closeness between people

Intimacy is a four syllable word for, "Here's my heart and soul, please grind them into a hamburger, and enjoy." 

It's both desired, and feared.  There are some things you can't escape. And other things you just don't want to know. Difficult to live with, and impossible to live without.

~Grey's Anatomy

friends

I believe that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change. 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. True friendship continues to grow, even over the longest time apart. Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away they were meant to be there to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become.

A simple friend has never seen you cry.
A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears.

A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first names.
A real friend has their phone numbers in his address book.

A simple friend brings a gift to your party.
A real friend comes early to help you cook and clean.

A simple friend hates it when you call after he has gone to bed.
A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about their problems.
A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend wonders about your romantic history.
A real friend could blackmail you with it.

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.
A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself.

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument.
A real friend knows that it's not a friendship until after you've had a fight.

A simple friend expects you to always be there for them.
A real friend expects to always be there for you!

damned if you do, damned if you don't

Once a man and his daughter were travelling with their bull. On the way, the man said, ''My dear, please sit and ride on the bull during this journey.''

She obeyed and mounted the bull while her father walked alongside.

The village folk and other strangers bitterly criticized: ''What a selfish woman! She is young and healthy and yet she chooses to comfortably ride while forcing the old man to walk.''

Hearing this, the man changed his mind. ''The people are mocking you. It is wiser that I sit and you walk.''

So saying, the man sat on the bull's back. Further along, other strangers came with sharper comments, ''Oh look at this mean, bully of a man. He's fat and robust, and evil too. He enjoys the ride while forcing this young and gentle lady to walk on foot.''

Hearing this both of them climbed on the bull. At least, this would ward off the criticisms. But they were gravely mistaken and no sooner had they come to the next village, people sneered and jeered. ''Look at this nasty couple. Both of them have mercilessly climbed upon the bull. They'll kill the poor creature!''

Now there was only one option left. They dismounted and allowed the bull to walk freely. They accompanied it on either side. While they walked, they met new people with new bitterness. The people laughed at them, shouting: ''What foolishness! They have taken a bull as a vehicle and neither of them is using it.''

Straight away the man told his daughter, ''Come let us do what we think is right, and live the way we want to. The world will never appreciate or see what we do as correct.''

In this world, even if we perform a good deed not everyone will like it and support it. This is the line of thinking our world works on. It is crooked from both ends and whatever you do, the world will never see you straight. Do what you feel is right. Because you can’t please everybody!!! Only you know what your true intentions are. Keep them pure and sincere and you will be rewarded justly.

“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

The heart's own dew.

Unless you have been very, very lucky, you have undoubtedly experienced events in your life that have made you cry.  So unless you have been very, very lucky, you know that a good, long session of weeping can often make you feel better, even if your circumstances have not changed one bit. 

Crying doesn't indicate that you're weak. Since birth, it has been a sign that you're alive.

There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are sometimes messengers of overwhelming grief and unspeakable love. They are words the heart can't express.

Let your tears come.  Let them water your soul. Our very own holy water.  They heal us as they pour out.  Let your tears flow and where they go, let your sorrows follow.

Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again. The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.

Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water.  Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it.

What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul. 

Those who do not know how to weep with their whole heart don't know how to laugh with it either.

being grown up

Remember when you were a kid and your biggest worry was, like, if you'd get a bike for your birthday or if you'd get to eat cookies for breakfast. Being an adult? Totally overrated. I mean seriously, don't be fooled by all the hot shoes and the no parents anywhere telling you what to do. Adulthood is responsibility. Responsibility, it really does suck. Really, really sucks. Adults have to be places and do things and earn a living and pay the rent. It can't be avoided. Either someone makes us face it or we suffer the consequences. Kind of makes bikes and cookies look really, really good, doesn't it? The scariest part about responsibility? When you screw up and let it slip right through your fingers.

We're adults. When did that happen? And how do we make it stop? 

(Grey's Anatomy)

fire at one end and a fool at the other

Would you still be smoking if it did to your outside what it's doing to your inside?

thrown off balance

OK I’m a little freaked out. The other day (02/06/2011), I came across that Bob Marley quote and shared it with you guys. I had read it before and I even mentioned how surprised I am that I hadn’t shared it with you already. 

So today, I’m looking through my posts and I see that I had in fact posted it up before. On 06/02/2011!!!

Not only that! I had actually titled both posts with the same heading!!! Which is creepy cuz I spent hours thinking of a nice one that day.

And they’re both lime green in colour…

And did you notice 02/06 and 06/02?

OK you’re probably laughing at me but I’m very perturbed.

O_o

shake off the shackles

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' -or-whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.

Instead, he called his neighbours together and told them what had happened ...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbours continued shovelling the dirt a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself.

No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!

It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

If we face our problems, respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us.

incase you boys weren't confused enough...

• Don’t flirt with us and then say you don’t like us

• WE HATE BEING LED ON! We lost interest quickly if you lead us on but never take action.

• Don't play hard to get. Girls hate it when guys ignore them.

• If you don't call us, then we will spend hours thinking about why you never called, and we will waste a lot of time thinking about it, eventually coming to the conclusion that we don't like you anymore.

• If you tell us you’re going to call tomorrow morning...then call tomorrow morning!! We will constantly be checking our phone; afraid we’ll miss the call, and obsessing over it... Do us and yourself a favour and call when you say you will. We will take it out on you if you keep us waiting. Because one, it sucks and two, we don’t like to be messed with… And if you don’t know when you’re going to be able to call. Then don’t tell us a time, don’t tell us you’ll call... surprise us instead. We’d rather be surprised than be kept waiting around.

• We like it when guys are willing to have an actual relationship. Most girls don't like pimps or players, just guys who like ONE girl only.

• We love it when you stand up for us, but not when you stand up against us.

• Don't flirt with other girls.

• Don't talk about the way other girls look. Actually, don't really talk about other girls in general, unless we're all friends. If I don't know her, I don't want to hear about her.

• BE HONEST! Don’t lie to us. We have our ways of finding out the truth… always.

• Don't make promises you can't keep.

• Don't ONLY tell us what we want to hear. We HATE that.

• Just accept it. Girls have ESP. We'll know if you're lying

• When a girl is mad at you, just say sorry. If you're wrong, apologize. If you're not wrong, apologize!!!

• If we pretend you don’t exist, cry and yell at you, and give you nasty looks plus shoulder shrugs it ALWAYS means YOU DID SOMETHING WRONG. (Apologize now!!!)

• We like you to kiss our hand and cheeks and forehead (esp. forehead!!), not just shove your tongue down our throats. We do like to breath. We like our hands to be held and our waists to be touched. Waist, not butt. Hands, not boobs. Held, not fondled.

• Butts are flabby. Get over it. Not everyone is J-Lo. Guys should not determine their feelings on a piece of ass.

• WE LOVE WHEN YOU SMELL GOOD!

• Girls love it when relationships are romantic.

• Do chivalrous things when we least expect it (eg. holding doors for us).

• We LOVE it when you get nervous around us. It's adorable! Don't think you have to be Mr. Cool Guy all the time.

• Ask us about how we're doing once in a while, and at least pretend to be interested. We get really happy when you show any sign of interest. Don't just do it and then never do it again.

• If we're upset and we're crying, just be there, don't try to give us advice, psychoanalyze us, or pester us. Just give us a hug and let us know you're there.

• If we're not talking to you, we secretly want you to talk to us first.  Always message us first. We don't want to message you first, and if we have to, we will automatically think that you don't like us, wonder why you didn't message us, and feel desperate.

• DONT WAIT FOR THE GIRL TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE IT’S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!

• Keep up the conversation on phones and in person! Don't be awkward.

• Every time you smile at us, it may mean only a little to you, but it means the world to us. Don't take the little things for granted.

• Don’t ask, “Can I kiss you?”.It’s like “Uhhh…. Yeah. Sure…” and it’s a total turn off.
  Besides, if you don’t ask them, they can’t say no!

• Don’t say  “Thank you” after you kiss. I mean like… WTF???? We don’t, or for that matter, won’t say thank you back.

• We’re allowed to be late, you’re not. 

• Remind us why you like us. It’s really refreshing.

• Be nice to our family, but don’t make it seem like your in love with our sister/brother (….HMMM….)

• No bad comments about our bodies. It’s one of the worst things you can do. And if you want to get anywhere… not smart.

• Don’t ditch us for your guy-friends. Especially if we already had plans. If you already have, expect the same you did to us. Karma… is a bitch.

• Don’t act like a jerk around your guy friends or our friends then be nice to us later… not cool. 

• Girls like it when you chase them.

• Being a bit jelous/protective is awesome, 'cause it shows you care.

• We can tell if you are fake laughing.

• Treat us like you would like to be treated.

• Even if we act like we hate you, we usually don’t... but please apologize so we can love you again.

• Don't be an ass to us. Because that'll get you nowhere.

• If you forget our birthday, we'll probably forget your name.

• We will never ever look like Barbies. If you expect us to... then you better show up looking like Ken.  

• DON'T TRY TO MAKE HER JEALOUS! I cannot stress on this ENOUGH! If you do try, we will get pissed off at you, dump you, and move on without looking back ONCE.

• When you compliment us, we aren't sure how to accept the compliment without leading you on or reject the compliment without hurting you.

• We will always feel bad if we don't like you back. Not all girls are bitches, no matter what you may think. We hate to reject you.

the calm will come...

A little girl walked to and from school daily. One morning, though the weather was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with lightning.

The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school. She also feared the storm might harm her child. Full of concern, the mother got into her car and quickly drove along the route to her child's school.  As she did, she saw her little girl walking along.

At each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up, and smile.  More lightning followed quickly and with each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother drew up beside the child, she lowered the window and called, "What are you doing?"

The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty because God keeps taking my picture."

May you always have the strength to face the storms that come your way with a smile!

take it with a pinch

We know too many people in our lives...

We care about and love them so much,

That we don't want to lose them...

But suddenly...

We are betrayed, disappointed and maybe hurt...

Wondering... 

''Why is this happening...?''

For a while we lose our faith in people...

Promising ourselves not to trust anyone anymore...

Then we move on...

Meeting new people...

And the same process keeps continuing again and again...

Not because we're dumb or weak,

but because this is the way of life...

There is a lesson behind every pain...

a message with every person we meet

a purpose for everything in life...

We cannot change facts,

but we can change ourselves...

Never blame anyone who's somehow touched your life...

Some give you happiness;

Some give you experience;

And some give you a lesson!!

Always have a unique perspective...

They are like salt.

Its presence is not felt but

Its absence makes all things TASTELESS...

always holding yours...

A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he said to his little daughter: "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." 

The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

"What's the difference?" asked the puzzled father. 

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. 

So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours...

keep it coming...

Is the glass half-full or is it half-empty?

I think it's actually a floating line. A barometer of need and desire. It's entirely up to the individual. And depends on what's being poured.
Sometimes all we want is a taste.
Other times there's no such thing as enough- the glass is bottomless. 

And all we want, is more.

(Grey's Anatomy)

as you sow, so shall you reap

‎A son and his father were walking on the mountains. 
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!"

To his surprise, he hears his voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"

He receives the answer: "Who are you?"

And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"

The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"

He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"

The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.

It gives you back everything you say or do.

Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.

If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.

If you want more good in your community, improve your competence and goodness.

This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life.

Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

 

Every action has a reaction…good actions produce good reactions and bad actions produce bad reactions!

Lost time is never found again.

A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success.

Never leave till tomorrow, that which you can do today.

This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say.

I don't know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I'd have to say it has a lot to do with fear.

Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is just of making a decision.

Because what if you're wrong? What if you're making a mistake you can't undo?

The early bird catches the worm.

A stitch in time saves nine.

He who hesitates is lost.

We can't pretend we hadn't been told. We've all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. 

Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today's possibility under tomorrow's rug until we can't anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant:

That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beats the hell out of never trying. 

(Grey's Anatomy)

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.
Happy Youth Day  :)

Gratitude is the best attitude.

Maybe we're not supposed to be happy. Maybe gratitude has nothing to do with joy. Maybe being grateful means recognizing what you have for what it is. Appreciating small victories. Admiring the struggle it takes simply to be human. Maybe we're thankful for the familiar things we know. And maybe we're thankful for the things we'll never know. At the end of the day, the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate.

(Grey's Anatomy)

too close is comfort :)

At the end of the day, when it comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. So this thing, where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other, is usually a load of bull. 

We pick and choose who we want to remain close to, and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stick close by. No matter how much we hurt them, the people that are still with you at the end of the day - those are the ones worth keeping. 

And sure, sometimes close can be too close. But sometimes, that invasion of personal space, it can be exactly what you need.

(Grey's Anatomy)

Beware my inner bitch

Oh what a shitty weekend. Fake people. Judgmental people. Downright evil people. What have I done to deserve this torture?

It seems some people don't understand the concept of private conversations. They can't keep their mouths shut so end up hurting other people just for their two minutes of gossip pleasure!

And what's wrong with those other people anyway?

Shouldn't you know your friends better? Shouldn't you know who to trust and what to believe?

Oh and how dare you condemn someone for things they may or may not have said when they were hurt and angry? Especially when YOU caused that pain.

And what makes the entire situation even more ludicrous? What was said was all truth! Spoken bitterly, quoted spitefully, but all TRUE.

So please don't yell at me because I had the balls to point out your faults and now your ego is bruised or you're panicking that people will see the real you is actually a FAKE.

And thank you "friend" for using a heart to heart for your personal vendetta. Clearly your immaturity exceeds your intelligence. You've done a splendid job of portraying just how untrustworthy you actually are.

I'm SICK of highschool drama. Not knowing who to trust. All the backbiting, backstabbing, jealousy, PETTINESS, grudges, insecurities, bickering, tears, abuse, LIES and drama. I left this crap behind me when I matriculated and ain't nobody bringing it back.

So snip snip snip. I've cut you out. Go tattle on someone else's tales. Get out of my life. Good luck with yours.

be the butterfly..

Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn't change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing.

De Nile. It's not just a river in Egypt, it's a freakin' ocean.

So how do you keep from drowning in it?

(Grey's Anatomy)

power through...

Pain. You just have to ride it out, hope it goes away on its own, hope the wound that caused it heals. There are no solutions, no easy answers, you just breath deep and wait for it to subside. Most of the time pain can be managed but sometimes the pain gets you where you least expect it. Hits way below the belt and doesn't let up. Pain, you just have to fight through, because the truth is you can't outrun it and life always makes more.

(Grey's Anatomy)

Alone, most strangely, I live on...

I always said I’d be happier alone. I’d have my work, my friends and my family… but someone in your life all the time? More trouble than it’s worth.

Apparently I got over it.

There's a reason I said I'd be happy alone. It wasn't 'cause I thought I'd be happy alone. It was because I thought if I loved someone and then it fell apart, I might not make it.

It's easier to be alone, because what if you learn that you need love and you don't have it?

What if you like it and lean on it?

What if you shape your life around it and then it falls apart?

Can you even survive that kind of pain?

Losing love is like organ damage. It's like dying. The only difference is death ends.

This?

It could go on forever…

(Grey's Anatomy)

"Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night.  I miss you like hell."  ~Edna St. Vincent Millay

attitude is everything

How crazy was the storm Tuesday night/Wednesday morning? Hope you all kept warm and safe.

Here's a little inspiration for you :)

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

'Well,' she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today.'

So she did and she had a wonderful day....

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

'H-M-M,' she said, 'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today.'

So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

'Well,' she said, 'today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail.'

So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

'YAY!' she exclaimed. 'I don't have to fix my hair today!'

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly and Pray continually. Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain. It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived. Life is too short to wake up with regrets. Love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones that don't.

  

"Everybody wants happiness, nobody wants pain. But its impossible to get a rainbow without a little rain..."

redeem, regenerate, rescue

In keeping up with environment week, here are some facts on recycling:

• The average American uses 300kg of paper each year – 100 million tons of wood could be saved each year if all that paper was recycled.

• Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. About 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable, yet their recycling rate is only 28%.

• Every month Americans throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper (think: Empire State Building), but all of these jars are recyclable!

• Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures a year! (Great Pacific Garbage Patch)

• Recycling one ton (about 917 kg) of paper saves 17 trees, two barrels of oil (enough to run the average car for 2000 km), 4,100 kilowatts of energy (enough power for the average home for six months), 2.5 cubic metres of landfill space, and 30 kg of pollution.

• The 17 trees saved by recycling one ton of paper can absorb a total of 113 kg of carbon dioxide out of the air each year.

• If all of the newspapers in America were recycled, we could save about 250 million trees each year! Every year more than 900 million trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills.

• Recycling one aluminium beverage can saves enough energy to run a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours or a tv for 2 hours. Recycling 125 aluminium cans saves enough energy to power one home for 1 day.

• You can make 20 cans out of recycled steel with the same amount of energy it takes to make 1 new one.

• It takes approximately 1 million years for a glass bottle to break down in a landfill. Glass never wears out - it can be recycled forever. Recycling glass saves 25-32% of the energy and 9 gallons of fuel (oil) for every ton of glass recycled.

• Plastics require 100 to 400 years to break down in a landfill. Recycling 1 ton of plastic can save 1-2 thousand gallons of gas.

• Recycling all of your home's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 400 kg a year.

I know most of these facts are about America, but just because it’s not our country doesn’t mean we should ignore it. It’s their country, but our world.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Did you guys know this even existed? I only heard of it yesterday!!!! 

The Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine litter in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between San Francisco and Hawaii. The Patch is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge, and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre.

The exact size of the patch is unknown, as large items readily visible from a boat deck are uncommon. Most debris consists of small plastic particles suspended at or just below the surface, making it impossible to detect by aircraft or satellite. According to sampling it's roughly twice the size of Texas and is 80 percent plastic, and weighs in at 3.5 million tons!!!

Some of these long-lasting plastics end up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals, and their young. Besides the particles' danger to wildlife, the floating debris can absorb organic pollutants from seawater. Aside from toxic effects, when ingested, some of these are cause hormone disruption in the affected animal. These toxin-containing plastic pieces are also eaten by jellyfish, which are then eaten by larger fish. Many of these fish are then consumed by humans, resulting in their ingestion of toxic chemicals.

No country with a seat on the United Nations has claimed any responsibility for the patch, and therefore have not taken action to clean it up.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

Some people claim the patch doesn’t exist at all- a legend like sea monsters of old. But I think it does and I think it’s DISGRACEFUL.

Totally feel depressed now…

think globally, act locally

It's environment week and you all know I'm a firm supporter of going green. Remember when I talked about saving the planet? Well I've done the research for you and have found a few of the easiest simplest ways in which you can make a difference.

• My number one favourite thing (as mentioned before) is the Carbon Free campaign. You purchase a Carbon Free card to have an indigenous tree planted in a protected sanctuary. You then get the GPS co-ordinates of your tree’s location so you can monitor it and watch it grow. With your card, you can also participate in additional programs to accrue points through retailers and suppliers. These points can be redeemed for additional trees.

Did you know that ONE indigenous tree can produce oxygen for EIGHTY people?

• Turn off lights and electronic devices when you’re not using them. It’s not about simply turning the off switch. Many electrical appliances continue to use a small amount of energy when turned off. This energy will add up over time. Switch it off from the power outlet.

Did you know turning lights off when not actively using them, would have a reduction of up to 25% in the amount of electricity used everyday?

• Insulating your home will keep your house warmer in the winter and help to cool things off in the summer.

Did you know that heating and cooling can make up to 50% of your energy bill each month?

• Switch as many bulbs as possible in your home to compact fluorescent bulbs, or LED bulbs. A while ago, Eskom sent around a bunch of volunteers to people's homes to swap their existing lightbulbs for these energy efficient ones. It was a great initiative! Fluorescent bulbs generally last up to seven years each. LED bulbs last even longer and use even less energy. They are also really going mainstream nowadays, which means they're cheaper and easier to find than ever.

Did you know lighting can make up to 25% of the average home’s electricity consumption?

• You can save water and energy in the bathroom by installing low flow showerheads, upgrading your toilet to a low flow model and insulating your water heater and pipes. You may associate a low-flow showerhead with one that reduces your shower to a frustrating trickle. Thankfully, technologies have improved so that you can enjoy a high pressure shower while saving water at the same time!

Did you know 41% of our indoor water use in the home goes toward flushing the toilet and 33% goes to bathing!

• Reuse and recycle. Buy products made from recycled materials. Reuse something for the same purpose for which it was originally intended or for another purpose. Give your unwanted items to others or to welfare organisations. The ways in which to reuse and recycle are endless and all beneficial.

Most people are worried about the environment but don't think they can make a difference. We seem to feel overwhelmed by the extent of environmental problems and can't do anything to help because after all, "you are only one person." You might not know this, but it's doing the little things every day in your home that makes a huge impact on the environment. It’s the cumulative effect. You can make a big difference even though you are only "one person."

wake up call

While you shout at your woman, there might be someone wishing he could whisper in her ear.. While you humiliate, offend and insult her, there might be someone admiring her and wishing he could tell her how beautiful she is.. While you hurt her, there might be someone wishing he could take her pain away.. While you make her cry, there might be someone wishing to make her smile.. 

One day you'll wake up and realize how amazing she really was, but by then, she'll be waking up next to the man who already knew.

personnalité premier

Love is not about having a pretty face nor is it about the size of your wallet. 

It's about looking into the eyes of the person you love and seeing your imprint in their hearts.

It's knowing that you will be loved till the end of time.

No amount of money can buy you an eternity of fulfillment and no matter how dashing you look, with time it all fades away.

So love wisely and you'll be loved for eternity. Remember beauty may open doors but it's personality that keeps them open.

let's get together and feel alright

"You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She's not perfect - you aren't either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she's not there."

"He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you."

~Bob Marley

one love, one heart, one destiny.

I can't believe I didn't post this up earlier!

"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life." ~Bob Marley

personnes à la diète

There was this interesting programme on BBC last night. Alright I'll be honest and admit that I was forced to sit through it because I did not have control of the remote but nevertheless it was educational. So for all you body conscious peeps out there, here are some tips:

10 things you need to know about losing weight

1. Don't skip meals. A missed meal particularly causes us to seek for carbohydrates, high calorie, high fat foods- this will lead to higher blood sugar levels and if continued over time, increased weight gain

2. Eating a protein rich breakfast (or any other meal) keeps you satisfied for longer because it triggers the release of more of the chemical that tells the brain you are full.

3. Eating low-fat dairy products helps the body to excrete more unabsorbed fat than usual. Dairy calcium binds with fat in the small intestine and passes through without being absorbed. Side note: 2 Tbs vinegar before eating carbs causes the carbs to not be absorbed in the stomache. 

4. The 'burn' from exercise carries on well into the next day. Higher intensity exercise, has been shown to increase metabolism or 'after burn' by as much as 10% for between 15-48 hours after the exercise session.

5. Building small amounts of 'activity' into daily routine significantly increases heart rate and calorie expenditure. Keep moving.

6. People generally under-report their intake by 40 to 60%. Count and record everything, including every snack and calorie laden sauce.

7. Soup fills you up for longer. The same food was served to two groups of soldiers. Half ate chicken, rice and veg on a plate with a glass of water. The other half ate the identical food and water liquidized and served as a soup. Stomach scans showed the soup still in the stomach long after the other group's stomachs were empty and calling to be fed.

8. Eat on a smaller plate. You will eat up to 22% less than usual.

9. Our bodies are wired to seek out variety in food. So keep away from the buffets because it is in our nature to want lots of different things. You are likey to eat about 30% more compared to when your choice is more limited.

10. Don’t blame your metabolism.

I recommend watching the programme though because each 'thing' was backed up with research and practical demonstrations. For your better understanding...

"The greatest wealth is health."  ~Virgil

Take care my loves.