On the Scent of Memory

Morning came again and I got naked. LOL. Actually, I just stepped out of the shower (needed to clear the lungs and there is nothing like the steam from a hot shower to do just that). And as I stood there, eyes closed, water beating down, and hands creating the beginning of a lather on the scalp, I took the first deep breath of the morning. Nan. Maybe that sounds odd, but the smell of lavender from the shampoo immediately brought forth the memory of my grandmother.

And suddenly, I was no longer a tired adult, but a little girl. As I revivified the moment, memories of cool nights on lavender scented sheets seemed real. Transporting time, I sat upon her bed, while she brushed my hair. When she finished I would sniff it (yes, I had long hair as a child) and breath in a subtle lavender scent, as she had scented the hairbrush with lavender water.

Of course, as the hot water ran out, I returned to the current moments and finished up. Now here I sit, rather contented and peaceful with that memory.

In hypnosis and NLP, revivified moments are often a part of what we do. How much stronger the past seems in our mind when in a hypnotic state. But, I have never given much credence to the idea of using scents to perhaps deepen a hypnotic state. I suppose ultimately this would be an adjunct with aromatherapy. Do any of you use it and if so, do the two go together well?



Any how - if you are curious about my hair experience, here's the run down:

Naked Naturals is an all natural shampoo. The one I used was Awapuhi (I have no idea what that is) and Lavender for color-treated hair. The shampoo does not lather up much beyond the scalp area, but so it seems the way of such products. The smell is subtle. The conditioner is nice and does leave hair feeling fairly soft. It boast a list of positive components such as there are no Lauryl or Laureth Sulfates, no DEA or TEA, no artificial colors, no synthetic fragrances, and no harsh chemicals. All good things in my book. As I am a want-to-be vegetarian, I am particularly glad there are no animal by-products. It is all about being naked naturals.

Perfection - The First Day of My Life With The iTouch

It is not just a New Year's Resolution. It is an everyday thing - this quest for self-perfection. Always the weight watching, the proper diet, could I be a better person,am I getting enough exercise, should I be more fluent in another language, could I sleep better and the list goes continues to amass.

So here it is, the first day of the rest of my life with a new iTouch (the new baby in the long line of Apple products). You might be saying to yourself, "What does this have to do with self-betterment?" And, as you can imagine, I am going to tell you.

As a professed user of self-hypnosis, visualization, meditation, and the Internet, the iTouch is not just a tool, but a proper partner for life's little adventures. Its graphic interface (sweet little icons) and touch screen technology make it extremely easy to use - intuitive, one might say. That's the visualization part. Then there is the expansive sound that come through the little white ear phones, perfect for listening to both self-hypnosis audios or meditation sounds. And because of these ear phones, it means it is completely individualized, or in other words, your partner is not forced to pick up the suggestions for weight loss or the Russian word for Hello when you play your audios on the house sound system. It is also extremely light weight and portable, so it can go anywhere you go - the top of an isolated mountain to explore consciousness or a library to look up the latest in self-help books. The light weight design makes it pocket, purse, or laptop case compatible. And, if you ever wondered what your finger print resembles, you need only to touch its shiny body and there it is. (Some might say this is not such a great feature - but you can judge a book by its cover, yahda, yahda, yahda).


But, I digress. This is the first day of the rest of my life with my new iTouch companion. As always, I had my coffee, but this time with a twist. Sitting on the back porch, I slipped the headphones on and began the day with a soome Louie Armstrong and also read through my favorite blogs - yes all on the iTouch at the same time thanks to the Wi-Fi feature. Now you may be wondering how one reads websites with the little screen. Basically, you tap what you want to read and it zooms in and enlarges the image or text. Didn't even need the reading glasses.




Once properly caffeinated, it was time to advance to a higher consciousness with a kindness guided meditation that I downloaded directly onto the iTouch. Easy peasy. A deep breath in, a search though the Apple Store for a free podcast featuring guided meditation. A deep breath out, download completed (maybe not quite that fast) and I was in that meditative state of graceful awareness.




From this point on, I decided to get the blood pumping, the body moving. What better time to learn to tango? A short perusal through the cyberworld's youtube videos and I had the visualization all worked out in no time. An ebook lead me step by step through the beginnings of the dance. Note to self - when leading a tango with an imaginary partner, do watch out for walls. They can be quite painful.



While cooling down, I switched over to an audio book and began Russian lessons (I like the way the language sounds). The cat was not moved when I began practicing the words out loud.

And soon enough, it was time for a short afternoon nap. I have been wanting to try out a self-hypnosis audio on sleeping better. And that too was an easy download. I got all comfy on the bed and began the audio. Soon enough I began the process of letting go, slipping into a light alpha state. However, I was not to remain alone in this endeavor. The cat, sensing a quiet peacefulness in contrast to the harsh resonate sounds of the Russian lesson, joined me on the bed as well. They say animals are in a constant alpha state and are drawn to humans who access it. Perhaps this was the case?

And so we settled in, slept soundly, and here I am, writing this homage to the iPod Touch. It isn't just for your teenager, the studious college student, the hip 20 something. It is a true companion in a quest for self-betterment and peacefulness.


Want to know more about the iTouch? Visit Apple's iTouch webpage for more information.

A Marketing Idea and a Blog Review

One of my dearest friends, who has just received his certification in hypnosis(NGH), lives in California. A recent phone conversation between us became a brain storming session. He is one of those souls who got into mental health and addiction counseling because he felt the angry bite of drug addiction. Chasing dragons grew tiresome for him and he spent a few years in various programs and treatment centers, and this made him weary. What turned his life around was, you guessed it, hypnosis. Since then he has been devoted to hypnosis and preaching its good word.

In looking at the Los Angeles Criminal Defense Blog | California Criminal Attorneys Law Blog, I was pleased to find their posting on how they deal with their clients who have drug related offenses. They work toward getting the client treatment as part of the sentencing as opposed to just allowing clients to be thrown into jail. There may be cynics reading this who smirk at the idea (I have a few clients who went this route, thought rehab was a joke, but the eventually ended up at my doorstep looking for help).

On a side note, the above mentioned blog is interesting because it does not rely on legaleses to get their points across. It is written for the "everyman" and is quite informative. That is the positive thing about the blogisphere, it makes complicated subjects more understandable and in the case of the blog in question, it makes the lawyers seem less intimidating. (P.S. the above photo is the lawyer who writes the blog).

So, in talking to my friend, he was such a person who did avoid jail time and embraced the recovery process. In our brain storming, it became really clear that he should make himself know to lawyers. How often we forget that they might refer clients our way. We got lost in the whole issue of regression hypnosis somewhere. But there is so much more we can offer, such as being part of the addiction cessation processes, anger management, and probably much more.

The Quest Continues

A few Sunday's ago I mentioned a friend who wanted me to hypnotize her so she would lose the desire for a mate. Well, she has kept in touch with me, though I have quite refused to do any sort of hypnosis with her other than maybe working on self-esteem and inspiring more independence.

She has been prowling (sorry luv, but that is what it is)the online dating sites (p.s.Michael, you got an LOL from her about your comments on that posting). The latest she is spending some time with is a free dating site called DateHookup.com. So, this afternoon, I went onto the site with her as she wanted my opinion about some of her "picks." Yes, we gals do that sort of thing, you know. It is a pretty easy site to navigate and it offers a unique search idea; that of "date ideas." You can see what sort of dates people are thinking of within certain criteria (location, price, time). No one in our search criteria offered any sort of date that involved hypnosis - I realize perhaps this begins to get into the world of hypno fetish, but it could be fun for two people who are hypnotists to take each other on guided visualizations to interesting places. Just a thought.

The one thing about the site that I do not like is that it is hard to search for anyone with similar interest. Apparently looks, location, age, occupation, political views, incomes, religion, children, drinking and smoking are the main things. That is not entirely fair, they do offer personality type as well. It seems fairly in depth otherwise, but what if one wants to find someone with an interest in hypnosis and that is the most important thing to that person? Not that my friend is that interested in hypnosis, but I thought it was a good point.

In this process, what she realizes is that she does not really know what she wants in a partner. So, I have agreed to work with her a bit on looking inwardly to find some answers. It should be interesting.

The Grandfather Clock Induction

When I was little, I used to stay with my Nan. Every afternoon around 3 pm, she would plop me on her couch (with all sort of comfy pillows and a quilt) and then she would tuck me in for a nap while she had a quiet cup of tea all to herself. Not one for appreciating naps at those early ages, I knew well enough to keep still. It would allow me to be with people again much sooner. So, I would watch the old grandfather clock that stood by the doorway, its gold pendulums going back and forth and forth and back. I would wait in anticipation of the chimes (loud bongs) and sure enough I would fall asleep. I still can fall asleep with the ticking of a clock.

So after dealing with a few children clients, I have begun to wonder if doing an eye fixation induction utilizing a grandfather clock might be helpful. Sure it is like the pocket watch and pendulum inductions, but why not? It is subtle part of the decor, so it becomes more friendly. Would relaxation start to happen on its own, if you, as the hypnotist were to let these clients get comfortable, alone in your office, where the focal point is the grandfather clock, standing there majestically?

My other idea is that the interval chimes could act as a deepener. That might depend on the chime. So, I have been looking up chimes at and found a blog entry on it at clocksblog.com. From there I was referred to 1-800-4clocks.com. They apparently carry all sorts of Howard Miller grandfather clocks, of which some of these have sound files attached. I have to admit, I was a little thrilled to see that there are some clocks that are still cable driven. I had expected them to be long out of date. The clock that I am most attracted too is one such type, the Howard Miller Newell Grandfather Clock. It is simple, clean and would not look to "homey," yet would catch the eye. But, that is aesthetics, and I am concerned with the sound. The only sounds I could find were of Westminster Chimes. They are fairly classic. The clock I like mentions it has "bim bam chimes," so I cannot tell if that is the sound it makes or if it is Westminster. This is the one thing that I wish was a little different about the site, but maybe they are in the process of adding more sounds?

Maybe I am getting too hung up in the details, but I think such a clock would be a nice touch for an office and a great induction (and maybe deepning tool, too). Have any of you out there tried this?

A Bone to Pick

Now I am confused. I had always thought the Catholic Church accepted hypnosis (wasn't that back in '54?). So now I find that they do not have an official stance. According to one of their publications they warn their flock against the abuse of magnetism and hypnotism, but "want to leave the way free for science." Okay, they really are not panning hypnosis, but warning against the abuse of it (abuse - as in they cannot say bad things about it or not to over indulge?). LOL.

I am off on this jag because I just read an article on Catholiconline.org, the Diocesan News called Church has no stance on hypnotism, but urges all to beware of abuses. This is by Susan Brinkmann. She gives a history and a definition from the Britannica
(which sounds like it was written by L. Ron Hubbard). Then she goes after past life regression. Well, I believe everyone is allowed their opinions and we have gone over this. She quotes Moira Noonan (interesting person), which may have to be a whole different discussion (the concept of Ms.Noonan, I mean).

Now, it has been said that I may be perpetrating myths about hypnosis by discussing mind control,but this is blatant...Here is the quote:

“Not all forms of hypnotherapy are dangerous …,” Noonan continues. “What makes it risky is that a person under hypnosis has surrendered his will and is utterly open to suggestion. So you must know the background and belief system and training of anyone who provides you with hypnosis therapies.”

You know the part I am railing against - the surrender of will. But I will say I do agree on some level with her last statement. I think that is part of gaining rapport.

Just thought I would share what the Catholics (and people like me) are reading...

Justified Paranoia

They show up, looking behind them, surveying the parking lot, reading my words on confidentiality and privacy closely, and tell me that they want no one to know that they are seeing a hypnotist. If we see each other in passing, I am not to be hurt if they do not "know" me. Then they breathe and unpack their life and fears.

And sometimes I wonder if those with a heightened sense of paranoia are not a little wiser than the rest of us. Today while perusing the blog world for marketing ideas, I came across
GimmieTheScoop.com (Random blatherings - I love it!), a so-called Marketing Blog. Though I am not sure I gained perspective in that area, it kept my attention. The blog has different sections for health, business, and politics, among others.

The recent post in health was about China's food safety issues. Where have I been? Last I heard, one had to be careful with toothpaste, now food? See why perhaps those that are a little paranoid maybe right in their ideas? If you read the post before that one, there seems to be some issue with Chinese Medicine as well. Great. The articles do not go into great depth on specifics, but it is enough to make one read labels a little more closely. But what I want to know, does this affect Chinese Herbals? What are the ramifications?

I have been looking into Chinese herbs and their potential to help with PMS (it has been said, I am not sure by whom, that the Chinese do not have the problems we have with PMS). Now I guess I will move a little slower and even more cautiously.

And how will this affect the 2008 Olympics in Beijing? I had entertained an idea of trying to go on holiday then. Or am I just feeding into media frenzy?

On a more positive note, in their Business Blog section, there is a posting on some fabulous new toys that are coming out for businesses. I just might need a cell phone that is a transformer. Perhaps it will protect me from any intruder subplot planing to disrupt the tranquility of my garden room office.

So, as always, feel free to share your thoughts on the whole paranoia idea, Chinese medicine (hey, some of you are herbalist out there, I know you are there, let me hear from you), or if you too need a cell phone that doubles as a toy.

Thoughts on a Complimentarty Procedure and Hypnosis

She looks in the mirror. It hides nothing, revealing all. There is the skin-tight spandex hugging the body like a grape. Sometimes it conceals and pushes the body, accommodating a few weaknesses. But other than that, she might as well be standing in public naked. At times, she wishes there were no mirrors, at others she is grateful for a few moments of unadulterated grace that she see before her. These are fleeting, though. And then reality sets in, her reality, the one that says she is overweight, clumsy, unappealing to anyone other than the marketers for the candy companies. She sees the pounds in their gruesome honesty or so she thinks. Now the truth be told, she has lost a lot of weight, but more still needs to come off before she can even see a change.

This seems to be somewhat how several of my weight loss clients view themselves. In fact it is exactly (though in my words) how one client described her weight-issues. As hypnotist, very often we get the people who have tried just about everything and are feeling quite a bit desperate to loss the weight. Though intelligently we all know the weight is not going to just melt off (if only we could make that happen), there they sit in my chair hoping that hypnosis will be the answer. And for many it really seems to help. The problem, as I see it, is that it takes awhile. Most people seem to want to lose five pounds a week, not one.

So, I have begun to wonder, for some, if it would be good to combine something like lap band surgery with hypnosis. According to Journey Lite, a nationwide network of lap band surgical facilities and surgeons who specialize in this, lap band procedures reduce the stomach capacity and restrict the amount of food that can be consumed. It helps by giving clients a feeling of fullness with less food, staving off hunger. It is less invasive than other surgeries because it only requires a few tiny incisions. A micro-camera is inserted along with the lap band so that the surgeon can tell where to put it. The band is then fastened around the upper stomach to create new, smaller stomach pouch. Thus, less room to hold food.

Also, the surgery is reversible. The Journey Lite site offers more information on this as well as how to tell if someone should or should not consider being a candidate for this procedure, what to expect, and options for financing it (remember at a certain point, a client can deduct weight loss expenses from their taxes provided they have a physician who has recommended weight loss to improve health).

Hypnosis would go with this really well. It could help with the healing process, and the brain-shift from being over weight to accepting the weight loss. Hypnosis could help achieve the self-image that goes with the new body. It would also be beneficial in making the lifestyle changes involved - healthier eating, exercise, and the like.

Have any of you worked with clients who have undergone this procedure?


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More Positive Power of Words

Yes, I know I have been going crazy with posting today, but apparently I have a lot say. Today has been my sit-at-the-computer-and-enjoy-the-cyber-world day.

A topic we have touched on a bit this week is the verbal impact of words. It reminded me when I referred to Michael as a "subject" about a conversation we had a few months back (see "Verbal Impact"). We had discussed getting rid of the term "subject" (see "Throwing Out A Few Words"), which is why I mentioned all that. But today, I was also researching drug treatment plans and addiction counseling. I came across Stone Hawk, a facility offering those types of things. They do not refer to clients as "patients," but as "students" because they feel that these clients are learning a new way to live. Once the students "graduate," they are done. Finished. No need for weekly meetings or sponsors; they are considered fully recovered. Stone Hawk's drug treatment is apparently in the 70% success rate with their philosophies and teachings.

Talk about positive belief structures. I would be more apt to recommend clients to a program such as this rather than to a regular 12 step because it is closer to what we do as hypnotists. We deal with the problem, rather than drawing it out (painfully) so that clients can move on with their lives. Also, no drugs are used in the recovery process (for us or Stone Hawk). They choose to utilize natural detoxification. In looking at their program more carefully, it is a Narconon program, which was the brain child of L. Ron Hubbard, at least partially. Do not groan so loudly, please. Yes, he may have been the founder of Scientology, a photographer, a science fiction author, but he was also a hypnotist and had a great interest in health issues. I go through periods when I think he was a complete genius (even if I am not a Scientologist), but I am still on the cusp of my learning curve about him.

So when you put it all together, a positive program based in ridding clients of their drug and alcohol demons without using crutches or substitution, it makes total sense that someone of our ilk would be in the creation of such a program. The program does not treat clients as having a disease, but helps them learn how to function better in life. Also, this site offers a library of articles related to drug and alcohol (from their perspective) and a decent glossary of drug information (if you have a client coming to you for such things, its is always good to know more about what they have ingested).

And back to the point about the power of words. Hmmm. This is another example of the power of positive wording. Not "patients," but "students." Maybe this would be a great way to think of our clients?

Okay, I am now posting this and turning off the computer and heading to bed. Good night.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About APR

Yes, I am back in research mode today.

Living in this time of flux, many clients come to me who have been laid-off, are going to be laid-off, are in financial crisis or feel over-whelmed with the price of survival. They often want help in dealing with anxiety, increase self-esteem, are trying to find what they really want to do with the rest of their lives, or want to change spending habits. The later is what is on my mind currently.

As you may well be aware, I try to provide clients with resources from reputable sources as a stepping stone after the hypnosis expereince. If you have clients (or know anyone) who are being laid off or have debt problems, suggesting they see a credit counselor may not be a bad idea, or at least giving them counseling resources such as articles, tips, etc. Care One Credit Counseling offers some advice in debt management you may want to check out as well as an insightful article on credit card terms and conditions that explains various credit card "traps" in which we all may likely to succumb. It explains in human terms (for people who have little financial schooling background) how the Annual Percentage Rate works, such as the tempting 0% APR offers that seem to always be arriving in our post boxes. One might think that one can charge away on these cards and have no interest build up, but probably not. If one looks carefully, this is usually for balance transfers. If one has an outstanding balance on another card, transferring it to a 0% APR card might be helpful. I have had a few clients come in with horror stories about this sort of thing, when had they understood more about the credit card, a lot of misery could have been avoided.

So, if this ever comes up for you, please feel free to share this resource.

The Widget

Okay, this is just so cool, I have to say something.

Yesterday I added the widget from iratemyday.com to monitor my moods. Today, I updated it, but at first it did not appear to change on my blog. I was a bit bummed. But when I checked a moment ago, indeed it did change to show my mood.

Fun, fun, fun.

Team Building and Paintball

My partner and I have been discussing the concept of presenting team building workshops. My role would be to facilitate a self-hypnosis section and be available for assisting with the rest. His role is to incorporate paintball warfare. Well, needless to say, my girlishness got a bit piqued at this. Frankly I would have thought I would prefer a civil discussion over a cup of tea (or a pint). But then after a brief pout, I listened again. He spoke those motivational words of female empowerment, games of strategy, and showing the strength of mind in action. He definitely had my attention. Maybe there is something to this.

“Well, what about the pain element?” I asked. I have always heard being hit with paint pellets hurts. He suggested hypnosis. Clever, thought I.

But what about safety? He got me over this hurdle by suggesting that we invest in safety gear, such as a protective chest vests, knee pads, neck protectors, eye shields or goggles and gloves.

So, it has been my job this afternoon to learn more about this potential sport and research pricing. Indeed my partner is right, there is quite an assort of gear involved and available. My paintball research took me to the Ultimate Paintball site. I had no idea that there were so many varieties of guns and accessories involved. They carry the popular Tippmann A-5, Tippmann 98 Custom, Smart Parts Ion, Spyder Pilot ACS guns and systems (yes, systems) as well as others. They also carry products from Dye and Draxxus paintball gear plus many more brands. In comparing their prices to other companies, they seem to offer decent discounts on good quality items (or at least items that have many good reviews from users from various other sources). Plus, they offer free shipping for purchases over $200, which means you have a greater selection then what you might find locally for a lot less than retail. I suggest reviewing their paintball guns and their other resources if you are interested in running similar workshops or just want to pursue this as a hobby.

And for the wuss in me, or as I like to call it the "safety consciousness" me, they do offer a choice of safety products. This is great because in potentially offering paintball in a workshop, safety has to be our first concern.

The other good thing about this site is that it has live chat help and assistance, which coming into this with little knowledge and a whole lot of questions, is perfect. Their employees all play paintball and seem very knowledgeable. This too adds to a feeling of security.

But before I totally committee to agreeing to help with a paintball team building workshop, I have to give it a go. I will let you know how it all plays out. And hey, anyone out there - please consider making a paintball wardrobe for women. I like camo, but it would be nice to have something more form fitting to a female body. I may get splattered, but that is no excuse not to look good. LOL.

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Inspiration

Looking at the calender this morning, there is a note in my schedule to think about sending a thank you gift to a doctor who sends me a huge number of referrals. I know this is a touchy subject, as I do not want to be accused of bribing this source of monetary support. But it has been a year as of today that we have been doing business together and and I want to hallmark this occasion by showing how appreciative I am of the referrals.

Well, thanks to keepcash.com and their online shopping coupons, inspiration has occurred. I know, I know - Ellie and her sweet (as one teenage client says) deals, but what can I say, I enjoy Internet shopping and researching prices and such. There is nothing wrong with being an informed consumer and it always feels good to know that you have saved money. Okay, so what inspired me this morning? To be exact, my inspiration is an MP3 player. Through the keepcash.com site, I found one that is incredibly affordable (plus someone gave me one at Christmas last year and I have had great luck with it). With CompUSA's great deals, I can give a token gift that is usable and personal. I will load several of my hypnosis for relaxation audios on to it. What doctor cannot use a stress break every so often? The other benefit of this is that it provides a personal touch and reinforces the idea of what I do, so perhaps it will inspire more referrals.

The great thing about keepcash.com is that the site is updated daily with new deals and coupons. And if you have a favorite merchant, there is a huge chance that they will have some sort of special of which you can take advantage. The site is easy to use and is can be browsed quickly. If you do any sort of Internet shopping, it only takes a few moments to find what you are looking for and the payoffs can be large.

Anyway, just thought I would share both my good fortune (finding a great deal) and my inspiration with you. Perhaps, you too, will be inspired by them.

Also, if you give similar gifts, please feel free to share your ideas as well.



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More talk of books

It is time for another book discussion since I just finished reading Edith Fiore’s The Unquiet Dead: A Psychologist Treats Spiritual Possession. Are you grimacing again with Ellie’s interest with the uncanny? Hopefully not.

A fellow hypnotist told me she was reading this and it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a go. The premise is that a lot of our problems are caused by spirit possession. This sort of possession is not like demonic possession, apparently. Most people do not know that they are possessed and according to Fiore, feel much better after a simple hypnotic process. I have personally never worked with anything like this, nor have I been asked to do so, and I am not sure how I really feel about the idea. The positive thing is that the author does not hammer in a necessary belief in spirit co-habitation to be successful.

Anyway I really enjoyed it. Have any of you read it?

And by the by, what you currently reading?

Oh, also I suspect you may be a fan of Alibris Booksellers (Over 60 million used, new, and out-of-print books!). I am pretty addicted to them as my book source, so if you have not tried them for your reading needs (and perhaps Edith Fiore’s book), you should! I have had great luck finding hard to find books there and even out of print publications. Here’s a fun trick, though. If you go to couponchief.com, they offer promo codes for various discounts and savings, including Alibris.com coupons. Click here for the deals at Alibris. For instance, at the moment, they have a $3 off $30 deal (before July 22). Pretty nice. And every hypnotist I know is a book junky, so enjoy. And the same site has other decent deals for many online stores, so check those out as well.

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HotelReservations.com

Are you going to the NGH (National Guild of hypnotist) conference coming up in August? Or are you just like me and have not been able to commit to going (I know, sad, sad, sad). I am just getting to the point where I am really considering it, but know that reservations probably will not happen at the conference hotel. So, I have decided to enlist the help of the internet and thought I would share.

In researching the cost and details of this trip (Marlboro, Mass.), I narrowed the playing field down by going to Hotel Discounts, known as HotelReservations.com. Everything you need to make travel arrangements seems to be centrally located on the main page. It is all there. Flights. Hotels. Rental cars. These are the standards, but this site also includes options for condo rentals, vacation rentals, and more. Though there is a lot of information on the main page, if you just take a deep breath and pay attention, this is a great way to arrange travel, plus it is very competitive price-wise with its competition.

It seems to be right in line with the other sites; sometimes the same, sometimes a little more, but often lower. I was especially please that it offered discount rates to various bed and breakfast (my personal preference).

For those who are not native to English speaking countries and prefer to make their hotel reservations, flights, rental decisions in their native language, this site actually offers corresponding web pages for a variety of other countries. In other words, you are not forced to stumble through the English language and can research travel in your preferred language.

And if you are like me and may need to change or cancel your reservations, there is no charge from this site to do so. A few years ago, during a family emergency, I ended up changing holiday plans at the last minute and was charged a few extra hundred dollars by another discount hotel site, so this is a nice to see.

I thought sharing this information might be helpful to those of you considering going to the NGH conference in August or for any of your travel needs.

And do let me know if you are going.



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