Well, this cartoon representation of the hover craft is becoming a reality.  A company (based in China) has developed a hovercraft that hovers above the ground using electromagnetic power. They had a feature the other day on the national news showing two people sitting in this small vehicle and traveling around.

It has detectors on it that make it stop when it detects that you are getting close to any object or other vehicle. It really does look like it is from the Jetsons cartoon!

As I processed the information about this new type of vehicle I began to think of a lot of advantages:

1. No tires—It seems like I am buying every other day.  The tires never last the amount of miles they say on the warranty.  So advantage one: No buying tires.

2. No gas?  Have to do some more research, but all the feature said was that it used electromagnetic power. Not sure how this works or how much that power might cost. But for now: Advantage: No buying gas

3. Less space. The vehicle is so small it will take less parking space, be more maneuverable in tight spaces. Advantage : more room in my garage for bikes, mowers etc.

4. Insurance. I would imagine with the detectors that automatically stop the car if any object gets close might result in a lower insurance rate since it would theortically be a safer car. Advante: lower insurance rates

5. Faster Travels.  It doesn’t seem like the hover craft is limited to a road. More direct routes could be taken to get to destinations. Advantage: Save travel time

The hover craft as a means of transportation seems to have a lot of advantages so far. And I am also waiting for the button in my kitchen that I push and dinner magically appears prepared- just like in the Jetsons. It’s just a matter of time……

Laser hair removal is a procedure that offers just that – permanent hair removal.  Not everyone can get this service.  It depends on your hair color (where you want hair removed) and skin color.  The procedure involves aiming a laser at the follicle in an effort to basically kill it so that it will no longer grow hair.  Many people  that get laser hair removal do not experience total removal of hair, but rather a reduced amount of hair in an area.  Since the hair has several growth cycles- which cannot be predicted, the procedure must be timed to be completed during the proper cycle to result in the most permenent removal of hair.

The ocsts for treatment vary depending on the size of the area being treated, how many visiits you will need  (can be 3-4 visits) and also the clinic that you go to for the service.  The prices can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand.  The procedure itself does have some drawbacks other than the price.  It can be painful, result in mild swelling of the area and also permenant skin discoloration.  Before jumping into laser hair removal, you should schedule consultations with several clinics in your area and ask a lot of questions about how the procedure is done, the training they have, whether a doctor is performing procedure, etc.  For more details see What is Laser Hair Removal

Creating a basic updo hairstyle is really not that hard, but it does require a bit of practice.  The simple updo chignon twist can be created with a length of hairstyle that is past the shoulders.  The secret to getting it to stay and look right involves the use of hair pins and hair spray.

Start with freshly washed, clean hair.  Apply a straightening cream to damp hair and the blow dry using a large round brush to pull the layers smooth and straight.  If your hair tends to be frizzy, you may want to run a flat iron over the hair from roots to the ends to create a very flat finish.  Next, gather all the hair and form a ponytail with your fingers. Then with your fingers, begin twisting the ponytail clockwise until it twists into a chignon. Pin the layers into the bak of the hair using hair clips or bobby pins.  Sometimes it will require a lot of hair pins if your hair is especially thick. The pins must keep  the hair in place- so if you put a clip in and the hair falls right out, then you have not secured the hair properly.  It may require a lot of practice to know exactly where to put the hair clips to get the hair to stay in place.

After the chignon has been pinned in place, you can dress up the style a bit by pulling out strands around the face and back and adding pin curls to them.  This can be done by using a small barrel curling iron, wrapping around the small sections of hair and then releasing after the hair is hot to the touch.  In short the updo hairstyle can be a very easy option for when you are in a rush for a more formal style.  See more How To Hairstyles directions and visit celebrity hairstyles gallery for great ideas.

I have to say that of all the doctors and dentists that I have been to over the years, the only one that has helped me out considerable is my chiropractor.   Many years ago, after my daughter was born, I had a horrible pinched nerve and would get pain up and down my leg that would not go away.  I started going to a chiropractor for several months to hopefully fix the problem.  

Sometimes the situation would be worse after an adjustments. But as the chiropractor explains, the process of getting your spine back into alignment can be a long one, involving many adjustments and yes, sometimes feeling worse.  

After about 6 months of treatments- I would go 1-2 times per week–I finally was seeing some pain relief.  Now many years later, I am having a similar problem with one of my legs and I am back to having to go to the chiropractor every week.

Of course, I could probably have avoided the whole issue if I would go for regular adjustments to make sure I stayed in alignment, but who has the time.  It’s hard to go to an appointment when nothing is hurting.  I guess I should look at it as preventive care. So, long story short, the chirpractor has “Cured” my pinched nerve with frequent terms and I certainly consider chiropractors doctors.

I had my reasons, mainly being that I would be the one to feed, clean, nurture, walk and talk to the dog for the most part after the newness wore off.  And I already had too many things to do…  But when my daughter was so tearful about not having a dog, we began as a family to really investigate whether or not to get a dog and if we were to get a dog, what bred would we get. 

We started out at the pet store and saw a beautiful siberian husky with blue eyes- he was so adorable. The puppy really seemed to like all of us and jumped up and down and was very friendly.  So, began the researh on dog breeds. Quickly I found out all the facts about huskies and started looking locally for a dog breeder.  

I quickly discovered that the dog breeders charged a lot more than the pet store, and offered some assurances as far as health and longevity.  We even went to a dog show that was in town to look at all the different breeds.  We talked to several breeders there about the huskies.

To make a long story short, we (mainly me) decided not to go with getting a puppy at the time.  The committment was  to big, the costs were high and then there was the issue of a new puppy destroying the yard/house etc. (I had an afghan hound growing up and remember all the damage done). My daughter was disappointed but now, years later, I think everyonoe realizes that a puppy- dog in our house with our crazy lifestyle was not a rational choice.  I almost fell for those blue eyes though- have to admit (I wonder if they put colored contacts in the dogs eyes!)  See more info on different dog breeds or find a puppy breeder .

If you want a long hairstyle, then you can have one whether you have long hair now or not.  For those that already have long hair, the secret is to get a haircut that features long shapely layers cut in throughout the style.  The layers will help to break up the thickness and bulkiness of the style while providing a great dynamic to the hair.  When the hair has layers, it will be more flowing.

This shiny smooth hairstyle, see photo left,  is layered all through the back and sides to lighten the length which falls half way down the back. The side layers add shape to the front of the face and complimented by the long side swept bangs which complete the over-all style perfectly.

It used to be (look at pictures from 30-40 years ago) that a long hairstyle meant a boring one-dimensional style that was a lot of work and had very little styling options.  Some women used to get curly perms, which would leave the hair super big and really just a big mess. But that was the style.

Now, with the invention of layering, the long hair style has turned into a dynamic appealing style that everyonej wants. 

If you do not have long hair, then you can have one of these long hairstyles in just a few minutes.  The secret is “Hair Extensions”  There are permanent extnesions and clip in extensions that are attached to the human hair by one of several different means for a free-flowing look.  

Clip-in extensions are great because of the flexibility of being able to put them in and take them out in a flash.  Plus they tend to only cost a few hundred dollars instead of a few thousand dollars.

Permanent extensions involve a visit to the salon, preferrable to a stylist that has been trained in extensions, for a procedure that takes several hours to complete.  The extensions must be removed every 6-8 weeks and re-attached closer to the root to avoid any tangling or matting of the hair.  Check out the latest long layered hairstyles and see which style you like the best.

Once you have your dress picked out, the next step is to Plan how to wear your hair. If you dress is very elaborate, you might want to opt for amore simple style. If your dress is simple, you can go with a more sophisticated updo. The secret to getting the combination of dress and hairstyle just right is that the two go together. IF you have to much going on with your dress, then having too fancy of a hairsytle will be overkill.

Dresses are typically floor length for formal dances such as the prom. But that isn’t to say that a mid-thigh, see photo left, dress isn’t out of the question. It really depends on your style and what makes you fell comfortable. Browse online dress stores for a wide variety of dresses and styles. 

Many different options for hairstyles this year include the updo, partial updo, down straight, down curly and just about everything in between. Prom usually calls for a more formal style, but it isn’t necessarily a requisite. Check out some great combos in Prom Hairstyles and Dresses Gallery

Popular options for prom hair this year include:

1. Curly hair. All over curls, partial updos, full updos with curls left out are very popular.  The big negative with this style is that it will take quite a bit of time to add those curls.  And if your hair is not very good with holding curls, you might require even more time to prepare.  To get the curly hair style, apply a curl-enhancing cream to damp hair and blow dry using a diffuser attachment on the blow dryer  Use just your fingers to shape and position the hair. The purpose of using the diffuser attachment and curl enhancer is that these two items combined will help to bring out any naturall curl that you might have.

Updo hairstyle, see left Kylie’s updo was simple yet she still looked stunning. To re-create this look, medium to large rollers will be needed and the right products will hold this upstyle all day.

2. Straight hair. The straight hair can be worn down long, in a partial updo or full updo as well.  This style still takes time to create, but it might be a bit faster than the curly option above.  To get the straight style, apply a styling or straightening cream to damp hair and blow dry using a large round brush to direct all layers down and under.  When the hair is completely dry, run a flat iron over the hair, small sections at a time, from roots to the ends. Finish off the style with a shine serum to seal the cuticle and allow the shine to come through.  If you are going with a partial updo style, pull the hair back and secure with a ponytail holder or twist into a chignon.

See prom hairstyles and  new prom hair styles gallery for some great ideas for prom hair.

If you want to have a long beautiful hairstyle for the prom with hair extensions, you will need to do a lot more than last minute prep.  There are two main types of hair extensions: Permanent and Clip-in.

Permanent Hair Extensions are attached to your hair using one of many different methods. The extensions are called permanent because they remain in the hair until the hair grows out.  The extensions must be removed and replaced closer to the root every 4-6 weeks depending on the method and hair used for the extensions.  If the extensions are left in the hair for too long, severe tangling and matteing may occur causing damage to your natural hair.  The reason that matteing/tangling occurs is that we typically lose 100-150 hairs every day through natural means.  When this hair falls out of your hair- i.e. you find it on your brush or on the floor, in the shower, etc., it comes completely out.  If you have permanent hair extensions attached to your hair, then the hair that falls out naturally is attached in with the extension hair and cannot fall out.  The ends of the fallen hair remain attached to the extensions, yet the hair near the root has fallen out, leaving for potential tangling and matteing of that hair.  That is why regular maintenance of removing the extensions and attaching them back close to the root is essential to keep your hair healthy.

If you want permanent hair extensions for prom, you will need to schedule this service 2-3 weeks before prom.

Clip-in extensions are increasingly popular as they allow one to clip-in long hair in just a few minutes.  It make take some practice to get the hang of how to clip in the extensions.  Some hair stylists will offer a service to put your clip in extensions in and show you how to do it.  Clip ins are a great way to instantly have long hair without the long term effects that permanent extensions have.  Plus they are much cheaper than permanent extensions-always a factor.  See how to get hair extensions for more information

Some might think of the long hair style as being a very boring, one-dimensional look. This thought couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many different ways to cut long hair and have it look completely different. Consider the following:

1. Layers. Adding layers to a hair style can accomplish several things. First, layers can take away some of the bulkiness in a long hair style. This is especially true if you have overly thick and course hair. The layers take out a portion of the hair and help it to lay more smoothly. Second, the layers break up the one-length, one-dimensional look by adding movement to the hair. The layers will move easier than the rest of the hair giving the illusion of dimension.

2. Bangs. Adding soft side swept fringe bangs are a great option to break up the long line of a long hairstyle. Adding bangs also helps to frame the face and help accentuate facial features and hide other undesireable features such as a high forehead.

One thing to keep in mind with long hair is that it will require extra work to style and keep in good condition.  Long hair, generally speaking, should be conditioned regularly and even deep-conditioned for best results. Damaged long hair will definitely not do anything for your style.

These two options are great for additions to a long hair style. For great examples of layers and bangs, see newly updated long hair styles gallery.