If you’ve always admired people who can play the piano and always had a secret longing to do it yourself, well you can. It’s never too late.

You may never be able to rival the best of the best as a pianist, but anybody with the real desire to play will be able to indulge their passion to some level that will satisfy them. All it needs is an appropriate time commitment and the determination to keep at it.

Here’s a handy checklist of five key ingredients to keep in mind as you endeavor to master this beautiful instrument:

1) Make sure you have access to your own piano or keyboard. You need to be able to practice whenever you want to and are able to. Restricting yourself to your teacher’s piano at the weekly lesson, isn’t going to be good enough. The piano is not an easy instrument to learn so ideally you should aim to practice for at least 30 minutes every day. You can’t do this if you don’t have easy access to an instrument. An electronic keyboard - ideally with at least 61 keys - will be ok if you can’t get a real piano. All of the synthesizer-type keyboards will usually have at least one pretty good piano emulation setting.

2) You’re going to need some form of tuition. In an ideal world you will have a personal piano teacher who is able to coach you in the style of music you wish to play. If this isn’t possible, there are plenty of excellent multimedia tuition materials available these days such as books with accompanying CDs and DVDs and even interactive computer software.

3) Seek out advice from people who’ve gone there before you. Try to go along to piano recitals etc. in your local area and endeavor to speak to the performers and ask them for any tips and tricks that helped them along the way. This is not as daunting as it may seem because you’ll generally find musicians to be a friendly bunch who are only too pleased when someone shows a real interest in what they do and they’ll usually be only too happy to offer what advice they can.

4) Practice, practice, practice. Practice for as long and often as you can. Repetition is the prelude to being able to play well without even thinking about it. There really is no substitute for regular practice.

5) Don’t overstretch yourself to begin with. At whatever stage you’re at with your playing, don’t try to tackle a piece of music that is totally beyond you. It is vitally important that you maintain your interest and enthusiasm and nothing is guaranteed to dampen this more than totally over-stretching yourself and becoming frustrated as a result. Make sure that you build up the difficulty levels on a gradual basis.

There you have it. Five key things to keep in mind as you learn to play piano. Playing a musical instrument is a wonderful skill to possess so make sure to keep at it.

Compared to men, women are more particular about shoes. In fact, more and more women today are into buying designer shoes because of their individual beauty, unique design, prestige, and utmost comfort.

Unlike before, where shoes were limited to certain styles and specific functions, women shoes today come in all shapes, sizes, styles, colors, textures, and price ranges.

In fact, the best selling ones are those made by a popular designer because these not only enhances the owner’s inherent beauty but also reflects her status in life and in society as well.

Discounted designer shoes

Most—if not all—women would like to own a pair or two of shoes designed by the most popular shoe designers today. Unfortunately, not all women can afford the prices of these most-coveted shoes.

If you’re one of those women who are endlessly dreaming to slip into a pair of gorgeous designer shoes but are riding on a tight budget, you can still get the chance of owning these expensive shoes if you know where to find discounted ones.

Although designer shoes are quite expensive, there is a way to get these by looking for bargains or those that bear discount prices. One of the options you have is looking for discounted ones through online shopping.

After becoming a breakthrough venue for advertising, the Internet—through websites—has become home to shoe producers and companies.

If you have plans of finding genuine or authentic but discounted designer shoes like Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Versace, or Manolo, there are so many online stores that produce lists, photos, and prices of so many designer shoes on sale or those that are discounted.

Most of these online stores even provide descriptions of the discounted shoes in order to give the potential buyer better options. By surfing the websites using the Internet, you will be surprised to discover that there are so many online stores that offer discounted women’s shoes compared to boutiques.

You can surf websites such as eBay, YOOX.com, Zappos.com, ShoeBuy.com, Shoes.com, Overstock.com and Gotham City Online or the websites by brands or designers such as Anne Klein, Aerosoles, Kenneth Cole, Easy Spirit, Bruno Magli, BCBG and more.

If you intend to purchase designer shoes online, you should be very careful before you finally buy any discounted designer shoes. Make sure that:

- you don’t order a replica or fake designer shoes.

- the company has a credible reputation of selling authentic discounted designer shoes before making a commitment to buy a discounted pair of designer shoes from a particular site.

- you check if the site has a good return policy so you can return the shoes if they don’t fit.

There are many standard medications for the treatment of acne. If you decide that your acne is not responding to the best acne treatment offered over-the-counter, it would be wise to visit your local GP. If after two months the acne still does not seem to be improving, ask for a referral to a dermatologist. Treatments for acne differ in various countries and what is acceptable in one may not be available in another.

One of the most common treatments for acne is an antibiotic like tetracycline. This will kill the bacteria present in the blocked hair follicle, thus reducing the inflammation. It may need to be taken for some months, but is considered quite safe.

The acne can also be treated externally by using erythromycin or benzoyl peroxide. While this reduces the bacteria causing the problem, it is really treating the symptoms rather than the cause. That is, the oil secretion and abnormal cell behaviour that blocks the follicle in the first place. So unfortunately, the acne will usually reappear within some weeks of the treatment being stopped.

The best thing to do is to reduce the amount of oil being secreted, and this can be accomplished by taking Vitamin A derivatives (marketed as Accutane). There are many harsh side effects, such as nosebleeds and dry skin with this treatment, so it must be done under the close supervision of the dermatologist. On the good side, over 80% of patients are permanently cured of acne. It was once thought that liver damage and depression could occur, but this is unsubstantiated. Birth defects can occur if taken by pregnant women, but the patient also taking the contraceptive pill before beginning the treatment avoids this.

Exfoliating the skin is another treatment widely used in controlling acne. A chemical exfoliating agent such as salicylic acid or glycolic acid is used as a topical application to encourage the top layer of skin to peel off. This is not as horrible as it sounds, as only a microscopic layer dissolves. The same effect can also be accomplished by the use of an abrasive cloth or liquid scrub.

Sometimes, the contraceptive pill is prescribed for the control of acne. A combined oestrogen/progestogen pill (marketed as Diane) is the most effective and now there is a new one on the market - though it may not be available in the USA - which has fewer side effects.

Photosynthesis is yet another treatment. Sunlight has been used for a short-term aid in the past. Now it has been found that intense blue light produced by specially made fluorescent tubes is far more efficient. Yoram Harth and Alan Shalita have conducted extensive tests and trials with this method and found it can reduce the inflamed lesions by 60–70% in about four weeks of treatment. It works best if the acne is mild to moderate and has no side effects.

These are the main treatments used to control and cure acne. It is best to adhere strictly to the guidelines prescribed by your doctor for each one.

Unless you want your skin to end up looking like an old potato, it is essential to take care of it. Most children’s skin is beautiful and needs nothing more than the care of sunscreen when they go outside, but once they reach their teens, all sorts of problems begin to manifest. Acne is one of these, but even if you are fortunate enough to escape acne, you still need to take care of your skin. Most people know if their skin is oily or dry. Often skin that is a bit oily has dry patches in a T-section that includes the nose. If your skin seems dry and scaly here, you should apply moisturizer to it, but astringents to the oily part. The skin around the eyes is more tender and fine and should be treated with a product especially designed for it.

There are many products on the market and it might be perplexing to know which one is right for you. Seek the help of a beautician if necessary. There are some fun and inexpensive products you can make from the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard.

Oatmeal paste.
Mix 2 tbsp oatmeal, 4 tbsp plain yoghurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, and 1 tsp olive oil together. Massage into the skin, rinse off after about 4/5 minutes. This is great for oily or irritated skin. You can put a handful of oatmeal into the toe of your old pantyhose and use it to scrub your whole body, too.

Mask to treat wrinkles.
Beat 1 egg into 2 tbsp of milk. Wash your skin first then gently dab this concoction on. Rinse with warm water after 4/5 minutes. Add moisturizer.

If brown spots trouble you, use a vitamin C lotion under your make-up. This will help to neutralize free radicals that sabotage your skin after exposure to sunlight. Revlon has a sunscreen that contains vitamin C in it already.

Copper peptide is one of the newest patented ingredients that works against sagging. It is an antioxidant thought to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.

Neutrogena has a range of non-soap, skin-care products available. One of them is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion that combines vitamins A, C and E with alpha-hydroxy acids to create a light lotion for delicate skin. Cetaphil is a good moisturizer for delicate skins and can be used on all parts of the body, while Lac-Hydrin 5 is excellent for scaly patches and dry, rough skin.

From about age 30 the skin’s natural ability to get rid of dead skin is impaired and this makes it look dull. Exfoliating your skin regularly, will keep it in good condition and help to create that translucent look. Look for products that contain alpha-, beta-, and poly-hydroxy acids. They will help slough off the dead skin, bringing fresh new cells to the surface.

Be sure to remove make-up every night, cleanse with a gentle toner and apply a good eye cream, but if you do nothing to your skin except wear sunscreen that your skin will be able to rejuvenate itself to a great degree, and give wrinkles and crinkle the flick.

Most parents tend to be extra vigilant when taking their children outside of the home so it might be somewhat shocking to learn that most accidents actually happen at home. If you take a moment to think about it, there are potential hazards in each room of a typical home. This article will outline the main ones. It’s important to note however, that no matter how safe you make your home good supervision remains essential.

The kitchen is an area where there are a lot of dangers for young children. They naturally want to be where the action is and the kitchen is often a hub of activity in many households. It’s a good idea to keep young children busy and safe by making a low cupboard or drawer their own. Fill it with plastic kitchen ware, empty plastic food containers, plastic measuring cups, plastic strainers, wooden spoons or mixing bowls. Little people love to ‘help out’ in the kitchen and can be given a little cold water to stir, serviettes to fold, or placemats to arrange while dinner is being prepared. When cooking, use the back burners, keep the handles of pots and pans turned towards the back of the stove and the kettle well out of reach. Store all cleaning agents, vitamins and medicines high where they can’t be reached and install child safety cupboard latches. Many household cleaners are in attractive, bright containers and may therefore be very appealing to young children. If children see their parents taking medication they might want to as well. When it’s time to eat, take a few minutes to remove bones from meat and fish and cut food into small pieces. Using placemats is preferable to a table cloth which can be tugged and pulled at. Always use the safety belt on high chairs and never let children stand up in them. It’s best to train toddlers and children of all ages to remain seated when eating to reduce the chance of choking.

The bathroom is another potentially dangerous area around the home. Keep medicines in a locked cabinet or one that is out of reach. Child safety latches are a good idea in the bathroom too - to keep little ones away from toiletries and makeup. Keep the lid of the toilet closed and avoid using solid toilet bowl cleaners in the tank. Some brands of these cleaners are the colors of candy and juice and might be enticing to little eyes. Community health nurses recommend when running a bath run the cold water first then the hot. Finish off with more cold to cool the faucet. Be sure to test the water before letting the child into the tub. Place a non-slip mat in the bathtub and never leave a child alone in the bathtub for any reason. Although it’s tempting to run and answer the phone or put the laundry in the dryer since it will only take a second, remember that a child can drown in very little water in that same time so constant supervision is necessary.

Another common living space with conceivable hazards for young children is the den or family room. Televisions and bookshelves are exceedingly heavy and could seriously harm a child if they were to topple upon them. It is therefore recommended to secure the television set and book cases and keep the VCR and other electronic equipment out of reach. Any large pieces of furniture should be anchored and sharp corners padded. When children are crawling and grasping for things to hold onto, anything free standing that could topple is a problem. For this reason it’s a good idea to replace free standing lamps with wall or ceiling lighting.

Make the child’s room a safe haven. Ensure blind cords are out of reach or install the pull-down variety. Make sure the crib mattress fits snugly and that there are no spaces in the headboard. Never put a pillow, duvet or quilt in the crib. If you are planning to get a second-hand crib, check the date printed on the crib. If it was made before 1986, it is not safe. Place your baby on his/her back to sleep to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Always remove baby’s bib before putting him/her in a crib or play pen.

Overall home safety should include working smoke alarms in the bedrooms and hallways on each level. In addition, stairs should be protected with safety gates on each end. Unused outlets should have plastic outlet covers on them. When safe-guarding the yard, it is best if ornamental ponds and swimming pools are completely surrounded by fences and a locking safety gate between them and the house.

Parents will feel more secure knowing that they have done what they can to prevent accidents. Inevitably though, accidents will happen and while a kiss and a hug better will ‘treat’ most, it’s a good idea to learn some first aid. Community centers often have first aid courses to teach parents how to treat common injuries in children. As they grow up and are able, teach your child how to use the phone to call for help in an emergency. Teach them their full name, address and telephone number as well as your name. Keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone where they can see them easily.

Some planning and effort put into home safety will help to ensure a more safe and happy environment for children. Look at your home with a critical eye and even sit on the floor so you can simulate the gaze of a child. Ask yourself what could fall, what their little hands might get caught into or what might bait their curiosity. Remember, as children grow, the problem areas will be different! Just when you think you’ve got it all worked out, they get smarter, interested in new things and more ‘brave’. Parenting is certainly both a joy and a challenge. Creating safer home is a fundamental part of responsible parenting.