A few days ago, I was signing copies of my book - Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness - at the flea market. Nobody expects an author to sign books at a flea market. Some people sell a few worn-over books, but authors just don’t do book signings at flea markets. Especially not books about finding happiness.

I’ve never been afraid to be different, to take the road less traveled, to wander off the beaten path and run gleefully right over a cliff. Fortunately for me, the flea market is on low ground and I had the chance to learn a few things just watching people.

Pop Quiz: Is it best to wedge your booth between other booths piled with junk, where nobody even notices you are there? Or is it better to have a booth out in the open away from the clutter, where people can easily see you and get to your booth?

I learned the hard way. My booth was out in the open away from the clutter, where people could easily pick up speed and zoom right past. (But I was right next to a support beam, so at least I knew the roof wouldn’t cave in on me.)

Apparently, the sales process at the flea market works like this:

Step one, some fool actually stops to look at a toaster-oven with only three coils missing, partially blocking the aisle.

Step two, a traffic jam ensues as more people come along and completely block the aisle.

Step three, to relieve their boredom, they buy “treasures” they would gladly have passed by if they could just have picked up enough momentum to keep walking. Isn’t that a lot like how “gurus” sell stuff on the Internet?

Step four, they go home and brag about their great “find” and how it cost them almost 14 cents less than any of the other “Happiness is surviving your own cooking” commemorative plaques in their collection.

I leaned my second lesson. To sell anything, you have to slow people down. So I stood in front of my booth.

“Free bookmark, sir?”

Sir hesitates, then takes the bookmark.

“It features the nine habits of maximum happiness.”

Sir studies the bookmark.

“Same habits as in my book right here.”

Sir looks up at the display for a moment. Then he starts moving again, staring down at the bookmark, mumbling something under his breath and BANG! hits the support beam. “Ooh,” I thought. “A few thousand more times and that beam might not hold. That could be dangerous.”

Fortunately, I decided to relocate, standing with my back to the beam so people would pass safely to one side. Don’t kill your customers: a brilliant idea whose time had come. I learned my third lesson after running through just 34 first aid kits.

I went through the same routine with Broad-eyed Lady and her husband, except that she missed the beam. She continued walking as she read the 9 habits of happiness on the bookmark, then suddenly slapped it against her husband’s chest. “Here. Read this,” she commanded.

Ouch. That’s gotta hurt. Good thing I was giving away bookmarks and not paperweights.

I thought Broad-eyed Lady was a unique character, until Hunched Old Lady did the same thing. And so did Spunky Crew-cut Girl. And Grizzly Guy, too. I guess it’s easy to expect others to change, rather than ourselves.

In fairness, few people used my happiness bookmark as a domestic weapon, a fact the judge took into consideration later that day. He even commended me for not giving away paperweights.

But he did order me to recount, without looking at my notes, the lessons I had learned watching people at the flea market. Let’s see …

Slow down, or you’ll never spend your kids’ inheritance on priceless knick knacks.

Grab people’s attention or they will just whiz by.

Don’t kill your customers

Don’t expect people to change for you, even if you do wield a loaded bookmark.

About The Author

The author is David Leonhardt, The Happy Guy. To receive his satirical happiness column weekly in your inbox, sign up at http://TheHappyGuy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html or read more columns at http://TheHappyGuy.com/self-actualization-articles.html. Visit his home page “Finding Happiness and Self-actualization” at http://TheHappyGuy.com.

Info@TheHappyGuy.com

Tell me how your windshield wiper blades are and I will tell you the condition of your car. Worn out wiper blades are symptoms of neglected vehicle maintenance that put drivers and passengers at serious risk during rainy or snowy periods.

Rainy or snowy weather also affects driver visibility and control of the vehicle. Because 90 percent of driving decisions depend on good vision, a clean windshield is imperative. Streaking and smearing impair vision and are caused by worn windshield blades. One out of every five vehicles that goes through an inspection has worn wiper blades.

Replacement wiper blades are inexpensive and they are easy to change. Why put it off until there’s a downpour or a major snowfall and your blades are chattering and smearing the windshield?

Do you need different windshield wiper blades for the winter period ?

We all tend to run to the auto parts store when winter is approaching, to get winter replacement wiper blades. Usually, winter blades are covered with a rubber membrane which are supposed to better fight against icing. However, before you make the purchase you should carefully check them. Several types of winter blades listed in catalogs of aftermarket parts or even those recommended by car manufacturers are not that effective. Several models are shorter than the “summer version” and do not cover enough windshield surface. Others are long enough but do not have the “banana” shape allowing for proper contact on the windshield over the full lenght. In either case this results in reduced visibility for the driver.

Windshield wiper blades should be checked regularly to ensure they offer maximum performance. If you need to replace them do not compromise on the quality and ensure they provide good coverage and adherance to the windhield. If you are unsure if the model you are considering meets those criterias ask the auto parts store about their return/credit policy. Once tested, you should be allowed to return them if the results are not conclusive.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask your local mechanic for some sound advice. They constantly replace wiper blades on a wide range of car models and they should be able to tell you about the do’s and don’t for your particular vehicle.

Replacing windshield wiper blades should be simple process ….. but don’t jump the gun and make a quick desision. You may regret it next time you drive rainy or snowy weather.

Copyright 2005 Marc Deschamps

Marc Deschamps is the editor of Car Accessories Magazine, a free online publication dedicated to automotive accessories, car care and related topics. Other articles on car accessories can be found at
http://www.car-accessories-magazine.com/shopping-car-accessories.html

For months now the only means of nutrition your baby has
received is either breast milk or formula but could it be time
to start adding something else to your child’s diet? This
question is one that often has parents puzzled because
information given from pediatricians and healthcare workers may
be very different from one another. So, when should you start
adding some soft, solid foods to your baby’s diet?

Just like all babies are different so is the answer to this
question. There is no magic time frame as of when you should
start giving your child solid foods, bottom line; it is you as a
parent who decides when to start giving your child solid food. A
parent can normally judge better than any expert if their child
is no longer being satisfied with only breast milk or formula.

Many experts says that a child should not start getting solid
foods before they get close to a year old or at times even later
but as most parents know, this is not necessarily true. Most
children require food long before the age of one, but the
problem is that many first time parents are afraid of doing
something to harm their child and will therefore follow the
advice of the so called experts even though it might not be
right for their baby.

A lot of people start adding soft solid foods to their baby’s
diet as early as 2-3 months old. Naturally they do not take the
child off its main diet but just implement a little solid food
as a part of their daily diet. If you decide to try this, make
sure you start out with something which will be really light on
your baby’s stomach, such as applesauce, because anything you
start out with will be hard on a baby’s tummy.

When you do start to add solid foods to your baby’s diet it
might be good to let the baby have a little more water than what
you normally would give him or her just to make it easier on its
stomach. It can actually take quite a while before your child’s
stomach is able to adjust to solid foods so make sure to take it
slow and keep feeding your baby what he is used to whether it is
breast milk or formula.

If you as a parent feel that your child may be ready for
something other than its formula do not be afraid to try it out
but do remember that the baby will most likely encounter some
stomach problems to begin with. This is quite normal and nothing
to be worried about so if you feel that it is ok to start adding
some solid foods to your baby’s diet, go for it.