'Sunday's Child' Lives At Annie's House

Looking For SEO

2011-10-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to write on this blog lately because I've been so busy with my other sites. Mainly, I've been migrating my DIY site from Blogger to Wordpress (not by myself - that would be a disaster!) and trying to figure out how to use all the cool, but very different formats, tools etc. Of course, this new blog now has a Google rating of 0, zero, zilch because it's considered a new site, so I have to work very hard in getting it seen out there by all you folk.

Search engine optimization is not something I consider myself very good at. I've been spending a lot of time online reading whatever I can get my hands on, trying to work out the puzzle of what works and what doesn't. I can't say I've found the answers yet. I may have found some interesting and revelatory information, but nothing that says exactly what I need to do in the way I can absorb it.

Writing is my forte. This is what I do well. I sometimes think I'm spending too much time doing something I have no real interest in (the SEO stuff). Yet, if I want to take my writing further and be someone online, there is no other alternative. I feel as though I'm in a catch 22 situation. My writing is suffering from all this rushing about trying to glean information. However, the alternative is to write like crazy and hope to get discovered for my brilliance :-)

What do I do? It's a real puzzle to which I've yet to find the answer. Thanks for bearing with me as I chase the invisible.

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A Bit Of Gardening

2011-03-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when spending time in the garden (whether you love gardening or not) is a necessity. As most of you know, this is my first proper Spring in our new house. We moved house last spring (how time has flown by!) but I was so busy with unpacking and trying to keep some normalcy to family life, I had practically no time for gardening.

I still don't, if truth be told. Our builders have just finished major building work, so I'm super busy with painting, decorating, and cleaning up the mess - it all seems never-ending. Meanwhile, to hold off doing more gardening than I have to, I've discovered a super solution to keep the weeding to a minimum. Our local diy and gardening shop has just started selling rubber mulch, a clever item which was originally used only in children's playgrounds. You may have stepped on its soft surface while taking your own kids to the sea-saws.

It's 100% recycled from old rubber, is soft and safe, and comes in several bright colours. I remember collecting some leftover red ones (8 years ago) from my daughter's old school when they re-did their playground. I used the loot in the front of the kids' playhouse at home. I was surprised when I noticed it (in smaller portions) as an option for the domestic garden.

I bought some and used it as landscape mulch around my roses late last summer and have had no problems whatsoever with weeds. A week ago, I got some more, as I've got ideas of how I can use them in the garden functionally and aesthetically - it's a win-win situation. When the garden is in good shape, I shall be taking some pictures to share with you.

Have you discovered something clever lately? Have you used something domestically which was originally only used industrially?

Married People And Valentine's Day

2011-02-05T01:49:00.000-08:00

Valentine's day for people no longer in their teenage (and twenties) years can be somewhat run-of-the-mill. Not many of us celebrate any more. And this makes perfect sense. After all, we may have kids' birthdays to plan, a wedding anniversary to celebrate, and many little things in life that seep the cute-and-cuddly novelty out of the lowly Valentine's Day (sorry Cupid).

Some friends of mine have a rule that neither of them should spend more than £5.00 for a Valentine's Day present (no matter how special the chocolates are). We're not heartless, but my husband and I do something similar. Some years we agree not to buy anything at all for each other on Valentine's day (you have to know I ignore this and buy him something anyway :-) after which he freaks out that he was the one who stuck to the original plan. It still works year after year). This 'plan' is convenient for us because our wedding anniversary is a mere 2 weeks away from February 14th.

I've been looking around to find small and affordable - but meaningful - Valentine's Day presents and found a site that engraves and personalises presents. Many people like to give mugs and engraved pens for small gifts. These of course, can be purchased from selected chemists or high street shops. However, this site does these things really cheaply. Most importantly, the range of personalised items is as wide as it possibly could be.

I think it's a great idea to give your spouse something small for their desk at work, lovingly personalised by you. (A personalised stapler will be much appreciated. I know from experience!) I usually get my single sister a small gift for Valentine's Day. Instead of the usual chocolate, (she's trying to lose weight) some custom printed envelopes may be just the ticket.

Go to Amsterdam Printing personalized pens if you're interested. And here's a humorous Valentine's Day article I wrote a couple of years ago Cupid: The Secrets He's Hidden From You

Did you know I've got 2 new blogs? Check them out here: DIY Projects and Build Confidence. Thank you.

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Cold Hands, Warm Heart?

2011-01-22T01:12:00.000-08:00

Years ago, I realised that something was wrong with the blood flow in my hands. My doctor pretended I was making it all up at first. A few years later he gave up placated me with a couple of unnecessary, painful procedures on my hands, only to find that neither of them worked (surprise!).

I continued to go to see him because of this problem. I had excruciating pain, and my hands could never get warm enough no matter how thick my gloves were. Eventually, when he realised he didn't know what was wrong, he pretended it was all in my head. Yes! he pretended I was pretending. (If you close your eyes, it will all go away - right?) I made use of hand warmers and other artificial methods to keep myself warm in the winter months. I needed to wear fingerless gloves even indoors, to make the coldness just bearable.

It was 7 years later until I found a doctor who told me I had thoracic outlet syndrome. All along the problem was in my shoulder - not in my hands. I would later have a terribly painful surgery to cut the bone which was growing from my shoulder into my chest. However, by then so many nerve endings had been damaged, the surgery couldn't correct anything - it could only stop it from getting worse. So I'm still left with shoulder pains and icy hands - minus chest-growing bone.

I spend a lot of time looking for and collecting all types of handwarmers. Of course, because my hands are perpetually cold, other parts of my body follow suit. Over the years, I've used many types of warmers. Some I've liked and others - not so much. Nowadays I stick with the disposable type. I'd rather use something that I can make use of again, but I find that many of these warmers can be a bit tricky to use and not long-lasting enough. Then you have to re-heat them to be able to use them again.

Lately, I've found a website that sells hand warmers at half the price I pay for them here in the UK (and I thought the ones I used to get were cheap). I only came across them by accident too! I've noticed that they also do Foot Warmers and Toasti Toes but I don't need these half as much.

Has anyone else got this problem of cold hands? If so, what have you found to be the best way to deal with it?

Birth Flowers and Stones

2010-12-31T08:17:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking of something I could post here that would be both useful and informative for the start of this year. While I'm not a fan of astrological limitations of what a person should be, based on when he/she happened to be born, I quite like the idea of jewellery (who doesn't, right). Flowers don't hurt either.

I've made a list of birth stones and flowers which make traditional gifts for friends and family (especially women) related to the month in which they were born. Make a note of these for when you're shopping for presents for the rest of the year.

January

Stone - Garnet

Flower - Carnation or Snowdrop

February

Stone - Amethyst

Flower – Violet or Primrose

March

Stone - Aquamarine

Flower - Daffodil

April

Stone - Diamonds

Flower – Sweet pea or Daisy

May

Stone - Emerald

The Lily of the Valley

June

Stone - Pearl

Flower – the Rose

July

Stone - Ruby

Flower – the Water Lily

August

Stone - Peridot

Flower - the Gladiolus or Poppy

September

Stone - Sapphire

Flower – the Aster or Morning Glory

October

Stone - Opal

Flower – the Calendula (Marigold)

November

Stone – Topaz

Flower – the Chrysanthemum

December

Stone – Turquoise

Flower – the Narcissus

So this year there is no excuse for not getting the right presents. Hope your recipients appreciate your generosity. Happy New Year!

Please share this post on your favourite networking site if you find it useful. Thank you.

Christmas Has Gone To The Dogs

2010-12-15T02:32:00.000-08:00

In order to wrap up 2010's posting on this blog (I still have a few posts left in me for my other sites) before I leave for my Christmas hols with relatives, I want to bring you some 'awwww' inducing pictures of little Christmas doggies. They're all dressed in the most fabulous, seasonal garb and definitely put me in the Christmas spirit. I've trawled through dozens to bring you some of the best ones. All say, 'Awwww....'

The urls for all the images are at the end of this post.

Aren't they cute!

Happy Christmas to you and a very prosperous and blessed 2011

Photo sources for the above images, in order of appearance:
http://www.sassypup.net/Christmas-Dog-Dress-Poinsettia-Harness-Holidays-p-16564.html
http://www.freechristmaswallpapers.net/wallpaper/Sweet-Dog-Under-Xmas-Tree/
http://animals.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/1405/
http://hotshotphoto.com/blog/dogs-xmas-hats
http://scruffmacduff.blogspot.com/
http://www.scenicreflections.com/media/284353/Christmas_Dog_Wallpaper/
http://www.wagsntailsmaltese.com/About_Us.html
http://dogs.icanhascheezburger.com/2007/12/page/7/

A Post In Pictures

2010-12-06T05:03:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to create a full post in progressive pictures. I think I've managed to do just that today. This is how I transformed my son's bed from plain and dull, to one that's fun and colourful. With just an old, dusty headboard and some well-chosen material, you to can make a stunning piece of furniture out of your old, boring bed.
Note: use an old, soft blanket under your top layer of material to create a softer, more cushiony feel and look.

A Handful of Fives

2010-11-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

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I gave my son 2 twenty pence pieces today. Then I gave his younger sister a small handful of five pence coins. ‘How come she’s got more than me!’ he said indignantly. He swallowed a mouthful of further complains when I told him his sister had only thirty pence, to his forty.

This brought to mind a really important life lesson to me. It’s easy to sink into an inner struggle when we see people who appear to have more than we do. If we took just a second to really think about the quality of the quantity we may see the truth.

What looks like an abundance in units (of blessings), may actually be less when the value of the personalised blessing is taken into account. Let’s not look at our neighbour’s wealth which, on the surface, seems more than we’ve got.

As long as we’ve got peace and soundness of mind, we can still dream, we can still achieve, we can still grow. The largest bank balance is useless to a person who’s lost their peace or presence of mind. Let’s be happy that we can still think and dream big!

One day it'll be my (and your) turn to have 2 twenties instead of a handful of fives.

Here’s to dreams both big and small. Today, I’m really thankful for my dreams!

Saw This And Thought Of You

2010-10-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

My cousin sent me this by email and I thought it was pretty sweet. I don't forward chain mail, I usually just read then delete them. This one made me think twice so I'd like to share it with you. I've edited it slightly for punctuation and word usage, but for the most part, have left it intact.

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If you happened to show up on my door step crying,

I would care.

If you called and asked

me to pick you up because something happened,

I would come.

If you had one day left

to live your life,

I would want to be part of

that last day.

If you needed a shoulder

to cry on,

I would give you mine.

The relationship is between two eyes are:

They blink together,

They move together,

They cry together,

They see things together,

And they sleep together, even though they never see each other.

That's what friendship is.

Life isn't about how you survived the storm.

It's about how you danced in the rain!

Pretty, isn't it?

Being Eco Friendly

2010-10-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

photo source

We've all tried to keep up with the fashionable trend of eating organically, counting our carbon footprints, and keeping up with the forever unfolding ethics of holding global warming at bay. Most of the people I know never leave home without reusable shopping bags. We're all doing our bit t lessen the heady heights of our local landfills.

But how about dressing organically? The general public has had a lengthy chance to make up their minds about just how trendy this new wave of organic, ethical fashion is. Many designers nowadays incorporate at least an element of eco-friendliness in their new lines.

The textile industry has been one of the major polluters in the world, and is now endeavouring to work towards creating an awareness of how disastrously fatal the use of pesticides is to the third world farmers.

Around a quarter of the world’s insecticides are used in the growth of conventional cotton. Ten percent of its pesticides, and at least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw material into clothes, towels, beddings and items which come in to close contact with our skins every day. This is a scary thought when we think that we use things like towels on new born babies.

These days we’ve gone further than just our shopping bags, food and clothes. And have found ways to produce across-the-board eco friendly products. Things like home insulation and outdoor lighting are amazingly green and good for our environment. If we could bother to look, we can build and furnish our homes completely on the green side.

Have you found new ways to go green?

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Being Eco Friendly

2010-10-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

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Have you found new ways to grow green?

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What You Should Know About The Fruit You Eat

2010-09-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

We all know that it’s important to eat fruit. We pride ourselves in having a healthy lifestyle if we eat at least one piece of this food group every day. Apparently, researchers (and I don’t always believe their views) have determined that there are right and wrong ways of eating fruit. I’ve also included a list of some of the popular ones and a brief description of a few nutrients and minerals we get from them.

Fruit is to be eaten on an empty stomach
The reason some people have heart burns and upset stomach after eating fruit is because the acids and juices, when mixed with other foods like bread, ferment and produce gas.

Never cook fruit
Fruit vitamins cannot withstand high temperatures. Nutrients evaporate when fruit is cooked, leaving most of the taste but none of the substance.

Fruit better than fruit juice
In order for your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals fruit offer, they need to be mixed with your saliva. This is why gulping down fruit juice is a waste of time. Drink slowly when drinking fruit juices to allow them to stay in your mouth for longer.

Fruit gives you:

WATERMELONS
Lycopene: cancer fighting oxidant.
Glutathione: immune-system booster.
It’s 92% water so is the best thirst quencher you can find.

STRAWBERRIES
Antioxidants: protect the body from free radicals that cause cancer and clog blood vessels.

KIWI FRUIT
Potassium: important for cell, tissue and organ function. It’s also vital for skeletal and smooth muscle contraction. Potassium also plays an important role in the digestive process.
Magnesuim: vital in the production of protein in the body.
Vitamin E: essential in keeping the cells in your body healthy. Vitamin E is very active in the prevention of diseases and ill health. Unfortunately, it’s destroyed by heat.
Fibre: keeps the digestive system healthy. It helps us to process the food we eat and absorb nutrients. It also lowers blood cholesterol and controls your blood sugar levels (which controls appetite).
Vitamin C: one kiwi fruit contains twice the vitamin C of an orange. Vitamin C is an all rounder, enhancing good health and possessing anti-inflammatory properties.

APPLES
Antioxidants: this is very important in keeping cancer forming cells away. It also helps in blood flow, which maintains good health throughout the body.
Flavonoids: have anti-allergic, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. They actively enhance the Vitamin C present in the other fruit we eat, keeping the heart healthy.

ORANGES
Vitamin C: helps to keep the colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent kidney stones and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

GUAVA AND PAPAYA
Vitamin C: These contain extremely high Vitamin C content. Guava is rich in fibre and Papaya contains a large amount of carotene.

What are your favourites out of this list? Do you have a super fruit you like eating every day?

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Ginger: Why You Will Never Again Leave Your Home Without It!

2010-09-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Ginger is one of the most potent spices on earth. It's also one of the few edible roots with multiple uses we can all easily access. It was first farmed in Asia but quickly spread to parts of Africa and the Caribbean. The following points will convince you that you should always have a piece of fresh ginger (or frozen) at hand. These were all recorded after studies and researches made by respected scientists and scholars.

Treat an itchy throat and niggling cough with a drink of ginger or a small piece of fresh ginger. (Put a few thin slices in hot water).
Use as soon as you feel a cold coming on. It's better than vitamin C (it contains Vitamin C) because if its strong anti-viral properties.
It slows cancerous cells. Make sure you use ginger in your cooking regularly.
Treat nausea, sea sickness and travel sickness.
Use ginger regularly if you have problems with constipation.
It aids in the absorption of protein, so is great for digestion.

Don't forget you can make yourself some ginger ale at home

Ginger has antihistamine qualities so is helpful in the treatment of allergies.
It's great for anti-inflammatory illnesses, so use regularly for pains due to arthritic and other muscular conditions.
Ginger prevents blood clots from forming.
It's been used for thousands of years in Asian countries to preserve a youthful body and appearance.
Ginger prevents cramps due to IBS.
If you've eaten too much, eat a small piece of ginger to aid the digestion process and to prevent heart burns later on.

Ginger makes delicious cakes and breads too.

It lowers cholesterol.
If you're a smoker, chewing a small slice of ginger will clear your breath better than chewing gum.
Ginger has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, so is good for preventing gum disease and tooth decay.
It's a natural source of Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium, and is 100% better than taking vitamin pills to top up on these minerals.
Ginger maintains blood flow to all parts of the body including the sexual organs.
Of course, use ginger in your cooking to spice up your food. I use it in my curries every Friday on curry day and it's brilliant!

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Sunday's Child Excerpt

2010-08-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't put up an excerpt from 'Sunday's Child' in a very long time. This blog, after all, is about that book so I figured it was definitely time to do so. Here's an excerpt I posted years ago on this very blog. It's content is exactly the same, but it's been edited to change a lot of the dialect it originally had.

Loud, crashing, splintering sound, then broken glass on my face!
Oh Gawd! What’s happening to us?
Franc was crying. Mammy was screaming, “Get up! Get up!”
I was still half asleep. Theresa was shaking my kite-like, little frame. “Ann! Ann! They breakin’ in! Run!”
Franc started to scream. She was in spasms. I knew her mouth was open, but I couldn’t hear anything but a hissing “whoop.” I waited for the next burst of scream. It came, and with it I was lifted out of my bed and rushed out of the room. The last thing I saw in the shadow of the street lamp as I was dragged from the bedroom was a dark boot stepping through the now-broken window pane, into the bedroom, and onto the bed. The owner of the boot was holding a cutlass in his hand. Mammy won’t like that. No shoes allowed in the house!
* * *

“Ah think he went back out,” Theresa whispered, grasping the baby as we all stood trembling together in the safety of living room. “He only want to scare us” she said, pulling the bedroom door shut.
“It’s the two of them,” Mammy shouted-whispered. “Derek wid him!”
I knew who Derek was straight off. He was our landlady’s crazy-hair son who’d run away from the prison. I supposed that the other one was his sister’s mad, criminal husband. Mammy always said, “Them’s dangerous people to get mixed-up with.”
One time Theresa had asked her, “Why you say that?”
Mammy had a very long answer to that. I can’t remember all that she said, but one thing that stood out in my mind was when she explained that the landlady was a dark spirits’ worker, and that people went to her when they wanted to put bad, Obeah spells on someone.
“Ann, you go out the back door and call fuh help,” Mammy instructed me, jerking me back into the terror before us.
“No, doan send her out,” Theresa pleaded. “They still in front there shouting. One of them can easily run under the house and find her on the back steps.”
“No,” Mammy said. “They won’t hurt a child. Go, shout for help. Mr. Barry will come.”
“But yuh said that Derek is a murderer. She can’t…I’ll…I’ll go,” Theresa told her.
“You make the baby keep quiet,” Mammy shouted, and this was no whisper-shout either. “Go,” she said, and she and I crept through the dark kitchen to the back door.
She shoved me out.
Then I heard the bolt click.
* * *

I was screaming before I could hear my own voice. I was wailing and crying, spewing like a volcano – a lava of tears running down my face.
“Help! Help! Somebody please help us!” The louder I screamed the harder I wept. My body wanted to do this so much. My voice was breaking, but it was not because of the shouting. I was crying so hard I could barely say ‘Elp.’ I was exposed and only had moments before the two men walked under the house and came to deal with me.
I almost imagined footsteps getting nearer and nearer, closing in on me. I thought of all the things they could do to me, and I saw my half-grown body chopped up into tiny pieces with the cutlass the person who stepped into the bedroom was holding. A bizarre voice in my head shouted louder than I ever could, ‘But would that be so bad?’
I was shivering in the hot night air, feeling the not so foreign hand of fear take hold of my heart and squeeze and squeeze. I knew my heart was going to spurge its contents all over the hand in seconds. That’ll teach it.
I looked for the men through my tears, while I reasoned with that voice, ‘But see, I am only little.’
‘Is that why I catch yuh thinking of dying?’
‘I don’t want to die, please, I don’t want to die. I’m really only little.’
Heavy tears were streaming down my face when I heard him. He was blowing his whistle through the curtain of the night. It had to be Mr. Barry! By the time he reached our house still dressed in his pyjamas, he had most of the street behind him.
* * *

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Blessings, Not Riches, Oh, Lord

2010-08-11T01:21:00.000-07:00

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We ask God to give us more. We need a bigger house for our family. We need more money to send our kids to good schools. We ask for more so that we could help our family members and friends in need. We want better health so we could work hard and save up for a better pension.
I too, find myself asking for more. Lately I've been wondering if this is the right approach to prayer. Of course, it's not wrong to make requests to God in our prayers. He's invited us to do so. But have we considered He's already given us the things we keep asking for? That His answer to our prayers has long since been a resounding, 'Yes'.

I've known the story of Jesus feeding the multitude with two fishes and five loaves of bread for a long time. I've accepted this as a miracle even though the maths don't compute, but have never associated it with my own life. Jesus fed thousands using the two fishes he already had, after blessing them. He did not ask for more food. He used the food he had, blessed it and shared it out. It was enough. In fact, at the end of the meal his disciples picked up baskets of leftovers. This is the nature of a blessing - whatever you have, no matter how little, goes a long way. It's enough for you.

I think I should change my prayers in relation to making requests. Of course, I pray for others and thank the Lord for the things I have. However, when it comes to making requests maybe I should ask for blessings on the things I already have rather than asking for more.

God doesn't need to give us more in order to build a comfortable home for our family. His blessings will stretch whatever we have already. I don't have to understand how, but He can! I should have faith that He's already given us enough and that by asking for a blessing instead of more, He can make our little treasures multiply into thousands simply by saying the word.

How do you stay focused on counting your blessings?

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Wonder Drugs That Heal Without Side Effects

2010-08-03T01:47:00.000-07:00

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We've all heard of and tried medicines that heal and those that don't. Whichever category drugs fall into, they always come with mild to severe side effects. Solving one problem to create another in a body you have to live with 24/7 isn't ideal. This is why I want to share some 'wonder drugs' which go on healing with no negative effects on the body.

Broccoli

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Broccoli is very high in sulforaphane. A healthy amount of sulforaphane in the body fights off the bacteria that causes most ulcers. As it's been said, prevention is better than cure. A balanced diet with a good dose of broccoli several times a week will not only keep you healthy, but save you money you may have to spend on expensive antibiotic remedies later on.

Tomatoes

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Lycopene is an essential anti-oxidant for the body to possess. It fights off dangerous illnesses which can cause detrimental effects on your health. One such illness is cancer. Make sure you're cooking with lots of tomatoes, as they're full to bursting with lycopene. Tinned tomatoes are especially potent when it comes this particular anti-oxidant. Add them to your sauces and stews. You wouldn't even notice they're there. Eat raw tomatoes in salads etc, and you could be having them 4 to 5 times per week. Lycopene is crucial for fighting off all types of cancers, but especially prostate cancer.

Watermelons

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If you don't like, or can't eat tomatoes, watermelons produce the same effects as above. They're not always in season like tomatoes, but to make up for this, they are twice as rich in lycopene, and three times as refreshing to eat!

Cinnamon

Just a little sprinkling of cinnamon goes a long way to preventing high blood sugars. Trials suggest that in just a couple of months, using cinnamon on your desserts, fruit salads, toast etc can have desired effects in keeping blood sugars at safe levels. Make cinnamon your sweet spice of choice and always keep some in the kitchen so you won't forget to use it.

Avocados

There are bad fats and good fats. Many people misunderstand the difference between them and cut out all fats like avocados and essential olive oils, which are actually crucial for good health. One would not even consider running a machine without the oils it needs to function properly. Yet we carry on cutting these vital ingredients out of our lives.

Avocados are great for lowering bad cholesterol. Eating it just twice a week dramatically increases the levels of good cholesterol in your body. Apart from this, avocados have other essential minerals to keep sicknesses at bay. Why not pick up an avocado with your weekly shopping from now on. You'll be glad you did.

Have you got a super food that you simply won't live without? What is it and how did you discover it? If you like this post, please share it on your favourite social networking site from the links above this article. Thank you.

The Labour Of Love

2010-07-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was talking to a lady on a film set. When I told her that it was my son's eleventh birthday, she said, 'Happy Birthing Day' to me. I didn't quite understand what she meant at first, but then I thought about it and realised that even though her greeting sounded strange, it actually made lots of sense.

We give our children presents on their birthdays and make a fuss of them because it was the day they were born. This is a passive element of birth. After all, the only thing they did was emerge from the womb and kicked up a fuss. Years after that, all they did was demand food, take up all our attention and cost us money. But we love them endlessly and without reserve.

On the other hand, the 'birthday' of a child requires much more from a mother. She labours in agony as her body twists and writhes in pain. She pushes what feels like her guts out for hours on end to bring forth her baby into the world. For her troubles, her body changes for the worse from that day forward and deteriorates progressively with every successive baby. Yet, every year on this anniversary, she gets none of the credit. Maybe we should rethink this whole birthday thing. Maybe it's us mums who should be told, 'Happy Birthing day' and have a cake baked for us.

Yesterday, eleven years ago, my body went through trauma giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. The birth was so painful, I vowed never to have another child. Ever! This baby boy is now a massive eleven year old, 5' 3" tall, with the brain of an eight year old. We love him to bits. He was thrilled to have presents and attention on his birthday. And his mum, the one who got saddled with all this labour of love, stood on the sidelines ignored, cheering him on.

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On Top Of The World

2010-07-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

Like most women I know, I was sucked into the craze of the world cup. Last night marked the end of the lengthy televisual feast us and the kids devoured for the past month or so. So, Spain emerged triumphant. Now, in football terms, they're on top of the world.

Just recently, I've been looking at some pictures of some other things which are physically on top of the world (or all around us). Spain's win has put all the other team's efforts and strengths (or lack thereof) into perspective. For obvious reasons my mind connected this with the magnificence of the solar system, and how its spectacular showcase puts our minute earth into perspective. Indeed, our worries, trials, and petty grievances are all put into a corner when compared to the brilliance of our universe.

I've always been a keen fan of space pictures. I visit NASA's website just to browse their unbelievable collection of images. I'd like to share some of these with you. The brilliance of Spain and their well-deserved win was awesome to watch. See what you think of these...

The Sombrero Galaxy

The Ant Nebula

The Esquimo Nebula

Cat's Eye Nebula

Swan Nebula

Light Echo (An exploding star)

Trifid Nebula (where new stars are being born)

Eagle Nebula

Protostar

The planets to scale. This is where we are (far left) in all this.

Isn't it amazing to be a part of such a splendid world? It's beauty is far beyond what we can understand! Congratulations to Spain. Being on top of the world, this world, must be an unbelievably glorious feeling!

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Join Me In Praying For Someone Else

2010-07-05T02:01:00.000-07:00

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We spend our lives showcasing the wasteful existence we lead. We overeat, get fat, only to go on diets. We overspend, get into debt, only to pay back interest on money we didn't have in the first place. We like to have so much extra material on our modern jeans, they drag on the ground when we walk. Then we tear the extra bits off when they start to rip. Our cars are as big as possible. Our houses have more rooms than we need. We pay for Internet on our phones AND our laptops. Facebook and Twitter can't wait until we get home. Yes, we like to exhibit how much we waste.

And while we're wallowing in this mess, our equals are dying of thirst and hunger. Women are burying their kids every day because they lack the few cents it costs to immunise their babies. But we go on, sometimes even asking God for more and more. Is it a wonder then, that when He answers our prayers, He just says 'no'. This week, I plan to shift my prayers. Each day I will ask for something for someone else. Please join me in this. Make a list of all the people you know (or think) who're in need at the moment. Start with one person and add another each day. At the end of the week, we should be praying for 7 people.

Let us love life, give thanks for what we have, and honour those who're truly in need.

Thank You

2010-06-23T04:27:00.000-07:00

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This is the old patio at the back of the house, right outside the living room. The big sliding door you see here was broken so we had no access to the back garden from it, until a few days ago.

I just wanted to say thank you to all my blogging friends for sticking by me. I've been away from the Internet for some time because of personal illness, my kids' illnesses and a highly complicated house move. I've obviously not been able to do my daily blog trawling and have not visited my friends' sites as much as I would've liked. In fact, I'm still only surviving on half-time blogging related activities because (as you can imagine) I'm still emptying boxes and clearing the garden.

Our new house is very old and has been neglected for a very long time. After the old lady who lived in it was moved into a home, her family rented it to people who, among other things, liked to punch holes into the walls and ceilings. Many of the windows didn't open so we had to end up changing all the old ones for new. All the carpeting has now been pulled up and today we're having a brand new boiler fitted, something we didn't even know we would've had to do.

Many of our pictures are now up on the walls, but they'll soon have to come down again when we start work on stripping the old wall paper (held on by sticky tape in some parts) off and preparing the walls for a fresh coat of paint.

Here's to a whole lot of work!

Ads That Haven't Stood The Test Of Time

2010-06-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

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As I get older, I've noticed more and more that television ads make less and less sense. I often wonder if it's my ability of comprehension that's at fault, or whether advertising producers and printers are targeting an entirely different age groups from my own.

I want to think the latter is correct. After all, I'm a bright enough bunny, right? Here are some ads that prove my point. Advertisers have to cater for their audiences. These ads below would be either out-of-place, politically incorrect, or totally offensive if shown these days. So the next time you see an ad you don't understand, be comforted in the fact that you're mature enough for advertisers to feel they can no longer fool or entice you with their less-than 'perfect' products.

We're In!

2010-06-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

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This is the picture of an empty, unloved living room in the sad, ignored house we hope to fill with colour and love, and the noise of our family

So, we moved house on Saturday and have finally cut all links with our old place. Of course, we have boxes still piled high and some building work to get done, but all our worldly and not-so-worldly possessions are finally all in the same place.

There were many complications and our phone still does not work, but hey, it could be a lot worse. Thank God, I can now look forward to blogging (at least part-time while I paint and decorate), but by the end of the week, I'll be able to visit all my friends to say hi to you again.

I'm very excited at the prospect and will be working very hard over the next month to rebuild all my links and contacts I now seem to have lost in the last 3 weeks or so.

It's very difficult to express how hard the last weeks have been, how all-encompassing and sometimes totally frustrating it was for us all. This is why my husband and I have promised each other, no more moving until we retire to Mexico!

Moving House

2010-05-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

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I'm well into the throngs of moving house. Everything seems to be going on all at the same time. I have no time to do anything, while doing what seems like nothing. To make matters worse, I've been really ill after collapsing and going into hospital. Two of my kids have also been unwell, which means I've had to run around after sick children while being half-dead myself. Ah, the joys of a motherhood.

If I haven't been to your blog lately, I'm sorry. I can't say that I'll be around soon because I'm also expecting to be without power for a few days (hopefully not) while the new house is being totally rewired.

I'm ill, I'm stressed and I have to work like a horse in the next few days/weeks. Please keep me in your prayers. At the end of the month when we've moved, I have to look forward to the unpacking, painting etc.

I will try to update my blogs whenever possible. I don't want to fall foul of Google by going stagnant, so I'll try my best to post regularly during this down time. I may swing by your sites when I have time. Please bear with me.

Edible Arrangements For Mother's Day

2010-05-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

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Flowers have always been a very welcomed Mother's Day present. Mothers all over the world (here in March, and on the other side of the globe, in May) are given rushed, last minute bunches of flowers when all other original ideas for mother's day presents have been exhausted.
Nowadays you can give your mother flowers for mother's day (or any other occasion) and still give her an original gift in the mix. This is where edible arrangements come in.

This milk chocolate arrangement comes in a delightful package, in all kinds of shapes and sizes, with a fantastic array of colours and flavours. It's an unforgettable bouquet.

For mothers who can't eat chocolate, or those who like fruit better, here is a splendid arrangement of Fruit Bouquets, Delicious Designs for her. This book inspires you to create the most wonderful edible flower designs. Not only can she admire the setting and arrangement, when she feels the need for a healthy snack, she can tuck in to her heart's content.

And what about the woman who loves reading? This is the ideal edible arrangement! Little Book (Box of 28 Luxury French Chocolates , 7.5 Oz) The packaging are natural wooden boxes which can be used for storage once the chocolates are all gone.

Now, here's one you can easily do yourself. You get the instructions with colour pictures to help you make the perfect home made, edible arrangement. This one is not just for your mother, but will come in handy for get-togethers, weddings and birthdays all year round.

This last one is really exciting. It shows you how to make a large variety of edible centrepieces . Why not make one specially for your mother and blow her away with your talent and dedication. Anyone can do these. The directions are simple and straightforward. This is the perfect edible gift any mother would like to receive.

Now that you have the links, go ahead and see what you can do to make mother's day special for your mother!

My Car, My Duct Tape

2010-05-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

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It's not easy running and maintaining a car. After buying my current used car, I realised that I had been sold a complete dud. When everything started to fall apart I went back to the dealer, but he said he couldn't help. What did I expect, right?

Two years on and I've fixed or replaced everything including the head gasket (which, of course, wasn't included in the insurance I bought from the dealer). The car, with its new hip replacement, now works well. The last thing left is to fix the electric window on the driver's side, to stop the window winding down whenever it has a mind to. This is where the duct tape comes in.

I don't feel the least bit embarrassed by my duct taped car because I've seen many bumpers, wind mirrors and even exhaust pipes being held up by the stuff. I recently came across a website from which you can get updated pricing for all manner of car repairs and parts. All you have to do is type in the make, model and year and you get pretty good pricing for parts and labour in your local area. Maybe I should make use of such a service, but I think I want to sell and move on.

I'm still deliberating this decision. After all, I've just got my old car working properly. The odds of buying another used car with a fresh set of its own problems are quite high, even if I just want something practical and medium cost like a Honda Civic or similar. At least I know where I stand with my own car because every thing that could've gone wrong, has already done so.

The above image is linked from: Los Angeles Auto Repair

Reward

2010-04-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

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Today I got a leaflet through the letter box. It said in large, red letters at the very top, REWARD. I watched the person who dropped the leaflet through the door and noticed that she was pushing a bulky, old-fashioned baby buggy. She'd left the baby and buggy in the street and had walked into the drive to leave the note at our house. I watched her leave with a bundle of leaflets in her hand, to go to my next door neighbour and to the rest of the people in my street.

I read the note which had fallen on the mat. It was the best 'lost cat' ad I'd ever seen. After catching the reader's attention with the word Reward at the top, the ad went on to say that the cat was 10 years old and was sorely missed by its companion (another cat) and a sad little boy. The ad urged readers to search in their sheds and outhouses to make sure the cat hadn't been locked in by accident.

The leaflet saddened me because I know that sick or injured cats usually go away from their families to die. I suppose they want to spare their families the trouble of arranging funerals and going through the process of grief. Granted, there's nothing like a funeral agent or crematorium where pets are concerned, but the emotional expense can take a lifetime to recover from.

I wondered if it was kinder for this woman and her family to live in hope that one day their cat would return home, lick his paws and purr for his favourite bowl of food, than to suggest that maybe, her much-loved cat may already be dead.

Iceland Volcano Pictures

2010-04-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

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I've had volcano ash on my car for a few days now. It looks, as you can imagine, a mess, but I'm leaving it there for fear that washing the vehicle would result in ash being rubbed into the surface of the paint. Hopefully a shower of rain would do the trick safely. Of course, I'm not complaining. After all, the poor souls in Iceland have to live through a thousand times worse than a filthy, volcanic-ash-covered car.
My cousin sent me these pictures (below) yesterday which made me realise the real impact of what is at stake for the Icelanders. My thoughts are with them.
Note: I would've given credit here, but I don't know who these photos belong to.

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

On the 22nd of April, 2010, more than one billion people from 190 countries will be celebrating Earth Day.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the celebrations. Highlighting this event is crucial in encouraging, not only people like ourselves, but Governments and corporations worldwide to create and maintain a global, green economy. Please do your bit to make our Earth Day more visible.
You can also make your pledge to actively reduce, reuse and recycle. Some of the top pledges on the Action centre for Earth day are:

Developing green products that will change consumer behaviour in a positive way.
Using a reusable water bottle and bringing a coffee mug to the coffee shop (and work).
Recycling more recyclable items.
Picking up garbage around town.
Turning off the tap while cleaning your teeth.
Turning off the light when you leave a room.

You too can decide to take action for Earth Day and beyond. Amazon is launching their amazing Earth Day Store on April 22nd. It's designed to give consumers the facts about sustainable living, and help them make green solutions every day of the year. Customers can also save on green-cleaning and baby products, toys, personal care, lighting, etc. Visit this link for special Earth Day Savings and this one if you want to make the best of green, sustainable goods all year round.

Happy Earth Day!

Meow Meow Drug (Mephedrone) To Be Reclassified

2010-04-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

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Mephedrone, a legal drug known in the streets as Meow, Meow is to be reclassified as of midnight tonight. This deadly drug, very similar to ecstasy, is sold with ease all over the Internet as plant fertiliser. This drug is said to give extremely quick and fantastic highs which produce horrendous hallucinations. The low comes quickly too, but lasts in some cases for as long as three weeks, accompanied by rashes and depression.

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Mephedrone is extremely addictive, which is not surprising because it's not meant for human consumption. People taking this drug experience very low periods when the only thing they can think about is getting their next fix. It's known for causing breathing difficulties, nose bleeds and even strong paranoia.

I've read some of the forums where drug users were discussing their personal experiences in taking meow meow. One person said he'd been awake for 56 hours. Many said they started as a joke and end up being so hooked, they could not stop even though they tried. Recently I read an item reporting news of a young man who hallucinated so terribly, he pulled off his own scrotum after taking this drug. At the time of writing, M-cat (meow meow) can be passed through customs without any problems as it's legal 'plant food.' It's shipped and delivered as a normal, average package with no questions asked.

Mephedrone, which can be snorted, licked or swallowed, was never actually intended as plant food. It has always been manufactured as a drug. Having been on the streets of Britain for only two years, it's clear that it has spread to dangerous levels because it's already the fourth most used drug here after cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy.

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From midnight tonight meow meow is no longer legal. It's to be reclassified as a B drug which means anyone found in possession could have a maximum sentence of five years. So many young people have already died. Hopefully this new law will put a lid on this madness.

Top Celebrity Animals - Past And Present [Pics]

2010-04-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

Many times the animals are a large part of the reason certain shows become our favourites. I remember watching 'Mad About You' in anticipation of seeing Murray, the family dog. Marcel, the monkey in FRIENDS also brought me lots of laughs and I missed him when he left the show.
Now, for a trip down memory lane, here are some pictures of some celebrity animals (in no particular order) that brought a smile to generations of viewers.

Marcel - the monkey from FRIENDS

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After Ross (David Schwimmer) was divorced from Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) in this popular sitcom, he adopted this cute Capuchin monkey and named him Marcel. Things were quite smooth at first until Marcel's unusual sex-drive meant that Ross couldn't cope with him any more. He was eventually donated to the city's zoo and was later said to be staring in his own movie.

Free Willy

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This whale (real name Keiko) astounded everyone in its talent for performing in front of the camera. Free Willy had 3 film instalments and a 4th one is expected this year. This loveable mammal even inspired an animated series, making Keiko the most famous whale that ever lived. He won the hearts of movie goers every where.

Eddie from Frasier

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This Jack Russell Terrier reportedly chewed everything his owner owned and became a very unmanageable dog at home. None of this mattered though, when he found stardom on this popular American sitcom. Eddie mastered a bored stare which he kept reserved for his owner's (Marty) son.

Murray from Mad About You

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This border collie was owned by the Buchmans (Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser). Paul found him when he was a puppy and 'met' his wife while taking him for a walk. Murray is portrayed as a very dumb dog who's fixated on chasing an invisible mouse.

Mr Ed

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Allan Lane's voice was used for Mr Ed, a talking horse, who could only speak to his owner, Wilbur. Ed's scrapes and mischief served up a ton full of laughter for the show's many viewers.

Lassie

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Lassie was played by a collie called Pal and several of her descendants. Lassie was probably the most well-known animal on TV.

Rin Tin Tin

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This character was played by several German Shepherd dogs who were related to each other. This show became exceptionally popular on stories on radio, film and TV.

Skippy

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Skippy was meant to be a 'pet' kangaroo owned by a little Australian boy. Skippy was able to 'speak' to his owner and work with him to save people's lives in the reserve. People from 80 different countries tuned in to watch Skippy each week.

Vincent from Lost

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In my opinion, Vincent is the cutest celebrity animal on TV. I adore his little face. He's a Yellow Labrador Retriever and has turned up at intervals to help or comfort the survivors on the Island.

Do you have a favourite celebrity animal? Is there any on my list that made a show more attractive to watch?

Photo Albums

2010-04-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

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Here in the UK, it’s almost time for new class photos to be purchased. I don't buy them all every year, but I make an effort to get the ones that stand out in quality and pose. I've already got a large amount of pictures and photo albums and the kids are still young. I often wonder where and how we'll store all the photos we have in eighteen years' time. With wedding photo albums, birth, anniversary and graduation pictures, you wonder how one has storage space for anything else.

Even with the introduction of the digital age, there's still nothing that captures those special 'tying-the-knot moments as splendidly as wedding albums.

On the matter of school photos; on the day, I make sure the kids’ collars are straightened, their hair brushed neatly, and uniforms in tip top shape.

When I get the proofs back something is invariably out of place. My youngest has the most flyaway hair that's ever graced the head of a little girl. A feature that’s always very noticeable in our photo books. We’ve decorated our walls and albums with school pictures of the kids, many of which I’m not totally crazy about.

My son, at 10 years old, is in year 6, which is his last year in Primary school. I suppose this means that I have to buy his school pictures this term. I’ve sent back the proofs with the cheque and await yet another school photograph to add to the wheelbarrow of pictures we carry from place to place when we move house (which we're doing soon).

Are you one for keeping real pictures in albums like we do, or are you one of the new-age babies who store all your pictures digital-style? Have you still got your wedding photo album nestled neatly in your safest draws or have you stored them on the digital camera with grand plans to have them printed one day?

How To Get Some Perspective in Your Life

2010-04-03T00:55:00.000-07:00

A discussion of some important facts of life which we allow ourselves to forget.

In our world of Internet and Space travel, it’s difficult to keep our lives and priorities in perspective. It has been said that one picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ve abandoned my plan to write about how viewing life from a different perspective can give us a twisted view of reality.

I’ve decided instead, to illustrate using pictures, how easy it is to lose sight of where our lives should be and what attitudes we should hold fast. If we take the reality of our individual lives and adapt it to the humdrum of what society would have us be, we could end up having very distorted and misconstrued ideas of what is honest, good and important in the journey of our time on earth.

Look at these pictures taken from awkward perspectives. Their realities have been distorted to become something totally different.

All pictures are with express permission of Ahmad Anvari.

Pulling up the moon? Sometimes we take on tasks which in reality are too heavy for us to carry. Let’s keep our work load practical and sustainable. Burning out like an overused, neglected candle leaves us unable to serve anyone in the end.

Where is her head? Use your head when you feel like you’re being swept away by the tides of materialistic fortune and fickle fame. These things surround us everyday, enticing us to believe that if we ourselves could be surrounded by an entourage of false friends, we would be happy as well.

It's very easy to fall over when your foundation is not built on a solid, moral value base.

Grab every opportunity to show love to the people who matter in your life. It makes no sense to wait for special occasions.

Stretch as far as you can to help out those in need.

Pick up every opportunity to be childlike, funny and spontaneous, even if others think that you’re silly and immature.

Dwelling in the past and on mistakes you’ve made bends you out of joint and renders you unable to enjoy the pleasures of right now.

Face up to your fears. Look at them in the eyes and take them on. This is the only way to discard what could otherwise debilitate you.

There’ll always those who will try to take your mind off your goals. It’s enabling for some people to watch others wallow in their low expectations of their lives. Having you at the bottom gives them a reason for not trying to get ahead themselves. Give them the elbow and stay as far away as possible.

Love life and take part in physical events. It’s surprising how much stress is expelled by 10 minutes of brisk walking. Try it. Leave that computer now and then and release stress in physical ways.

Keep your light shining. It’s not okay to let it go out for even a second, for in that moment, a loved one drifting astray may need your light to guide them back home.

Let us remember, while we laugh at these pictures, that sometimes when we’re certain we’re right and someone else is wrong, it may just be because we’re both looking at that particular situation from different angles.

What we therefore see, are imperfect parts of a whole. What we perceive with our own eyes is not necessarily the truth. It could just be that our vision is coloured by the very individual glasses that we insist on wearing. Maybe life is not as bad as it seems, perhaps if we take off the glasses of misery and don the rose coloured pair, our outlook may be a lot more positive.

And how could ‘positive’ hurt?

Let’s try to remember to file the basic important factors of our lives into the correct perspective. In today’s society where celebrity status is craved after, and riches is the pinnacle of perfection, let’s decide that our perspective will remain focused on the ideals, beliefs and people who really matter.

Let’s decide that our perspective will always be founded not on what society thinks we should aim for, but what our life has taught us that we need.

Let the angle of the pictures we take be the one that truthfully reflects reality.

I know, I did say I would use pictures, not words. I failed.

Quite publicly and miserably.

If you've enjoyed this post, please use the share button above to share it with your friends. Thank you.

Funny Shop Sign

2010-03-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

It wasn't the name of the shop that enticed me to take this picture. After all, a lot of people have 'Butt' as a surname (I'm assuming here). I would've probably given the name a casual look, thought it was lightly amusing and went on my way.

The thing that made me fish around in my pocket (while in the passenger seat of a moving car) was the tagline under the name. 'Quality fresh meat, home cooked meat, and home-made faggots. (Faggots are a British meat dish, somewhat like black-pudding).

With a name like Butt, perhaps I would've left out the 'faggots.'

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No Recalling The Human Design

2010-03-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

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Toyota has now recalled more than 8 million cars because of several little faults in the design. Various defects have meant that the cars cannot possibly function the way they're meant to. We all know cars are made to do one thing. You can't ask them to do the washing up. You won't expect them to manage an office or raise kids. You certainly won't ask your car to volunteer at the youth centre on Wednesday nights. No. Cars enable us to do one thing - drive.

Several intelligent and talented men and women designed and planned, then manufactured cars. A defect in the design means they can no longer be driven safely. We expect that cars, even though they only do one thing, are a product of intelligent design. One oversight, and they're no good.

Yet,

I'm expected to believe that I, a person who's able to:
Cool myself down when I'm overheating by just producing water through millions of radiators all over my body.
Lessen the tension when my gears are being changed too fast, by leaking fluids through my headlights.
Start, stop and reverse automatically (without having to use gears) by just using my engine to think it.
See obstacles in my path and go around them in fine motor precision.
Observe barriers behind me and turn around without having to back up.
Track and acknowledge other 'machines' around me and communicate with them by just opening my bonnet.
Crouch down and stand tall in just one simple movement.
Go from 0 to full blast in split seconds.
Do cold starts every time without fail.
Use my snow tracks to get through high snow without going off course.
Honk my (versatile) horn as softly or loudly as I want to.
Transform into different machines whenever necessary, and as frequently as required.
Heal my own bumps and scrapes by growing a new body work in mere days.
Release any rattling in my gear box merely by blowing off steam from either of two strategically placed exhaust pathways.
Carry hundreds of passengers inside my shell for as long as I want to.
Drive on no fuel if required.

A car with only one purpose doesn't just 'happen.' It can't be slapped together or banged into existence. Behind its creation (for it was created) was a precise, intentional and intelligent design. This is made clearer by the aftermath demonstrated by these recent, little oversights.

It's natural to accept that an intelligent being created the car but not me?
A dumb organism 'decided' he was going to become me one day and just did?
Please explain below how this is so.

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I Discovered England!

2010-03-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

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You heard me. I came to live in England some years ago, and as far as I'm concerned, I have discovered it and all the people living in it. All that's left for me to do now is to stick my flag somewhere in the ground and rename it with something like, Anneland.

Surely, you don't think I'm mad. After all, European 'explorers' (or posh pirates - whatever you want to call them) went to different lands all over the earth and 'discovered' them. Sure, they were people already living there. I'll agree that they had their own culture and sustained living for hundreds of years prior to the 'discovery.' Okay, I suppose I also have to accept that many of them, like the talented South Americans had established empires and impressive building and engineering experience.
How does that matter? If people in the past could've legally 'discovered' these countries, be paid for it and given titles for the discovery, then, so should I!

So, I'm officially going to discover England. I'll fashion a flag, stick it in the ground, and apply to be named as the person who found it. I suppose I won't bother with trying to make the people work for me and give me their gold. Times are hard and I heard many of them have already sold their spare gold online. The hardest thing now is coming up with a suitable name. The natives tend to call it 'England' but that name is so yesterday. I'm thinking something fresh and exciting. Something more... me!

What do you reckon, Anneland or Annieland? Which sounds better? Or maybe we could do a Columbus and go with something like Annebia (like Columbia).
Don't tell me this is not a good idea. Thousands of people, including kings and queens thought it was great! Don't diss us.

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Gas 4 Free

2010-03-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

This is a British blog, but I know 75% of my readership comes from the U.S, therefore I couldn't help blogging about this once I'd seen it. Have you heard of the water hybrid engine technology? Apparently, in the US companies are widely promoting what they call a 'simple technology' that allows your car to be powered by water. Yes, water.
A programme called Gas 4 Free allows your present car, diesel or petrol, to be fully converted to use water. This system claims many advantages including:

being able to clean out your engine.
doubling the performance of your vehicle.
reducing emissions.
the IRS will pay you a refund for using it.

What's more, they claim to give a 100% money back guarantee. Obviously, I cannot vouch for this system, as I've never used it. What I can say, is that it's so fascinating to me, I would use it were it available here (and once I'd researched all the facts). I know that Americans think petrol (gas) is really expensive in the U.S, but not having any of the petrol concessions you have there, we in the U.K pay twice as much for our petrol/diesel.

How it works

You will not be able to go totally gas free. Water will supplement the gas you already use. The electricity in the car battery is used to separate the water (H2O) into a gas known as HHO. This gas is one part oxygen, two part hydrogen. Theoretically, this is the gas which burns to power the car. After burning, the waste product is merely water. This obviously is a green way to use your vehicle.

This is what Wikepedia describes as the drawback of this system:

'The attraction of using hydrogen as an energy currency is that, if hydrogen is prepared without using fossil fuel inputs, vehicle propulsion would not contribute to carbon dioxide emissions. The drawbacks of hydrogen use are low energy content per unit volume, high tankage weights, the storage, transportation and filling of gaseous or liquid hydrogen in vehicles, the large investment in infrastructure that would be required to fuel vehicles, and the inefficiency of production processes.'

So, Gas 4 Free? Have you ever heard of this and would you convert your own car? Click Here! for details.

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It's Time For Frilly Socks Again

2010-03-02T03:57:00.000-08:00

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A friend of mine has just announced that she and her husband are expecting their first baby! This is always great news, as it's an excuse to get the knitting needles out and go shopping for frilly socks, stuffed animals and cute, little baby clothes.

Somehow, the news of a new baby always takes me back to the good old days when my babies were actually babies. At that time there were hardly any Internet stores around, so we trolled the brick and mortar ones looking for baby clothes, toys and furniture. These days there are many shopping websites available to choose from. I was just informed about a site which stocks several of the brand names like barefoot dreams, jellycat and appaman collections for babies and kids.

I'm off to look for some tiny treasures for an even tinier person. I don't know what he/she will look like yet, but I'm sure that a soft cuddly toy and some warm filly socks will a perfect present.

What's your favourite present to give to a newborn?

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My Swedish Film

2010-02-26T04:25:00.000-08:00

I've made a film!

It's in Swedish (with subtitles)! Well, to be honest, it's not really a film. You only see my face. You can do the same too. There's a website which allows you to put your face into a film. (I learned about it from Webphermera.)

This film is a fantastic promotional project called The Hero - A Movie About You or Someone You Know. It was put together by the Swedes in order to convince the public that paying for your TV license was the right thing to do.
Now people all over the world are putting their faces up there.

You can too. Watch this then upload your picture and away you go. It takes a little while to load, but hang in there. It asks you to click on the link for a faster upload. Do this to watch it in the larger version and wait for it to start.

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Earning Money From BidVertiser?

2010-02-22T02:49:00.000-08:00

Some time ago I took a decision to sign up with Bidvertiser on my relationship blog. I was told that clicks and payments would soon be coming my way. I did all that was required of me and even sign in regularly to approve the ads I want displayed on my blog.

A few months later, and I'm still waiting for a single click. Now, I have a large number of visitors to my site and regularly record clicks on all my Google Adsense ads on my blogs. I find it hard to believe that I would not have had one single click to my Bidvertiser ad.

Curiosity got my fingers walking, and I did a little investigating on the Internet. Apparently, many people who sign up with Bidvertiser have this same problem. They have lots of page impressions but no clicks. This seems to be a universal problem. I read one report where the writer confessed to having asked numerous online friends from other countries to click on his ads. In exchange, he did the same for theirs. Both parties still had zero clicks at the end of the month.

Of course, I'm not advocating doing this. It's not something I've done or plan to do. The point I'm raising is that if there's proof that Bidvertiser clicks aren't been recorded, what's the point of staying with the programme.

I'll give Bidvertiser one last month. If nothing changes, I'm going to remove it from my site. How about you? What has been your experience with Bidvertiser? If you've had any of your clicks recorded, have you been paid for them?

Chinese New Year - What Animal Are You?

2010-02-15T04:36:00.000-08:00

image source

The Chinese New Year is steeped in history and mathematics, and is thought to have been first perfected in 500 BCE.
Westerners have heard several myths of how each year was originally named. One of the most popular legends is that Buddha asked the animals to meet him on New Year's Day, and for the 12 that came, he rewarded them by naming a year after each of them.

Ever since the event, legend has it that people born in the year named after a particular animal are said to have some of its attributes. For example, babies born this year will be natural leaders (like the tiger).

Apart from mainland China, the Chinese New Year is celebrated in many other countries like The Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand etc.
Festivities continue from the start to the fifteenth day of the year. Chinese people take a few days off work to prepare for and celebrate this holiday - the most important in their culture. Families work hard to spend time together, and even poor relatives send money to each other in little red envelopes. Days are set aside for specific activities. For example the first five days include:

Day 1 - Welcome the deities and abstain from meat.
Day 2 - Married daughters visit parents.
Day 3 and 4 - Visit graves of dead relatives or homes of relatives who've recently passed on.
Day 5- Shoot firecrackers.

Even for us Westerners, the legends hold intrigue, mystery and even an element of fun.
Find out which animal you're most like by clicking on the link and type in your date of birth. I don't believe in this, but for the fun of it, was interested to find out what it said about the year I was born. According to this site, I'm a monkey: 'Very clever, but mischievous. Love a challenge and can wriggle out of difficult situations by thinking through difficult problems. Highly successful and well-liked.'

What animal are you? Are you anything like it?

Songs Most Frequently Ruined on X-Factor

2010-02-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

Through the years, it has emerged that contestants vying for that top spot on Britain's X-Factor tend to favour certain songs. Of course, the great singers like Alexandra Burke, Leona Lewis and JLS pull it off every time.

On the other hand, many of the not-so-talented contestants drag otherwise enjoyable songs in the mud, work them into the slush with the bottom of their shoes, spit on them then walk away on the Cowell of shame.
Below is the list of songs contestants in the X-Factor auditions frequently insist on singing then get completely wrong.

Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone

Mariah Carey - Hero

Even without the tiring embellishments Mariah Carey forces into her songs, this track is mighty hard to sing. X-Factor's contestants nevertheless, in a stupor of dual-personality, fail to vocally deliver the sounds they think they hear inside their heads when they sing. If you think I'm being too harsh, check out the guy below who's allegedly singing Hero. At least he's got the up and down (inside out, right-side back) embellishment at the end of his words in typical Mariah Carey fashion.

French Guy (Fouad Djaoublia) singing Mariah. Please (don't) laugh out too loudly.

Christiana Aguilera - You're Beautiful

This is another one of the songs that pop up year after year completely ruined by X-Factor contestants in the auditions. No one does Lady Christina like she does. When you've got a frog-related kink to your voice, this is not the song to pick. You might be beautiful and you may think that Cheryl and Danii are, but please don't tell them in song. Not because her voice sounds beautiful in your head ...(you know the rest).

Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

In fact, anything by Whitney should be banned on the X-Factor auditions. One has to be an amazingly good singer to face Simon Cowell and belt out a Whitney in perfect key. Meanwhile, Whitney is still singing the first line of her song. Please, please get on with it, girl. We all know that you can sing. We don't want to wait a whole minute for you to finish that one word.

Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You

You know, he and Michael Buble are my favourite male singers on earth! Evidently, a lot of people agree with me that Robbie is fantastic. Why else would so many of them try singing this song on the X-Factor auditions. I've seen groups, boys, girls and everyone in between have a go at this track. A few of them have been okay, but hundreds have tried and failed - miserably. Sing us out, Robbie!

Urban Dictionary Week

2010-02-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

Urban Dictionary is a website that lets you define non-dictionary phrases and slangs which are trending at the moment. It's a fun site that gently eases nerds like me into yesterday's 'new' terminology. Most of the definitions are fun and entertaining. However, they do provide a necessary insight into a 'language' that is quickly amalgamating into everyday English.

This is where Facebook comes in. As quoted by All Facebook and Mashable (the latter has had more than 900 tweets on this article at my last count). There's a brand new trend on Facebook this week. (What did we do with our fingers and thumbs before we discovered we could waste time on Facebook trends?) If you have 5 minutes to throw away this week why not pop into the link above for Urban Dictionary.

Type your name into the search panel (on Urban Dictionary's site).
Use your first name as your Facebook profile update.
Copy and paste the first definition as a comment.

I was highly entertained to find these as definitions for 'Anne.'

An attractive and classy young woman who lives up to the simple beauty of her name.
A tall young lady with hair that changes color on a regular basis.
noun: Someone who goes into the pool with his/her clothes on and flounders about due to an inability to swim.

I loved the explanation that went with that one: Person A: Dude what the hell is that guy doing drowning with his clothes on?

Person B: Oh, don't mind him. He's such an anne.

Maybe you can find something to make you smile?

A Quest For Speech

2010-01-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

We spent years worrying about our son's development. He didn't speak until long past his second birthday, and then only when he had to. At first we were concerned that he was hard of hearing, but subsequent tests proved that this was not a problem at all. Added to his late speech development, his behaviour was sometimes indicative of autism.

After a few years, we managed to get some help with speech therapy while living in Ireland. When he was just about to start primary school, we moved to the UK and found the transition not only difficult for his feeling of security, but also in terms of getting the speech therapy started up again. It was an extremely difficult time for all of us.

Recently, I was astounded to come across a site which would've been perfect for us a few years ago. It's a speech and language website which assists in the assessment of children 3 months to 5 years. They also provide some very enjoyable activities to help parents provide targeted therapy in the comfort of their own homes.

It's too late for us, but if this is your need, I recommend checking them out. They're called, Speech Quest.

Would Susan Boyle Do 'Pants On The Ground'?

2010-01-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

When Susan Boyles’ audition for Britain’s Got Talent garnered more than 100 million views in nine days, the world erupted in a bizarre Susan Boyle-esque mania. Women all over the world, cut and permed their hair. (Not really). She later went on to convince the universe of her astonishing talent by out-selling Lady Gaga in Britain.

image source

Watch the You Tube link here. (They won't let you imbed the code any more) or here

Who would’ve thought that a over year later, 62 year-old General Larry Platt’s American Idol’s audition would’ve attracted this kind of online media attention.

Granted, his ‘talents’ can’t be classed in the same continent as Susan Boyle’s, but I have a feeling that his ‘Pants on the Ground’ video is going to cover every Internet surface for the next couple of months.
(I loved the way he simply ignored Simon Cowell and kept singing long after he was told, ‘that’s enough.’)

To be honest, I quite liked his audition. There has since been a string of spoof performances swallowing up the web. I liked this one from one of the most respected artistes in the industry, Neil Young (before NBC Universal banned it just a few second ago). Who's next to gobble up the 'Pants In The Ground' mania? Personally, I would love to see Susan Boyle do it. Wouldn't you?

Brand New or Used: That's The Question

2010-01-13T03:30:00.000-08:00

ford mustang pics

It’s not that I want a new car. In fact, I was looking for houses in our local papers when I came across some ads that genuinely shocked me.

Has anyone else seen the huge discounts offered on new and used cars lately? Add to this the government’s scrappage scheme of allowing £2000.00 off a new car when you ‘exchange’ any car over 8 years old, and you come up with an irresistible bargain.

I’ve always maintained that I never want a brand new car. I want to save myself the stress of having to be extra careful about the tiniest of scratches (I concern myself with the bigger picture). For me, once I have the first scratch, I can relax after that. Is this just me, or does anyone else feel that way?

During the first week of taking home my nice, shiny, used car, I check it constantly for little damages and scrapes. Thanks to car vandals, I don’t have to worry about this for very long. One day I’ll go to the supermarket, and when I come out with my groceries, there will be a long scratch right down the side where someone has taken it upon themselves to ‘christen’ it.

This doesn’t just happen to me, mind. I look around the car park and most other cars have been kindly keyed as well. I almost think it’s worth doing it yourself to save them the bother, and you get the satisfaction knowing you’ve done it yourself. I feel sorry for the people driving better cars than mine though. I see them jumping into their ford escape, chevrolet camaro and honda fit and think how angry I would be if I bought one of those sleek, brand new cars only to be keyed by vagabonds on my first drive out.

So, even though cars now seem to be almost dirt cheap (so cheap I find myself thinking that after all, a brand new one may not be that bad), I don’t think it’s for me. While I’m a very careful driver, I don’t want to be too fussed about scratching the side of my car on my hedge when I drive in. Besides, now that I proudly wear my keyed side when I go out, my car is no longer attractive to people looking for something to do with their idle minds.

Radio Playlists

2010-01-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

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Whatever happened to all the songs we listened to and loved in the eighties and nineties? My local radio station plays only the ultra latest releases, and over and over again. Their motto says ‘we’re original’ and ‘we play songs you don’t hear anywhere else.’ Meanwhile, in reality they regurgitate songs released in December 2009, almost in the order they were played on the first day the list was put together.

This makes me hate songs I previously enjoyed. I get to saturation point and don’t ever want to hear certain tracks again.

I sympathise with the artists they play. After all, many of them have impressively long lists of records and albums. Playing just one song – his/her latest - makes you think the artistes are only as good as their last song. This can’t be fair to them.

You’re probably thinking that I should change the radio station I listen to. I have in the past two months. I really have, but the new one is no different from the old.

Back in the days when I was a radio broadcaster, I produced my own shows and picked my own music. I made sure I chose songs I hadn’t heard in months (there are millions of them) from different genres. I didn’t want to bore my listeners to death with the new stuff. Forget playlists and music producers’ requests! Give us diversity! (Yes. I know it’ll never happen because lots of money is involved).

I have now made the decision to switch to a classic radio station that plays 'golden oldies.' At least I love this type of music and will be given the chance to hear a variety of songs.

What does your local radio station play?

YouTube And Video Streaming Services

2010-01-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

Recently I’ve been considering if creating a Youtube account is worth my while. After all, the entire population seems to have some sort video streaming service or another.

I don’t really understand (yet) how video sites relate to my work as a writer, but I know of quite a few writers who’ve made video trailers about their books. I have yet to research how advantageous this is when it comes to marketing, but it just seems like the next step to take.
Aside from being able to link your existing websites and blogs to your YouTube account, the possibilities of going viral with your video clips are endless. I can understand the attraction this presents.

More and more people on the Internet are reading less and watching more. Articles have long since been tapered to small bites, separated by bold headings to satisfy the web-reading market. Pictures have been used to convey messages instead of words, and now a simple video trailer seems to suffice.

As a writer, I can’t say this is good news for me. Words are what I do. Nevertheless, have you as a writer used this forum to market yourself or get your material to your target audience? If so, is it worth the time and effort?

Profile Yourself For A Date With Simon Cowell

2010-01-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

image source

First of all, please complete the profile test below. Your answers will reveal if your application will be processed any further. Please give the first answer that comes to your head, as this will be the most honest response. Genuine applicants will go further than those attempting to fake their scores.

Send (a), (b), or (c) answers on a post card to the address below with your age, photograph and contact details.

1. People who have plastic surgery seek to enhance their physical appearance because
(a) They just want to look their best and are brave enough to do what it takes.
(b) They know that more people fall in love with you if you look good.
(c) They’re hollow inside and the outward validation they seek by false pretences reflect their inner weaknesses.

2. When it comes to talent, people who get discovered on reality shows are:
(a) Better than others who make their own way.
(b) Worse than those who get discovered in other ways.
(c) The same as others. The only difference is the process by which they get discovered.

3. As it relates to natural beauty and the majority of the world’s appreciation of attractive women.
(a) Blonde women are generally more beautiful.
(b) Dark haired women are generally more beautiful.
(c) Hair colour doesn’t matter. It’s what’s on the inside that counts.

4. Wealthy men and women should always sign pre-nuptial agreements because
(a) Their money belongs to them and not their spouses.
(b) Only the money they earn while married should be shared in case of a divorce.
(c) All the money they have and have ever made should be split in half in the event of a separation.

5. As it relates to age in relationships.
(a) Age is just a number. It doesn’t matter if people love each other.
(b) Simon Cowell thinks people should date within their own age groups.
(c) Men should always be older than the women they date.

6. In the world of fashion.
(a) I think it doesn’t matter if a man has good dress sense or not.
(b) It’s vital that the man I marry should have great dress sense.
(c) I want to be the pretty one. If a man has better dress sense than me, I won’t date him.

7. Where it concerns common sense.
(a) I think getting mostly (a) answers in this profile test makes me a perfect match for Simon Cowell.
(b) I think this profile test is nonsense. But I love Simon Cowell and will do anything to go out with him.
(c) I think Simon Cowell doesn’t need web profile tests to get a girlfriend, and I’ve just wasted 5 minutes of my time with no date to show for it.

If you answered (c) to the last question you’ll be right. My guess is that Simon Cowell can get his own date in his own time.

The point of this? You did it. You decide.

The time to kill is now

2010-01-02T10:02:00.000-08:00

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: 1-13 (NIV) says:

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

As humans we’re given the exquisite ability over all other creatures to understand and relate to the concept of time.

An elephant does not know, nor can it appreciate the fact that it lives longer than a hyena. Even if it lived only as long as a flea, the elephant would still go about its business walking through the jungle in search of food and water. It would still wash itself with its tremendous, extended nose and die and be buried by the members of its group when it was time.

A dog’s heart does not yearn for fulfilment in retirement. That the place deep down in its soft middle does not crumple when his continued efforts to build a successful career flop down around his feet in his forties. He does not shed a tear for the happiness of his children and he cannot appreciate grey hairs and old age.

As humans we look ahead at the start of each year because this is the only way we know to measure the quality of time passed. To God, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years, like a day. In January we chart with good intentions, to make the best of the time we’re given. We pile on un-kept, halfway resolution after resolution without killing some of the things in our lives responsible for holding back these planned advancements.

We cannot possibly achieve resolutions without throwing away the very stumbling blocks that stand in our way of attaining them.

This year, let us only resolve to find the time to kill. Kill hate and laziness. Kill time wasting and lying. Kill negativity in its infancy because only by throwing off the things that hold us back will we be able to heal, thus achieve our goals.

Animals we’re not. Time is gifted to us alone. Let us take heed and use it well.

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

I’m not one for making New Year’s Resolutions. If I feel that something needs to be done, first I decide if it's in my power to acheive and make plans in my head on how to go about doing it. Secondly, I start off small and constantly work towards where I want to be and what I want to accomplish.

I’ve heard too many times about resolutions of losing weight, saving more or working less. Most of these plans go out the door before the end of March (if they make it that far).

I can’t say that I know anyone who’s made a New Year’s Resolution and stuck to it all year long. Do you?
If you are someone who makes these resolutions and find it hard to stick to them, here are some simple ways that may help.

Have just one resolution
Define it properly and know exactly what must be achieved
Create a time table to enable you to do it in portions or stages
Tell your close family what it is and rope in their help too
Choose a time to start. Your start day needn’t be January 1st
Important: When you fail, pick yourself up, dust off, and start over again. Remember that failure isn’t a malfunction or a stumble. It’s a complete crash. Learn to get up when you fall.

To start you off on your path to success, here is an amusing New Year article to tickle your funny bone: Superstitions That Make You Say 'NoWay'

Have a Beachy Christmas!

2009-12-24T01:11:00.000-08:00

image source

Have a great Christmas everyone. There will be fantastic news about Sunday's Child in the new year!

Would You Have Christmas in August?

2009-12-18T04:51:00.000-08:00

Most people in our world celebrate (or at least experience) hot Christmases; yet because the rich has dominated the globe, it’s the cold Christmases which have been propagated throughout. People in hot climes have Santas dressed up in thick, bulky red and white costumes in sweltering heat. (There is an amusing excerpt about a South American Santa taken from my memoir here).

I never thought it odd as a child, but Christmas cards were covered in snow and robins, neither of which we’d ever seen. Our Christmas carols were filled with messages of snow and log fires, while young children listened as stories about chimneys and Jack Frost were repeated to them annually. I used to think that Jack Frost was Santa's assistant, having never experienced frosty weather at the time.

In this article Reasons Why Christmas Should be Celebrated in August I discuss some comical reasons why Christmas should be celebrated in the heat instead of in December. These include the following:
1. There would be no expectation of, therefore no disappointment when it doesn’t snow.

2. Santa could enter through the windows we leave open in the summer rather than having to stuff his rather large self down the sooty chimney.

3. We can finally get rid of the awful warm mulled wine people insist on serving (because it’s so cold) and drink some proper cold beer instead.

Let me know if you agree. These are just for fun.

Christmas in A Hot Climate

2009-12-11T04:15:00.000-08:00

I’ve always been curious about how other people in the world celebrate Christmas. I grew up in a hot country in South America so all through my childhood, I enjoyed blistering hot Christmas days while ‘I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas’ beckoned to me on the radio (when we had enough money to buy batteries, that is).

The tree was never put up until midnight on Christmas Eve night. The tradition was that no one – except the person putting up the tree – saw it until they woke up on Christmas morning.
On the night before Christmas, it took ten minutes to walk around the town’s one high street to look at the lights. Of course this only made sense if there was no black–out (widespread power shortage) that night.

Christmas breakfast was pepper-pot and bread. The hot, black juice dripped down our chins as we slurped it all up, after the two allocated slices of bread were gone. I miss the taste of the soft, spicy meat in the cassava sauce. There is no other taste like that in the world.

There were never any presents, as all the extra money went on the two special meals we would have that day. The music and annual Christmas play on the radio were enough for my Christmas cheer.

Lunch was macaroni cheese and hot ginger beer. And just like it had come, Christmas sneaked out the back door when the last of the food was gone. It was hot though. Nice, hot and sweaty. Just the way I like it. Bing didn’t mind. He just kept singing. And if my guardian was in a good mood, I would be allowed to sing along with him too.

How did you celebrate Christmas as a child? Here is one of my articles called How Christmas is Celebrated Around The World. I know you will find it a very fascinating read indeed.

A Model's Guide To Losing Weight Without Dieting: The New Book

2009-12-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

My new book is now available to buy at this link. I promise that it will not disappoint.

Below are short and long synopses.

‘A Model’s Guide to Losing Weight’ is a workable solution to banish nagging weight issues and keep them gone for good.
It’s a powerful, new-age guide. It hands over responsibility to the readers by inspiring them to attempt the lifestyle changes even before they’re introduced, and gives them the option to move at their own pace.
This innovative weight loss programme teaches way of life, not a diet. It coaches readers on issues of portion control, a new system of mind-training, and sustainable physical activities, with no strenuous exercises.
This is a clear, easy-to-follow, step-by-step plan with solid psychological reinforcements. It offers the readers the option to personalise the steps for individual tastes.

Longer synopsis:

How to use this book

A step-by-step guide which painstakingly outlines how to lose weight naturally and sustaining this weight loss for life. It is vital to note that this programme is presented in a chronological order and has to be followed in this way. The book is small and handy, ideal to keep with you to dip into while travelling or listening to music etc. Use the empty pages at the back and the large margins to scribble on so that whatever catches your eye can be found again with little effort. This is about you, the reader, taking an active role in making this all about your efforts.
~Chapter one is the general description of the programme giving the readers samples of how the guide works, what to expect and a description of the tasks ahead.

~Chapters two, three and four deal with different aspects of the first four weeks and introduce the basics of programme. These chapters go hand in hand to set the foundation of the new lifestyle. The last chapter (Kilo 4) in this section outlines devious ways to prevent hunger from attacking and points the readers in the way of healthy snacks rather than banning them altogether.

~Chapter five offers vital psychological support and gives guidance on how to behave when temptation presents itself after the stepping stones have been laid. It provides the interim maintenance crutches between the introduction and the honeymoon period of the programme.

~Chapter six starts week five of the lifestyle course. This entire chapter is dedicated to the issue of desserts because it’s crucial to address this before moving on with the mind-training aspect of the programme.

~Chapter seven is another interim chapter dedicated to the issue of food shopping. It’s imperative that this be addressed because it has been revealed that our shopping trolley is a direct reflection of who we are and how we eat.

~Chapter eight settles into the new lifestyle with the added bonus of a healthy and rational mind-set about food. It validates the safe period and steps up the commitment to the work at hand.

~ Chapters nine, ten and eleven reaffirm the journey and show how people who live healthy weight lifestyles maintain it permanently. It reveals the secrets of creating a different outlook about life and weight and gives the courage to keep at it.

Each chapter concludes with a timetable of what has gone on and what is to be undertaken next. Everything is laid out clearly in a simple format that shows what the journal (known as the H.I.T journal) entries should look like. There is an ultimate task at the end of the programme which will reveal to the reader their individual take on the entire system.

Tiger Woods Car Accident

2009-11-28T01:55:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods and his lovely family

image source

Thankfully, this is not another one of those celebrity false death rumours. The Internet is today buzzing with news of Tiger Woods’ car accident.

It’s reported that while leaving his home in Florida in the early hours of the morning, Tiger Woods was injured when he crashed into a fire hydrant and a nearby neighbour’s tree.

He was later treated in hospital for minor injuries, including lacerations on his face. In news of Tiger Woods’ injury updates, there are all sorts of speculations of why he was leaving his home at that time of day. We all know how these things escalate.

Of course these are all false rumours and odd speculation, but I’ve read reports that claim this accident was a direct result of his alleged friendship with socialite and business woman Rachel Uchitel (below). There are even bizarre claims that the cuts he sustained on his face were actually made by his wife’s fingernails before she attacked his SUV with a golf club (what else). This, it is claimed, is what caused the unfortunate accident.

Rachel Uchitel

image source

Whatever the situation, I’m sure that all his fans, friends and family are wishing him a speedy recovery. Once again, the web has got its sharp teeth into a story that it won’t let go without a fight.

So, how was your thanksgiving? Any fights and altercations with your relatives?

What are my recycled items used for

2009-11-24T11:25:00.000-08:00

Have you joined the movement yet? Do you know where the items you recycle go and what they’re used for?

Mobile phones

Many people change their mobile phones every year. Don’t just knock them around in drawers at home. Get them to a proper mobile phone recycling unit. Sometimes you can be paid for handing over your old phones, but even if you don’t, Oxfam and Action Aid will take them off your hands and see that they’re put to good use.

What are they used for

Mobile phones can become other phones or can be turned into semi-precious stones. The plastic outside the phone can be re-used for various plastic toys and other household plastic items.

Computers

Don’t dump your old computers. Get rid of them responsibly. In some areas local councils will even pick them up for free. Hundreds of thousands of computers go to our landfills each year. How can we possibly store them all when families sometimes have several in one home?

What are they used for

Companies like Computer Aid works on old computers and refurbishes them before sending them off to developing countries. This is a good deed done on your behalf.

Your recycled computers are sometimes also reused for making circuit boards.

Plastic bottles

Rinse your plastic bottles and take them to a recycling unit for responsible recycling. Manufacturing plastic means we’re using up more and more of our ever decreasing store of fossil fuel. Stripping our world bare of fossil fuel is not good news for future generations where renewable energy is concerned.

What are they used for

They’re made into garden furniture and a wide range of other plastic bottles. They’re also used to make fleeces and bags.

Clothes

If you can’t hand down your clothes to younger members of your extended family, donate them to charity shops. If you think your clothes are not in good condition to pass on, take them to a clothes recycling unit near you.

What are they used for

Old clothes are used to make dusters, mops, and padding for cushions. They’re also reprocessed to make new thread. The better garments are sent to poorer countries and distributed to people who have none.

Glass jars and bottles

Clean these out and if possible, remove paper labels, tops and corks and leave out to be picked up by your local council.

What are they used for
They’re made into new bottles and jars, but also processed into sand for golf bunkers. When you recycle one glass bottle, you’ve saved 15-20 minutes of energy for your computer.

Cardboard

Rotting cardboard in landfill sites have a negative impact on our environment because they produce methane gas into our air. This is easily recyclable, as your paper/cardboard gets picked up by the local council on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

What are they used for

More paper, cardboard, newspaper, tissues, toilet roll, books and kids toys.

If you haven't started yet. Join the movement and help save our planet. It doesn't cost anything but a minute of your time.

How To Cook Human Flesh

2009-11-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

I’ve noticed a weird trend on my blog during these last few months. More and more searches for ‘How to Cook Human Flesh’ are being sent here by Google. Allow me to give you a background to this. As most of my regular readers know, this blog started as a site for me to talk about, and post excerpts of my book, Sunday’s Child. It has evolved since then and I’ve started two other blogs and written several other books along the way.

One of my uploaded excerpts (named after a chapter in the book) is called, ‘How to Cook Human Flesh.’ It’s about my experience of being burned on my hand by my grandmother. You can read it here if you wish.

After a few months of posting this excerpt, I learned that Google was sending specific searches my way. Some of them are, ‘How to cook a human,’ How to cook a person,’ and How to cook human flesh.’ What I want to know is who’s conducting these searches and why. Are there people somewhere in the world with plans to cook another human? Have they got dead bodies stored in their refrigerator and are looking for ways in which to cook them to a tasty finish?

Now I know that this is hardly news. After all, it’s got nothing to do Oprah quitting The Oprah Winfrey Show (the news which is spreading like a wild fire on the Internet). But as far as I’m concerned, this is a very fascinating subject because I can see the frequency at which people from all over the world search for directions on how to cook a human.

Am I the only one that thinks this is a bit spooky? Have I got to watch my back or be eaten? :-)

Photo Books and Wedding Albums

2009-11-17T01:25:00.000-08:00

Here in the UK, it’s time again for new class photos to be purchased. I don't buy them all every year, but I make an effort to get the ones that stand out in quality and pose. I've already got a large amount of pictures and photo albums and the kids are still young. I often wonder where and how we'll store all the photos we have in eighteen years' time. With wedding albums, birth, anniversary and graduation pictures, you wonder how one has storage space for anything else.

Even with the introduction of the digital age, there's still nothing that capture the moments as splendidly as Photobooks.

So, on school photo days I make sure the kids’ collars are straightened, their hair brushed neatly, and uniforms in tip top shape.

When I get the proofs back, something is invariably out of place. My youngest has the most flyaway hair that's ever graced the head of a little girl. A feature that’s always very noticeable in our Photobook albums. We’ve decorated our walls and albums with school pictures of the kids, many of which I’m not totally crazy about.

Well, the photos were taken two weeks ago. My son, at 10 years old, is in year 6 which is his last year in Primary school. I suppose this means that I have to buy his school pictures this term. I’ve sent back the proofs with the cheque and await yet another school photograph to add to the wheelbarrow of pictures we carry from place to place when we move house.

Are you one for keeping real pictures in albums like we do, or are you one of the new-age babies who store all your pictures digital-style?

A Chance to go Back in Time

2009-11-16T05:30:00.000-08:00

If you had the chance to go back in time, where would you go and what would you change?

For most of us, life is a maze of constant transformations. We win, we lose, then we lose some more. The things we’ve lost and those we’ve won combine equally to make us the person we are.

If we like who we’ve become, then taking away the pain and suffering we’ve experienced is taking away a large part of who we are. It’s hardship that produces patience. If we’ve never had to wait for something we desperately needed we would never learn how to be patient. We would, therefore, not have the courage to hope for things and dream big dreams. How could we, if we didn’t know that great things happen only after gruelling preparation?

We also know that it’s this hardship-produced patience that cultivates determination. Life is nothing without willpower. Would you take away the grit you now have by changing the bad things that happened to you in your past?

This is a difficult question to answer. Many of us have been through unspeakable hardship, and have experienced terrible pain and suffering in our lives. Of course we would like to go back to wipe all the tears away and heal all the bruises before they were given. If I was able to go back in time and change something of the past, hard as it was, I don’t know if I’d have the courage to delete the hurt away.

Would you?

Letting Go Of My Baby's Things

2009-11-13T02:08:00.000-08:00

I was having a little rummage around our loft (attic) recently and was surprised at all the baby furniture we had kept throughout the years. I couldn't remember that we even had all of them in the first place.

I have always been diligent and generous in giving away the toys, clothes and other baby gear we accumulated with the three kids, but there were some pieces I just never got around to handing over to anyone else.

I suppose I’ve put off passing on some of the larger pieces because I’m aware that when you have to shop for all the things you need for a new arrival, pieces like baby cribs can seem very expensive. I also wanted to give ours to someone very close to me. I mean, my sisters have had babies, but since they all (apart from one) live so far away from me, the big handing-over has so far not occurred.

I’m still secretly waiting for my sister (the last one left to have a baby) to get a move on with it already. As far as I know, she’s not even dating anyone, so I suppose I still have a long wait ahead of me. Kids’ furniture like high chairs, walkers, cribs and car seats don’t come cheap. I don’t mind waiting a few more years to hand them over to someone I love.

Do you find it hard handing over your baby's things?

Best Christmas Presents For Boys

2009-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

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Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Terrible, isn’t it? Those of us who have to shop for boys. I always come up with great ideas of what to buy for my sister, my mother-in-law, (my mother – when she was alive), and my girls.

However, it’s a long hike through thick, muddy puddles when making Christmas shopping lists for my son, my husband and his dad. I took over shopping for his parents years ago, when it became clear that my husband didn’t have a clue about what to get. Added to this, he waited until the 24th of December before going into town and racing around through the dense crowds like a madman on coke.

So, not only is it difficult to shop for boys, it’s also difficult for them to shop for anyone else. This is why I composed a list of items in '10 Best Presents For Boys' that they would love to have under their Christmas trees this year. I haven’t included a lot of toys because these are obviously taken for granted.

In addition to this list, don’t forget to add chocolates, savoury snacks, swimming vouchers and tickets to games they like to watch. They can dip into these until the new year, and best of all, you don’t have to fund another storage tower to stack yet another year’s worth of toys he never uses.

Back, Back to The Start

2009-11-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me that I was doing a lot on this blog lately, but what I set it up to do. I thought that today I would go back to why I started it in the first place and bring you another excerpt of Sunday’s Child. This is a pretty special piece because it’s the beginning of the book. After years of writing and editing, this is where my story begins.

CHAPTER 1

JONESTOWN, GUYANA, AND THE CHASE

My usual shortcut through the building site for the new school seemed like a good idea, on account of it being so late and all. The evening sunlight glowed orange, signalling that dusk was crouching round the corner.

Piles of rubbish and concrete were scattered everywhere, but the men weren’t working anymore – something about shortage of materials or other. Even the grass had packed up and left the parched ground, leaving the entire site something of a mountain of brown and grey mess.

I mustn’t get home late, but with after-school lessons every day, I don’t know how I could help that. At least I only have one more year at primary school, after which . . .

A noise behind me snapped me out of my thoughts. It was coupled with panting – loud panting – and heavy, running footsteps on the hot, hard concrete.

The familiar, large hands of fear grabbed hold of my insides and squeezed them like play dough. It took me just one tiny instant to look behind me, but before I did I knew – I just knew I was in trouble.

When my head finally creaked around, the man’s eyes were dead set only on me.
That dreaded, unforgettable, dirty red cap!
Those blood shot eyes.
The mad stare.
I and all the other girls my age had seen him a hundred times before, slinking around the village.
Looking at us.
Looking for us.
Oh no!

My heart spilled over itself for one breathless moment. I took a hesitant intake of hot air before my whole body bulleted forward.

‘Please God, don’t let him catch me. Please don’t let him catch me.’

The pounding footsteps grew louder. I didn’t want to, but I had to take another glance – just a little one – over my shoulder. He was not alone! There was now a second man.
I sprawled on the ground when my knees buckled under me, and as I clawed the crisp grass to try to scramble up, I took another look back but I still couldn’t get up for crippling fear. I started to crawl away. Getting up was no good. I couldn’t use my dead legs anymore.

Dirty Red Cap, who was closer to me, turned, looking back when the second man yanked his belt off with a mighty swish. The bald man behind him raised his hand above his head and swung his belt as Dirty Red Cap straightened his body and picked up his speed.

Swoosh!

Dirty Red Cap stopped and grasped his whipped arm. His eyebrows shot up, as his mouth began to form an ‘o.’ Snarling, he barely ducked the second blow then darted back and ran away in the direction he came from.

He would live to fight another day,
And wait to catch me another way.

The other man looked in my direction then walked towards me, but the only message showing up in bright letters behind my eyes was, I should really go back to get my school bag.
“Child!” he shouted. “Yuh alright?”
“Yeah, Mister,” I whispered.
“Do you know who that is,” he asked, while picking up my old, green hand-bag-turned school sac.
“Yes, Mister.”
“He’s always hanging round here,” he said as he handed me my bag. “They can’t lock him up because he’s proved insane. Doan walk through here anymore. It not safe at all. I doan want to think what couldda happened to yuh if I wasn’t ‘round here. Brush yuhself off and tell your parents what happened when you get home. What’s yuh name, eh?”
“Ann.”
“You shaking real bad, Ann. Look, I’ll hold your bag and walk you out of the site, right?”
“Thanks, Mister.”
“Make sure you tell your parents when you get home,” he said again.

I had a feeling that if he had been looking at me when he said this instead of buckling his belt around the tyre in his belly, he would’ve seen through the emptiness in my words when I said, “Yes, Mister, I will.”

A minute later I was boring through the hole in the fence and walking away in the dry dust, legs still porridge-like. I was already making notes in my head of the details I would leave out when I did my nightly letters entitled, ‘Dear Aunty or Mister,’ to no one and everyone.

In the two minutes it took me to walk to the house I wished I didn’t live in, I tried to work out where the bald man had come from and why he was there. He had to have been an angel. Maybe even children who get themselves attacked have angels to save them.

I was really sure of this, just like I was sure that I had to stand under the house until I stopped shaking. Today, Red Cap was not the only bolt that penetrated through to the insides of my senses. At least it was lighter on my chest than the message I was carrying which hung like a sandbag from my stomach. This bag had started to fill up at lunchtime over at Aunty Meena’s house with something I heard on the radio.

Coconut Crabs

2009-10-27T01:54:00.000-07:00

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If you’re surprised that I’m talking about coconut crabs on ‘Sunday’s Child Lives At Annie’s House’ I don’t blame you. But here’s why:

If I said that I knew exactly what caused the crash that killed Princess Diana the first thing you’d say to me is, ‘but you weren’t there.’ I would stutter and splutter to try and put forward some kind of argument to validate my claim, and you’d be right to point a finger in my face and laugh at my ignorance.

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Scientists however, have a history of doing this sort of thing, and because they’re scientists people all over the world subscribe to the brilliance of their ‘findings.’ (And this is where coconut crabs come in).

Amelia Mary Earhart, an American aviation pioneer and author, disappeared in 1937 over the Pacific Ocean in the general vicinity of Howland Island, which is halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Of course, this island is claimed by the US, and why not. It’s rich in natural resources and sits in a strategic location. No one knew where Ms Earhart was or what happened to her. Yet, years later it’s claimed that she arrived on one of these Islands (the home of coconut crabs). This has caused widespread Internet conjecture that upon arrival, she must have been promptly eaten by one or a few of them.

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These crabs as you can see are giant crustaceans. They can crack a coconut open by just squeezing it with their pincers. They’re 3 feet from head to toe and weigh about 40 pounds. When I was a little girl growing up in South America, I had hundreds of run-ins with coconuts, mainly trying to chop them open with machetes. This took me several minutes to achieve, so I for one know how determined coconuts can be.

If poor Amelia had a run-in with one of these, that strong determined woman she proved herself to be, would’ve had it stewing in a pan before you could say ‘curry sauce!’

So, what weird thing have you heard lately?

The Magic of Daylight Saving Time

2009-10-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

What do you normally do with your extra hour in Autumn when the clocks go back? Do you savour the hour on Saturday evening or on Sunday morning?

See, me, I’m a Saturday evening kind of girl. I like to take that extra hour the night before because I don’t really see how it works in my favour the following day. I have kids, and even if I was a fan of lie-ins, I wouldn’t be able to do that for very long. Besides, I go to worship on Sunday mornings. I’m up early anyway.

On Saturday evenings before the clocks go back my husband and I gleefully go around the house changing all the time pieces. We do this just after 11 p.m (even though the change doesn’t officially come into effect until 2 a.m) because somehow, this gives us a false impression that we’ve cheated time in some bizarre way.

For the next two days or so he – my husband – will be saying, ‘but your body thinks it’s an hour earlier so we should do this or that.’ I don’t think of it in that way at all. Do you? Once Saturday night is gone, the magic is gone for me.

I’m already planning what to do with my extra hour tonight. I’m going to make sure it does not involve anything with a laptop perched on my lap. There will be no Facebook, no Twitter, no StumbleUpon, no Blogging.

When you see me next, I would’ve had a leisurely extra hour doing something just for me. How about you?

And how do you remember if the clocks go backward or forward? Someone (an American) once told me this and it stuck; ‘Spring – forward. Fall (Autumn) – backward.’ Easy, right?