All time favorites..

1. Bags - i love collecting bags. My favorite is my lacoste bag. My birthday gift to myself.

2. Watches - I have only a few but i want to collect some more. My everyday use is my guess watch given to me by my brother.

3. Flip-flops - Havaianas is my favorite. I love my latest one given to me by my dear friend - a butterfly design.

4. Umbrella - For sun and rain protection. I can't leave the house without it.

5. Make-up - It makes me look beautiful.

6. Rosary - Always in my bag. My guide and protection.

7. Perfume/Cologne. I like the scent of Victorias Secret. It's my everyday use. I also love my United Colors of Benetton perfume - Hot!

8. My laptop - weeeee!!!

10 hot touchscreen phones compared...

With so many models, it can be tough to choose the perfect one for you

Keeping tabs on the latest cell phone models can be a full-time job, especially given the number of cell phones announced by Apple, Palm, Nokia, and HTC (including, most recently, the BlackBerry-like T-Mobile Dash) over the past few months. But thanks to PC World, you don't have to hunt down and compare the various touchscreen smartphones yourself.

We pitted ten recently announced touchscreen handhelds against each other to see how they would match up. Then we compiled a series of three comparison charts to help you decide whether an HTC Hero with a 5-megapixel camera suits you better than, say, a Nokia N97 with a stereo FM receiver. The charts provide quick answers to questions such as these: Which smartphones have on-screen keyboards and which have hardware keyboards? Which touchscreens are best at multimedia? How much does each one cost?

The first chart lists basic specs: manufacturer, carrier, platform, size, weight, type of keyboard, colors, price, availability, and carrier. The second chart identifies the phones' multimedia capabilities (screen resolution, camera image resolution, autofocus, flash, video recording, secondary camera, audio jack, and radio) and navigation smarts (GPS and geotagging). The third chart focuses on storage capacity (on-board and expandable), connectivity (3G, Bluetooth, USB, and Wi-Fi), and battery features (removability, standby time, and talk time).

The phones included in this roundup are Apple's iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, the Palm Pre, two Symbian offerings (the Nokia N97 and the Nokia 5530), three devices running on Google Android (the HTC Hero, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G, and the Samsung Galaxy), and two Windows Mobile smartphones (the HTC Touch Pro2 and the Samsung Omnia II).

Basic specs

If you're looking for a slim, pocket-size phone, consider the Samsung Galaxy [video] and the Samsung Omnia II: With a thickness of just 0.46 inch each, they're the slimmest units in our group, followed closely by the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS at 0.48 inch each. If you want a colorful phone, your best bet may be the Nokia 5530, which comes in five color combinations (and also weighs the least of any smartphone here).

htc.com The HTC Touch Pro2 is one of three smartphones that have a full QWERTY keyboard.

Sending e-mail or text messages should be a breeze from any of these smartphones, but only three of them have a full QWERTY keyboard: the Palm Pre, the Nokia N97, and the HTC Touch Pro2. The Palm Pre has the smallest physical keyboard of the three, as it is oriented vertically.

The remaining seven smartphones feature touchscreen keyboards. Though typing on a glass/plastic screen takes some getting used to, your keyboarding speed should improve within a week or two. The software keyboards on the iPhone and Android phones are quite similar, and they are designed to predict (and offer to complete) what you are typing as well as to make corrections.

Most smartphones are available from particular carriers at a much-reduced price when you make a two-year commitment to the carrier's wireless service. The overall cost of ownership thus depends on which call and data plan you choose. (For more information, see PC World's buying guide, "How to Buy a Cell Phone.")

For a snapshot-style glimpse at the wireless network performance of AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon on a particular day last spring in 13 major U.S. cities, see "A Day in the Life of 3G."

Specifications and prices for unreleased phones are subject to change by the manufacturer and by the wireless carrier. The prices and specifications listed here are correct as of July 1, 2009.

See PC World's chart on how the phones' basic specs compare.

Multimedia and navigation

What good would a smartphone be without some cool multimedia features? All ten of the touchscreen models here are solid overall, but not all of them deliver top-notch photos and videos.

Of the ten models discussed here, the Nokia N97, the Samsung Galaxy, and the Samsung Omnia II have the best three cameras. Each has a 5-megapixel lens, autofocus, and an LED flash. The not-yet-released HTC Hero has a 5-megapixel camera, too, but no flash. Three of the ten smartphones also have secondary front-facing cameras for video calls: the Nokia N97, the HTC Touch Pro2, and the Samsung Omnia II (see PC World's "Five Tips for Great Photos With Your Cell Phone").

The iPhone 3G and the Palm Pre are only smartphones in this cohort that can't record video (for the Pre, video recording is coming in a future update). The new iPhone 3GS adds video-editing features and can upload video directly to YouTube. Thanks to the 1.5 Android software update (see PC World's "Apple iPhone 3GS Takes Aim at ... the Flip?"), the three Google Android phones—HTC Hero, T-Mobile myTouch 3G, and Samsung Galaxy—can upload video straight to YouTube as well.

GPS is very nearly a standard feature on touchscreen smartphones these days, with only the Nokia 5530 omitting the technology. And if you're a cell phone photo buff, you may be able to use your phone's built-in GPS capabilities to generate automatic tags (called geotags) that indicate where each picture is being taken. In addition, all phones except the Palm Pre and the iPhone 3G have an electronic compass option to identify the direction you're heading toward (see PC World's "Geotag Your Digital Photos").

Only three of the ten smartphones come with an FM radio tuner: the Nokia N97, the Nokia 5530, and the Samsung Omnia II. The tuner on the HTC Touch Pro2 is factory-locked, so your access to the feature depends on your wireless carrier. One nice Nokia N97 feature is its ability to stream music to your car radio via its built-in FM transmitter.

nokiausa.com The Nokia N97 is one of three phones with the best camera. It sports a 5-megapixel lens, among other things.

The T-Mobile myTouch 3G and the HTC Touch Pro2 are the only phones in our group that lack a 3.5 mm headphone jack. This is a common omission with HTC-manufactured phones, which instead depend on a proprietary USB connection to double up as a headphone port.

All ten phones do a fairly good job of browsing the Web, though the two iPhones and the Palm Pre are at the top of the list. The HTC Hero will be the first model to offer built-in Adobe Flash support; other Android phones, along with Nokia and Palm models, will have the feature later this year. Currently, the Nokia N97 uses a scaled-down version of Flash called Flash Lite.

See the PC World chart on how the phones compare in the multimedia and navigation departments.

Connectivity, storage and battery

This year's smartphones are the best yet at conserving battery life. Large screens (like those on the iPhones and on the HTC Touch Pro2) tend to guzzle power, but handsets such as the Samsung offerings (which feature OLED screens) achieve long battery life. HTC claims that its HTC Hero will last for up to 10 hours of talk time hours or 750 hours of standby.

palm.com Considering a Palm Pre? If you do a lot of texting and e-mailing, this may be the phone for you.

Smartphones that support multitasking—such as the Palm Pre, the Nokia N97 and the HTC Hero—tend to have shorter battery lives, owing to the power strain on the CPU. The only touchscreen smartphones in our review that come equipped with a nonremovable battery are the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G.

The models with the largest amount of storage space out of the box are the iPhone 3GS and Nokia N97, each of which has 32GB of built-in storage (the iPhone 3GS comes in a 16GB model as well). Except for the iPhone models and the Palm Pre, all of the smartphones support expanded storage via microSD cards; you can pick up a 4GB SanDisk microSD card today for $5 (excluding shipping and handling) from any of several online merchants.

Wi-Fi connectivity has become a standard across the board, as has 3G (except on the Nokia 5530). Even better, all of the phones support A2DP stereo Bluetooth connections, so you can listen to music on wireless headphones, in your car, or over other devices that support this technology (see PC World's "Next-Generation Stereo Bluetooth Headsets").

Another major factor to keep in mind when selecting a touchscreen mobile phone is applications. All of the phones discussed here run on sophisticated operating systems, and application stores are at the core of improving their features. Apple pioneered the mobile app store with its iTunes App Store, which has tallied more than 1 billion downloads and contains more than 50,000 apps. Palm, Nokia, and Google have followed Apple's lead by opening their own app stores, but as yet these have not attained the popularity or the number of applications that Apple's store enjoys. Microsoft is set to introduce its Windows Mobile Marketplace later on this year.

See PC World's chart on how the phones compare in connectivity, storage and battery life.

Bottom line

The right touchscreen smartphone for you depends on your tastes, needs, and budget.

If you want lots of storage space so you can carry your music around with you, the 32GB iPhone 3GS or the Nokia N97 is a strong candidate.

If you take a lot of pictures, choosing a phone with a 5-megapixel camera—like the Samsung Galaxy, the Samsung Omnia or the Nokia N97—is a good idea. If capturing video is more to your liking, the iPhone 3GS may be a good match: It shoots great video that you can edit on the fly and share with your friends or upload to YouTube.

If you do lots of e-mailing, texting, and twittering, a phone with a physical keyboard—such as the Palm Pre or the HTC Touch Pro2—is very useful. Typing on a virtual keyboard can become comfortable over time, but some people never grow to like it.

Whatever your preferences may be, look for a phone that complements them. And don't forget that you're not just buying a phone—in many cases, you're also committing to a particular wireless service for the next two years. Take your time and focus on getting the best combination of smartphone and carrier for your needs.

Have you tried one of the touchscreen phones?? What can you say?=)

[source]

Use Caution When Asking!

Jeremiah 29:11

We arrived at the 5 story Embassy Suite in Detroit, Mich., ready to unpack and settle in. "May I see which room we will be in?", I asked. The receptionist showed me the floor plan of the hotel, and I proceeded to pick the perfect room for us. Only a few had balconies- fresh air was a must for me ! And, I had noticed when we walk in, there were a lot of birds in two trees out front. . perfect.. I want to hear those birds chirping their cheerful morning songs! As I opened the sliding glass doors to allow the refreshing cool breeze into our room, I was assaulted with the unrelenting drone of cars traveling on the freeway nearby. "Well," I thought" that is o.k., the fresh air and balcony is worth the noise." As we closed the door for the night, we were unable to shut out the freeway noise. The next morning we awoke and I could hardly wait to open those sliding doors and listen for the birds chirping their sweet songs from the trees. Instead I heard a raucous racket of angry mother birds protecting their nests in the eve above our balcony. As other variety of birds would sweep toward their nests, they would holler and squawk unmercifully. The sounds they made grated my nerves and I finally closed the door, trying to shut out some of the noise.

I was so disappointed- I had received exactly what I had asked for, and it turned out to be.. "not so good"- to say the least!

This scenario reminded me how cautious I should be when I go to God with a request. Answers which I think may be "perfect" are not always so. Actually, my plans are very often quite bad, and always short sighted. God tells us in the Bible that –He has plans for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future( Jeremiah 29:11).-. I really need to be careful, as I pray, to seek God's wisdom (looking in His Word) and praying for His guidance as I place my requests at the foot of His throne. I must always remember that He sees the big picture- not just a short term solution or a quick fix for something which I think needs immediate attention. When prayers are not answered in the way I had hoped, I need to return to that scripture which reminds me that God has a wonderful plan for my life and that of each person I pray for. Then I need to thank Him for being, and staying, in control.

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How To Have A Relationship That Will Last

Yes, Opposites Attract—

But Will The Attraction Make A Relationship Endure To The End?

I just attended the wedding of my niece, Beng, and her new husband, PJ.

Beautiful wedding.

Beng is my lovely niece, the daughter of Pinkie and Abel–(Pinkie is my sister). I’m amazed how many common things bind them together.

· When PJ was 8-years-old, he saw Beng as a 6-year-old kid and liked her already. (My gosh, that was 19 years ago.)

· PJ is part of the choir of his church, while Beng is one of the singers of our music ministry.

· Both of them are very loving to their own parents—who nourished both of them with great amounts of love.

· Both are known by everyone as moral, upright, diligent, and wholesome. (To some people, that means “boring”. To me, that means wise.)

· Both of them love the Lord.

They say that when it comes to love, opposites attract.

I admit that it adds sizzle, no doubt.

Partners can differ on tastes—perhaps the woman loves Italian pasta but the man eats only adobo and paksiw. Partners can differ on the best way to spend their weekend—perhaps he likes mountain climbing but she likes answering sudoku at home. Partners can differ in personality—perhaps he likes to listen and she likes to talk.

All these differences are fine. They can complement each other.

But at the end of the day, it’s the COMMON things that will HELP hold a marriage together. Especially (1) common values, (2) common vision, and (3) common passions.

So I’m betting that Beng and PJ will grow old together.

If you’re married, and you want to strengthen your marriage, then CREATE common values, common vision, and common passions together. Work on them!

And if you’re not yet married, be sure to find someone who shares with you your values, vision, and passions.

Thank you ultradust@gmail.com for the information about Bo Sanchez!

[source]

Freedom of Simplicity...

By: Bo Sanchez

Happiness is not found outside of you. It doesn't come from cars, clothes,cash, or Caribbean cruises. Happiness is found within. But how can you find it if you don't have the simplicity of time and space to discover the most important things in your life? How can you search the depths of your soul if you are too busy impressing others, acquiring wealth, protecting your properties, and paying your debts?

Simplicity is not about the external either: living in a doghouse, eating in Hepatitis joints, wearing rags. Let me define what it is: Simplicity is living from the core of your being.

A TREASURE MAP OF HAPPINESS

Simplicity will point to you where and what and who the gold is in your life. Let me share with you the seven powerful lessons I've learned on simple living:

1. LIVE ON LESS, AND DELIGHT IN THEM MORE

Some take their pleasure dining in classy restaurants, trips to Europe , and owning the latest home theatre-equipment. I've chosen the simple path: If I can simply be with my wife, or take a quiet stroll under a canopy of stars, or play with a child, or read a good book in my home, or laugh with friends over a pizza, I consider myself richly blessed. Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have.

2. STOP RUNNING AND WALK INSTEAD

Here's the truth: The person who has covered the greatest distance does NOT win, but the one who has most enjoyed the journey does. Stop running around chasing your own tail! Get off your hurried pace and learn to breathe. Replace doing with being. Learn to say no to invitations, appointments, and commitments, activities and events that will rob you of your focus. Learn to say "yes" to rest, to tranquility, to quietness.

3. YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR WEALTH

I own very few things today. Because I am more than the brand of my watch,the logo of my shoes, the name of my car. I believe that if in my soul I deeply respect and value myself, people around me will sense that, and they too, will value and respect me-whether I'm wearing Armani or not.You are more than your wealth.

4. AVOID BUYING ON CREDIT

I don't believe in borrowing from credit cards. (For convenience, I use one card but I pay the whole amount at the end of each month..) If I need something really bad, I save up for it. Sometimes, at midpoint, I realize I don't really need the darn thing and give up the whole idea. The only exception I feel we should enter into a credit is when buying a on-depreciating item, such as housing or land. I believe we should always live within our earning capacity.
Proverbs 22:7 says, "Those who borrow are slaves of moneylenders. "

5. GIVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

If I content myself with P250 shirt instead of P4,000 Lacoste, I can help others more. Trust me, there is immense pleasure! You will find that the empty thrill of owning a diamond ring on your finger pales in comparison to the joy of handling a piece of bread to an orphan child. "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8) The Old Testament of tithing, or giving 10% of your income is a good guideline to follow.

The New Testament challenges us to give with a cheerful heart. (When you're cheerful,
you may give more than 10%!) Make it a habit.

6. SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Saving is essential to being good stewards of the money that God "lends" to us. Saving is an important way of providing for our future-both for our needs and to be generous to others. I recommend that you save at least 10% of your income. I can almost hear you now: "Bo, that's impossible!" Oh yeah? Well, how did you live three years back when your salary was one-half its present amount?"

Sacrifice. Many of our needs are actually wants. Is cable TV a need? Will you suddenly die if you can't watch CNN or HBO? Are those new golf clubs essential to your existence? Invest in time deposits, long-term stocks and housing.

7. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET

Make a list of all your monthly expenses, according to categories. Make also a list
of irregular expenses-those that don't come monthly. Set up another savings account for these expenses and put in a little money each month. To differentiate this from the savings account, we call ours "freedom account" because it frees us from worrying about them when they suddenly attack. And stick to your budget!

ONE LAST WORD BEFORE WE CLOSE

Balance.
Don't take living simply to the extremes! Living simply doesn't mean living in deprivation. There are special days when my wife and I eat in a fancy restaurant. Or, when we splurge into a vacation. Very rare, yes, but my point is that you take living simply NOT as a rigid goal - but as a happy process towards the goals of generosity, inner peace and holiness.

Have a nice day! God Bless.

Everyday Wisdom

By HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes

I thought I'd write about practical things this week — lessons that everyone can learn and apply in everyday situations. I surveyed relatives and friends and asked them for some nuggets of practical wisdom I could share with my readers. I told them that it had to be the kind of wisdom that came from direct experience, which only life itself and years we've spent living it can give. Here are a few I learned on my own and some I solicited from friends.

1. Live below your means. This has been my mantra ever since I started earning money, and even when I was in school. I have made it a habit to be frugal and always save for a rainy day. I actually live simply, although my wife will disagree since I buy a lot of cameras and electronic stuff. But the truth is, every gadget I have bought has paid for itself and more. I've had this habit of setting aside as much as 60 to 70 percent of whatever I earn for savings and for future planning. It is a practice that has served me well and it is something I pass on to newcomers in showbiz. It is pathetic seeing upstarts buying expensive cell phones, Rolex watches and big Expedition pickups only to watch them part with the stuff later when their careers plateau.

2. Apply different standards when talking to men and women about love. Truly, women are from Venus and men are from Mars, especially when it comes to love. For example, the memories of men and women operate differently when talking about their past loves. I am not just talking about men forgetting anniversaries and women never forgetting their partners' indiscretions. Their memories just work differently. As an example, and as a rule, men like to inflate the number of women they have had to bragging levels, while women like to downplay the number of boyfriends they have had, perhaps to appear more innocent and chaste!

3. "If you want to eat steak, don't buy the whole cow." This was my driver's comment when we were talking about how some married men end up having not just girlfriends but second and even third families. This is good advice as well, which is helpful to those who think that they really want something — say, buying a vacation house — when all they really want is to go to the beach occasionally. I've always wanted to own a yacht but, thank God, I have never had the kind of money to actually purchase one. And I probably will never buy one, ever since I came across a joke popular among boat owners that their two happiest days were the day they acquired their boat, and the day they sold it! It saves a lot of money and trouble if one can be clear about what one really likes.

4. Tread carefully when talking about religion or politics. A musician friend stresses the fact that these two domains have claimed more lives in human history than anything else. Religion and politics are so potent, they can arouse passions so strong — both constructive and destructive — that can consume their followers with the zeal to convert, or more likely, to conquer in the name of God or country. And the need to "win" or be proven "correct" is as attractive as the ring's compelling allure in the epic Lord of the Rings. If you don't believe me, just ask Gollum. It would take a wise person to avoid being sucked into such an argument, or to be able to wriggle out of one with dignity and humor intact.

5. Be nice to the people you meet on your way up. They're the same ones you will meet on the way down. The nature of showbiz and life itself is volatile and uncertain. However high or low your peaks and valleys, or how wild the ride can get, the people you work with, like makeup artists, musicians, production people, fans and the other "little people" in the studios, will be the constant witnesses who tell others how you have treated them. They will be there when it's your time to leave and they will either give you a round of applause or wish you good riddance.

6. Be nice to anyone who serves you food or has to poke a needle into you. With some incredulity and shock, I have heard firsthand from some waiters how they spit on food or put dirty stuff on plates when they have to serve grouchy, catty or unkind customers. I imagine there could be some nurses and medical assistants who take secret pleasure in making things uncomfortable for people who do not treat them with the respect they deserve. All in all, it pays to be polite and patient with people even if their service may be unsatisfactory. And if you feel the compulsion to complain or give restaurant staff a piece of your mind, it is best to do so only after you have eaten the food.

7. Never say never. Many times, I have been bewildered at how circumstances and situations can change so much that I find myself doing something I have sworn never to do again. Sometimes, we feel that we have written something off with finality, and then life brings us back to it. Only this time, we have no choice but to engage it again. Haven't we written off certain people or made final decisions on something, only to find ourselves facing them again and again?

8. Truth is stranger than fiction because fiction, at least, tries to be logical. I am paraphrasing Tom Clancy. Life can indeed be unpredictably illogical, irrational and can produce totally unexpected outcomes. A guy buys a lotto ticket for the first time and wins P100 million! A housewife beats a seasoned and powerfully entrenched politician and becomes president. Or how about a country experiencing "people power" for the second time?

9. Murderers and rapists are more trustworthy than thieves. My grandfather was Director of Prisons in Muntinlupa when my older siblings were growing up. And an uncle was Assistant Director of Prisons when I was growing up. They knew and understood human nature. One of the things I remember as a child was the household help the family kept. In my uncle's quarters were "living out" prisoners, reformed murderers and rapists who had served part of their sentences and were out on good behavior. My grandfather had this theory that people who murder or rape, or commit a crime of passion, are easier to rehabilitate and trust than people who plot and premeditate to steal and plunder. My grandfather's youngest daughter (my aunt), as a beautiful teenager, was chaperoned by this small funny man we called Patok, whom I discovered later had been an inmate in Muntinlupa for rape. In my grandfather's eyes, thieves and robbers were generally incorrigible. He just could not trust them, period. His judgment seemed correct because the reformed inmates who were his household help kept his home neat and tidy, and served him and his family loyally and well.

10. We cannot change other people. We can only change ourselves. Pity those who marry with the mission to straighten out and convert their spouses, for they will fail. And I'm not just talking about marriage. Gerald Jampolski, the spiritual writer and psychologist, says: "Peace of mind comes from not wanting to change others." On a visit in Manila a while back, he talked about the many years of stress he spent trying to change his mother, until he got tired and gave up and just learned to accept her totally for what she was. It was only then that he saw his mother change from a cantankerous, unreasonable and angry woman to become a more pleasant, easygoing and loving person. He says that it happened because he was the one who changed!

This article was sent to me by my aunt...I hope that you learned something from it.

Celebrity Quotes ...

God gave women intuition and femininity. Used properly, the combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I've ever met.

- Farrah Fawcett

People are realizing that color has no bearing on what's known as brotherhood.

- Omar Epps

[source]

Handbook 2009

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a

beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food

that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make time for meditation and prayer.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
8.. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their

journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control.

Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously.. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her

mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems

are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like

algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument.. Agree to disagree.

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends

will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful..
34. GOD heals everything.
35.. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36.. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Last but not the least:
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about

Matthew 6:33 “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (i.e., wealth, good health, joy, peace, etc.) will be added to you as well.”

GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

Forwarded by a dear friend

Author: Unknown

Funny Love Sayings

The perfect way to woo a lover is by the help of Funny love sayings. So SMS the varied cute love quotes and sayings given below or just drop in some of it to jazz up a conversation to watch your sweetheart laugh out whole-heartedly. Using these cute short love sayings of various famous personalities will not only make you sound very romantic, but also make you appear clever and well read.

List of Funny Love sayings

• If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question –By Lily Tomlin
  
  
• The bravest thing that men do is love women. – By Mort Sahl
  
  
• One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry – By Oscar Wilde
  
  
• Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand. – By Anonymous
  
  
• Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. – By Samuel Johnson
  
  
• Gravitation can not be held responsible for people falling in love. – By Albert Einstein
  
  
• You can’t put a price tag on love, but you can all its accessories. – By Melanie Clark

• The last time I was inside a woman was when I went to the Statue of Liberty. – By Woody Allen
  
  
• Man loves little and often. Woman much and rarely. - By Basta
  
  
• I Love making friends. It is the people I can't stand. - By Linus
  
  
• Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. - By Samuel Johnson
  
  
• Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand. - By Anonymous
  
  
• It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals. - By Fred Allen
  
  
• One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry - By Oscar Wilde
  
  
• The perfect love affair is one which is conducted entirely by post. - By George Bernard Shaw
  
  
• There's a certain part of the contented majority who love anybody who is worth a billion dollars. - By John Kenneth Galbraith
  
  
• Between lovers a little confession is a dangerous thing. - By Helen Rowland
  
  
• Honeymoon: A short period of doting between dating and debating – By Unknown
  
  
• Love: the delusion that one woman differs from another – By Unknown
  
  
• Think of love as a card game:
  first, get rid of the jokers,
  throw away the hearts,
  keep the diamonds...
  then try to get a king – By Unknown
  
  
• There is a place you can touch a woman that will drive her crazy - Her heart – By Unknown
  
  
• Sometimes I wonder if men
  and women really suit each other.
  Perhaps they should live next door
  and just visit now and then – By Anonymous
  
  
• I recently read that love is entirely a matter of chemistry.
  That must be why my wife treats me like toxic waste – By Unknown
  
  
• Honesty is the key to a relationship.
  If you can fake that, you're in – By Unknown
  
  
• When you are courting a nice girl
  an hour seems like a second.
  When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second
  seems like an hour. That's relativity - By Unknown
  
  
• No ones perfect.
  It's when you see past the imperfections
  that you call it love – By Unknown
  
  
• Love is a game
  that two can play and both win – By Unknown
  
  
• One good thing about Internet dating:
  you're guaranteed to click with
  whomever you meet – By Unknown
  
  
• You have to kiss a lot of toads
  before you find a handsome prince – By Unknown
  
  
• Before you find your handsome prince,
  You've got to kiss a lot of frogs – By Unknown
  
  
• The difference between genius and stupidity is;
  genius has its limits – By Unknown

[source]

New Shoes (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

I miss my brothers....

Though we were poor and struggling, my sister managed to buy me a pair of 'magic shoes' that changed my life.

BY: L. J. Wardell

Anne is six years older than me. Growing up, we were very poor, and my mother worked evenings at a factory in a small midwestern town. Not seeing my mother much, Anne took over much of the maternal support, and she was awarded the authority to give me and my younger sister permission to do things. Actually, going to Anne was much better than going to a parent as she could award permission, but never had an urge to punish us when we broke the rules. Therefore, we were a bit more willing to confess our activities to Anne and sometimes benefited from her sisterly advice. During those turbulent teenage years, Anne was always there for me, not only as a big sister, but as a mother and my best friend.

When I was seventeen and had no money, I thought my only chance of going to college was if I could win a scholarship. I had an important interview for such an award. Anne at that time was struggling, surviving on a part-time job as she put herself through the local community college after serving in the army. I told her of my interview, that General Motors was sending me a bus ticket, and I would get to visit the city for my scholarship interview. It would be the first time I ever saw a city. I was excited about the adventure and asked her advice on what to wear. I showed her my best outfit and how I planned to be careful how I sat so that the hole in the bottom of my shoe would not be seen, but I wasn't sure what I would do if it rained. I showed her how I would stand with my arm slightly in front of me to hide the blemish from my factory-second pants from the farmers' market. My best blouse was a find at a yard sale, slightly faded but still pretty.

Anne suggested that we go shopping, and we took the bus to the JCPenney store. She took me to the shoe department, and we found a beautiful pair of leather shoes on sale. She told me to try them on, but I thought it was just for fun as neither of us had ever owned anything that expensive before. Sometimes we did go shopping together and tried on things just to see what they looked and felt like, but we never could afford to buy them. It was like playing dress-up. But this time was different. Anne handed me the boxed shoes and said, "Here, I'll buy these for you."

"But . . ." was all I could say.

"You deserve them," she replied. "This interview is important. I want to see you get that scholarship."

I was speechless as I knew this was a lot of money for her, and she would probably have to eat nothing but ramen noodles for at least a month.

I went to the interview and crossed my legs so that my beautiful new shoes shone with pride. I won the scholarship and became an engineer. Although they were nice leather everyday shoes, I didn't wear them much because they were so special. I hope Anne didn't think I did not like them or something. Now, after twenty years have passed, I still have that pair of shoes with me, and I just wear them on those little occasions when I need to feel special. It's kind of like having magic ruby slippers when you're homesick.

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The Un-Diet (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

So sweet....=)

I was self-conscious about my weight, but I came to realize that the only diet I needed was love.
BY: Susan A. Karas

"No, Sue, honest, you don't look fat," my sister said.

It was the first day of my new job at a local lawn care company and I was in a panic.

"Are you sure?" I turned sideways in front of the mirror and sucked in my stomach. She had to be lying. My skirt was biting into my waistline, and I couldn't button my jacket. How had those extra pounds gotten there?

I'd always been vigilant about my weight. One careless remark when I was ten years old, "Oh, isn't she just a cute, chubby thing?" did it. I could read between the lines, f-a-t. Living in a family of skinnies, this certainly wouldn't do. And so began a lifetime of dieting. The hard-boiled egg diet took me through my preteen years and then it was on to high school with the grapefruit diet. My early career days were marked by the cabbage soup diet - much to the dismay of my coworkers. All of these kept me from being fat. But I needed to be thin. So I experimented with the Target Zone diet, Weight Watchers and the Pyramid diet. And once I even tried fasting.

Just a few carefree months of living diet-free, like the rest of my gal pals, resulted in my present dilemma - starting my new job feeling like a blimp.

I took one last look in the mirror. Drats! The outfit needed something. I know! I quickly knotted a brightly colored scarf around my neck; let them focus on that instead of those holster hips down below. There was nothing else I could do about it now; I grabbed my keys and purse and flew out the door.

As soon as I walked into the office, my boss gave me my first task. "Here Sue, take these notes out into the warehouse and sort them by name. Each lawn specialist has their own labeled slot in the mail center." She gave me an encouraging smile and went back to typing.

I opened the door and my jaw dropped. There in front of me stood the most handsome guy I'd ever seen. His muscles rippled as he hoisted a huge bag of fertilizer over his shoulder.

I waved. He grinned. I felt some chemistry.

I slipped back into the office. "Who's the cute guy out there with the blond hair?"

"That's Bruce," the secretary in the corner said, "and he's dating someone."

From then on, I volunteered to do the notes each day and every other menial job that involved traipsing through "the guy area." If that meant putting up with the horrid chemical smells in the warehouse, so be it. I got to see Bruce.

I wanted to look my best for him, so every morning I was up at dawn, camouflaging those extra pounds. Black was in, prints were out, and by the time I was done primping, I almost believed I had a chance.

And one day it happened. He sauntered over as I was slipping notes into the slots.

"Hey Sue, what're you doing Friday night?" Bruce smiled and his tanned face crinkled. This gorgeous guy was really asking me out!

"I'm not sure," I tried my best to sound nonchalant. "Besides, I heard you're dating someone."

"Nah, nothing serious," he put his hand on the wall behind me, bringing us closer together.

"Well . . ." I hesitated, hoping he couldn't hear my heart thundering in my chest.

"C'mon, just burgers and a movie," he pressed, "how about it?"

"Okay," I said, feeling giddy, "sounds like fun."

We had a blast together, and he asked me out again. And again. With each date we grew closer, and within a few weeks we were an item. I was enjoying myself so much I forgot to worry about weight, exercise or that much hated four-letter word: d-i-e-t.

About a month later, Bruce came over to meet the family. It just happened to be the day my younger sister was going to the prom. She looked gorgeous as she drifted down the stairs in a swirl of peach silk, her blonde hair cascading around her shoulders. I looked at Bruce, who obviously agreed; his mouth hung open as he watched her sweep into the room.

I looked from my thin, beautiful sister to my great-looking boyfriend, and I wanted to disappear. What did he see in a chubbette like me anyway?

I pasted a smile on my face until my sister left for the dance. Then I clomped downstairs to the family room, threw myself on the sofa and bawled my eyes out.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Bruce sat next to me and pushed my bangs back, trying to look into my eyes. "What are you crying for?"

"I–I–I'm ssssooo fat," I turned away from him. "Why are you dating me anyway? You don't belong with someone that looks like me. My sister's more your type," I blubbered.

"Sue, your sister is a real cute kid, but she's way too young for me. Besides, she's not my type - you are, and I think you're beautiful."

I turned over as tears continued to dribble down my face. "But I have to lose this extra w-w-weight. I feel so fat and ugly-y-y-y. I don't know what you see in me." All the pain I'd experienced feeling like the chubby one in my thin, perfect family washed over me.

Bruce gathered me in his arms and just held me.

Then I felt something wet trickling down my neck. Puzzled, I pulled away and looked at Bruce. He was crying with me!

"I don't ever want to hear you call yourself fat or ugly again. No one talks that way about the woman I love, and I love you just the way you are." He leaned in and our tear-streaked faces met in a tender kiss. That was the moment I fell in love with Bruce.

Two months later, he slipped an engagement ring on my finger and on bended knee asked me to be his wife.

Dreams of a fairy-tale wedding filled my head, starting with my dress - I had to find the perfect gown. Too bad there isn't time for just one more diet, I thought longingly, but with the wedding only six months away, it wasn't possible. I visited every bridal salon within a thirty-mile radius, searching for the ideal style to flatter my fuller figure. I tried on every type of wedding dress imaginable, until I finally found it - the gown of my dreams.

"Can you wrap it up?" I asked as I gazed at the white confection of beaded satin and delicate lace.

"Oh no, miss," she said. "We'll keep it here since you'll have to come in for several fittings between now and the wedding."

She was right. But, surprisingly, at every fitting, the seamstress had to take my gown in, not let it out. "Are you on one of those new liquid diets?" she asked as she marked the alteration with straight pins.

"No," I said. Funny, I hadn't even thought about dieting. Come to think of it, my clothes were looser lately. And I couldn't recall the last time I'd stepped on a scale.

Eight weeks later, on a perfect June day, I slipped into my wedding dress feeling radiant. I floated down the aisle thinner than I'd ever been. I beamed at my husband-to-be, waiting for me by the altar, and I knew it was all thanks to him. Bruce loved me just as I was, and that was the only diet I ever needed.


[source]

12 Reasons You're So Tired—and How to Get Back on Top

By Coeli Carr for MSN Health & Fitness

When people ask you how you are, how do you respond? Do you say you're fine—or tired?

If you were too exhausted even to answer the question, you're not alone: Fatigue is endemic these days. Here are a dozen potential reasons behind that run-down feeling and how you can re-energize yourself.

1. You're bored.

Boredom happens when parts of your life have created a rut of routine, says clinical psychologist Judith Sills, Ph.D. "There's not enough zap in your brain," she says. Sills, author of The Comfort Trap (Viking, 2004), concedes that humans are creatures of habit, so routines are essential for life. But comforting routines and habits can become deadening. That's when lack of zing can translate into fatigue. There's a loss of energy when you have nothing to stimulate you, she says.

The fix: Do something new, Sills suggests. Even small changes, such as a two-day getaway, can be life-affirming. "There's a clear link between our emotions and the anticipation of satisfaction and physical energy," she says. Changing your routine also helps. Try driving down a different road or eating food you haven't tried before. "When you take in new information, your spirit feels a sense of possibility," says Sills. "It's mind food."

2. You have allergies.

Think of allergies as the body's way of fighting unwanted guests. The trouble starts when allergens, such as pollen, certain foods, or animal dander invade the mucous membranes of the eyes and throat, says Lily Pien, M.D., an allergist at The Cleveland Clinic. This triggers the body's antibodies to fight the invaders, causing a release of histamines. The body's reaction to the allergens is often excessive, leading to sneezing, shortness of breath or itching. "It's these reactions that wear you down, especially when they keep you from sleeping." she says.

The fix: "Don't misdiagnose yourself," says Pien, "Most people are allergic to more than one substance." She advises seeing an allergist and getting a skin test to determine the allergens that may be affecting you. Antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays are both typical treatments, she says, and adds that 20 percent of the U.S. population suffers from allergies.

3. You're over-caffeinated.

It seems like a contradiction, but caffeine, a stimulant to the central nervous system, can actually make you tired, says Cheryl Forberg, a registered dietician and the author of Positively Ageless: a 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You (Rodale Books, 2008). A once-a-day dose in the morning in tea or coffee is fine, she says. But people can create a vicious cycle when they keep ingesting more caffeine to counteract the exhaustion they feel after the previous dose wears off. And, she adds, the cumulative effects of the day's caffeine—such as increased heart rate and a rise in blood pressure—can also keep you from getting a good night's sleep.

The fix: Consider antioxidant-rich green tea, says Forberg. A cup of green tea contains 50 mg of caffeine, compared to coffee's 137 mg and black tea's 65 mg. Not eating or drinking high-caffeine foods and drink—including dark chocolate and certain soft drinks—from late afternoon on is also a step towards restful sleep. Keeping caffeine to a minimum is the best way to go, she says.

4. You're multi-tasking.

Doing one thing at a time is a luxury for most people. But multi-tasking has its downside. "When you multi-task, you need to switch back and forth from one project to another and monitor all the projects simultaneously," says Neal Roese, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Multi-tasking is a big drain on glucose, which fuels everything the brain does, he says. Not surprisingly, studies show that too much flitting from one task to another ultimately leads to errors and fatigue. Ingesting sugar may keep you going temporarily, but eventually you crash.

The fix: The trick, says Roese, is to keep your projects down to a minimum; he suggests no more than three at a time. Prioritizing your projects and taking the short frequent breaks that allow glucose levels to be restored are also useful strategies.

5. You're anemic.

People with anemia typically don't have enough red blood cells in their body. And, because these blood cells are the body's transportation system for oxygen, fewer of these cells mean less oxygen makes its way to the cells—including that of the brain. "People whose cells get less oxygen may be less able to concentrate and they may feel less energetic, says Alan Greene, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University and the author of Raising Baby Green (Jossey-Bass, 2007). The most typical type is iron-deficiency anemia, but loss of blood cells through internal bleeding can also be a cause. He says anemia is especially harmful to children, who need the oxygen to fuel their developing bodies and brains.

The fix: Greene advises taking a blood test. On a complete blood count (CBC) test, a low hematocrit indicates anemia (hematocrit measures what proportion of blood volume is made up of red blood cells). Testing serum ferritin, a measure of the body's iron stores, can detect iron deficiency, which can cause symptoms even before full-blown anemia develops. Eating iron-rich foods like lean meat, poultry and beans can help increase the supply, especially when accompanied by foods high in vitamin C. Greene also suggests women and children take supplements that contain iron. Men should speak with their physicians first before taking iron supplements, as their bodies don't easily excrete any excess, and too much of the mineral can also be a cause of fatigue.

6. You have poor posture.

Standing up straight looks impressive and, it turns out, has health benefits. If you hunch your shoulders forward, don't equally distribute your weight on both feet, or create an inward curve in your lower back, you're setting yourself up for fatigue, says Kathleen Koch, an exercise physiologist at The Cleveland Clinic. That's because it's harder for blood to nourish muscles that are being held in inefficient positions typical of bad posture. "Reduced blood flow means your heart and lungs have to work harder, and this makes you tired," she says. Sitting improperly and even running with poor form has the same effect.

The fix: Koch suggests strength and core training to address poor posture. For example, she says to correct slouched shoulders—a sign that the chest muscles are disproportionately stronger—you need to strengthen the muscles in the upper back. Because poor posture is a good indicator of muscle imbalance, it's important to train all muscle groups equally, she says.

7. You have an underactive thyroid.

One of the top medical reasons for a slow metabolism and low energy is hypothyroidism, says Nunilo Rubio Jr., M.D., assistant professor of endocrinology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Women are more predisposed to the condition, which is from the thyroid gland's secreting less of its hormones. This, in turn, causes fatigue, as well as weight gain, intolerance to cold, and dry hair and skin. Rubio calls it the "turtle effect." Unfortunately, in most cases, it's the body's own autoimmune response that's to blame. The antibodies involved gradually can damage and, in some cases, destroy the thyroid, a condition known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In severe cases, says Rubio, metabolism slows down so dramatically that the patient usually requires an intravenously administered dose of thyroid hormones.

The fix: Rubio suggests those suffering from fatigue ask their physician for a blood workup to determine the level of thyroid- hormone activity. If you're diagnosed as having hypothyroidism, a doctor will typically start thyroid-hormone replacement therapy. Once thyroid-hormone levels are restored, energy usually returns to previous levels. (Although iodine deficiency is often linked to hypothyroidism, most people in the U.S. get adequate amounts by using iodized salt and eating iodine-containing food.)
8. You have undiagnosed heart disease.

A heart that's unable to pump blood efficiently has to work harder to transport oxygen throughout the body. Fatigue is the result, says Nieca Goldberg, M.D., cardiologist and author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg's Complete Guide to Women's Health (Ballantine Books, 2008). Several conditions can cause the heart to overexert itself, including clogged arteries, high blood pressure and heart-valve problems. Typically, fatigue due to undiagnosed cardiovascular condition manifests after exertion.

The fix: If you've ruled out anemia, hypothyroidism and infection, and you still feel tired, it's important to get diagnosed for potential heart problems, says Goldberg. Tests typically include an echocardiogram to see how the blood is pumped through the heart, and a stress test to reveal arterial blockages. Not pinpointing heart disease as early as possible can mean more severe symptoms over time, such as shortness of breath and fluid build-up.

9. You're not exercising enough.

It seems counterintuitive that doing nothing can make you fatigued, but it's true. "If you move, you'll feel less tired," says Dr. Koch of The Cleveland Clinic. When you're sedentary, she says, your metabolic rate decreases and you burn fewer calories, so you feel exhausted. Exercise gets that metabolic rate up, which means more energy, and not only the physical kind. People who say they're tired are often depressed, says Koch. Exercise increases the production of dopamine, a hormone that's a mood enhancer.

The fix: Literally, start with small steps. Koch says that research confirms that even a 10- to 15- minute daily walk provides cardiovascular health benefits But, she advises, don't forget to include strength training in the mix, which helps build lean muscle mass. Overall, increasing your amount of weekly exercise means you'll be able to burn even more calories, she says. And that means even more energy at your disposal.

10. You're dehydrated.

At least half of our bodies and 92 percent of our blood consist of water. "Water serves as a medium for the body to perform its life-sustaining functions, such as regulating body temperature and eliminating waste," says Toby Amidor, a registered dietician in New York City. "If you don't ingest enough water to help these metabolic reactions occur, you'll become tired or lightheaded."

The fix: At the first sign of thirst or dizziness, all you need is a small amount of liquid, as little as half a cup or water or fruit juice, says Amidor. Although many people drink huge quantities of water daily as a matter of course, she says many experts now suggest that people simply heed the body's signals for hydration. The water in fruits and vegetables also count as part of your intake, says Amidor. The caveat, though, is that older people often lose their sense of thirst and need to be reminded to hydrate on a more regular basis. For the rest of us, making sure we have access to water as needed—in portable non-plastic containers—is a good option.

11. You're pre-diabetic.

Glucose supplies energy to the body and brain. It's not surprising that not enough glucose will make you extremely tired. But the same is true when you ingest too much, says Dr. Greene. Normally, the act of eating signals the body to produce insulin which, in turn, fuels the cells with energy. But, says Greene, when you're pre-diabetic, your body can become insulin-resistant—overeating or ingesting too many simple carbs is often a factor. The result is all that excess glucose doesn't get into the cells, but rather it gets stored as fat or spills into the urine, and you grow tired.

The fix: A fasting blood sugar test will determine if you're pre-diabetic, says Greene. If you fall into that category, consider it a wake-up call to change your eating and exercise habits. Greene recommends a Mediterranean-type diet, consisting of whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of healthy fats.

12. You have sleep apnea.

Many people with sleep apnea don't even know they have it, says Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice whose specialty is sleep disorders. Sleep apnea, which is typically caused by anatomical problems, impels the sleeper to stop breathing, sometimes as many as 150 times an hour. When breathing shuts down, even for only a couple of seconds, there's less oxygen supplied to the brain. The body senses the danger and wakes you to breathe. "In severe cases, this constant waking is comparable to total sleep deprivation," says Breus, who's author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight and Feel Great through Better Sleep (Plume, 2007).

The fix: See a medical professional who's certified in sleep medicine or clinical sleep disorders, says Breus. You'll be referred to a sleep center for diagnosis. The most popular form of treatment is a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP), which shoots air through the nasal passages and throat while you're asleep. Other solutions include using nose filters, dental appliances to help correct jaw displacement, or surgery to remove excess throat tissue which tends to accumulate in overweight people. Weight loss may eliminate the condition entirely in some cases, says Breus.

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