Your Special Occasions

Insurance Company

2013-04-03T21:40:00.001-07:00

Insurance nowadays is very popular for it gives high benefits to each individual.

Valentines Day

2013-02-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

You know when you have found your prince because you not only have a smile on your face but in your heart as well. ~Author Unknown

Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart. ~Author Unknown

Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law. ~Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy

A baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it. ~Frank A. Clark

Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly. ~Rose Franken

Love is like dew that falls on both nettles and lilies. ~Swedish Proverb

I love you like crazy, baby
'Cuz I'd go crazy without you.
~Pixie Foudre

How did it happen that their lips came together? How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A kiss, and all was said. ~Victor Hugo

It is astonishing how little one feels alone when one loves. ~John Bulwer

Love is not singular except in syllable. ~Marvin Taylor

They who meet on an April night are forever lost in love, if there's moonlight all about and there's no moon above. ~E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and Fred Saidy, dialogue just before the song "Old Devil Moon" in the musical Finian's Rainbow (Thanks, Katherine!)

Love me and the world is mine. ~David Reed

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. ~Robert Frost

Love is the poetry of the senses. ~Honoré de Balzac

Come live in my heart and pay no rent. ~Samuel Lover

True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked. ~Erich Segal

Love is what you've been through with somebody. ~James Thurber, quoted inLife magazine, 1960

Love is being stupid together. ~Paul Valery

For twas not into my ear you whispered
But into my heart
Twas not my lips you kissed
But my soul
~Judy Garland

As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words. ~William Shakespeare

My heart to you is given:
Oh, do give yours to me;
We'll lock them up together,
And throw away the key.
~Frederick Saunders

Love is the greatest refreshment in life. ~Pablo Picasso

What the world really needs is more love and less paper work. ~Pearl Bailey

Give me a kisse, and to that kisse a score;
Then to that twenty, adde a hundred more;
A thousand to that hundred; so kisse on,
To make that thousand up a million;
Treble that million, and when that is done,
Let's kisse afresh, as when we first begun.
~Robert Herrick, "To Anthea (III)"

Falling in love is so hard on the knees. ~Aerosmith

Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination. ~Voltaire

The most beautiful view is the one I share with you. ~Author Unknown

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them. ~Stephen King

My whole heart for my whole life. ~French saying used on poesy rings

Like I've always said, love wouldn't be blind if the braille weren't so damned much fun. ~Armistead Maupin, Maybe the Moon

Love is metaphysical gravity. ~R. Buckminster Fuller

If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden. ~Attributed to Claudia Ghandi

Valentines Special Qoute

2013-02-11T18:05:00.000-08:00

Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place. ~Zora Neale Hurston

Love is a game that two can play and both win. ~Eva Gabor

Without love, the rich and poor live in the same house. ~Author Unknown

Valentine hearts beat more passionately than everyday hearts. ~Anonymous, winner of February 2011 quotegarden Twitter create your own quote contest

Without Valentine's Day, February would be... well, January. ~Jim Gaffigan

We don't believe in rheumatism and true love until after the first attack. ~Marie Ebner Von Eschenbach, Aphorism

I love thee - I love thee,
'Tis all that I can say
It is my vision in the night,
My dreaming in the day.
~Thomas Hood

Love, and a cough, cannot be hid. ~George Herbert, Jacula Prudentum, 1651

Love unlocks doors and opens windows that weren't even there before. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

Poetry spills from the cracks of a broken heart, but flows from one which is loved. ~Christopher Paul Rubero

A man is not where he lives, but where he loves. ~Latin Proverb

Tell me how many beads there are
In a silver chain
Of evening rain,
Unravelled from the tumbling main,
And threading the eye of a yellow star: -
So many times do I love again.
~Thomas Lovell Beddoes

The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of. ~Blaise Pascal, Pensées, 1670

At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet. ~Plato

True love stories never have endings. ~Richard Bach

Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold. ~Zelda Fitzgerald

Love is missing someone whenever you're apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you're close in heart. ~Kay Knudsen

Ah me! love can not be cured by herbs. ~Ovid

Soul meets soul on lovers' lips. ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

I need the starshine of your heavenly eyes,
After the day's great sun.
~Charles Hanson Towne

Love is the silent saying and saying of a single name. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Love would never be a promise of a rose garden unless it is showered with light of faith, water of sincerity and air of passion. ~Author Unknown

Sometimes we make love with our eyes. Sometimes we make love with our hands. Sometimes we make love with our bodies. Always we make love with our hearts. ~Author Unknown

The eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love. ~Margaret Atwood

Valentines Special - February 14 a special Day

2013-02-10T18:04:00.000-08:00

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. ~Henry Van Dyke

Are we not like two volumes of one book? ~Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

A bell is no bell 'til you ring it,
A song is no song 'til you sing it,
And love in your heart
Wasn’t put there to stay -
Love isn’t love
'Til you give it away.
~Oscar Hammerstein, Sound of Music, "You Are Sixteen (Reprise)"

I've fallen in love many times... always with you. ~Author Unknown

Love is much nicer to be in than an automobile accident, a tight girdle, a higher tax bracket or a holding pattern over Philadelphia. ~Judith Viorst, Redbook, 1975

What I need to live has been given to me by the earth. Why I need to live has been given to me by you. ~Author Unknown

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

When you're in love you never really know whether your elation comes from the qualities of the one you love, or if it attributes them to her; whether the light which surrounds her like a halo comes from you, from her, or from the meeting of your sparks. ~Natalie Clifford Barney

Take away love and our earth is a tomb. ~Robert Browning

Desktop Wallpaper is More Than Something Pretty To Look At

2013-02-08T01:04:00.000-08:00

After getting a new computer, it's natural to customize it so it reflects your preferences instead of looking like something straight from the factory. Visual appeal is one advantage, but you can also use a computer's desktop wallpaper to help you work toward achieving goals.

Altering Your Mindset

Often, lives can change in an instant, especially in terms of relationships with others. If you're in the process of separating from a spouse, it's easy to find yourself in a downward spiral that seems to have no way out. Deciding who will be responsible for property and the care of any children involved, along with finding divorce lawyers, are all parts of this process.

However, you can remind yourself that although a divorce can cause many strong emotions, these feelings don't have to consume you. Use a desktop design that features a motivational phrase to stay positive, even when the situation seems negative.

Reminders of Special People and Pets

Internet access makes it simple to stay in touch with people around the globe. A computer desktop is a great way to keep someone you care about firmly present in your memory.

Many people consider their pets to be a part of the family, too. Whether you want to remember a dearly departed furry friend, or smile at the thought of an animal pal who's waiting for you when you come home from work, pay tribute to their loyalty by giving them a place of honor on your computer desktop.

If your pet was rescued from a shelter, you can even use a desktop to promote pet adoption. Nothing draws attention faster than the image of a lovable creature. Whenever someone stops to admire your desktop, gently suggest the idea of adopting instead of buying from a pet shop, especially if a person is already considering a new addition to the family.

Focusing Your Spending

Rackspace, a cloud technology company in the United Kingdom, performed a study that found that 40% of users polled made purchases via their tablet or smartphone. Even if you're just a casual internet user, you're likely bombarded with suggestions of things to purchase on a daily basis.

Keep impulse buying to a minimum by giving yourself a large item or experience to anticipate. Things such as a long-awaited trip to the hills of Ireland or a flashy sports car are expensive, but can create dozens of memories. Switch up your desktop to represent whatever you'd like to buy, and use it as a reminder whenever you're tempted to buy something that's not essential to your daily life.

There's also nothing wrong with selecting a desktop background that's purely pleasurable, such as an image of your favorite celebrity. However, by keeping some of the above ideas in mind, you can use a desktop background to help you remember what matters most in life.

Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publicly voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.

Say It With Flowers: Top 10 Flowers Symbolizing Love

2013-02-08T01:01:00.003-08:00

It's Love

The language of flowers lends nearly every species a special symbol and meaning. Many different flowers symbolize love, whether it is true love, adoration, first love or passionate love.

1. Lilac – First Love

Lilac (Syringa) is a flowering woody plant consisting of about 20-25 species. Lilac symbolizes first love and is native to southeastern Europe and eastern Asia.

2. Pansy – Loving Thoughts

Pansies come in a variety of colors and mean loving thoughts. Pansies are large-flowered plants, typically with blue and purple flower petals. Pansies come from the viola species referred to as Viola tricolor hortensis.

3. Red Rose – Passionate Love

Roses are synonymous with love, especially red roses. So it should come as no surprise that the red rose symbolizes passionate love. Roses consist of more than 120 varieties, including other colors such as white, orange, coral, pink, blue and purple.

4. Yellow Tulip – Hopelessly in Love

There are a variety of colors of tulips, including yellow, purple, lavender, red, peach, orange, white, yellow and pink. There are also bi-color variations of tulips. Tulips have six petals to each flower and live up to 7 days in the vase. Yellow tulips symbolize being hopelessly in love.

5. Red Tulip – Declaration of Love

Each color of tulip means something. While the yellow tulips signify being hopelessly in love, the red tulips symbolize a declaration of love. It is exceptional for people who are in a new relationship.

6. Acacia Blossoms – Chaste or Concealed Love

The acacia blossom belongs to the Fabaceae family and grows in a variety of colors, but it is more likely to see the cream-colored flower. They grow in spikes and mean chaste or concealed love.

7. Daisies – Loyal Love

To many, daisies symbolize friendship, but the actual meaning of daisies isloyal love. Daisies belong to the same flower family as other bright and friendly flowers such as sunflowers and chrysanthemums.

8. Forget-me-Nots – True Love

This beautiful wildflower typically grows in large and thick patches in the wild and grow on stalks in small clusters. Forget-me-nots symbolize and create thoughts of true love.

9. Gardenia – Secret Love

If you have a secret or desire to love, the gardenia represents this kind of love. There are more than 200 species of gardenia, and they grow as single or double flowers in various shrubs.

10. Sunflower – Adoration

The sunflower represents a different kind of love and affection:adoration. They are large flowers of2 to 8 inches in diameter that grow in fields. Most sunflowers you see will be of yellow or bronze shades, but they also come in brown, black, green, orange and red.

Let your loved one know you care by sending these flowers to their home, like we did for theclarity wayoffice, or place of business.

Don't be so hard of your self - Self-compassion improves happiness

2012-11-14T18:23:00.002-08:00

The concept of “self-compassion” is getting much attention at present in the world of psychology. Self-compassion refers to adopting a kind, non-judgemental, accepting attitude toward oneself and one’s problems. In contrast, low self-compassion is associated with self-criticism and rumination (the tendency to get stuck in cycles of over-analysis and worry). These are two primary contributors to anxiety and depression, and other mental health issues.

In fact, the research shows that self-compassion can buffer against anxiety and depression, increase our resilience to stress and even improve our feelings of happiness, optimism and conscientiousness. Hence, it’s imperative that if you want to lead a happier life, you must practice self-compassion. How can you learn to adopt a more compassionate attitude toward yourself? Below are five ideas.

1. Accept your weaknesses

Adopting greater self-compassion means being able to recognise your weakness and vulnerabilities, and feel compassionate toward those misgivings rather than berating yourself for having them. Got huge thighs? So what, at least you have a cute nose! Have a poor memory? OK, annoying at times but at least you have a big heart. After all, what does berating yourself really do anyway? It doesn’t change a weakness; in fact it just gives it more power. Instead, choose to feel compassion for yourself for your vulnerabilities.

2. Reappraise mistakes

Perfectionism is the arch-nemesis of self-compassion. Many people struggling with stress, anxiety and depression set themselves (and often others) unrealistic expectations that they can never live up to. Each small mistake or mishap is interpreted as a sign of their failure as a human being, and leads to an onslaught of self-beatings. Sure, it’s important to face your mistakes to learn what to do differently in the future but adding self-beatings adds no value other than to make you unhappy. From now on when you make a mistake, smile, and say something kind to yourself.

3. Embrace your feelings

Most of us don’t like “negative” feelings; anger, sadness, guilt, anxiety, depression so we fight with those feelings deeming them bad and undesirable. Yet negative feelings such as these are a normal part of being human. They make us neither good nor bad, they are mere transitory experiences. Yet when we resist our negative feelings and criticise ourselves for feeling them, we add fuel to the emotion making us feel even worse about ourselves. All of a sudden we feel angry about our anxiety, or disappointed about our depression. Double whammy of bad feelings is the result! The answer is not to wallow with enjoyment in your misery, but to observe these emotions as you would a good friend who is feeling down – reach out with kind words, a listening ear and a big hug – and you will feel so much better than if you get in the boxing ring with your bad feelings.

4. Visualise a compassionate self

A great way to practice self-compassion is through your imagination. Think of someone you know who is quite a compassionate person; be it a friend, teacher, or some legendary figure like Ghandi. Imagine meeting this person on a beautiful day by the ocean and expressing your concerns. How would this person respond in a compassionate manner? What would they say to you? How would they act? Now visualise adopting this same compassionate approach to yourself. What would it look like? Feel like? Each time you feel down, have a bad day or feel particularly self-critical take a few deep breaths while you imagine a compassionate scene like this one.

5. Understand mindfulness

As well as a regular practice you can adopt to clear the mind and become more present in life, mindfulness is a way of living in each moment. It involves acceptance of everything that is here in the now; choosing to allow and embrace what already is rather than judge it or resist it or wish it were different. There is a strong link between mindfulness and self-compassion. In fact, the research that has investigated the benefits of mindfulness based psychology techniques tends to suggest that one of the ways it has such a positive impact on wellbeing and reducing mental health issues is via increasing self-compassion. So adopt a daily practice of mindfulness, and also read a good book or listen to a seminar on the concept of mindfulness as a whole. There is an evidence based approach that psychologists now use called “Mindfulness Based Stress reduction” and “Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy” that may also be worth exploring.

10 Tips to make your Love Happy - Bloom your Relationship

2012-07-17T19:17:00.003-07:00

By SC Chua for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

1. Go on date nights
"Couples should never stop courting," says Lou Paget, a sex educator and author of Hot Mamas. Going on dates with your significant other can help reignite the spark and bring back joy to the relationship.

Pick a time and a venue, and consider it a treat for the two of you. Bring back the lust by revisiting spots you went to on your earlier dates. Make sure you take the time and dress up for your date. Nothing like seeing you all spruced up to make him feel wanted and naturally attracted to you. Also, leave the mobile phones out of your date nights (or at least stop constantly checking it); everything else can wait! "The key is to pay attention to your mate," says Paget.

2. Wear his cologne
You love how he smells, so why shouldn't you be treated to that masculine scent all day long? Research shows that smelling your man is actually an aphrodisiac. According to researchers at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, the scent of a man's cologne can significantly increase a woman's arousal. "[Smelling your man's cologne] will certainly help put you in the mood," says Cynthia Graham, Ph.D., one of the researchers.

So the next time you're missing your man or if he is away for a business trip, dab a little of his favorite scent behind your ears. Chances are, you'll be ready to pounce on him the minute he walks through the door.

3. Keep the TV out of your relationship
You've probably heard this many times, but we feel it still needs to be reinforced in all relationships: limit your TV time as a couple. Here's why: A research from Purdue University reveals that people who chat while the TV is blaring look at their companions 36 percent less often than they do when it's turned off. As result, your alone time with your partner is a less satisfying (and definitely less intimate). "With the set turned off, you'll create more opportunities for conversation and be able to focus on your loved one as you talk," says study author Glenn Sparks.

4. Laugh together
According to a study in the journal Motivation and Emotion, couples who share a laugh were more satisfied with their relationships than those who didn't. And when you are more satisfied with your relationship, chances are your sex life will also be more amazing. Explains Doris Bazzini, lead author of the study: "Laughing together builds a supply of good memories. You'll call on it later when times get tough."

5. Get rid of a negative body imageNobody wants to get intimate if they think they're fat/ugly/undesirable/insert negative body image here. Many times, being negative about how you look can be a downer for any relationship. The key here? The faster you get rid of all that negative body image, the better it will be for your sex life. Laura Berman, author of Real Women, Real Sex, explains that your partner won't see your areas as problem areas until you point them out. So make sure you stop putting yourself down in front of your partner and just enjoy his admiration for your body instead!

To take it a step further, why not indulge him by dressing the part? Kick off your baggy T-shirt and unshapely pants; instead, start wearing clothes that are flattering to your body! It won't hurt to invest in a pair of lacy underwear to help you feel sexy underneath.

6. Set the mood in the bedroom

Venue plays a part when it comes to a great sex life. So an overly cramped, messy and dull bedroom can fizzle out whatever desire you both have for sex. "If you can do anything to transform your bedroom into something new and different, that can make a big difference," advises sex therapist Louanne Cole Weston.

You don't have to give your bedroom an overhaul to achieve this. Do small things like light up candles at night or invest in mood lighting to set a romantic vibe, getting silk sheets (for that smooth sensation) and also removing the junk out of your room to create more space and peace within.

7. Go in for a hugHugs can prove to be more than just comforting; it can also create a sense of connection and be a foolproof foreplay. Says Dr. Ian Kerner, sex and relationship counselor as well as author of She Comes First, "Studies show that a 20-second hug raises the level of the 'cuddle-hormone' oxytocin, which facilitates a sense of love and connection. It's a way of bookending the day and entering the new chapter of the evening. Men need to be hugged three times as much as women to reach similar levels, so go for a full minute of hugging."

The next time you see your guy, make sure you greet him with a nice long hug. Plus, being so close to you and touching your skin that way is a great way to get him wanting more.

8. Manage your stressThe instant sex killer? Stress. Who has time to think about being intimate when you're worried about everything else!

Be careful—letting stress take over your life will result in an unsatisfying relationship as well as sex life. Suggest Irwin Goldstein, MD, director of San Diego Sexual Medicine and editor in chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine: "People are overworked and stressed. And they translate their overworked, stressed lives to a lousy sex life."

Don't want to fall into the rut of stress? Why not go away on a vacation with your partner. Being able to leave all that work behind will free up your mind to enjoy the time with your partner—whether out sight-seeing or in the hotel bedroom.

9. Eat your way to a better sex lifeCertain foods are known to help boost your sex life. So the next time you go grocery shopping, make sure you include these into your shopping basket:
Oysters and avocados. Both are high in dopamine, a neurotransmitter that triggers the part of our brain that recognizes reward and pleasure.
Fish. Contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which improve your cardiovascular health and increase dopamine.
Chili. Helps to kick-start your nervous system and gets the heart racing—perfect for after-dinner fun!
Almonds. Contain a high level of arginine, which helps to boost blood flow. Better blood flow means heightened sensitivity.

10. Stay in shapePhysical activity can be a sure-fire way to keep things sizzling in the bedroom for a simple reason—the healthier you are, the better you look and the more confidence you'll have in your body. Plus, it'll help you enjoy sex even more. Says Sara Nasserzadeh, Ph.D. and co-author of The Orgasm Answer Guide, "Physical fitness absolutely affects the physical intensity and quality of sex." Also, research shows that exercise can help increase blood flow and improve your orgasms. So go on, grab your partner for a run. You'll enjoy the treat that comes after.

What is best - Saving or Investing? How to Earn More in this financial Tips

2012-07-17T19:15:00.002-07:00

What if I told you I’m going to eat as much as I can now, so I won’t have to eat next year? Yeah, stupid, and a good analogy for saving to get rich. There’s a huge difference between “rich” and just “not poor”. Investing makes you rich; saving keeps you from bankruptcy. Good financial sense is a balancing act between the two: not letting your money stagnate with savings, and not blowing it on bad investments. In this article, we dispel some common myths about savings:

When it comes to finance, size matters.

What’s the Difference Between Saving and Investing?

Savings minimize risk, while investments maximize growth. It’s the difference between getting $2 for every $1, or just burying your money under a rock.

Savings preserve liquidity, making sure you have access to your money when you need it. Investing, on the other hand, requires commitment; investing temporarily removes your money (or your access to it) in the process of growing it. That’s why between the two, savings provides more psychological comfort. Our lizard brains are conditioned to hoard money, like dogs burying bones, or cats hiding food in the sofa.

Another difference is the prospect of risk. Saving is a risk-resistant (nothing is truly ‘risk-free’) way of using money. But even the safest investments carry greater risk than saving. Investments are a calculated gamble: “lending” your money in the hopes of getting back more.

So despite the risk, why do investments beat savings?

Saving money huh. Smells fishy.

1. Possible Loss vs. Definite Loss

Investments are a possible loss. There’s a chance investing in your Uncle Cho’s Stainless Steel Schoolbag shop wasn’t the wisest move. And even if you do make money, it may not be as much as you planned.

That sounds like a raw deal, until you realize that stagnant savings mean a definite loss. The inflation rate in Singapore (2011) is pegged at 5.7% and growing. Most banks pay out an interest of 0.2%. If a $15 meal today ends up costing $24 in 10 years, then what happens to your savings?

Because the money in your savings isn’t growing with inflation, it’ll be worth less as time passes. In about 20 years, that $5,000 you’ve saved up might last you all of a month.Simply put, you may as well dig a hole and dump your money in it.

The bank's new savings account was DIY.

2. Wage Reliance

Savings are usually tied to wages. Most of us save X percentage of whatever we get. This creates a whole host of problems, because our wages aren’t as reliable as most of us assume.

Wages are subject to a lot of variables. Falling sick, collapsing companies, retrenchment, or just plain getting old. Singapore’s re-employment act, for example, allows for a pay cut (down to the median wage) for workers over 62. These constant shifts in wages impair the growth or even maintenance of our savings.

Investments, on the other hand, aren’t usually tied to our working life. If you’ve invested in a growth plan, that growth remains constant, even if you’re fired or retrenched. Investments are the independent, self-sustaining members of your financial family; savings are the whiny cry-babies that need constant feeding.

The slave proudly presents his ownership document.

3. Quality of Life

Save money: Don’t spend. Don’t buy that book. Don’t watch that movie. Don’t get new shoes.

The less you spend, the less you express yourself, the less you live your life, the more money you’ll save. It’s more depressing than a Good Charlotte concert in the dark. Obsessing over savings means constant budgeting and control. And because savings won’t make you richer, you’ll be doing that for the rest of your life.

Financial freedom isn’t just about security; it’s about being able to experience life without worry. Savings alone will never give you that, because the entire basis of saving is anxiety. It’s about preparing for emergencies. And without investments, you’ll never be free to leave the bomb shelter and first aid kit.

"…and I save $40 a month on aftershave. Next, I'm moving into a cave."

4. Saving Will Never Make You Rich

This should be common sense, but it eludes too many people.

If you save $5000, you get…$5000. Saving doesn’t actually raise your finances, it just preserves a portion of it. And no tycoons ever got rich by diligently saving X% of their income for Y years. At some point, all those savings must come into play. Unless those savings are tapped for an investment of some sort, they will never add money to your bank account.

Conclusion

I’m not suggesting you empty that bank account and blow it all on investments. Rather, I’m suggesting that part of what you put aside should be invested. Ideally, you should be saving 10% of your income, and investing the other 20%.

If you’re not sure how to invest, stick to fixed deposits or simple insurance growth schemes. The only risk in these schemes is that you’ll make less than you expect. Short of the bank collapsing, it’s very rare to actually lose money.(yahoo)

Happy 4th of July - Independence Day of United States of America

2012-07-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day - 4th of July, Wednesday 2012

Independence Day is the birthday of the United States of America and is celebrated on the Fourth of July each year. Independence Day is the anniversary of the day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

John Adams, one of the founders of our new nation, said, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore." Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

In 1941, Congress declared July 4 a legal public holiday.

10 Ways to make your Love Life Bloom and Happy

2012-07-04T18:54:00.002-07:00

By SC Chua for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

6. Set the mood in the bedroom

The next time you see your guy, make sure you greet him with a nice long hug. Plus, being so close to you and touching your skin that way is a great way to get him wanting more.

8. Manage your stressThe instant sex killer? Stress. Who has time to think about being intimate when you're worried about everything else!

Being Happy with Yourself - Tips and Ways

2012-07-04T18:52:00.002-07:00

Being happy is not dependent on how much money you earn, how many gadgets you have, or how many fancy cars you have.

Happiness comes from a much deeper place; it comes from within you. All our lives we are constantly looking at external factors to make us happy – approvals from others, branded clothes, expensive shoes, iphones, ipods, new laptops and what not. But we fail to realize these things only offer transient happiness. If you want to be permanently happy, look inside, not outside. Initially, you might have to force yourself to be happy, but then it will become a habit.

Go easy on yourself

Forgive yourself for all the wrongs you have done in your life – being mean to a sibling, disrespecting your parents, stealing from your best friend, lying to your teachers. Whatever it is, however big a transgression it is, forgive yourself. Tell yourself it is fine. You’re human. Things happen. The important thing is to realize your wrongdoing and repenting for it. Once you’ve done that, breathe and let it go.

Forgive and forget

If others have wronged you in some way, find it in your heart to forgive them. There is nothing else that will give you as much peace. Don’t hold any grudges. It’s like carrying a heavy baggage on your head and being asked to walk up a hill. Discard the baggage and you will reach the top that much quicker. Look forward. Don’t harp too much on the past.

Enough with the judging/criticizing

Stop judging and criticizing people at once and you will immediately notice people around you increase in numbers. You will possibly make new friends thereby increasing your happiness quotient. Judging and criticizing shuts us down. We then don’t see the goodness in people, but just their flaws. Once you stop doing this, you will note how much space it clears in your head to think about other things. Try it.

Give

Give your time to others, do something for them. You could volunteer at a blind school or an orphanage. It could even be as simple as helping your mother with the household work – grocery shopping, cutting vegetables, or husking a coconut. Doing something for others makes you feel happy and content.

Stop fixating on your problems

Stop getting depressed over your problems, because the more you do the more depressed you will feel. Also, constantly thinking about your problems will only make them seem bigger and daunting than they really are. If you have an education loan you need to pay back, focus on how to pay it back, rather than focusing on how broke you are at the end of every month. One way around this is to not let your mind idle and busying yourself with things. The minute you feel you have been shortchanged, think of all the things that you have -- your family, the love around you, your current possessions, your present achievements in life, and be thankful for all of them.

Do what makes you smile

Do things that you enjoy doing. Take out time every day, if possible, or once a week to do the activities that you are passionate about – horse riding, swimming, stamp collection, reading, whatever it is.

Stop giving much attention to what others say

Stop paying too much value to others’ opinions about you. It’s okay to listen to them to see if there is something of value for you, but if it’s only criticism and their biased views about how you should live and behave and what is acceptable and what is not, then cover your ears and walk out.

Live your life. You’re only given one. Make full use of it. Do whatever it is you dream of doing, so that at the end of it all, you have no regrets.

Happy Fourth of July - Independece Day in America

2012-07-01T17:57:00.003-07:00

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when theSecond Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day later, John Adamshad written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

There is no question that July 4, 1776 is the date that the Congress approved the final official document, having voted to declare independence two days earlier. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had also signed it on that day. However, most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third president in a row who died on this memorable day. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only President to have been born on Independence Day.

London 2012 Festival: Opens on June 21, 2012

2012-06-18T02:43:00.001-07:00

The London 2012 Festival, taking place 21 June –9 September is the finale of the four-year Cultural Olympiad. Complementing the sporting events at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the festival will be the biggest party the UK has ever seen with over 1,000 events taking place all over the UK – many of them free.

Famous headliners include Cate Blanchett and Jude Law, while some of the highlight events include the World Shakespeare Festival; Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend – the national radio station’s biggest free concert ever; and West End Live where you can experience the best of London theatre for free in Trafalgar Square.

More high profile events will be announced in January 2012 and over 70 productions will take place all around Britain.(http://gouk.com)

http://festival.london2012.com

Summer Solstice 2012 - When will be the First Day?

2012-06-17T22:38:00.001-07:00

Enjoy the first day of Summer this June 20, 2012.

Summer is the warmest season of the year when the sun shines directly on one half of the world. Summer in the Northern Hemisphere begins about June 21st - the date of the summer solstice. It ends about September 23, the date of the autumnal equinox. Usually, July and August are the hottest months of the summer season. Crops, trees, and other plants reach their full maturity in summer.

When the sun is the high over the Northern Hemisphere, it is low in the Southern Hemisphere. The warmest months in the United States are the coldest months in Australia, and in the southern part of the South America and Africa. The growing season of Australia and Argentina is during the months of December, January, and February. These months compare with June, July, and August in the Northern Hemisphere. (apples4theteacher.com)

Sumer Games and Ideas

Enjoy your summer by doing different ideas and activities even in your home. You can do or write poetry, summer crafts and more. Have a very nice day.!!! enjoy :)

Happy Father's Day - June 17, 2012 (USA, Canada, UK)

2012-06-06T21:51:00.002-07:00

Fathers Day for 2012 will be on June 17, 2012. Share your love with your dad and give the very best hug and thanks as they are the one who guides with endless care and love.

Best Father's Day Poems and Quotes

A Dad is

A Dad is respected because he gives his children leadership.
A Dad is appreciated because he gives his children care.
A Dad is valued because he gives his children time.
A Dad is loved because he gives his children the one thing they treasure most - himself.

A Place Just For Dad
We many not shower him with praise
Nor mention his name in song,
And sometimes it seems that we forget
The joy he spreads as he goes along,
But it doesn't mean that we don't know
The wonderful role that he has had.
And away down deep in every heart
There's a place that is just for Dad...

What Makes A Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,

The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,

The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,

Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad

A Father Means...
A Father means so many things...
An understanding heart,
A source of strength and support right from the very start.

A constant readiness to help
In a kind and thoughtful way.
With encouragement and forgiveness,

No matter what comes your way.
A special generosity and always affection, too.
A father means so many things
when he's a man like you....

Happy Father's Day
"Happy Father's Day" means more than have a happy day.
Within those words lie lots of things we never get to say.
It means we love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to us,
And that we honor you.

But most of all, I guess it means that we are thinking of...
Your happiness on this, your day,
with pleasure and with love.

Internation Womens Day - MARCH 8,2012

2012-03-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

THEME: Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty

Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Organisations, governments, charities and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.

"Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures" is the 2012 theme of the internationalwomensday.com website and this has been widely used by hundreds of organisations including schools, universities, governments, women’s groups and the private sector. Each year the United Nations declares an overall International Women's Day theme. Their 2012 theme is “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. Many organisations develop their own themes that are more relevant to their local contexts. For example, the European Parliament's 2012 theme is "Equal pay for work of equal value".

Special Someone

2012-01-24T18:03:00.001-08:00

Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart. ~Author Unknown

A hundred hearts would be too few
To carry all my love for you.
~Author Unknown

You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip. ~Jonathan Carroll, "Outside the Dog Museum"

We're all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love. ~Robert Fulghum,True Love

Must, bid the Morn awake!
Sad Winter now declines,
Each bird doth choose a mate;
This day's Saint Valentine's.
For that good bishop's sake
Get up and let us see
What beauty it shall be
That Fortune us assigns.
~Michael Drayton

Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. ~William Shakespeare

kisses are a better fate
than wisdom.
~e.e. cummings

If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? ~Author Unknown

Who, being loved, is poor? ~Oscar Wilde

In melody divine,
My heart it beats to rapturous love,
I long to call you mine.
~Author Unknown

Grow old with me! The best is yet to be. ~Robert Browning

Without love, what are we worth? Eighty-nine cents! Eighty-nine cents worth of chemicals walking around lonely. ~M*A*S*H, Hawkeye

The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it. You and you alone make me feel that I am alive. Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough. ~George Moore

We loved with a love that was more than love. ~Edgar Allan Poe

Love is the magician that pulls man out of his own hat. ~Ben Hecht

Be My Valentine

2012-01-24T18:02:00.001-08:00

Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine, love, thou art every day my Valentine! ~Thomas Hood

When love is not madness, it is not love. ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Many are the starrs I see, but in my eye no starr like thee. ~English saying used on poesy rings

Loving is not just looking at each other, it's looking in the same direction. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love. ~Albert Einstein

I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. ~Author Unknown

For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
~Rosemonde Gerard

Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end. ~Author Unknown

Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker. ~Author Unknown

I claim there ain't
Another Saint
As great as Valentine.
~Ogden Nash

Trip over love, you can get up. Fall in love and you fall forever. ~Author Unknown

Worlds Best Grandparents

2011-09-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

"Just about the time a woman thinks her work is done, she becomes a grandmother."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Edward H. Dreschnack
"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Jane Howard
"No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Author Unknown
"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Desmond Tutu
"A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Lois Wyse

"If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Attributed to Claudia Ghandi
"A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Author Unknown
"Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven't thought of yet."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Gene Perret
"Few things are more delightful than grandchildren fighting over your lap."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Doug Larson
"Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Mary H. Waldrip
"On the seventh day God rested. His grandchildren must have been out of town."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Gene Perret
"It's such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother - that's why the world calls her grandmother."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Author Unknown
"Do you know why grandchildren are always so full of energy? They suck it out of their grandparents."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Gene Perret
"Never have children, only grandchildren."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Gore Vidal
"Grandchildren: the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Gene Perret
"If nothing is going well, call your grandmother."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Italian Proverb
"A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Author Unknown
"Are we not like two volumes of one book?"
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
"When a child is born, so are grandmothers."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Judith Levy
"I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. "
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Colonel Potter, M*A*S*H
"The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Sam Levenson, You Don't Have to Be in "Who's Who" to Know What's What
"The reason grandchildren and grandparents get along so well is that they have a common enemy."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Sam Levenson
"Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Alex Haley
"Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting."
- Grandparents Day Quotes by Author Unknown

Happy Grandparents Day: Poems

2011-09-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Proverbs

African

"If you know his father and grandfather, don't worry about his son."

"The motherless child will suckle the grandmother."

Chinese

"The old are the precious gem in the center of the household."

"To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root."

German

"Even the devil's grandmother was a nice girl when she was young."

Indian

"The baby is not yet born, and yet you say that his nose is like his grandfather's."

Irish

"You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was."

Italian

"If nothing is going well, call your grandmother."

Jewish

"One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn't good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world."

"When you have a grandchild, you have two children."

Sioux

"A people without history is like wind on the buffalo grass."

Spanish

"Children brought up by their grandparents are generally spoiled."

"Those who have no grandparents lose very much."

Traditional

"Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs."

"A good man will have wealth to leave his grandchildren."

"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."

Welsh

"Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild."

Happy Grandparents Day

2011-09-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Grandfathers are a special breed
Of kinfolk, all their own.
They love you and hug you,
And spoil you to death.
And then, they send you home.

Friendship Sayings

2011-09-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like 
the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important 
thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a 
meaningful day.  
 - Dalai Lama
Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly 
not born until they arrive.
 - Anais Nin
I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people 
are just idiots. I've learned. . . that we don't have to change 
friends if we understand that friends change. I've learned
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you 
every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
 - Unknown

Friends Quotes

2011-09-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours. - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Friendships are fragile things and require as much care in handling as any other fragile and precious thing. - Randolph S. Bourne

What is a Friend? I will tell you. It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. - Frank Crane

Christmas gift suggestions

2011-09-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

“Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”