All the social networking sites have hundreds of thousands of members. The really big ones, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter go into the millions.

Proper use of these sites can add tremendous targeted traffic to a blog.

What is proper use
Many people with commercial blogs have no idea on how to use social networking. They look on these places, as they would on off-line commercial advertising. But social networks are not newspapers or television channels. Social networking is partying.

So think about how you would behave, when you go to a party. Would you want someone, whom you have just met, to spew his/her advert out in the same breath as they are introducing themselves? Of course not. So why do it on the social network sites?

Social networking sites are party sites, and should be treated as such. In this vein your blog is your home, and should be treated that way. Even when receiving visitors at home, or when you go visiting in other people’s home, we don’t immediately start advertising our business. We get to know each other first.

That’s what social networking sites are about, getting to know people. All kind of exciting things can come out of this type of networking. It is possible that the people you are in touch with are not actually the type of people you need. You may rather be looking for referrals.

Another mistake commonly made is only seeking out friends, or friends of friends, or people already within your field. Ever wondered why these people don’t respond to postings? They know you, they know what you are doing and up to, or they are already involved in this field, but with another mlm, affiliation or program.

They are happy with what they have. Why would the want to change? They will just as eagerly want you to join their program or affiliation.

To really make social networking work there are a few simple attitudes and steps to take

Attitude
1. Be sociable
Social networking is known as social networking because that is their purpose. Get to know people, chat with them, leave comments, ask about their business, create a relationship, create friendships.

2. Don’t push
Pushing something down people’s throat will not get the desired result. Quite the opposite. Consider how you feel when someone does that to you.

3. Pay It Forward
What does that mean? Simply – re-post other people’s promotions or comments. Help them get what they want. You will be repaid 100 fold. Everybody likes to see themselves promoted. It makes them feel important. It makes them feel worth while.

4. Asks Questions
Instead of promoting yourself, ask questions of your friends. Questions of the type that you would ask anyone you meet at a party. If you are good at partying, you know what questions to ask. I am sure you also know the kind of questions you would like people to ask of you.

5. Referrals
Nothing will make you more popular than creating referrals. A referral is you finding someone who is interested in in a particular product or service and referring them to someone who has that product or gives that service. There are innumerable networking groups that work on the principle of referrals.

Steps to take
1. When someone offers you friendship – ask them two questions: How did you find me? What attracted you to me? Was it something in my profile? Find your own words. Accept the friendships, based on the answer.
I have rejected friendships based on the answers. If I see that the only reason for the connection is for that person to spam me with promotions, I refuse.

2. On some social networks you have to accept friendship before you can check out the person. Do it afterward. If the answers are not satisfactory, you can disconnect the friendship.

3. When accepting friendships, like on twitter or Facebook, immediately send off a message saying thank you. Both of the above will set the groundwork for a relationship and create the right atmosphere from the very beginning.

4. Create a proper profile, with a picture. I always check profile. If there is no picture and no valuable information, I wont accept friendships.

When social networking you should always ask yourself: What do I want with this relationship? And the answer should not be only: to promote. The answer could be: This person looks interesting. Maybe I can learn something here. Maybe I can contribute here.

I see people on Facebook and twitter with thousands of people on their list and I wonder: how do they have contact with so many. When social networking we should consider this: is quantity or quality better? What are the chances of being seen or heard as no. 4999 on somebody’s list?

What are the chances of getting conversions on a small, but quality list?
What are the chances of someone on a small list giving you or your product a recommendation?

The old business style of referrals by word of mouth is not dead just because we can mass communicate over the internet. It is the same, just now we are doing it in cyberspace.

Gay women join dating sites for a wide variety of reasons, often not really knowing what they are looking for until they find it. It can be daunting trying to meet new people, and the internet can provide a safe space in which to connect with others. You may be thinking of joining a dating site because you want a new partner, or you may simply want to make friends and have like minded women to chat with.

There are times in our lives when we do not want to be out going and flirtatious. Especially at those difficult times when we are going through a relationship break up. Suddenly finding yourself alone can be a very distressing time. Probably the last thing that you feel like is starting to date someone else. At the same time, it is possible that the friends you have are mutual to both you and your ex.

You may not have considered joining a lesbian dating site for the very reason that they are geared towards dating. In reality, there are thousands of women on these sites with multiple reasons for being there. If you have been been in two minds about joining a dating site for gay women, why not just give it a try? Your life may not radically change over night, but at least you will be in contact with other women who understand you and where you are coming from.

Sites for women seeking women are not just about dating and flirting. Of course, there is a huge potential for those things for those who want it though! Sometimes we just want to chat without there being a huge agenda.

When you are ready to start dating again, you will already be part of this community, so you will be off to a flying start.

Good luck.

“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

As Thanksgiving approaches, we once again consider the people that have positively impacted our lives. This year, let’s spend the time to figure out how we can incorporate appreciation throughout the rest of the year as well.

When you look at the friends you have, think about the events that occurred for your relationship to begin. Do you have friends in your life that have been a part of it for so long that you don’t really remember a time when they weren’t around? Are you still connected with those you went through high school or college with? What about new friends? What occasions have brought people into your life that you just clicked with, right off the bat?

When you thought about the preceding questions, it probably brought to mind the friends that have come into your life through a variety of circumstances. Maybe you’ve rekindled some relationships on Facebook or other social media outlets. One of my friends not only reconnected with an old boyfriend on Facebook, she ended up marrying him. You never know.

Recently I “friended” my favorite babysitter. My siblings and I were not the easiest kids on the planet to control, to say the least. I always thought that we were horrible, and yet when I brought it up in our email conversation, she did not recall any negative memories of us. It’s nice to go back to your roots and discover that people that once played an important role in your life may come back into it again.

A few years ago on New Year’s Eve, my husband and I went out to dinner with a group of friends. We had enjoyed many New Year’s Eves with this group and I invited one of my newer friends to join us. As I expected, the “newbie” fit right in and before the end of the evening, we were making plans to all get together again.

In the course of conversation, we started talking about how we all met each other. When we explored the tangled web of relationships, places and events that came together at the exact right moment to bring us together, it was quite an eye-opening experience. (There are no coincidences.) When we are open, we meet the people and have the experiences that are right for us.

With the onslaught of networking opportunities, social media outlets, ease of travel, and varieties of new experiences to have, we attract many new people into our lives. Some of these people will stay acquaintances: you’ll smile and wave at them when you see them, but you don’t spend a lot of time together. Others will become business associates, and you may build long-term, friendly, and (hopefully) profitable relationships. A small percentage of the people you meet will become dear friends. Make sure that you let these people know how much their friendship means to you and how much you appreciate them. Be grateful for those moments. More importantly, stay open for opportunities to bring others into your life that will enrich it and make it even more interesting.

If you haven’t told your friends how much you appreciate them lately, take the time today to send them a note, an email or give them a call. You’ll both feel the benefits of shared gratitude.

Have fun,

Lisa

If you haven’t told them lately, how can you be sure your friends REALLY know how you feel about them?

Maybe you think you know all about webcams and what people use them for online. But, chances are you really don’t. You may think you know that webcams are used only for naughty reasons, but that is not true. Webcams are often used for other reasons as well, such as friendly conversation. You don’t have to be a pervert to have a webcam. In fact there are many people who own webcams that never use them for sexual reasons at all. If you want a friend to chat with via your webcam, consider seeking out MSN webcam girls for friendship.

When you are searching for MSN webcam girls for friendship, you should be very clear that is what you want. Many girls will not communicate via their webcam with guys unless they know there is nothing more than friendship wanted. So, unless you want to scare a lot of women away, be sure to be very clear and state what your intentions are. When you are honest with the MSN webcams girls, they will be honest and open with you as well.

So, even if you think people only use webcams to see naked girls or to do other naughty things, you are wrong. You can find great MSN webcam girls that are interested in normal friendships with you. Who knows, after you chat via webcam for a while, you might even end up going out on a real date or something like that. After all, if you are a great guy, you deserve a great girl!

We believe that dogs do not own spirits and do not appreciate colors in what they see. Truth is, the exact thought is neglected. They have spirits and are able to see in colors. They live and interact the way we do. They have the capacity to learn as well.

Their primeval function to humans benefited them predominantly in the environment we both dwell. Dogs received major advantages from living with humans, like food, shelter and protection. They also benefited the advantage of humans, in a manner we walk, for them to provide wider range to see potential predators and prey, as well as color vision that gives us better ocular discrimination. They also benefited from our skills and technology, which will offer them ease and comfort.

In return, dogs imparted their abilities by serving us. It is better to have dogs in our house than to hire a security guard to look for our property. No matter how we upset, abuse and harm the dogs, they will never turn their tail against us instead they will remain loyal. Hiring a man to guard is expensive and has the tendency to move against us. It is fine for dogs if we feed them or not, or where we want them to sleep as long as they exist in essence of living together with people.

The most extensive form of interspecies relationship in history takes place between humans and dogs. The bond of two is getting better in too many ways each era. Dogs have no souls but they have spirits, to which most known as Dogmanship. It is a new approach of judgment for people with dogs. They are able to see in colors through our aid. Dogs who are with us see life as colorful as we see it.

Best Friend Tattoos are a great way to celebrate an important friendship that you want to last forever. Your best friend is someone that holds a special place in your life and for that reason the friendship calls for a special tattoo. Here you will find great ideas for the most popular best friend tattoos today.

If you have a best friend with whom you share a special bond there is no better way to express your feelings and show the world than with a tattoo you share in common.

A very important consideration for a best friend tattoo is to think about what may happen in the future, if for some reason the friendship ends. You do not want to be left with a tattoo that brings back memories that are unwanted. But that won’t happen…right. For this reason you may want to go for a design that would stand equally well on its own. Also, a tattoo of the best friends face, birthday, name or initials may not be the best idea.

Once you and your friend have agreed to get a tattoo together you will need to decide:

1. Do you want a want a matching tattoo?
2. Do you want a symbol that represents something significant with your friendship?
3. Do you want a tattoo that is split in half-where each person wears one half of the whole tattoo? This type of tattoo makes the statement that together you are one and complete each other.

There are lots of places to get ideas for best friend tattoos. Meeting with different tattoo artists can be helpful. They can help you brainstorm and come up with creative designs. Another idea is to join a tattoo forum where you can share ideas and pictures with others just like yourself that have or are looking for this type of tattoo.

There are countless numbers of tattoos that will work for best friends. Here are some popular ideas for you to consider:

Celtic knot tattoo-symbolizing eternity with all the lines weaving together in an intricate endless loop, this is very popular for friends. This is also considered to represent the union of two souls.

Single yellow rose tattoo-the yellow rose is a symbol for friendship.

Yin and yang tattoos-these tattoos have their roots as Chinese symbols but now have become a universal symbol for complimentary opposites.

Peace symbols-for the peace loving personalities, this symbol had its origin in the 1960’s during the hippie movement and are very popular.

Chinese and Japanese language characters that stand for friendship are one of the top choices today for best friends.

One half of a song lyric or quote you both enjoy-each person wears the other half so together they are one.

Stick friends holding hands.

Devil and an angel tattoos-representing your opposite sides, yet at times, complimentary personalities.

Star tattoos are extremely popular today between friends. You can do so much with stars in terms of colors, sizes and points. A creative idea is to for each person to have a trail of shooting stars-one trailing to the left and the other to the right.

Zodiac signs are popular-you might want to consider wearing your own zodiac sign just in case the friendship ever breaks up.

The infinity symbol-consider using the infinity symbol alone or as the center of a tattoo with more design around it. Anything with the infinity symbol will be a representation of something that lasts for ever.

A Claddagh tattoo-This is the Irish symbol for love and friendship and makes a very popular tattoo for best friends. It is depicted as two hands holding a heart with a crown on top. It has a very powerful meaning: “with my two hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my love.”

The main idea of a dating is to have a great time. So…are your dates starting to feels like an old hat? Then you definitely need some great singles dating ideas!

If that old routine of dinner & movie dates starting to be an obligation instead of fun then you need to do something different. The best part is that being different doesn’t correlate to being expensive.

So here are some great dating ideas:

1) Go bowling, roller blading, miniature golf, amusement parks, or free music concerts…

2) Go hiking at the local parks, ride your bikes, snow skiing trip, water skiing, or jogging together…

3) Go to museums, see the animals at the zoo, take the candy factory tour, or take a walk around the public gardens when the flowers and trees are blooming…

4) Have a small party at your place and invite your close friends…

5) Can plan on…short day trips in nearby cities, shopping together at the mall, picnic at a nice clean park, go to a sporting event (doesn’t have to be major league sports. The best games I have been to are the minor league games.)

6) One great singles dating idea is to seek the highest point in your city, go up the elevator and gaze at the city. (Great tip guys, if you want to make her laugh, tell her “One day, this will all be yours…).

7) How about learning how to give a great massage and surprise your date? Learn how to make a good dinner (but first make sure you know what kinds of food the other person doesn’t like, like…duh!).

To tell you the truth, being creative and not spending a lot of money does several things. It makes the whole dating game fun and more specifically, makes you more fun to be with. It takes money out of the equation. It no longer becomes an obligation to the woman that she has to put out because you spent all this money. Or it intrigues the man and he will wonder what else do you have up your sleeves?

One of the cheapest and most fun dates I have ever had was when I had to wash my comforter at a laundry mat. The girl I was with accused me of being a ‘cheap date.’ We were just cracking up and laughing the whole time. We got a frosty cone from next door and watched the comforter go round and round in the dryer. Best date I ever had for less than ten dollars!

I am sure you can come up with something but the real deal is that the date must be interesting and different.

The last great singles dating idea is listening…really listening. I am being absolutely serious here. When you realize that most people want what they get the least of. And what most people want is appreciation. When you are an extraordinarily good listener to someone craving for recognition, the world becomes your oyster. The other person will be so captivated by your nonverbal flattery.

Don’t believe me? Next time, try focusing on just listening what your date is talking about. Ask questions to expand what he/she is talking about. Make eye contact. Nod. Don’t cross your arms, use an open posture. It says to the other person, “Tell me more!”

You will be surprised…

Have some fun.

“True friendship is never serene.”
~Marquise de Sevigne

As we are rarely at unison with ourselves, and as we are often even slightly at odds with one another in marriage, true friendship is no bed of roses.

Proverbs speaks a lot about this rare ability for friendship to extract the best out of us. Iron sharpens iron (27:17); and, wounds from a friend can be trusted (27:6).

True friends are not bashful in telling us how it is; they do speak the truth in love. If we are safe within ourselves, beyond feeling vulnerable initially, we’ll appreciate the risks-of-intimacy they take; the candour of their care. They would not speak so candidly if they didn’t care.

TRUE FRIENDSHIP – A RELATIONSHIP THAT WITHSTANDS THE YEARS

As a weather-beaten fence attests to the quality of a decent whitewash, our friendships also attest to their ability to withstand conflict and move on beyond it.

A friendship that lasts and lasts, enduring decades, till death does it part, is not only a blessing to both, but also it’s a testimony to the maturity in both individuals; to their tenacity to get through conflict; to their commitment to follow-up; to their energy in investing in the relationship.

True friendship can withstand more than other more tenuous relationships. True friendships reward courage and they give good value for honesty. We can afford to sow in integrity, and when integrity is important to us, it’s fantastic to be free to be our authentic selves. Friendship like this is an extension of the comfort we can have in being with ourselves.

BEING PATIENT THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES

Friendships are a joy when they are going swimmingly, but when two are opposed, understanding fractures, and trust is at jeopardy. All the more important at those times is respect to not burn our bridges.

All friendships will be tested. And the test will be the test of the strength of the relationship. If the friendship is truly important we’ll find ways of making concessions or we’ll find ways to negotiate our way out of trouble. We won’t give up. Yet we won’t also sacrifice our sensible needs with a friend who won’t respect the mutuality of needs – what the relationship deserves. Friendship runs both ways in general equality.

***

A good friendship is God’s blessing. But true friendships test our maturity and resolve, because true friends are not afraid to speak the truth in love.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

When I was younger I used to spend a lot of time with my friends making friendship bracelets. It was something that was really enjoyable and also something that my friends and I used to do all the time. It was great fun exchanging bracelets and also giving them away as gifts to family members. In fact, it’s something I still like to do even today and since my young daughter has now started to make them I have renewed my interest in this great hobby and pastime.

The one thing that I definitely remember was when I was younger it was quite difficult to find out information on the various different patterns that were available. I come from a small town and it was very limited in the amount of books it has in their local stores that gave you information on the different patterns you could use. I have really noticed how different it is nowadays with my youngest daughter now getting very enthusiastic about this. There Internet has opened up this market to enable people all over the world to share information easily and best of all free.

It’s really all about researching what type of theme you would like for your bracelets. There are many websites out there dedicated with people sharing information, photographs, video and patterns to help each other. I have come across many forums with fantastic information on a variety of friendship bracelets that I could only dream about when I was young. You will find that they break these down into different categories which really helps when you are searching for a particular theme.

The great thing is that my daughter was able to find some fantastic information and was then able to share this with her friends. This is a wonderful thing because most of these free websites give information and instructions it makes it much easier for them to make them. Recently my daughter and her friends decided to try and raise some money for a local charity. By being able to research on the Internet they came up with a vast variety of patterns and then set about making them wait in the idea of settling down and donating all the money to charity when finished.

This is something I personally would not have been able to do when I started out making these when I was her age. Simply because the variety was very limited. When everybody started to purchase these they were purchasing more than one which made it much better because of the variety of different patterns that were available. It’s fantastic that people from all over the world can share these ideas.

The best tip I can give is to simply take your time when looking at the various patterns because of the variety of websites that are now available. Generally, you will find that many of these are top quality from people who are enthusiastic about what they do most of the time they will put in the full passion online for you to easily do. A simple trip to YouTube and you can find many videos explaining and giving information of how to make these. It is so easy to follow that even I with my limited experience from all of them years ago can still do them easily.

Some things just don’t add up when you’re skimming the web for friendship tattoo designs. What doesn’t add up is the fact that 90% of people end up seeing the most generic, cookie cutter tattoos. Many people always miss out on the better, high quality art. It doesn’t have to happen to you, though, because there’s a quick solution to finding loads of fantastic friendship tattoo designs.

Nothing can make you settle on some cookie cutter design. It gets kind of tempting, though, when all you see is the same generic stuff over and over again. You begin to think that this is all you have to choose from. It stinks, but it doesn’t have to happen. All you have to do is discontinue using the assistance of search engines to find artwork galleries. It’s just an awful way to look for friendship tattoo designs.

You end up wasting days upon end looking through generic laced sites, which posts absolutely nothing but plain, cookie cutter tattoos. Friendship tattoo designs are too special and too personal to settle on something like this. The good news is that you don’t have to. With the help of forums, you can pull up so many of the big, high quality galleries you have been missing. If you stick with large forums, you are even more ahead of the game.

I say this because large forums are packed with what you need, which are topics revolving around tattoos. The archive section will have bundles of them. Hundreds should pop up. It makes you job quick and painless. You scan some of the topics. As many as you feel like. People fro mall over the globe have shared their thoughts and input, including where they have recently found huge galleries full of great artwork. This is where you want to find friendship tattoo designs. These are the sites that post stuff by real artists, instead of the same rotating generic art.

It helps you make much better elections when picking out friendship tattoo designs that fit your tastes.