The availability of garden design courses seems to be closely aligned with regions :-)) The more urban areas of the east coast offer many, as do similar areas on the west coast. And there are quite a few good choices in the Great Lakes areas - Chicago, the twin cities, etc. My suggestion is to look for one in the area YOU wish to relocate to - regionality is always going to play a factor with regards to popular "styles", climate/weather conditions and plant selection. There is a difference between a career as a garden designer and that of a landscape architect. Garden designers typically focus on residental projects while LA's are often invloved in a wide range of commercial and institutional projects as well as residential. There is a significant difference in training required between the two, so make your choice of career path before you start your education. While some programs can be completed in a single year, I think you will find that most are two year programs, typically ending with an AA degree. These are often offered via community or technical colleges. These tend to be quite affordable and also flexible in their hours, so that those working a day job can take advantage of them. All are going to offer somewhat similar courses........enough to provide the basic skills. It is important to understand that "book learning" or a structured educational environment is only the beginning - hands-on experience is essential and that is usually only avaiable working in the field as a laborer or apprentice.

Raven, I read about Spicebird on Kim Komando's site and downloaded the setup file to a flash drive using my desktop computer. When I went to install on the Windows 7 machine, it would not install, indicating I had a corrupt download. So I just downloaded Thunderbird directly and used it a good part of today. I haven't quite figured out everything about it, but it is working for me and all three of my web mail programs are working with it. I guess I'll look for a good tutorial and make sure I have everything set up correctly. I think there are some add ons available, too. It certainly beats Windows Live Mail.

Okay, I was finally able to find ONE place that had some of these pots and pans. It really is pretty nice, and the chef who works at the store has used it a bit and verifies its quality. Their stuff is 50% off, so I was able to pick up a 3 qt. covered saute pan with lid for $59.99. The bad news, for me, is that they have had these clearance prices since before Christmas, so there is slim pickings at this point. It's a great thing to be able to actually see a product, handle it, and talk to someone who has used it extensively. I think I'm going to order more from Amazon; they have a nine piece set with things I could use for a good price, and have a $25 refund with purchases over $125. Seems like a fairly good deal!

Hi Danihoney, Any tips on locating and choosing a proper adviser? Heh... funny you should ask.... I wrote my post a bit earlier, and was actually running around doing my Sunday errands thinking about exactly that. A common refrain you'll see in my posts is "go find a worthy professional advisor, and GET AWAY from the retail clerks & commodity salespeople." The oh-so-obvious response to this is; "OK... and HOW do I go about finding such an Advisor????" Perhaps my not-so-obvious answer to that is also what I used to be so heavily accused of; self-promotion. I really try to give everyone as much of the orienting financial principles as possible (up to the level where people start saying they can't understand a thing I am saying,) and I TRY to show people how to go about finding quality professionals who also understand financial planning including the leverage management pice (which is usually a hidden quarter to half-million dollar piece, or more!) My firm does this... but I'm not really shy of pointing out that we're not the only ones. The trouble is that its not something you can simply flip through the yellow pages to find. I think that first of all I would start from a large list of potential advisors, and then narrow them down by qualifications. A) are they a licensed broker, or banker? Brokers (in most states) have a legal fiduciary duty to you, their client. The brokers (and their licensed loan officers) in such states *MUST* put their clients financial interests ahead of their own. In contrast, licensed bankers (and loan clerks) strictly represent their corporate interests. B) do they offer software-generated leverage/mortgage analysis & plans... either on a fee-only basis, or in conjunction with their financial services? (Some examples of programs used by some; Loan Magic, Equity For Life, Mortgage Coach, Forgotten Equity, and Loan Analyzer.) While actually executing a particular plan doesn't make nor break the quality of a professional... anyone who doesn't even have it as an offer OBVIOUSLY has no way of properly determining what is actually in your financial best interests. Beware the loan salesperson who, when asked about analytical programs, refers to their online application gathering forms, or processing software, or some nebulous secret black-box website only they have access to. The bottom line is if they cannot generate a nice presentable report that gives you a full, graphical explanation of where you are financially, what you are seeking to accomplish, and the future-looking results of several options... they are blowing smoke. C) do they regularly work with real estate investors (and EXTRA points if they are one themselves... "eat their own dog food" so to speak.) D) do they analyze your financials from a holistic perspective? That is to say; do they gather and review *ALL* your financials before making suggestions? Anyone who starts suggesting 6-figure financial debt structures WITHOUT having any clue of your qualified retirement accounts, insurance coverages (life, health & disability as well as property & casualty,) is acting as a dangerous renegade, in my opinion. SO OFTEN the general public randomly takes the "lowest points" 30 FRM (the absolute *MOST* expensive way to borrow money) and throws as much cash into their down payment as possible (the most dangerous cash management moves).... AND THEN they clip coupons, skip latte's, and think they are "conservative & practical." Having someone who truly understands BOTH sides of the financial balance sheet... the assets AND the liabilities... and their interrelationships, is essential to financial success, in my opinion. SO... there ya go (are you sorry you asked?) Cheers, Dave Donhoff Leverage Planner