by: Joe R. Garman
Angels are mentioned about three hundred times in the Bible. The first description of an angel appears in Genesis 16:7, the last in Revelation 22:16. The angel is portrayed at the beginning as carrying a message from God, and in the closing chapter of scripture as carrying a message from Christ.
1. ANGELS CARE ABOUT MILITARY PERSONNEL. The very first Gentile convert was a military officer. "About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, ‘Cornelius!’ and fixing his gaze upon him and being much alarmed, he said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God’ " (Acts 10:3-4)
2. PRISON BARS CANNOT KEEP ANGELS FROM US. What glorious things angels have wrought in prison. "But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, ‘Go your way, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life’." (Acts 5:19-20)
3. LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE GUARDIAN ANGELS. Jesus lovingly spoke of children seven times in this, the children’s chapter of the Bible. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." (Matt 18:10, 11)
4. ANGELS HAVE NOT ALWAYS EXISTED, BUT WERE CREATED PRIOR TO ADAM. Only four angelic beings are mentioned by name in scripture: Michael and Gabriel (Holy): Lucifer and Abbadon (Fallen). "And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:15, 16)
5. ANGELS ARE SUBJECT TO JESUS, THEIR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. Angels cannot work the works of the Holy Spirit, nor grant forgiveness for sin. "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." (I Peter 3:21,22)
6. BECAUSE NAKEDNESS IS A MARK OF APOSTASY BEFORE GOD, ANGELS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE ARE CLOTHED IN PURE, FINE, WHITE LINEN. So was the High Priest when making access to God. Jesus was wrapped for burial in fine linen prior to His resurrection. "And his appearance was like lightning, and his garment as white as snow; and the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men." (Matthew 28: 3,4)
7. A NUMBERLESS HOST OF ANGELS DESCENDED UPON MT. SINAI. There Moses received the law from God, which the angels themselves had ordained. "Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely, the Lord will dwell there forever. The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness." (Psalm 68:16,17)
8. GOD’S ANGELS ARE HOLY (SINLESS) BY CHOICE. Angels are spoken of more in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. "For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:37,38)
9. ANGELS LIVE IN CLOSE AND CONSTANT COMMUNION WITH GOD, CONTINUALLY PRAISING HIM. If man were the only creature giving praise to God, how little glory He would receive from His creation. "And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years,’ And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God: and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring to you this good news." (Luke 1:18,19)
10. THE ANGELS’ CAPITOL IS IN A HEAVEN FREE FROM SIN, THE BUSIEST PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. To deny the existence of angels and of heaven is to deny the Deity of Christ, for He spoke of them both quite often. "Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.’ And He said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:50,51)
11. ANGELS ARE VASTLY NUMEROUS. The Hebrew language had no word for "million", so when speaking of angels, they expressed a million as "a thousand thousands (which is a million) and ten thousand times ten thousand (a hundred million)". "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect." (Hebrews 12:22,23)
12. ANGELS DO NOT MARRY OR REPRODUCE. There is no mention in scripture of "baby" angels. "But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven." (Matthew 22:29,30)
13. ANGELS NEVER DIE, NEITHER IS IT MENTIONED THAT THEY CAN WEEP. There will be no hospitals, graveyards or jails in heaven. "But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; for neither can they die any more, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." (Luke 20:35,36)
14. ANGELS ARE NOT "ALL KNOWING". "heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Matthew 24:35,36)
15. ANGELS CAMP AROUND THOSE WHO FEAR GOD. "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:7,8)
16. ANGELS ARE WISE AND HAVE DISCERNMENT. "In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth. Then the king said to Joab, ‘Behold now, I will surely do this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom." (II Samuel 14:20,21)
17. ANGELS ARE MULTI-LINGUAL. "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (I Corinthians 13:1,2)
18. ANGELS CAN VIEW US FROM THEIR ROYAL COURT AND HAVE THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AS THEIR COLISEUM. "For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor." (I Corinthians 4:9,10)
19. ANGELS EAT HEAVENLY MANNA. It is possible that Jesus ate angel food (manna from heaven) when angels ministered to Him after His 40 days of fasting in the wilderness. "And He rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance." (Psalm 78:24,25)
20. AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD SERAPHIM STAND ABOVE AND CRY, "HOLY", CHERUBIM STAND BELOW TO GUARD, BUT NO ANGEL IS ALLOWED TO SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, AS THAT IS RESERVED FOR HIS SON AND OUR SAVIOR. "For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘Thou art My Son, today I have begotten thee’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him, and He shall be a Son to me’? And again He brings the first-born into the world, He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him’." (Hebrews 1:5,6)
21. ANGELS PATROL THE EARTH. The "real" God-squad. "And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth’. So they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet." (Zechariah 1:10,11)
22. ALTHOUGH HIS DISCIPLES SLEPT, JESUS WAS NOT ALONE IN THE GARDEN OF PRAYER, FOR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN WAS PRESENT AND STRENGTHENED HIM. "Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. and being in agony he was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground." (Luke 22:43,44)
23. ANGELS ARE CURIOUS. "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things into which angels long to look. Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 1:12,13)
24. ANGELS WILL BE JUDGED BY US. "Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life?" (I Corinthians 6:2,3)
25. ANGELS PROPHESY AND INTERPRET DREAMS. "But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20,21)
26. OUR LORD HIMSELF APPEARED AS AN ANGEL TO JACOB, GIDEON AND MENOAH...ONLY TO MENTION A FEW. If this had not been the Lord, He would have constrained them when they began to worship and pay tribute to Him, just as the angel did in the revelation when John fell down to worship him. "Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found Him at Bethel, and there He spoke with us, even the Lord, the God of hosts; the Lord is His name." (Hosea 12:4,5)
27. THE TOMB OF JESUS WAS NEVER EMPTY, FOR THE ANGELS WERE THERE AND PROCLAIMED THE FIRST RESURRECTION STORY. "But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in whit sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying." (John 20:11,12)
28. SATAN WAS AN ANOINTED CHERUB, BUT HE HAS THE ABILITY TO DISGUISE HIMSELF AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT (THEREFORE AS A MESSENGER). "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds." (II Corinthians 11:14,15)
29. HELL WAS NOT PREPARED FOR MAN, BUT WAS PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS. If you force yourself into Hell by purposely rejecting Christ, you will be going to a place not at all prepared for you...God prepared Heaven for you. "And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:40,41)
30. ANGELS CAN APPEAR AS WINDS AND FLAMES OF FIRE. "And of the angels He says, ‘Who makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire.’ But of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom." (Hebrews 1:7,8)
31. ANGELS CANNOT SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor thing present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39)
32. ANGELS REJOICE OVER REPENTANT SINNERS. "And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15;9,10)
33. ANGELS ARE NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZABLE. Only seraphim and cherubim are mentioned in scripture as having wings, and never does it mention that angels have halos. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body." (Hebrews 13:2,3)
34. ANGELS ARE SO STRONG THAT IT TOOK ONLY ONE TO KILL 185,000 ASSYRIANS...AND NOW THEY ARE FIGHTING ON YOUR TEAM. Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out, and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh." (II Kings 19:35,36)
35. ANGELS WERE CHARGED TO GUARD JESUS IN ALL HIS WAYS. This is why they are mentioned more in the Gospels and Revelation...because where Jesus was, the angels were en masse. "For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:11,12)
36. AN ANGEL ALMOST DESTROYED JERUSALEM. "So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, ‘It is enough! Now relax your hand!’ And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Arunah the Jebusite." (II Samuel 24:15,16)
37. ANGELS ARE IN CONSTANT WARFARE AGAINST SATAN AND HIS AGENTS. Many times they are mentioned as driving chariots of fire pulled by the only earthly animal mentioned that will be in heaven, the horse. "Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia." (Daniel 10:12,13)
38. ANGELS CAN CAUSE THE EARTH TO QUAKE AND MOUNTAINS TO TREMBLE. "Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it." Matthew 28:1,2)
39. ANGELS DESIRE TO COMFORT US. "And the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying." (Matthew 28:5,6)
40. MAN IS CREATED LOWER THAN THE ANGELS. "But one has testified somewhere, saying, ‘What is man, that Thou rememberest him? Or the son of man, that Thou art concerned about him? Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels; Thou has crowned him with glory and honor, and has appointed him over the works of Thy hands." (Hebrews 2:6,7)
41. ANGELS DIFFER IN CLASS, CALLING and RANK. The list is not exhaustive and not necessarily in this order: Seraphim, cherubim, archangel, princes. "But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed." (Jude 9,10)
42. ANGELS ARE NOT TO BE WORSHIPPED. "Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to be head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God." (Colossians 2:18,19)
43. ANGELS ARE NOT TO PREACH "ANOTHER GOSPEL". Only fools rush in where angels fear to tread. "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8,9)
44. ANGELS CAN CAUSE AFFLICTIONS. "And the people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." (Acts 12:22,23)
45. ANGELS ARE ALWAYS OF MASCULINE GENDER WHEN MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE AND WHEN REVEALED IN HUMAN FORM. "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment had come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters." (Revelation 14:6,7)
46. ANGELS WILL CAST THE UNSAVED INTO A FURNACE OF FIRE. "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41,42)
47. ANGELS WILL GATHER TOGETHER THOSE WHO ARE SAVED. "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." (Matthew 24:30,31)
48. IN GREAT GLORY ANGELS WILL RETURN WITH JESUS, LED BY A SHOUT FROM THE ARCHANGEL, MICHAEL. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:16,17)
49. ALL ANGELS WILL BE PRESENT AT THE JUDGMENT WHEN JESUS IS UNVEILED IN HIS FATHER’S GLORY. Man has never before seen Jesus in full glory...neither did the friends of the bridegroom (the prophets and disciples). "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." (Matthew 25:31,32)
50. 72,000 ANGELS (TWELVE LEGIONS - 6,000 TO A LEGION) WERE WAITING FOR CHRIST’S COMMAND AT HIS HOUR OF BETRAYAL, AND ANY ONE OF THEM COULD HAVE, AND GLADLY WOULD HAVE, RESCUED HIM...BUT JESUS WILLINGLY LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR YOU. "Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:52,53)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Talking with Your Guardian Angels
By Tracy Bonczyk
Did you know that your guardian angels job is to focus entirely on you? By placing your thoughts, actions and words at the center of their attention, they are able to help you manifest your beliefs.
When talking with your guardian angels the phrase "thoughts are things" holds especially true.
These angels of direction and safety want to assist you along your life path, so it's important to be aware of the messages you are sending out.
Guardian angels also assist with special requests. However, you must request their assistance in order to have these special requests granted. According to universal law, angels cannot intervene unless their assistance is requested. If you don't ask, they can't help.
Guardian angels are available to help with any request that is positive and causes no harm. If you've lost something, ask your guardian angels to show you where it is. If you need financial assistance, ask your angels to provide it. If you're uncertain of your life work, ask your angels for guidance.
Guardian angels can help you with everything in your life. However, help is the key word. Guardian angels are here to assist you, but they cannot do everything for you. In essence, guardian angels are your personal cheerleader offering support, guidance and love.
When talking with your guardian angels it's important to be specific about your requests. Eliminate preconceived expectations and keep your mind open to endless possibilities. Turn your request over to your guardian angels and know it will be handled for the highest good of all.
Answers to requests oftentimes emerge in the most unexpected ways at the most unexpected time. Results are sometimes instantaneous, while others may take months to manifest. Oftentimes, requests arrive in a manner much different than expected. When you recognize your request has been granted, take time to thank your guardian angels.
Before talking with your guardian angels, it's advised to get into a state of higher consciousness. Doing so allows you to clear away negative energy that may surround you. Find a place where you feel safe and are able to release any attachment to anger, fear, guilt, or shame. If this is difficult to accomplish, ask your guardian angels to clear negative energies and replace with serene, tender energies.
Each of us has access to these benevolent helpers known as Guardian Angels. Learning how to talk with them can help you create the life you desire and deserve.
Did you know that your guardian angels job is to focus entirely on you? By placing your thoughts, actions and words at the center of their attention, they are able to help you manifest your beliefs.
When talking with your guardian angels the phrase "thoughts are things" holds especially true.
These angels of direction and safety want to assist you along your life path, so it's important to be aware of the messages you are sending out.
Guardian angels also assist with special requests. However, you must request their assistance in order to have these special requests granted. According to universal law, angels cannot intervene unless their assistance is requested. If you don't ask, they can't help.
Guardian angels are available to help with any request that is positive and causes no harm. If you've lost something, ask your guardian angels to show you where it is. If you need financial assistance, ask your angels to provide it. If you're uncertain of your life work, ask your angels for guidance.
Guardian angels can help you with everything in your life. However, help is the key word. Guardian angels are here to assist you, but they cannot do everything for you. In essence, guardian angels are your personal cheerleader offering support, guidance and love.
When talking with your guardian angels it's important to be specific about your requests. Eliminate preconceived expectations and keep your mind open to endless possibilities. Turn your request over to your guardian angels and know it will be handled for the highest good of all.
Answers to requests oftentimes emerge in the most unexpected ways at the most unexpected time. Results are sometimes instantaneous, while others may take months to manifest. Oftentimes, requests arrive in a manner much different than expected. When you recognize your request has been granted, take time to thank your guardian angels.
Before talking with your guardian angels, it's advised to get into a state of higher consciousness. Doing so allows you to clear away negative energy that may surround you. Find a place where you feel safe and are able to release any attachment to anger, fear, guilt, or shame. If this is difficult to accomplish, ask your guardian angels to clear negative energies and replace with serene, tender energies.
Each of us has access to these benevolent helpers known as Guardian Angels. Learning how to talk with them can help you create the life you desire and deserve.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Angels Among Us by Alabama
I was walking home from school on a cold winter day. Took a shortcut through the woods and lost my way. It was getting late and I was scared and alone, but then a kind old man took my hand and led me home. Now, Momma could not see him, oh but he was standing there and I knew in my heart he was the answer to my prayers. Oh, I believe there are angels among us sent down to us from somewhere up above. They come to you and me in our darkest hours to show us how to live, to teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love. When life held trouble times and had me down on my knees, there's always been someone come along and comfort me, a kind word from a stranger to lend a helping hand, a phonecall from a friend just to say I understand. Aint it kind of funny at the dark end of the road that someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope. Oh, I believe there are angels among us sent down to us from somewhere up above. They come to you and to me in our darkest hours to show us how to live, to teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love. They where so many faces, show up in the strangest places, to grace us with their mercy in our time of need. Oh, I believe there are angels among us sent down to us from somewhere up above. They come to you and me in our darkest hours, to show us how to live, to teach us to give, to guide us with the light of love. To guide us with the light of love!
Friday, February 13, 2009
I’ve Never Felt This Way Before
I want you to know so many things about my feelings for you. It used to scare me a little bit to know how open I have been with you. Before you came along, so many of my inner feelings were completely mine. I didn’t think I would ever find anyone I could trust enough to share them with. But now, so sweetly and assuredly, I have. I am so incredibly glad you’re here.
And now… you know so much about me. Things that, for the first in my life, I feel safe sharing. I guess I just knew that you had a caring heart that would take wonderful care of the things that are so important to me.
Now there is a connection between us that will always be one of the most meaningful things I’ll ever be blessed with. The place where my life lives alongside yours is my sanctuary. It is a space where an unbreakable bond exists between us. It’s the one place on this planet where my path converges with the path of another, where I can be close enough to walk alongside you on your journey and have you there to walk with and talk on the journey of all my days.
You know where I hade the keys to the doors that lead to my happiness and my hopes. You have been with me in moments of closeness so complete that worlds get lost and love gets found in everything. You know the highs and lows, the dreams, the memories, the way yesterday has been, and the way I want tomorrow to be.
There are many things that no one knows… but you. And today, I want you to know this, to: No matter what the rest of the world might have planned, I want our lives to continue on… with the sweetest understanding and the strongest connection any two people can share…
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Alone by Heart
I hear the ticking of the clock
Im lying here the rooms pitch dark
I wonder where you are tonight
No answer on the telephone
And the night goes by so very slow
Oh I hope that it wont end though
Alone
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
You dont know how long I have wanted
To touch your lips and hold you tight
You dont know how long I have waited
And I was going to tell you tonight
But the secret is still my own
And my love for you is still unknown
Alone
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
Alone, alone
alone - heart
Im lying here the rooms pitch dark
I wonder where you are tonight
No answer on the telephone
And the night goes by so very slow
Oh I hope that it wont end though
Alone
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
You dont know how long I have wanted
To touch your lips and hold you tight
You dont know how long I have waited
And I was going to tell you tonight
But the secret is still my own
And my love for you is still unknown
Alone
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
Alone, alone
alone - heart
25 Beautiful One-liners
1. Give God what’s right…not what’s left.
2. Man’s way leads to hopeless end…God’s way leads to an endless hope .
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the period.
6. Don’t put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don’t give God instructions…just report for duty.
9. Don’t wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don’t change God’s message…His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead…It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily…walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride…he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he’ll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men…You catch them & He’ll clean them.
25. God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
2. Man’s way leads to hopeless end…God’s way leads to an endless hope .
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the period.
6. Don’t put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don’t give God instructions…just report for duty.
9. Don’t wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don’t change God’s message…His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead…It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily…walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride…he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he’ll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men…You catch them & He’ll clean them.
25. God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Before It's To Late
Daniel: I guess we are the left overs in this world.
Jasmine: I think so.. All of my friends have boyfriends & we are the only 2 persons left in this world without any special someone in our lives.
Daniel: Yup! I don't know what to do.
Jasmine: I know! We'll play a game.
Daniel: What game?
Jasmine: I'll be your girlfriend for 30 days & you will be my boyfriend.
Daniel: That's a great plan in fact, I don't have anything to do for the following weeks..
DAY 1:
They watched their first movie together & were both touched in the romantic film.
DAY 4:
They went to the beach & had a picnic... Daniel & Jasmine had their quality time together.
DAY 12:
Daniel invited Jasmine to a circus and they went to a Horror House.. Jasmine was scared and she tried to touch Daniel's hand but by accident she touched someone else's and they both laughed..
DAY 14:
They saw a fortune teller down the road and asked for their future. The fortune teller said: "My darlings, please don't waste the time of your lives... spend your time together happily." Then tears flow from the teller's eyes.
DAY 20:
Jasmine invited Daniel to go to the hill and they saw a meteor... Jasmine mumbled something.
DAY 28:
They rode on a bus and because of the bumpy road, Jasmine gave her first kiss to Daniel by accident.
DAY 29:
11:37 pm : Daniel & Jasmine were sitting in the park where they first decided to play this game...
Daniel: I'm tired Jasmine... do you want any drinks? I'll buy you one.. I'll just go down the road..
Jasmine: Apple juice would be fine,thanks.
Daniel: Wait for me...
20 minutes later... a stranger approached Jasmine.
Stranger: Are you a friend of Daniel?
Jasmine: Yes, why? What happened?
Stranger: A reckless drunken driver ran over Daniel & he is critical in the hospital.
11:57pm : The doctor came out from the emergency room & handed out an apple juice & a letter to Jasmine.
Doctor: We found this in Daniel's pocket.
Jasmine read the letter which says:
Jasmine, this past few days, I realized you are really a cute girl & I am falling for you.. your cherished smile, your everything when we played this game.. & before this game ends, I would like you to be my girlfriend for the rest of my life. I love you, Jasmine...
Jasmine crumples the paper & shouted..
"Daniel! I don't want you to die...I love you... Remember that night we saw a meteor? I mumbled something.. I wished that we would be together forever & never end this game. Please don't leave me, Daniel... I love you, you cannot do this to me
Then the clock strikes 12
Daniel's heart stop pumping
THEN IT WAS THE 30th DAY...
Always love your loved ones & show them how you feel before it's too late.. You will never know when they will be gone from your embrace.. If you were given a time to bestow petals of everlasting compassion & love to your love ones, today is the day. Love them while they are still here...
Jasmine: I think so.. All of my friends have boyfriends & we are the only 2 persons left in this world without any special someone in our lives.
Daniel: Yup! I don't know what to do.
Jasmine: I know! We'll play a game.
Daniel: What game?
Jasmine: I'll be your girlfriend for 30 days & you will be my boyfriend.
Daniel: That's a great plan in fact, I don't have anything to do for the following weeks..
DAY 1:
They watched their first movie together & were both touched in the romantic film.
DAY 4:
They went to the beach & had a picnic... Daniel & Jasmine had their quality time together.
DAY 12:
Daniel invited Jasmine to a circus and they went to a Horror House.. Jasmine was scared and she tried to touch Daniel's hand but by accident she touched someone else's and they both laughed..
DAY 14:
They saw a fortune teller down the road and asked for their future. The fortune teller said: "My darlings, please don't waste the time of your lives... spend your time together happily." Then tears flow from the teller's eyes.
DAY 20:
Jasmine invited Daniel to go to the hill and they saw a meteor... Jasmine mumbled something.
DAY 28:
They rode on a bus and because of the bumpy road, Jasmine gave her first kiss to Daniel by accident.
DAY 29:
11:37 pm : Daniel & Jasmine were sitting in the park where they first decided to play this game...
Daniel: I'm tired Jasmine... do you want any drinks? I'll buy you one.. I'll just go down the road..
Jasmine: Apple juice would be fine,thanks.
Daniel: Wait for me...
20 minutes later... a stranger approached Jasmine.
Stranger: Are you a friend of Daniel?
Jasmine: Yes, why? What happened?
Stranger: A reckless drunken driver ran over Daniel & he is critical in the hospital.
11:57pm : The doctor came out from the emergency room & handed out an apple juice & a letter to Jasmine.
Doctor: We found this in Daniel's pocket.
Jasmine read the letter which says:
Jasmine, this past few days, I realized you are really a cute girl & I am falling for you.. your cherished smile, your everything when we played this game.. & before this game ends, I would like you to be my girlfriend for the rest of my life. I love you, Jasmine...
Jasmine crumples the paper & shouted..
"Daniel! I don't want you to die...I love you... Remember that night we saw a meteor? I mumbled something.. I wished that we would be together forever & never end this game. Please don't leave me, Daniel... I love you, you cannot do this to me
Then the clock strikes 12
Daniel's heart stop pumping
THEN IT WAS THE 30th DAY...
Always love your loved ones & show them how you feel before it's too late.. You will never know when they will be gone from your embrace.. If you were given a time to bestow petals of everlasting compassion & love to your love ones, today is the day. Love them while they are still here...
If Love Needs A Reason
Lady: Why do you like me..? Why do you love me?
Man : I can't tell the reason.. but I really like you..
Lady: You can't even tell me the reason... how can you say you like me? How can you say you love me?
Man : I really don't know the reason, but I can prove that I love you.
Lady: Proof? No! I want you to tell me the reason. My friend's boyfriend can tell her why he loves her but not you!
Man : Ok.. ok!!! Erm... because you are beautiful, because your voice is sweet, because you are caring, because you are loving, because you are thoughtful, because of your smile, because of your every movements..
Unfortunately, a few days later, the Lady met with an accident and became comma. The Guy then placed a letter by her side, and here is the content:
Dearest,
Because of your sweet voice that I love you. Now can you talk? No! Therefore I cannot love you. Because of your care and concern that I like you. Now that you cannot show them, therefore I cannot love you. Because of your smile, because of your every movements that I love you. Now can you smile? Now can you move? No, therefore I cannot love you.
If love needs a reason, like now, there is no reason for me to love you anymore. Do love need a reason?
No!
Therefore, I still love you. And love doesn't need a reason.
Man : I can't tell the reason.. but I really like you..
Lady: You can't even tell me the reason... how can you say you like me? How can you say you love me?
Man : I really don't know the reason, but I can prove that I love you.
Lady: Proof? No! I want you to tell me the reason. My friend's boyfriend can tell her why he loves her but not you!
Man : Ok.. ok!!! Erm... because you are beautiful, because your voice is sweet, because you are caring, because you are loving, because you are thoughtful, because of your smile, because of your every movements..
Unfortunately, a few days later, the Lady met with an accident and became comma. The Guy then placed a letter by her side, and here is the content:
Dearest,
Because of your sweet voice that I love you. Now can you talk? No! Therefore I cannot love you. Because of your care and concern that I like you. Now that you cannot show them, therefore I cannot love you. Because of your smile, because of your every movements that I love you. Now can you smile? Now can you move? No, therefore I cannot love you.
If love needs a reason, like now, there is no reason for me to love you anymore. Do love need a reason?
No!
Therefore, I still love you. And love doesn't need a reason.
31 Ways To Make Her Happy
1. Tell her she is beautiful.
2. Hold her hand at any moment . . . even if its just for a second.
3. Hug her from behind.
4. Leave her voice messages to wake up to.
5. Wrestle with her :)
6. Don't go hang out with you ex when shes not with you, you might not realize how badly it hurts her.
7. If you're talking to another girl, when you're done talking, walk over and hug her and kiss her....let her know she's yours and they aren't.
8. Write her notes or call her just to say "hi".
9. Introduce her to your friends . . . as your girlfriend.
10. Play with her hair.
11. Pick her up (she loves it).
12. Get upset if another guy touches her and she doesn't like it
13. Make her laugh.
14. Let her fall asleep in your arms.
15. If she's mad at you, kiss her.
16. If you care about her, then TELL HER.
17. Every guy should give their girl 3 things: a stuffed animal (she'll hug it every time she goes to sleep), jewelry (she'll treasure it forever), and one of his t- shirts (she'll most likely wear it to bed) or sweatshirts sprayed with his cologne!! and flowers or something occasionally.
18. Treat her the same around your friends as you do when you're alone.
19. Look her in the eyes and smile.
20. Hang out with her on weekends.
21.Kiss her in the rain (girls love this).
22.Kiss her just for the heck of it.
23. If your listening to music, let her listen too.
24. Remember her birthday and get her something,even if its simple and inexpensive, it came from YOU. it means all the world to HER.
25. When she gives you a present on your birthday, Christmas, or just whenever, take it and tell her you love it, even if you don't (it'll make her happy.)
26. Always call her when you say you will, it may not seem like it, but it does hurt her and makes her think you don't care so call even if you can only talk for a minute.Girls don't necessarily have to have hour long conversations every night but its nice for us to hear your voice even for a quick hello.
27. Give her what she wants.
28. Recognize the small things . . . they usually mean the most.
29. Dont hug her friends or your friends that are girls cause she'll feel left out.
30. Hang out with her whenever you are free and u should be free to hang wit your girl friend all the time
31.If u care about her...SHOW her!
2. Hold her hand at any moment . . . even if its just for a second.
3. Hug her from behind.
4. Leave her voice messages to wake up to.
5. Wrestle with her :)
6. Don't go hang out with you ex when shes not with you, you might not realize how badly it hurts her.
7. If you're talking to another girl, when you're done talking, walk over and hug her and kiss her....let her know she's yours and they aren't.
8. Write her notes or call her just to say "hi".
9. Introduce her to your friends . . . as your girlfriend.
10. Play with her hair.
11. Pick her up (she loves it).
12. Get upset if another guy touches her and she doesn't like it
13. Make her laugh.
14. Let her fall asleep in your arms.
15. If she's mad at you, kiss her.
16. If you care about her, then TELL HER.
17. Every guy should give their girl 3 things: a stuffed animal (she'll hug it every time she goes to sleep), jewelry (she'll treasure it forever), and one of his t- shirts (she'll most likely wear it to bed) or sweatshirts sprayed with his cologne!! and flowers or something occasionally.
18. Treat her the same around your friends as you do when you're alone.
19. Look her in the eyes and smile.
20. Hang out with her on weekends.
21.Kiss her in the rain (girls love this).
22.Kiss her just for the heck of it.
23. If your listening to music, let her listen too.
24. Remember her birthday and get her something,even if its simple and inexpensive, it came from YOU. it means all the world to HER.
25. When she gives you a present on your birthday, Christmas, or just whenever, take it and tell her you love it, even if you don't (it'll make her happy.)
26. Always call her when you say you will, it may not seem like it, but it does hurt her and makes her think you don't care so call even if you can only talk for a minute.Girls don't necessarily have to have hour long conversations every night but its nice for us to hear your voice even for a quick hello.
27. Give her what she wants.
28. Recognize the small things . . . they usually mean the most.
29. Dont hug her friends or your friends that are girls cause she'll feel left out.
30. Hang out with her whenever you are free and u should be free to hang wit your girl friend all the time
31.If u care about her...SHOW her!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A Diary From A Guy
*January 2*
Do you still remember the first time we met? It was the first day in school. I was hurriedly entering the school gate when I bumped into you as you stepped out of a luxurious Volvo. The books you were holding fell all over the ground. I quickly picked up the books and returned them to you along with words of apology, but all you showed me was your intimidating look. My first impression of you was tha tyou were a willful girl born with a golden stingy in the mouth. I had rejected you completely and had hoped not to meet you again, but surprisingly you turned out to be my classmate.
*March 22*
I started to know more about you as days passed and my opinion of you changed for the better on each passing day. I realized that you were from a wealthy family but definitely not a willful girl. You were nice and friendly. You got angry that day we first met because I had left a footprint marking on the poetry collection you loved dearly. We met often during lunch break and I found something in you that was different from the rest of the girls - your passion for Chinese poetry. Often you would mumble something to yourself. Initially, I thought that you were humming a pop song but later I realized that you had been reciting Chinese poems from great poets. You were so knowledgeable that you knew every poet and which poems they composed. I was very impressed indeed.
*April 5*
I met you again in the study area. That day you were reading the Chinese classics "Romance of the 3 kingdom". Your ability to appreciate Chinese classics left me with admiration. You were indeed unique in many ways.
*May 5*
From then on, we would often meet in the study area to discuss about the good and bad things of the character in these Chinese classics. Do you still remember the time when we almost broke off because we could not agree on whether Jia BaoYu hurt Lin Dai Yu? Our argument was so fierce that we never talked for that week. But when Friday came, we still met in the study area and laughed over the incident. After which, another argument started.
*Aug 7*
I could not deny it. It was a feeling I could not identify accurately. Whenever you laughed over a joke with other guys, that emotion filled my senses. It took me a while before identified it. I was in love; the feeling was jealousy. I felt the need to express it. But, I was afraid...that you would dismiss my feeling, that you and I would be stuck in an embarrassing situation, that our long nurtured friendship would crumble...therefore, I kept quiet.
*Oct 1*
The news came as a shock to me. I was so worried when I learned that you had fainted in the canteen. I was struggling to keep my worried face in control as I looked at the ambulance that carried you away.
*Oct 2*
It was drizzling that day. Our form teacher sadly announced that you had got cancer. As she finished her last sentence, outside the classroom, it seemed to me that the drizzle had turned into a downpour. I could only hear the sound of the rain, nothing more. I rushed to NUH ICU to see you immediately after lesson. Your face was whitish in colour, showing no trace of red. I learned that you had just undergone an operation. The life-support system was just beside you with tubes piercing mercilessly into your left wrist. "I am all right, it is just a serious case of anemia. Believe me, my parents told me that". you said convincingly. I knew fully well what you were thinking, you did not want me to be worried. "Are you comforting yourself or comforting the fears and hopelessness that was written all over my face?", I thought to myself. I was not strong enough to disagree with you and I nodded my head with a forced smile. You responded with a smile too-with great effort.
*Oct 5*
It was a ordinary day but to me, it was an important day. I felt an impulse to express my love. I walked over to the side of your bed, holding your hand. I told you the story of how an ordinary guy fell in love with a girl who likes poetry and Chinese classics. As I told my story, my eyes started to flood with water, and uncontrollably my voice started to choke, and finally I broke into tear But you held my head against your body and with watery eyes, said: "I understand such a love, so did the girl." I returned my eyes to her and at that moment, her tears dropped, and for the first time, I saw some redness on her lips.
*Oct 26*
It was the last day of examination and I rushed to NUH to continue my story. When I reached there, I only saw the nurse arranging the bed you once slept on. When I asked about you, the nurse told me expressionlessly that you had passed away. It was a bolt from the blue for me. I stood motionless for a long time. I hated myself for spending the last few days preparing for the last examination paper. I hated myself for not staying longer the last time I visited you. I hated myself so much...but you were gone...... I can't remember how I got home that day. When I woke up, I was already in my room. The pillow I slept on was wet. The next day, I went for the funeral. I heard from your father that on the day you passed away, you were still reading the Poetry collection I gave you as a gift for your birthday. Standing in front of Your portrait, I had no tears, they were used up on the day of your death. All I knew was sadness, my heart was like shattered into pieces and died.
*Jan 2*
A new girl has taken over your seat. She does not like poetry, but she likes to hum pop songs. When I asked her if she knows Jia Bao Yu, she replied: "What are you talking about?" Yes, you were gone. But to me, the seat is still unoccupied, and maybe no one will ever occupy it......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a true story that happened 10 years ago!!!! Now then Can fully understand what the author means by "A PERSON WILL KNOW WHAT IS PAIN ONLY WHEN HE HAS BEEN THROUGH IT...." To cut the whole story short...jus wanna tell u pple that.....
IF U TRULY LOVE THAT SOMEONE... JUS GO RIGHT UP TO HIM OR HER OR GIVE A PHONE CALL RIGHT NOW TO SAY "I lUV U " AND EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS FOR THAT PERSON B4 IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!
A Guy would rather shed blood than shed tears but that's because he has yet experience sadness. The moral of the story is to treasure your love ones coz they might not be always around. Share this story to those you cherish most and let them feel their "presence" are important as they are part of our lives too!!
Do you still remember the first time we met? It was the first day in school. I was hurriedly entering the school gate when I bumped into you as you stepped out of a luxurious Volvo. The books you were holding fell all over the ground. I quickly picked up the books and returned them to you along with words of apology, but all you showed me was your intimidating look. My first impression of you was tha tyou were a willful girl born with a golden stingy in the mouth. I had rejected you completely and had hoped not to meet you again, but surprisingly you turned out to be my classmate.
*March 22*
I started to know more about you as days passed and my opinion of you changed for the better on each passing day. I realized that you were from a wealthy family but definitely not a willful girl. You were nice and friendly. You got angry that day we first met because I had left a footprint marking on the poetry collection you loved dearly. We met often during lunch break and I found something in you that was different from the rest of the girls - your passion for Chinese poetry. Often you would mumble something to yourself. Initially, I thought that you were humming a pop song but later I realized that you had been reciting Chinese poems from great poets. You were so knowledgeable that you knew every poet and which poems they composed. I was very impressed indeed.
*April 5*
I met you again in the study area. That day you were reading the Chinese classics "Romance of the 3 kingdom". Your ability to appreciate Chinese classics left me with admiration. You were indeed unique in many ways.
*May 5*
From then on, we would often meet in the study area to discuss about the good and bad things of the character in these Chinese classics. Do you still remember the time when we almost broke off because we could not agree on whether Jia BaoYu hurt Lin Dai Yu? Our argument was so fierce that we never talked for that week. But when Friday came, we still met in the study area and laughed over the incident. After which, another argument started.
*Aug 7*
I could not deny it. It was a feeling I could not identify accurately. Whenever you laughed over a joke with other guys, that emotion filled my senses. It took me a while before identified it. I was in love; the feeling was jealousy. I felt the need to express it. But, I was afraid...that you would dismiss my feeling, that you and I would be stuck in an embarrassing situation, that our long nurtured friendship would crumble...therefore, I kept quiet.
*Oct 1*
The news came as a shock to me. I was so worried when I learned that you had fainted in the canteen. I was struggling to keep my worried face in control as I looked at the ambulance that carried you away.
*Oct 2*
It was drizzling that day. Our form teacher sadly announced that you had got cancer. As she finished her last sentence, outside the classroom, it seemed to me that the drizzle had turned into a downpour. I could only hear the sound of the rain, nothing more. I rushed to NUH ICU to see you immediately after lesson. Your face was whitish in colour, showing no trace of red. I learned that you had just undergone an operation. The life-support system was just beside you with tubes piercing mercilessly into your left wrist. "I am all right, it is just a serious case of anemia. Believe me, my parents told me that". you said convincingly. I knew fully well what you were thinking, you did not want me to be worried. "Are you comforting yourself or comforting the fears and hopelessness that was written all over my face?", I thought to myself. I was not strong enough to disagree with you and I nodded my head with a forced smile. You responded with a smile too-with great effort.
*Oct 5*
It was a ordinary day but to me, it was an important day. I felt an impulse to express my love. I walked over to the side of your bed, holding your hand. I told you the story of how an ordinary guy fell in love with a girl who likes poetry and Chinese classics. As I told my story, my eyes started to flood with water, and uncontrollably my voice started to choke, and finally I broke into tear But you held my head against your body and with watery eyes, said: "I understand such a love, so did the girl." I returned my eyes to her and at that moment, her tears dropped, and for the first time, I saw some redness on her lips.
*Oct 26*
It was the last day of examination and I rushed to NUH to continue my story. When I reached there, I only saw the nurse arranging the bed you once slept on. When I asked about you, the nurse told me expressionlessly that you had passed away. It was a bolt from the blue for me. I stood motionless for a long time. I hated myself for spending the last few days preparing for the last examination paper. I hated myself for not staying longer the last time I visited you. I hated myself so much...but you were gone...... I can't remember how I got home that day. When I woke up, I was already in my room. The pillow I slept on was wet. The next day, I went for the funeral. I heard from your father that on the day you passed away, you were still reading the Poetry collection I gave you as a gift for your birthday. Standing in front of Your portrait, I had no tears, they were used up on the day of your death. All I knew was sadness, my heart was like shattered into pieces and died.
*Jan 2*
A new girl has taken over your seat. She does not like poetry, but she likes to hum pop songs. When I asked her if she knows Jia Bao Yu, she replied: "What are you talking about?" Yes, you were gone. But to me, the seat is still unoccupied, and maybe no one will ever occupy it......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a true story that happened 10 years ago!!!! Now then Can fully understand what the author means by "A PERSON WILL KNOW WHAT IS PAIN ONLY WHEN HE HAS BEEN THROUGH IT...." To cut the whole story short...jus wanna tell u pple that.....
IF U TRULY LOVE THAT SOMEONE... JUS GO RIGHT UP TO HIM OR HER OR GIVE A PHONE CALL RIGHT NOW TO SAY "I lUV U " AND EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS FOR THAT PERSON B4 IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!
A Guy would rather shed blood than shed tears but that's because he has yet experience sadness. The moral of the story is to treasure your love ones coz they might not be always around. Share this story to those you cherish most and let them feel their "presence" are important as they are part of our lives too!!
11 Lessons In Life
1. It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, But what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.
2. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.
3. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
4. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
5. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone-but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
6. Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
7. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
8. Always put yourself in the other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person too.
9. A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.
10. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
11. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one smiling and everyone around you is crying.
2. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.
3. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
4. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
5. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone-but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
6. Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
7. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
8. Always put yourself in the other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person too.
9. A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.
10. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
11. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one smiling and everyone around you is crying.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
25 Easy Romantic Ideas
1. Bury a time capsule together with trinkets and love letters to each other. Draw a map with an X marking the spot. Store the map in your safety deposit box or in another safe place. Dig it up in 10 or 20 years.
2. Create a music disk of love songs, fun songs or songs that remind you of each other.
3. Plant a post-it note or two in a book your love is reading. Write "I love you," I want you," or "XOXOXO."
4. Go to a photo booth at the mall together. Fool around while having your photo taken. Keep the photos in your car or at work for when you need a fun pick-me-up.
5. Plant a tree together and talk about how you will carve your names in it with a heart in 20 years.
6. Go to a coffee shop - just to sit together and talk. Or get coffee to go - go for a long scenic drive together.
7. Be naughty, play hooky together. Do whatever you want together.
8. Send your love at letter at work. Disguise it in a business envelope. Make it happy for a pick me up, loving for romance and naughty if you're planning a date that evening.
9. Heart shaped notes - use one at a time or 20 at a time. Plant little messages throughout the house or garage to add a thrill.
10. Pick up some dipping chocolate and strawberries or cherries at your local grocery store. This makes an incredibly romantic dessert for two.
11. Drive for an hour or two just to have a picnic or stop at a restaurant you've never been at.
12. Name a Star together. When you’re apart you can look up at your star and know someone is out there waiting for your safe return.
13. Use glow in the dark stars and a black light to create a romantic night sky inside.
14. Create a spa atmosphere at home. Candles, essential oils and burners, mood music and massagers or other relaxation products can be purchased at almost any department store or bath shop.
15. Godiva, the fine chocolate maker, has developed wonderfully tasting chocolate liquor. Use wine glasses to serve it for dessert.
16. On a special night, dim the lights and put on soft music. Then, undress leaving a trail of your clothes from the front door to the bedroom; just before your love is about to arrive home.
17. Sit by the fire together roasting marshmallows.
18. While your love is taking a shower, sneak in and write, "I love you!" on the steamed mirror.
19. Make a puzzle of a love letter or brochure for a surprise getaway. Send a piece to your love everyday until it’s complete. Or leave a piece on the table or dresser everyday.
20. Make a tape recording asking your love to meet you somewhere or tell them how much they are loved.
21. Next time you’re walking anywhere, grab your love’s hand or walk arm and arm.
22. Make a "Prescription for Love" on the computer. Fill it out using words like: take two doses of love and come see me now or take with kisses twice daily. Use an empty medication bottle without the label, inside you can fill with heart candies or erotic messages.
23. Plan a surprise anniversary party for your love.
24. Leave a Hershey’s Kiss where it will be found with a note, "I’m thinking of kissing you."
25. Just call to say, "I love you," "I’m thinking of you" or "I miss you."
2. Create a music disk of love songs, fun songs or songs that remind you of each other.
3. Plant a post-it note or two in a book your love is reading. Write "I love you," I want you," or "XOXOXO."
4. Go to a photo booth at the mall together. Fool around while having your photo taken. Keep the photos in your car or at work for when you need a fun pick-me-up.
5. Plant a tree together and talk about how you will carve your names in it with a heart in 20 years.
6. Go to a coffee shop - just to sit together and talk. Or get coffee to go - go for a long scenic drive together.
7. Be naughty, play hooky together. Do whatever you want together.
8. Send your love at letter at work. Disguise it in a business envelope. Make it happy for a pick me up, loving for romance and naughty if you're planning a date that evening.
9. Heart shaped notes - use one at a time or 20 at a time. Plant little messages throughout the house or garage to add a thrill.
10. Pick up some dipping chocolate and strawberries or cherries at your local grocery store. This makes an incredibly romantic dessert for two.
11. Drive for an hour or two just to have a picnic or stop at a restaurant you've never been at.
12. Name a Star together. When you’re apart you can look up at your star and know someone is out there waiting for your safe return.
13. Use glow in the dark stars and a black light to create a romantic night sky inside.
14. Create a spa atmosphere at home. Candles, essential oils and burners, mood music and massagers or other relaxation products can be purchased at almost any department store or bath shop.
15. Godiva, the fine chocolate maker, has developed wonderfully tasting chocolate liquor. Use wine glasses to serve it for dessert.
16. On a special night, dim the lights and put on soft music. Then, undress leaving a trail of your clothes from the front door to the bedroom; just before your love is about to arrive home.
17. Sit by the fire together roasting marshmallows.
18. While your love is taking a shower, sneak in and write, "I love you!" on the steamed mirror.
19. Make a puzzle of a love letter or brochure for a surprise getaway. Send a piece to your love everyday until it’s complete. Or leave a piece on the table or dresser everyday.
20. Make a tape recording asking your love to meet you somewhere or tell them how much they are loved.
21. Next time you’re walking anywhere, grab your love’s hand or walk arm and arm.
22. Make a "Prescription for Love" on the computer. Fill it out using words like: take two doses of love and come see me now or take with kisses twice daily. Use an empty medication bottle without the label, inside you can fill with heart candies or erotic messages.
23. Plan a surprise anniversary party for your love.
24. Leave a Hershey’s Kiss where it will be found with a note, "I’m thinking of kissing you."
25. Just call to say, "I love you," "I’m thinking of you" or "I miss you."
Friday, January 30, 2009
Top 20 signs of a Pinoy flick
So how would you know that you are watching a Pinoy movie?
Here are the “Top 20 Signs” according to a reader who didn’t identify him/herself (thanks to you!):
1. Sasayaw ang loveteam sa likod ng puno ng buko kapag nasa beach ang eksena. Alternate na lalabas ang ulo nila from behind the puno.
2. Ang kontrabidang babae yayakap sa bidang lalaki, sabay taas ng kilay at ngingisi.
3. Ang pansit, nagdadala ng malas. Uuwi ang bida na may dalang pansit para sa kanyang nanay. Tatawagin ng bida ang mga bata para kumain at kukumustahin niya ang pag-aaral ng mga bata habang kumakain sila. Biglang may titigil na sasakyan sa harap ng bahay at pauulanan ng bala ang pamilya. Mamamatay ang Nanay at sisigaw ang bida ng “Inaaayyyy!!!” at mangangakong ipaghihigante ito. Moral of the eksena: Ang pansit ay nakakamatay.
4. Kapag may magkaribal na babae, ‘yung mabait derecho ang buhok at may bangs. ‘Yung salbahe, laging kulot.
5. Sa Pinoy action movies, ang bida hindi nauubusan ng bala.
6. Sa Pinoy action movies, kapag tumakbo ang bida, sa lupa lahat ang tama ng bala ng kalaban.
7. Kapag may mob na pupunta sa bahay kubo ng manananggal, si Vangie Labalan ang laging lider.
8. Alam mong moment of truth na kapag sinabi ng bida ang title ng pelikula (sample: Isang Bala Ka Lang or Kapag Puno na Ang Salop).
9. Ang tawag ng kontrabida sa kanyang mga goons, “Mga bata.”
10. ‘Yung nakababatang kapatid ng bida habang naglalaro, mabibitiwan ang bola at mapupunta sa gitna ng kalsada. Pagkatapos, may darating na sasakyan at itutulak ng bida ang bata at ‘yung bida ang papagitna ng kalsada. Naka-cross ang arms ng bida who is covering his face. Sisigaw ang bata ng, “Kuyaaa!” Next scene: Nasa ospital sila. Simula na ng drama.
11. Kapag bakbakan, hindi nasasaktan ang bida pero umaaray siya kapag ginagamot na siya ng leading lady. Next scene: Nagla-love-making na sila.
12. Kapag sinabi ng kontabida sa bida ang masama niyang plano, sasabibin ng bida, “Hayop ka!”
13. Ang bidang babae, kapag katulong ang role siguradong iri-reveal ng amo na anak siya nito.
14. Ang nanay ng mayaman ay laging may pamaypay na pang-mayaman at ang nanay ng mahirap ay laging naka-duster.
15. Ang hideout ng kontrabida ay parating mansyon na may chicks na naka-hilira sa paligid ng pool.
16. Ang mga bida sa drama, kapag nakatanggap ng masamang balita laging may pinto sa likod nila para puede sila sumandal habang nag-i-slide dahan-dahan pababa, todo iyak at kung minsan with matching uhog.
17. Kapag hindi nahuli ng mga goons ang bida, sasabihin ng boss sa kanila, “Mga inutil!”
18. Laging nakakapulot ng baril na may bala ang bida kapag kinakailangan niya.
19. Laging mas maganda ang yaya ng bida kaysa sa kontrabidang anak ng amo niya.
20. Kapag ang ending ng movie ay song-and-dance number sa beach o sa resort, ang huling frame shows the cast na tumatalon, sabay freeze.
Here are the “Top 20 Signs” according to a reader who didn’t identify him/herself (thanks to you!):
1. Sasayaw ang loveteam sa likod ng puno ng buko kapag nasa beach ang eksena. Alternate na lalabas ang ulo nila from behind the puno.
2. Ang kontrabidang babae yayakap sa bidang lalaki, sabay taas ng kilay at ngingisi.
3. Ang pansit, nagdadala ng malas. Uuwi ang bida na may dalang pansit para sa kanyang nanay. Tatawagin ng bida ang mga bata para kumain at kukumustahin niya ang pag-aaral ng mga bata habang kumakain sila. Biglang may titigil na sasakyan sa harap ng bahay at pauulanan ng bala ang pamilya. Mamamatay ang Nanay at sisigaw ang bida ng “Inaaayyyy!!!” at mangangakong ipaghihigante ito. Moral of the eksena: Ang pansit ay nakakamatay.
4. Kapag may magkaribal na babae, ‘yung mabait derecho ang buhok at may bangs. ‘Yung salbahe, laging kulot.
5. Sa Pinoy action movies, ang bida hindi nauubusan ng bala.
6. Sa Pinoy action movies, kapag tumakbo ang bida, sa lupa lahat ang tama ng bala ng kalaban.
7. Kapag may mob na pupunta sa bahay kubo ng manananggal, si Vangie Labalan ang laging lider.
8. Alam mong moment of truth na kapag sinabi ng bida ang title ng pelikula (sample: Isang Bala Ka Lang or Kapag Puno na Ang Salop).
9. Ang tawag ng kontrabida sa kanyang mga goons, “Mga bata.”
10. ‘Yung nakababatang kapatid ng bida habang naglalaro, mabibitiwan ang bola at mapupunta sa gitna ng kalsada. Pagkatapos, may darating na sasakyan at itutulak ng bida ang bata at ‘yung bida ang papagitna ng kalsada. Naka-cross ang arms ng bida who is covering his face. Sisigaw ang bata ng, “Kuyaaa!” Next scene: Nasa ospital sila. Simula na ng drama.
11. Kapag bakbakan, hindi nasasaktan ang bida pero umaaray siya kapag ginagamot na siya ng leading lady. Next scene: Nagla-love-making na sila.
12. Kapag sinabi ng kontabida sa bida ang masama niyang plano, sasabibin ng bida, “Hayop ka!”
13. Ang bidang babae, kapag katulong ang role siguradong iri-reveal ng amo na anak siya nito.
14. Ang nanay ng mayaman ay laging may pamaypay na pang-mayaman at ang nanay ng mahirap ay laging naka-duster.
15. Ang hideout ng kontrabida ay parating mansyon na may chicks na naka-hilira sa paligid ng pool.
16. Ang mga bida sa drama, kapag nakatanggap ng masamang balita laging may pinto sa likod nila para puede sila sumandal habang nag-i-slide dahan-dahan pababa, todo iyak at kung minsan with matching uhog.
17. Kapag hindi nahuli ng mga goons ang bida, sasabihin ng boss sa kanila, “Mga inutil!”
18. Laging nakakapulot ng baril na may bala ang bida kapag kinakailangan niya.
19. Laging mas maganda ang yaya ng bida kaysa sa kontrabidang anak ng amo niya.
20. Kapag ang ending ng movie ay song-and-dance number sa beach o sa resort, ang huling frame shows the cast na tumatalon, sabay freeze.
How To Build Traffic To Your Blog
With the growing interest in blogging as a means of online promotion and branding, a lot of marketers are starting blogs to promote their opinions, products, books and services. But a blog is like a website. "Write and they will come" isn't exactly a magic formula to bring in traffic by the boatload.
If you need to promote your website in order to build traffic to it, you need to promote your blog as well.
Here are some ways you can become a well-read and influential blogger.
1. Write Posts That People Will Want To Read
This should be common sense, but many marketers tend to forget that their readers are real people and that you need to use the principles of online copywriting to make your headlines and copy interesting to your readers.
If you write posts that people enjoy reading, they will reward you by returning to your blog regularly.
Make your posts conversational, pithy and topical. Keep them short and stick to one topic per post.
Write often and regularly so that both readers and search engines visit your blog more often.
2. Optimize Your Posts for Search Engines
But here are the most important rules to follow to get your posts listed for keywords of your choice.
* Make sure your blog URL contains the primary keyword you want to optimize for
* Use your primary keywords in the title of your post
* Use your secondary keywords in the body of your post
* Use your keywords in the anchor text of links in the body of your posts
3. Submit Your Blog and RSS Feed To Directories
If you publish a blog you should submit your blog and RSS feed to big directories like Yahoo and Google, as well as the numerous blog directories and search engines.
4. Ping The Blog Services
There are a number of services designed specifically for tracking and connecting blogs. By sending a small ping to each service you let them know you've updated your blog so they can come check you out.
5. Build Links To Your Blog
I recommend the methods here as the best ways to get links pointing to your blog
* Link to your blog from each page on your main website
* Trackback to other blogs in your posts
* Post legitimate comments on other blogs with related topics
* Offer to exchange links with other similarly themed blogs and websites
6. Edit Your Blog Posts Into Articles
One of the best methods for promoting your website is to write articles and submit them to article directories.
7. Create Buzz About Your Blog
Creating a buzz about your blog posts and topic in the local and online media will give your marketing a viral component.
* Create a controversy around your blog or it's topic.
* Distribute bumper stickers or other merchandise with your blog's URL and tagline.
* Write a press release about something newsworthy and tie it in with your blog topic.
8. Capture Subscribers By Email
It may seem strange for a blogger to send out updates by email, but email is still the #1 choice of most people who want to receive news and information.
However, if you want more control over your list and don't mind mailing out the updates yourself, you can use an autoresponder system to capture and follow-up with subscribers.
RSS responder is a new script that allows you to keep in touch and follow-up with your subscribers without the hassle of email.
These tips should give you a good start to building your blog traffic.
If you need to promote your website in order to build traffic to it, you need to promote your blog as well.
Here are some ways you can become a well-read and influential blogger.
1. Write Posts That People Will Want To Read
This should be common sense, but many marketers tend to forget that their readers are real people and that you need to use the principles of online copywriting to make your headlines and copy interesting to your readers.
If you write posts that people enjoy reading, they will reward you by returning to your blog regularly.
Make your posts conversational, pithy and topical. Keep them short and stick to one topic per post.
Write often and regularly so that both readers and search engines visit your blog more often.
2. Optimize Your Posts for Search Engines
But here are the most important rules to follow to get your posts listed for keywords of your choice.
* Make sure your blog URL contains the primary keyword you want to optimize for
* Use your primary keywords in the title of your post
* Use your secondary keywords in the body of your post
* Use your keywords in the anchor text of links in the body of your posts
3. Submit Your Blog and RSS Feed To Directories
If you publish a blog you should submit your blog and RSS feed to big directories like Yahoo and Google, as well as the numerous blog directories and search engines.
4. Ping The Blog Services
There are a number of services designed specifically for tracking and connecting blogs. By sending a small ping to each service you let them know you've updated your blog so they can come check you out.
5. Build Links To Your Blog
I recommend the methods here as the best ways to get links pointing to your blog
* Link to your blog from each page on your main website
* Trackback to other blogs in your posts
* Post legitimate comments on other blogs with related topics
* Offer to exchange links with other similarly themed blogs and websites
6. Edit Your Blog Posts Into Articles
One of the best methods for promoting your website is to write articles and submit them to article directories.
7. Create Buzz About Your Blog
Creating a buzz about your blog posts and topic in the local and online media will give your marketing a viral component.
* Create a controversy around your blog or it's topic.
* Distribute bumper stickers or other merchandise with your blog's URL and tagline.
* Write a press release about something newsworthy and tie it in with your blog topic.
8. Capture Subscribers By Email
It may seem strange for a blogger to send out updates by email, but email is still the #1 choice of most people who want to receive news and information.
However, if you want more control over your list and don't mind mailing out the updates yourself, you can use an autoresponder system to capture and follow-up with subscribers.
RSS responder is a new script that allows you to keep in touch and follow-up with your subscribers without the hassle of email.
These tips should give you a good start to building your blog traffic.
I’VE LEARNED.......
I've learned -
that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.
I've learned -
that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.
I've learned -
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned -
that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned -
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.
I've learned -
that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.
I've learned -
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned -
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I've learned -
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them..
I've learned -
that you can keep going long after you can't.
I've learned -
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I've learned -
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I've learned -
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
I've learned -
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I've learned -
that money is a lousy way of keeping score…
I've learned -
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned -
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned -
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned -
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I've learned -
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned -
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I've learned -
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.
I've learned -
that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.
I've learned -
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned -
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned -
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned -
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned -
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
I've learned -
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I've learned -
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I've learned -
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I've learned -
that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.
I've learned -
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I've learned -
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I've learned -
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned -
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
I've learned -
that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Wisdom of Einstein
Knowledge: The Search for the truth and Knowledge is one of the finest attributes of a man, though often it is most loudly voiced by those who strive for it the least.
Authority: To punish me for my contempt of authority, fate has made me an authority myself.
Truth: It is difficult to say what truth is, but sometimes it is easy to recognize a falsehood.
Cooperation: A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer lives are based on the labors of other people, living and dead and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.
Wisdom: Wisdom is not a product of schooling, but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.
Greatness: There is only one road to human greatness: through the school of hard knocks.
Happiness: A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.
Fame: With fame I become more and more stupid, which of course is a very common phenomenon.
Life: Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate.
Ageing: I have reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don't have to.
Praise: The only way to escape the personal corruption of praise is to go on working.
Problems: Fear or stupidity has always been the basis of most human actions.
Relativity: An hour sitting with a pretty girl on a park bench passes like a minute, but a minute sitting on a hot stove seems like an hour.
Goals: One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can barely achieve through one's greatest efforts.
Racism: The only remedies against race and prejudice are enlightenment and education. This is a slow and painstaking process.
Solitude: I lived in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.
Value: Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.
Imagination: When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come close to the conclusion that the gift of imagination has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing absolute knowledge.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Hardest Things
a.. Admitting you were wrong after you have been so insistent that you were right
b.. Swallowing your pride when it has become TOO HARD and TOO BIG to even gulp it down with water
c.. Being the LAST TO KNOW about something that CONCERNS you most of all
d.. Realizing that you have been TRICKED after you have given your WHOLE TRUST
e.. Realizing that you have taken the most IMPORTANT thing for granted
f.. PARTING with someone you've just LEARNED to LOVE
g.. Letting GO of someone you've LOVED ALL YOUR LIFE
h.. Losing someone you care deeply about
i.. Bracing yourself for the worst kind of pain... & still hurting so much.
j.. Loving someone too much and learning to love the pain that goes with it... that even if you learned to let go of the person... you still go on missing the pain
you once felt (and there it goes... you fall again)
k.. Denying to yourself that you're falling... then finally you realize that indeed you have fallen when it's too damn late and you cant get out
l.. Being with someone else when the right one comes along (oooh its sad to belong...) awwwww this really hurts.....
m.. Knowing deep inside that you love someone yet you can't say it out loud
"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."
- Mary Tyler Moore
Sunday, January 25, 2009
100 Ways to Say I LOVE YOU
Have you ever been for a loss of words when you wanted to say those three little ones? Well I know some of you have. Here are some ideas that might help you out when you want to say more then “I Love You.”
1. Travel more than one (1) hour out of town together.
2. Dance with or without music. (Always ask first, not only with words)
3. Dance with her in public.
4. Dance in the rain. (Even in your best outfit)
5. Candles/Incense/Oils/Blacklight make for great cuddling/sex.
6. Sleep together. (Actually sleep, not sex)
7. Be a prince to her parents. (Brownie points)
8. Share a plate of spaghetti. (Ever see “Lady and the Tramp”?)
9. Give her roses or wildflowers. For no reason, often.
10. Do the little things. (I.E., Pull out chairs, open doors, hold hands....)
11. Notice when she does the little things.
12. Surprise her with dinner and dancing. (On dinner and a movie date night)
13. WRITE SAPPY LOVE LETTERS/NOTES.
14. Never, ever forget "holidays" (The ones that the two of you make up too)
15. Girls like guys who will listen to sappy love songs. (When she's around, and without groaning)
16. Always ask them how their day was...and listen!
17. Say I love you to each other, at least once in every 24 hour period.
18. Quote her favorite movie.
19. On "holidays" have her song played at least once...without her having to tell you to.
20. Romantic/classical music and candles/fires make for great cuddling.
21. Stargaze on a clear night. (New moons are the best times)
22. Find a nice secluded spot that is only yours.
23. Tell her you love her only when you mean it and make sure she knows you mean it.
24. Write poetry/songs for each other.
25. Sing or play a musical instrument. (If you can)
26. Draw. (If you can)
27. Tell her she's beautiful, even in sweatpants and a tee-shirt. (And mean it)
28. Be nice to her friends, but not too nice. (More brownie
points)
29. Watch the sunset together.
30. Call from your vacation spot just to say hi.
31. Go 30 minutes out of your way just spend a few hours with her.
32. Order for her. (Ask her what she wants and then tell the waiter/waitress for her)
33. Always appear to pay. (Even if it's Dutch)
34. Do things you have never done before with her.
35. Flirt in public. (Yes, that means holding hands)
36. PDA - Public Displays of Affection.
37. DON'T make her do anything she doesn't want to.
38. Let her lay on your lap and run your fingers through her hair. (She would do it to you)
39. Always chase after her. (Especially after fights)
40. Touch her in a loving way. (Seduce her)
41. Have a candlelight dinner for two at least once a year.
42. Love yourself before you love anyone else.
43. Cook for each other.
44. Go on a twilight picnic.
45. Whisper sweet nothings.
46. Request/dedicate songs to each other.
47. Make memories together.
48. Let there never be a moment when you are not thinking about them, and make sure they know that.
49. Buy her a ring.
50. Be there for the good and the bad times.
51. Walk her to her door.
52. Don't just tell her you love her, show her.
53. Spend all day with her doing nothing.
54. Go home and call her to talk about nothing.
55. Moonlit walks on the beach. (Lake or ocean...no difference)
56. Introduce them as your girlfriend or boyfriend to your friends.
57. Take her to a romantic movie and remember the parts she likes.
58. Find out her favorite flower and give it to her for her birthday. (No matter how difficult it is to find)
59. Know her favorite flower, color, number, animal, song (or band) and movie.
60. Compliment her for no reason. (NEVER LIE she can tell)
61. Treat her the way she wants to be treated, not the way other girls want to be treated.
62. When you say "I'm sorry" look them in the eyes.
63. In disagreements, fight fair. No name calling!
64. Don't let little mistakes become big mistakes.
65. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
66. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
67. Always close your eyes. Staring is rude.
68. Go on a carriage ride through the park.
69. You figure it out.
70. Share your deep dark secrets with each other.
71. Tell them your fantasies.
72. Make them feel important.
73. Lips were made for kissing. So were cheeks, hands, necks, fingertips, shoulders, etc.
74. Go for a twilight horseback ride.
75. Never ever physically hurt her intentionally.
76. Sit on the floor at the movie theater.
77. Have your picture taken together.
78. Eat ice cream together.
79. Go to a museum together.
80. Talk to each other using only body language.
81. Send a silly/sappy card just because you were thinking about them.
82. Give them space when they need it.
83. Carve your names into a tree/table.
84. Go for a walk at dusk together.
85. Send them a singing telegram.
86. Spend all night thinking of 1001 sweet things to do for them.
87. Hold them and gaze into there eyes and realize how much you love them and tell them that.
88. Gently run your hand across their cheek and look in their eyes.
89. Blindfold them and take them somewhere romantic.
90. If you cannot feel their heartbeat, you are not close enough.
91. Go roller/ice skating together.
92. Give backrubs just because.
93. Everyone deserves a second chance. (Or third...)
94. When people put them down, defend them.
95. Don't have sex, make love.
96. Do anything to impress them.
97. ALWAYS be honest with them. (Even if you know it's gonna hurt... it'll hurt more if you lie.)
98. Go hiking/camping together.
99. Give them stuffed animals just because.
100. Treat her like a princess.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Hospital Window
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Viva Pit Senyor!
The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philipines. The festival honors the child Jesus, recognized as the Santo Niño (Holy Child), patron of the city of Cebu. It is a dance ritual that commemorates the Cebuano people’s pagan origin, and their acceptance of Christianity.
The festival features a street parade with participants in bright-colored costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate, and honor the Santo Niño.
Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country.
The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which is "like water current movement," which describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language.
The Sinulog dance steps were believed to originate from Rajah Humabon's adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon's grief when Baladhay was driven sick. He then ordered his native tribe to bring Baladhay into a chapel where the Santo Niño was enthroned. Moments later, surprisingly, Baldhay was heard shouting, and was found dancing with outmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to whether why was he awake, and was shouting. Baladhay explained that he found a small child, pointing to the image of the Santo Niño, on top of him, and trying to wake him up. He, at great astonishment, scared the child away by shouting but couldn't explain why he was dancing the movements of the river. Up to this day, the two-steps forward, and the one-step backward movement dance is still used by the Santo Niño devotees believing that it was the Santo Niño's choice to have Baladhay dance what the holy child wants them to dance.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A - Z of Quotes
A—"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." Lou Holtz
B— "Believing in yourself is not for you; it's for every person who has touched your life in a significant way and for every person your life will touch the same way five minutes from now, or five centuries from now." Jaye Miller
C—”Change is as inexorable as time, yet nothing meets with more resistance." Benjamin Disraeli
D—"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the action stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living." Anais Nin
E—"Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do." Norman Vincent Peale
F—"Focused will is incredible. If you have a dream and you don't give up no matter what obstacles come up, then life's problems will fall away and you will get what you want. It happens. It works." Yanni
G—"Goals are like a map. They help us determine where we want to end up, and give us personal direction on which to focus our energy." Catherine Pulsifer
H—"Happiness depends upon ourselves." Aristotle
I—"Ideas won’t keep; something must be done about them." Alfred North Whitehead
J—”Joy is not in things; it is in us.”Richard Wagner
K—“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it.” Samuel Johnson
L—"Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects." Arnold Glasow
M—"Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting. It needs continual and regular top ups." Peter Davies
N—"Nature does nothing uselessly." Aristotle
O—"Opportunity dances with those who are ready on the dance floor." H. Jackson Brown Jr.
P—"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." John Quincy Adams
Q—"Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers." Anthony Robbins
R—"Results! Why, man I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work." Thomas A. Edison
S—"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo DaVinci
T—"Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend." Diogenes Laetius
U—"Use your unique abilities to shake the world." Wendy Hearn
V—"Victory belongs to the most persevering." Napoleon Bonaparte
W—"Wisdom is the daughter of experience." Leonardo da Vinci
X—"X-ray your life, are you where you want to be, if not set your goals, take action." Catherine Pulsifer
Y—"Youth teaches, age puts what we have learned into practice, teaching us wisdom." Catherine Pulsifer
Z—"Zone into your comfort zone, and, then zone into where you want to be. Be all that you can be." Catherine Pulsifer
Monday, January 19, 2009
If A Dog Was The Teacher
If a dog was the teacher, you would learn stuff like:
- When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
- Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
- Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
- When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
- Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
- Take naps. Stretch before rising.
- Run, romp, and play daily.
- Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
- On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
- On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
- When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
- No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout! Run right back and make friends.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
- Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
The Joy of Fireworks
For centuries now, firework displays have been used as a form of celebration for important or historical events. It's a wonderful display which lights up the night sky with bright and vibrant colors and loud and cracking bangs. Each display, from place to place, is different and extraordinary.
Firework shows can be seen all across the world, whether it be for a national holiday or to celebrate a big sports moment. Each display differs in length and quality. Big city fireworks, take for example, shows in New York or Boston, are lengthy and brilliant. With fireworks that can explode to do a number of things such as creating images in the sky, these displays are hard to pass up if one ever had the opportunity to see them. Small city firework displays, brilliant in appearance, may not be quite as spectacular but are just as fun to watch. No matter where you go, firework shows can be seen on special occasions.
The best part of a firework show is the grand finale. With the crowd building up towards the end, the finale is what sends people home happy. This is where a number of fireworks are shot in the air repeatedly for a period of time creating a nonstop show of bright explosions in the sky. It's a beautiful display of lights and big bangs that enthrall those who are watching. After the show, people are left with a feeling of excitement and enjoyment. Fireworks are wonderful for making people happy and remembering and celebrating great moments.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Daily Survival Kit
Toothpick, Rubber band, Band aid, Pencil, Eraser, Chewing gum, Mint, Candy kiss, Tea bag
Why?
1. Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others
2. Rubber band - to remind you to be flexible: things might not always work out the
way you want, but it will work out.
3. Band aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings,yours and someone else's
4. Pencil - to remind you to list your blessings everyday
5. Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's OK
6. Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything
7. Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint!
8. Candy kiss - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug every day
9. Tea bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over your list of blessings
Why?
1. Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others
2. Rubber band - to remind you to be flexible: things might not always work out the
way you want, but it will work out.
3. Band aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings,yours and someone else's
4. Pencil - to remind you to list your blessings everyday
5. Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's OK
6. Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything
7. Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint!
8. Candy kiss - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug every day
9. Tea bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over your list of blessings
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Never Gonna Be Alone
by: Nickelback
Time, is going by, so much faster than I,
And I'm starting to regret not spending all of here with you.
Now I'm, wondering why, I've kept this bottled inside,
So I'm starting to regret not selling all of it to you.
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know...
Never gonna be alone!
From this moment on, if you ever feel like letting go,
I won't you fall...
Never gonna be alone!
I'll hold you 'til the hurt is gone.
And now, as long as I can, I'm holding on with both hands,
'Coz forever I believe that there's nothing I could need but you,
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know...
Never gonna be alone!
From this moment on, if you ever feel like letting go,
I won't let you fall.
When all hope is gone, I know that you can carry on.
We're gonna see the world out,
I'll hold you 'til the hurt is gone.
You've gotta live every single day,
Like it's the only one, what if tomorrow never comes?
Don't let it slip away,
Could be our only one, you know it's only just begun.
Every single day,
Maybe our only one, what if tomorrow never comes?
Tomorrow never comes...
Time, is going by, so much faster than I,
And I'm starting to regret not telling all of this to you.
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know...
Never gonna be alone!
From this moment on, if you ever feel like letting go,
I won't let you fall.
When all hope is gone, I know that you can carry on.
We're gonna see the world out,
I'll hold you 'til the hurt is gone.
I'm gonna be there always,
I won't be missing a word all day,
I'm gonna be there always,
I won't be missing a word all day.
Never gonna be alone - Nickelback
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Specialized Styles of Photography
Outlined below is a list of genres that call for specialized treatment in the process of creating outstanding photographs. These thematic approaches will be discussed in detail here, though there are few more categories and sub-categories in thematic photography like ad messages, corporate brochures, under-water photography and so on.
-->Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photography is often assumed to be an exciting and high adventure genre of photography. In reality it is extremely challenging and wildlife photographers find themselves at the mercy of inclement weather and sometimes even face danger. Here are some suggestions for this specialized form of photography.
Understand the life form that you plan to photograph in terms of living habits, habitat and behavior. In other words you need a perspective on ‘a day in the life of’ your wildlife subject. Books and online research will throw light on your subject. The importance of getting acquainted with the behavior of the animal is a lot more important when you have to shoot dangerous jungle animals that can attack like lions or tigers or even bears. Animals will become aware of you when you enter close to their habitat but will usually not attack if you keep your distance. But you have to be clear on the distance at which an animal will begin to feel threatened by your presence and decide to attack you.
It goes without saying that you can’t expect any kind cooperation from your subject! You have to fit yourself in, place yourself in a vantage point and have your camera set and ready and then wait for the ’right moment’ to take the shot that you are looking for.
You may have to wait many days before you can capture the right shot. Your subject could not care less if the light is diminishing or the light is at its best. You may have perfect light conditions on a particular day but your subject may not be in the right spot for you to take the shot.
You need telephoto lenses to shoot from a distance and other camera features like Center-weighted metering. The Center-weighted meter allows you to meter the wildlife subject at the center of the frame and vary the size of the sensing area based on the dimensions of the subject and its distance from you.
-->Landscape Photography
Taking landscape pictures within a city from atop a building or on the beach is one type of landscape photography. But if you want to get closer to nature and shoot unique pictures of nature and environment in remote locations like wild forest area or mountain ranges, then you have your task cut out for you just like a wildlife photographer. You need the spirit of adventure within you in order to travels around to different places and scour different regions for landscape opportunity.
It is tough to firstly identify the right spots, you may have to explore for days before you find an idyllic panoramic landscape to shoot. You then have to wait for the right light conditions while braving the weather and the rough living conditions. In terms of equipment, landscape photographers need to go in for a variety of wide-angle lenses since this type of lens is capable of lending depth in the photograph. A wide-angle zoom lens is useful in this type of photography because of the range of focal lengths it can provide while fine-tuning a shot. But there is also the need for telephoto lenses for certain shot though not of the high focal length required by sports photographers. Landscape photographers usually go in for telephoto lenses with focal length less than 300mm (a telephoto lens has a focal length greater than 50mm, a wide angle lens is less than 50mm, and a standard lens has a focal length of 50mm).
-->Sports Events
Those who have made a career of photographing sporting events have a different style of operation to capture the high action of dramatic moments in a game. The length of the lens, the location of the photographer taking the shot and the need to limit blurring are the three critical aspects in sports photography.
Sports photographers use a telephoto lens. This type of lens magnifies the subject. The focal length to choose from in telephoto lenses varies from 60mm to 1000 mm. A lens with a high focal length can give you a wider visual area which is a necessity when you photograph field events. Sports photographers by and large prefer 35mm cameras and use focal lengths of 300-600mm especially for field events like soccer.
The location where photographers position themselves to take different shots is directly responsible for capturing the relevant high-points in a match. It also helps if you have a good knowledge of the sport. This ensures that you identify the right moments and are alert and ready when a memorable situation occurs during the sport. You can get the right shots if you are able to move around and use the right location in different points in a game. However, quite often the areas of movement are restricted for photographers and the best way to tide over this problem is to use a lens of focal length in the region of 600mm to enable shots of the far end of a court or field. Though a good location is usually described by the angle and distance from the court or field, the other aspect of a good location is also the play of light from your vantage point. Most photographers have the task of avoiding shadows caused by the quality of light. The intensity of color in a photograph is reduced in dull light conditions while bright sunlight can create shadows in certain angles.
To limit blurring and capture action during a special game moment, you need to have fast shutter speeds at your disposal. A 35mm camera that is generally favored in sports photography can provide the high shutter speed necessary for action shots. Besides shutter speed, the speed of the film also plays a role. Higher film speed enables higher shutter speeds. A film speed of 100 is inadequate in sports photography. You need a 400 and above speed film.
The autofocus mechanism in is also useful in sports photography especially when manual focus is difficult to achieve quickly in certain sports situations.
An interesting technique called panning is applied in capturing action shots. You have to avoid holding the camera still when you shoot action. A rule-of-thumb is to hold the camera steady but move it along with the action rather than attempting to hold still. This steady movement of the camera along the path of motion of the player; incredibly, has the effect of minimizing blur. On the other hand, you will get a blur if you hold your camera still while the action is taking place. This technique is actually based on sound scientific principles.
It should also be mentioned here that the art of sports photography actually goes beyond capturing action or high points in a game. The readers who view these photographs in newspapers and magazines want to see player expressions, the thrills, the disappointments, the concentration that players display is something that readers find captivating and it becomes a talking point. Readers also like to see crowd reactions and reactions of family members of the players in certain critical game situations. To cater to the public sentiment, a photographer has to also attempt to click these special poignant moments during a game by capturing reactions and facial expressions.
-->Photo-journalism
Photojournalism is a different ball game altogether. It is visual storytelling. It has a strong social and cultural context and is a visual form of reportage based on newsy and current affairs topics. Being in the right place at the right time and understanding the situation as it unfolds helps a photojournalist deliver reader interest material. The objective is to usually pick up contemporary topics and portray a visual story that creates an understanding on the pattern in which people live their lives or social changes that impact them in different walks of life. Photojournalism also lends credibility to the written word and can support a public interest story with visual proof. The visuals complement the written reportage on the story.
A visual representation of contemporary situations is a powerful way to make a point and the photographer who is into photojournalism has to be a firstly aware of the socio-political and cultural scene of a region to be able to shoot the relevant pictures. The equipment required by photojournalists varies by the type of story they pursue. If a photojournalist is picking up images of a town or if the photography is the type that portrays cultural and historical sites, or if the task is to follow the campaign trail of a political leader, each of these require a different treatment.
-->Fashion Pictures
A fashion photographer needs to be a creative thinker with a good eye for aesthetics and the ability to use sound judgment in implementing out-of-the-box ideas. Fashion photography is meant to render an elegant, stylish effect on readers so the mundane and the run of the mill shots will not work. Each photograph is a piece of art in itself and has to be original.
Creating an impact in fashion photography requires the photographer to take a leap in imaginative thinking and to create images that are different and unusual. The treatments that have been tried over the years range from the surreal to muted black and whites, to geometric shapes to brilliant color schemes. A fashion product has to be portrayed creatively while at the same time conveying style and classiness. A fashion photographer needs a high level of visual sophistication combined with ideation skills. It also helps to try and understand the psyche of models that fashion photographers have to regularly interact with, in order to get the best out of them. Your choice of camera and accessories will vary depending on whether you shoot indoor or outdoor, light conditions, theme of the picture, etc.
-->Black and White Treatment
The black and white effect is used by artists and fashion photographers to create abstracts or classy ‘other worldly’ images. The camera equipment required in black & white is not very distinct from other types of photography but the key actually lies in the processing and printing quality. This is an important area of emphasis in black & white photographs in order to get the desired effect.
You will need an assortment of lenses for different situations – such as a combination of wide-angle lens as well as a standard lens. If you want large prints, you may need a camera with a high-resolution digital image sensor for sharpness of large format prints. The resolution should be more than 3 mega pixels.
Whether you develop your photographs in the darkroom (traditional film based camera) or process the pictures digitally (digital camera usage), when you develop the picture yourself you have the leeway to heighten or reduce the contrasts in tour picture based on the type of impression and visual impact you hope to create. You can also scan from traditionally processed negatives onto a computer and then process the images digitally.
To fine-tune the images digitally you need some basic knowledge of Photoshop software. Without manipulating the main picture in any way, you can enhance your black and white images by fine-tuning the contrasts. Photoshop assists in optimizing the images. The principles are the same as those used in a traditional darkroom. Using Photoshop you can apply various techniques like dodging (you selectively lighten a certain portion of a photo), cropping, optimizing density and fine tuning the contrasts. Fine tuning the contrasts is important in creating the right effect in black and white.
The print quality is another important factor in creating high impact black & white photographs. If you intend to print digitally processed images, you need a good printer and long lasting ink in your printer. You should also use photo quality paper to print your images.
-->Shooting Celebrities
Celebrity photography is challenging and the same time an exciting, glamorous field. When you deal with celebrities, firstly you have very little time to work within. There is always a time constraint even after you pin down a celebrity for a photo session. You have to therefore have good infrastructure and be ready with the necessary equipment. You have to plan the shot and adjust your camera, before asking your celebrity to pose.
Celebrity faces are well known so the key lies in attempting to capture something a little different, to create a different perspective. You need to build a good rapport with the celebrity and have to persevere to get the right mood to capture the real essence of the person. If you are photographing the celebrity for an ad, then the strategy behind the ad has to be considered to blend in the celebrity’s expressions and posture to suit the requirements of the ad.
To sum up, the discussion - Wildlife photography requires you to brave rough conditions and thoroughly understand the habitat and behavior of the animal. The relevant and useful tools in your camera system are the right lenses and center-weighted metering if you are into shooting wildlife. Landscape photography requires you to be a wandering explorer, constantly seeking out those spectacular scenic settings. You mainly need wide-angle lenses in your camera system to demonstrate depth and scale in your picture. Sports events need a good vantage point and if you want to freeze the high action in the game, you have to learn and hone the skill of panning. Photojournalism calls on your social and political consciousness and is the art of visually unfolding a story, while Fashion photography requires ideation and out-of-the-box thinking. The impact of Black & White treatment can be heightened during the processing phase using various techniques and, Celebrity photography is not all glamour. Capturing the right mood and the essence of the celebrity becomes the key to a good shot and you often work within time constraints.
It is apparent that different photography streams each have their own specialized approaches and style of treatment. Your mind-set and your interests should influence the path that you choose as a photographer.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Digital Photography Now: Technology is Changing the Field
How is Digital Photography Changing the Industry?
Digital photography is nothing if not convenient. You can take pictures, preview them instantly, delete the bad ones and print only the good ones. There is an element of instant gratification that makes digital photography attractive to both amateur and professional photographers alike. You can quickly see problems and make adjustments that will improve the quality of your end result, and you won't end up with a stack of blurry or unflattering prints. For most amateur photographers and hobbyists, digital photography provides everything they need.
Clearly, the demand for digital photography technology is on the rise, but is it replacing traditional film? And does the increased quality of amateur photography pose a threat to professional photographers?
Digital Photography vs. Film?
Digital photography or film? It doesn't have to be one or the other. Digital photography and traditional film photography can coexist and even complement each other. Each has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Digital photography may change the way many people take pictures but that doesn't make film obsolete.
Professional photographers can often get better results with traditional film. Especially when shooting landscapes or producing larger size prints. Professional photographers have finesse with film—from shooting to developing—that allows them to produce high-quality images.
How Does the Rise of Digital Photography Affect Professionals?
Digital technology is convenient in many ways. It allows photographers to get images to clients more quickly. It also allows them to see whether they got the shot right away. Digital technology gives more immediate results—at least in theory. The workflow changes with digital photography. The post-production process may be longer and more expensive in terms of equipment. Digital technology also requires photographers to stay current in their knowledge of tools and software.
Whether professional photographers choose to use digital photography or film, the camera only plays a role in the success of the work. The photographer controls the lighting, creates the composition and imbues the subject with meaning. There will always be a need for professional photographers with technical knowledge and a strong sense of artistry.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Better Photos with Your Digital Camera
Everyone has a digital camera today and we all take a lot of photos. But if your photos still have trees coming out of your father’s head, mom has red eye, and your beloved pet is never facing the camera then here are some tips to help you take better photos.
1. Always be aware of the background. I know this is the hard one but it is critical. If you’re setting up a shot take a quick look at what is behind the people in your shot. So many perfectly good photos are ruined by a tree seeming to grow out of a person’s head. It can be as simple as the person taking one full step to the right or left to move the obstacle that would ruin your photo.
2. Use available light. If your digital camera has an option to turn the flash off and it’s light enough outside to read a book then use the available light and turn the flash off. In general camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale. (Even better if your camera has a fill flash use that indoors where there isn’t enough daylight, and place the person by a window as well.)
3. Use ambient soft light. The reason that so many of use pose people under trees, and end up with the ruined photo with a tree coming out of dad’s head, is that we all instinctively know that soft light is best. Sunlight filtered through a trees’ leave is beautiful and warm. It warms up the skin and puts a soft light to the features. Indoors near a window with drapes has a similar effect.
4. Aim your camera slightly down at the person’s face. Now I don’t mean climb a ladder but just don’t ever, and I mean ever, point your camera looking up to a person. We all look fat and bloated at that angle. Also don’t shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember camera higher looking down and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject.
5. Remember your focus, are you taking a photo of mom and the tree, then take mom with the whole tree. But if you’re taking a photo of mom next to a tree do we really need to see the entire tree? Get closer to your subject. We can see some of the tree bark with mom leaning against it, but showing the whole tree is a waste. Remember this tip with children, many people take a shot of their dear child for an expression on the child’s face, but in the printed shot the child is lost next to another kid, the swing set, and the dog. Remember get closer.
6. Never put your subject dead center. All family photographers do this and it’s as hard of a habit to break as remembering to look at the background. But if you’ve moved closer to your subject remember to put them just sightly off center. Not a lot just a bit. When you’re shooting even groups of people this is especially easy but odd numbered groups is a little more difficult. Just find your imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your lens or screen.
With these tips you can be on your way to taking better photos today.
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