The Realm and the Writer

thanks-giv-ing (thangks'-gi-ving) noun 1) holiday celebrated with the goal of over eating till pain is achieved. 2) day in which female family members must slave in the kitchen; usually includes football watching and an abundance of uneaten food and too many dishes. --See Christmas.

Are you a Grinch? I bet you are, well maybe only sometimes hehe. Today at Meme Express the prompt is Grinch. I've decided to take this opportunity to get in a few good Stumbles via StumbleUpon.

I found this adorable and funny pic of "Simon the Grinch". Hope it turns your frown upside down.

Next I found this very helpful list on how to BE a Grinch. Not like you need any help hehe (JK).

And last but not least, a nice collection of Grinch coloring pages. A fantastic way to bring the kid out of ya. Maybe your heart will grow a few sizes.

Don't be a Grinch this year!

glitter-graphics.com

Most people will argue with me when I say that I live in and near one of the most beautiful places in the world, but we all feel that way about the area we were raised. Well, most of us do anyway. It is almost a yearly spring/summer tradition here, in our little tri-county area, to visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and climb the dunes.

The dune climb rises over 130ft and continues strait on about 3.5 miles and may take 3-4 hours depending on your condition and the weather. It ends at a rather steep sandy cliff over looking the majestic shores of Lake Michigan. A must for any tourist and local to complete at least once in a lifetime.

Please play along!

1) Ninja Kiwi

A large collection of free online games sure to entertain for hours. I highly recommend Bloons, a highly addictive game where the goal is to pop the required amount of balloons with darts to pass to the next round.


2) Brain Train

The Australian Lipton Tea site offers a great mind exercise program. Comparable to the Nintendo DS game.


3) Wild Mood Swings

A UK site which prompts you to select a 'mood'. Once a mood is chosen a random correlating website will be chosen and you will be whisked away to your enjoyment.


4) QuizBox

Huge selection of quizzes and tests. Mostly user submitted but loads of fun!


5) The List Universe

Lists and lists galore! Everything from top 10's, 25's, and more.

Would you like to design your own products? Do you enjoy supporting the small business? Then look no further!

Owned and operated by my good friend Mary Burns, Wear It Out specializes in customized products. These include, but are not limited to, window decals, shirts, pants, gifts and much more!

Please take the time to visit her and perhaps place an order (please click the image below). You wont be disappointed!

I remember watching them go when I was just a first grader. Off on the sixth grade Grand Rapids trip. So in awe over the fact that their parents let them go on a trip alone. Now it was my turn, sitting in English class, the teacher handing out crisp white permission slips. They floated down the rows of desks like little golden tickets of freedom.

I remember getting home, overly excited about my new fantastic news. "Your not going," my dad's voice seemed to echo. I felt a sinking hole of disappointment well up in my stomach. It was all about it being co-ed. I knew it. I broke the news to my English teacher the next day. Her outward display of dismay took me off guard completely. She told me she's speak with my parents and see what she could do and I felt a glimmer of hope form on the horizon.

It took nearly three whole months to get him to say yes. I remember sitting in the cafeteria and my dad coming in and giving me the news. That renewed sense of joy had returned. I hardly knew what to do. I panicked. It occurred to me just then that the trip was scheduled for that weekend. I had hardly any time to prepare. And he was going to be there.

Oh, about the he. His name was Micheal (or Mike for short). He had, by far, the biggest ears I had ever seen on a person. But, when he smiled, he just looked so darn cute! Yes, he'd be there and I was hoping to win his affections.

The morning of the trip started all wrong. I didn't find the matching shirt to my shorts until the last minute. I had to wait at my parents work until it was time for the bus to leave, and then there was Eric. The biggest nerd in our entire grade. Crooked teeth with oddly angled braces, a constant runny nose, and has terrible sense of style. Sadly his aunt worked with my parents, meaning I had to ride to the school with him. I was mortified, completely humiliated. Fortunately, that was the least of my worries.

We arrived at the school with little to no teasing, so I felt pretty confident that my day was turning round. The ride down even went pretty well. It didn't all turn sour until it was time to go for a swim. The hotel we were staying at had an awesome indoor pool. Now mind you there are over 30 of us students to monitor, and not everyone was guaranteed to act their age. I excitedly changed into my new suit, I had painstakingly searched for the perfect one. It made me feel pretty and a shoe in for Mike's heart.

My friends and I made it down to the pool and set up residence on the shallow end steps. My confidence lasted until the prettiest girl in school, Sara, walked in. It looked like she had done a lot of growing up this past year, while it looked that I had not. She looked fabulous in her suit, and I was terribly envious and self conscious.

I sat, secretly watching Mike play volleyball,for quite some time. Suddenly, and without warning, Sara was standing right there. Seems in my laps of perception one of the teachers had shown up next to our group and Sara just had to talk to her. I caught her snide looks and the giggling of her friends behind her as she whispered to them. I know they were laughing at us. For the cherry on top of the proverbial cake, I turn to see Mike and his friends looking this way. I knew they saw it to.

When the teachers finally ended 'pool time', we were all hustled off to our rooms to change for a nice dinner out. I had picked out the cutest dress I could find, I knew I looked great. I hoped I still had a chance to salvage what chances I had left. Dinner was fabulous and he even sat at my table! Right across from me to be exact, I felt my heart stop every time I caught a glance. Our teachers had chosen one of the Japanese restaurants where they cooked the food right in front of you. Interesting but very very messy. The chef had been showing us awesome tricks while he grilled us some shrimp. When each one had finished cooking he would toss it into the closest waiting mouth. It soon became my turn and I tried to refuse, yet peer pressure got the best of me and I figured I'd give it a shot. I opened my mouth, tilted my had a little and closed my eyes. I heard the spatula and braced myself. Splat.

I feel the heat from the shrimp smack into my stomach. The thin silk of my dress soaking up the grease greedily. I scooped it up and dropped it onto my plate as fast as I could and looked up. He was laughing at me. I wanted to crawl off and hide. We finished our dinner and took a fabulous tour of some famous mansion downtown. We had to wear little paper slippers and it smelled like moth balls had been used to paint the walls. After we finished our little history lesson we were shuttled off to late night ice cream before our return the the hotel. It was a bit too cold for ice cream, but the teachers managed to get a place to open just for us. Everything went great, although I didn't really spend any time wooing my crush. I was more than ready to call it a night and prepare for the next day.


My sleep was restless, my roommate had fallen sick and I was stuck with the Librarian. A woman who snores to awful loud and coughed nearly to much. I was glad to see the light of the morning. After a continental breakfast we headed out for some museum hopping. It was fun, with hardly a sight of him the whole day. We had pizza delivered to the hotel and I was allowed to bunk with a few of my friends. We had a blast staying up late and watching the latest drama unfold on the walkway outside our door. Seemed some boys had walked in on Sara changing. What a laugh. The sleep was great and I felt I was renewed for the ride home.

We left early, I got a seat across from Mike. My best friend Mary served as my wingman as I made my last attempt to gain his attention. The first five minutes were great. We ignored him and he ignored us, in the typical sixth grade manor. Jessica M. was sitting in front of us, a snotty girl who just happened to be the Superintendents Daughter. Noticing how close I was to Mike sparked her vicious teasing. It escalated as time wore on, the bus ride home started to feel too long. After some time his friends joined in the fun. They teased about everything, what I wore, what he wore, his ears, and even the dreaded subject...my crush.

He denied liking me, not wanting to be poked at by his friends any longer. I was so angry. Public rejection turned out to hurt far worse than private humiliation. One of the teachers stepped in after the volume of the antics rose to an unnerving level. Now with silence I caught a glimpse from him, I found what little courage I had and decided to make that leap. I told him I liked him and how I'd love to be his girlfriend. He resisted, of course. I let it go with that final blow and sat quietly for the next hour. A few miles from the school he called my name. I looked over shocked as he, in a very hushed mumbled voice, asked me to be his girlfriend. After all that happened that weekend I finally came out on top. He let me sit with him for the rest of the ride, and I got to say goodbye to him, it was amazing.

Our little 'relationship' didn't last. We grew bored with each other and mutually agreed to break up. I still remember what his mom told me at one of his football games. She had told me that he kept a photo of me on the fridge, and said good morning to it every day. How sweet is that.

Questions provided by Patrick's Place Saturday Six. Please play along!

Q1. If you had to fill in as a substitute teacher at a local middle school, what subject would you be most comfortable teaching?

A: To clarify, I don't particularly feel I am a genius in any one area, but know more than enough in plenty of subject areas. I feel I would enjoy teaching science, most likely earth science. Through all of my years of schooling Natural/Earth sciences have always been my strong suit. I would find this subject a blast to teach.


Q2. When you were in school, what was a better indication of your true understanding of what you were learning: class participation, the accuracy of your homework, or your test scores?

A. Participation. I have never felt homework or testing were very accurate.


Q3. You meet someone for the first time and have a brief conversation with them. If you run into them the next afternoon, how likely are you to remember their name?

A. Probably not. Unless their name came up again.


Q4. TASK - Take the quiz: Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?


Q5. If you had “gaps” in your knowledge, did you expect to have them where they were predicted? If you had none, which of the listed subjects would be the ones you’d most expect gaps to be?

A. I did have one gap, History. I was expecting more failure from Art, but I have never been drawn in by history, particularly American.


Q6. If you could go back to school for one semester free of charge and “try again” with any subject, which one would you choose and why?

A. Knowing now that I'm obviously behind in History, I would choose just that. With my current studies a strong background in History is much needed.

J'aime.

I love the flow, the soft caress of the beginning and the glorious rapture in between. It flows sweetly on an even tempo, speaking of uncertain love. Quick and happy, like a bird taking flight.

battit de l'aile et s'envola...

The swaying of the notes moves the mind. To and fro, up and down, keeping pace. Smiling.

tu crois l'éviter, il te tient.



(The portions of french are lines from the famous Habanera - Carmen. For the full lyrics and translation please click here.)

Run the road.
Go through life on fire.
Find that love that sets you free.

If we have but one,
why waste what's given?

Is it merely fear?
Fear that sends us hiding.
Run the road.
Find your peace.

Although it has been some time since I've participated in the Heads or Tails meme, I was pleasantly surprised to see today's challenge: Guard. In honor of my sweetheart and his practice of Brazilian Jujitsu I decided to share with you one of my favorite guards. Enjoy!

Maybe this should've gone to the Boy's Locker... but oh well. It's something I found while browsing the web.


31 Things Guys Should Know About Girls

Written by a guy. After years of experience.

1. Whatever you do, don't just show up at their house...they run around in their underwear just like we do.

2. Don't cheat on them. It may seem foolproof, but girls tell each other everything about everything. Trust me, they WILL find out and you will be mud.

3. Beware of every single male relatives and all guy friends. Any of them would kick your butt at the drop of a hat, and a lot of them wouldn't even wait for the damn hat.

4. Never miss an opportunity to tell them they're beautiful.

5. Don't refuse to kiss in front of your friends. If they laugh at you, it's because they're jealous.

6. If they slap you hard, you deserved it.

7. Don't be afraid to touch them if you want to. If they're going out with you in the first place, it's because they like being in your arms.

8. If you don't sleep with them, do not tell your friends that you did.

--8.5. If you DO sleep with them, don't tell your friends that you did.

9. You can be dirty minded in private, really...most of them are not offended by it...

10. Not all of them eat like birds, a lot of them can eat like whales.

11. Most of them don't mind paying half of everything, but they do discuss these things with their friends. Realize that if you make your girlfriend pay half all the time, everyone will know about it and your friends will know you're a *****.

--11.5. Do you honestly need all your money that much? Be a man, pay all the time!

12. Every girl should eventually get three things from her boyfriend- a stuffed animal, one of his sweatshirts, and a really pretty ring. Even if it's not a serious relationship.

13. Make sure she gets home safely as often as you can. If you're dropping her off, walk her to the door. If you aren't dropping her off, call to be sure she's home safely.

14. If a guy is bothering her, it is your right to kick the crap out of him.

15. If you're talking to a female friend of yours, pull your girlfriend closer.

16. Never, ever slap her, even if it's just in a joking way. Even if she swats you first, and says, "Oh, you're so dumb" or something, never make any gestures back.

17. Go to a chick flick once in a while. She doesn't care whether you enjoy it or not, it just matters that you went.

18. You're dead meat if you can't get along with their pets, parents and best friends. Be prince charming to their friends, Mr. Polite to their parents, and make sure to be nice to their animals.

19. Don't flirt with their moms or friends...that's just freaky.

20. Don't be freaked out by PMS. It's not gross, and it really does make them feel like crap, so be understanding.

21. If you don't like the way they drive, you do it.

22. If you're officially dating, and you're introducing her to your friends, you'd better damn well introduce her as your girlfriend.

23. Don't stress where you go for every date. They really only want to be with you.

24. If they complain that something hurts, rub it for them without being asked.

25. Girls are fragile. Even if you're play fighting/wrestling, be very gentle.

26. Memorize their birthdays. You forget her birthday and you're basically screwed for life.

27. Don't marinade the cologne.


28. Don't give her something stupid for her birthday or Christmas or Valentine's day. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it has to be meaningful. Jewelry is always nice.

29. If you think the relationship isn't going to last, don't wait to find out. It will only hurt you more if you draw it out.

30. After you've been dating for a while, realize that they really have started to trust you. When you have a girlfriend who truly trusts you, you have a lot more responsibility, privilege and control than you would think. Be careful with it, most guys would kill for that kind of power, and it can be lost in a nanosecond.

31.Don't ever do anything wrong (well not anything). girls remember things for life and anything you did wrong will be used against you in the future.

Now ladies, don't expect a guy to know every single thing here (even though that would be nice).

Most of these habits are frugal, many are healthy, and quite a few are both. Enjoy!

At Work

1. Bring your own morning coffee in a travel mug; that’s good for the environment, your wallet, and will keep things warm.

2. Bring leftovers for lunch.

3. If you do splurge on eating take out with everyone else, have a healthy high fibre snack at least 15 minutes before hand so you don’t eat as much.

4. Always have water on hand. Always. Consciously set the amount of water you plan on drinking every day.

5. Have a big glass of water a few minutes before your lunch, it’ll help you to feel fuller.

6. If you don’t want to miss out on the social aspect of eating out at lunch. Eat a snack or your lunch first, and just order an appetizer when you do go out.

7. If you do eat out with everyone else take a minute to study the menu and consciously make healthy food choices rather than letting your hunger guide you. You can use some of the healthy substitutes in the restaurant survival tips below.

8. If everyone orders in, you can still bring your lunch and socialize with them. If they’re really your friends they won’t judge you for trying to be healthy and taking care of yourself–plus it’ll be a nice break from your work day.

9. Go one step further and actually bake or make your snacks brought from home. Baking a whole batch of muffins and throwing them in the freezer can be a quick breakfast or snack to grab and go.

10. If you have the time, start a group that walks for a few minutes after lunch. Even a spin around the block or building will help your lunch to settle a bit.

11. If you get tons of treats delivered to your place of work by appreciative clients during the holidays, I have some suggestions. Freeze some of them to enjoy later. When I used to work over the Christmas holidays, I’d put some of the stuff away for the staff for later and take the boxes and boxes of unopened chocolate to the food bank for their baskets. There are also charities like Second Harvest that will gladly pick up perishable and non perishable food for others to enjoy, you can check them out at http://www.secondharvest.ca/ in Canada or http://www.secondharvest.org/ in the U.S.

At restaurants and take-out places

12. Order water with lemon instead of sugary drinks or alcohol. The lemon is refreshing, and will help your body process the fatty food you’re eating.

13. Order a baked potato or salad instead of those fries.

14. If you just want a bite, split a dessert with others.

15. Better yet, just get something tasty (and less expensive) on your way home from the restaurant.

16. When ordering at a fast food place, get the kids combo–which incidentally is the size that combos actually used to be.

17. At many fast food places you can usually substitute that sugary soda for a milk or cup of tea at no extra charge.

18. When ordering Chinese food, you can get steamed rice instead of fried rice.

19. Get take out and eat with a side of cut up veggies at home. No tip required and the carrot and celery sticks are a good, high fibre compliment to whatever greasy, delicious food you’ll be eating.

20. Many pizza places have a special price for walk-in customers on a one topping pizza. Maybe this is all you need and it’ll cost a whole lot less. Our personal favourite is the large, walk-in pineapple pizza from Pizza Pizza for $8.99. We get extra sauce, and get them to leave it in a bit longer than normal, then put fresh basil and crushed chili flakes on it when we get it home. Yum!

21. If you’re going out to a restaurant late in the evening, just order a couple of appetizers and split them. You can nibble on the food while you’re talking. This will probably be enough food, besides–you really shouldn’t eat a huge meal late at night anyway.

22. If you want to go to an expensive restaurant or buffet, go for lunch, you’ll enjoy the same quality of food at a much lower price. You also will have that big meal earlier in the day.

23. Say yes to a doggie bag. If you know the portion is going to be huge, remove the temptation and ask them to please put half of it in the doggie bag before they serve you your meal. Lunch the next day and built-in portion control.

At parties

24. It can be challenging not to fall off the wagon at social gatherings or during the holidays. Some people actually eat more because they are stressed–there is a chemical reason for it. Do some deep breathing, stretching, take a walk, to try listening to your favourite song to try to get those stress-hormone levels down before you surround yourself with food.

25. If you’re drinking alcohol, always alternate one alcoholic beverage for a glass of water. This will help to keep your bar tab down, keep you from making an ass out of yourself, and help keep the aforementioned body part from getting any bigger

26. Eat something sensible before you go. Don’t go to these things ravenous, it spells E-A-T-I-N-G D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R

27. Balance some of the higher fibre veggies or hard fruits with the fatty foods. If you want to make sure there’ll be something healthy for you to munch on, offer to bring it yourself as a contribution to the party!

28. Just say no. Politely decline the tray that gets passed around again, with a word about just how great the food is and how you’re good for now.

29. Be conscious of what you’re eating and enjoy every bite. It’s not worth the calories if you don’t even remember eating it

30. If it’s a potluck, plan ahead to bring something you made yourself, creative, and good for you. This is a much better contribution than running to the grocery store at the last minute and buying an expensive and lame fruit tray.

31. Don’t double fist drinks or food. Leave one hand free to shake hands and hug your friends.

32. Just take a few things at a time on a small plate–you can always go back for more later if you need it.

33. If you see something you really like, but don’t have room, split it with a friend or partner, that way you can still have a bite to try it.

34. Take people up on their offer to send some of the food from the party home with you. You won’t have to cook later and you’re saving the food from going to waste.

Meals at home

35. Use smaller plates. If you feel the need to fill your plate, you’ll be eating much less food. If you want seconds then you don’t have to feel guilty.

36. Have some veggies cut up in the fridge and put them out to munch on while you’re getting dinner ready.

37. If you’re trying to lose weight, try eating 4 to 6 smaller meals instead of 3 including a big dinner.

38. Make large quantities of food at once so you have some for lunch, or to throw in the freezer for another day when you have less time.

39. If possible, grow a little vegetable garden–you’ll never match the taste of homegrown food!

40. Have a little indoor or outdoor herb garden. Fresh herbs are loaded with flavour and countless health benefits.

41. Just heard this tip from Dr. Oz, and am trying it, have a piece of whole grain bread with extra virgin olive oil 5 minutes before dinner to help keep your appetite in check. I do it more like 15 minutes ahead of time.

42. Make meals from scratch, or close to it. It’s generally less expensive and you control what ingredients go into them.

43. Have an orange or some grapefruit after your meal for dessert. This will also help to cut the fat you just ate.

44. Consider just eating the whole piece of fruit instead of buying juice. More nutrients and more filling. You can get a fair amount of fruit for what you’d pay for premium juices.

45. Toast up some sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or slivered almonds for your salads. You can get small amounts for less money at places like Bulk Barn.

46. Add small amounts of ground flax to your yogurt, prepared oatmeal, smoothies, or many other things. It’s rich in omega fatty acids and has been taken by some breast cancer patients due to its high lignin content.

47. Add just half the amount of salad dressing you normally eat and mix it in well. If you do end up needing more add a bit in later.

48. Make your own salad dressing using olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or olive oil and lemon juice, or do a web search for more cheap and healthy dressings that aren’t loaded with bad-for-you-oils.

49. Make your own delicious dips and spreads to help fill you up such as a kalamata olive tapenade, roasted red pepper dip, hummus, or onion dip with low fat sour cream.

50. Snack on high fibre crackers and breads like Wasa crackers, whole grain Melba toast, and whole wheat pita bread–try putting your homemade spreads on them. Who cares about chips when you’ve got this!

51. If you have kids, just remember that all of the bites of kid food you eat to clean up plates adds up. A nugget here, macaroni and cheese there, and before you know it you’ve gained weight trying to stop wastage. Instead, serve them very very small portions and they can always ask for more if they finish what they have.

52. Make a conscious effort to have at least one serving of fruits and or veggies with every meal and snack. If you look in the food guide, one serving really isn’t that much.

53. Have a bowl of broth-based soup before your meal, you’re likely to eat less at the main course.

54. Try food from different countries, “ethnic” foods can be more economical and in some instances healthier than what you normally would eat. Looking for ideas, try reading my posts on Food Around the World, Ethnic Food to Try Part 1 and Part 2.

55. Take a look in cookbooks, magazines from the library and online to always search out new and exciting recipes.

56. Try to re-create your favourite restaurant dishes at home for less to keep yourself motivated not to eat out. You never know, you may find the recipe on the web. Right now, I have my own version of East Side Mario’s Cheese Capeletti in the oven…can’t wait!

57. Learn and teach other family members to share food with each other. There’s a priceless lesson in being just as happy with less.

When travelling away from home

58. Bring your own snacks to eat in the airport. I can guarantee the $10 you’d have spent on airport coffee and a bagel could be put to better use.

59. Pack salty and sweet snacks like crackers and granola bars in your suitcase for when you get there. You’d be surprised how handy they come in when you’re hungry, grumpy, and have taken a wrong turn in a foreign country.

60. Get a travel guidebook or go online and plan which restaurants you’re going to eat at. You can sometimes even get an idea of pricing or see some, or all of the menu items ahead of time!

61. When you get to your destination, find a drugstore or supermarket and buy your own case of bottled water for the time you’ll be there. Otherwise you’ll pay way too much for little bottles, one at a time at the tourist areas.

62. The night before, pick up some fruit, cheese and buns or pastries for breakfast the next morning. I like that much better than paying for an expensive hotel breakfast or hungrily walking the streets in search of food.

63. Plan a picnic for lunch wherever you’re going that day.

64. Provided the food is cooked well, and everything appears clean, you may want to try some of the local food for that country from an inexpensive street vendor. If you’re not comfortable with that of course, you could try it for a bit more in a restaurant too. Afterall, a big part of why we travel is to fully experience other people’s cultures.

65. If you save on breakfast and lunch, then you can splurge a bit on dinner, or vice versa, and you might get a really nice meal for lunchtime prices!

66. Get some take-out, a bottle of wine, and enjoy a nice dinner in your hotel room.

67. This isn’t technically an “eating habit”, but carry hand sanitizer in case you can’t wash your hands before you have to eat something.

68. Being frugal isn’t about being cheap–don’t drink tap water or get ice in your drink when you travel–or you may get a whole lot more than you bargained for.

At the Grocery Store

69. Eat before you go grocery shopping to avoid the impulse purchases of a starving person.

70. Do most of your shopping around the perimeter of the store, where more of the whole and unprocessed (and often less expensive) foods are.

71. Know the prices for everything you buy. Yes, this means you have to learn what is a good price. Many people also keep price books to help with this.

72. Go right when the new flyer comes out, if you wait, you may miss out on the specials or loss leaders that week, or end up with no selection.

73. You can usually buy just one item for the discounted price when there’s a 2 for this price sign.

74. Don’t buy pre-prepared food unless it’s selling for less than you could make it yourself.

75. If you see a great deal stock up.

76. Make a list and plan your meals according to the sales (for more on this read My 25% Grocery Savings Rule and 10 Ways to Save on Groceries).

77. As you’re going through the grocery store, grab any coupons for items you think you might use in the future.

78. Coupons are no good when they’re expired or you can’t find them. Buy or make some kind of coupon organization system so you always have them at your fingertips when needed.

79. Before using your coupon weigh its use against another comparable or possibly identical house brand product. Sometimes even with the coupon you’re not saving enough. On the other hand, sometimes there’s just no substitute for the real thing and you can get it on sale!

80. By completely cutting out pop (or soda for my American friends) you’ll save money and can lose an unbelieveable amount of weight over time.

81. If you want to buy sweet treats like chocolate, wait until after a big holiday like Christmas, Easter, or Valentine’s Day when they’re eager to slash the prices on the stock to clear the shelf. Chocolate keeps well in the freezer–and it’ll help with the portion control. You’ll have to make a trek over to the freezer if you really want some.

82. Some items are less in bulk. Consider splitting a Costco or other price club membership with a friend or family member. If you don’t have a large family, you can also share the cost of some of the items you buy in large quantities.

83. For more specific ideas on portion control and packing nutrients into your meals and snacks check out Frugality and Calorie Control

84. Just remember–you’re in control of your own eating habits–you can’t eat what you don’t bring into the house. Healthy eating starts with the decisions you make and follow through with at the grocery store.

In the car

85. Always take some water in the car with you. It will quench your thirst and cut down on the craving to stop for a sugary drink–and then a cheeseburger on the side.

86. Ditto for the snacks. Have both salty and sweet snacks on hand to cover whichever craving and help get you through until you’re back on home turf.

87. Keep your car free of garbage, don’t let last week’s McDonald’s bag send you a subliminal message to stop for an unnecessary snack or meal.

88. If you’re in a rush, bring a breakfast you can eat in the car (when you’re stopped of course), or when on public transit.

89. If you plan on being on the road all day, or don’t want to eat a soggy sandwich or take-out, plan on stopping at the grocery store for lunch. You can pick up a bun, some cheese, cold meat if you like, and a fresh piece of fruit. Less expensive and much better for you than fast food.

In general

90. Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed time, this way you’re not going to bed on a full stomach.

91. Make a conscious effort to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, for more tips read 7 Ways to Increase Your Water Intake

92. If you have a fast paced job or do shift work, force yourself to eat a meal or at least have snacks throughout the workday, this’ll avoid the gorging on expensive and high calorie food later in the day, or right before you go to sleep.

93. Eat breakfast every day. Once you get into the habit, it’s not that hard to do. If you need to start off by making it easier on yourself and buying transportable things like yogurt cups, then go for it. The earlier you start eating in the day, the sooner your metabolism starts working, and the less likely you are to crave large amounts of high calorie food later in the day.

94. Try to have some protein in your snacks, this helps to even out your blood sugar throughout the day.

95. Keep a small snack in your bag or purse to ward off any low-blood-sugar-induced grumpiness or bad eating decisions.

96. Try to make sure you eat or drink something with some protein in it right after you exercise to help your muscles recover. I don’t usually feel like eating, but I do drink chocolate milk!

97. Try focusing on the quality and taste of the food rather than the quantity.

98. If your partner’s bad eating habits are dragging you down, talk to them about it, and reach some kind of a compromise that will work for both of you.

99. Organize a cookie or other food swap with your co-workers and friends. For example, everyone brings a dozen of their snack for each person there, and they all go home with a freezer full of treats.

100. Bring your own snacks to the movie theater rather than eating the overpriced, oversized offerings they have. Shhhhh…you never heard this from me. If you somehow feel guilty about this, go to the drive-in where you can see 2 movies for the price of one!

Now for the bonus tips…102 Frugal and Healthy Eating Habits didn’t have the same ring to it…

101. If you fall off the wagon with your healthy eating plan, jump back on! It’s never too late.

102. If you’re trying to break a habit or establish a new routine, I’ve heard 30 days to break a habit. If you can make it 30 days with whatever your goal is, you’re almost there!

Value For Your life

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. In love :: Romance
   
2. Be my guest :: Belle
   
3. Number one :: Number 2
   
4. Swallowed whole :: Eat
   
5. 50 percent :: Dollar
   
6. Made in :: China
   
7. Supplement :: Vitamin
   
8. Right for :: Me
   
9. Endless :: Cookies
   
10. Ceramic :: Bowl

In a dusty cafe near the center of town sat a placid gentleman with deep-set grey eyes. He took sips from his worn cup and shuffled lazily through the days yellowed newspaper. The dense smog of the city filtered through the door and a chorus of short harsh coughs could be heard almost continuously. The atmosphere is quiet for the time of day, only a few customers spread out like lone chess pieces on an over used board. A young man sits, perched upon a torn black stool, his tan suit neatly pressed and his auburn hair freshly greased. He's eating a rather limp looking pie, taking his time seemingly enthused with the process. In the front near the door a young mother fidgeting with her young son wait to be served by the waitress. Her blonde hair held up in pins and her black and white polka dot dress fitting high upon her neck give her a false sense of aristocracy. The waitress, in her grey dress and coral pink apron bring them each a glass of milk as she pulls a pencil from behind her ear. The scene is almost surreal in appearance until the young man at the counter quietly stands and throws his plate of pie viciously at the window behind him. It shatters with a piercing crash. The mother, covering the head of her now crying son screams out a bit in fright. The waitress rushes back behind the counter and out of sight, most likely phoning the proper athorities. The older gentleman sits still, staring forward, his newspaper now resting on the table. He new they'd be coming.

The young man at the counter silently returns to his stool and resumes the same position he held while eating the now discarded pie. A rush of running feet bring forth a crowd of police. Dressed in black, with reflective black helmets, they all look the same. Same height. Same build. The crowd into the small cafe and surround the young man. He looks up shocked at the sight before him. He stammers an objection as they place him in cuffs and life him off of the stool.

"Mr. T. R. Jenkins. You are under arrest for violation of article 6577B, section 2. Your punishment for such crime will be considered after a thorough emotional examination."

They haul the stunned man off, leaving the cafe in a silent state of shock. The gentleman fold his paper neatly and slips his coat on, revealing a circular badge on the left breast reading, "Department of Justice, Cognitive Division." He had known what would occur this day, it was his job. To observe the criminals emotional and physical behaivor leading up to the transgression. A detailed background of each criminal was investigated 3 months prior to the incident to help determine the punishment to be delivered for the crime. The gentleman knew the young man's fiance had just left him. He was torn with dispair at the lose of the one he loved. Therefore his punishment was classified under sadness. One of the hardest punishments to endure.

The gentleman left the cafe and walked quickly down the main street of the yellowed city. The days, being perpetually cloudy from pollution set off a yellowing fog which drifted in an out of every passageway. The gentlemen was heading to the rehabilitation center on the edge of town. A solid white, rectangular structure void of windows, save for the one near the door. The inside was steel. Silver metal as far as the eye could see. He grabbed his labcoat as he rushed through the doors to the containment center, just in time to see the other doctors strapping the young man to a chair facing a large screen. Electrods were attatched to his head and chest and a needle connected to a wire was gently inserted into the base of his scull. Above the scene sat a glass room, an observation deck filled with computers and instruments used to project the last emotional thoought, which led to the outburst, onto the screen below. The young man screamed in agony as clips were put in place to hold his eyelids open, forcing him to watch the screen through the entire process.

Suddenly the lights dimmed and the screen popped on in a brilliant haze of greys and blues. The depressing moment of his loss focused in and the dialog began broadcasting through the speakers on the walls.

"I just don't love you any more," the young woman in the image kept repeating. The young man twitched and shifted, trying desperately to free himself from the torture. He began sobbing uncontrollably, the first sign of mental breakdown. The memory played out a few more times before others began flickering across the screen. Images of his parents on their death bed. The loss of a childhood pet. Suddenly the young man wrenched into convulsion, the moment of psychosis had been achieved. Here, in their city, the joy of this psychotic experience was considered the norm and highly saught after.

As the screen faded to black and the young man drifted off into unconciousness the doctors released him from his restraints and escourted him off the grounds. Another justice served and another happy citizen released back into society.

A log was kept of every crime ever commited. Each crime classified under one of six primary emotions (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise). Each classification held it's own type of psychological punishment, each resulting in the same euphoric psychosis in the end.

The city was a quiet one, everyone keeping to themselves, no one hardly talking to another. But punishment would always be served. All in order to maintain the peace and trainquility needed to keep them there. Keep them from discovering themselves.

1. Right now, I'm feeling a little bored & restless.
2. In Lansing is where I want to be.
3. How does one know when the timing is right?
4. Prioritizing keeps me on track.
5. Please don't judge me until you get to know me, I'm deeper than I seem.
6. Love and friendship fills me with joy.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chatting and maybe reading, tomorrow my plans include the unknown and Sunday, I want to figure it out!

1. Your world is getting bigger today, not smaller! More history, more friends, more possibilities. Marriage is not the end of the search, it's the beginning of all the searches that are more fun to do together.

2. Be the guardians of each other's solitudes. Not only do you need to give each other space, you need to make each other space.

3. No difficult conversations after 10pm. Not only is it harder to solve problems when you're tired, but at least half the time being tired is the problem.

4. The Dutch principle of Total Soccer means that any player can attack when there is an opportunity, and any player can defend when there is a need. In Total Marriage you only have two players, so this is even more important. Both of you should be able to do everything your team needs. You'll have your preferences and strengths and habits, but if one of you goes down, the other one has to be able to cover.

5. Wedding rings don't really come with magic powers. You will learn how to take care of each other one insight at a time. And even when you're not sure how, show up and you'll think of something.

6. Headphones; separate closets.

7. If you aren't already the world's leading experts on each other, you will be soon. It is thus your responsibility to be not only the world's biggest fans of each other's best qualities, but also the world's staunchest fans of each other's weaknesses and flaws.

8. Get pets. By far the easiest way to remember that you have to feed your shared life together is if part of it comes and stomps on you every morning.

9. No ultimatums. Ever.

10. Travel. Surprise and challenge yourselves. It's easier to have a world together if you have a world to compare it to, and part of the fun of getting to know each other is putting yourselves, together, in positions where neither of you know what you're going to do yourself.

11. Committing yourselves to one another is one of the most mature, responsible, focused decisions you can make. Balance it out by being immature, irresponsible and playful together as often as possible.

12. When people, especially your relatives, offer you long lists of marriage advice, just smile politely and nod until they finally shut up.

This will melt your heart and touch your soul. Be sure to have a kleenex handy.

Morning Makeover

1 Wake-up workout.
When your eyes open, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your back and hamstrings. Hold; then, using your abs, lower yourself flat. Rest and repeat two more times. Strengthens core. Burns 10

2 Go for the grains.
Not ready for Twigs & Rocks cereal? Sprinkle on a few tablespoons of wheat germ or oat bran. Work up to 3/4 cup of low-sugar whole-grain cereal with at least three grams of fibre per serving, and you’ll pass on that Danish. Saves 100

3 Add some protein.
The more you eat earlier on, the less you eat as the day wears on, research has shown. So after your cereal, add a hard-boiled egg or a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick to keep you feeling full—and away from that pre-lunch brownie. Saves 200 (or more)

4 Balance booster.
While you brush your teeth, alternate standing on one leg as you switch mouth quadrants (every 30 seconds). Balancing develops your core muscles and may even be good for your brain. Burns 10

5 Be a ballerina.
As your coffee drips, stand sideways, put one hand on the counter, and lift the outside leg straight out in front of you, keeping it extended. With upper body straight, hold for a few seconds and move it to the side; hold and extend it behind you. Do five to ten times on each leg. Tones outer thighs, hip flexors and quadriceps. Burns 10

6 Coffee saver.
Instead of pouring that 1⁄3 cup of half-and-half (a whopping 105 calories!) into your mug, replace it with the same amount of 2 percent milk. Saves 60

7 Better your bagel.
You can walk 10,000 steps to justify your 500-calorie bagel with cream cheese, or try this: low-fat spreadable cheese like Laughing Cow Light on an English muffin. Saves 300

Nine-to-Five Fixes

8 Tone in traffic.
Use the time spent bumper-to-bumper to develop your buns of steel: Squeeze your derrière each time you tap the brake, holding for ten seconds. Shoot for ten to 15 squeezes a trip. Burns 10

9 Snack smarter.
Portion out the day’s snacks into pint-size zip bags, or buy single-serving portions. For example, four regular Oreos have 200 calories versus the 100-calorie snack bag version. Go for the lower fat chips: a Lay’s Light bag has only 75 calories, while the regular has 150. Saves 175 (over two snacks)

10 Casual day payoff.
You will blast more calories during the day wearing comfy clothes like jeans or khakis, sport shirts and soft-soled shoes than donning constricting suits, skirts and heels. Why? Because you walk more, a study found. Now you just have to convince the boss. Burns 25

11 You know squat!
At your desk chair, pretend you’re going to sit but don’t—stop and come back up without using your arms. Always start squats by lowering your hips, not bending knees forward, and keeping your weight on your heels. Repeat the motion throughout the day (even at the potty!) for 15 to 20 total. Strengthens quadriceps. Burns 15

12 Switch your soda.
Your body doesn’t register calories from liquids the same way it does those from foods, so you won’t get those “stop eating” signals to help you compensate for the overload later on. Change from two glasses of regular soda or fruit juice to diet soda or a flavoured seltzer. Saves 300

13 Talk it UP.
Every time you grab the phone, stand up and pace around. Heavy people sit on average two and a half hours more per day than thin people, according to the Mayo Clinic. Burns 50 or more

14 At lunch, pick a pita.
Use one mini whole-wheat pita instead of the usual two slices of white or refined wheat bread for your sandwich. Saves 70

15 Get face time.
We use e-mail so much we’ve forgotten what our co-workers look like. Pick a colleague or two who sits farthest from you and deliver ten of those daily messages in person. And go out of your way: Hit a bathroom or a copier on another floor—and take the stairs, of course. Burns 100

16 Firm as you file.
Pause from your papers with a few wall push-ups. Place hands wide at shoulder height against the wall. Take a couple of steps back so your body is at a slight angle and your weight is on your toes, and do three sets of ten push-ups. Strengthens chest and triceps. (For more desk exercises, go to changeone.com/workout.) Burns 10

17 An apple (or more) a day.
They’re packed with fibre and water, so your stomach will want less. Plus, studies out of Washington State and Brazil have shown that people who eat at least three apples or pears a day lose weight. Try two small apples and two fewer large cookies. Saves 100

18 Try a simple chair workout.
• Dips: If your chair has wheels, brace it against something. Facing forward, place palms on the front edge of the seat with knees bent at a right angle. Lower butt toward the floor; raise and repeat for two sets of ten. Tones triceps. Burns 10

• Lifts: Seated in a chair with your back straight and your feet on the floor, squeeze knees together and gently bring them toward your chest. Do two sets of ten. Strengthens abdominals. Burns 10

Around Town

19 Carry some weight.
When you’re grocery shopping or running errands, wear a backpack with a five- or ten-pound bag of sugar inside to increase resistance and burn more calories. Add purchases to your load as it becomes easier. Burns 20 (for an hour of errands)

20 Tweak your treat.
Instead of a large café latte and a chocolate cream-cheese muffin, get a small nonfat latte and a small low-fat raisin or carrot muffin. Saves 340

21 Pump at the pump.
Instead of fuming over gas prices, think about firming your calves: With one hand on your car, stand on the balls of your feet and slowly rise up and down for as long as it takes your tank to fill—for an SUV that might be 50 raises! Burns 10

22 Do the pizza pat.
Blot your slice with a napkin to cut anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of grease—and calories. Saves 50-100

23 Shop till the pounds drop.
At the mall, try on at least ten outfits, both pants and shirts. No need to buy! Burns 60

24 Eat like a kid.
You don’t have to give up that quick lunch if you order smaller portions: Instead of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and large fries, opt for the cheeseburger Happy Meal. You can even play with the toy. Saves 390

25 Recharge yourself.
Anytime you’re waiting in line, stand evenly on both feet, clasp hands behind your back and squeeze shoulder blades together to open your chest, an energizing yoga-based move that stimulates the nervous system. Hold for ten to 20 seconds while slowly breathing in and out, taking longer on the inhale. Burns 5

On the Home Front

26 Jog for junk mail.
Turn clutter into a challenge: For every piece of junk mail you pull from the mailbox each day, do one lap around your house or building, or up and down a flight of stairs. Burns 35-140

27 Use better butter.
No, you don’t have to give up the real deal—instead of a tablespoon of stick butter, use a tablespoon of whipped and cut half the calories. Saves 30

28 Step on it.
Before you lug those backpacks upstairs, stop and stand on the bottom step for these calf toners. Hold the banister with one hand. Bend your right leg and place the toes of your left foot on the edge of the step. Let your heel drop down, press into the ball of your left foot and rise to your toes. Pause; repeat with each foot for eight to 12 reps. Burns 10

29 Start with soup.
Order a clear soup instead of a salad soaked with two tablespoons full-fat ranch and you can save twice the calories. Plus you’ll feel fuller, so you’ll eat less when the entrée comes. Saves 100

30 Play footsie.
After dinner, while you’re still sitting at the table, extend your right leg out and slowly bend it up and down, squeezing and holding in the up position for at least five seconds. Repeat on each leg five times. Sculpts quadriceps. Burns 10

31 Make perfect pasta.
Substitute whole-grain pasta for semolina and you’ll be satisfied with a smaller portion (11/2 ounces instead of two). Saves 50. Or use the same amount of oat- bran pasta. Saves 90

32 Climb up!
Taking the stairs for a total of just two minutes, five days a week, gives you the same calorie-burning results as a 20-minute walk. Burns 100-140

33 Fill up with fruit.
Like pie? Here’s how you can cave to the craving: Sprinkle fresh fruit—some cut-up apple, pear or a handful of cherries—with some Splenda or Equal, cover and nuke for a minute or so. Tastes just like pie filling. Saves 275

34 Have your cake.
Pick up an angel food cake for dessert. It’s packed with air and has fewer than half the calories of, say, pound cake. Saves 70

35 Ease into evening.
Sitting with feet uncrossed, grab your wrist and raise your hands above your head to lengthen the spine. Take a deep breath in as you reach and hold the position, breathing slowly in and out for 20 seconds, taking longer on the exhale. Instant relaxation. Burns 5

36 Get your chocolate fix.
Instead of a candy bar, try a sugar-free, reduced-calorie Jell-O chocolate pudding snack with a squirt of nonfat whipped cream topping. Eat it with a baby spoon to savour it longer. Saves 185

37 Crunch for your clicker.
The average half-hour TV show has eight minutes of commercials. Make reaching for the remote control worth it: Place it out of reach on the coffee table or, if you’re lying down, on the opposite arm of the couch. Every time an ad comes on and you reach for the remote, crunch until the show comes back on; you should reach 100-150 or so. Tones abs. Burns 24

38 Lift those hips.
Before you tuck yourself in, lie on your back on the floor with your legs up on the edge of the bed or a chair. Slowly bend your knees, lifting your hips off the floor. Hold for five seconds, relax and repeat ten to 12 times. Firms up hamstrings and core. Burns 10

The Weekend

39 Sing a song.
Spend Sunday morning belting it out in the church choir. Burns 70 per service

40 Make it bacon.
At the diner, order three slices of crisp bacon instead of two sausage links, and pat off the extra grease. Saves 90

41 Move it, Soccer Parents!
After every quarter of the game, get up from the bleachers and take a lap around the gym or field. Four or five times around a typical one is about a mile. Burns 75

42 Movie time.
Most people eat 45 percent more popcorn from large-size containers, so make sure you get only a small and skip the butter, which adds more calories than the popcorn itself. Bring your own seasoned salt or Parmesan cheese for more flavour. Saves 350

43 Orient yourself.
At Chinese restaurants, be sure to avoid anything named General Tao or Crispy, which means fried. Eat only the filling of the egg roll and not the shell. Saves 400-500

44 Catch this!
Spend a half-hour tossing a ball or Frisbee with your kid. Burns 90

45 Cut the cheese.
Order your pizza with half the cheese or even cheese-less, and then sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan. Saves 100

46 Have a hot dog!
Pile on the pickles, onions and sauerkraut—these fibre-packed condiments will fill you up and prevent you from eating a second dog. Skip the cheese and chili. Saves 250

47 Think about your drink.
Consider beer or wine instead of a frozen drink: A glass of regular beer has 140 calories and a serving of wine has 126 calories, while a strawberry daiquiri has about 300 and a margarita 340. Saves 150-200

48 Fix your fries.
Rather than asking for medium fries, get an order of onion rings (eight to nine rings). Saves 60

49 Scream for sorbet.
Indulge in chocolate sorbet instead of chocolate ice cream. Saves 125

50 Make whoopee.
Instead of a bowl of ice cream as a bedtime snack, have a robust tussle with your spouse. Burns 300


Reposted from thread at Calorie-Count.com

1. What are your favorite kinds of plant life (plants, flowers, etc)? Why?

2. Do you associate any memories with certain things (flowers, objects, etc)? Any you'd care to share?

3. By what method do you keep track of your memories (blogs, scrapbooks, etc)? If you don't do anything to preserve your memories, how do you keep track of them? Does it matter to you?






1. I love flowering vines...and ivy. There's just something about watching them reach for the sky and spreading over an entire surface.

2. Absolutely! Mostly smells and songs. Like the smell of sunblock, especially Hawaiian Tropic. It brings back memories of my mother taking me to the beach and singing along to the radio with the windows down in the car.

3. I like to 'relive' old memories by going to the places where they happened or incorporating some of the remembered objects into my daily life.





Would you like to participate?

While talking with a friend the other day it occurred to me just how oppressing our countries new health kick is becoming.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about personal health and fitness, but there comes a point when sharing valuable information becomes preaching.

I had been a bit down last week and needed a friendly voice to help bring me up. I chose a long time friend who always seemed to know just what to say. The conversation was going well as we worked through my downs until they began haggling me about my eating style.

Whoooah boy! Hold the reigns here! I've always felt that a persons 'personal choice', and I stress that phrase, of what they eat is purely their business and perhaps that of their doctors. As the conversation continued on the feeling of being patronized and looked down on for my eating habits had turned my currently sad demeanor to almost pure rage. This friend was in NO way a doctor and NO way was I going to be beaten up and pushed around for my own personal choices.

I began searching the web for others views on this subject to ensure I wasn't merely loosing my marbles. I came across a few other individual comments on Yahoo Answers who had the same questions. Has the obsession with health become a religion? And, When did literally EVERYONE in this country seem to turn into a health nut?

It really set my mind churning as I read the responses to these questions. It made me feel validated to know I was not the only person who KNEW it was wrong to push you beliefs, no matter the subject, on others. One user seemed to speak from my heart when saying

"...Why health nut ..it is not nutty to be healthy...but to impose your beliefs on others IS like religion. Legislating or making things illegal like the fats restaurants use, or smoking in a bar,is like forcing religion down the throats of the masses.
If you do not like the fat that is being used go to another restaurant or open one that does not use offending fats. If you do not like smoke in a bar do not patronize the ones that have smoking allowed or open a smoke free bar. Be healthy, but do not judge and impose. Live the way you want and leave the others alone."

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Intimidated :: Bullied
2. Brush :: Savanna
3. Masquerade :: Ball
4. Procedure :: Surgery
5. Tattoos :: Moorea
6. Square :: Foot
7. Tuck :: Stop
8. Boyfriend :: Husband
9. Badass:: Biker-babe
10. Thousand :: Island


Participate! Unconscious Mutterings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (30 minute) package television slot
• 15 commercials, chopped
• 1 large script, shredded
• 1/2 cup bad story plot
  
• 1/2 cup underdeveloped characters
  
• 1/4 cup bad actors, well strained
• 1/4 cup over-inflated pride
• 1/4 cup cheap booze
  
• 1 tablespoon rehab
• 1 tablespoon washed up guests
  
• 1/8 cup scandal

1. Preheat the cameras to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together television slot and commercials until well blended. Mix in the script and bad story plot, then beat in the underdeveloped characters. Combine bad actors, over-inflated pride, and cheap booze; gradually stir into plot mixture. Mix in rehab, washed up guests and scandal by hand.
3. Divide dough in half. Form two sections (15 minutes in length) on a 1 hour VHS tape that has been monitored by the FCC. Dough may be shallow; wet hands with extra booze to handle dough more easily.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated television, or until test audiences are light brown. Remove from television, and set aside to mull over for 3 months. Increase television airing time to once a day at 1:oo am.
5. Cut program apart diagonal, slant ways, unfairly and backwards into 3/4 of the actors have been replaced. Lay on criticism until properly degraded. Yields 3 seasons.

It seems in our country today, many have forgotten what it means to be American and have laughed off this auspicious occasion in favor of Cinco de Mayo and many other non-American holidays.

Please take this time to remember our great country and to thank those who have helped preserve these freedoms.

The following presentation was created in July 2008 by GoDaddy.com and still remains as beautiful. Please enjoy and remember to celebrate our freedom!

Please click on the image below to view the presentation, thank you.

Things would be simple, if I were young again.
Without the burdens of the world.
Without responsibilities and knowing.
Things would be simple.

Things would be simple, without all the wars.
With peace and forgiveness and perhaps even more.
Then, things would be simple.

Things would be simple, if we only let them be.
If we stopped worrying about money and success.
If we only stopped to be kind and care for others.
Things would be so simple then.

But, things just can't be simple.
According to the world.
Things must be difficult and complicated and unjust.
But, if that all went away, then things could be simple.
They could.
They could simply be simple.


WritingFix.com Left-Brain Start & Stop Challenge.

I stumbled upon this beautiful bit of advice this afternoon and felt I should pass on the wisdom. Please feel free to do the same.

People younger than 30 know a lot about things I will never understand, but they don’t know much about marriage.

Take my young friend Steve. I met him a dozen years ago through my late husband, who was his high school chemistry teacher and basketball coach.

Of all the great kids we knew over the years, Steve was one of the finest — hardworking and solid — in class, on the court and in life. I’ll always be grateful for the eulogy he gave at my husband’s memorial service.

Steve got married recently, and for a wedding gift, I wanted to give him something he could actually use: Advice.

So, I sifted through years of experience, old columns and letters from readers to compile “25 Tips on How to Stay Married”:

1. Always put her first — before work, friends, even basketball. Act as if she’s the best thing that ever happened to you, because we all know she is.

2. Keep no secrets. Pool your money. Allow nothing and no one to come between you.

3. Pick your fights with care. Play fair. Show some class. Hurtful words can be forgiven, but they’re hard to forget.

4. Fall in love again every day. Kiss her in taxis. Flirt with her at parties. Tell her she’s beautiful. Then tell her again.

5. Never miss an anniversary or a birthday or a chance to make a memory. Memories may not seem important now, but one day they’ll be gold.

6. Never give her a practical gift. If she really wants a Shop-Vac, let her pick it out herself.

7. Go to church together, and pray every day for each other and your marriage.

8. Pay your bills on time and make sure you each have a living will, a durable power of attorney and life insurance, lest, God forbid, you need them.

9. Love her parents as your own, but don’t ask them for money. Never criticize her family or friends. On her birthday, send flowers to her mother with a note saying, “Thank you for giving birth to the love of my life.”

10. Always listen to her heart. If you’re wrong, say you’re sorry; if you’re right, shut up.

11. Don’t half-tie the knot; plan to stay married forever.

12. Never go to bed mad; talk until you’re over it, or you forget why you were mad.

13. Laugh together a lot. If you can laugh at yourselves, you’ll have plenty to laugh about.

14. Never criticize, correct or interrupt her in public; try not to do it in private, either.

15. Remember that people are the least lovable when they are most in need of love.

16. Never fall for the myth of perfectionism; it’s a lie.

17. When you don’t like each other, remember that you love each other; pray for the “good days” to return and they will.

18. Tell the truth, only the truth, with great kindness.

19. Kiss at least 10 seconds a day, all at once or spread out.

20. Memorize all her favorite things and amaze her with how very well you know her.

21. Examine your relationship as often as you change the oil in your car; keep steering it on a path you both want it to go.

22. Be content with what you have materially, honest about where you are emotionally, and never stop growing spiritually.

23. Never raise your voice unless you’re on fire. Whisper when you argue.

24. Be both friends and lovers; in a blackout, light a candle, then make your own sparks.

25. Finally, be an interesting person, lead your own life. But always save your best for each other. In the end, you will know you were better together than you ever could’ve been apart.