-be to create and co-ordinate a wedding that will exceed their expectations and stay within their wedding budget guidelines. It does not matter if a couple has six weeks to plan their wedding or a year or more, the event planning principles I have designed and the order of the steps which be followed for optimum results, remain the same.

Your Stress Free Wedding Planner simplifies the wedding planning process and allows everyone involved to relax, and enjoy the festivities that lead up to this very special day, secure in the knowledge that everything has been attended to.

What is unique about Your Stress Free Wedding Planner is the wedding design questionnaire that will show the bride and the groom how to combine their individual wedding visions and take them their personal idea of a dream wedding to one that will become “our” dream wedding. I also show couples contract red flag areas - that can cost them thousands of dollars more than they expected - that they need to be aware of before they sign on the dotted line as well as areas of negotiation and terms and conditions that they need to have amended on their contracts.

Norm:

If you had to choose 5 of the most romantic wedding destinations in the world, which ones would you choose and why?

Judy:

For me 5 of the most romantic wedding destinations in the world would be

Greece/Greek Islands for their beauty, ambience and history - you can relax, sightsee, and have fun exploring as a couple:

South Pacific (Bora Bora) - getting married on the beach and honeymooning in an over the water thatched bungalow with glass bottom floors - perfect setting in a romantic paradise

Bali - staying at the Four Seasons that come with private plunge pools and secluded outdoor showers - a romantic hideaway from the world:

Egypt (getting married with Pyramids as the backdrop) then on to the Valley of the Kings/cruising the Nile (honeymoon) exotic and a trip of a lifetime:

Italy - Rome, Venice, Tuscany, Capri, Florence - so many romantic choices to choose from. You can hold your wedding reception in a castle, rent a private villa in Tuscany, hold the wedding and reception there (and honeymoon for the rest of your stay), take-over a medieval hamlet or be married or hold your wedding reception in a winery. Italy just has the air of romance.

Norm:

You have indicated that you have sailed on all types of yachts/ships. Which yacht or ship did you find to be the most romantic?

Judy:

Failing to afford chartering your own private yacht and set your own course, I personally found Windstar Cruises to be more romantic than larger cruiselines. I liked the more intimate feeling aboard ship.

Their guest count ranges in the low hundreds (148 to 308) as opposed to the in the thousands and they are not geared to having children onboard. I also like that you have the luxury of eating meals at your leisure and not at set times, summoned by a bell.

There are no formal seating table assignments - you can dine or your own or with couples you have met, there are no jacket and tie requirements and should you chose dinner can be served to your cabin. I also like the tucked away ports of calls available to you - due to being on a smaller sailing vessel — and the easy on and off of the ship. And sitting out on deck, under the stars when the sails are unfurled is extremely romantic.

Norm:

What is a wedding planner and how do you separate the good ones from the incompetent?

Judy:

What is a wedding planner and how do you separate the good ones from the incompetent?

In the planning industry there are two types of planners: Event Planners and Wedding Planners.

Generally, event planners handle designing and producing corporate, social and non-profit events. The types of events they are involved in can be quite diverse — from complex one-day entertaining events strategically planned to meet business objectives to corporate learning, performance, motivational events and elaborate arrangements of incentive or product launch theme productions that take place over the course of a week around the world. Some event planners handle not only event design, but also education and entertaining components (transportation, accommodation, food, beverage, decor, entertainment, themes) but also multimedia stage production. This is the type of event planning that I have been primarily involved in.

Wedding planners work with newly engaged couples to help them create the wedding of their dreams. They take over all the wedding planning and operation requirements, consulting closely with their clients along the way. They are compassionate, caring and adept at handling the emotional elements that are tied to planning a wedding when nerves are frayed, couples get jittery and help find areas of compromise between couples and their families when there are opposing ideas on how the wedding day should unfold. Wedding planners co-ordinate the weddings from beginning to end and are on hand on the wedding day to oversee that all goes as planned. Some wedding planners also handle social events as the two event planning styles are closely aligned whereas event planners who mainly work with corporate and business related social events generally do not cross over into wedding planning as juggling the needs of these two very different clients does not tend to mesh.

If couples are considering hiring a wedding planner, I suggest they first read Your Stress Free Wedding Planner.
With this in mind, they will immediately be able to spot the level of competency of a wedding planner, and they will be able to discern if the wedding planner is experienced or not.

Experienced wedding planners are able to fully answer questions pertaining to the budget, contract and logistical problems.

Check references- not only other wedding couples that have hired them. Also check the venues in which they have held their events.

Find out their level of ability e.g. if the wedding planner has only done events for 50 guests or less and your wedding is for 500 or more, there will be a learning curve for the wedding planner - don’t let it be at your expense.

Norm:

Have you ever planned weddings for any celebrities?

Judy:

No, not weddings, but social events with Oscar winning guests and celebrities in attendance, such as the theatrical gala premiere of Beauty and the Beast and the co-ordination of Oscar winning director’s Norman Jewison’s 25th Anniversary Celebration for Fiddler on the Roof.

Norm:

Could you tell us which wedding celebration you had planned that was the most memorable and why?

Judy:

They are all memorable - each is different and unique.
However, the one that was most memorable was one where I was a guest but got involved when there was a slight glitch.

It was an outdoor reception and the staff carrying the wedding cake out to garden for the cake cutting ceremony, tripped over one of the small children that was attending the event.

The child was okay as was the wait staff but the wedding cake landed upside down. Luckily a cloth had been placed over the cake for the reveal and guests were not aware of exactly what had taken place.

The cake was carefully righted and I went into the kitchen to meet with the chef to see what the damage had done. The top of the cake was totally smashed. I quickly gathered the bridesmaids’ bouquets that matched the flowers the bride was carrying and with the chef’s help, some plastic wrap (to protect the cake from flowers as flowers were not edible etc.) and icing.

The flowers were artfully arranged on top and fresh icing was skilfully applied to mask the dents and damage. The cake was made picture perfect without guests being any the wiser and raves were given to the floral topping on the cake. The bride and groom had been advised of what happened and were trilled with the results.

Norm:

What is your idea of a unique romantic destination?

Judy:

The amount of time it takes to get to the Seychelles can be quite daunting with airline connections and layovers (depending where you are travelling) but after arrival, there was never one moment that I regretted the travel time. What is a wonderful romantic combination is doing an African safari first and then flying to the Seychelles for the rest of your stay.

Norm:

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers about wedding planning, romantic getaways or wedding destinations?

Judy:

Should you decide to combine your wedding with your honeymoon, there are now bridal registries that handle weddings and honeymoons at upscale hotel properties around the world.

Instead of giving a toaster as a wedding gift, family and friends celebrating your nuptials can contribute to your destination wedding. As an example: the activities on your honeymoon stay, or a couples’ massage or a private romantic dinner for two after the wedding.

These individuals work with wedding specialists at the location to pre-arrange all the wedding and personalized honeymoon details.

They also advise couples on the legal issues that being married in a specific location will entail.
If couples are planning a destination wedding they need to make sure that all is in order for them to get married and to file their marriage papers after their wedding.

One couple that flew to the Caribbean for their wedding did not check into residency requirements for weddings. They did not allow sufficient time and were unable to extend their time on the island, as they had to return to work. Unfortunately, they ended up posing for wedding photographs on the beach and then getting married at home.

One last comment, I have a second wedding planner coming out in 2006 called Engaged to Married in Three Months or Less (Sourcebooks, Inc.) and I will be covering destination weddings in the book. Stay tuned!

Thanks Judy and good luck with all of your future projects.

Norm Goldman is Editor of the travel site, http://sketchandtravel.com and the book reviewing site, http://bookpleasures.com.

Norm and his artist wife Lily meld words with art focusing on romantic and wedding destinations. You can view their articles on sketchandtravel.com.

Norm also is the editor of bookpleasures.com - a group of twenty five international book reviewers who come from all walks of life.

Norm is always open to receive requests for book reviews.
In addition, Norm and Lily are always open to receive invitations to romantic resorts in the New England States & Florida.

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