By Mark M Washburn

Florida Gulf Coast University, or FGCU, is one of the newest universities to make its debut in academe, opening its doors in August 1996. Much of the impetus behind its incorporation was the overwhelming desire of Southwest Florida residents to host a world-class university in their midst. Not surprisingly, the allure of a mild climate, lots of sunshine and nearby beaches has helped FGCU more than double its student enrollments every year since inception to more than 10,000 students for 2008-09. In an era of college educations that cost upwards of $40,000 a year in tuition, FGCU is a relative bargain with out-of-state annual tuition averaging $17K.

Located on 760 acres in the heart of Southwest Florida, FGCU has carefully mapped out its location to maximize the surrounding wildlife and nature preserves and offer a "living laboratory" to students, faculty, and alumnae. True to this mission, FGCU is heralded as one of the most ecologically sound campuses in North America. The University recently purchased waterfront property in Bonita Springs with the intention of developing a marine research laboratory to further capitalize on its coastal location and the abundance of marine and bird life.

A co-ed institution, FGCU is four-year with accreditation to award associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. As of the fall of 2008, the University offers 51 undergraduate and 31 graduate degree programs in Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Health Professions. With the plethora of resorts and restaurants in the region, the Resort and Hospitality Management program is one of the more popular majors. Students can participate in an active internship program at some of the world's premier resorts located just minutes from campus. Biology and criminal justice are also growing programs. The Division of Justice Studies is in its first year of offering a Master of Science in Criminal Forensic Studies, paving the way for future CSI investigators.

Students praise the small class sizes and individual attention with an 18:1 teacher/student ratio at the undergraduate level. FGCU is also one of the most technologically advanced campuses in the world with a campus-wide high-speed Internet network. Classrooms all feature fully equipped multimedia instructional systems that include Internet access, cameras and audio and video presentation capabilities. Capitalizing on its expertise, FGCU has hosted an Informational Technology (IT) forum for the past eight years, connecting area experts with MBA students in Germany.

While many students barely tolerate dorm or off-campus living during their college years, the 2,400 students who live in FGCU campus housing enjoy a comparatively luxurious existence. Residences are apartment-style, completely furnished and wired for high-speed Internet access. Full-size kitchens, spacious living rooms overlooking the lake, and automated laundry facilities are additional touches that give new meaning to the college experience. Other amenities include a swimming pool, barbecue areas, beach volleyball, and easy access to lake water sports.

Athletics are an increasingly large part of the FGCU program and encompass baseball, men's basketball, men's golf, men's soccer, men's tennis, softball, volleyball, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's soccer, women's swimming and diving, and women's tennis, among others. The women's teams have performed especially well, despite the newness of the programs with the women's basketball team ending their 35-1 season with a loss in the Division II National Championship. As of the 2007-2008 academic year, FGCU moved to Division I sports.

Despite its sunny climate and laid-back atmosphere, FGCU offers a solid classroom experience. While students can take courses in paradise, graduates are well prepared to excel in today's tech-savvy and increasingly green environment.

By Tomaz Mencinger

If you think that making money will make you happy, then please continue reading this article. In my personal experience, you need two more things to be really happy...

The goal of this post is to open your mind a little a bit and show you the real path to happiness, so that you won't waste too much time and energy working ONLY to earn more money.

Let me share my personal theory on what makes people happy and hopefully, you'll see this making money thing from a different angle.

First, it is a fact that many rich people are unhappy. It is also a fact that many rich people were so unhappy that they committed suicide.

So just having a lot of money does not make you happy.

You may think, "Yeah, but I'm different. When I am rich, I'll be happy!"

I am quite sure that this is not the case, so let me try to convince you otherwise.

Three things are necessary for your happiness. Without them you CANNOT be happy.

(Of course, many smaller factors also affect your level of happiness, and we'll talk about them, too.)

1. You MUST do what you love.

There is no way around this one. If you have to be in a job where you do things that you don't like, you won't be happy.

It's logical right? Not like = not happy

Many people blind themselves and say, "Well, it's not so bad; I'm quite happy. I earn a good salary and spend weekends playing tennis, going to the movies, going out with my friends and..."

What they are saying is that if they are happy two out of seven days, then they are happy.

I am saying that there is a happiness with which you can be happy seven out seven days, and it's a much deeper and more fulfilling feeling than this superficial, short-lived, flying high feeling.

You need to be involved in some kind of activity that makes you happy. Something that is your passion.

For me this was and is tennis. I used to watch tennis on TV for hours, although I was a semi-professional volleyball player and I was studying electrical engineering.

I liked volleyball, my teammates and all the social parts of it, I hated electrical engineering and I was obsessed with tennis. I could watch it for hours, and I could play it for hours without ever getting bored or tired of it.

You need to find something like this in your life and then STICK to it. Do whatever you need to to make this passion your main activity.

Your happiness depends on it.

2. You MUST make other people happy.

This one is often overlooked, and the main reason is ego - selfishness.

Although you might think that you just want things for yourself, you will realize sooner or later that we are social beings and we thrive on being appreciated and loved.

We must feel that we are NEEDED, for whatever reason.

As a tennis coach I get this feeling from sharing my experience with other people, and from their appreciation of my sharing.

It gives me great pleasure when people tell me how their mental game or their general tennis game has improved. It gives me great pleasure when I receive e-mails from people who didn't buy anything from my website, but enjoyed the free information I offer.

By the way, this is one of the reasons that blogs are so popular. It's easy for people to leave their opinions and thoughts about certain topics, and this makes the owner of the blog very happy.

It doesn't matter what you do as long as you are USEFUL.

You can clean streets or hotel rooms, make pancakes or ice cream, be a waiter, make bicycles, sell juicers, repair vacuum cleaners... Whatever, there are millions of things that people need on this planet.

And as long as you feel useful and appreciated by other people, you will find the second third of happiness.

Before you see the last third of happiness, entertain this question for awhile: WHY do so many wealthy internet gurus (and other rich people) STILL sell their services, make new products and work hard every day, when they could just replicate, add new websites and earn more passive income doing almost nothing?

Why?

Because they NEED to be appreciated.

The main drive of most people is to be appreciated, to be useful, and that's why they still keep doing what they are doing even if they have massive amounts of money.

Just think about all the IM names such as Russell Brunson, Mike Filsaime, Joel Comm and tons of other people who have incredible wealth, yet you still receive their promotions about home based business ideas, hear about new products they've developed and find their names all over the Internet.

Some of the reason is their desire for power and money; yet some of it is because of the two basic human needs: to help, and to be useful and appreciated.

You have this need to be appreciated, too; so before you jump into this making money thing, think about how you can earn money and, at the same time, be useful to people and actually be able to hear or read their responses to what you offer.

This will build the second pillar of happiness.

3. You MUST receive GOOD income - MONEY!

I do not believe in the theory that money is not important for happiness.

Maybe if you live in Tibet, stay in some isolated cave and meditate for 12 hours per day, then OK, you got me there.

But if you live in a modern society with cars, cellphones, the Internet, TV, computers, movie theaters, Disney parks, hotels, holiday resorts, airplanes, electricity, taxes, schools and other things that complete the full package, then you need money in order to live a good life.

And you need a lot of money (what "a lot" is depends on your perspective, of course).

How much do you need? I say you need at least $5000 monthly to live a good, modern life. That's $60,000 per year. You are not poor, you are not obscenely rich, yet you can afford most of the pleasures that life offers.

(I'd be happy to hear what you think is a good monthly income in the Western world...)

But the actual key to happiness is not only HOW MUCH money you are earning, but HOW are you earning it.

The power of the Internet allows you to earn money effortlessly. It's passive income, and money just keeps coming in day after day, even of you don't do anything about your websites for awhile.

That is the real freedom: not only financial freedom, but also personal freedom.

Additional factors that make you happy

Of course, other factors also make you happy but, in my opinion, they all are less important than, or are consequences of, the three pillars of happiness discussed above.

The first of those is to be loved. I mean by a partner; whether you are straight or gay doesn't matter.

As long as you have a special soulmate, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a husband or a wife who loves you and whom you love, then you are adding to your happiness.

But know that before someone loves you, you must love and like yourself. How much you are able to like and appreciate yourself is how much someone else will be able to like and appreciate you.

And that's why I believe that doing what you love, making people happy and earning good income precede being loved by someone.

Because the first three pillars WILL make you happy, and that way, you will automatically attract into your life partners who will love and enjoy your happiness, and make you even happier.

Another thing that makes you happy is health. It is, of course, the most important pillar of happiness. No way can you be really happy if you have cancer and you know your life is going to end soon.

But I assume that because you are reading this your health is okay right now (or at least not too bad), that you are interested in learning how to become financially free, and that you are not worried too much about your health.

But still think about it, and don't let junk food and lack of movement spoil the happiness of earning money and being financially free by causing you to become sick.

In summary

Many big and small things make us happy. If your main goal is to earn money and you think that will make you happy, think about it some more.

Money, in my opinion, makes one third of happiness and, unless you do what you are passionate about (what your purpose is) and receive appreciation from other people for what you do, money will not make you happy.

Once you combine all three of these factors, many other things will automatically fall into place, and your life will become a joyous adventure.

By Melissa Larone

Gisele Bundchen....what can I say. She certainly has the best body out of any celebrity or supermodel that I can think of. She always manages to keep her weight right down and looks stunning as always. Being naked doesn't bother Gisele! According to her, her diet secret is cheeseburgers. This is a very upsetting claim! How can somebody who weighs about 90lbs and is probably 100 meters tall use cheeseburgers as her diet secret? She must have a hell of a workout secret, one cheeseburger contains approximately 300-400 calories! She was discovered at Mcdonalds at the age of 14 so I suppose it makes sense. I'll do some further investigating to find out the REAL Gisele Bundchen workout for you. Don't worry!

What Does Gisele Bundchen Eat?

Cheeseburgers apparently. And anything else she wants! She's either got a super fast metabolism or actually is burning it all off. Or....it was a lie!

How Does Gisele Bundchen Workout?

Ok now it is starting to make sense. Gisele burns off every calorie of that cheeseburger! We think of eating cheeseburgers and settling in for a night in front of the TV, whereas Gisele eats a cheeseburger and jumps on the treadmill! Gisele Bundchen tells "I'm very athletic, so I guess because of that I get to eat what I want."

From the information I have gathered, Gisele seems to do yoga upon waking. Gisele gave some New York builders a bit of a thrill when she was doing yoga in her apartment one morning. She wasn't aware the builders could see in through the blinds. I kept telling my assistant that we needed to put something up, because they could see in my apartment, but she said, 'Don't worry about it - you have special blinds where you can see out, but they can't see in.'" The supermodel continued to stretch and practice yoga in skimpy outfits every morning in her living room. She adds, "I'm stretching in my shorts and I see a guy looking at me, but my assistant said he couldn't see me, so I continued. "I left and came back home and there were more guys looking into my apartment. I decided to wave (to see if they could see) and they all waved back. "They could see me the entire time! I could have killed her (assistant)!"

She also plays Volleyball and does extreme sports to stay fit."I'm very comfortable with my body."

Workout: Yoga everyday upon waking, horse riding, volleyball & anything extreme about 3 times a week.

By Don Stuart

Can't seem to get the energy or motivation to exercise? Forget exercise - go play. For most of us exercise is a chore. So many people hate to exercise, or just can't get motivated to start an exercise program. If you are one of those, forget about exercise, go play.

Make it a point to play everyday. Find a partner. Go golfing, swimming, shoot baskets, tennis, volleyball, play catch, any kind of sport that gets you moving. Every day. You may need a different partner each day - find one.

Get on your bicycles and go siteseeing. Get with a partner or group and go horseback riding. Go to the parks and explore the trails. Play volleyball, badminton, anything to become active. Remember to start slow and work your way up to playing an hour or two each day.

Set a schedule for each activity one day each week. Pre-arrange with a partner to play every day, make each one a weekly event. You will need anything from one to seven partners to keep active all week.

Go to your Parks Department, see if they would be interested in starting a playday program for different age groups, or however they might want to do something for their public. Many already have activities for the kids - how about the adults.

Go to the local newspaper. Would their Sports Editor be interested in getting their public involved?

You may use this article in anyway appropriate. All I ask is that you use it in its entirety, including my information.

By Susanne Pacher

Ottawa has a myriad of sights to visit and the ByWard Market is one of the major entertainment areas in Ottawa. It combines a great selection of restaurants and night spots, with funky boutiques and retailers, galleries and artsy places and a busy outdoor market. Throw in a good dose of special events and you've got yourself a happening place!

I myself will be heading off to Ottawa on February 10 to sample Canada's capital, and to check out Winterlude, Ottawa's winter festival, which will be held this year from February 3 to 19, 2006. Winterlude includes skating on the Rideau Canal, the world's largest outdoor skating facility according to its Guiness World Book of Records designation of November 2005.

Let me give you an idea of the enormity of this skating opportunity: the Rideau Canal's surface is the equivalent size of 90 Olympic rinks and stretches for 7.8 km (4.8 miles) through downtown! And it features all kinds of outdoor entertainment as well as the famous Beavertails, Ottawa's signature pastry, so skating on the Canal will be a definite must on this upcoming trip.

So, after a good round of outdoor exercise I will certainly be checking out what the ByWard Market area has to offer and quench my well-deserved hunger with a great meal.

In anticipation of my visit I had a chance to talk to Meg McCallum, from the ByWard Market Business Improvement Association, who was able to give me a great overview of this ecclectic area.

1. Please give us a general overview of the ByWard Market, its location and its history.

Established by Lieutenant Colonel John By in 1826, the ByWard Market is one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. The legendary builder of the Rideau Canal, Colonel By himself laid out the street plan of the Market, designating George Street and York Street to be extra wide to accommodate the creation of a public market and gathering place. 180 years later, the Market is still going strong!

Within an area roughly four blocks square, you'll find cafés, specialty food shops, boutiques, galleries, restaurants, pubs, hair & aesthetics salons and more! Easily accessible on foot, by transit, by bicycle or by car, the ByWard Market offers a unique experience for all.
Whether you're here at dawn to welcome the outdoor vendors with their overflowing stands of fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, and art & crafts; joining some friends for brunch/ lunch/ dinner or shopping; or staying up till the wee hours at one of our hip nightspots, you'll find the ByWard Market has something for you!

2. The ByWard Market still houses a farmers market today, please give us more information about that.

Outdoor vendors are an integral part of the ByWard Market experience. You'll find ByWard's vendors outside, no matter the weather, 363 days per year (closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day)! At the peak of summertime, there may be 175 stands operating, selling fruits & vegetables, bedding & gardening plants & cut flowers, arts & crafts, maple syrup & honey. In the winter months, you're more likely to find Christmas trees, natural wreaths & garlands, firewood, cut flowers, maple syrup & honey, and art & craft.

The farmers market is surrounded by specialty food retail shops - butchers, bakeries, imported items and more. As an example of the variety of goods you'll find, there are over XXX types of cheese to be found!

3. Please tell us about the variety of culinary experiences that are available in the ByWard Market.

With over 80 restaurants, you'll never run out of options for dining. In the summer months, patios are the place to go, both to take advantage of the sun and warm weather and to people watch. In the winter, you'll find a warm welcome in some of the area's most beautiful heritage buildings, such as the Courtyard Restaurant and Mamma Grazzi's Kitchen. The ByWard Market is home to several internationally recognized chefs and sommeliers - try the Social, Luxe, E18hteen and Domus Café. You'll find Canadian cuisine at its finest, along with Thai, Mexican, Indian, Aboriginal, Japanese and more. If you're in a hurry, the ByWard Market building is home to several take-out options, or you can assemble a picnic lunch with breads, meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies from the farmers market. Don't forget dessert - there are several bakeries and gelato shops to choose from, as well as the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory or Sugar Mountain for those with a sweet tooth!

4. What type of retail and shopping opportunities can be found in the area?

With most retail shops being locally owned and operated, Market business owners are masters of their crafts. You'll find quality, experience and cutting edge trends in the many fashion, housewares and specialty boutiques. If you're looking for locally designed jewelery and clothing or picks from designers across North America and Europe, the shops on Sussex, Clarence and Dalhousie will wow you! If your interest in cooking has been piqued, try Ma Cuisine, Les Concepts Zone or Domus Housewares for kitchen gadgets galore! From there, of course, you'll start to want to redecorate your whole house... and this is the place to do it. Roche Bobois, Philip Van Leeuwen and many more furniture shops are to be found, along with specialty bath and bedding stores such as Mon Lit and Bed Behaviour. This is only a sampling of the variety of shops - you really have to visit to see for yourself!

5. There are also a number of nightlife opportunities in the ByWard Market. Please tell us about those.

The Market is home to over 20 nightclubs featuring world reknowned dj's and live music; as well as more than 50 restaurants, pubs and lounges that stay open until 2 am. You'll find everything from martinis and single malt scotches to a world wide selection of wines and spirits. Venues run the gamut from intimate to extravagant; for the salt of the earth and the cream of the crop. Some not to be missed experiences include Fat Tuesdays New Orleans Experience (cajun cuisine and a carnival atmosphere), the Rainbow Bistro (live blues music), The Collection/Mercury Lounge/ Bar 56 (3 floors of martinis, dj's, culture and style), and Zaphod Beeblebrox (recently made famous as the filming location for the Rolling Stones latest video).

6. What special events are you planning during the ByWard Market Mardi Gras?

Warm your fingers, toes, and your spirits as you take part in a variety of great activities all week long. From a masquerade ball to live Southern bands, you will find fabulous entertainment options for everyone at ByWard Market Mardi Gras from February 3 - 14th.

Plus, all week long, take advantage of extraordinary discount prices at 20 of the ByWard Market's trendiest boutiques and salons. Over 25 great ByWard Market restaurants and bars will be serving up special Mardi Gras Menus all week; with tasty Southern dishes and beverages such as all-you-can-eat Creole mussels, Mardi Gras martinis, Cajun seafood jambalaya, and much more.

7. You are planning a "Winterlude Stew Cook-Off" for February 3, 2006. Please tell us about this special event.

For only $10 you can sample stew created by over 20 of the Market's finest restaurants, including last year's winner of both Judge's and People's Choice awards, Luxe Bistro. The 15th annual Winterlude Stew Cook-Off takes place at the south end of the ByWard Market Building on Friday, February 3, between 12 and 2 p.m.

Winners are chosen by the public as well as by a panel of celebrity judges including a master chef from Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School. All proceeds from the stew cook-off will be donated to Operation Go Home.

8. You have another special event planned for February 18, 2006: a Snow Volleyball Tournament. Please tell us about that.

Winter doesn't need to be spent inside! The Snow Volleyball Tournament brings out up to 40 teams to compete for bragging rights in friendly competition. The action takes place on Saturday, February 18 at 3:00 pm beside the Whiskey Bar at 112 York Street. Proceeds raised at the event will be donated to Operation Go Home.

9. Please tell us about the galleries and the arts and culture opportunities that are accessible in and around your area.

To start with, the National Gallery of Canada anchors the Market at it's north-west edge. And just across the street is the Notre Dame Basilica - a beautiful cathedral worth a visit to see the marbled painted archways and pillars. Throughout the Market you'll find many small galleries, commercial and publicly owned. The Ottawa School of Art offers short courses, workshops and lectures, and has a shop, a student gallery and a large public gallery. Lafreniere & Pai Gallery is home to works by some of Canada's best glass and ceramic artists, and Gallery of the Kanadas showcases aboriginal and inuit art. Many restaurants host exhibitions, and the Sussex Courtyards are home to several whimsical sculptures.

10. What are the ByWard Market Ambassadors?

The ByWard Market Ambassador program is operated through a community partnership and includes tourism, safety and information functions. Each summer ByWard Market Ambassadors circulate throughout the Market area contributing to a positive Market experience by...

- Providing tourists & the public with an on-street resource for questions about the Market & the City

- Providing a safety &security function by monitoring the street activity & responding to situations that require intervention

- Providing front-line response & first aid treatment in the case of accident or injury

- Maintaining positive community relations with all Market stakeholders

Look for the bright yellow t-shirts with INFO on the back...
Thank you, Meg, for giving me a good overview of the ByWard Market. I look forward to checking out some of these places in person in a few weeks from now.

By Lisa Carson

Purchasing Florida Investment Property

Considering researching the purchase of Florida Investment Property or properties for sale in central Florida? Do you find yourself wishing you didn't have that lawn to mow and the constant upkeep on a home? Purchasing Florida Investment Property can relieve you of all those household chores but purchasing a Florida Investment Property requires you do some homework. You need to know what you are looking for in a Florida Investment Property. Some important things to consider in Florida Investment Property are: size, price, location and future salability. Are you looking for the best price on an economy unit, or do you desire luxury Investment Property with more to offer. Prices on Florida Investment Property will vastly vary depending on size, location and other amenities provided. Remember to keep the main thing in mind when purchasing Florida Investment Property: location, location, location. This is the most likely factor in determining whether your purchase of Florida Investment Property will escalate in value. A Florida Investment Property location near banks, shopping, restaurants and cultural venues in a growing real estate sales area will probably mean home values will continue to escalate. The market can always be volatile but purchasing Florida Investment Property in areas such as this will give you a greater chance of profitable resale value.

Purchasing Florida Investment Property in High Traffic Areas

Are you looking for Florida Investment Property as your primary residence or are you considering purchasing Florida Investment Property as a source of providing rental income? Or is your goal to purchase Florida Investment Property that can be used for family vacations, giving you the benefit of anytime availability without the hassle of searching for last minute specials on low cost holiday lodging. Owning Florida Investment Property can provide you with the security of owning your own vacation villa. Purchasing Florida Investment Property in high traffic tourist areas will also give you the benefit of renting to help off-set the cost of your purchase. Many profitable rental locations exist with one of the hottest areas being the Orlando, Florida area. Orlando is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations due to its proximity to Walt Disney World and the major area theme parks, Sea World and Universal. Owning Florida Investment Property in the Kissimmee, Florida, Orlando, Davenport, Florida area will provide rentals with the closest lodging locations near the major theme park attractions.

Owning Florida Investment Property Close to the Major Attractions

Kissimmee is closest to Disney World, the number one Central Florida tourist destination. Besides Disneyworld, don't overlook other area attractions near Kissimmee that are also a boost to owning a rental accommodation in this area. A family with kids will have loads to do when booking rental accommodations in Kissimmee. Green Meadows Petting Farm transports you to the country where more than 300 farm animals are on display to touch and see. Other farm activities are also scheduled at this country adventure land. For the horse lover, Horse World is what you've been dreaming of! 750 acres are yours to explore with nothing above you but blue sky and nothing below but the creaking of the saddle. Along with horse riding, Horse World also allows you to relax with a good old fashioned game of horse shoes, volleyball, or basketball. Reservations are suggested. A trip to Kissimmee would not be complete without a visit to the Silver Spurs Arena where rodeos are held every Friday night at 8:00pm. Opening in October of 2005, the Silver Spurs Arena has a capacity of 8,300 with 12 luxury skyboxes in an indoor arena hosting concerts, sporting events and more. Along with these old Florida attractions, you won't want to miss the Arabian Nights dinner theater which was voted best dinner show by Orlando Sentinel readers. Step back into medieval times where an Arabian fairytale is played out before your eyes on horseback. Along with the amazing entertainment, you will feast on an elegant three course meal. Kissimmee is loaded with amazing hidden surprises.

Owning Florida investment properties in the Orlando Area

Owning real estate resort condominiums in the Orlando area will provide you and your renters with access to all the theme parks around Central Florida plus the hundreds of discount attractions in or near Orlando. Orlando's nickname is The Beautiful City". It more than lives up to its name with its towers of gleaming glass metal skyscrapers set between sparkling lakes. Orlando is also all about historic preservation also. You will find charming brick streets and many gardens and parks. Cultural attractions near Orlando Florida investment Properties include the Morse Museum of American Art where a permanent display of Tiffany glass is on exhibit along with American paintings from the 19th century. The Orlando Museum of Art features American portraits and landscaping, art of the ancient Americas and American impressionist works. Looking for a garden oasis far removed from the hectic tourist pace? Try Leu Gardens, an oasis covering 50 acres featuring annuals, palms and an orchid house. These fine cultural experiences will seem like cheap deals for their reasonable price.

Florida investment properties - Other Fine Attractions

The list goes on and on. After spending a fortune at the major attractions, you will appreciate finding low cost but fun entertainment near your investment Property. A trip to Florida would not be complete without a visit to Gatorland. The name says it all, as this 70 acre park is home to thousands of gators and some crocodiles. Breeding pens and nurseries are available to view, containing critters of all sizes. Don't miss gator feeding time when you will get a close up view of gators in a feeding frenzy. This family owned park also has a mini water park for children, a petting zoo and a 2000 foot boardwalk which winds its way through a cypress swamp. Looking for the "au naturale" wild side of Florida? Wekiwa Springs pumps 42 million gallons of sparkling clear water a day. Canoeing, swimming, picnicking and fishing are popular outdoor activities. You are also likely to spot a gator in the wild, along with other wildlife native to Florida. For information on these and other local Orlando attractions and to check out the lowest price at orlandoinfo.com.

Renting Florida investment Properties

Owning Florida investment Properties may be a great option for those with the funds but maybe all you want to do is find discount lodging for a Florida dream vacation. There are many options for renting Florida investment Property. Kissimmee and Orlando are great choices for location of your rental villa. Check out this web source for more information on lodging: http://www.orlandotouristinformationbureau.com. Looking for a time share resort rental? Redweek.com lists time share rentals with price and availability listed on site. Maybe your idea of a dream Florida vacation is staying in a quieter area, somewhat removed from the mainstream of the tourist hubbub. Staying in Davenport, Florida offers that quiet respite. Davenport may seem like its miles removed from the mainstream but it is only 5 miles southwest of Disney making it a close commute to the major attractions. One choice in Davenport is Island Hideaway Resort offering 2 and 3 bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchen. Other amenities include: outdoor pools, children's play room, poolside bar and grill and recreation center. Another great choice is the Island Club Resort and Spa. With its variety of discount deals, you are sure to find what you are looking for here. Everything from an economy size villa to a 5 bedroom vacation villa can be found here. Along with low cost lodging, you will also find resort amenities which include a large adult pool and kiddie pool, volleyball, basketball and tennis court, massage and fitness room and on-site store.

By Lois McElravy

Workplace stress or occupational stress is the leading cause of employee absenteeism. On an average workday, an estimated 1 million workers do not make it to work due to stress-related-illness.

The unexpected or uncontrollable situations that daily wreak havoc on our well laid plans are a major source of stress. Even though we are often unable to control our circumstances, we can control our reaction. Acute stress causes the two hemispheres of our brain to become disconnected. This explains why we might feel flustered, fumble, drop things, and make mistakes, when we feel stressed out.

If we are able to look for the humor in that moment, smile, and find a way to laugh about it, we can diffuse a potentially explosive situation. Laughter is a pressure release valve that activates the limbic system in the brain, connecting the right and left sides. It helps us do more whole brain work, and improves our mental clarity. By relieving our stress, we are able to regain our perspective, summon our creativity and problem solve at a higher capacity.

Karla is an accountant and works for a medical office. Even though it was a stretch, Karla worked hard all week to finish the payroll, so she may leave work early to attend her daughter's volleyball tournament. Her boss asks her to fill in for the receptionist, who just called in sick.

Karla has a solid relationship with her boss, and she is fortunate to work in a fun environment. Karla feels comfortable to use humor in her response to her boss' request, "Sure, I adore this office. I don't mind missing my daughter's volleyball tournament this afternoon, even though it will break her heart, and I have worked hard to get my work done so I may leave early today. That is, unless you insist that I still leave early."

One theory on how humor is created is called the Incongruity Theory. This theory suggests that we laugh when two incongruent things come together unexpectedly. Without complaining, Karla was able to draw her boss' attention to the commitment she made to be present at her daughter's game. Because Karla's playful sarcasm caused her boss to chuckle, he was more than willing to make a plan that would accommodate her leaving early.

How can you use humorous exaggeration to solve a stressful issue in your workplace? Here is an example. You are not able to finish a project, because it hinges on receiving information from another co-worker, who has assured you twice, he will send it immediately. You feel awkward asking him a third time. So you pick up the phone, and call him, "I seem to be having some problems receiving my e-mail lately. I can't seem to locate the information you sent to me last week."

Don't be surprised if this is the response you hear, "The problem is not with your e-mail. I still haven't sent that information." When you show others that you aren't perfect, it allows them to admit that they are human, too. Bottom-line, you want the information and the quickest way to get it is to ask without blaming or offending.

The next time you are stressed out because of unexpected or uncontrollable circumstances remember this; "On the keyboard of life, humor is your escape key."

Lois McElravy, Lessons from Lois, works with individuals and organizations who want to learn how to effectively use humor, so they can handle the demands and pressures of work and home, maintain a flexible perspective, produce positive outcomes, and have more fun.

Learning to laugh and "hangin' on with humor" rescued Lois from the distress and despair surrounding her daily life, and initiated her recovery from a brain injury. Her universal message offers hope, motivates participants to be faithful to do the small things, and conquer their challenges one day at a time.