1. “Most of the people who will walk after me will be children, so make the beat keep time with short steps.”

2. “Every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.”

3. “Where words fail, music speaks.”

4. “Nothing is too high for a man to reach, but he must climb with care and confidence.”

5. “Being born in a duck yard does not matter, if only you are hatched from a swan’s egg.”

6. “It is the power of thought that gives man power over nature.”

7. “Just living is not enough, said the Butterfly. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

8. “The sayings live in books, and on the tongues of the people; they fly far about like a flock of birds, but still are as different from one another as the thrush is from the owl, as the wood-pigeon from the gull.”

9. “Come, my good child,” said the minister; “our Lord will forsake neither thy mother nor thee.”

10. “He now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble, because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him; for the great swans swam round the newcomer, and stroked his neck with their beaks, as a welcome.”

11. “And all good children to whom he related this story, took great heed of this naughty Cupid; but he made fools of them still, for he is astonishingly cunning. When the university students come from the lectures, he runs beside them in a black coat, and with a book under his arm. It is quite impossible for them to know him, and they walk along with him arm in arm, as if he, too, were a student like themselves; and then, unperceived, he thrusts an arrow to their bosom.”

And there you have it – eleven fun, interesting and inspiring Hans Christian Andersen quotes. Very few authors are able to touch the lives of so many children in the way this great master of literature did. Let’s remember him with these Hans Christian Andersen quotes as we celebrate Children’s Book Week.

About the Author:

For more inspirational quotes, check out the popular funny quotes section at Famous-Quotes-And-Quotations.com, a website that specializes in ‘Top 10′ lists of quotations in dozens of categories.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – 11 Hans Christian Andersen Quotes to Celebrate Children’s Book Week

Hans Christian Andersen (1952) Thumbelina

Slewn among the comical essays and chapters was an excerpt that he wrote in 1999, two years prior to his sudden and unexpected death.  The few paragraphs were written in response and presumably annoyance to Americans who had no understanding of the wonders of tea.  When it comes the the value of loose leaf tea, well, Douglas says it best.

Here is a unique glimpse into the mind of a genius.  Enjoy.

Tea

May 12, 1999

One or two Americans have asked me why the English like tea so much, which never seems to them to be a very good drink. To understand, you have to make it properly.

There is a very simple principle to the making of tea, and it’s this—to get the proper flavour of tea, the water has to be boilING (Not boilED) when it hits the tea leaves.  If it’s merely hot, then the tea will be insipid. That’s why we English have these odd rituals, such as warming the teapot first (so as no to cause the boiling water to cool down too fast as it hits the pot).  And that’s why American habit of bringing a teacup, a tea bag, and a pot of hot water to the table is merely the perfect way of making a tin, pale, watery cup of tea that nobody in their right mind would want to drink.  The Americans are all mystified about why the English make such a big thing out of tea because most Americans HAVE NEVER HAD A GOOD CUP OF TEA.  That’s why they don’t understand.  In fact, the truth of the matter is that most English people don’t know how to make tea anymore either, and most people drink cheap instant coffee instead, which is a pity, and gives Americans the impression that the English are just generally clueless about hot stimulants.

So the best advice I can give to an American arriving in England is this:  Go to Marks and Spencer and buy a packet of Earl Grey tea.  Go back to where you’re staying and boil a kettle of water.  While it is coming to the boil, open the sealed packet and sniff.  Careful—you may feel a bit dizzy, but this is in fact perfectly legal.  When the kettle has boiled, pour a little of it into a teapot, swirl it around, and tip it out again.  Put a couple (or three, depending on the size of the pot) of tea bags into the pot.  (If I was really trying to lead you into the paths of righteousness, I would tell you to use free leaves rather than bags, but let’s just take this in easy stages.)  Bring the kettle back up to the boil, and then pour the boiling water as quickly as you can into the pot.  Let is stand for two or three minutes, and then pour it into a cup.  Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t have milk with Earl Grey, just a slice of lemon.  Screw them.  I like it with milk.  If you think you will like it with milk, then it’s probably best to put some milk into the bottom of the cup before you pour in the tea.  If you pour milk into a cup of hot tea, you will scald the milk.  If you think you will prefer it with a slice of lemon, then, well, add a slice of lemon.

Drink it.  After a few moments you will begin to think that the place you’ve come to isn’t maybe quite so strange and crazy after all.

About the Author:

Sarah Price was born and raised in the Sonoran Desert in Tucson, Arizona. She has worked as a member of the Maya Tea Company for three years, and enjoys incorporating flavors from the desert into the tea company’s signature blends. For more information about Maya Tea Company or for a list of available tea blends, go to http://www.mayatea.com . For more information about Tucson’s local products, visit http://www.farmersmarkettucson.com .

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Douglas Says it Best – Musings of the late Douglas Adams on the value of Tea

Douglas Adams: Parrots the Universe and Everything

So, if you are in a situation where you find that accumulated credit card debt is snapping at your financial heels, then it is time for credit card debt elimination. Here are a few practical ways how you can pay off credit card debt:

1. Use your credit card for emergencies only: It is impossible to altogether stop using your credit card. But it is definitely possible to use it strictly only for making emergency payments. So, step one is to stop using your credit card for luxury shopping, traveling, entertainment and eating out, and focusing its use on absolute necessities such as gas, groceries, etc.

2. Pay more than the minimum credit card debt: Credit card companies are tricky guys — they tell you they are making life easier for you by paying only a small percentage (2 to 3%) of your outstanding, and then they charge you a whopping interest on the unpaid balance. The result is disastrous — you keep spending more and paying only the minimum due, and your debt keeps accumulating. Therefore, if you want to get rid of credit card debt, you must pay more than the minimum amount due. Gradually, the interest amount will keep coming down and you will be able to repay the outstanding amount in a phased manner.

3. Take a home loan: Sure, the sub-prime market crash may have made taking a home loan an onerous task, but if you have a home and a whole lot of credit card debts, then mortgage your home, take a low-interest loan, and repay off the high-interest credit card debt. Remember, interest paid on home loans is a deductible expense and that is another benefit you derive with these loans. Of course, the primary advantage is that you are using this cash for repaying that monster credit card debt that is hanging around your neck!

4. Borrow from other sources: if you do not have a home to mortgage, then consider borrowing using your life insurance policy or your 401(k) plan. However, remember this: when you are borrowing to repay off expensive credit card debt, then you must not begin splurging once you square it up. Adopt austerity measures and concentrate on paying off the new loan in your life.

5. Shift balances: Analyze your credit cards and you will find that some of them have a lower rate of interest. If you do have such low interest cards, then shift the outstanding balances from your high-interest cards to these.

6. Negotiate with the credit card companies: If nothing else seems to be working, then it’s time to have a sit-down with your credit card company and place the cards on the table. Tell them that you are unable to pay the outstanding balances, and if they want their money back they will have to restructure the credit card debt. Every credit card company will sacrifice something to get their outstanding back, and nine times out of ten they will plan a good repayment deal for you.

That was how to pay off credit card debt faster. We hope the information was useful. And, good luck to you on finishing off your unwanted credit card debt.

About the Author:

Paul Sarwana offers credit card debt reduction tips to help debtors build confidence in improving their financial situation. Continue reading to get more tips on how to pay off credit card debt plus learn ways to reduce credit card debt and become debt free.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Different Ways to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Granta Paul Auster Interview

The highly-collectible storycards are expected to attract bids from as far afield as New York and Hong Kong. The cards include a new work by Children’s Laureate and much-loved poet Michael Rosen, original illustrations from Lauren Child, creator of Charlie and Lola, and Axel
Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo, and a whimsical African tale by Nobel Prize for Literature winner Doris Lessing. Fans of Irvine Welsh, Neil Gaiman, Richard Ford and Lisa Appignanesi, president of English PEN, will relish this rare opportunity to purchase original – and one off – pieces of their work.

Margaret Atwood will be joining the auction live from Paris to write her original storycard via her unique LongPenâ„¢ machine, which allows her to sign books remotely using a touch sensitive pad and a computer link-up to guide a robotic arm.Gerry Johnson, Managing Director, Waterstone’s comments: “It’s impossible to say how much this charity auction will raise, but with the calibre of authors involved then really the sky is the limit. Owning an original piece of work by a favourite writer is the ultimate limited edition for fans, so with the names we have involved in What’s Your Story? I think we could see some very large sums being bid – all the better for English PEN and Dyslexia Action!”

Dr Philip W. Errington, Deputy Director, Department of Printed Books and Manuscripts at Sotheby’s comments: “This is a wonderfully exciting event with a stellar cast of authors supporting Waterstone’s What’s Your Story? campaign. The auction represents a wonderful opportunity to contribute to English PEN and Dyslexia Action, but uniquely, Waterstone’s are also enabling customers and the public to participate with their own stories.â€

Inspired by the Royal College of Art’s annual display and auction of postcard-sized original artworks, Waterstone’s asked thirteen well-loved authors from around the world to write an original piece of work, on a blank storycard. There is no minimum or maximum word-count and the authors have free reign to tell their story in any fashion they choose. The only rule is that their story fits on one side of an A5-size storycard.

Shortly after the auction, facsimiles of selected cards will be displayed in Waterstone’s windows nationwide. Blank storycards will be available instore, and customers and the public will be invited to join in and write their own stories. These customer cards will also make their way into the window displays, and will be featured in an online gallery at Waterstones.com.

What’s Your Story? forms part of the Waterstone’s Writer’s Year which will see unique projects unveiled each month, celebrating the writer and coinciding with the National Year of Reading 2008. The monthly events included the introduction of The Bookseller’s Bursary in April, a scheme designed to encourage budding authors within the company by sending two booksellers on an all expenses paid writing course.

In May, Sebastian Faulks will select 40 books that shaped his writing for The Writer’s Table, and October will see the launch of the Waterstone’s Featured Poet. Lisa Appignanesi, President, English PEN says: “Stories are vital in creating bridges between individuals and cultures. They are our life-lines to imaginative understanding. They help to shape our dreams and our inner life. What’s more, everyone has at least one. English PEN applauds this wonderful initiative.â€

Ann Campbell, Communications Director, Dyslexia Action adds: “Campaigns like What’s Your Story? are vital in raising awareness of dyslexia. Books and stories are often closed to the 10% of the population affected by dyslexia. The money and attention raised will help these adults and children find a new and lasting interest in reading and writing. Please tell us your story.â€

About the Author:

Waterstones.com – the UK’s leading bookseller, with millions of books covering every subject – including children’s books, eBooks, cookbooks and travel books.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – J K Rowling Leads Stellar Line-up of Top Authors for Waterstone’s Charity Auction

Angela Carter Interview by Lisa Appignanesi