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American Idol Finalist Adam Lambert Rocks Out in Great Fashions and Bold Jewelry

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American Idol finalist Adam Lambert has a great sense of style. Combine his style with his powerful voice and charisma and I predict that Adam Lambert will be the winner of American Idol 2009. Adam does indeed have that Rock Star Look and he backs it up with a great voice and stage presence.

There are many components to Stage Presence. First and foremost comes being comfortable with and confident in yourself. Confidence is sexy and makes you look like a winner. You also need to be able to project  your voice to the entire room and make every person there feel like you are singing to them. Fashion plays a big part in stage presence. Think of all of the enduring Rock Gods. Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger have made an art form out of stage wear. Adam has and does all of these things. He is the total package. If he can put together a strong group of musicians to create a rock band that he will be the front man for then he has a real future.

The fashions worn by contestants on American Idol have become a phenomena of their own. Case in point, the TV Guide Network is doing a special show on May 24, 2009 that is all about American Idol Fashions. The clothing and accessories worn by Adam Lambert will play a large part in that show.

American Idol contestants work with fashion stylists supplied by the network to come up with the outfits they wear on stage each week. Adam, like the other contestants works with stylists but what I think sets him apart from a fashion standpoint is that he adds finishing touches of his own to complete his stage ensembles. Adam has received several gifts sent to him by his fans at the Adam Lambert Connection and has been known to wear some of the gifts on stage during his performances on American Idol. The good folks at the Adam Lambert Connection have a great sense of what Adam’s style is and have been able to choose items to send him that work well for him. A few weeks back they sent him a Rocker Jewelry Pendant from http://TattooApparel.com that Adam liked so much that he wore it two weeks in a row on the show. He wore the large Spiked Pendant on the show the week with Quentin Tarantino and again the week when doing his fabulous rendition of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love. The current, May 28th issue of Rolling Stone Magazine has a full page article about Adam and there is a photo of him in Rolling Stone wearing this same pendant.

Bold fashion accessories have long been associated with Rockers and Musicians. Slash will forever be thought of wearing his top hat and Elton John is famous for his wild glasses. I think it is safe to say that Adam Lambert will be known for bold pendants worn with open shirts or v-necks and he wears them well!

 

The Good and Bad of Home Schooling

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As is the case with just about anything in life, with the good also comes the bad, and while the benefits of home schooling definitely outweigh the negatives, there are certainly two sides to every story.

Here are both ends of the spectrum, both the good and the bad sides, so you can make an informed decision that will be best for your precious child and your household.

The Good Side of Home Schooling

School can often be a rather stressful place for children, which doesn’t exactly allow for an environment that’s conducive to learning. If a child is having trouble with bullies or similar stressful occurrences and other solutions have been exhausted, home schooling may be an option to definitely consider. And, stress rears its ugly head in other forms for teens and school aged children who have homework and negative influences from their peers to also deal with on a regular basis.

Beyond the safety, security, and having an environment that facilitates learning, it also creates the opportunity to learn not only better, but faster than their traditionally schooled peers. It is certainly not unheard of for a child to complete four years of high school in only two or three years, allowing them to continue on to higher education classes much sooner. And missing a class because of injuries or illness won’t ever be an issue, nor will trying to get any of the work missed or worrying about making up tests.

Children who are home schooled are able to move past the constraints of the public school system, and its curriculum, by studying a diverse number of subjects and topics. In addition to the usual language arts, math, history, geography, and science, these children can also be taught the languages of their choosing, or explore electives like dance, music, or drama, for a few examples.

The Bad Side of Home Schooling

Home schooling your children will, obviously, require that at least one parent be there full time to teach and be completely involved in their child’s education. Because of this, two income families may find it to be a bit difficult to manage.

It requires many things, but one of the most vital is patience. Having plenty of patience will be extremely important throughout your home schooling endeavors. It takes careful planning and consideration as well as the motivation to persevere, and remember that sacrificing your personal time will also be necessary. Even children who are independent learners need monitoring, structure, and guidance to succeed.

Socialization is another down side of home schooling not that it isn’t possible, but rather it must be actively pursued. Parents can use group settings, sporting activities, and be creative in their home schooling endeavors in order to introduce children to people of all walks of life.

When it comes to home schooling your children, the hands-on approach is definitely recommended. If you aren’t willing to give one hundred percent effort toward your child’s education, then it may not be the best choice for them right now.

Cabinet Hardware – Switching to Steel

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Whether you are looking for a more modern look in the kitchen or you just want some cabinet hardware that will stand up to the abusive use of your family, you may want to consider steel.

Once you hear the name, you likely understand that steel cabinet hardware is stronger than many other pieces of hardware you would select for your home. Being a tough metal, steel hardware will be able to handle the kids running through the house hitting things against it, banging the cabinets together, and the other trials they are going to put it through.

Additionally, the silvery metal of steel is at the top of today’s trends for kitchens and cabinets, being marvelously modern pieces. If you have already purchased or are considering purchasing steel appliances, think of how well matched your kitchen will look when your cabinet hardware matches the appliances.

Before you start shopping for steel hardware, you have to make a list of what you need to get the job done right:

Type – There are many types of cabinet hardware out there. From knobs to pulls and handles, you have a few decisions to make on the type of hardware you want for your kitchen. If you are renovating, and adding these pieces on to cabinets that are already in place, you will need to go with pieces that will fit the old cabinetry unless you want to do some refinishing work.

Style – While cabinet hardware is made to be functional, these days it is just as much about décor. Look around at the other items in your kitchen and make sure the hardware pieces you are considering will suit the rest of the feel. For example, if you are going for a modern décor style, you are not going to want ornate steel hardware; you want something crisp and sleek.

Measure – If you are retrofitting new hardware on existing cabinetry, you must know what size pieces you need. If you have knobs, this is not much of a problem, as there is only one. But, if you have handles or pulls, you will have two holes that need to be lined up. Therefore, you must take a measurement of the space between those two holes. This is the same amount of space to be between the entry points on the new pulls. One smart rule of thumb is to take one of the old pieces of hardware with you and compare it to the new pieces under consideration.

Numbers – This may seem like a common sense thing, but many people forget to take an accurate count of the number of knobs and pulls they need before they leave for the store. Once they get there, they guess how many, and often get home to start installing their hardware and find out there aren’t enough pieces to complete the task. Start at one side of the room and count all of the pieces. Write this number down and take it with you.

A modern and sturdy set of steel cabinet knobs and pulls is not far away. With just a few screws and a little planning, you can have a kitchen that looks new again and is stronger than ever.