How vast and ancient
this dragon must be, that it
takes a month to blink
-Nicholas KAA Walker

It’s good to keep track and to know what phase of the moon we are in. our behaviors and emotional responses directly correlate to the Moon’s lunation phases. When we coordinate our activities with the lunar energies we can really maximize their influence. And we can use all the help we can get, right? Plant seeds, ideas, visions at the new Moon. Weed, cull, and remove the unnecessary at the full Moon.

Songs, poems, odes, reveries. the Moon has been the subject of endless adoration since the beginning of time. Mysterious and changeable, sometimes occulted by clouds or (gasp) the Earth itself, our satellite, our iridescent child, the Moon floats suspended in the sky, enticing us to dream, to wonder, to reflect. To garden in the moonlight, to walk in the woods with the moon shining through foliage or bare branches, whenever we have the chance to have her silvery light embrace us we know we are being touched by the hand of the divine feminine and we are blessed.

The Moon changes signs (constellations) about every 2 and half days. the Moon is moody; she rules the sign of Cancer. if you know anyone who has a strong Cancerian influence in their chart (Sun or Moon in Cancer, a Cancer ascendant, or lots of planets, especially the Sun, in the 4th house) you can expect that person to be moody As the Moon moves into a sign the emotional timbre of that sign is amplified. a full Moon always brings more emergency room activity but a full Moon in Scorpio will make that activity all the more intense

When you know the sign that the Moon sits in your own birth chart you will be able to understand your own moods and how you are affected by the moon’s movement through the skies. Let’s take a look at what the energies feel like when the Moon moves through a particular sign:

Moon in Aries: dynamic, impulsive, full of energy, aggressive, risk-taking
Moon in Taurus: pleasure-loving, indulgent, restful, stubborn, acquisitive
Moon in Gemini: chatty, talkative, social, engaging, communicative
Moon in Cancer: sensitive, moody, nesting, nurturing
Moon in Leo: dramatic, generous, showy, proud, grand, bossy
Moon in Virgo: organized, practical, attention to detail, fussy, judgmental
Moon in Libra: harmony-loving, open to compromise, desire to be just and fair
Moon in Scorpio: intense, passionate, secretive, mysterious, controlling
Moon in Sagittarius: gregarious, philosophical, optimistic, big vision
Moon in Capricorn: executive, can take on challenge, sober, serious, capable
Moon in Aquarius: visionary, humanitarian, innovative, rebellious
Moon in Pisces: dreamy, intuitive, lacking boundaries, compassionate

Do you recognize your own emotional nature in any of these descriptions? You very well could have the Moon in that sign in your chart. the more you know your chart the better you are able to navigate the often choppy waters of life on Earth

Special note: This year there were 2 new Moons in Cancer, one at the beginning of the sign and one at the end. That is VERY significant, as is the fact that these new Moons are SUPERMOONS. a SUPERMOON (this is the 2nd of 5 this year) happens when the new or full Moon is at its closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit. we feel the energy of the Moon’s effect on Earth at those times. This will bring more intense tides and more intense feelings all around, specifically in the areas ruled by the signs involved.

As you can see we have a pair of eclipses occurring in July (actually they often travel in pairs).You can think of eclipses as new and full Moons that pack a wallop. Eclipses are pivotal times that spark the beginning of changes that will become obvious 6 months down the line. where eclipses fall in relation to your personal chart will show you which areas of your life are most impacted by their energy. I have found this to be a very important indicator of where to focus your energy for change and growth.

During a Lunar eclipse the Earth blocks the full Moon so light from the Sun cannot reach the Moon. we know the Moon reflects the Sun’s light so during those moments when that light is blocked it’s like the Moon takes a deep breath and holds it. In those moments magic happens. Shifts occur on the consciousness level. since this full Moon is in the sign of Capricorn ( full Moons are always opposite the Sun) and the Sun is in Cancer, the issues of Capricorn and Cancer are up for consideration.. Cancer, ruled by the Moon, is often seen as mothering, female nurturing energy and Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, is the archetypal competitive, goal-oriented male energy. we each have BOTH these energies in our personas.

During a Solar eclipse, when the Moon is new (both the Sun and the Moon in the same sign) the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out some of the Sun’s energy. This eclipse will be total across parts of India and China. I saw a total eclipse years ago in Helena, Montana and I’m telling you, it was worth the trip the air became very still and there was an eerie feeling of something happening that was so much bigger than us wee humans Dogs were doing the low howly-growl, intensifying the primal feeling of our collective vulnerability. such is the energy of an eclipse.

These eclipses support you in identifying these energies playing out in your own chart and how you bring them more into balance. Are you too bossy and domineering in some places (all in the name of trying to accomplish things) and too emotional and over-caretaking in others? Time for a cosmic adjustment use these eclipses to connect to your own vulnerability around gender-role expectations. the Cancer-Capricorn axis asks us to look to where we are unbalanced on the male-female scales and strive for more internal balance and union.

So whether you’re sailing down Moon River or giving a good howl, take a good look at the Moon, our guidepost to the monthly cycle of our lives.

Carrie Underwood came to Fresno on May 28, 2008, and had her valley fans in frenzy when she appeared on stage to promote her latest album.

I must admit, I only knew a few songs. one of them being the cheater athemn of the year. I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive carved my name into his leather seat. but with that I mind I really did not know what to expect.

I was pleased. Well, sort of. I cannot really complain. I did not pay for the tickets. For a free show, it was not too bad. the music was great and she has a wonderful voice. hence, the reason she won American Idol. She was pleasant to the audience. She interacted with us and cheered everyone along as we sang with her. (Well only one song for me.) it was a great concert if the music is all you are going for. Miss Underwood is certainly not an entertainer. even though there were costume changes and a cat -walk there was nothing to the show.

Sure there were bigger than life screens above the stage, but nothing to make you say WOW or even want to go see her again in the next town. it almost like watching a rock concrete but at least they have dancers or something a little more appealing. it was very hard for Miss Underwood to walk her heels. (Something that most artist learn the second they make it.) her costumes were pretty plain. the first was a tank and jeans, a purple ballroom dress; that eventually turned into cocktail dress, another tank and jeans, and last, the same tank and jeans with a silver jacket over her tom.

The outfits were very plain. Something maybe should be kept in mind the next time she comes around. maybe some dancers or even models that could walk the cat-walk when she sang All-American Girl. or possibly little skits by her band mates that just stood there as the lazers made cool pictures in the back of the staduim.

All in all, for a free concert, for me, it was not that bad. Good family fun if you know her music and do not want much of a show. it is a good thing she has never claimed to be an entertainer.

Tech jobs are not the employment wave of the future. they are the employment wave that people have been surfing for over a decade. the market, however, continues to build and grow. Technology evolves at such a staggering rate that nearly every industry needs to hire skilled personnel to help them to develop and maintain the business practices necessary to function in the current economy.

Also, tech jobs are cool. At least, they seem that way to everybody not working in one. whether the position is in IT (information technology), security, web development, biotech, software engineering, sysadmin, autocad, database development, web design, infrastructure engineering or cloud development, it all sounds (and is) still part of an at least semi-mythical land of magic the rest of world cannot create.

Sure, some of the occupations in the above list are actually the same position. Yes, most people use technology every day. still, most people are about as capable of understanding or creating it as they are of doing so for the electricity they use. those who create what is vital for both work and play, and continue to up the ante on both, are going to be their own variety of rock star. in the immortal words of Alec Hardison on the television show, Leverage, Age of the geek, baby.

Code Monkey, as sung by Jonathan Coulton, intimates that the only reason that programmers bother showing up to tolerate their coworkers from other departments each day is so that they can flirt with the cute girl at the front desk. It seems a bit dismissive of the possibility of ambition within the programming community, until you consider how happy and thriving many independent contractors are. since Manager Rob is neither interested in nor capable of writing a login page himself, it seems certain that programming is a valued trade.

Beyond the actual code itself, those holding tech jobs are shaping how the world does business. with the development of every system and site, they change how interactions occur both online and offline. the methods by which any project is achieved or contract is fulfilled is determined and defined by the protocols put in place for the transfer of information, the tracking of progress, the delivery of materials, and the communication between departments, clients, and consumers.

The intersection of form and function generated by experts in technology continues to adjust how people view the world they live in. whether compatibility between programs allows for smooth integration of creative and pragmatic components of a business project, the visual and operational design of a website increases user access to information, or the use of a niche pop culture reference expands the popularity of an app competing in a broad market – the Ice and Fire weather app, anyone? – the results generated by those working in tech jobs affect how the world turns, in and out of the office.

Creating the right image is a powerful tool for success. this is as true for corporations as it is for individuals. over the last few months, I’ve been fascinated to watch as traditional retailer Talbots re-branded itself from a chain for conservative, some would say stodgy, sixty-somethings to a destination store for younger, hipper, edgier, career women. but there’s more – and this is where it gets really exciting – they are exceeding market expectations during a recent pant promotion they sold almost 600,000 pairs in nine weeks. Talk about a sensational performance.

I often speak about the importance of developing Executive Presence and Talbots certainly has it – now. I’m not suggesting, on any level, that Talbots’ metamorphosis was instant, easy or a magic bullet for immediate sales. Au contraire. it was meticulously researched, artfully orchestrated and ultimately, is a work-in-progress. What obviously intrigues me about the campaign is how it reinforces my philosophy: your image directly affects your ability to achieve success.

There are some extremely clever features in the re-brand but surely the most controversial is the choice of 1980′s supermodel, Canadian Linda Evangelista, as the 45-year old face of Talbots. Chances are you don’t remember her in the Miss Teen Niagara contest – the beginning of her illustrious career – but do remember her famous quote about her salary expectations at the height of her fame, I don’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day. Chameleon Linda, once known for her constantly changing appearance, has now stepped out for Talbots in a series of super-glam shots. Some nay-sayers argue that Linda doesn’t look 45, that she is unfamiliar as a style icon to the new, targeted thirty-something customer, that her fast look will scare away existing customers and on and on.

To all those objections, I have the obvious response. the campaign just launched, the results aren’t in, but and it’s a big but, remember those pant sales. and besides, there are many other components than just Linda. What Ms. Evangelista did was create buzz and a ton of free publicity. Linda made me sit up and take notice, to actually visit the website and, I should add, a store. and what I found was impressive. this frumpy old store has a new Executive Presence

The Philadelphia Phillies won their fifth consecutive National League East Division title with a franchise-record 102 regular season wins. but it was all for naught, as the team would not even make it to the NLCS. In Game 5 of the NL Divisional Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phillies would lose 1-0 to end their season in heartbreak. The loss would not faze the Philly faithful, however, as it seems as though the fans remain wildly optimistic for their team. here are the Phillies projected starting lineup, starting rotation and closer situation.

Projected Lineup

Carlos Ruiz (Catcher) – Carlos Ruiz is one of the more underrated catchers in the game today. The veteran has done a superb job handling the Phillies starters, and contributed solid offensive numbers in the process. Last year he hit.283 with.371 OBP. Ruiz rarely swings at a bad pitch. In fact, the guy struck out just 48 times in 410 at-bats last season.

Ryan Howard (First Base) – The All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard is expected to miss a few months while nursing an Achilles’ injury he suffered in the final game of the NLDS against the Cardinals. He isn’t expected back in the lineup until early may and veteran Ty Wigginton is expected to start in his place in the meantime. The big concern the Phillies have coming into the 2012 season is whether or not the injury will affect Howard’s power game once he comes back in may.

Chase Utley (Second Base) – Chronic knee tendinitis forced Utley to miss the first 46 games of the season last year and injuries are keeping him out of the lineup at the start of 2012 as well. The injury took its toll on his offensive numbers in 2011, as he hit for a career-low.259 average to go along with 11 home runs and 44 RBI in 103 games. Now that Utley has had a full offseason to recuperate and is taking the time to get back into game shape, the Phillies are hoping that the Utley who will show up in 2012 will be the Utley who hit.282 with 31 home runs and 92 RBI in 2009.

Jimmy Rollins (Shortstop) – another Phillies player who has been hampered by injury is Jimmy Rollins. despite this, I believe we still haven’t seen the last of what Rollins can do. Rollins managed to hit.268 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI and 30 stolen bases in just 142 games last year. and I believe that he has what it takes to have similar if not better numbers in 2012.

Placido Polanco (Third Base) – The 36-year-old veteran is still as good defensively as anyone, but his offensive numbers are starting to regress. Polanco’s.277 average last year was a career low for a season in which he played at least 100 games.

John Mayberry Jr. (Left Field) – The Phillies are really excited about what Mayberry Jr. can do offensively. The 28-year-old is coming off a season in which he hit.273 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI in just 267 at-bats. The Phillies are hoping for more of the same in 2012.

Shane Victorino (Center Field) – Victorino is another player who was held down by the injury bug last year. He played a great 2011 season before a thumb and hamstring injury ended it prematurely. In 132 games, Victorino hit.279 with 17 home runs, 16 triples and 61 RBI.

Hunter Pence (Right Field) – After a midseason trade that landed him in Philly from the Houston Astros, Pence really caught fire and was a major help in the Phillies’ quest for playoff contention. In 100 games with Houston, Pence hit.308 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI; in just 54 games with the Phillies, he hit.324 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI.

Projected Rotation

Roy Halladay (RHP) – The 34-year-old veteran showed no signs of slowing down in 2011. The ace went 19-6 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. He is as motivated as ever to win a World Series, and he posted a career-high 220 strikeouts last year.

Cliff Lee (LHP) – Lee had a record of 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. however, he had a stretch of games where he had ridiculous success. He allowed three runs in a span of 10 starts and also threw an impressive six shutouts and set a career-high 238 strikeouts on the season.

Cole Hamels (LHP) – you know you have one of the best staffs of all time when your third-best starter is Cole Hamels. The lefty is just now entering the prime of his career, and went 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA and 0.99 WHIP last year.

Vance Worley (RHP) – Worley surprised a lot of people last year, when the rookie went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. at just 24 years of age, he has a whole lot of potential waiting to be tapped, but a lot of good young pitchers struggle in their second season.

Joe Blanton (RHP) – Injuries limited the guy to a career-low eight starts last year. He is the one Philadelphia pitcher who opposing teams will be excited to see. He has career numbers of 4.32 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.

Projected Closer

Jonathon Papelbon (RHP) – The Phillies signed the former Boston Red Sox closer to a lucrative $50 million contract. Papelbon averaged 36 saves over the last six seasons in Boston. look for Papelbon to save 45-plus games in 2012, especially with the starting pitchers the Phillies have.

Successful entrepreneurs learn early in their careers that good people make good things happen. When most of us start out in our own businesses, we think that money is the key to making a business successful. To some degree it is — certainly if there is enough money things are easier, but money alone is not the answer.

The validity of this statement can be found in every conversation you will have with rich, successful business people. I’ve had the good fortune to know several and to have met with many more. I don’t think I can recall any conversation I ever had that either began or shortly after getting started didn’t include the following questions.

So Art, what’s new? What are you doing? Anything I can get involved in?

They know it’s the people that make things happen and the best way they can increase their wealth is to find people that are working at making things happen and to get involved with them.

Now you may think that such people are rare, hard to find, perhaps the beneficiary of some special talent given at birth. you might be right, but let me say that I believe there are many more out there just waiting for their chance to become the next super stars. we all read about the many who have achieved success and we wish we could be part of their team or better yet, to have known them when they were first starting out. and there are the operative words — when they were first starting out.

All those we would identify as today’s stars were just regular people at some point in their careers. somebody gave them the chance. maybe it was some seed capital, or the opportunity to prove themselves by taking on a difficult situation. maybe the person who was to take on the task was late or got lost on the way and the future star was just in the right place at the right time.

My point is when you take over your business — or start it, you will have people working with you and for you. look at all of them as potential stars that can help you succeed. It’s your job, maybe your most important job, to help everyone you work with to become as much as they can be. That’s right, you should make it your life’s work to identify the people who are under achieving and who want to do more, be more. you need to find out what turns them on and then put them in the right situation with the right tools and train them so they can conquer the biggest mountains. If you don’t, not only will you limit the growth of your business, you will do those who have put their faith and trust in you (shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers) a terrible injustice, and you will miss out on the truly great rewards of being in business for yourself.

I remember the first big contract I signed when I first started in business for myself. Commercial Loan Insurance Corp (CLIC) a division of Mortgage Guarantee Insurance Corp (MGIC) had just started getting hit with some very large claims. one of their clients suggested that I talk with them about their situation — he also called them and told them that I could help.

In just a few days, I was in their offices talking about my background and suggesting that they hire me to look at five properties throughout the western states and give them an action plan to minimize their losses. they asked me if I could do it in thirty days, I said I could, we agreed on the compensation and I flew home with a nice retainer.

After they received my report, they called and invited me back to discuss my recommendations — as I recall there were three options.

Option C, where you suggest that we implement these specific property improvements, get the warehouses leased out, collect the money, pay the bills, etc. this looks like it will produce the best result.

Yes it will. I replied. but you need the people, do you have them?

No. How about if you do it? you collect the rents, pay the bills, and send us a report at the end of the month with a net check. can you do it?

They gave me my chance and I did it.

When you look at somebody don’t get misled by titles or lack thereof, or the clothes they are wearing, or their narrow range of experiences. look at what’s behind the mask we all wear and help the person achieve their goals — and they will help you achieve yours.

The Anaheim Angels clinched the American League West decisively in 2009, posting a record of 97-65. the second place Texas Rangers finished a full 10 games back at 87-75. the Angels were equally good on the road (48-33) and at home (49-32).

The stats for 2009 were solid, although not spectacular. the team ERA was 4.45, and batting was.285. the nucleus of that team is intact, although they lost designated hitter, Vladimir Guerrero, to Texas and pitcher John Lackey to Boston. however, off-season acquisitions of Joel Pineiro, who went 15-12 with a 3.49 ERA for the Cardinals, and hitter Hideki Matsui, should fill any gaps left by their departure.

Bobby Abreu, who batted.293 in 2009, has been granted a two-year extension, and Jered Weaver (who ended the year with a 3.75 ERA and 211 inning pitched), Reggie Willits, Howie Kendrick, Mike Napoli (a.272 hitter in 2009), and Fernando Rodney have all signed. Players who were not offered a contract and thus became free agents include Dustin Moseley, Matt Brown, and Jose Arredondo (who had surgery on his right elbow two days before going free agent). Darren Oliver, who gave the team 73 solid innings with a 2.71 ERA in 2009, has declared free agency, as have Kelvim Escobar (who had only 5 inning pitched in 2009), Chone Figgins (who hit.298 for 2009), and Robb Quinlan.

If the Angels can stay healthy, particularly in their starting rotation, they have a good chance of taking the AL West again in 2010. Their most serious competition will likely come from the Texas Rangers, who have been making some quiet off-season acquisitions to bolster their team. Unresolved issues regarding the sale of the Rangers, however, may prove a distraction to the team and make it easier for the Angels to repeat as division champions.

The Angels eliminated Boston from the 2009 playoffs, but ultimately fell to the Yankees. and while prospects for their division look good, with many giving them an edge over Texas while some are calling it a toss-up, the Angels taking the pennant in 2010 does not seem likely. the American League has teams that are stronger in all areas, and currently the Yankees seem the most likely to dominate in 2010.

In 2009, the Angels ranked second in stolen bases, but in every other category they were, at best, mid-pack. Overall, the team was solid enough to win the West and is probably good enough to repeat. but merely being a solid team is seldom enough to win pennants. the Angels have no bankable players, such as a Derek Jeter or Mariano Rivera, relying instead on a nucleus of dependable, if not particularly explosive, players to get the job done.

The bullpen is questionable for 2010, causing significant damage to the team ERA during 2009. the starting rotation is a good one, without major weakness but also without a major star. it remains to be seen how much impact the loss of Lackey will have, and whether Pineiro can offset the effect.

As 2009 division champions, the fans will be expecting, perhaps demanding, a repeat. the increased pressure will likely not be felt by the seasoned veterans, but some of the younger players may have problems coping with it.

The Los Angeles Angels finished second in the AL West in 2011, with an 86-76 record. It was the first time under owner Arte Moreno for the team to have back-to-back seasons in which it failed to make the postseason. the Angels improved their chances to make it to the postseason in 2012 when they signed first basemen Albert Pujols and starter C. J. Wilson in their single biggest free agent expenditure in history. whether or not these acquisitions can help the Angels overtake the Texas Rangers in the West is still up in the air. here is the projected starting lineup, starting rotation and closer situation for the team in 2012.

Projected Lineup

Chris Iannetta (Catcher) – the Angels acquired Iannetta in the hope that he will be able to provide a lift on offense from the catcher position. Iannetta hit 14 home runs with 55 RBI in 112 games with the Colorado Rockies last year, but his.238 batting average wasn’t anything special. the main concern here is whether or not his power numbers will carry over now that he isn’t playing the majority of his games at Coors Field.

Albert Pujols (First Base) – Los Angeles is hoping that signing Pujols will get the team back on track in 2012. the former National League MVP hit.299 with 37 home runs and 99 RBI in 2011. Although those numbers would be gaudy for other players, he had never finished with fewer than 100 RBI or an average below.312 in his first 10 seasons.

Howard Kendrick (Second Base) – Kendrick really came on strong in 2010. the 28-year-old veteran hit.285 with 18 home runs and 63 RBI, while also swiping 14 bases. the hope is that he will continue to improve in 2012, especially now that he is hitting in the 2-hole ahead of Pujols.

Erick Aybar (Shortstop) – Another player who is coming off a career season is Erick Aybar. the Angels’ leadoff hitter hit.279 with a career-high 71 runs, 10 home runs, 59 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 2011. he is also another player who should benefit from Pujols hitting behind him, as he has tremendous potential to continue to grow as a power hitter. Before last year, he only had 14 career home runs.

Alberto Callaspo (Third Base) – Callaspo played a respectable game last season. However, although he hit.285, he just doesn’t have the power or speed to make a huge impact offensively.

Vernon Wells (Left Field) – In his first season with the Angels, Wells was a huge disappointment. After hitting.273 with 31 home runs and 88 RBI with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, Wells hit just.218 with 25 home runs and 66 RBI in 131 games. he can still give the Angels 20-plus home runs, but it is highly unlikely that he will revive his career in 2012.

Peter Bourjos (Center Field) – the 24-year-old Bourjos is one of the promising young players in Los Angeles. he hit.271 with 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 22 steals last year. When you add the fact that he plays Gold Glove-caliber defense, this guy has the potential to do great things for the Angels.

Torii Hunter (Right Field) – the 36-year-old veteran hit 23 home runs with 82 RBI in 2011, but his.262 average and 125 strikeouts are solid indicators that he is on the decline. the Angels are hoping, though, that he still has something left in the tank.

Kendrys Morales (Designated Hitter) -Morales hasn’t played a single game since severely injuring his ankle in 2010. Back in 2009, though, the guy hit.303 with 34 home runs and 108 RBI. It’s hard to tell what to expect at this point, but, luckily for the team, it has a pretty good safety net in mark Trumbo, who lead the team in homers with 29 and RBI with 87 as a rookie last season.

Projected Rotation

Jered Weaver (RHP) – After an outstanding 2011 campaign, Weaver solidified himself as one of the top pitchers in the game. he went 18-8 with a 2.41 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 33 starts. he would have won the AL Cy Young Award had it not been for Justin Verlander’s incredible season. At age 29, he is still in his physical prime and will surely put up similar numbers in 2012.

Dan Haren (RHP) – the right-hander totally lived up to the hype in his first season with the Angels. the 31-year-old went 16-10 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 34 starts. It was the seventh straight season Haren made at least 33 starts, and only once in those seven years has he posted an ERA above 4.00. Haren still has a lot of game left in his tank for one of the more dependable arms in the game.

C.J. Wilson (LHP) – This rotation has the makings to be one of the better ones in the league in 2012. Wilson is projected to be the Angels’ no. 3 starter this year. he went 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 34 starts with the Rangers last year, giving him 31 wins over the last two seasons.

Ervin Santana (RHP) – as no. 4 starters go, the 29-year-old Santana is a pretty solid guy to have. he went 17-10 with a 3.92 ERA in 2010. While he did just go 11-12 in 2011, he had a career-best 3.38 ERA. he likely won’t get a lot of attention doing into the season, but he could just as easily win 15-plus games this year.

Jerome Williams (RHP) – After just six starts with the Angels, he earned a starting spot in the rotation this year, going 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. I don’t think he can keep up that production for a full season, however.

Projected Closer

Jordan Walden (RHP) – the team is hoping that he can take that next step and become a dominant closer this season. the 24-year-old stepped in and saved 32 games despite blowing 10 saves last year. he did start to get better as the season went on. thanks to the Angels’ improved offense and one of the best rotations in all of baseball, Walden has the potential to save 40-plus games in 2012.

As many investors know, there are strategies for selling covered calls in any market scenario – up, sideways or down. If the stock is trending up and the markets are correlating, then selling further out-of-the-money to let the stock run works. If the stock is flat and sideways, then selling at or near-the-money calls will increase premium and take advantage of the lack of volatility in the markets. If the market is trending slightly down, then deeper in the money calls will provide some extra downside protection. and, if the market is falling – just get out of the way

The bane of all covered call writers is when the stock runs up hard and fast and you either have to surrender the stock at the lower price, missing all those juicy gains, or buy back the call and a lot higher price. this happens and it’s just a fact of investing IF you have a trading plan.

What is your Trading plan?

In article after article, many authors lament lost gains if the stock runs up as the main reason why selling covered calls is not advisable. in fact, years ago I even had my broker tell me I was ill advised to sell covered calls because of how much I would lose if the stock shot up. My comment was why didn’t he give me a list today so I could buy them, write calls and lose all that extra money since nothing he was recommending was making a dime anyway, he is not my broker anymore.

It all comes down to having a trading plan, written by you and not someone else that defines precisely what to do in these situations. A trading plan makes the actions mechanical and not emotional. If this happens then you do that. Period. My current trading plan dictates that when I sell a covered call, if the call premium erodes by 50% or better, I sell and take the profits. When the stock rebounds, I may sell the exact strike again and repeat the process.

Some could say this is leaving money on the table if the stock stays flat and never recovers and I would be better off letting them expire. this has happened. What works for me, and the reason why I put it in the plan, is to take the profits and wait for the rebound since I like volatile stocks like Amazon, Bidu, Las Vegas Sands, Netflix, etc. often, these dips and rebounds happen in the same week

On the other front, if the stock has news and starts to run, my plan has two alternatives. First, if the stock is not a core holding and I have written it for the week or month for premium, then before I even put on the trade, I calculated my target profit and decided it was acceptable. If I am called out, then so be it; my target met, profit is in the bank and my plan is complete.

On core holdings that I do not want exercised and have rolled up into higher strikes month after month my trading plan says to buy back the calls when a major resistance point has been broken with volume. the plan is to just get out of the way and let the stock run. there is always a danger that a stock could have a big gap up and you may be called out and there is nothing you can do. this happened recently with Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR) that spiked up $18 overnight on the news of a joint venture with Star Bucks. That’s’ life.

When a stock falls my plan dictates to exit if the stock breaks a major resistance point, selling the stock and buying back the greatly reduced call. On core holdings, I have long-dated puts on them to protect to the downside, so I let the puts do their work and reenter at a later day as the stock starts to rebound.

Trading plans for covered calls need to be specific and measurable. As you gain experience and have more trades under your belt, you will be making regular modifications to the plan to account for new types of trades, scenarios and market conditions.

If you are like most athletes out there, you are looking for a simple solution. You are looking for training that can simultaneously:

Improve your speed

Increase your strength and power

Get you lean and mean

Raise your endurance levels

All without adding huge amounts of time to your already hectic workout schedule.

And if you are like most athletes, in the quest for this perfect training, you have wasted precious time and money on the latest and greatest, hi-tech supplements, exercise equipment, training apparatus and fad diets.

But, the truth is the answer is not really that hard at all. It goes something like this:

2.Start at the bottom.

3.Run up as fast as you can.

4.Walk down.

Think this seems too simple? Many people do. but, if you need some convincing, take a look at what hill sprinting has done for these sports legends:

Football legend Walter Payton made hill sprints his bread and butter. they carried him to the NFL rushing record and the Hall of Fame.

Another gridiron great, Jerry Rice ran legendary make you puke hill sprints. and was still playing in the NFL at age 40.

Running back Marcus Allen. all he did was win the Heisman and become Super Bowl MVP with hill sprints.

Linebacker Junior Seau has played 17 years in the NFL and made over 1200 tackles using hill sprints. sometimes while carrying a partner on his back.

Defensive end Simeon Rice stays relentless in the 4th quarter due to his hill sprint training. he has 119 sacks in 11 years to show for it.

Jets running back Curtis Martin – who rushed for 1000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons and has over 100 career touchdowns – regularly runs the hills of Santa Monica, California during the offseason.

Even Lance Armstrong – although on a bike – has made hill sprints a staple of the training that won him 7 Tour de France titles.

And that’s not all. besides these incredible athletes, plenty of people who need to stay in top shape run hill sprints. from old time strongmen to police and fire departments, from the elite military forces of the world to Olympic sprinters and from NBA stars to baseball’s best. all know the secret power of this training. Yes, the toughest of the tough use hill sprints to stay strong, powerful and in tip-top shape.

Give them a shot and get ready for some serious results.