After getting amazingly good feedback on my previous article about movies that make you cry, I decided to write about other things that will impress people to tears. If crying is not quite desirable in the day to day life, when it comes to fiction people love to shed a tear or two for those movie heroes who face difficult life situations. Poems are even easier to touch the heart, as they don’t even need to depict such situations for building up those tears inside the reader’s mind. Metaphors and subtle suggestions are most of the times enough to make sensitive people feel the emotion. Here’s a list of 10 great poems that make you cry (actually they may not make all of you look after a handkerchief, but they are still beautiful and memorable). Most of them are sad and talk about love and friendship. Some of the poems are song lyrics. Where possible, I’ve included the song video with English subtitles for foreign language ones. Where I couldn’t find subtitles, I added the translation below the video. Poems are not ranked, but if you wish, I’d love to hear which one is your favorite and why it makes you cry. Let's make this list really big, shall we?

 

1. Seasons in the Sun – Terry Jacks, 1974

 

Here are the lyrics of this song:

Goodbye to you my trusted friend

We've known each other since we were nine or ten

Together we climbed hills and trees

Learned of love and A B C's

Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.

 

Goodbye my friend it's hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky

Now that the spring is in the air

Pretty girls are everywhere

Think of me and I'll be there

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the hills that we climbed were just seasons

Out of time......

 

Goodbye Papa please pray for me

I was the black sheep of the family

You tried to teach me right from wrong

Too much wine and too much song

Wonder how I got along.

 

Goodbye Papa its hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky

Now that the spring is in the air

Little children everywhere

When you see them I'll be there.

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the wine and the song like the seasons

Have all gone.

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the wine and the song like the seasons

Have all gone.

 

Goodbye Michelle my little one

You gave me love and helped me find the sun

And every time that I was down

You would always come around

And get my feet back on the ground.

 

Goodbye Michelle it's hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky

Now that the spring is in the air

With the flowers everywhere

I wish that we could both be there

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the stars we could reach

Were just starfish on the beach

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the stars we could reach

Were just starfish on the beach

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the wine and the song like the seasons

Have all gone

 

All our lives we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the hills that we climbed were just seasons

Out of time......

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

 

With more than 6 million copies sold worldwide, Seasons in the Sun was one of the great hits of the 70s, but few people may know its roots come from a song written and interpreted 13 years earlier by Jacques Brel, a Belgian artist. You can listen below to Brel’s version:

 

2. Dying (Le Moribonde - Jacques Brel, 1961)

 

This is what the lyrics say:

Farewell Emil, I loved you well

Farewell Emil, I loved you well, you know

We used to sing the same wines

We used to sing the same chicks

We used to sing the same sorrows.

 

Farewell Emil, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my soul at peace,

As you who are as good as white bread,

I know you'll take care of my wife.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

Farewell Priest, I loved you well

Farewell Priest, I loved you well, you know

We didn’t belong in same groups

We didn’t follow the same path,

But we seeking for the same harbor.

 

Farewell Priest, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my soul at peace,

As you who’ve been her confident,

I know you'll take care of my wife.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

Farewell Antoine, I didn’t love you

Farewell Antoine, I didn’t love you, you know

I’m dying to see myself dying today

While you’re well and alive

And even stronger than a pain in the butt.

 

Farewell Antoine, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my soul at peace,

As you who were her lover,

I know you'll take care of my wife.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

Farewell my wife, I loved you well

Farewell my wife, I loved you well, you know

But I take the train to the Good God now,

A train that came ahead of yours,

But we all take whatever train we can.

 

Farewell my wife, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my eyes closed, my wife,

As you who’ve seen that I closed them so often,

I know you'll take care of my soul.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

As you can see, this one is in a bit more dramatic note than the previous one, as the guy in the story is not only dying as he sings, but he’s also been dying a little each time he closed his eyes on his wife’s love affair.

 

3. Song Of Old Lovers (Chanson des Vieux Amants – Jacques Brel, 1967)

 

This is another great musical poem written and composed by Jacques Brel, featuring a brilliant piano arrangement by Gerard Jouannest. The lyrics depict the “tender war” represented by the twenty year marriage of Jacques Brel and his wife Therese.

 

4. My Feelings For You Have Become Too Much

This is a nice song, illustrating a poem about the breakup sorrow of a girl who confesses “I love him but I let him go”.

 

 

“I’m gonna spend my whole life trying To keep love from dying” That’s a learning we could surely use more in our lives, couldn’t we?

 

5. Words Don’t Come Easy

 

 

This is another hit from the 80s, many of us probably still remember.

 

6. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga

 

 

Bad romance is always a source of tears. How do you like Lady Gaga? Is she cool or kitch? She seems to be on the wave right now.

 

7. Never Let You Go – Justin Bieber

 

 

This song is not too much of a tear starter, but when seeing a 12 years old boy like Justin Bieber singing “baby, know for sure that I’ll never let you go”, we can only foresee a flood of tears. How many of us didn’t let go of the “love of my life” from the age of 12?

 

8. Mirabeau Bridge – Guillaumme Apollinaire

 

The originally French language poem has its special charm which is difficult to translate if you aren’t a poet yourself. I’m not a poet, but I hope I was able to pass some of the emotion to you with this English translation:

 

The Seine flows under Mirabeau bridge,

Taking our past love with it.

It must be reminding me

That joy always follows sorrow

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

Hand in hand, let’s stay face to face

While under

The bridge of our joint arms passes

With eternal regrets the lazy wave.

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

Love drifts away like this running water

Love drifts away

How slow our life is

And how violent our hope

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

Days pass, weeks pass

Neither past time

Nor past love ever return

Under Mirabeau bridge the Seine flows.

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

9. With Every Single Day (In fiecare zi – Romulus Vulpescu)

 

With every single day we disregard

The birds, the love and the forgiving sea

Not realizing that we do, in fact,

Replace them with a desert of dismay.

 

Just fooled into the comfort of a dream

Which we dismiss with just one hesitation

We linger in our circle without seam

Denying our eyes the contemplation

 

We roll up in our sheets without joy,

A loneliness in two, cowardice fixes,

Whispering to each other words of lie

Which turn to dross our worn and common kisses.

 

Eventually we find ourselves too hollow

With an impermissibly low and sad ideal,

Too skeptical, too lonely, too desert

To see that love is here and still real.

 

With every single day we disregard

The birds, the love and the forgiving sea

Not realizing that we do, in fact,

Replace them with a desert of dismay.

 

After reading this poem you may want to relax a little and listen to an awesome musical interpretation by Tudor Gheorghe, Romanian folk music artist, poet and actor. Lyrics are not in English, but you already know what the poem is about, don’t you?

 

 

 

10. Nobody Deserves Your Tears

“Nobody deserves your tears, but whoever deserves them will not make you cry.” - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This quote includes an unspoken poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme to make us think of how many times we cry for people that don’t deserve our tears. What a waste, isn’t it? Or maybe it’s not a waste. Like rain is needed for the rainbow to come out, a little crying may be needed to help happiness show up afterwards.

 

The list of sad and beautiful poems could go on forever. I’m actually inviting you to add your contribution, if you feel like it. What is your favorite tear shedding poem?

There are only 24 hours in any given day. However, there are days when we want to achieve more and days when we can afford the luxury to just let go of everything, grab a beer and lay down on a beach, read a book, relax, daydream, do nothing, just be. But how can we enjoy such days more often when we have so many urgent and important things to do, most of them being needed immediately and some of then even yesterday?

Self growth has emerged into a multi-billion industry, with hundreds of stress management, anger management, time management and many other similar programs that promise individuals to become better after graduating the respective training. In reality, such courses usually have a “honeymoon effect” which makes their visible benefits to last for maximum 6 months, period after which, the students usually go back to where they were prior to attending the course. Yet, they usually feel good about participating in these programs, so they’d repeat the experience whenever they have another chance. Companies are speculating on this human behavior, and pay their employees expensive personal growth trainings as part of the remuneration package for the job. Thus, employees are happy, business owners are happy, training companies are happy, so why not going on with new programs year after year?

Time management systems are part of this madness of self improvement. We all want to be more effective, to achieve more in the same given time, so we try to find new and better ways of cutting corners and getting mountains of things done, if possible at the speed of light.

I’m asking you now: why do you strive to get all those things done today? Why is it so important for you to neglect yourself, your pleasures and your wellbeing only for fulfilling some tasks and actions you may not even care about? What if some of them will be done tomorrow? Or after tomorrow? Or never, perhaps? This brings us to the first step in putting together your customized time management program:

Prioritize

If you ask yourself what could be the worst that would happen if you don’t finish a task before its deadline, you’ll be able to see if it’s urgent or not, if it deserves a top position on your to do list, or it can even be omitted. Going through all things you want to get done for the day will lead you to putting together a prioritized to do list to help you get organized. This being done, you can take the next step which is the “doing” itself. Now it’s important to remember that one of the points of making the list was prioritizing things. Why then would you start working on several of them at once? That’s the second rule for a successful time management program:

Forget Multitasking

If you still insist you can take care of multiple things in the same time and do them all well, think a little bit of Windows, the famous multitasking computer operating system. If you’re a Windows user, you may be aware of the “blue screen or death” and of other errors which occur often enough to upset you. Besides, even if errors don’t occur, there’s a limit on how many programs can run in the same time without affecting the system performance. For a better time management, try to tackle your assignments one at a time. It’s faster. If you don’t believe this, try to monitor two days of your life: one day do things as you use to, ten at a time, and the other day do them one by one. Measure the time needed to complete all tasks then compare the results. You’ll be amazed. So, supposing you’re now convinced and you take the bullets on your to do list one by one, you may see it’s getting late and you still can’t finish everything you thought you needed to get done. Now what? Now remember:

Change Your To Do List

If your list was really long, probably the last items on it will have been done so late that it wouldn’t have mattered anymore if they were pushed for the next day. So, just push them! And remember that any item that’s being postponed for more than 5-6 days is probably not essential and it might just be skipped without consequences for you.

These are only three basic ingredients for a good time management program. However, the recipe could include more, depending on your specific situation and sometimes depending on a certain day or a certain event that might make you suddenly change your priorities. There’s nothing wrong with change, if it’s for the better, so don’t be afraid of it. Yet, if you’re afraid of change, you can always follow a change management program. That’s if you don’t want to make and pursue your own.

Anger management is an industry that’s thriving in many of the so-called “civilized” countries. Techniques, classes, workshops, certified trainers and their programs, all these account for a big part of what we usually call the self-growth industry. It’s already a trend that companies pay for anger management programs for their employees. Did you know that there are more than half million monthly searches in Google for anger management and for other related terms such as anger classes, anger control, anger issues, anger help, depression anger, dealing with anger, anger counseling or anger techniques?

So many people are seeking for solutions and yet, there are so many angry individuals in almost every imaginable situation. So, your boss wants you calm, your spouse wants you calm, your kids want you calm, the other drivers in traffic want you calm… but are they free from anger themselves? At your turn, you probably want everybody else calm. You think that this will make your anger disappear. This is briefly how everybody gets frustrated because the rest of the world is not behaving the way it should. But since there are so many humans on the planet, who defines which is the way we should behave? Who makes the rules? We don’t even have the same God all over the world, so who’s going to be the supreme judge in this respect? If you don’t know how to control anger, despite your wish to do it, bear with us for a moment and try to figure out this life fact:

In the fall, leaves in trees turn yellow and fall

So, you have a big tree in front of your house, and each fall you watch its leaves going yellow and falling off on the ground. It’s just they way the tree’s nature is, to shed all leaves for the winter and get new buds and young leaves every spring. Are you going angry about that? Why don’t you get mad? You know you should, because you’re the one who has to sweep all those dry leaves each day during one full month, year after year. It’s not fair for the tree to treat you like that! After all, you’re the one who takes care of the tree, you trim it carefully, you water it, you protect it against bugs and diseases… the tree should be grateful and not make you spend so much time sweeping leaves. How angry are you about that? Grrrrrr…

If your honest answer is “I’m angry”, then how does your anger change the tree’s behavior? Is the tree struggling to keep his leaves on the branches for as long as possible, only to avoid upsetting you, the almighty protector of trees in your courtyard? If your tree did that, you’d probably better be looking for a tree psychotherapist, because something is rotten in there. But most probably, your tree couldn’t care less about your anger: if the leaves need to fall, so they will, regardless your opinion on that. So, if by now you tend to agree that getting angry on the poor tree for behaving naturally is a non-sense, why then would you get angry on your child because he wants to do things his own way, which is not always yours? Why would you get angry on your colleague being too slow to keep pace with you? Or why getting furious and swearing when you meet a clumsy driver in traffic? Like leaves fall from a reason, the clumsy driver could behave like that for a reason. Maybe he’s just suffering from a heart attack and losing control of the wheel that very moment. Would you still be angry if you knew that? Probably not.

Do you see what I’ve just done with you? Do you see that anger is only in your mind? External conditions are just food for your mind to develop the rage and make your heart beat faster. You don’t need any anger management techniques. All you need is to catch that moment before anger takes over your mind and acknowledge that what others do is beyond your control. You can only control how you react to their actions. It’s in your power to choose getting worn out because of anger attacks day after day, or trying to find creative solutions to resolve situations that you may perceive as being unpleasant. Next time you’re in your car, in a traffic jam, on a terrible rain, instead of getting angry, try to think of something else for a change: think of how lucky you are to be inside your car, waiting for the other cars to move on, instead of being one of those poor walkers, with their umbrellas torn out by the strong wind, wiped all over their bodies by the merciless rain, and horned and sworn by drivers like you, for not being able to cross the road faster. You don’t have to believe my words. Just remember to try this next time you feel like getting angry, then come back here and tell me if this wasn’t the best anger management technique ever.

Usually, people search for free malware removal when it’s already too late, when their computers are already infected. That’s logic, because if they weren’t infected, the search would have been for free anti-malware software, without the word “removal”. If you got here before this happened to you, then you’re lucky, as I have recently discovered a great anti malware solution which is free: Malwarebytes.

Malwarebytes Features

• Operating systems: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions). I don’t know if it’s compatible also with Windows 7, but perhaps you could check on this on their website
• Fast scanning ability: yes
• Full scan for all computer drives: yes
• Active protection module: available, but in the paid version of the software only
• Program updates: yes, but in the free version, database updates aren’t automatically installed, so you need to remember to do it by hand. All you have to do is press a button, but you need to remember actually doing it.
• Quarantine: yes. You can either delete or restore items in quarantine, that’s your choice. I suppose we’d be happier if it managed to clean those items, but still it’s OK. While viruses are programs that infect files inside your computer, malware threats are files that install themselves on your computer, but they don’t interfere with your other files on the hard disks, so having these malicious items quarantined is probably the best way to go.
• Multilingual support: yes. Besides English, here are the other languages supported: English, Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Macedonian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian.
• Command line support for quick scanning: yes
• Scan files on demand: yes
• Compatibility with other anti-malware programs: yes

As you can see, most features are available in the free version. However, if you want 24/7 protection for your computer, you may consider buying the commercial module which is $24.95, one time fee in case you need it for personal use only. If you need it for a business, you have to pay a yearly fee. I don’t know how much that is, but if you make this inquiry on the Malwarebytes website, I’m sure they’d get back to you pretty soon. I’m using my computer for personal purposes only, so I downloaded and installed the free software. I was amazed to discover that I actually needed such an in-depth scan. My computer was full of malicious things that this free malware removal software discovered and removed.

Computer speakers are most of the times very far from what we’d call “best”. There are some PC monitors that come with built-in speakers, but those aren’t good quality either. Laptop speakers are usually so bad that one can’t enjoy listening to music at all. This is why many PC users who want to listen to music directly from their computer choose to buy separate computer speakers, aiming for the best size/performance ratio. Price is also to be considered, but maybe not so important, since there are enough good choices of speakers which cost less that $200. The main purpose of the audio system is also a fact to be considered. If you’re a gamer, you may be looking for speakers that enhance the games sound quality. If you’re an audiophile, then sound clarity matters more.

Here are the computer speakers I consider to be the best, taking into account their performance, their looks and the price:

Harman Kardon SoundSticks II PC Multimedia Speaker System

With its 40 Watt power, this Harman Kardon multimedia speaker system offers a full and clear sound, thus enabling a listening experience above expectations. The system includes two loud speakers and a subwoofer and it features a very nice multi-band parametric equalization that can be optimized directly via the computer. The direct access to the volume control is possible thanks to the touch control buttons on the right satellite. These speakers are not only good, but they are also exquisite in terms of looks: they are made of a transparent material and they have a rounded shape that reminds of some fragile sea creatures. Their price is about $165. However, if you find it a bit too high for your taste, you can always go for the 20 Watt version of this system, which costs $150. However, the price difference is not that big, and the more powerful system is obviously better. More power doesn't necessarily translate into louder volume, but in a better sound clarity even at lower volumes of listening.

Creative Labs GigaWorks T40 with BasXPort Technology

This is another excellent system that will offer you a home theater quality sound. The speakers feature woven glass fiber cone driver and cloth dome tweeter. Accessibility is improved compared to other models, thanks to the jacks which are positioned on the front of the right speaker. The BasXPort technology allows deep bass tones without the need for a subwoofer. The speakers have an 80 dB signal-to-noise ratio. The 32 Watts of power are enough for a rich and clear sound. A dual RCA-to-stereo audio TV adapter is included with the purchase. This system can be found at $150 on Amazon and in other online stores. It is a good idea of buying it if you value good quality sound but you don't want to have a sub-woofer under your desk.

 

Logitech G51 Surround Sound 5.1 Speaker System

If you’re a fan of surround sound, you can have it on your computer with this speaker system from Logitech. Beware before buying it, that your PC must feature a 5.1 audio board. Although not exactly an audiophile system, Logitech G51 is a good value for money. It has a built-in audio amplifier and a control pod and it’s very good for movies and games. The total system power is 155 Watt. However, if the volume is too high, the sound is a bit distorted, mainly for low and high frequencies. This system is available in various places on the internet for prices between $168 and $240.

When you choose your PC speakers, always try to consider what’s best for you and not what other people say. If for instance, you travel a lot and you want to take your speakers with you, there’s no point in buying a 5.1 system, because subwoofers are bulky and heavy. On the other hand, if you think big speakers offer the best sound quality, choosing a 5.1 system could satisfy you more than those tiny systems which are cute but lack many watts of power, thus offering a poorer audition experience.

A dry erase board can make a very good gift for Christmas. Most children enjoy drawing and writing and many times they are practicing their hobby on the house walls, driving their parents crazy. If you’re a parent in this situation, you have a few options:

1. discourage your kid’s creativity and forbid him drawing on your walls
2. let him do whatever he likes, but avoid inviting people in your home because it looks like a subway station full of graffiti sketches on the walls
3. let the child draw but offer him an alternative to your walls: a dry erase board would be exactly what he needs

Here are a few models of dry erase board you can choose from, depending on how much space you have available for it in your home:

Melamine Dry Erase Board with 3/4” rail

This board is made of aluminum and it has a width of 48 inch and a height of 36 inch. It is easy to mount and it costs almost $28, which is a good price taking into consideration the size of the board. Being made of aluminum, the board is not magnetic, but for people who aren’t interested in this feature, it’s just fine. The tray is useful for holding pens, a feature which some models of dry erase boards don’t have.

If you order such a board, make sure to check it very well when you get it, because in case it arrives damaged you’ll want a replacement and you’ll want it fast. The board is attached to the wall from the upper part. This might make the bottom be a bit loose, but you can easily fix it with some adhesive tape.

Board Dudes Magnetic Dry Erase Board Value Pack

This dry erase board is 24 x 36 inches and it’s a bit less than $45. For this price, you also get four dry erase markers of different colors, four magnets, one eraser and four photo document clips. The board looks nice with its aluminum frame and it comes with mounting hardware already included in the package. The included magnets are common, so if you want to have some nicer ones you’ll have to buy them separately. This type of board is suitable for children as well as for adults, as it can be used as a bulletin board if needed. The board can be hung either wide or tall, as you need it.

Universal Office Products Magnetic Dry Erase Board, Melamine

This white 36 x 24 dry erase board is $43, but unlike the above model, it doesn’t include any pens or magnets in the pack. However, it has a nice design, with its contoured frame and with the full-length pen tray. The board is high quality, so even lower quality, cheap markers write well on it, but some customers said that shipping is horrible because of the poor packaging, so it’s maybe wiser to go and pick it up yourself from the warehouse if you can.

Board Dudes 11.25"x11.25" Rubberized Corner Dry Erase Board

These boards surely look nice with their rubberized corners which add a very nice touch of color. You can have them blue, green or violet or other colors, but unfortunately you can’t choose your color when you order, which is quite a non-sense. Otherwise, the boards are very nice to use and they take little space, as they are rather small. The dry erase board is magnetic, so if you wish, you can use it to display your grocery lists or important messages and notes to other members of your family.

The price for such a board is $8.99 on Amazon, and if you add some more to your order the item is eligible for Super Saver Shipping program.

Candle lanterns are the “salt and pepper” of romantic nights spent outdoors, those nights when the wind is blowing gently, but strong enough to blow off common wax candles. Maybe you’ve noticed, in beautiful summer nights, on the sea shore, that people are more attracted to sit on terraces of restaurants which have such candles, rather than dining inside or eating by the moon light. Not that there’s anything wrong with the moonlight, but when you’re in love, there’s a strange desire of looking at the face of your chosen one, as if you’re afraid that you won’t be able to remember all its details when you close your eyes. It’s so nice to be in love, so why not take advantage of all those moments which will inevitably fly away after a while?

What Else A Candle Lantern Can Do?

If you’re not exactly the romantic type of girl or boy, you may have asked yourself already the above question. Well, let’s take a look at the advantages of candle lanterns:

• They resist better to wind
• They can be very decorative, and the model can be chosen to match the occasion
• They can work as an insect repellent, provided that you use candles which contain of such substances
• They can generate a bit of heat, so in the chill of the night this could actually make the difference between a romantic night in two and a chilly sensation that can break the magic moment
• They are fairly cheap and reusable; just change the candle inside and it will be like new

Types of Candle Lanterns

Candle lanterns can be made of a wide variety of materials, with the condition that they are fireproof. Bronze, copper, wrought iron, nickel or steel, everything goes and they can be nicely combined with heat resistant glass, which can have multiple colors, shapes and models. Some candle lanterns are really looking like art works. You can figure out by yourself that those are also the most expensive ones, so you won’t see them too often on cheap restaurant terraces on the beach. Another criteria of classifying candle lanterns is by shape. They can have many shapes, starting from the common cylinder, to octagons, rectangles or even spheres. Each of those can feature various motifs. For instance, Christmas candle lanterns will most probably have snowflakes motifs, wedding candle lanterns can have heart motifs and so on. There are motifs that will go well with any occasion, like the Moroccan or the Chinese ones. Rustic style lanterns are best for camping and the best part is that they are not only charming but also useful, as they really give enough light to allow you see the items around you. All outdoor celebrations are better with a decor completed by such candle lights. That’s what could be called a great effect for a small expense.

Safety Of Candle Lanterns

As nobody wants to set a place on fire, this is a natural question whether or not it’s safe to use candle lanterns and in what conditions. Basically, they are safe, provided that you keep them away from children and that you never leave them burn unattended. If you hang them, make sure they are firmly attached and that there’s nothing flammable that may incidentally come in contact with the candle flame such as curtains or tree branches. Pets are also a potential risk factor, so make sure they can’t reach the candle lanterns. Otherwise, if you don’t use the lanterns for anything else by lighting, and if you always refill them with the right candles, not bigger than recommended, you should be safe.

Cheap window blinds aren’t usually the first choice of people who want to decorate their homes with quality stuff and who are keen in showing off in front of their peers. That’s easy to understand, as cheap blinds are usually not customizable and in time they tend to warp and to fade, therefore they can’t be a long-lasting solution for covering your windows. Nonetheless, there are situations in which inexpensive blinds are better than none, so when a big expense isn’t justified, going cheap can provide you a nice and cozy interior without you having to dig too deep in your wallet.

Let’s see a few of these situations when cheaper window treatments are the way to go:

Home rentals

If you are a homeowner and you rent the building, there’s no point in investing too much in interior decorations and accessories, because you never know how your tenants are going to behave, and you may end up with lots of damaged things to be replaced. We don’t discuss here luxury residences, as they are a separate category, where there’s no place for cheap if you want to find good customers. We are talking regular apartments and houses rentals, where the strong asset is not how the interior looks, but rather the proximity to some interest points or the very low price of the neighborhood.

If you don’t own a place to live in and you have to rent, you may not want to invest a lot in bringing improvements to the place, especially if you know from the start that’s going to be a short term commitment. However, most probably you’ll need to secure a decent level of comfort, so you may need to buy window treatments among other things. It’s perfectly understandable that you won’t buy customized Hunter Douglas blinds, but rather some made to measure ones to fit your windows.

Bad weather climate

If you don’t live in a sunny area, there’s no point in spending extra money for high quality features, such as UV resistance. If the sun doesn’t shine too many days a year, your cheap blinds are probably going to look like new for a long time. If you’re really bothered by the cheap aspect of such blinds, then you could go for exquisite ones for the rooms you spend most time in, but there’s no point in paying that much for storage room windows or for basement window coverings.

Low family income

There’s no shame in earning less, so there’s no point in trying to hide it from other people. Instead of getting in debt only to have high quality window blinds and kitchen fixtures while suffering from the empty fridge syndrome, you’d better get some cheap and decent looking ones and feed yourself better or minimize your debt. A tight control over the expenses is the first step in becoming debt free, even if buying cheap window blinds alone won’t sort out your financial issues.

Thermal curtains may sound like complicated stuff to may people, but they are in fact just common window coverings which have an additional layer, a lining made of a special material with insulating properties. More than this, for even better energy-efficiency, thermal curtains are firmly attached to the walls on all sides, so the cold air drafts can't travel towards the center of the room. Attachments can be with Velcro tape or magnetic strips. Both methods are very efficient and allow the curtain to be easily detached when necessary.

How Thermal Insulating Curtains Work

The thermal lining of insulating curtains is usually reflective and it gets attached to the outer side of the curtain, with the reflective face towards the exterior. This helps reflecting the sunlight, so thermal curtains can be used with success not only in winter but also during summer time, in order to maintain a cool atmosphere inside your home without spending a fortune on air conditioning. If you don't want to buy new curtains, you can insulate your old ones by adding this layer. You'll need a sewing machine, but if you're very methodical and patient, you can sew the lining by hand. In order to get it right from the first attempt, make sure to cut the lining about one inch smaller than the curtain size, so you can make a small hem over it. Thus it won't be visible from inside the room and that's probably how you want it to be. One drawback to thermal curtains is that they are always the blackout type, so if you enjoy the light filtering window treatments, you'll need to make use of a trick to allow you switch whenever you want: leave your curtains alone, but double them with thermal draperies. When you don't need the insulation, fully open the draperies, or even remove them completely. When it's time to save money on the energy bills again, hang the drapes at the windows and enjoy the warmth of your home while spending less for keeping the heat inside.

Can Thermal Curtains Be Used for Bathrooms?

If you have small children or if you're rather the sensitive type, you may want to use thermal curtains in your bathroom, so you can relax and take your time while taking a bath, without feeling cold. However, because of the special humidity conditions, placing thick curtains at the bathroom windows needs a lot of attention, as they are prone to become the nursery and shelter of mold and mildew, because they may never have the chance to dry. One particular tip: if you want insulating bathroom curtains, make them small, don't let them touch the floor. Wash them regularly, ventilate the room after you take a bath or a hot shower and you won't have any problem with molds or strange smells. There are two ways of having more money: earn more or spend less. I'd say there's also a third one, which can be applied by virtually anybody at home: spend wiser. Insulating your doors and windows is one of the smart ways of decreasing your bills while enjoying the same level of comfort you've been used to.

Plantation shutters are built-in window treatments consisting of a row of movable louvers attached to a frame. They can be made of hardwood, faux wood or vinyl. Such shutters used to be very popular some time ago, but they are somehow forgotten these days, with all modern roller blinds and sheer curtains that are very easy to install, to maintain and to change when redecorating.

How Plantation Shutters Work

However, not all modern people are really "modern", so there are enough individuals who seek to decorate their homes in classical style. For them, plantation shutters are as elegant as can be. Besides, such window treatments offer several advantages such as very good insulation, privacy, control of light and of ventilation. The negative side is that plantation shutters aren't made to be folded up against the wall frequently, they are designed to fit in an opening, in a fixed position, except from the situations when they need to be cleaned, case in which they can be removed. Moving them every day will result in early deterioration, so if you're a "light-lover" type of person, you'd better consider other types of window treatments for your home. The flexibility of plantation shutters can be secured by using divider rails, which allow independent movement of the louvers above the divider from the ones below. That's an useful feature in case you want privacy, but still need to let some fresh air inside your room. Nonetheless, keep in mind that if you have arched windows, you may need to use curved shutters, which could result in the upper louvers not being able to pivot anymore.

Plantation Shutters Hardware

Perhaps the most beautiful detail of plantation shutters are the hardware hinges. Here you can let your imagination and creativity flow, as a wide array of finishes and materials are available, from antique brass to bright brass, brushed aluminum, wrought iron or powder coated metal. Hinges can be inside-mount, Z-mold or outside-mount. Mortised or non-mortised, hinges offer that classic touch we often see in old movies. Some companies offer a tenon joint and louver lock mechanism that prevents the shutter elements from sagging.

Although most plantation shutters have the tilt bar that controls the louvers movement placed in the center, it is possible to have it on either to the left or to the right edge, for a special effect on the eye. This is a personal choice, and probably the shop assistant will be able to show you some samples so you can decide by yourself what's the best style for your home.

Plantation Shutter Prices

In terms of prices, nobody can say plantation shutters are cheap or expensive. It's all in the quality of the materials used. If you want the finest wood selection, such as yellow poplar or elm, or if you long for the most durable and exquisite hinges, you may pay more than another customer who's perfectly happy with those vinyl or faux wood shutters which are so durable and so easy to clean. If you are interested in redecorating your home and you're considering plantation shutters as an option, take some time for a thorough research and ask for several quotes before buying. Don't forget to check on discount coupons from Home Depot or from other home and garden stores.