Blog Camp Pune & Me

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It’s been just two weeks I started blogging. I had explored the Blogosphere and did a bit of research work. I had also visited other web logs and studied them. The study was enough to help me create my own blog. I named it as Write – 2 – Know. I then got a new template from “gecko and fly” and a free domain name. Since then I regularly update my blog. I tried a bit of SEO and even worked on marketing the blog through Orkut, MSN contribute, Office network and chatting. So far so good and I thought, now that the blog is set up, I just need to keep posting. I knew that I was on the right track. And I also knew that I was missing something.

Out of the blue, I remembered that a few months back, my friend and colleague at work Mr. Tarun Chandel had once told me about the “Blog camp Pune.” He then told me, “It’s a camp conducted by bloggers for bloggers. And if you would like to know more about blogging, come to SCIT on June 16th and experience it yourself.”

Tarun was so right. I had an information overload at the “Blog Camp Pune.” I met people who shared their knowledge, their personal experiences and innovative business ideas. I was thrilled. I thought to myself, “I just started blogging and I wanted someone to guide me more on blogging.”
Really! Some things happen at the right time with the right people 🙂

John Goddard and Living a Life of No Regrets

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One evening many years ago, 15 year-old John Goddard was sitting at the kitchen table doing his homework while his parents and a family friend stood around the kitchen sink talking and washing dishes. The friend was telling John’s parents of all the things he had never gotten around to doing, all of the regrets he had, and how he wished he could be John’s age again and have a second chance at life. This conversation had a strong impact on John, and he resolved right there and then that he would never be in the same situation this man was in. He would live a life without regrets.

A few days later, on a rainy afternoon, John sat down once again at that same kitchen table. This time, he had a yellow pad with him, and a pen. At the very top of the pad he wrote: “My Life List”. John proceeded to fill the pages of the pad with all of the adventures he wanted to go. It included things such as climbing the world’s highest mountains, exploring the world’s greatest rivers, flying a plane, visiting every country in the world, reading the complete works of Shakespeare, having children, and even going to the moon. When he was done, John’s list contained 127 items.

However, John didn’t stop at simply creating a life list. He went on to cross off nearly every item on the list. Today, John is widely recognized as one of the world’s most famous anthropologists, explorers, and adventurers. Some people have even referred to him as the real life Indiana Jones. His greatest feat, traversing the entire length of the Nile River-the world’s longest river-was referred to by the LA Times as “the most amazing adventure of this generation”. This 1950 expedition has never been duplicated, even with today’s modern equipment.

John advises that you get started on living a life of no regrets by putting your dreams down on paper. He also recommends that you keep your life list in a place where you can see it often, and that you set firm deadlines. In addition, he cautions others that there will be obstacles that they will have to overcome as they try to achieve their life list. While traversing the Nile on a kayak, along with two other men, John nearly drowned, he was attacked by wild hippos, he was almost buried alive in a sandstorm, and he was even shot at by river pirates.

You may not be interested in climbing Mount Fuji or Mount Everest, running a mile in five minutes, or following Marco Polo’s route through all of the Middle East, India, and China. However, if there’s anything you’ve always told yourself that you wanted to do-such as go skydiving, visit Paris, or learn to play the piano-write it down. Then, follow John Goddard’s lead and get started crossing items off your life list. Do this and at the end of your life, you, too, will be able to say, “I have no regrets”.

How to Find Cheap, Convenient Air Travel

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To begin with, you will want to start searching online travel websites. Numerous let you evaluate flights with different airlines. In order to find the best deal with using online travel websites to help you find cheap air travel rates, you will want to visit more than one of them to find the best deal. Investigating many online travel websites and their rates is essential, as they will probably vary. For instance, several online travel websites charge you a fee for making use of their services. Firstly, check airlines that offer flights from your starting point to your destination. Then, evaluate prices. Keep in mind that being flexible, in your destination and travel dates and time can result in you saving a lot of money.

When evaluating prices, either for airlines independently or with online travel websites, make sure you write down all quote rates. Don’t forget to write down the name of the airline, date, time, and the name of the online travel website the deal is being offered on. This will consent you to easily measure up to to find the cheapest air travel rates, without making any mistakes.

Those airlines that are offering great deals on flights may have their seats filled up in no time. That is why you will want to take action as soon as possible if you see a great money saving air travel rate before there are no tickets left.

Sometimes traveling during the week is unlike the weekends. Depending on availability, some airlines cut off their flights. As you can see, there are so many considerations and options in choosing cheap air flight whether it is local or overseas. In any case, it is best to opt for a weekday departure and arrival date when possible. This is because weekend flights get filled up faster than weekdays and airlines frequently offer discounts to fill up the weekday flights.

If you don’t want to do the research online for yourself, finding cheaper ways to travel by air can also be found consulting a travel agency. Just remember this that there is no charge to consult a travel agent. Travel agents will offer the best costumer service, full practical advice, and will assist you finding the information on cheap airfares when you need to travel. Travel agents will provide the best costumer service, full practical advice, and will assist you finding the information on cheap airfares when you need to travel.

Families with kids can see if an airline will offer you a discount for traveling with a child under the age of two, so the best thing to do is to contact them immediately. The above mentioned ways are just a few of the many ways that you can go about finding cheap air travel rates.

As a recap, comparing airlines, travel websites, and flight dates and times is likely to result in you finding the best deals.

Boot Camps For Troubled Teens – Answer Or Problem Enhancer?

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There are lots of residential programs for teenagers whose behavior has become so problematic that serious intervention, away from the tension and upset of the family environment, seems like the right answer. They go by several names, such as “Therapeutic Boarding Schools”, “Boot Camps For Troubled Teens”, and “Residential Boarding Schools”.

Each institution has its own approach, but most all of them emphasize discipline, structure, and teaching the child to take responsibility for his own actions and to stop blaming others. In addition, they tend to look beneath the surface to try to determine the underlying causes of the anger and defiance, although this is less true of the “boot camps”, due to their shorter term.

“Boot Camps” are generally shorter term-typically 3-6 weeks. They focus on the rebelliousness of the teen, and can be compared to a military boot camp where physical challenges instill values of respect and dependability. The emphasis on physical challenges and physical fitness can lead to new outlooks and the replacement of negative behaviors with positive ones.

The idea is that in some cases, all the child needs is a reality check. This is less likely to be the case if the teen has been evidencing great anger and defiance for a long time. Even if the negative behavior is fairly short term, the results of a short-term boot camp may not last, and the child may require follow-up counseling to stay on the straight and narrow.

Many professionals believe that boot camps don’t really work. Very strict military-style discipline with lots of screaming by a “drill sergeant” may cause the teen to conform while he’s at camp, but the camp is likely to create even more resentment and hostility toward authority, and serious backsliding once camp is over.

Most troubled teens require structure, guidance, and therapy, and to discover the consequences of behavior. If the boot camp teaches instead that “the loudest and meanest wins”, that may well be counter-productive.

The very fact that the program is short-term can lead the teen to fake whatever behavior and attitude is required, knowing that he’ll get out before long. If boot camps for troubled teens don’t work, what does?

If a change of environment and some sort of residential program seems indicated, Residential Boarding Schools and Therapeutic Boarding Schools, with a longer-term focus, and with a more supportive and less confrontational style are generally regarded as a better alternative. This type of school has more time to devote to the client than the typical boot camp or wilderness camp has. They also usually have more clinical staff and an orientation towards support, understanding, and counseling. They can dig beneath the surface to determine the underlying issues that are leading to the anger and defiance. Treating these underlying issues is generally much more effective than just demanding compliance and trying to “knock” the anger and defiance out of the child.