If you only have one Lladro piece to sell, extensive research won't be necessary. On the other hand, if you have a large collection of pieces to sell, you should probably do some research regarding the various finishes and trademarks used for certain Lladro pieces. Focus your research on information that will allow you to verify the authenticity of each piece. For instance, most Lladro pieces are marked with the company's bellflower trademark, but some older pieces may not have it. Get as much detail as possible. At minimum, you should know the piece number and name of the piece.  If you still have the original packaging, both the piece number and name should be on it. In rare instances, this information may also be printed on the base of the piece. When possible, you should also find out the date the piece was originally issued and, when appropriate, the date it was retired. Identify the sculptor, too. Anyone who wants to sell a large volume of Lladro porcelain should invest in a recent edition of an identification and price guide.  Find the most recent guide possible and look for one focused in your native currency. For instance, if you live in the United States, choose a guide that lists each value in U.S. dollars. If possible, choose an edition that is only one or two years old. Information will be too outdated in any version older than that. A catalog of active Lladro pieces can be found on the company's official website. If the piece you want to sell is part of an active collection, the current retail price of that piece should be available through the Lladro catalog. You can also find out other information, like issue date or product specifics, via the catalog. "Value" is a somewhat subjective term. You'll need to research the various listed values for a specific piece and determine the true sale value through comparison.  Retail value refers to the price an official retailer would charge for a piece. Replacement value refers to the amount of money a piece can be insured for. Auction value refers to the amount of money you should theoretically be able to sell the piece for at an auction. The price you can sell an item for will usually come closest to auction value, but it can still be a little above or below this value. Keep in mind that as an individual seller, you will not be able to sell a piece for as much money as an authorized seller might.

Summary: Do some basic research on Lladro. Know the details of each piece you plan to sell. Invest in a collector's guide. Look through the current catalog. Search retail and auction websites to determine the current price.


Compatibility is incredibly important. That special person may pass every future-spouse test with flying colors, but when you're together, you may find that there's just a lack of...something. Maybe you just don't really "get" each other; maybe you always end up bickering; maybe you just can't talk without running out of things to say after a few minutes. If you're not compatible, you're not compatible, and there's nothing you can do to change that. Sexual attraction is different than compatibility -- it wears off. Compatibility means that your personalities really work well together, and that things just click for you more often than not. Though you may have been wanting to get married for twenty years, you shouldn't start running down the aisle after two weeks with the person you think is Mr. Right. Even if you just have "that feeling," it's very risky to marry someone you've known for just a few months, or even just a year. Give the relationship enough time to know that your feelings aren't just based on attraction, that you can get through some ups and downs together, and that you can really truly see a lifetime of happiness with that person. You may think that you're absolutely sure after just a few months, but this won't give you enough time to test the relationship. You may be absolutely gaga for your special someone, but you need to have the sense that he's feeling it too. Or -- you need to make sure that he's not crazy about you, while you're just feeling "pretty happy." Both of you shouldn't be crazy about each other and completely excited for the rest of your lives together to move on. Though marriage will naturally change two people as they become bonded more closely, make sure that the person you want to be with lets you truly be yourself instead of trying to be some ideal person. If your friends or family tell you you're not being yourself around that person, it's a bad sign. But you will know if you really can't be who you are around that person, because you'll feel yourself holding back. You may love being with that person for a year or two, but you should make sure that you have the same vision of the future -- whether it's settling down in a nice house with two kids, or traveling the world and being nomads together. Though life is unpredictable and neither of you will be able to do exactly what you want, your visions of the future shouldn't be wildly different or you'll run into a lot of trouble. If you've really found your spouse, then you should be able to imagine being with that person for the rest of your life. That is probably a very long time, so make sure that you really mean that you want to see that person grow old, to have kids with that person (if that's what you both want), to support each other's careers or other pursuits, and to truly become life partners. "I do" means "I do want to be with you forever," not "I do want to be with you for a while." If you really cannot imagine the rest of your life without that person, then congratulations -- you have found the right partner or spouse. Now have an incredible journey!

Summary: Make sure you're compatible. Give it time. Make sure it's mutual. Make sure you can be yourself. Share the same long-term goals. Picture that person in your future.


A solid metallic gold, silver, or bronze is an effective way to add shimmer and shine to your look. For a bolder option, check out a pump covered in glitter or sequins. Platforms and booties may make it easier for you to dance and move around in, especially if you are not used to narrow stick heels. High heels covered in straps have a festive, flirty ambiance and look great with many cocktail dresses. If comfort is your main concern, a flat adorned in sparkles or colored gems makes a wonderful alternative to a heel.

Summary: Look for a metallic heel. Try out a sturdier heel. Look sexy in a little strappy number. Opt for flats.


Cocaine and other stimulants often cause overly-energetic behavior. Common conversational clues of cocaine use include:  excessive talkativeness  rapid speech  conversations that jump around from one topic to another Cocaine use frequently gives users a sense of invincibility. This can lead to high-risk behavior, including risky sexual activities, and violent tendencies, such as fighting, domestic violence, homicide, and suicide.  Risky sexual activities may lead to pregnancy, illness, and/or sexually transmitted infections.  High-risk behavior may lead to legal problems, serious injury, or death. Someone who consistently uses cocaine may end up spending large amounts of time and energy acquiring cocaine. Users of cocaine may also engage in:  shirking responsibilities or obligations  frequently disappearing, going to the bathroom, or leaving the room, and returning in a different mood Because cocaine is a stimulant, it can cause sudden changes in mood. This may mean irritability, but it could also cause sudden bursts of euphoria or a sense of carelessness, or a shift from one extreme to the other. A common behavioral characteristic of people who use drugs is withdrawing from social relationships, either to be alone or to be with others who use drugs. Though socially withdrawing from a group of friends may be caused by other factors, such as anxiety or depression, it may also be a sign of drug use. Many users of all kinds of drugs experience a loss of pleasure in activities or interests that had previously been enjoyable, but this is particularly problematic with cocaine use. That's because cocaine use harms the circuits in the human brain that are responsible for a sense of pleasure. Look for signs of depression and a seeming lack of pleasure in day-to-day activities as a symptom of long-term cocaine use.
Summary: Spot conversational clues. Look for risk-taking behavior. Notice other behavioral changes. Look for dramatic mood swings. Notice social withdrawal. Note a loss of pleasure.