Writing Village: Articles

Writing Village

2012-12-27T23:50:00.000-08:00

Writing Village-A Home to Freelance Writers since 2003
Writing Village is a free Internet based resource of top quality articles, features, essays, book reviews and poetry. It is based on contributions by Freelance writers. Writing Village publishes original (including reprints but strictly no plagiarism)works of Writers, Poets, Analysts, Essayists, Authors, Columnists on this website.

Select the topic of your choice and browse through scores of articles, essays, poems and reviews on diverse topics. New articles are added regularly.If you want to contribute on the site,please click on the hyperlink Contributor Guidelines for details.

New Sections

We have introduced four new sections on our website They are exclusively dedicated to Anecdotes, Poetry and Essays.
Poetry Essays Anecdotes

Take your Pick

Select the topic of your choice and browse through scores of articles, essays, poems and reviews on diverse topics. New articles are added regularly

Arts	Computers	Family	Health	Music
Humour	Religion	Science	Society	Writing

Editor's pick of the week
(view archives )

Media
  Control Mechanisms for Media by: Dr Harmeet Singh 27 Dec 2009
  Self Regulation is the best control Mechanism
Poetry
  The Tale of a Town by:Pravin Prakash Jhumeli 16 November 2009
   Mother picked the radiance of the Sun and hid within her womb.
Life
  A lesson in the park by: Neeraj Kumar 14 November 2009
  Enjoyment of life has nothing to do with Disability
Book Review
  Recovering the Lost Tongue by: Dr Rachna Singh 21 December 2009
  Recovering the Lost Tongue by Rahul Banerjee
Family
  Knitting Needles & Mother's Touch by:Sheryl Joy Olano 19 December 2009
   A mother's touch and her knitting needles
Science
  Computer dating, bill paying, voting: Are we really in control of our lives? by:Audrey Valeriani 14 December 2009
  Things deserve a more qualified, personal touch
Mystical
  Voodoo is a powerful mystical practice by:Fazilla Shujaat 31 November 2009
  Voodoo is a powerful mystical practice
Poetry
  Torn by:Rachelle Arlin Credo 30 November 2009
   The incessant mourning eventually drives me insane

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Best of Andy Rooney

2009-12-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

They're written by Andy Rooney, a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words.

I've learned....That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I I've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned.... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

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A lesson in the park

2009-08-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

It was a usual scene -- a park teeming with joggers. Every sphere of life-- i.e. childhood, youth, and old age—was scattered all over the park. Sweating faces, sloshing paunches, and swift legs ruled the early morning hour of the park.

I was there sitting on a bench after taking a light stroll. Since, I was in the middle of the oval garden, I was able to reckon rounds that people were taking. Some took 20 laps of swift walk, while some preferred to only 5.

After a while a couple with an almost 10 years old boy entered the park and started their rounds of health. Both parents had clutched hands of the boy from either side. The boy was walking in the middle of his parents. They took one lap and completed second and went on. When this family crossed my eyes after the third lap, a little girl of six caught my attention. She was insisting her grandfather on playing football with her. It was obvious from grandpa’s gestures that due to his arthritis, he was trying to persuade the little lady to be confined to his lap. Grandpa tried to veer her attention from football and pointed his finger toward the sky to show a flock of birds. And I assumed (the constant stare of the girl toward the sky helped me assume) that the old chap conjured up a story then and there to placate the football passion of the girl. The girl lost into the story; I, into the Sky.

“How vast the bosom of the Sky is?” I thought. The decoration of the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars weaves a spectacle for the eyes. There is very hardly any roof in this world as sumptuously accoutered as the Sky. I was enthralled at the grandeur of nature.

My attention pertaining to the glorification of the nature broke by the footsteps coming toward a bench beside mine. It was those three who had entered a while ago. After the tiring rounds of walk, they had come to relax on the bench. For some time they relished the breathtaking view around the park, before being disturbed by the honking horn of an ice-cream-man. The child tugged on the sari (a dressing piece of cloth for women in India) of her mother to let her know his demand of an ice cream cone. Mother complied with his demand and bought him a cone of ice cream.

I wondered why he himself didn’t reach out for the ice cream trolly, like many children do?

On closer examination, I came to know that he was unable to see. That is why his parents were helping him to finish up the ice cream. After devouring the delicious dollops, he rested his back on the rear part of the bench. His translucent eyeballs rolled from one corner to the other corner of his eyes tracing every sound that happened in the atmosphere. In fact the eyeballs were corresponding with the directions his ears gave him as to a sound. He was continuously active with his two organs to explore the surrounding he was in.

“What an irony!” I thought. “There is so much of color around him, but he was deprived of that.” My heart got filled with sympathetic feelings for him. I felt vicarious pain for his inability to see things. I cursed every thing from God to nature for the injustice done to this little soul.

With feelings of despondency, I made an approach to converse with him by asking his name. (His father erased skepticism in his eyes for a stranger’s voice by addressing me as uncle and told him to tell me his name.)

“Sumit” he sounded sonorously.

“In which class do you read, Sumit?” I asked.

“Class five”

“Do you have any hobbies?”

“He sings very well, has won many music competitions too.” Informed his father.

“Oh! Is it?” “… Then why no have a music treat from you?”

The boy was shy to start with, but once he started singing (upon his mother’s encouragement), I was spellbound. The voice of his had a glimpse of aplomb, which can surmount any difficulties of life; the shimmer in his eyes had grains of grit, that can pierce any citadel of success; and the whole body of his had elements of ebullition, which can indefatigably encourage him to stay optimistic in life.

The song, which was a hymn, ended and ‘bravo’ spelt out of my mouth. His parents clapped.

The pleasant duration of morning was passing by quickly and the Sun was becoming a little bitter to bear. All three rose to take leave, I insisted to walk for some distance with them. Halfway our journey, I found a grocery shop. I went into it and bought a packet of chocolates for Sumit. I came out and gifted the packet to him in appreciation of his entertaining performance for me. He received the packet with élan; he was ecstatic. I could feel his emotions through his smiling lips. After a few minutes, we parted ways.

I was alone and strolling back to my destination. Some notions started springing up in my mind. They were troublesome for me. These views were about my prior contemplation about the kid. I thought why I felt pessimistic about the existence of the kid. The boy was full of life and I had described his life as drab and bland. Why I thought downside about the boy, only because he couldn’t see. Is it that only people with ability to see have the right to enjoy the gifts of life? No, life can be enjoyed even without the ability to see.

Enjoyment of life has nothing to do with the ability to see, but to the ability to feel. If one can feel life, then one is alive, otherwise dead. But this is not the situation with the ability to see. One can miss the light of eyes and at the same time enjoy the life to the full. I am not sure whether I was dead, when I thought hopeless things about the lad, but am sure about now that I am alive. Because, I am enlightened and know something more as to life than I did an hour or so before.

Finnaly, it dawned on me that I was utterly wrong in assessing his plight. And the acknowledgement of mistake was with a guilt feeling. That day I promised myself that I won’t fell sorry for any disabled person in the future, for this belittles the importance of their struggle and courage that they use to lead this life. The crux of my thinking session was that the moment I feel that somebody is disabled; I make myself disabled too. Because this way I manifest my disabilities to comprehend the import of their existence in encouraging us (the abled ones) to conquer the impediments of life without any grievances. Anyways life is a learning curve and everyone is learning something or the other by every passing moment. I have learnt a lesson too that I will remember until I die err as long as I live.

Contributed by:~Neeraj Kumar
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Computer dating, bill paying, voting: Are we really in control of our lives?

2009-08-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Those of us looking for love in the year 2009 find ourselves sitting behind our computers keying in all the vital information about who we are and who we are looking for, so that IT can match us with someone with whom we have similar preferences, lifestyles, and beliefs. Oh yes, I know this has proven successful for many people, including some friends of mine, but what would you do if one evening you met a person who was your exact opposite in many ways, but you were attracted anyway? Would you consider it absurd to go against the formula and follow your heart’s illogicality, believing that such relationship is ultimately doomed? Are you more comfortable allowing IT to define your choices?

Similarly, bill paying is now done by many of us by simply pressing a few buttons on a computer whenever and wherever we wish. You don’t have to pick up a pen and write a check or get a stamp and mail the envelope -- with our busy schedules, that takes too much time and effort. But have you ever had a payment get lost or tried to retrieve one after you hit “send” hastily? Do you realize you are exposing your hard-earned money pot to many hands, none of whom need ever take the blame for a delayed posting, a late fee, or missing funds?

And now computerized voting machines are coming to a polling station near you. How many times can the analysts and the independent investigators and even the hackers themselves warn us of the impending danger? Unfortunately, I fear this is going to be another case of too little too late when, again, the Republicans deny there is any problem, the Liberals will go on and on about the defects in the system and will be dismissed as over-zealous rabble-rousers, and the Democrats will sit idly by confused by all the rhetoric and once again victimized by their own inaction.

Now tell me, are we really in control of our lives or is it that we are, for the moment, being given a simple pass by those really in control -- the industrialists, the government, and the thieves -- to continue in our usual routines, authorizing a faceless entity to conduct business for us, until one day a spin of the Wheel of Misfortune points to us and causes us concern? Then will we listen to our instincts if, in fact, they are even still trying to guide us?

Unfortunately, it seems that when something doesn’t cause trouble in our own backyards, it appears unreal to us, and we wonder if the victims aren’t making more out of a problem than really exists. We may become models of concern and outrage, and talk a good game about what needs to be done to change things, but then sit back and allow “they” and “them” to take care of things. Only when we are affected directly and experience inconvenience and loss ourselves, do most of us question the accuracy and legitimacy of the system.

Mind you, it’s not that I don’t believe in growth and progress; I just believe some things deserve a more qualified, personal touch. People, when you turn your lives over to a computer – whether it be emotionally, financially or politically -- you relinquish your power to virtual strangers which you trust to negotiate in your best interests, when most of us don’t even trust our neighbors or loved ones! Is it because we are lazy? Too insecure about our own capabilities? Believe all the lies told to us by greedy capitalists? Afraid to make the wrong decision? I say, all of the above.

Despite what I and those like me have to say, I expect technology and cyberspace will continue to take over everything. (I mean, cars can now parallel park themselves – does that mean that future drivers won’t even have to learn how?!). We will continue to be introduced to new, time-saving, cost-effective programs and gadgets that promise to make our hectic lives easier, just like this latest one: a new and improved, easy, no-mess, speedy, low fat, paperless, democracy.

Audrey Valeriani is a local author, freelance writer, host of www.TheAccidentalExpert.com, and relationship expert for www.TheSpotter.net.

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An ism that deserves extinction

2008-12-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

An ism that deserves extinction

World has seen several sorts of ‘isms’ so far—Communism, Socialism, Patriotism etc…. Each ‘ism’ has to do with deaths of people ranging from mild to major extents. Deaths caused by these ‘isms’ have some tenable arguments. But there is one ‘ism’ where deaths caused are diametrically untenable. And this ‘ism’ has terror as its crux.

To frighten somebody having only extremities as fighting weapons in comparison to sophisticated Kalashnikovs and A.K. 47s is an outright act of abject cowardice. But the terrorist outfits hail such acts as paradigm of valour and heroism.

When tender flesh of suckling babies get lacerated by splinters ;when defenseless women and the elderly are perforated with sharp bullets ; and when young frames ,that are only recourse of their frail parents in their twilight, get punctured by the mortal grenades—the soul of terrorism achieves utter ecstasy. People, who carry precarious attacks to satiate the imaginary doctrines of their religion, believe that their God will commend such deeds and welcome them with open arms in the divine pasture of heaven. Seldom do they realize that when a bereaved mother’s (be she of any religion) eyes become a puddle of grief and pain, their own formless God’s eyes emanate drops of blood.

It doesn’t matter however strong and pious is the cornerstone of arguments for terrorist acts, if such acts ruthlessly and incessantly try to smother the laughter of children (whom everybody’s God loves the most), then these acts are antithesis of God’s desires for a tolerant world.

Killing of vulnerable school children, unprepared tourists, and unarmed hotel staffs is highly unlike the tenet of the religion in which name the massacre is carried out. Because this monotheistic religion exhorts to give the least amount of pain possible even to animals that need to be slaughtered to douse the fire of hunger.

I don’t think that such considerate religion will have a God with a heart as callous as stone. And I don’t think it either that ferocious and savage deeds of scare that are touted as wish list of Allah are even approved of by the almighty, let alone the talk of getting prime posts in heaven.

When humanity is tattered and humans don the mantle of demons, the casualty is the piety of God’s desires. And what God desires? It desires that one human becomes the tool for blowing life in the veins of other humans instead of scotching their breath; It desires that one human becomes the tool to adorn other humans’ sky with scintillating stars instead of covering it with daunting clouds; and it desires that one human enlightens other humans’ brain about the true will of its and real objectives of human life instead of enmeshing them into the fallacious crusades.

The earth is like a garden and life on it is like luscious flowers. When these flowers bloom and the fragrance of humanity envelops the world, the God’s purpose of fashioning life out of earth reaches apogee of magnanimity. But when acidic standpoints try to wilt these flowers perforce, God’s purpose of creating humans injures. And terrorism is one such act that mutilates brutally the wholesome intentions of God to harvest smiles in volumes, out of a life elapsed on the earth.

Terrorists dedicate their reprehensible act to the glorification task of their God’s regime. But they hardly realize that by killing innocents they can only earn curse and wrath of their God. Though terrorism in discussion entails religion as its integral aspect, it shows every signs of nihilism. Terrorism annihilates very emotions of sympathy and compassion —which are sine qua non elements of a religion. And when a religion gets bereft of these two aforesaid facets, the religion becomes hollow. And what I am trying to convey is that the terrorists don’t represent Islam but a deceptive and beguiling pile of notions that are purported as essentially Islamic.

Terrorist mindset argues that means of devastation are used to bring forth the gripe and grievances of a community. But trying to get justice with unjust tactics not only dwarfs the stature of the efforts to be heard but it also brings the unwitting ignominy to the religion in which name the war has been waged.

I pray for a situation in this world wherein some panacea replaces rabid grouse and salubrious ideology replaces sucking terrorism!

Contributed by: Neeraj Kumar
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The Mystery of Voodoo

2008-12-30T02:50:00.000-08:00

The drumming and chanting goes on hour after hour. A goat and a small pig have their throats cut, and the blood is sprinkled over the worshippers. The animals are then thrown into a pool of brown bubbling mud. Many believers jump into the pond as well.

This is the climax of the voodoo ceremony at the Plaine Du Nord, 300 kilometres north of the Haitian capital Port-Au-Prince. Thousands of voodoo believers come each year as they all say that the saint will help them. This particular ceremony is in honour of Ogou, the spirit of fertility and the earth.

The most important part of voodoo is the actual religious ceremony. After starting out slowly, the voodooist work themselves up to a spiritual and religious frenzy, using such things as dance, music and liquor to help inspire them, but the real question is that Voodoo a religious thing or a satanic thing?? As voodoo is often charged with being fatalistic, superstitious and involving devil worship.

Voodoo, which is a mixture of Catholicism and ancient African religion. The voodoo faith holds that there is one God, the creator of the universe. Subordinate to this God are the Loas, lesser deities or saints who act as messengers between a voodoo practitioner and God. Voodoos fatalism focuses on how the Loa control the world, wealth, sickness, childbirth, rewards, punishment and many more.

Voodoo believers accept the existence of one God. Below this almighty God spirits (LOA) rule over the worlds affairs in matters of family, love, happiness, justice, wealth, and revenge. The practice of Voodoo involves the blessing of a Voodoo doll to contact the spirits directly, requesting fulfilment in love, finance career matters and many more. It is still believed that the main reason why people turn to practising voodoo or witchcraft today is because more and more people are dissatisfied with traditional religious structures and are seeking deeper, and more meaningful relationships with divinity through alternate methods.

Voodoo, which means 'Spirit Of God'. It's a system of beliefs originating in Africa. It has over 50 million followers worldwide. Voodoo flourishes in Brazil, Trinidad, Jamaica and Cuba. It is known to be one of the world's oldest known religions, which have been around in Africa since the beginning of human civilisation. Some people estimate these civilisations and religions to be over 10,000 years old.

Voodoo is a powerful mystical practice that can bring great gifts and rewards to anyone who believes in it, and who is willing to place his destiny in the hands of the spirits, who are waiting eagerly for your call.

The most popular part of Voodoo is the doll, which is used to represent the spirit of a particular person. You can talk to the doll requesting a change in attitude, influencing the person to act in accordance with your wishes. You can request the doll to call upon powerful forces and then you can perform a simple ritual to fulfil a dream and your desires.

People's perception of Voodoo rites and rituals are that its all evil or malicious, but not many people know that there are healing spells, nature spells, love spells and joyous celebration spells. Spirits can also bring harmony and peace, birth and re-birth, luck, happiness and health. For people who believe it Voodoo is powerful, it is also empowering to the person who practices it.

For anyone who is looking for a solution to a difficult problem, for someone who is trying to sort out a conflict, return a lover or become rich LOA is waiting for your call.

Contributed by: Fazilla Shujaat

Attitude is eveything

2008-08-22T18:54:00.001-07:00

Harvard and Stanford Universities have reported that 85% the reason a person gets a job and gets ahead in that job is due to attitude; and only 15% is because of technical or specific skills.
Interesting, isnâ€™t it? How much money you spent on your education? And how much you spent on building your positive attitude?
That hurts.

Now here is an interesting thought.
With the "right" attitude, you can and will develop the necessary skills.
So where is your emphasis? Skill building? Attitude building? Unfortunately, "Neither" is the real answer. Perhaps if more people knew how simple it is to develop and maintain a positive attitude they would invest more time doing so.

So here we go.

Five steps to staying positive in a negative world:

*Understand that failure is an event, it is not a person. Yesterday ended last night; today is a brand new day, and it is yours. You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and then you can expect to win.

*Become a lifetime student. Learn just one new word every day and in five years you will be able to talk with just about anybody about anything. When your vocabulary improves, your I.Q. goes up 100% of the time, according to Georgetown Medical School .

*Read something informational or inspirational every day. Reading for 20 minutes at just 240 words per minute will enable you to read 20 (200-page) books each year. That is 18 more than the average person reads! What an enormous competitive advantage . . . if you will just read for 20 minutes a day.

*The University of Southern California reveals that you can acquire the equivalent of two years of a college education in three years just by listening to motivational and educational cassettes on the way to your job and again on the way home. What could be easier?

*Start the day and end the day with positive inputs in your mind. Inspirational messages cause the brain to flood with dopamine and nor epinephrine, the energizing neurotransmitters; with endorphins, the endurance neurotransmitters; and with serotonin, the feel-good-about-yourself neurotransmitter. Begin and end the day by reading or doing something positive!

Remember: Success is a process, not an event. Invest the time in your attitude and it will pay off in your skills as well as in your career.

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The Other Side

2008-07-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

The way we are taught life, there is the other side the journey across to where is not a guaranteed safe one. Glamorous though, it has got its own price to pay. When we see people who have reached there strut their stuff, we feel like doing the same. They become muses for short lived fantasies that die quickly and come to life the few times that they can and then again die quickly, the whole process repeating itself over and over again thus making it a waste of a process to go through. Yet we go through it intentionally realizing that it is the closest that we can get to the other side from such a distance.

We repeatedly remind ourselves of the real world and how unrealistic it would be to head there. When we see potential, even more so when we can take it to where it can get the worth it deserves, we remind them and ourselves of the reality of life that it can only happen if it will it can never happen if it wont. The other side is a place one is lucky and privileged to be in. Potential plays no role in whether you deserve to get across or not. If you gain passage to the other side and its not where you want to be, you might as well make use of it. But who wouldn't? Life doesn't get any better.

The secret of the other side is that there weren't supposed to be two sides. That should have been the end and this side should have been the beginning. The problem is that when you do what you love doing, you lay it all on the line. That involves risk and leaving things to chance but there is no safety net under you- that's the adventure part. That what scares people. It holds them back from venturing across.

If no one can tell you any better and you don't know any better, figure it out for yourself. Figure out what you don't understand and what you want to know. For your own good, you wouldn't want to be as old as people who should have seen and known it all by virtue of their experience in life and be asked by someone as old as you are now about life and the way it works and be too ill-informed about it to give them the answer. If that were the only way to go about things, any other way around or about would only give you less. You cannot expect more out of life than what you put in.

Contributed by:Sunil Noronha
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10 Ways to Reduce Commuting Stress

2008-06-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Do you get out of your car with a queasy stomach, a headache and your blood pressure registering through the roof? If you do, that energy vulture called stress may have sent your pulse skyrocketing. In a study conducted at the University of California at Irvine, researchers found that the stress of commuting takes a major toll on health. According to the study, it has direct physiological effects of raising blood pressure and releasing stress hormones into the body. Not only that, long commutes (more than 18 miles one way) may also increase the likelihood of having a heart attack due to exposure to high levels of air pollutants, which appears to be a risk factor for heart disease.
Although there is no antidote to stressful commuting, there are many ways to shoo off the energy vulture. Here is how to thrive while you drive.

1. Prepare in advance

One of the best ways to lessen the strain of road rage is to prepare everything the night before. Clothes, documents, attaché cases, and even packed lunches should be set the day before to avoid the morning rush. With everything champing at the bit, you'd save plenty of time to do your morning routines, devour a good breakfast and enjoy special moments with the family. Best of all, you can dash out the highway free of traffic congestion.

2. Sleep well and wake up early

A good night's sleep rejuvenates the body. Make it a habit to have enough sleep and to rise early. If you are already stressed-out the day before, an incomplete repose takes over cumulative stress effects into your life at work and at home. Your frustration levels at work eventually rises, your brainpower falters, and your mood at home sours. You have no energy left for enjoying life.

3. Juggle your work hours

Why pack the freeways with all the other "9-to-5"-ers when you can try a ten-to-six or an eight-to-four shift? Depending on your company's work policy, try to check out other shifts that fit your lifestyle. Choose one that would help you get rid of energy-depleting stress. Allow yourself to lighten your highway woes.

4. Share your ride

It may be a hassle to coordinate your arrival and departure with another person or two, but carpooling is worth it. Studies show that ridesharing lowers commuter stress significantly. With carpooling, there is less air and noise pollution, less traffic congestion, and you can relax more while someone else does the driving.

5. "Cocoon" in your car

Instead of being worked up when traffic is at a standstill, utilize your time wisely. Listen to the radio or pop in some music tapes to take your mind off the stop-and-go driving and traffic tie-ups. If you like to read but just cannot have time to flip pages of a book, check out books on cassette. Many libraries have full-length books on tape as well as abridged versions. You can even learn a new language or do some car exercises like shoulder rolls, neck extensions and tummy tucks to help you stay awake and relax.

6. Pillow your back and squirm

When you're standing, the lumbar area of your spine (the lower portion) normally curves inward, toward your abdomen. However, when you are sitting, it tends to slump outward squeezing your spinal disks and putting stress on them. According to back expert Malcolm Pope, Ph.D., director of the Iowa Spine Research Centre at the University of Iowa, it helps to support your back by tucking a rolled towel or a pillow in that lumbar section. In cases of longer drives, since sitting in one position for longer than 15 minutes gradually stiffens you even with a back pillow, make necessary adjustments for a comfy ride. For instance, you can try putting most of your weight on one buttock and then the other. Then, shift the position of your seat or your buttocks slightly. You may even try sliding down in your seat and sit up again for fun.

7. Work out after work

Since the evening rush is worse than the morning rush because of the compounded fatigue from the workday, it is best to wait out the traffic. Work out at a gym near your office or take meditation classes to relieve your stress. If you plan to go to dinner, see a movie or go shopping, try to do these things near work, delaying your departure enough to miss the maddening rush.

8. Give yourself a break

It may be a good idea to give yourself some day off from work. Many companies today offer compressed working hours or longer working days to give way to work-free days for you to unwind.

9. Move your office

If your job is a long drive ahead everyday, inquire at work if the company would allow you to work at home some days of the week or if you can work near your place. An alternative work schedule would make you feel less tense and in control thereby reducing stress.

10. Occasionally change your routine

An occasional change of commuting habits may be advisable too. Try walking or bicycling, as a a change. There's nothing like a good walk to ease tension especially when it means you don't have to get in your car and fight rush hour traffic.

By lessening the stress of getting to work, you are conserving enormous amounts of energy that may be lost over stressful commuting. It does not only leave you a lot more energy to do your job and become more productive but it also makes you feel good and gives you a good reason to always start your day right.

Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo

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Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine

2008-06-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Children laugh or smile about 400 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 times or less.

If the classic adage, "It takes a village to raise a child," is correct, I think my family could register as a village. Our clan consists of me, my husband, our seven children, ages 8-2 years (and no, none of them are twins), and another baby due in 5 weeks, and of course, our recent spur of the moment acquisition of 2, 6 wk old puppies. I have one word for you…Humour.

So, where were we? Ah, yes, the village. Well, my husband and I, despite the ever-growing population in our household have I'm sure one of the best relationships that parents could ever have. The key ingredient I believe to maintain such a happy and blissful marriage is laughter.

"We cannot really love anybody with whom we can never laugh."
- Agnes Repplier

The definition of laughter is the act of laughing. I am married to a comedian. (Well at least he thinks he is.) My favourite thing is when I go head to head with him in a sarcasm war and his reply to me is, "So when are your comedy tour tickets going on sale?" I will never win. This I know. When I first met, my husband he and I always laughed so hard and so much that I actually began to get some serious stomach muscles happening. To this day, I still maintain this great reward of our relationship. We love sitting and talking for hours about the sunny side of life. Kids are a great example to use on this. Just sharing their day-to-day quips is smile producing alone. This just goes to prove that humour has its place in a relationship.

For my 27th birthday this past August, my husband who is generally excellent at remembering dates and special occasions goofed when he bought a number 2 and 6 candle to place on my cake. It wasn't until our 8 year old son said, "Wait, she is 27." With that my husband come out of the bedroom in a blind panic where he and all the kids were diligently wrapping presents, and said to me, " Hold on, how old are you today? 26 right?" When I told him no, 27… he just replied looking a bit confused, "Are you sure?" Yep, I sure am, I'm not going to forget that. Then, about 30 min later when we all sat down to have the birthday cake, out he comes with the cake and the candles reading 62…ha! He thought it would be funnier than making the 26 goofs. I cannot wait until HIS next birthday…

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
- E.E.Cummings

There is no telling what sort of email we will get in our inbox from each other. We love to send one another little reminders that we are not going to forget the funny banter we throw back and forth all the time. We can poke fun at each other and the joke will last for weeks. We are major movie lovers and regularly go to the movie theatre. Funny movie quotes will keep us rolling out the giggles for a long time. Sometimes though, it is more fun to watch him watch the movie than actually watching it myself. To see that look of pure delight on his face is enough to make me smile.

"You can't stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh."
- Jay Leno

Laughter is such a good way to gage how much you will enjoy each other's company in the long term. When we go out, we always notice how unhappy people look; couples in general. They just do not exude happiness. I find it sad to think not every couple in a relationship whether or not they are married or have kids do not have the same kind of happiness and laughter in their lives. It does take work, but once you get the hang of it, it will take you places you could not imagine.

The Discovery Health Institute says that laughter is healthy and has many benefits such as reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and increasing oxygen in the blood. Laughter is the formula to a happier and healthier lifestyle and I just do not see it being enforced in many relationships. My husband and I disagree of course, as any couple in a relationship does, but we never argue, and therefore we never go to bed in a hostile manner with each other. Sure, we both are stressed… that is part of a marriage and raising a family and the chaos of daily life, but thru laughter we cure each other from it. I wake up each morning knowing I can look over at my husband, and smile; and I do. What a great way to start the day off.

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."
- Victor Borge

Our 'village' here on the home front makes us both a bit stronger and refreshed each day. Family life is important, and children make it all the more critical to exhibit such a happy and joyous lifestyle. It is no wonder we have such a great relationship. Laughter has brought us together since day one and keeps us alive and going strong and will do for many, many more years to come.

Contributed by: Amanda Goodall

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The Power of Five

2008-06-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting is inevitable. With so many goals to achieve and needs to meet, fretting has become the "official emotion of the generation."

A few weeks ago, I was having another fretting day. I had so many conflicts to deal with and personal affairs to attend to that I was eating my heart out the whole day I was moving around. I could almost hear the song playing in my head:" Fretty woman walking down the street, fretty woman...lalalala..."

That night, after retiring from the day's toil, I remembered the time when I was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) a.k.a. Lupus, an incurable autoimmune disease. I started re-grieving over the part that SLE took away from me. I began to fret about all the things I used to do so well.

I thought about how I used to take the jeepney for an hour's trip to the city just to get to pre-Med school everyday. I remembered how neat and pretty I looked with my white college uniform and how all my male neighbors used to have a big crush on me. I lamented that because of SLE, my college days are over and I'm never going to fulfill my dream of becoming a neurologist...ever!

I also recounted those days where I used to bum around with my friends. All those shopping sprees and dating schemes with a pool of suitors not to mention the series of soirees in schools and dormitories and a string of sorority mischiefs. Again, I lay the blame on SLE for cutting my frolicsome moments abruptly.

But as I was pouring out my grief, a crazy question popped in my mind: "Rachelle, give me five reasons why you should be happy today."

At first, I took the idea for granted thinking it was utterly ridiculous to entertain. Nonetheless, it remained lodged in my brain that a moment after, I felt like I just couldn't give it up. I thought for a moment and then, I started reiterating.

"Well," I mumbled, "my first reason to be happy would have to be my life, I think. The fact that I am still breathing the air of life would be a good reason at that. I have knocked on Death's door several times in my life and yet he never took me in. With dengue fever at 9 years old, malaria at 10, dengue fever again at 12, severe UTI at 19 and cardiomegaly at 20, and recently SLE, i think it's a miracle that I'm still alive. Second, I have a beautiful family who loves me so much. When I was at the darkest hours of my life and felt like everybody turned their backs away from me, they were there, enduring every sadness and pain with me. Third, I have great friends who were always there through thick and thin and were willing to sacrifice just for me. Fourth, I have a loving boyfriend who, despite our distance, never ceases to send his cares through the distance and loves me more than life itself. And fifth, I have a God who unwaveringly shows His love and care for me if all else fails."

And before I realized it, I felt good again. My lost fervor was revitalized and I felt joy overflowing inside me. I just realized that everything I need to be happy is right before my eyes and I was just overlooking them all along. It dawned to me that joy does not reside "out there" but within each of us in our hearts. It worked so well that I decided to incorporate it in my daily routine. Each day after rolling out of bed, I would grope for five things in my life that I am most grateful about. It soon became a habit that my life gradually changed.

Three days after the experience, my brother came up to me and asked,"What's with you? What's making you so happy these days?"

I just told him, "It's because of the power of five". My brother furrowed his brows not knowing what I meant. I just smiled.

Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo

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Reality is what we make it

2008-06-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

When we are young, we dream dreams of a calibre that drifts further and further away from being achieved due to the onset of realities of life. You'll then have people who have been there and done that telling you that plain passion doesn't put food on the table and that's what you should concern your self with first. Over time when you think about it over, there's always someone who has reached there who reaches out to some ones heart who has told you so. Despite the advice they'd give, they love being taken over by the passion overflowing from their work. It gives them their regular dose of freedom from being bound to only be able to make ends meet and not being able to afford much more. If they relish being blessed by people in places to where they advise careful advancement, why don't they along with everybody else give people who find their place there the opportunity to get there?

That makes me question the distance between dreams and reality. Do we make it as hard as it is on ourselves? Have we created it, the very people who would detest it with all our might if we had the chance? Or in the process of telling and reminding ourselves that life's not easy, do we forget that we are all here for the same purpose and that it would only help us achieve it easier if we put aside out understandably selfish ways?

The next time you find yourself writing off someone or something like that remember that there is a system in place, which we are all, meant to be a part of. We are not thrown into this world and left for only the fittest to survive. We should stop trying so hard to guarantee our success. The harder we fight against the system in place, the more difficult life will be. Dreams don't have to be difficult. We deny ourselves the right to have them come true for us when we create the reality that we live in that we ourselves are held down by.

The next time you come across an idea that's noble don't kill it because one would only waste more time and energy pushing it through in this world where reality is cruel enough to let that remain an ideal only. Don't appreciate it ideologically and say that real life and reality is a much bigger thing to worry about. It would help you and everybody else if ideals were reality. If you cant say anything else don't say anything at all. Keep an eye on it and if it breaks through, you benefit at no cost of yours. Sometime somebody somewhere or the other will want to be reached out to and that'll be when nobleness will be given its due.

Contributed by:Sunil Noronha

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Of Knitting Needles and a Mother’s Touch

2008-06-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Time went by…ever so slowly as the knitting needle rolled smoothly across the glass-topped roundtable. A heavy sigh escaped from pouting lips…mine.

The object and cause of disappointment was sprawled motionlessly on my lap. The string of green that must have gone through World War II seemed to taunt me. Why I couldn’t get it right, I didn’t know. It looked so easy when my friends were doing it.

Simple knitting, Sheryl! I scolded myself. How could something so simple be so complicated?

I knew it was silly being so crestfallen over inanimate objects as if the whole world depended on it. But I wanted to learn the craft. When I saw Meeyan knitting one afternoon with her hands doing a tiptoe dance like those of a ballerina’s feet, I was enamored by such grace.

So there I was late at night trying to knit and shaming the women race. Then Mom came in the kitchen. I colored at the surprise on her face as she asked me why I was still awake.

Sheepishly I told her and regretted it when she burst out laughing. It was clear in her laughter that she thought I was being ridiculous. Yet, her eyes sparkled with something like pride.

Even simplicity, she said, needs to be defined.

She took the needle and the yarn (which both betrayed me and tripped my hands in their dancing) and showed me how to really knit. When she let me do it, I was still a hopeless case. Yet it only made her smile more.

At last, I got it right. The yarn was already in a splice, in a cleaner chain compared to the confused nest I made earlier.

Mom stood up and hinted that I keep practicing. Before she left, she told me, “Life is full of false starts and new beginnings, of failures before success, of tripping and falling. What matters is that you get up in every fall, learn in every mistake and never stop trying until you get it right. While there is room for mistakes, there is room for improvements and, just think, a house of learning.

My mother could have been a great teacher. I remember back when I was seven years old and still could not read. When she found out about it, she was so angry; she scared the hell out of me. Being a topnotcher herself in her youth, she was insulted.

I didn’t know how she did it but overnight she had turned me into a fluent reader. Uhm…okay, there were lots of spanking and pinching (my eyes still water at the thought of it). But it was worth it.

Perhaps I already had it in me but did not know it because I did not care. Why I did not care? Because I was not interested. And why? Because I thought I could never use it. All I cared about was playing. But my mother changed that. She opened one window by teaching me how to read, and lots of doors opened for me since then.

A sigh came out again…but this time of swelling pride and contentment. My thoughts went from the glaring eagle eyes of a hardened face that made me cower at mere sight…to eyes that shine with wisdom from a face gentled by years.

Mom, you’re simply the best, I thought. Then I went back to knitting.

Oops…there’s the mistake again!

I struggled for a while…then went on with my progress.

Contributed by: Sheryl Joy Olano

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The Crossing Ball

2008-06-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

In his book The Everlasting Man, G. K. Chesterton, the staunch Catholic polemicist made some intriguing comparisons between two distinctly separate and contrary worldviews: Both are characterized, by him as a ball and a cross. The former model, that of a ball, represents, what can best be described as materialism; a belief that nothing exists outside of the observed processes of nature ('what you see is what you get'). The latter, the cross, represents the religious, particularly Christian, doctrine of transcendence; a world that, as far as we are concerned, is constantly changing. The first is static, the second dynamic. What Chesterton did with these two symbols of mutually exclusive ideas was to compare and contrast them. The ball is unchanging. It is static, always returning to the same place, over and over again. Seasons follow seasons that are exactly the same as before. On the other hand, the cross is expanding, stretching out in diverse directions infinitely; never occupying the same space more than once.

What Chesterton suggested was that our world, symbolically, is like this. Although now, it is like a ball, self-contained and static, it is being made like heaven, always changing and infinitely dynamic. The ball is being stretched into a cross from within.This is what religion is like in contrast to a solely secular, naturalistic view of the world. Like the model that Chesterton offered us in his book, there is really no progress occurring in this world. We go from one thing to another and back around again. The only advancements that are made are through the hearts of men and women by God, and thus unseen. All other events are just re-occurrences of 'the same ole' things', just repackaged for the next generation of living beings.

Contributed by:~Robert Henry

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Isis and his chain Take2

2008-06-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

Now when he is bounding about in carefree abandon he occasionally meets another dog that seems to speak his language. Isis sees something louche in this. He cannot handle another creature sharing his language, I guess it makes him vulnerable and maybe it affects his sense of significance; which is obviously that he is the only terrestrial creature that can declare to the world the unique message; "Bow Wow".

Isis is a brave dog; he will bite and dismember anything that threatens his Dogness. Cell phones, TV remote controls, pens, rugs, bones and numerous members of the harmless material world have crumbled between his jaws for the simple sin of not satisfactorily affirming his Dogness. Isis will not tolerate any creature questioning or challenging his doghood. He charges and gets into a fight. Isis is very clear about the healthy way to fight. His fights are all about I win and you lose. Somehow, Isis has again been learning the hard way that, some dogs fight back, especially if they are dogs that have lived their lives with out a human in their house.

I do not know if Isis resents the protected environment I have given him but I know that when the war of dogs gets beyond what he can handle he whimpers and comes running to me with his tail between his wobbly legs. The other dogs back off when they realize that Isis has a human attached to him with a chain. The moment he hears the snap clasp of the chain on his collar; he is transformed. His dropping tail starts wagging, his frightened eyes sparkle with confidence and his whimpers turn into aggressive declarations of his dogly message to the world-

"Bow Wow". He declares to the chainless quadrupeds with an attitude that perfected David's discourse with uncircumcised Goliath. "Look you chainless fauna", he says. "I have bow wow with me, don't you dare challenge me". He keeps turning around to check if I am there to support his claims and the more he see me around the more confident he gets. Once again he strains at the chain to take me where he wants to go but I also believe that in his heart he is happy to have a chain that holds me close to him.

The chain that confines him, defines him. It defines his existence in the universe and affirms to him that he is; and yes that he is the one and only Isis and he is reminded that I am indeed his one and only pet "bow wow".

Contributed by: Arul Baliah

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Isis and his chain Take 1

2008-06-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

My name is Arul, and I live in Gurgaon with a dog named Isis. Isis is a genetically challenged Dalmatian. He grew up and spent almost all his life in the company of an overweight bachelor. I guess the nature vs. nurture phenomenon coupled with his not having too many doggy friends to interact with, has cast a predisposition on his world view- he thinks that he is human and believes with all his heart that I am his pet. I call him Isis and he calls me “Bow Wow”. I guess Isis has defined me with the best faculties of his vocabulary because most of what he says is “Bow Wow”. This is a parable about the chain that comes between us.

Isis has a strained relationship with his chain. He hates it and feels limited by it. However; the fact of the matter is that the chain comes into play only in occasions where his freedom would be hazardous to him and the rest of the universe. In such moments he fails to realize that the chain is not the story of his life. The limits of the chain often save his life. The length of the chain and the amount of freedom he gets is determined by how much freedom is safe and good for him in the given situation.

Isis looks at other dogs in the neighborhood, dogs that do not have a chain attached to their necks and he asks them with the questioning eyes; “Why don’t you have a chain? Why don’t you have a “bow wow” attached to you? Does your life without a bow wow make you happy??? ” When the other dogs ask him what the chain is for he explains that it is a widget he uses to bend my will to match his, to make me go where he wants to go. To drag me around and showoff to the world that he has a 2 legged pet that is fully under his control and dogipulations. I guess, he even feels called to make a public display of how he can use the chain that holds him back to take me where he wants to go. I have to admit that he does do a great job of it. He exercises an effort that would compel a super laden caravan through the eye of a needle.

Every morning Isis loves the sound of me picking up his chain. He argues with every nerve in my body that tells me to go back to sleep. He performs a gleeful prance between me and the door to urge me to go against the laws of the universe which clearly state that: more sleep is equal to a better option than walking a hyperactive cross between a Dalmatian and a creature of unknown origin. He loves to take me for a walk. On days when it is sufficiently early and the traffic is less, I take Isis for a walk without his chain and that makes him the happiest dog in the Dogdom. He runs about the street looks at other people and tries to jump on them and invite them to also be his pets. The people, for some strange reason, do not exactly respond the way he expects them to. Slowly and surely he seems to be learning to face rejection with his tail. He understands that not all potentially competent 2 legged pets are willing to dedicate their entire existence to the singular purpose of his happiness, but he has the dogged persistence of an insurance sales man. He leaves the non-respondents with an attitude of, “it is ok if you do not want to be my pet, I am not losing anything, I guess you have thought about it and I guess your ok with the consequences of not being my pet.” He proceeds to display enjoyment of freedom by zigzagging around me across the road. Isis loves it when I let him enjoy his Dogness without restraint.

Now when he is bounding about in carefree abandon he occasionally meets another dog that seems to speak his language. Isis sees something louche in this. He cannot handle another creature sharing his language, I guess it makes him vulnerable and maybe it also affects his sense of significance; which is obviously that he is the only terrestrial creature that can declare to the world the unique message; “Bow Wow”.

Isis is a brave dog; he will bite and dismember anything that threatens his Dogness. Cell phones, TV remote controls, pens, rugs, bones and numerous members of the harmless material world have crumbled between his jaws for the simple sin of not satisfactorily affirming his Dogness. Isis will not tolerate any creature questioning or challenging his doghood. He charges and gets into a fight. Isis is very clear about the healthy way to fight. His fights are all about I win and you lose. Somehow Isis has again been learning the hard way that, some dogs fight back, especially if they are dogs that have lived their lives with out a human in their house. I do not know if Isis resents the protected environment I have given him but I know that when the war of dogs gets beyond what he can handle he whimpers and comes running to me with his tail between his wobbly legs. The other dogs back off when they realize that Isis has a human attached to him with a chain. The moment he hears the snap clasp of the chain on his collar; he is transformed. His dropping tail starts wagging, his frightened eyes sparkle with confidence and his whimpers turn into aggressive declarations of his dogly message to the world- “Bow Wow”. He declares to the chainless quadrupeds with an improvization of David’s discourse with the uncircumcised Goliath. “Look you chainless fauna”, he says. “I have bow wow with me, don’t you dare challenge me”. He keeps turning around to check if I am there to support his claims and the more he see me around the more confident he gets. Once again he strains at the chain to take me where he wants to go but I also believe that in his heart he is happy to have a chain that holds me close to him.

The chain that confines him, defines him. It defines his existence in the universe and affirms to him that he is; and yes that he is the one and only Isis and he is reminded that I am indeed his one and only pet “bow wow”.

Contributed by: ~Arul Baliah

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Sincere spirituality defies being labelled

2008-06-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

Proud member of the spiritual left. Yep, that's me. I realized that I had to come up with some sort of short, slogany tagline in order to know my place in this fast-paced, pre-packaged, polarized world. If it isn't attention-grabbing and easy to grasp, it is hard to rally behind. Worse than that, you don't fit into any of their categories:

Married to a guy in the Navy, currently a stay-at-home mom, isn't afraid of guns â€" must be Republican. But wait, she supports abortion rights and can't stop talking about gay marriage, must be a Democrat. Then again, she is from the South and loves barbecue . . . she could be one of them Dixiecrats! I can just see the political profilers now, trying their best to put me in a slot, failing, and ceding me to the other side. That is how it is in winner-takes-all politics, right?

And speaking of the right, I have to say they certainly have done a good job of appropriating all things religious in nature. God is on "our" side, says Pat Robertson. Supporters of President Bush claimed a "moral victory" in last year's election. And Texas Gov. Rick Perry uses churches for backdrops of his bill signings, and why shouldn't he? According to him, God doesn't care for same-sex marriage or equal rights for women. Does all this mean that God is really a Republican?

I think not. For many reasons in general and one in particular. The first being that God doesn't pick sides. He doesn't just bless the U.S.A. he blesses the whole world.

I have a family that comes first in my life, even though I do have career aspirations. I am trying to teach my son the ways of Christ (even though, at 15 months old, the virtue of sharing is hardly taking hold). We go to church and we recycle. But the fact that I support a woman's right to terminate an unintended, unwanted or unhealthy pregnancy relegates me to hell? I don't see it.

See, I think it is more important about how we treat people when they are alive. Meaning, it doesn't get you any closer to heaven to be stridently anti-abortion if you haven't done anything to help the millions of abandoned children who are already here. If you are pro-life then help the living â€" adopt, donate, foster a child, teach sex education.

People who have those yellow ribbons on their cars are no more righteous than those who don't support the war (the war, not the troops everyone supports the troops), especially if they bought those bumper stickers in Walgreen's and haven't done anything else to support our military personnel.

To me, supporting the troops has more to do with sending care packages to them and making sure they have the equipment they need to complete the mission than slapping a bumper sticker on your car. If it were up to me, those yellow ribbons would cost $10 each and the money would go into a fund for the families of deployed military personnel. That is my interpretation of being a moral person, helping the next guy.

A couple of days ago the mail lady asked me to call her supervisor and tell her she was running late. She said she had asked the man down the street, but he said he could not because he was on his way to church. That logic astounds me, but it is exactly the thinking that rules the so-called moral majority right now. They cannot see the forest for the trees. Wouldn't it be better to actually help someone than be at choir practice on time? Did the man think the Almighty would punish him for being late for helping someone? Would Jesus have ignored the lame man to get to the next hut on time?

I think my mom put it best when she told me it was much more important to become a spiritual being rather than a religious person. Spirituality is not dictated by political rhetoric or the church structure. It comes from a personal relationship with a higher power that makes you feel joyful inside and happy to be alive to do what you can to help other people. It isn't Republican (or Democrat) and it certainly isn't served by swathing yourself in religious symbols and being self-righteous.

Contributed by:~Vivian Greentree

First published in The Atlanta Journal and Constititution

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Finding Little Heaven

2008-05-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

The news came as a shock to us all. He who had been ill for days had been taken to the hospital. It was found out that he had very high amount of creatinine in his blood, resulting from a stone in one of his kidneys.

Creatinine is a liquid waste. It causes slow blood circulation, making even breathing difficult. While the normal amount of creatinine in our body is 1.5%, he had 23.3% of it.

He had assured us it was only a frustrating duo of ulcer and bronchitis so no one thought it was a kidney problem, which I only used to hear about from other people's sob stories but never thought would happen to my own flesh and blood- my father.

A tube was inserted into my father's body to start the perritonial dialysis. The nurse had warned it would be painful because the anesthesia would not reach the innermost part of his body. Still, I was shaken to hear his tortured scream as the nurse punctured his abdomen.

For days my father struggled with a tremble to move a muscle or to eat without vomiting the food out. He couldn't seem to swallow anything down his throat. My father…whom I neglected while others longed for a paternal presence in their homes…oh, how I had wronged him!

For the first time, my siblings and I showed how we truly felt, even humbling down to our knees to pray and beg God, in the midst of weeping and yes…running noses, to show us mercy. It was quite a scene…sure beats "Maalaala Mo Kaya".

Friends became out of reach, or perhaps it was me who was withdrawing from them. In their absence, strangers and people I hadn't heard for years came pouring in to help.

It took great effort to focus at work but like a puppet I moved on, not daring to disturb normalcy. Somehow I had kept myself from bawling for moping could not help my father.

Our prayers and (this will sound corny as hell) love have done wonders to my father although he still has to undergo hemodialysis. Now he could even make faces at us. Funny how he tries to make us smile in the face of grief.

My siblings and I have become closer than ever. And the realization that our parents had raised us well dawned in. In this hell we are going through, we've found a little heaven. Indeed I had a lot to thank God for. He had allowed us the pain that has shaken us to the core. But a pain meant to heal us spiritually and emotionally, a pain that has brought with it people we could count on. Sigh, God's mysterious ways!

Only now have I heeded to the good ol' saying romantics often chided to me: Always take the chance of showing that you care, for you never know when that chance would be taken away from you.

Thank God, I still have that chance

Contributed by:~Sheryl Joy P. Olano

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Why We Should not Worry

2007-10-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Almost everyone experiences some form of worry one time or another. It is a part of life. Everyday, we struggle financially, make decisions, and face major changes in life. These things create an inevitable occasional wave of apprehension. Ordinarily, a certain amount of worry is essential for our survival. It helps us to focus on the task and leads us to constructive action. However, when worry goes overboard, instead of being a good friend, reminding us to use good sense, worry suddenly morphs into a bully, making us crazy about things we can't control. Here is a list of reasons why constant worry is not good, if it is at all:

1. Worry is a Complete Waste of Time

Worry changes nothing. We do not accomplish anything or find answers to our questions by worrying. We also cannot add anything to our life by worrying. Worry can only subtract from our lives by causing such infirmities like ulcers or coronary thrombosis. Worry is just muddling away today's time to clutter up tomorrow's opportunities with yesterday's troubles.

2. Worry is Unnecessary

Worry cannot erase the mistakes of the past. It cannot unravel the answers to the future. It cannot make anything better in the present. Hence, there is no need for worry because it is inessential.

3. Worry Contradicts Common Sense

We must learn to live one day at a time. God has given us our lives in units of twenty-four hours and we should take life a day at a time. If we wish to live a long and fruitful life, we should respect and live by the biological clock He has built inside us.

4. Worry is Illogical

Worry is illogical because it is futile, unproductive and pointless. It is faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, assurance of disaster and belief in defeat. We do not know what tomorrow may bring, so there is no point in worrying about it. Why look ahead and worry about things that have not yet happened. They may just never happen anyway.

5. Worry Creates the Problem

If we are focused on our fears, we are more likely to crash into them. Thinking about them is a confirmation bias of their existence making them exist even if they are not there.

6. Worry Distracts Our Attention

Worry distracts us from the duties of the present. It grabs our attention from the things of utmost importance. It interferes with our highest functioning and delicious enjoyment of life. Worry is an uninvited guest who spoils all our fun, making our shoulders droop and forehead crease just when we should be feeling triumphant, carefree and filled with hope.

7. Worry Doubles Our Problems

To anticipate future troubles by worrying about them today is to double them. We already have enough troubles today. Today's problems are all we are capable of handling. Worrying for tomorrow, stacks up more problems than we can handle.

8. Worry Diverts our Point of Life

Life is far more important than material things. So often our worries are about relatively unimportant and trivial matters, such as food, drink, clothing, houses and cars. If we seek fulfilment in material things, we are missing the whole point of life. The point of life is the fulfilment of our purpose. Our life purpose is a combination of three things: who we are at the very core, our vision for our self and what we see possible for the world and our values. Instead of working out for our purpose, worry takes us away from the main stream of life completely diverting us from our point of life.

9. Worry is Toxic to our Health

when we worry; every system in our body is affected. Blood clotting increases, blood pressure rises, and the liver produces more cholesterol, all of which raises our risk of heart attack and stroke. Muscle tension gives rise to headaches, back pain, and other body aches. It also triggers an increase in stomach acid and either slow or speed up muscle contractions in our intestines, which can lead to stomach aches, constipation, diarrhoea, gas or heartburn. Worry can also affect our respiratory system by aggravating asthma.
It is a medical fact that worriers die sooner than the non-worriers are. That is because, as Dr. E. Stanley Jones says, "we are not designed to live in fear and worry." To live by worry is against our own nature. That is why worry is so destructive.

10. Worry Affects the People we Love

The Greek word for "worry" is "merimnaw" which literally means "to be drawn in different directions." In logical terms, worry tears us to pieces spiritually, psychologically, physically and even socially. When we are too focused on our worries, we forget about the things that really matters, even the people we care. It is a constant and dominating force that disrupts our lives and disconnects us from others.

We don't have to deny our worries or push them out to the limits because in reality, we can't. It is a part of us. It is our nature. Indeed, worry is good to some extent. It only takes a toll on our lives, when they consume us. If we hang around it day in and day out, it can short circuit our own electrical systems and leave us malfunctioning. We should take control over our worries instead of letting them take control over us. Worries are only in our head, thus it leaves us a choice whether to allow them to propagate or just forget about them. Sometimes, the process of worrying about a problem becomes much bigger than the problem itself. So we often need to learn to deal with worries head on. We should choose to think of the present concerns and decide to do something about them instead of simply worrying on them.

Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo

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To Believe is to Achieve

2007-10-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Do you know the story of the little girl who caught a fever that left her both deaf and blind at the tender age of two? But did she whine or cry at the hand that
Fate had dealt her? Did she live her life in untutored misery untouched by the world? Absolutely not . She learnt sign language. She learnt Braille. She graduated from Radcliffe in 1904. She became a writer and an orator of great repute. Who am I talking about? None other than Hellen Keller. The story of her life is a thumbnail sketch of dogged determination to overcome debilitating handicaps. It is the story of a woman whose desire to achieve a goal overcame even her physical handicaps. Helen Keller made a public success of her private and personal battle with her physical ailments.This glimpse into the life of Helen Keller teaches us a lesson that one can never forget-Desire to achieve a goal can overcome all odds. This is what motivation is all about.

Often the term motivation is thought to be limited to a meaningless word in a treatise of psychology with scant practical implications. But, to my way of thinking, motivation is inextricably woven into the very fabric of our emotional and physical lives. At the risk of sounding like a self-proclaimed preacher, I would insist that success in life is in fact the practical outcome of the desire or need to achieve a goal.Motivation is the measure of any success achieved in life. Success in any endeavour in life, be it a career or be it as mundane as house hunting, requires four elementary steps :

1. Identify a goal and focus on it to the exclusion of everything else.

2. Form an Action Plan. List out the requirements for achievement of such a goal.

3. List out the tools needed for achievement of such a goal.

4. Go for it with complete enthusiasm and determination.

For instance if your goal in life was to become a teacher, this is how you would achieve it.

1. 'I-will-become-a teacher' would be the talisman you would carry around with you all the time .A constant awareness of the goal is essential to any form of achievement.

2. The next step would be to find out the requirements and qualifications to become a teacher.

3. To earn such a qualification you would have to enroll for the necessary courses. Which courses ? What universities? After you have come to a decision in this regard you would have to follow it up with admission applications and necessary financial arrangements. If you cannot afford to quit a job you would just have to find some University running evening/night classes.

4. After the procedural formalities are done you would just have to knuckle down and

Work for your goal. Whenever you are weary and discouraged focus on your goal and chant the 'mantra' of motivation 'I -can-if-I-will'
But inspite of this 'magic motivation' or 'motivation wizardry' some of us might fail at our assigned tasks . Why? This may be for several reasons:

1. We may have more than one goal . This would automatically divide the focus. To take an analogy ,it would be like running two engines with one battery and obviously we are likely to 'run out of steam' a lot faster and so fall short of achieving either goal.

2. It may be that we are ambivalent about our goals. To put it simply we are not sure if it is really worth all the effort. Such reservations at the subconscious level would make our efforts half-hearted and hence the goal unachievable.

3. It may be that the goals we set are beyond are skills or inclination .It could be as mismatched as a seamstress attempting surgery or a tone-deaf attempting to become a musician of great repute. All the motivation in the world would not help in such a case.

4. It may be that we are afraid of failure so we attempt a task at the subconscious level without adequate tools so that on failing we can find an object to blame . This is self-defeating for in doing so we are holding ourselves up for sure defeat.

5. It maybe that we are simply too lazy to make the effort required to achieve a goal.

To simply dream of making it big is not enough. We have to work to achieve success.

To use an analogy we have to sing for our supper.

6. It maybe that our motivation has flagged and let us down.

In case of failure what we need to do is check out the goal, redraw the action plan, checkout on the adequacy of tools and once again get down to the difficult task ahead with equanimity and the power of certainty of success. Success will be ours.

We have here a ready-made recipe for success. Take one cup of desire for achievement. Add a cup of dogged determination. Sprinkle it liberally with human endeavour. Bake it in the fire of human intractability and steadfastness. Let it cool in the stream of objective evaluation. Then ice it over with -- 'to believe is to achieve'.

Sweet is the taste of success.

Contributed by: Najib

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Nobody owns theTruth and nobody can control the Truth

2007-10-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

I've been brought up with principles of Christianity as the only thing to be adhered to. Any other kind would have to be in accordance with them. When you're young, you don't have anything to oppose something in favour of because you only know what you're told and you only have people around you who would tell you the same. When you're big enough to make sense of things, it's the only thing you find yourself able to make sense of.

Maybe that shows how crazy the world can get. What you understand is only that what has been driven into your head. That could be crazy but it's the only thing you can understand the world through. Everybody's got to have atleast some sense made out of the world otherwise they would end up in an identity crisis-which they all recognize and try to avoid lest they end up being in one. Being forced in upon such decisions that make your perception of the world, what it has to offer and what you think it needs can bring about certain choices of what you choose to believe in, what you don't, what your life will be made of and what it wont.

But there's so much more of the world to see, a lot that can change what you will eventually turn out to be. I don't mean to blaspheme but I've really lost my stand. When I'm down in the dirt, that's when it can hurt that what I chose to believe in has let me down. That could only mean that it isn't worth it and that I've got to find myself some new ground.

I can stay holed up in my cell. I can say that all is well (that there are too many fools for me to be wise). I can look for options that I can use. I can scout around for choices that I can choose from that can show me the more sense that I am looking for out of this life- but I'm looking for what's absolute. I'm looking for the truth that's so complete that no point of view can change the way you see it. No opinion can change its impression on you.

I've brought myself to understand that the truth wouldn't have to be called the truth at all if there wasn't anything opposing it. It would be only thing that ever made sense. If it works, it's got to work right down in the bottom of all that opposes it. I'm heading there. I hope both worlds level because both the worlds are looking for the same thing- they only need different things out of it. One world makes it harder in superiority- the other shuns it all in pride. NOBODY OWNS THE TRUTH. NO ONE CONTROLS IT. One is just lucky to know it earlier than the other.

Contributed by:Sunil Noronha

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All of MP3.com

2007-10-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

There are many MP3 sites to choose from: Napster, Rhapsody, Wal-Mart, and many, many others. By the time you finish reading this article, you will have a new favorite MP3 Site. It's called AllofMP3.com.

At first glance, you might wonder why the site is hard to read. It's actually in Russian when you first visit their site. A simple click in the upper-left corner changes the web site language to English. Once you have done that, you are now free to peruse the vast collection of music that AllOfMp3.com offers you.

The first thing you will probably notice is how inexpensive their albums are. A popular album, such as Aerosmith, may cost you as much as $2.50 to download. You read correctly: $2.50 for the entire album. With hundreds of thousands more songs to choose from, you will have plenty of music to choose from. You can even choose which bit rate you want your new music encoded. Of course, price varies depending on which bit rate you choose. An average length album, at 192kbs, will cost about $2.00.

This isn't one of those sites filled with outdated mp3s either. You can find almost anything you're looking for, new or old, with a simple search. To make things run smoothly, you have the option of downloading the Allofmp3.com Explorer, which automatically downloads your selected mp3s into your desired folder.

What about incomplete mp3s you ask? Well, I'm glad you asked. Your account is not charged until you have downloaded the complete song.

Allofmp3.com has turned out to be a diamond in the rough of the MP3 industry. They offer inexpensive, superb quality music. If you're looking to build up your collection for cheap, check them out. I'm sure you will be mesmerized at the plethora of audio files that are at your fingertips.

Contributed by:John T Darrah

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How to write a Short Story

2007-10-07T02:51:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows writing a story is not easy. Like the drama or the poem, it is imaginative literature that should appeal to the emotions of the readers. Since it communicates the writer's interpretation of reality, there must be an artistic use of language to signify human experience. But how do we write a great short story? What are the things to keep in mind in order to come up with a short story that works? Here is a quick guide to get you started:

Read

Reading is essential to anyone who wants to write. In order to be able to write a good short story, you must read other short stories first. This will not only give you the motivation and inspiration for your own story, but it will also help you learn how other authors made an impression on the reader and use their style as basis to create your own style and impression.

Get inspired

For seasoned professionals, there is no need to obtain inspiration because thoughts naturally flow and they only have to put them into words on paper. But for novice writers, it is important to have one because it will not only help you begin your first paragraph but also keep you going throughout. Your inspiration may take the form of an object. a person, or an event that you just can't seem to forget.

Conceptualise your story

Think of something you want to talk about with your readers. Let's say you want to relate a story about a couple who fell in love with each other. What about the couple? What is it about them that you are interested to let your readers know? Focus on this idea and think of other concepts that you want to associate with this couple. Suppose the girl's parents discommended their relationship. What about the parents? What did they do to stop the two from loving each other? This could signal a good beginning for your story. From here, you would have the notion what to write down.

Map out the scenes

In order to keep your writing aligned with your pre-conceived story events, it is good to briefly map out scenes of your story on a different piece of paper. Write down the possible characters of your story and list the main events in order. You don't have to put so much detail on them because this only serves as a rough sketch of how your story will look like.

Choose your point of view

Who tells the story and how it is told is very critical for a short story to be effective. The point of view can change the feel and tone of the story radically. Hence, you must decide carefully before finally resolving with the angle of vision to use for your story. But whatever it is you decide to choose as the point of view, make sure it stays constant throughout your story to maintain consistency.

Conceive your characters

For a short story, create a maximum of only three main characters. Too many main characters will make your story confusing since each new character will provide a new dimension for the story. Each character should be more than cardboard caricatures. Make your characters speak naturally in proportion with their traits. Make them believable but mysterious.

Furnish a good introduction

When you have everything planned out, start scribbling your first paragraph. Introduce your main characters and set out the scene. The scene must be some place you know much about so that you'd be able to supply the necessary snapshot for a clearly described setting. Make your introduction interesting to hold the reader's interest and encourage them to read on to the end. It is also important to hold back significant details and the greater part of the action at this point so the mystery is kept.

Build up a great plot

From your introduction, draw out events that will eventually create a problem or a conflict for the main character/characters. After that, begin laying out an array of clues to keep the reader interested, intrigued and guessing. Intensify the conflict as the story moves forward. This will not only make your reader enthused to read more but will also keep them riveted to your story.

Show don't tell

The characters should be the ones responsible for expressing the story through their actions and dialogue and not the writer telling the reader what is being expressed. Rather than saying, "Annette was really mad at her best friend Christina for stealing her boyfriend", say "Annette felt an ache in her stomach and a strong pang of betrayal as Christina approaches her and flashes her with a sweet smile. She breathed hard trying to calm herself as she speaks with suppressed anger: "I hope you're happy now that you've proven yourself as a friend."

Use active verbs

Put as much life into your story as you can. In order to do this, employ verbs in the active voice in your story. Instead of saying," The flower was picked by Johanna", say "Johanna picked the flower."

Use dialogue every now and then

Dialogue is important in bringing your story to life. Don't just use it to pad out your characters. Use it to convey your character to identify with the reader. Use it in direct quotes like "Go there!" instead of indirect quotes as "She told him to go there."

Keep references handy

A good reference such as a thesaurus or a dictionary is crucial in creating a good story. You can use them to check your spellings and to find the words which best fit your description. Instead of using one lengthy sentence or paragraph, you can utilize one or just a few words to convey what you want to say. Oftentimes, one strong word has a greater effect than a paragraph full of fancy language.

Conclude briefly

Conclusions are tough sledding. For a good ending, it is advisable to experiment and to add a little twist. Make your ending unique but not hanging in a loose end. Make it satisfying without making it too predictable. Keep in mind to keep it short but concise and lingering so that the reader is left with a feeling of resonance. Your conclusion should wrap up everything from start to finish.

Edit and revise

After fashioning the last words of your story, it is time to begin the editing cycle. Carefully go through your work and fix all your mistakes regarding sentence construction, word usage, formatting, punctuation marks, diction, spelling, grammar, and descriptive analysis. Scratch out words, phrases and even paragraphs which don't seem to contribute to the basic elements of the story. After you are done, let it sit for a while for days and even weeks, then edit it again. Reread your story over and over again at different occasions. This will make you see various things you may want to change to make your story shine at its best.

Let others proof read

Have your friends look at your work. They may just be able to see mistakes which you have missed. For instance, they may be distracted with some words or lines which you adore dearly. In this case, you have to decide on changing it or cutting it off completely.

Writing a short story may not be easy but it can surely be done. With some knowledge on the basic elements and some passion and patience, it's effortless to pull together a story with just a few ideas. Just keep in mind that you are writing not because you have to, but because you want to. Keep the spirit up! Give it a go now!

Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo

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Goth-Emo-Punk-Hardcore with a Twist of Pop and Adidas

2007-10-07T02:47:00.000-07:00

The local, amateur scene seems to be a big craze in communities around the country. A large percentage of high school and college students alike are starting their own "garage bands" in hopes to one day make it to the mainstream, professional level. With the conception of so many new bands comes the goal to, somehow, create a new, unique sound in which to classify the hopeful's music, and make it more appealing to the masses. The truth, however, is not that a unique sound is created, but a new label or genre is placed on the music in an attempt to intensify the appeal.

With the interest in hardcore bands like Hatebreed, Atreyu, Bleeding Through, and a host of others on the rise, many of the fans of such bands have taken to creating their own bands with the same style. Most of the members in these amateur bands, however, will almost certainly never describe their music as simply "hardcore". We all know these people: the kids in school who are always trying to get you to come to their shows on Friday nights, always bragging about how they are so good, and are always describing their music as some mix of random genres like "emo-skate-metal" or "goth-thrash-with a bit of punk". Then, if you do go to see these bands, it sounds no different than the Shadows Fall CD you listened to on the way over.

Probably the worst description of a band's music came from that crazy white wannabe: Vanilla Ice. A few years ago, he had a rock band in which he described their genre as "Adidas Skate Rock". Adidas skate rock? Does Adidas really need its own classification of music? Furthermore, does Vanilla Ice have to be the poster boy for it? This is getting out of control.

I, personally, am all for high school and college students starting their own band as a hobby, or just something to do after work or school. I was there once. I used to have the dream of being a rock star. I am sure we all have. However, if an amateur band sounds just like every band of the same type of music, you are not going to succeed just because you call it something different.

Whatever happened to the days when music fell into only a few distinct categories like alternative, rock, metal, punk, easy listening, country, and pop? Nowadays you have an unlimited number of sub-genres attached to these. Why do we need "Adidas skate rock" and whatever other bullshit people come up with? I mean, honestly, is it really necessary? Most of the time, fans categorize their favourite bands' music into genres on their own. Sub-genres are a mask for the people who don't want to be exposed for falling on the bandwagon. In my opinion, a true artist does not have to explain his work; his work is to be explained by the public.

Contributed by: Rob Maynard

Art and the Artist

2007-10-07T02:46:00.001-07:00

Art is expression and the artiste is one gifted with the ability to express but expression is not confined to the ability of the artiste. It is the need of man to express and be understood that has brought about communication protocol like gestures and languages. An artists ability to express is none like any ordinary mans, thus setting him apart, because he has the ability to see things that not everyone can see &appreciate until they have been revealed.(there are people who have good taste and people who give them an opportunity to enjoy that taste.).

It's like there are things that "metaphorically" float in the air above our head and between us. It's an artist's ability to see these "metaphorical" things and bring them to the notice of the rest of the world. Though the people of the world need artistes to find the perfect companion when a fellow human being wont do, to take them away from this crazy world we live in for a while and to give them hope against faultless reasoning when it is uncalled for, they bind him down by forcing him to give them things that they want to hear in they want to hear them in an indirect manner by determining his success in the support they lend to him in return for that pleasure. The constant complaint of an artiste, if he chooses to complain, is that when he offers his audience something to think about, they tackle on the armour of analysis and analyse it until it dies away or dies down until it is kept alive by a few who believe in it. If he offers them something hollow, rebellious or just what they want to hear, they take it in because they like things the way they know, rather blame someone else or they'd just rather leave life's questions unanswered.

A clever artiste knows what people want and gives them exactly what they want. A true honest artiste digs out the truth and offers it up. He is a true believer in the arts. He is like in between the audience and the art. The audience needs to understand that they are ill informed when it comes to things that he can give them that are worthy taking in. If they could do what he can, he wouldn't be needed to do them but since they can't, he is there. They only have the power and the ability to stop him in his tracks and deny his discoveries from further penetrating into their lives and affecting them.

In touching hearts, souls and lives lies an artiste's success. That is where his audience can cut him off. They can choose to let their hearts, souls and lives be touched by things they choose to let it be touched by. As an amateur artiste (as I'd like to call myself), it is this that weighs heavy on my head. It needs to be understood that an art wouldn't be called an art if you could make it what you want. A true artiste is a visionary who is gifted with many a vision, which he understands better than anybody else that he can speak of, sing about, write about or describe with conviction in a manner that nobody else can.

Every art has got its folk form which almost anyone can indulge in as well as another but its true form is one which one needs to be gifted enough to be a part of. Being the key to its survival and it being almost our everyday need, we need to allow the free flow of expression and support the arts. We can never tell what it may bring us because they are so many things that we don't see. Its best we leave that up to artistes, because only they can bring them to our notice, without allowing them to work only within a certain framework. There's a huge world out there. Most of us live in our own world far from it. That's what motivates me as a songwriter. There's never a song not to write. The world is never big enough, beautiful enough or versatile enough. So many things to understand and define before you get to what's absolute

Contributed by: Sunil Noronha