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Letter Writing 101: How to Write Unique, Original, and Interesting Old School Snail Mail Letters to Lovers, Friends, Family, Penpals, and People All Over the World From A to Z

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Writing old school letters can be an amazing experience, provided you know how to go about it. Yes, it sounds like it’s easy to do, but just like anything else in life worth doing, there are a few rules and regulations you should keep in mind when finding a penpal or when writing to them. It’s nothing difficult or complicated to do, however. Just basic common sense and a whole lotta desire to meet people all over the world and share the love of the written word with them.

Firstly, you should know where to go about finding penpals. Some suggestions include social media, school, travels or penpal websites, of which there’s an abundance online, so you should decide whether you want to pay for access to their database or not. There are of course, free ones as well, it’s just that they might make you go through a few ads. Just make sure you’re at the right place, where it’s easy to refine your search and choose whatever you want regarding your penpal, such as country of origin, gender, age, interests, etc. Then, once you’ve found the right penpal who suits your general interests, you should write that first letter.

We know exactly how you feel. You’re sitting there, at your little desk, sipping your favorite warm beverage as you do so, a few butterflies in your stomach, a few scratched off pages, revealing only to yourself that you’ve started this letter 4 times, before you finally liked how it turned out. But don’t worry. It’s all a part of that wonderful letter writing process. So, what have you written? A little about yourself, so that your penpal knows who you are? Great! You shared a funny story that happened to you a few days ago? Even better! You asked your penpal for opinions, advice or recommendations regarding some new books you want to read or movies you want to see? Fantastic! Seems like you’ve got it all covered.

Now, it’s time to keep the conversation alive. Always make time to write to your penpal, as often as you’ve agreed upon. Keep writing stuff that interests you, stuff that moved you, stuff that has made you think. And remember to be patient. Writing letters is a great patience builder, so be glad you’ve got that going for you.

Finally, remember to stay safe. Don’t share personal info until you’ve built trust first. Even then, be careful what you share, and never give out your financial info or anything that someone might use against you. Always maintain appropriate boundaries and don’t ask rude questions or anything that would make your penpal feel uncomfortable. If you’re a minor, always let your parents know when you’re writing to someone new and maybe even consider getting a PO box (with your parents’ consent) so you don’t have to use your home address. Most importantly, never ever agree to meet someone, unless your parents are there with you.

Now that you know what to do and what not to do, it’s time to get that pen and paper out, and have some fun!

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Survival Guide 2.0: 101 Survival Secrets to Be Self Sufficient, Learn Primitive Living Skills, and Survive Anywhere Independently From A to Z

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Survival isn’t a verb. It is a lifestyle, it is a mentality… It is a philosophy. Survival is dependant on you, on what you know, on the type of person you are. It is dependant on how comfortable you have let yourself get in life.

Most humans are quite pampered these days. The thought of camping doesn’t bring up images of roughing it in the woods and singing songs around a campfire. It brings up images of vehicles made specifically for camping in, campers and RVs.

There are things that you need to know if you are going to have any chance of surviving in a survival situation. Your chance of success is very dependant on what you know, and how well you know it. Someone who has no understanding of plant identification, who has not spend their spare time actually hunting for and finding specific plants to train their ability to identify that specific plant isn’t going to do too well if they try to eat plants to stay alive.

Without a proper understanding of shelter building techniques, waterproofing skills and an understanding of thermal energy, you will likely be killed by the elements. The best skill set for survival is a primitive or stone age skill set.

Stone, wood and bone are the easiest and most abundant resources available in most areas. Learning how to use these resources to create tools that will help you survive will increase your chances of survival greatly. This goes just beyond reading a book or watching a YouTube video, however. I’m talking about actually getting out and practicing these skills, preferably in as primitive an environment as possible. In other words, out in the wilderness and not in your kitchen. Just trying things out a couple of times isn’t going to cut it. You want to aim for total mastery of every single thing you train for, every skill, every tool you learn to make and every plant you learn to identify.

When you take survival seriously, you become intimate with it, it merges into your lifestyle and molds you into a new, more primally confident person. It is psychologically and emotionally healing and freeing.

Remember, there are some basic needs that every human has. These needs must be met, no matter what. Thankfully, nature gives these things to us freely, we just need to know where to find these gifts and how to use them.

Humans need shelter, because without it we are vulnerable to the elements and prone to sickness and disease. This shelter protects us, and it is at its very core a tool. Learning how to build a proper shelter requires making at least hundreds of the type of shelter that you are learning. Just building them isn’t enough though, you need to become intimately acquainted with each type of shelter you learn. That means you need to use it as it is intended to be used. You need to live in it for a while, at least stay in it for a day and a night or two in various weather conditions.

By getting intimately acquainted with every skill and tool that you learn you can master that skill faster. Think of it like learning a language. The most effective way to learn a language is through total immersion. Just throw yourself into the language, into a community where that language is the primary language being spoken. The same applies to survival skills. The best way to learn is to learn natively. Practice these skills out in the wilderness. Take time out of your life for some truly primitive camping. When you get to the point that you can just go anywhere with nothing but the clothes on your back and set up camp and know that you can feed yourself and provide yourself your basic needs, you will know that you are prepared.

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Bible Teacher 101: How to Teach the Bible in Sunday School, Make a Positive Impact in People’s Lives, and Become the Best Bible Teacher You Can Be From A to Z

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The Bible is a powerful and captivating book. Whether you are a believer in Jesus Christ or you just want to know more about the sacred text, incredible truths and life changing ideas can be found between the covers. Published in over 1000 languages, the Bible is much more than just an ordinary book. It is a record of God’s word to man, and it tells us the things that he wants us to know.

Studying the Bible may seem like an overwhelming idea, especially if you have never done it before. Don’t let yourself get discouraged. Don’t be thrown off by the size of the Bible or even the wide range of instructions or teachings you may have heard from different religious leaders in the past. Although it is important to accept instruction, you must always hold up the teachings of man to the word of God.

Even if you are a beginner, studying the Bible can be simple. Just follow these steps:

Pray. Before you begin studying the Bible, pray and ask God to open your heart and your mind, and to reveal his truth to you. Ask God to help silence your own preconceived ideas of what is right so that you can truly learn from Scripture.
Choose the passage. Choose whatever scripture you want to learn about. It can be whatever you want, but consider looking at a Psalm or one of the letters in the New Testament such as Philippians or Colossians.
Consider the book. Understand why the book was written in the first place. A lot of Study Bibles have introductions at the beginning of each book to tell you the purpose of the book, but if not, look online for explanations of why the book was written. Doing this will help you gain a better understanding of the point the author is trying to make.
Consider the culture. Do a bit of research into what the culture of the time was when the passage was written. Was it during a time of war? Was it a wealthy culture? Were there specific areas of concern that needed to be addressed? Again, if your Bible doesn’t have this information included, take the time to look it up. This step is important so that you will know that the instructions found within the text are not arbitrary, but instead were written for a specific purpose.
Apply it to today. Now take what you have learned and apply it to the culture of today. The technology and traditions may be different, but the same issues can be found in any society. Look around and consider what similarities there are, and how the verses apply in today’s world.
Make it personal. Now look into your own life and see how what you have just read can impact your thoughts, attitudes, ideas, beliefs, or actions. Don’t walk away from it thinking that there is nothing for you. See what you can learn, and put it into action.

Don’t think that you have to do it all perfectly now. It takes time, but the more you learn and grow, the more you will discover as you look into the Word. Just keep going to the Lord every day and asking him to make the Scriptures come alive to you. You will not be disappointed.

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Stand Up Paddleboarding 2.0: Top 101 Stand Up Paddle Board Tips, Tricks, and Terms to Have Fun, Get Fit, Enjoy Nature, and Live Your Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Passion to the Fullest From A to Z!

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When I first borrowed a paddle board from Waterman’s Landing to take to the River City Paddlers Fall Classic in Sacramento, I had no idea how to secure it to the top of my tall Nissan X-Terra. As I state in the book, this was the hardest part of preparing for a race.

A 12’6” or 14’ paddle board is generally too big to fit inside a typical SUV. However, with a little guidance and practice I figured out how to get the paddle board on top of my car, back down, and securely strapped in to not damage the board, the vehicle, or completely losing it on the highway. Here’s how I do it:

I have Thule kayak racks on top of my vehicle that actually fold down and work pretty well as pads for my paddle board, but I’ve seen my friends use yoga blocks as a buffer between the top of their car and the paddle board as well. Waterman’s Landing and other SUP shops usually sell paddle board car pads that fasten around the roof racks to help protect the board.

These are the steps I take when putting the board on top of my car:

Carrying the board over to the back of the car, I prop it up lengthwise with nose up in the air, tail resting on the ground. Yet, I usually prop it up on a blanket or take the fin off as to not damage it.
Next, as the paddle board is propped up against the car vertically with the pads facing up, I grab either side of the board in the middle and start hoisting it/rolling it on top of the car. I usually place it to where the nose is sticking up a little over the windshield and the fin is right behind where the roof rack ends.
With the board on the car centered between the racks, I place four extension straps fastening the board to the roof rack. One strap goes at the top, two in the middle, and one at the end. My four straps are made of a polypropylene webbing (a little softer than seatbelt material) with metal tightening buckles, about an inch in width and at least 80” in length. I cinch them down tight (but not too tight) so that the paddle board is not moving on top of the rack at all.

Please note that you don’t want to use the straps with the large metal/rubber tightening buckles because you have a better chance of cinching down the straps too tight and crushing your board. Anik Wild, owner of Waterman’s Landing, says that she’s seen this happen before where someone totally destroyed their board trying to secure it to their roof rack. Remember- you don’t want to lose your board on the freeway but you don’t want to damage it in the process of securing it either!

To get the paddle board down off my car, I just reverse the steps. When I’ve reached my destination, I undo the straps and start pushing the board towards the back of the car. Then I put a pillow down to where the board is going to touch the ground, go around to the back, grab either side of the center of the board, and gently lower it down. By the time your board is off your car, it should be leaning up against the back vertically, nose up and the tail resting on the ground propped up on a pillow to protect the fin.

Then you simply go around to either side of the board, grab the handle, and carry your board to the water and can start warming up for your paddle board competition!

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Monarch Butterfly 2.0: 101 Reasons to Love Our Favorite Orange and Black Butterfly From A to Z

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Whether you need to learn about the monarch for school and do a book report or you are a butterfly lover and want to know more about the beautifully delicate but awesomely strong monarch butterfly, you will love how this book takes you through every aspect of the monarch’s life. Then I’m hoping it will make you feel for their plight and want to do something to help keep them around for the next generations.

Many hours of research have been put into this book to dig up not so well known gems about the monarch to share with everyone. Below are some of them you will read about.

You will learn why the monarch butterflies are the most well-known in North America.

You will learn how to tell the difference between a monarch and a viceroy and how to tell the male monarch from the female.

Even though bees do most of the pollination, you will learn why the monarch does a lot of pollinating that the bees can’t do.

Learn about the monarch’s metamorphosis and why it is one of the greatest wonders on earth. It will explain each of the four stages of the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and the adult butterfly.

You will learn how different generations of the monarch’s have different life spans.

Most people know how the monarch flies thousands of miles to Mexico every year for the winter but do you know what towns the monarchs that live west of the Rockies migrate to?

Learn what the great-grandchildren of the generation that goes to Mexico are able to do.

Do you know why the monarch is poisonous to some of its predators?

The book will explain why monarch butterflies are disappearing by the billions.

Learn how scientists calculate how many monarchs have disappeared in the past 25 years?

You will learn what is happening to the caterpillar’s favorite food and habitat.

This book will explain what the “Butterfly Effect” is and how it can affect our food if we don’t have butterflies.

Several organizations and people have been working hard to help the monarch. Learn who some of these famous people are and what they and others have been doing in an effort to save the monarch.

You get to pick one of the 11 things listed that you can do to keep the monarch from becoming an endangered species.

Learn what a waystation is and how building one can help the monarch butterflies.

Learn about the fun you could have raising butterflies at home to help increase their population.

At the end of the book is a list of where to go to see the monarchs while they are hibernating and where you can go to sit among and see exhibits on the monarch and other butterflies.

You will learn practically everything there is to know about the monarch and hopefully will gain a new respect for what these little beauties can do and why we need them in our life.

Happy Reading!

Jessica Dumas

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Bushcraft 2.0: 101 Tips, Tricks, and Secrets About Traditional Wilderness Survival Skills to Survive, Thrive, and Master the Art of Bushcraft from A to Z!

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Producing a pile of black dust with a bow drill or hand drill isn’t necessarily a sign that you have created an ember that you will be able to use to light your fire. Even if there is loads of smoke being produced it doesn’t mean your quite there.

When you stop drilling that little pile of black dust needs to keep smoking, there is no rush to get it immediately into a tinder bundle. You would be better of giving it a few seconds, maybe even a minute or a little more to allow it to start glowing and get well established.

To make sure you get this well-established ember the first key is to not stop drilling as soon as you see smoke, drill until the smoke is really billowing, with practice you might see the colour of the smoke change slightly and become a browner colour, but once it’s billowing keep drilling for another few strokes. Once you’ve done that make sure that you don’t suddenly drop all the components of your fire kit as it might scatter the ember, gently take the drill away and keep you new ember in one piece.

As long as the little ember is still smoking you are still in business, you can fan it gently with your hand to provide it with a little more oxygen, you can blow it but make sure you are not too vigorous or it will scatter the ember.

Once it has had time to establish and you can see the glow in the centre of the ember you can think about transferring it to some tinder and going for a flame. If you placed an ember catcher under the hearth as you drilled you will be able to easily move the ember and tip it into your tinder.

This tinder should have been prepared well in advance and be of very fine, dry material. Shredded dry grass or ferns is perfect but there must be plenty of it, at least two fists full, and it must be tightly packed together otherwise the ember will drop through the holes in it and quickly go out. Pack the tinder tightly together and if you have some thistle down or cat tail down add this to the centre of the bundle and carefully tip your ember directly into this most flammable material. You won’t get a flame from the seed down but it will grow your ember and make it easier to get a flame from the rest of the tinder.

Once your ember is in your tinder you can start to blow on it, gently at first but the more it smokes the harder you can blow. Eventually as long as there is plenty of dry material and you don’t allow the ember to be starved of fuel or oxygen it will burst into flame. On a windy day you can let Mother Nature do the work for you and just hold your tinder up into the wind and it should blow your ember into flame.

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Denver Travel Guide: 101 Unique, Interesting, & Fun Places to Visit, Explore, and Experience Denver Colorado to the Fullest from A to Z

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Denver, Colorado is a place that dares to approach life a little differently, and that’s exactly what people tend to love about this Mile High City. Beautifully framing the Front Range and acting as the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, Denver brings out what’s best in nature and aligns it with a city-scape that calls out to professionals and creative enthusiasts alike. A destination with a rich history that continues to cultivate a population determined to move forward in the name of progress, Denver captivates the imagination and offers up a wealth of culture, music, sensory exploration and scenery that keeps travelers coming back for more.

Denver is a city of culture

From Red Rocks Amphitheatre to the streets of bustling downtown, Denver puts a spotlight on those cultural activities that give any city an exciting edge. Clocktowers dedicated to Cabaret and eateries blending the best of Colorado and global cuisine makes for a place where taste is waiting to be discovered and entertainment is never far from the table. Art lovers come to explore a unique take on modern design while dancers have the option of Rhumbaing their way through downtown’s hottest clubs. Denver is designed for the creative at heart and its sense of culture and style are irresistible.

Denver is a city surrounded by mountains

Picturesque, stunning and close to the pristine peaks, Denver provides the perfect base camp for those who can’t wait to hit the slopes when the fresh powder finally falls. Boasting of nearby resorts such as Breckinridge, Winter Park and Vail, when you’re in Denver you’re never far from an outdoor excursion that’s sure to keep your adrenaline flowing. Mastering the mountains is made easier with the endless opportunities for lessons, guided adventures and practice slopes next to the pros. Whether you’re looking for a weekend away or extending your stay, Denver gives visitors every reason to make the most of the terrific terrain that hugs the city from all sides.

Denver is a city for the whole family

When you’re looking for that fun, family getaway destination, Denver dishes up an experience that’s age appropriate and exciting for everyone. No need to worry about fading attention spans, between the Children’s Museum, plethora of parks, amusement rides, mini golf and Wild Animal Sanctuary, there’s enough on the to-do list to keep engagement levels locked in tight. The city’s growing population has led to an equally growing list of places to bring the family when you’re in town. Take advantage of all the city has to offer in the way of fun and get ready to make some memories that last a lifetime.

Denver is waiting

Denver dominates as a city where culture, progress and a healthy respect for the past collide. Within this scheme of looking backwards and forwards simultaneously, the population thrives on a sense of purpose rooted in the past and future-reaching solutions. Whether you’re traveling to Denver in the name of family, fun, solo exploration or communing with nature, you’re sure to find more than one point of interest that speaks to you on a personal level. Come and explore and once you think you’re done, take some time to look again. This ever-changing city is growing in a dynamic way that constantly opens the door for further exploration!

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Vintage Wedding 101: How to Plan an Authentic Vintage Wedding from Start to Finish with Love, Grace, and Style

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Vintage Weddings 101 is an excellent resource for the couple planning a wedding who want to do something different and take their event to the next level. There are vintage inspired weddings where they set out mason jars and some rickety old wood chairs, throw some suspenders on the men and maybe throw some pearls and feathers on the bridesmaids.

Then there are gorgeous, glamorous events that are classic, stylish and different from affairs most of your guests may have attended yielding beautiful photos you’ll treasure forever. The kind of pictures where people gasp and say “My word, you look like my grandmother when she was your age!” Trust us, that’s a compliment! We’ve got nothing against mason jars but would suggest that doing a little historical research might yield some incredible inspiration and Vintage Weddings 101 will help guide you. Choosing to have an elegant, well-researched and authentic vintage wedding will set you and your special day apart from the masses of unremarkable weddings that all look alike, and the best part is it can be achieved on a budget!

Covering wedding trends and traditions from the 1910s through the 1950s, including historical context and background, you'll find the inspiration that will help you plan the wedding of your dreams, down to those beautiful little details that will be so meaningful to you and your guests. With suggestions for venues, decorations, and how to find documentation of real weddings from the past, you will be able to bring your vision into focus and stay on point through the planning process. In-depth advice is included about how to build relationships with your vendors, who can make or break your wedding day. Learn how to work with your photographer as a team to achieve the images of your dreams, along with useful tips for working with family and the wedding party on the big day. Some of the biggest misunderstandings brides have with vendors are with their photographers and Vintage Weddings 101 will help you avoid the problems and get straight to the gorgeous pictures.

Weddings are celebrations of the creation of a new family, and it is essential to keep this fact at the forefront of all planning lest it becomes a means of causing strain on existing, established families. Unfortunately, weddings can bring out the very worst in people and the unfortunate consequence is that it can often spill over into celebrations of a newlywed couple and cause undue stress. Vintage Weddings 101 is a refreshing reality check combined with old-fashioned advice and practical guidance for pulling off a major life event.

In a world where bridezillas are the norm, and bad behavior is just a part of a wedding, how inspirational would it be to plan an event that honors the past, includes elderly family members and friends, is elegant, and will be enjoyable for everyone who attends? So many weddings resemble a high school prom with the bride presiding as a very pampered homecoming queen. It’s time to bring civility back to our society, and weddings are a great place to start new traditions around this old-fashioned idea.

Vintage Weddings 101 will help you keep your event beautiful every step of the way with comprehensive advice for working with all the parties involved professionally and with grace.

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Manga Drawing 101: How To Draw Manga Characters Step By Step From A to Z

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Manga Drawing 101: How to Draw Manga. A complete step by step guide on the basics of the different styles of manga is written by Rebecca Bauer. Rebecca is a new and upcoming author who has an extensive background in writing and art. She has had a poem published in With Honors: 2007 Poetry Collections back when she was in middle school. Working as a full-time nanny, Rebecca spends as much free time writing blog posts and articles and illustrating children's books for clients on Upwork as one of her many jobs.

Manga Drawing 101 by Rebecca Bauer was quite helpful. Being a beginner drawer or even an expert that needs a refresher course, this is the book for you. Rebecca laid the book out in a way that was easy to read and understand at the same time. Since manga is one of the most widely used art forms that incorporates a story within it, there are key elements that must be taken into regards. Manga characters are not all wide-eyed, pointy and dishevelled hair but instead so much more.

With learning how to draw manga, you must first know how to draw the basic human anatomy. Knowing how a body works with a variation of surroundings and components will make you stand out as a manga artist. Rebecca showcases exactly how to start small and then move forward with bigger and better things. Imagination is another key component in working with manga. So, keep your mind open and ideas will flood the gates! Also, don't worry if you get stuck. Every artist has their moment of blockage.

Rebecca starts Manga Drawing 101 with a brief history of manga and how far along it has come since its birth. She then gave a list of the top ten comics and manga television shows along with a brief description of each. Being a new comer to manga, I must say that the top ten lists were a great help for ideas to incorporate into my own artwork! Rebecca then listed the basics that is essential to drawing any manga style. These basics covered the main five styles, the different features of a manga character, such as how to draw a variety of eyes for both male and female characters, different hairstyles that are contained within manga and so much more. There are also the different expressions and anatomy that is covered in this how to guide.

If you are wanting to learn manga or even just need a refresher, give this how to guide a go. I promise you won't be disappointed in the quality and descriptions that Rebecca displays in extensive detail for you. Good luck with your drawing experiences and remember, start small then go onto bigger and better things. Manga does not have to be perfected in order for you to succeed. Every art piece has its flaws. But as long as you believe that you are improving, never give up. That's the key to being the best manga artist out there!

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Obstacle Course Racing 101: How to Get Fit, Have Fun, and Succeed in Mud Runs From A to Z

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Obstacle Course Racing (OCR), though officially originated in 776 B.C. with the Pentathlon in the Ancient Olympic Games, has quickly become the fastest growing sport in America if not world-wide. Athletes are expected to negotiate a course, of various distances by foot while traversing physically demanding obstacles along the way. Such obstacles include swinging, hanging, throwing, crawling, jumping, scaling and climbing. OCR, aka Mud Runs, are put on by several different groups such as Spartan, Tough Mudder, Rugged Maniac and Savage Race, just to name a few. Each event differs from the others by bringing its own flare and signature obstacles to the course, but the 3 things that are similar in all of them are the running, the mud and the camaraderie.

Whether you run or walk the whole race is up to each participant but the goal is always the same… to cross the finish line. Only then can the athlete receive their victory finisher’s metal and bragging rights. The distance of each race varies and can range from 3 to 100 miles. The longer the race, of course, the more obstacles you’ll be expected to conquer. Some races will have a penalty if you are unable to successfully complete an obstacle. In the case of Spartan race, it is 30 Burpees per incomplete obstacle. However, the majority of the events allow you to skip an obstacle that you don’t feel ready for, penalty-free.

As far as the running conditions go, you can’t very well call these events “Mud Runs” without mud, so expect to be covered in it. Prepare to run, crawl, climb, and roll in it. Rain or shine, the race will take place. Rain will only make it muddier- bonus! Getting dirty is part of why these events are so popular. Where else is your success partially judged on how filthy you get? Somehow, looking disgustingly dirty isn’t as embarrassing when your fellow runners are equally as messy.

The comradery is unsurpassed. Instead of completing one obstacle and then running off to attack the next, many people stay behind to help their fellow racers complete it too. A 12 foot wall that is caked with slippery and foul smelly mud is much easier to accomplish when someone is there to help. Often times, it’s someone you don’t even know. Life- long relationships between runners are created at OCR events.

The overall feel at the events is light and fun. However, for some runners, the challenge runs a little deeper and it’s all about how much they can ask of their bodies and how far they can go? So, whether you enter the race to win as a serious competitor or a weekend warrior out to have a good time, the obstacles are both physically and mentally demanding and require the athlete to strategically plan the most efficient route. Therefore, expect to challenge your physical abilities and mental fortitude.

The amusing part is that not only do we all volunteer for this fun and messy abuse we’ll receive on the course, but we paid good money for it too. Is it worth it?

ABSOLUTELY!

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