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Planning to remodel or build soon? Want to have an ExtraOrdinary Home? One that goes way beyond the norm in your neighborhood but doesnt blow your budget? We started collecting over 1,000 uncommon, affordable convenience built-ins in 1998, when we first began writing books and consulting to help people have truly extraordinary but affordable homes. And by the time wed found the first 200 features, these 34 home design principles became obvious. Use them as you plan your next remodeling or building project, and youll be on your way toward creating a home thats truly beyond the ordinary!

An ExtraOrdinary Home

can be affordable.

provides a healthy environment.

is a safe environment.

accommodates the needs of people of all ages and physical limitations.

incorporates efficiencies that save steps and/or time.

protects the belongings of its owners.

minimizes harm from external threats such as pests, fire, flooding, terrorism, chemical attacks, etc.

minimizes the risk of intruders or vandals entering and/or doing damage.

is quiet.

facilitates communication.

provides physical comfort.

is chock-full of everyday conveniences.

has an abundance of natural light.

has adequate and appropriately varied lighting systems and fixtures.

has adequate and accessible electrical outlets, and switches of the appropriate types.

is safe when the power goes out.

is easy to maintain.

minimizes unnecessary wear and tear of its components.

helps its inhabitants stay organized.

minimizes clutter by providing adequate storage for all its inhabitants' belongings.

has storage space that's appropriate for all its stored items.

offers storage near where the stored items will be used.

enables storage of frequently-used items in easy-to-reach locations.

minimizes wasted space and utilizes spaces that are otherwise unused.

allows maximum access to everything in it.

facilitates traffic flow.

enables unnecessary items to be out of sight or out of the way.

has features that make moving people and things within it easy.

is energy and water efficient.

can accommodate new technology as it becomes available.

has living areas and features that can serve simultaneous multiple purposes.

has living areas and features that can be modified as its residents' needs change.

is enjoyable for visitors and overnight guests.

is a safe and comfortable place for living with cats and dogs.

Like this article? Then youll love our book with the same title that includes over 175 uncommon, affordable convenience built-ins that increase your quality of life and your homes resale value! We also offer a free version of this book at www.extraordinaryhomes.com: The 34 ExtraOrdinary Home Principles: Over 70 Fabulous, Affordable, Innovative Ideas Thatll Improve Your Life and WOW You!

Copyright 2005 by Carol Abrahamson/ExtraOrdinary Homes. All rights reserved.

Carol Abrahamson consults, writes and makes presentations about more than 1,000 fabulous features that can improve your life, add value to your home and make you the talk of the town. She spent years researching them via thousands of sources just so you can quickly and easily use them to create your affordable, extraordinary Home of Your Dreams. Learn more about her work via http:// http://www.extraordinaryhomes.com or carol@extraordinaryhomes.com.

In a recent issue of golf Digest (June 2007) a "new" golf swing being promoted by golf coaches Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett is featured. This new approach to the golf swing is called the "Stack and Tilt" swing.

In describing the Stack and Tilt swing, Peter Morrice, the author of the article, indulges in a bit of overstatement when he says "Their secret...contradicts almost everything being taught in the game today." But is this swing really that unique?

The Key Difference

The biggest difference with the "Stack and Tilt" swing is that it completely downplays the idea of shifting your weight to your back foot when making the backswing. In fact this "new" swing encourages the golfer to keep his or her weight on the front foot, and, if anything, move it more directly over the front foot during the takeaway.

Some older golfers will think this looks like a "reverse pivot" where the golfer seems to be leaning towards the target at the top of the swing. Teachers of the typical modern swing have their golf students draw the club back and stack their weight over their back leg when the club hits the top of the swing. But Stack and Tilt encourages the golfer to lean towards the target while the club is taken up.

Some Subtle Differences

For many golfers it may be hard to spot the differences at first, but there are some significant ones. For one thing with the typical modern swing the back leg remains bent with a slight flex at the knee. With the Stack and Tilt the back leg straightens out. The photos featured in the golf Digest article (p.122) demonstrate how the back leg straightens out as it pushes back towards the target.

As a result the front side of the body is "stacked" over the front foot, and the trailing side of the body is "tilted" towards the target.

For a comparison with the typical modern swing look at photos of Tiger's swing of the last few years, or see the photo of V.J. Singh's swing on page 43 of the same issue of golf Digest. Singh's upper body is "stacked" over his back leg at the top of the swing, and the trailing side of his torso is perpendicular to the ground as he pushes his weight back over his back leg. This is quite different from the way the torso is angled towards the target with the Stack and Tilt swing.

It's All Been Done Before

If you are familiar with the teachings of most modern golf coaches this may sound like a radical departure from golf orthodoxy. But the fact is, there have always been alternative schools of thought which questioned the simplistic "weight shift" idea. In particular, look at old photos of Jack Nicklaus, ben Hogan or Sam Snead. None of these golfers make the major shift over the back leg like you see with Tiger Woods, for instance.

Or have a close look at the famous 1930s videos produced by Bobby Jones. There is no obvious shift towards the back leg. Jones remains centered over the ball throughout the swing and is more concerned with rotation around the center point than he is with the lateral weight shift characteristic of the typical modern swing.

Points of Interest

There are clearly some aspects of the Stack and Tilt swing that may help the average golfer hit the golf ball more squarely and more precisely.

The first is the lack of emphasis placed on the weight shift. For many golfers this idea is misleading and results in a lateral shift that basically turns the golf ball into a moving target. Shifting one's weight to the back also results in a "shallower" swing which increases the chances of bottoming out too early. Depending on a variety of factors this can either result in fat shots or thin ones. As an alternative, pressing into the front foot as you take the club back very definitely forces a steeper approach to the ball and should result in fewer topped shots. It also results in a lower trajectory since it de-lofts the club, and this may give you greater run on certain kinds of fairways.

The second point is that Stack and Tilt promotes a flatter swing. A flatter swing is less vertical and more rotational, and is the way Stack and Tilt compensates for being more on top of the ball when the downswing is begun.

The third point is the fairly advanced idea of the "pelvic thrust" which the Stack and Tilt teachers claim helps get the club approaching the ball correctly. This is probably where Stack and Tilt becomes too difficult for many average golfers. With Stack and Tilt, since one's weight and shoulder position are forward, the approach to the ball will be significantly steeper than normal. The pelvic thrust, along with the more rotational swing, helps to "shallow out" the swing. You achieve this by rapidly rotating your hips around and pushing your front hip up and towards the target. This creates the sensation of almost jumping up and striking the ball while on your toes. If you've ever seen Natalie Golbus swing a golf club you've got a fairly good idea what this looks like.

If these seem like technical points that are beyond your level of expertise, just give the "weight forward" idea a try. All you have to do is start with noticeably more weight on your front foot, and then press into that foot as you take the club up. You will probably find that it feels quite different from what you are used to. This move should result in fewer thin hits. But it may also result in more pushes, especially with the longer clubs, so you may have to adjust the positioning of the ball. You may also find it more physically taxing - requiring more body contortions - and for most of us that is not a good thing.

Rick Hendershot is an avid golfer who writes about the golf swing, golf travel and other golf stuff. Catch his blogs called The Weekend Golfer and Golf Around the World

Cinnamon is something more special than just a simple spice you sprinkle on your cookies during the holidays or put in your cappuccino. This spice, which used to be considered more valuable than gold, has a therapeutic use that is making it popular among health aficionados the world over. Cinnamon and fat loss also go hand in hand, as you will soon see.

In the past, cinnamon was used to cure a variety of ailments from indigestion to athlete's foot. Its power to stop the growth of bacteria was acknowledged by the early civilizations of the world. The ancient Egyptians used it for embalming. And during the Middle Ages, it was put in the rooms where victims of the bubonic plague warehouse, after being mixed with warm water and cloves.

Recent studies are indicating that cinnamon has positive effects on the function of our brains. Research participants were told to chew cinnamon gum or simply to smell the spice itself. The researchers determined that those subjects that used cinnamon could process information better and had stronger cognitive functions. Because of these positive discoveries, and and studies to see if cinnamon can strengthen mental skills in the elderly and those that suffer from anxiety attacks.

Research also indicates that cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels and increases the natural production of insulin. Not only that, but it lowers blood cholesterol too. Thus, cinnamon will greatly help everyone who suffers from heart disease and/or diabetes.

And because cinnamon helps to reduce blood sugar levels and increases the natural production of insulin, is also a powerful substance for people seeking to lose fat. Our abdomens contain fat cells that are extremely sensitive to insulin levels that are too high. These fat cells are also very effective at the storage of energy -- much more effective than the fat cells you find in the rest of the body. The reason for this is that fat cells in your abdomen are much closer to your digestive organs, so there is a large network of blood vessels that can easily feed fat cells the glucose that causes them to store excess energy.

Most people will want to use cinnamon as a supplement, which is fine because it is very safe and effective. You can also benefit from the use of cinnamon by spicing your food with it.

Are you looking for information about cinnamon and fat loss? If you are serious about getting help with your diet, try an easy and effective fat loss plan that anyone can follow by visiting http://www.simplefatloss.info

Nothing can be more frustrating in a home than a plumbing problem. A leaky faucet or running toilet brings dollar signs to mind as you envision the recruitment of a high-priced plumber and time spent inconvenienced by in-home repairs.

But every plumbing problem does not immediately spell disaster. There are quite a few basic plumbing problems that almost all homeowners experience at one time or another. Therefore, its best to educate yourself on these potential issues so that you are prepared and knowledgeable to best tackle them should they arise.

The most common of our plumbing problems is that of an annoying leaky faucet. This can be the most aggravation to address if you dont know how to fix it yourself; calling out a professional plumber for this mostly simple issue can cost you needlessly. But in order to determine if its a minor leak or a major pipe breakage, you must first turn off the main water source. If your leak continues then chances are you have a minor issue on your hands. If you actually hear water continuing to run then you may have a bigger problem.

Take time to examine all elements of a plumbing problem. Often the mere tightening of a bolt can eliminate your problem. Replacing simple parts that have eroded with age can also save you big bucks. If youre unsure how to proceed go online for step-by-step instructions. Or you can visit your local home improvement store where youll likely find all the help that you need.

Arm yourself with the tools necessary for success. Call on help to make sure you have the proper inclusions in your tool box. Having what you need on hand increases your chances of completing the project successfully.

In the end, if you find that youre over your head, dont be afraid to call in the professionals. A plumber can actually wind up saving you money in the long run; if you do more damage trying to fix a problem yourself then youll eradicate any savings anyway.

A plumbing problem doesnt have to leave you broke and confused. Simple steps can be taken to examine and diagnosis any common plumbing problem. With a little research and some time spent dedicated to the problem you may find that youve successfully solved your plumbing problem all on your own. And nothing is more self-satisfying then accomplishing a job with your own two hands.

For easy to understand, in depth information about plumbing visit our ezGuide 2 Plumbing.

There are a lot of us baby-boomers. I think we all recognize that the ease with which we used to discard a few extra kilos, no longer quite works as quickly as it used to in our twenties and thirties.

Many of us also have lifestyles that place greater demands on our time and energy. Some of us are no longer willing to spend the hours at the gym or on the road jogging, like we used to. So here are some ideas for getting movement squeezed into a fast paced schedule. Many of these you may have seen before, however how many have you actually incorporated into your life? Its always good to be reminded.

Have music I your kitchen or wear your iPod then dance as you cook or do the dishes. Same with any housework activity such as hanging up the washing go ahead, wiggle those hips! Measure a walking distance in your back garden. Take 4-minute breaks from computer work or any other sedentary activity e.g. my distance measured is 30 metres. Five times each day I drink a 200ml glass of water and directly follow that with 7x30metre walks. This way I get to walk 7 km per week and drink one litre of water daily.

Get a hands-free phone and headset. When having that hour-long conversation with a close friend or family member, walk around the back garden as you chat. Make it a habit for all lengthy calls.

Always take the stairs and always park the car as far from work, as is feasible. Get off the bus or tram a few stops earlier and walk the rest. Tighten your stomach muscles, or raise and lower yourself on your toes to exercise calf muscles, while waiting in a queue.

We used to walk to school by ourselves, several kilometers sometimes. Many parents now drive their children because they say its a safety issue. Could you not walk your children or ride bikes to school together? It has the combined benefit of family fitness and time to speak with each other at length.

Quit making use of the moving sidewalk (travelator) at airports if your work involves a lot of air travel. Use the stairs in large buildings instead of the lifts and elevators, even if only for a few of the floors of that building.

learn a couple of simple, yet highly effective, yoga, pilates or stretching moves and before leaving your bedroom each morning, use a few of those moves as a 5-10 min. wake up routine. March on the spot while watching television (and you said you dont have time!), or get up during the advert breaks and do a few stretches or laps of the room. Make it a habit whenever an ad begins. Instead of watching your children play in the playground, sitting on a park bench, get up and push their swing or meet them at the bottom of the slide. Kick or throw balls with them. Walk around the track while youre watching your children play soccer or athletic training.

Trade baby-sitting time with your sister or best friend. Get them to mind the children while youre at the gym and vice versa. Is the same opportunity available at work? What could you trade with a colleague to give each other 30 mins. time-out to go for a good walk each day, or few times a week?

Im sure that while reading some of these ideas it may have triggered a few of your own. Any of these activities are better than just giving in and saying that obesity is your lot in life. All the above is a lazy persons guide to exercise. Anyone can create a healthy body habit by habit. You do not have to be Tarzan and Jane with the six-pack, at the local gym. Movement is movement. Stagnation is stagnation. Choose!

2007 Thea Westra is an international life coach who resides in Perth, Western Australia. She is editor and publisher of a free, monthly newsletter at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au Thea also recommends http://www.lightisreal.com and http://freemoneyebook.com