10 ways to reduce garbage in the house

1. Compost: That's right. Buy or make a compost bin in your back yard, a place where you can put all your food leftovers and leaves and other degradable natural materials. If you don't have a back yard, see if a friend does. Maybe they would be interested in starting a compost bin, and you could add to theirs. Or perhaps there's a composting group in your area that allows members to bring their stuff to one area? And what does a compost bin accomplish? Put a bunch of earthworms in it and in about a year you'll have a fantastic natural fertilizer for any kind of plants.
2. Recycle: If your area doesn't already have a recycling ordinance, you can still recycle yourself. At the very least you can save up your aluminum cans and sell them at a recycling center. The price for aluminum often varies, but you should get at least a few bucks for a garbage bag full of the cans. Call your recycling center first to make sure you follow their rules.
3. Fresh produce: There's usually not much left over after you cook and/or eat fresh produce, so stick with the fresh stuff instead of the canned, jarred or frozen. Think of all the bags and cans and jars you won't have to throw out.
4. Old clothes: Don't just toss them out. Sell them to a thrift store, or give them away to a shelter or anyplace else that might accept them. Call first, however, because some places won't accept certain types of clothes or clothes that are too worn. The same can go for shoes, too.
5. Buy in bulk: Yes, buying in bulk would still leave you with containers to throw away, but over time it would mean fewer containers to throw away. You'd not only be helping Mother Earth, but you'd have fewer trips to the outside garbage can.
6. Stop the junk mail: If you can get off those junk mailing lists, this alone could save you tons of garbage every year. And who knows? Maybe if more and more people did this, eventually they might just stop making and mailing the annoying stuff altogether.
7. Repairs: This can save on garbage, too. How? Have an old pair of shoes you want to throw out? Take them to a shoe repair shop instead. The same can be said for many electronics. There are always computer and television repair shops in any city and most towns.
8. Eat leftovers: Lots of people throw out food they intended to eat but just got bored with. Stop that. Start eating those leftovers for lunch the next day. Or if there's enough for a dinner, freeze the leftovers until next week.
9. Use reusables: Instead of using paper towels, use rags and towels. You can always wash the rags and towels. Also, a lot of foods come in plastic containers that could easily be cleaned and used for storage or even as bowls to eat out of. Remember those big butter or margarine bowls at the grocery store? That's what I'm talking about.
10. Buy less: Sounds hard, right? Maybe not. Do you really need to buy the latest DVD or book? Why not borrow them from your library? That's less garbage, at least down the road if not immediately.

Beagles make great pets

One of the best things about beagles are their temperaments. They get along well with pretty much everyone, and they tend to especially enjoy children. Pulling the ears. Tugging on the tail. None of this usually bothers a beagle unless things go to far, and then the beagle will let you know with a yelp. Beagles also tend to be very gentle and seem to know the personal boundaries of any human they are dealing with; this makes beagles especially good for senior citizens and children. Beagles can be stubborn at times, making some members of the breed a bit difficult to house train, but this can be overcome with training and with treats. Beagles will do just about anything for a treat!

Beagles are easily made happy. They love to sleep, but they also love to get a good, long walk. Food and treats are especially a favorite of this breed, though their strongest sense is smell. One reason beagles love to walk so much is they enjoy keeping that nose to the ground and taking in all the wonderful smells that come to them. Keep in mind their sense of smell is quite stronger than that of humans, and sometimes that can get them into trouble. For example, a good scent can easily lead a beagle off in a wild direction, so make sure to keep your beagle on a leash at all times when it is not indoors or in a fenced area. Also, keep in mind that since beagles love food so much, it is easy for them to become overweight which leads to health risks and a shorter lifespan; make sure not to feed your beagle too much and too often.

Size is another good thing about beagles. They're not to small and they're not too big. Most beagles are a little taller than a U.S. foot, about 14 or so inches, and they usually weight from about 20 to 38 pounds. They're size makes them good indoor pets, but also means they are sturdy enough to get by in the back yard if that is where you have to keep your furry friend.

Also, beagles are generally one of the healthier breeds of dogs. As a breed, they are not prone to inherited diseases or other problems. Still, it's always good to get your beagle checked by a veterinarian at least once a year.

Now, in an effort to be fair, there is one downside to having a beagle pal. It's the howl. Yep, beagles can be quite loud. Strangers, other dogs, doorbells, just about anything can set a beagle off, and the noise they make is intense. It can take some getting used to for those with their first beagle. Not all beagles howl all the time. Some are quiet most of the time, while others will let out a yelp at just about anything. A lot depends upon the individual beagle's personality.

It's possible to survive heart disease: One story

For my 36th birthday, I was in the hospital. The outlook was not good. I could barely breath. The cardiologist told me my heart was at 15 percent of working capacity. He was frankly surprised I was conscious, let alone walk. He also told me that he had 27 years of experience, and in all that time, I had the largest human heart he had ever seen; he described it as the size of a wild boar's heart. Before any major tests were even done on me, before any medication had been prescribed, I was placed on the national list for seeking a donor's heart. I was told if I didn't have a heart replacement within two years, I would probably only live another 5 to 10 years.

I was 36 years old. Still pretty young.

How did I get there?

At the age of 21, I ran four miles every day. I lifted weights three times a week. I weighed 200 pounds, all of it solid muscle. By the time I was 36, I weighed 300 pounds, and practically none of it was muscle. How did it happen? Laziness? My wife said just the opposite. I worked too much. I had a middle-management position and worked 50 hours a week on my slow weeks, and usually more like 60 to 80 hours. I hadn't had a vacation in a decade. I was too busy to eat properly. I ate on the run all the time, often at my desk at work.

How it began

The first change I really noticed in my body was my breathing. I was having a hard time catching my breath. Not in a million years did I think this could be because of heart problems. I actually thought it was allergies because it had been a warm summer and we had been doing some renovations on our house, which had put up lots of chalkdust and wood dust into the air. I just figured it was my allergies acting up. I'd get over it. My breathing would get better once we finished working on the house and the summer was over.

Then my wife had to leave me for three months. Her mother had had surgery and needed someone to take care of her. I was on my own for most of the next three months, seeing my wife on weekends when I'd drive the four hours to her mother's. All the while, my breathing was getting worse.

Finally, my wife came home. She had been home only two days when, on another hot summer day, I took the kitchen garbage outside. By the time I came back inside, a time span of perhaps two minutes at most, my ankles had swollen up to twice their size. It was scary. I had never seen anything like it. My wife wanted to take me to the hospital immediately.

But I said no. I had to work that night. I told her if my ankles had not gone down by the morning, then I would go to the hospital.

I went to work. Nothing horrible happened to me. But the swelling in my feet did not diminish.

The next morning we were in the hospital. I was declared an emergency case and placed immediately admitted to the hospital. The next several days were filled with tests and more tests.

The scariest part

First, they had to find out what was wrong with me. Then once they did find out, they had to do even more tests to discover how bad my situation was. It was bad.

To be able to fully tell how dire my situation was, the cardiologist said he would have to perform a cardiac catheterization. In layman's terms, they were going to make a small incision in my leg, then feed a tube up a vein or artery until the end of the tube reached my heart. At the end of the tube was a miniature camera; it would allow the doctor to actually look inside my heart to see what was going on.

And, get this, I would be awake during the whole ordeal and would be able to see what the doctor saw on a video next to my bed.

Sounds scary, right? It was. The doctor let me go home for one day before performing the cardiac catheterization (also called a heart cath), and my 80-year-old neighbor just laughed at me when I told him. "I've had 7 or 8 heart caths," he said. "No big deal."

But it seemed like a big deal to me then.

The day of the heart cath

The actual cardiac catheterization took about 40 minutes. I spent much more time than that waiting in the prep area and afterward in the waiting bedroom.

They drugged me up pretty good during the actual cath, but not so much I didn't know what was going on. I felt groggy and my vision was a little blurry around the edges, but I was fully conscious. And yes, there was a video screen right next to my bed where I could watch that tiny camera travel around through my body and into my heart. The inside of my heart looked like a bunch of gigantic caves with rounded edges, all in black and white.

During my heart cath, the nurses would chat with me a little, and every once in a while the cardiologist would say something like, "That's interesting," or "That's surprising." And, of course, he didn't take the time during the moment to explain to me what he meant by his words. That made it a little more scary.

But overall, while by no means a pleasant process, the heart cath wasn't nearly as bad as it had sounded. The closest I can compare it to, physically, would be like going to the dentist for some semi-major work, maybe getting a tooth filled.

I was a little sore afterwards, and it hurt to walk for a few days because of the incision in my leg, but overall, yeah, the heart cath wasn't as bad as I had though.

The outcome

I had to go on lots of pills. Still take some of them almost five years later. I had to go on disability from work for four months, and even when I went back full time it was under conditions I'd not work more than 40 hours a week. I had to walk everyday, and I still do (my beagle loves her daily walks). I had to watch what I ate, as can be expected. And, of course, I had to lose weight.

A year later, I was taken off the list for a donated heart. The doctor said my recovery was one of the best he had ever seen. He didn't think I'd be able to keep my heart, but I did.

The surprises

There were, however, some surprises in all this. While my situation had been dire, it was a bit different from most cardiac patients.

For one, and most surprising, I had no blockages in my heart. "You have some of the cleanest arteries I've ever seen in a patient," were the doctor's words. Sound weird? It did to me, but the more I learned about the heart and my specific problems, the more I learned that blockages (what commonly cause heart attacks) are not the only major problems that can be associated with the heart.

I suffered from an enlarged heart. Part of that was heredity, my father has an enlarged heart also, but some of it was the bad treatment I had given my heart over the years.

Another surprise was the changes in my diet. It wasn't what I'd expected, though as I said above, my heart problems were not the more common ones. Yes, I had to severely restrict my diet for a long time (and still do, though to a lesser extent), but it wasn't the calories and fat grams that I really had to watch for. It was the sodium. Salt. Another big surprise here was that I never considered myself a salt person. I don't add salt to anything, not even french fries. But at the time I wasn't as aware that sodium in large quantities was added to fast foods and to pre-prepared meals, mainly the stuff I'd been eating for years. So, I had to watch my sodium.

And I had to watch how much fluid I drink every day. You always hear that a person is supposed to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Not me. At least not when I was right out of the hospital. The real problem withmy heart, and what had caused my breathing problems, was that so much fluid was building around my heart that is was putting pressure on my lungs and making it hard for me to breath.

You live and learn. The opposite option isn't very attractive.

Now

So, it's about 5 years later. I'm still alive. Still have my original heart. I've an a couple of episodes, mostly due to hot weather I'm not supposed to be out in if I can help it, but overall I'm doing pretty good. I still watch what I eat, though not as drastically as a few years ago. I walk every day. I try to get exercise without hurting myself. I've lost a good bit of weight, about 70 pounds, though there's still more I'd like to lose.

I'm alive, and I'm relatively healthy. That's all I can ask for right now.

10 natural skin care tips

1. Lemon: Slice some lemon, then rub the lemon over your face and let the juice sit on your face for about a half hour. The rinse with cold water. This helps to refresh the face, but a word of warning: lemon juice can dry out the face some, especially if you have dry skin.
2. Honey: Add a cup of slightly warmed honey to your bath water. This helps the skin to be soft and smooth. If you are just wanting to wash your face, add a quarter of a cup of warm honey into a bowl or sink of warm water. You can heat the honey on the stove or in a microwave, but be careful, don't let the honey get too hot because it will burn.
3. Peanut Oil: Many have found peanut oil to be great for fighting those wrinkles. Apply a little in those troublesome spots, including around the eyes and on the throat. Let sit for 15 minutes, then wipe away.
4. Apples: For combating oily skin, try this out. Cut an apple into very thin slices. Then rub the slices onto the oily areas. Let sit for a few minutes. Wipe clean. Repeat this every few days if you feel it's necessary.
5. Cauliflower juice: This product might be difficult to find, but call around to some of your local specialty grocery stores or health food stores. What does it do? It removes warts. That's right. Just apply regularly to your warts, and they should be taken care of in a week or maybe less.
6. Carrot juice: Worried about those blemishes? Worry no longer. Apply some carrot juice at least once a day and you should see those blemishes begin to fade in a week or two, though sometimes it can take longer if it is a dark or deep blemish.
7. Shallots: Onions in general are good for getting rid of acne. The best way to use the shallots is first to skin and clean them. Then mince the shallots in a blender while mixing in cold water; stop adding the water once a thick paste has been formed. Now use a muslin cloth to squeeze out the shallot's juice. Save the juice in your refrigerator, at least for a couple of hours before using. Then apply it to your face and leave it on for about ten minutes at least once a day. You should be able to see improvements in at least a couple of weeks.
8. Cucumber: Cucumbers have lots of water in them, thus they are great for reducing swelling around eyes and for helping with dry skin. Cut a couple of slices of cucumber and lay back with the slices on your eyes for a half hour to help fight those wrinkles and swelling. Or smear the slices on an area of dry skin, let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then wipe away.
9. Eggs: Crack a couple of eggs into a bowl. Mix until the yellows and white are mixed together. Then massage the raw eggs onto your face and let sit for 15 minutes. It sounds like a mess, but it does wonders for fighting aging and tired skin by adding protein.
10. Olive oil: Olive oil is great for dry skin on your hands, and it's good for your nails, too. Rub in all those little crevices around the fingers, including in and around the cuticles. Then wipe dry. Especially helpful after you've been cooking over a hot stove, which can dry the hands out.

6 basic tools needed for bicycle repair

Chain tool: This is a special tool that sort of cuts a bicycle chain, then re-connects the chain. The picture below is of a chain tool.

Air pump: This one is so simple, it shouldn't be forgotten. An air pump for your tires. If it's small enough and light-weight enough, you can probably even carry it with you while biking.

Puncture repair kit: Yep, this one's also for your tires. Carry it with you always when biking, especially if you're going trail riding or mountain biking.

Screwdrivers: You can look over your bike to see if you will need both flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, but you most likely will.

Allen wrenches: These little hex key wrenches can come in quite handy. If you're out biking, you probably don't need the whole set of these wrenches, but it's handy to at least have the one or two needed for your bike.

Tire iron: Yep, they make tire irons for bicycle's, also. This tool is nice to have at home whenever you need to change an inner tube.

There are, of course, plenty of more tools that can be used for bicycle repair, but this list gives the basics needed for most bike riders. If you are a true bicycle repair enthusiast, check with one of your local bike shops and ask what kind of tools they have available.

10 tips for growing tomatoes

1. Start indoors: You can get ahead of the tomato growing season by starting your seedlings indoors in a pot.
2. Give your tomatoes something to climb: Remember that tomato plants grow like a vine. They like to grow upwards. So when planting your tomatoes outdoors, give them some tall stacks or a fence wall or something to climb up.
3. Trimming those vines: Keep your tomato vines pruned. This helps to provide sunshine to the tomatoes and will help them grow larger. You especially want to trim those vine shoots growing out the sides.
4. Don't handle wet tomatoes: At least not while they're still on the vine. This increases the chances of rot setting in, or of the tomatoes having bad spots.
5. Watch your watering: This is a tricky one. You don't want the tomato plants to become too saturated or rot could set in. On the other hand, if you don't water enough, rot could still settle in. Keep your tomato plants watered regularly, especially at the root level, but don't drown them.
6. Use a fan: This might sound a little wacky, but it works. Tomato plants need a strong stem to grow better and taller, and apparently the wind helps the tomato to build a strong stem, kind of building strong muscles in your arms. When your plants are still in the seedling phase, use an electric fan on them to help build those stems. But don't put the fan on high and keep it blasting away at the poor seedlings all the time or you'll end up with flattened seedlings. Adjust the fan's power and its distance from the seedlings as you see fit; usually a little less is better than a little more.
7. Make sure the seedlings get plenty of light: Tomato seedlings need at least 14 hours of sunlight a day, and can use as much as 18 hours' worth. So, if you're planting your seedlings outdoors, make sure they will be in a spot where they get sunshine for most of the day. If you start with your seedlings indoors, invest in some fluorescent growing lights.
8. Don't overload the manure: Manure tends to have high levels of nitrogen, and while this is good for your tomato vines, it's not so good for the tomatoes themselves. Too much nitrogen and you won't get many tomatoes, though you should still have a healthy plant. Just make sure you know what's going in the soil for your tomatoes.
9. Put down some mulch: Natural mulches help to hold water in the ground for tomatoes, so provide plenty of natural mulch around where your tomatoes are growing. But don't put down the mulch until the ground has warmed some, at least 65 or so degrees, or the mulch won't be as helpful. Mulch also helps to keep away weeds and some insects harmful to tomatoes.
10. Plant your tomatoes deep: You want your tomato plants to be strong, right? Of course you do. To help achieve this, went planting the seedlings outdoors, bury the plant deep enough so the soil just covers the top leaves. This will urge the plant to spread its roots deeper, which will help to grow a stronger plant.

10 websites for science fiction writers and fans

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.: http://www.sfwa.org/

The SFWA is an organization for writers of science fiction and fantasy to band together. The group does a lot of different things, from simply connecting writers to helping with legal causes and more, but you don't have to be a member to use the Web site. And this Web site holds tons of valuable information, advice and links for writers, especially beginning writers. If you are just starting out and want to know more, you need to check out this site.

SFReader.com: sfreader.com

This Web site has tons of book and movie reviews, as well as author pages, contests and some of the best forums around. If you make it to the forums, tell them Darkbow sent you.

Clarion Writer's Workshop at UC San Diego: clarion.ucsd.edu

Clarion is the oldest workshops of its kind, a science fiction and fantasy writer's workshop, and its not easy to get into. Find all the criteria about applying for the next workshop at this site. And there are a few other helpful links as well.

SciFi.com: http://www.scifi.com/

Just because you're a writer doesn't mean you don't need to pay attention to SciFi.com and what's appearing on their Web site and the Sci-Fi Channel on television. There could be good movies and shows there, and they can give you lots of story ideas. Also, this is a cool Web site for science fiction news and gaming links.

World Science Fiction Society: http://www.worldcon.org/

Find out when and where the next World Science Fiction Convention is going to be held. You can also find out plenty of information about past conventions and how to join this group.

Science Fiction Book Club: http://www.sfbc.com/

This club's site can keep you updated on what's new in the bookstores, as well as offer a look back at older books. Become a member and you can save money when you order books from them.

Ralan.com: ralan.com

You're a writer, so you want to know where to sell your stories, right? This is one of the best Web sites you can go to. There are lists and lists and lists of magazines and book publishers and e-zines and more where you can sell your stories. The listings are broken down into book publishers, adult publishers, humor publishers, pro-paying publishers, paying publishers and publishers who don't pay (but still give you an opportunity to share your work with others).

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy: http://www.writesf.com/

This site might be a little basic for the advanced writer, but it's a great place for newbies to get a start. Jeffrey A. Carver's site is geared toward young writers, those still in school, but all ages can find opportunities here. Carver even offers a free online writing class.

SFF Net: http://www.sff.net/

You'll find tons of people who are interested in science fiction here with blogs and other Web pages. Many of the people are professionals, writers and editors and publishers, while some are hardcore fans or have other interests in science fiction and fantasy and horror. There are also a good number of links to different newsgroups about speculative fiction.

The Hugo Awards: http://www.thehugoawards.org/

This is the big daddy of science fiction writing awards. If you win one of these babies, your writing career is pretty much set. This site has information about the award and how you could win it, and there's plenty of other links, too.

10 basic tips for losing weight and keeping it off

1. Substitute foods: Don't starve yourself. Your body, you stomach and yes, even your eyes, are used to a certain amount of food every day. Instead of cutting back on the amount you eat, change the type of foods you eat. Forget about that cheeseburger, and reach for more salad instead.
2. Watch your drinks: It might not seem like it, but what you drink can add to the calories. Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks are especially full of calories and fat. Milk is also quite fattening, and even many fruit juices are high in calories. And forget those diet soft drinks; they help very little. Your best bets for fluids are likely skim milk and good old-fashioned water.
3. See your doctor: Especially if you are considering a major weight loss. Not only can your family physician tell you what's healthiest for you, but they can also make suggestions as to where and from whom you can receive further help.
4. Exercise: Yes, it sounds like a lot of work, but the old saying is somewhat true, "no pain, no gain." And you don't have to start some strenuous exercise routine. Just start being a little more active. Walk to work or school or to the grocery store. Park further away at malls and walk to the entrance. Again, you should check with your doctor before starting a major exercise regime, especially if you are not in the greatest of shape.
5. Stop eating when you're full: Go away from the table not quite full to your stomach. And definitely don't leave the table stuffed to the gills. Eating slowly helps by allowing your body to recognize you are receiving food.
6. Take things gradually: Don't start out trying to walk five miles a day, and don't start a diet by trying to starve yourself. You'll quickly become frustrated and that makes it easier for old habits to kick in. Start off slow. Just walk a short distance your first few times, then gradually add a little more distance every few days. And cut back on your food intake by large amounts right at the beginning. You'll feel starved. Slowly decrease the amount of food you eat. This also helps you keep to your diet.
7. Allow yourself to be bad: But only every once in a while. Don't give up chocolate cake altogether if you love it. Again, you'll become frustrated eventually and then you might want to binge on chocolate cake. Just don't eat chocolate cake all the time, or often. Give yourself a reward every now and then. Exercise is the same. If you're feeling weak or tired one day, skip the walking or whatever. Just remember to get back on board the next day.
8. Turn off that television, and that computer: People tend to eat more when plopped down in front of the tube, or are sitting at the keyboard. Get some exercise! Turn off the TV and PC and go for a walk. You'll burn more calories that way.
9. Say goodbye to restaurants, especially fast food: Eat at home more often. That way, by preparing your own meals, you can know exactly what you are eating. Also, it's easier this way to control your portion sizes. But again, let yourself be bad once in a while, just not all the time.
10. Seek out others: Finding other people who are in the same boat as yourself can be a big help. Maybe you need to join a weight-loss club or group, or maybe you should get a gym membership. Being around others trying to lose weight will not only keep up your morale, but also you can learn more tips on losing weight from others.