Pervert of the month

And the prize goes to: Isabella Rossellini.

Let me begin this with a story. I love learning things...it's sick. So it is not surprising when I decide to read up on something completely random. The other day, I decided that I'd learn about how spiders mate...I typed in Google and I got this: Green Porno. I was piqued. So I clicked it.

Okay, so I'm a little late to the Green Porno party. But what I lack in punctuality I more than make up for in enthusiasm for these warped short films. Isabella “Put Your Disease in Me” Rossellini outdoes herself (and actually does herself) in this eight-part series about the sex lives of various insects, arachnids and mollusks. Produced by Sundance expressly for smaller digital screens (computers, cell phones, etc) the whole series is just dirty, filthy, good clean fun. Try to imagine a Children’s Television Workshop-produced interpretation of that transcendently horrible "pterodactyl pr0n" and you’ll be somewhere in the ballpark. But not really.

But seriously, enjoy....I know that I think this is the awesomeness of idility.

Cinco De Mayo

Good morning to you all. So as I stated in my last post...a lot of you don't know exactly what Cinco De Mayo is. So I'm going to give you a brief update of this.

It is often thought that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day...it's not. Mexico's Independence Day is actually September 16. This holiday is actually called the Baker's war to some people. Though I don't know the exact correlation between bakeries and war, it's a nicer way of stating that the Mexicans declared war and won against foreign french forces.

At the time of Mexican independence from Spain, the country was put in a constant turmoil since everyone was fighting about who would rule. At this point, the french (who had a presence already there...in bakeries I assume?) decided this was an opportune time. They invaded and declared war on the Mexican government and marched onto Mexico city.

The french ended up occupying the city and placed Maximilian I, as Emperor of Mexico on the throne of Mexico. Eventually the french were defeated and expelled in 1867. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican army's victory over the French at Puebla ( a region in Mexico) though this has nothing to do with the final expulsion of the french.

Movie dream

There’s a new movie coming out with Eiko Ishioka's Costume design in it! I can't tell you how much I love Eiko Ishioka's designs...they are always unique and I find them immensely inspiring. The film is directed by Tarsem, who previously collaborated with Ishioka on the movie The Cell.

Events take place in a 1915 hospital, where a bedridden patient befriends a little girl with a broken arm and offers to tell her an adventure story about five men - an Indian adventurer, an African ex-slave, a masked bandit, an Italian bombmaker, and Charles Darwin (what? yes!). The girl is enthralled by the exotic tale, and waits eagerly for every new chapter. But the storyteller, a broken man emotionally and physically, has a dark motive for telling the tale: he wants her to steal something at the hospital in exchange for the story’s conclusion. Here is the trailer:



I did a quick Google search on when the film is coming out: nothing. I did a search for it on IMDB, and learned that it was completed in 2006. Hmm. That’s when I started digging into the YouTube comments. One guy writes that he saw it at a private screening in LA a week ago, and that they asked the audience to critique for the purpose of determining whether it will go on the big screen or on DVD. Another person writes that they have not yet found a distributor. And then there is this comment by Khan Higou:

"I spent a year working on post-production of this movie (in Paris);
I know every single image of this feature and believe me, it IS beautiful for
sure. And you Americans are not lucky about this independent movie
(self-produced, directed, even self-distributed, no big studio logo in front of
this trailer, did you notice…) ’cause I heard it has been rated R in the US; a
way to punish Tarsem everybody thinks here ’cause the movie is not that
violent"

Further research turned up one review that indicates that the film has not been sold for distribution due to scathing reviews at the Toronto Film Fetival. The reviewer writes that Zoe Bell (Death Proof) was the president of the jury that year. “(She was) seated two seats away from me quite enjoyed at least from what I could get from her reactions to the film while it was being shown.” Maybe she didn’t like it so much after all.

Maybe the ending is a little predictable, I admit the cell in terms of plot was pretty crappy...it was a bad movie...but seriously but the visuals look stunning! I want to see this - and I want to love it.

Death Bed...the bed that eats

I've been trying to catch up on some old cult classics, to expand my experience with movies. I came across the other day "death bed". I’m not sure how to explain what makes Death Bed: The Bed That Eats so special, or if I should even try. I certainly didn’t know anything about the film when it was first recommended to me (by some hairy-palmed weirdo lurking around the K.A.T video rental in Clarendon a few years back). Completed in 1977, this “forgotten horror classic” was never officially released. Legend has it that director George Barry had no idea anyone had even seen the picture until he Googled himself and found a bunch of websites raving about it. After 25 years, the company "Cult Epics" finally put it out on DVD.

Death Bed is definitely rave-worthy, but again, I'm at a loss to explain why without taking away some of the mystique. Here’s the overview from Cult Epics:

“At the edge of a grand estate, near a crumbling old mansion lies a strange
stone building with just a single room. In the room, a four-poster bed waits to
absorb the flesh, blood and life essence of unwary travelers…”

So it would seem the title is fairly self-explanatory. And yet there’s more to this story than just OM NOM NOM. Demonic elemental spirits for instance, and Timotei-haired beauties writhing in toxic yellow foam. Also, Aubrey Beardsley’s ghost is trapped in the wall and he won’t shut up.

See, now, I’ve already said too much! At this point, you’re either raring to rent it or you’ve grown bored and are scrolling back to the romantic tuesday column. Either way, I commend you.

Palace of Depression

"The only real depression is a depression of individual ingenuity.” -George Daynor

The exploits of George Daynor read like the synopsis of a Coen Brothers flick. As the story goes, Daynor was a former gold prospector who’d lost his fortune in the Wall Street crash of 1929. Hitchhiking through Alaska, he was visited by an angel who told him to make his way to New Jersey without further delay. Divine providence had dictated that Gaynor was to wait out the Great Depression there, building a castle with his bare hands

Daynor had only four dollars in his pocket when he arrived in Vineland, NJ. He used the money to buy three swampy acres of land that had once been a car junkyard. For years he slept in an abandoned car on the mosquito-infested property, living off a steady diet of frogs, fish and squirrels while he built his elaborate eighteen-spired, pastel-hued Palace of Depression out of auto parts and mud. His primary objective? To encourage his downtrodden countrymen to hold onto their hope and stay resourceful, no matter what. Daynor opened his homemade castle to the public on Christmas Day, 1932, free of charge (he started charging an entrance fee after someone made fun of his beard), and proved an enthusiastic, albeit eccentric tour guide.

Daynor held back his wild red hair with bobby pins, wore lipstick and rouge, and enjoyed dressing alternately as a prospector or a Victorian dandy. Legend has it he kept his common-law wife, Florence Daynor, locked up in one of the Palace’s subterranean chambers during visiting hours. He offered his “living brain” to the Smithsonian for experiments (they declined). His Palace of Depression, a.k.a The Strangest House In the World, quickly became a popular tourist destination for folks on their way to Atlantic City.

From Weird NJ:
"The Palace was a hodge podge of materials, including old car chassis for floor beams, and gables fashioned from old car fenders. Concrete walls were constructed from odd pieces of cement and rocks, and bed frames were made into swinging doors. To paint the house, Daynor pulverized old red bricks and mixed them with crankcase motor oil. The dome on top of the house was an large kettle turned upside down. Old wagon wheels formed the bases for cone shaped towers and revolving doors. The dining table was made of a huge cypress log with knee holes cut into it, and stumps were used as seats.

There were many darkened rooms and corners where Mr. Daynor would delight in regaling visitors with tales of hidden rivers and his vision of happiness and security. He would show people the “Wishing Well” and “Knockout Room,” where a heavy boulder was suspended above a chair. If you wanted to forget about your troubles, you could sit on the chair under the boulder and get a bonk on the head. Reportedly no one ever took him up on this offer.

Daynor even constructed an underground “Jersey Devil’s Den,” which one could crawl through. The castle itself had no windows, but shards of glass that created a colorful sunrise and sunset mosaic. The property was neatly laid out with ponds and gardens that Daynor would guide tourists around, all for 25¢ a head."

Although Daynor made grandiose claims that his creation would last 100 years, the castle has fallen into disrepair by the late 40s, and its aging king was getting weirder by the minute. In the 50s, the 81 year old Daynor claimed that kidnappers had contacted him and asked to hide a child in one of the spires of his Palace. It was a tasteless publicity scheme and Daynor was thrown in jail for a year for fraud. During his incarceration, vandals tore the Palace apart and burned a lot of it down. Daynor’s health deteriorated in prison and he never fully recovered after his release, suffering from chronic malnutrition. He died in 1964. It was his wish to be buried at the Palace, but the city had plans to raze it to make way for a public park, so Daynor was buried at a nearby cemetery in a pauper’s grave instead.

Although few remnants of the once grand castle are still standing, The Palace of Depression Restoration Association is currently trying to bring the castle back to its former glory. Volunteers are invited to help recreate Daynor's castle as an arts and learning center, and folks with the time and skills to pursue grants and donations are also encouraged to join in the effort. Best of luck to you guys!

The Palace of Depression: Then and Now
Weird NJ article
Roadside America article

Inspiration

I'm going through a creative standstill. Sometimes, I get this anxious feeling that I'm not creating enough, that I'm not doing anything to satisfy that side of me which demands for an outlet. Normally when I get these urges I close myself out of the world, and live in a hermitine state creating things. Unfortunately I can't do that anymore. Bills must be paid, and in order to pay for them I have to go to work, and at work I am both retracting away from that creative self, and coming face to face with people that don't really connect with that feeling. Anyway, this is not to say I don't think that people in my office are "below" my artistic values...they each are creative in their own way. But I am extraordinarily restless, and the right side of my brain is supplicating for release.

So, I try to do little things to quiet it down. I go online and look up random artists and topics; searching for inspiration. It was then that I came across an entire MySpace page devoted to the "bob" haircut. It's a french myspace that catalogues 1,428 images devoted to the bob hairstyle and its derivatives.

Looking through the images was like shaking a greyscale snowglobe of eyes, lips and hair angels into constant new configurations...a delightful experience that let me feeling awed and inspired. I wondered if I should be feeling a twing of guilt for ravenously going through what can be classified as "stolen images" - gathered from the web, scanned from magazines and even manipulated without credit. And then it hit me: I don't care.

Of course knowing the artists names would've been nice, but it may have been impossible to compile that information. I enjoyed the site anyway. Was that wrong? I guess it depends on where you think the line of theft gets crossed. Of all places, I've observed that the most embarrassing attitudes towards image theft come from within the alt photo/modeling scene. Every day on every networking site, people swap copyrighted photos for inspiration. It's become part of our culture. In reaction, I've seen many alt photographers and models sick their DMCA-fan army like a pack of attack dogs on any DeviantArt artist or naive foreign-language gothchick photo-swapping blog that gets "reported", and it has always left me feeling more sorry for the target than for the artist who's been "ripped off". I bet that at least at one point in their life, every artist has stumbled across an uncredited image they didn't pay for that affected their aesthetic sensibility. Well, it's time to give that to someone else; today's world just makes this process more transparent, and faced with this new visibility into the life cycle of their work, image owners freak out.

Obviously, it's wrong to steal a photo and proclaim yourself the subject or the photographer; still, I feel that humiliating these people (most of whom are just insecure 13 year olds) publicly should be beneath the image owner, and that a private email or website customer service alert should suffice. However, swiping images or complete art direction, as a means to financial gain is the least forgivable thing of all, and that's when I support the heavy-handed tactics.

Anyway, back to the bobsite. It's amazing; Enjoy! And if you're a photographer who ended up there, be happy. It's the residual effect of producing an iconic image. That fact alone -that it ends up in a place like this where people can find it and get inspired in turn -is something to be proud of.

Touch screen tattoo!

“Her cell phone is ringing, but the display is turned off. She lightly pushes a small dot on the skin on her left forearm to suddenly reveal a two by four inch tattoo with the image of the cell phone’s digital display, directly in the skin of her arm. She answers the call by pushing a tattooed button on her arm. While she’s talking, the tattoo comes to life as a digital video of the caller. When she finishes, the tattoo disappears”.

Now imagine yourself sipping something exotic and maybe reading on a rooftop. Suddenly, the face of a dear friend [presently in Shanghai, for instance] emerges through the skin on your forearm. A long-overdue conversation begins. Not a bad prospect, mm?




(Look ma! Stiff as a board, light as a feather, runs on pizza!)


Body modification may be a somewhat neglected topic here, but every once in a while something truly unique catches our collective eye. Take this render of a blood-fueled subcutaneous cell phone implant, for instance. Revealed by Jim Mielke at Greener Gadgets Design Competition, this is not an actual phone with keypad, earpiece and mic, but rather a thin touch screen – a silicon and silicone pad which runs to on your very own fuel! Myriads of tiny spheres change from clear to black during calls and can be seen through your skin, digital video of the caller coming into view once a call begins. Only a concept at the moment, this is a mod I’ll be signing up for just as the option is available, provided that there is a way to turn the thing off.

Sleep

So apparently I suffer from sleep deprivation....

I was having dinner with one of my friends who just got into med school. He was learning about sleep in his class and we were talking about it. I told him that I try to get a full 8 hours of sleep a day but that I never seem to get it. He laughed and said that’s probably because I don’t adhere to my “natural” sleep cycle. He started getting into a series of lectures about the different stages of sleep and the correlation between body temperature and sleep patterns…it became really complicated and of course I don’t want to regurgitate an entire bio lesson. So I’ll make this short.

Sleep is one of the body’s most mysterious and important processes. It helps you to restore and rejuvenate your entire body; in memory, mood and social behaviors, and in various system functions such as the nervous and immune.

Since it is essential to the maintaining of the body, the body naturally provokes us to sleep via electrical messages from our circadian clocks-the time-keeping, temperature fluctuating, enzyme controlling inner clocks. These inner clocks work with a particular neurotransmitter that “turns off” our body, called adenosine. Adenosine is created in tandem with energy that our cells create to power us through the day. As the level adenosine builds up in our brains, we feel… “sleepy”. Combining this with our circadian devices, we understand that its time to sleep. Once preparing for sleep we enter our sleep cycle.

Sleep cycles vs. sleep hours:
I’m sure you’ve heard that everyone needs about 8 hours of sleep a night, and depending on age it can increase. For example babies need to spend at least 12 – 18 hrs a day asleep, and adolescents need 9. But as you become a “biological” adult, you require less total numbers of sleep hours, and more sleep cycles. Sleep cycles are the number of times that your brain shifts through the five stages of sleep.

Stage 1: (Drowsiness) - When you first fall asleep, you are in Stage 1 sleep. It lasts just about five or ten minutes. Eyes move slowly under the eyelids, and muscle activity slows down. You are easily awakened in this stage, and some can argue that when you zone out in class (or something of the equivalent) you are actually entering in to this Stage.

Stage 2: (Light Sleep) –Here your eye movements stop, heart rate slows, and body temperature decreases. You spend most of your sleep time in stage 2, as your body is continuously shutting down at this point. With all the systems that your body possesses, it’s not a real surprise.

Stages 3 & 4: (Deep Sleep) - During these stages, you are difficult to awaken. People who are awakened during Deep Sleep do not adjust immediately and often feel groggy and disoriented for several minutes after they wake up. Your body is immobile and the brain waves patterns at this point are slow and wide spread. This is the most important part of sleep as it is the end of the “cycle” and tells your body if you have thoroughly processed through the entire sleep procedure.

REM: Rapid Eye Movement- Many people argue if this is a stage or not. For now it will be a transition stage, since this occurs at the end of stage 4 and leads back to stage 1 in the sleep cycle. You usually have three to five REM episodes per night. Your eyes jerk rapidly in various directions under your eyelids (hence the name Rapid Eye Movement), and your body continues to be paralyzed. This is the stage where you dream and where you “remember” your dreams.

The first sleep cycles each night contain relatively short REM periods and long periods of deep sleep. But, as the night progresses, REM sleep periods increase in length while deep sleep decreases. By morning, you will spending nearly all the “sleep” time in stages 1, 2, and REM.

Ideally you want to wake up at the end of an REM stage. This is why; when you have no pressure to wake up, you generally wake up after a dream. The end of a REM stage is the end of a cycle, just before you go back into stage 1. The entire thing lasts generally about 90 min. So it’s best to calculate your time in that 90 min time frame.
So you’d be following a sleeping pattern in multiples of 90 min:

1.5 hours
3 hours
4.5 hours
6 hours
7.5 hours

Those are the sleep quantities that you should aim to get, and those are what your body will naturally take, removing the alarm clock. Though this time frame varies between people, the best way to find your timing for a sleep cycle is to pick a weekend, and not set an alarm clock. Go to bed the moment you feel tired and then wake up naturally. Do this for the entire weekend (including Friday night!) and then average out your time. That’s your natural sleep cycle. Ideally you would do this over a week or so, but since the working world cannot wait you must make do with what you can right?

So what are some easy ways to fall asleep?

Nap every single day: nap regularly, keep it short, and make it in the early afternoon. 1) By napping at the same time every day, your body will start to regulate itself to want to nap at that time and it will become easier to fall asleep quickly and take an efficient nap; 2) Keep it short - only nap for about 20 minutes. This length of time, a power nap, is just enough to make you feel refreshed and mentally more alert but doesn’t allow you to go into a deep sleep (which would interfere with falling asleep at night), and; 3) Make sure to nap in the early afternoon - preferably about 20 to 30 minutes after lunch, which is when your body is naturally inclined to feel sleepy, and early enough in the day to not interfere with falling asleep at night.

Make your room cold Your body needs to cool down in order to fall asleep and stay asleep, so do what you can to make your room cool. For me, a cool bedroom has the added benefit of nestling into a heavy comforter, and I find the heavy warmth on top of me very soothing.

Exercise intensely. Don’t just “exercise”, but do so intensely, to the point of feeling physical exhaustion. At the end of the day, this is probably the single best thing for helping induce deep, restorative sleep. When I say “intensely”, I mean intense relative to your capability. For some this may mean running 5 miles, for others it may mean a brisk 20 minute walk that elevates the heart rate. Physical tiredness is absolutely essential to getting a good night’s sleep

Expose yourself to bright light/sunlight soon after waking up. Bright sunlight (or any bright light) tells your body’s natural biological clock that its time to wake up, and that same clock will then be set to tell your body its time to go to sleep about 14 to 16 hours later

Find a bedtime ritual that works for you. I say find the routine that works for you - whatever it is - and do it every night. Find what helps you feel less anxious at the end of the day and incorporate into a nightly ritual.

Do what it takes to manage stress in your life. At some points in our lives we are burdened by a great deal of stress. It may be chronic pain or other health condition, a family or work situation, financial stress, or all combined. And the stressful situation may well be unavoidable. But do what you can to take some control over the stress. There are so many ways to do this - I encourage you to try some and just keep trying until you find what works for you. It can be guided imagery, either with the help of a professional or with CD’s, regular massage, yoga or tai chi, calming music, or a therapeutic run or bike ride after work. We all have different preferences - try one that sounds appealing, but if you find it difficult to stick with it, then try a different one

Anyway, like I said I won’t make this a bio lecture (though it’s truly fascinating). My friend gave me the link to some article and research findings so I suggest you go check it out and read for yourself. Believe me I have a lot more respect for sleep and naps now…and I’m trying to think of ways to incorporate them into my life. I am going to attempt to take a nap at around my lunch and then another one after work (only 15-20 minutes though) and then sleep everyday for 7.5 hours (my sleep cycle number). I’ll up date you guys on the progress.

• http://www.sleepfoundation.org/Alert/030730.cfm
• Center for Applied Cognitive Studies (http://centacs.com/)

The mysteries of Love

Well I've given in. So many of you have sent me so many requests for a Valentine’s Day post. So I gave in. But let me tell you, this is not going to be some Valentine’s Day post which tells you all about my feelings. Rather, it's going to be a post about the science of love. Enjoy, and happy heart day. Also just as a side note I encourage all of you to read the studies that I mention, they are truly fascinating.

What rules attraction?
In general, you gravitate toward people like you. good-looking people tend to go for similarly good-looking types, and those from a particular socioeconomic background favor their own. Experts believe this happens because perceived equality contributes to a stable union. Well known actresses pair up with rock stars, for example, because such men tend to be as rich and famous as they are. But once you get past the bone structure and bank account and into personality attributes, opposites often attract. "We’re apt to falling love with those who are mysterious and challenging to us" says Fisher, a professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. "This pull to another biological type could also be adaptive, if two very different people pool their DNA, they'll create more genetic variety, and their young will come to the job of parenting with a wider array of skills" hence my friends, survival.

How much do looks count?
Physical features are important to both sexes, but a bit more so to men. This is because most of the male brain is associated with processing visual information such as threats[1]. This is also true for women, but they show more activity in the brain regions that integrate decision making, which suggests they’re thinking about a little more than just how he looks.

Is love really blind?
Hmmmm…not exactly. However, once you’re hooked on someone, your vision gets cloudy. When you’re in a relationship, you’re well aware of the other person’s flaws, but your brain is telling you it’s OK to ignore them. Recent studies at the Wellcome Department of Neuroimaging[2] in London found that when romantic partners look at each other, the part of the brain associated with social assessment and negative emotion is relatively dormant and critical judgment is dulled. According to researchers, this mechanism may have evolved to help people stick together through early, sometimes stressful child-rearing stages.

Can love be addictive?
The answer is…Yes. Brain wave patterns taken from people “in love” mimic those of an addict bent on scoring their next fix[3]. Studies have found, for instance, that serotonin levels decrease by up to 40% in the newly smitten, causing some to show signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition associated with low serotonin-which is why you can’t seem to get the other person out of your head. Additionally, cortisol, a stress hormone linked with the fight-or-flight response, is released, so you’re constantly on high alert. Sound familiar? The brain also produces excess levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with addictive behavior whose activity increases when you expect to receive a reward. Gamblers and drug addicts experience similar dopamine activity. In essence you’re not supposed to be satisfied with the minimum, you’re supposed to be driven so you can win the person and eventually stabilize your inner chemistry.

When a relationship ends, you experience symptoms that are similar to an addict’s withdrawal. Your dopamine levels go down, so your mood suffers. The serotonin levels remain low, so your obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms may not go away. In response to these imbalances, risk taking tendencies go up. That’s why when you can’t have someone but you’re not willing to accept that, you try harder and become more extreme about it. Ironically though, many scientists like Fisher (mentioned above) say that this compulsive behavior may help you move on faster: either you win the person back or you drive them away.

What makes people commit?
Humans are hardwired to stick together. Intimate relationships trigger the production of oxytocin and vasopressin, chemicals that have been nicknamed “cuddle hormones”. A mere touch from a loved one can elevate their levels, and after sex they flood the system. These hormones play an important role later on in the relationship…when you really begin to notice the other person’s flaws.

Why are some more reluctant to commit than others?
Gene variation may be partly to blame for this. Scientists at Emory University looked at the effect of vasopressin in two closely related kinds of rodents- the prairie vole and the meadow vole. Like humans, the prairie vole is one of the 3% of mammalian species that form monogamous pair bonds. The meadow vole doesn’t. But when male meadow voles were injected with a gene responsible for releasing vasopressin receptors, they immediately lost their wanderlust, paired up and settled down.

The number of vasopressin receptors is what most researchers think lay the foundation for commitment. Which in my opinion makes sense. Think about the “great long loves” out there. There’s something more to a couple that stays together for 50 years, and it’s hard to imagine that it’s just a question of compatible personalities or strict beliefs.

Does love make you more trusting?
Those “in love” do tend to see the world through rose colored glasses. An experiment at the national institute of mental health (NIMH[4]) in DC, found that subjects who inhaled oxytocin before looking at pictures of threatening faces had markedly lower activity in their brains fear centers. In addition to this a game in which subjects were given a sum of money to invest with a trustee, either in a lump sum or piecemeal, was set up. Anything given to the trustee would triple in value, but it was up to the subject to decide how much to turn over. Half the participants that were sprayed with oxytocin (the other half sprayed with a placebo) were twice as likely to turn all their money over to a trustee.

Why do people cheat?
I wrote an article on this a long time ago, but I never saw it through a scientific explanation. Attraction, romantic love, and attachment envolve three overlapping but separate brain systems. This means that it’s not hard for somebody to sexually desire one person, be infatuated with another, and still want to spend the rest of his or her life with a third. Because kind of love serves a unique need and exists in a different context, cheaters are able to divide their emotional resources. So what makes one more likely to cheat than the other? The answers are both inconsistent and varied. I suspect that the propensity to stray may be stronger in people who have novelty-seeking, sopamine sensitive personalities (basically addictive personalities). But there are other factors unique to the relationship-a need for attention, a desire to get out of the situation, everything I mentioned before are still likely to fuel infidelity.

Can love affect you health?
A study in Ohio State University showed that couples in good relationship tend to be healthier and happier than those that are not. Happily married couples report lower stress than single people, in part because they provide each other with emotional support in difficult times. Lower stress translates to better health and immune function. They say that people in conflict ridden relationships see that cuts and bruises heal more slowly than those that in a stable relationship. In a continuation of that study, breakups have been shown to cause physical pain. Subjects were involved in a virtual ball-tossing game. Those people rejected during the game showed activity in the pain area of their brains. This means, in evolutionary terms of course, that exclusions can be as bad for survival as a real injury, and our bodies know this. It’s part of the herd and pack instinct, if you’re alone you die.

What keeps people together?
Scientists say hormones, sociologists say hard work. I say both. Eventually the chemical activity associated with new love (high dopamine etc) dies down. This can range from 6 months to two years (depending on the initial rush). There are ways to keep the love alive, if you’re still interested at this point in keeping it. For men, sexual contact drives up dopamine levels. This is because men’s brain can only release those levels again with sexual contact due to the inherent nature of their desire to “populate” their species. For women, it is frequent physical contact, which maintain elevated oxytocin levels. Women are especially sensitive to oxytocin since it is a hormone that is linked to the “rear and raise” instinct. This is why holding hands, stroking your partner or any other kind of touch can create a feeling of attachment, and is the corner stone to her sexual arousal…aka foreplay. For both sexes however, novelty is essential, which is why you tend to feel so good about somebody after taking a trip or going through an usual experience together.


So there it is, ten reasons why we fall so hard, commit reluctantly, cheat for (or are cheated on) but are inclined to stay bonded forever.

Sources:
[1] Brizendine, Louann. The Human Brain. University of California, San Francisco. 2006
[2] http://www.vislab.ucl.ac.uk/pdf/motherlove.pdf
[3] http://www.ncpg.com/addicted_to_love.php
[4] http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2005/trust-building-hormone-short-circuits-fear-in-humans.shtml

10 Things that everyone should know

It's a tough world out there, and everyone needs an arsenal of things to keep themselves together. I like to call myself a fairly independent woman, but there are always things that help me out.

1. How to grab a bartender's attention:
This is really very tricky, but the name of the game is just to get noticed. Bartenders are used to people waving and shouting at them, so patience is the best weapon in your arsenal. But you can't rely on charm only, so here's a tip: keep moving. Don't wait as if you're wating in line. Instead, follow the bartender. Most bartenders move from one end and work their way to the other. Once you spot which direction the bartender is going to be headed, put yourself in that line of sight. Make sure you have money or a card visible in your hand. This will signify that you are ready to purchase drinks, and it won't take as long. Plus, know what you're getting ahead of time, a bartender can do just what a waiter does: I'll come back in a moment, and then you never see them again

2. Use a public restroom without picking up germs:
You're unlikely to catch an STD even in the grungiest bathroom, but there are tons of disease-causing bugs in there...including E.Coli. The toilet seat is not that germy actually, but still make sure that you put a barrier between the seat and yourself. This can be a little bit of toilet paper or a toilet gaurd. The real important things are flushing and washing. Flushing a toilet actually send fecal particles up to 20 feet in the air, so get out of the stall, wash your hands and leave. Don't linger so long in there *ahem* girls.

3. Fake goodlooks:
Your boss calls an emergency meeting for five inutes from now, or you spot your ex in a cafe, and of course "Murphy's Law" you're not looking your best. These work for guys and girls.
* Splash a little cold water on your face. This will temporarily tighten your pores and help even out your skin tone.
* Blot oil with a napkin, a towel, or even your t-shirt. The best thing to use though is tissue since it's porous enough to pick it up wihtout sticking.
* Camouflage breakouts with eye-drops...they don't make the zit disappear, but they do take the red-coloring temporaily out of the skin around it, making it easier to blend in.
*run your teeth over your lips. This will highten bloodflow to your lips, and will remove any obvious loose flakes. Then put some petrollium jelly on your lips. (Girls suck on some candy that will stain your lips)
* Pinch your cheeks for color

4. Fit everything into your bag:
My guy friends always laugh at me when they see me with my big purse. I carry a big purse during the week for a reason...because it fits everything. But I've come to accept that there must be ways to fit everything you need in a regular sized bag. And really this isn't just for girls, guys could learn this to so that they can minimalistic. First, you have to redefine what everything means. You have to lower this down to day-to-day essentials. I'm talking about your keys, wallet, sunglasses, cellphone, and super basics. Anything else that you don't carry with you everyday, should stay at home or at work. Then go with a size that will fit it all. Don't buy a super mini-clutch if you carry a notebook with you everywhere. Make sure that there are several smaller pockets inside the bag. Stash large items like your wallet in the main part of the bag, while your tinier things (such as your keys) should be in the pockets. That way, the big things will always be visible and the little ones won't get lost. Keep consistant when you switch bags. For example, always put your keys in the inner zippered pocket, your cell phone in the outer pouch, and so on. If you keep things consistent, you'll always know where everything is and you'll be able to reach in with your eyes closed and pull out exactly what you're looking for. Lastly, make sure that the bag has a lighter linning than the back on the inside. It's easier to see what you're looking for when the background is something that can contrast against it.

5. How to make a great omlet every single time:
Heat 2 ounces of butter (or 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, in a nonstick pan set on medium, and coat the entire bottom evenly. Add three beaten eggs to the pan, then (and this is key) continually push the cooked edges toward the center of the pan. You want to keep the eggs moving so that they don't stick. When the eggs become firm, cover half of the omelet with your fillings (think diced ham, cheese, veggies). With the spatual, fold the other side of the omlet over the filling side so it makes a half circle. After 30 seconds slip it onto a plate.

6. Set a mental alarm clock:
This become inportant when crashing at places on a weeknight, and there's no alarm clock. Try this next time: start by making sure the room is dark but not pitch black. If light get in your body won't be able to wake up. So as you're lying down, ready to drift off, tell yourself that you're going to wake at...say...seven. Say it over and over in your mind-I will wake up at seven- and at the samet time, envision the numbers on an imaginary clock. You should awaken at or very close to the desired time.

7. Talk and eavesdrop at the same time:
Mastering this talent gives you the percet cover when you're listening in on something. You can completely tune in to a nearby converation if you make a few mechnicali movements wiithin your own discussion that indicate you're paying attention but don't require actual focus. Lean slightly toward the person talking to you; this convey's an eagerness to hear what htey have to say, even though you're actually checked out. Maintain steady eye contact and nod your head occasionally. Every 30 seconds or so, volunetter a vague verbal cue like "right" "yeah". These words are easy to spit out without thought, so they relate to any topic.

8. Freshen you breath without a toothbrush:
Get some carbonated water, and swish it around in you mouth. This washes away food particles caught in your teeth or on the back ofyour tounge that cause odor. Then take a few bites (if you can) of crunchy vegtables. Apples, oranges, carrots, cucumbers, celery, and lettuce. These help cleanse your teeth naturally. If you can, much on parsley...which is a pretty efective breath-booster.

9. Fix a broken shoe:
Conquering the this common nightmare requires an easy preemptive maneuver-arming yourself at all times with the right extrastrong glue. One brand--> E-6000. Coat a thin layer on the hell, the press it firms against the back of your shoe. It's super strong and sets in in minutes, but go easy on your feet for a while, as it takes a while for the glue to set in completely. E-6000 is generally sold at craft stores, so if you don't have one nearby go for gorilla glue...which is more common and equally strong.

10. Tell a funny story:
I am probably the worst person to give this advice as I have the most awkward sense of humor. I'm one of those people that will laugh at exactly the most inappropriate times. But, I do know a few tips that I've noticed in other people. First rule of thumb: edit out the related details. "Keep your story short, clear, and to the point. If it doesn't matter what the main characters were wearing or what kind of car they drove, don't bore everyone with these tangents. Second, have fun telling your story without giving away the punch line. Go ahead and laugh while you're talking, it'll encourage others to do it too. Just don't give away the punch line early on. It's always best to keep it as a surprise.

*Did you know that Tonic water glows? *

What you really need to know about Gin:
Have you ever been to a deluxe bar, which takes its cocktails seriously, and opened up the drinks menu, only to be overwhelmed with the list of Gins, vodkas etc? Well, Danearys is here to help you. As much as I can that is. This is a guide to that most sophisticated, wonderfully complex of spirits; Gin.

What is Gin?
Gin is a clear grain spirit enhanced by the fragrant juniper berry, which in Dutch is genever. Essentially you could say that it’s juniper-flavored vodka, but it’s a tad more sophisticated than that. Pervious myths whispered that Gin is made in bathtubs, on the contrary mes Amies. Gin is blended in copper-pot stills where the spirit is boiled. The botanicals-any herbs, spices and fruits that you can imagine (including nutmeg, orris, angelica root and orange peel) are added directly to the bubbling elixir. This is the most common way of infusing gin with its various flavors. However, in a few choice distilleries, these botanicals are suspended over the copper pots in copper baskets and vapor-extracted. This gives the gin a more delicate taste.

What makes a Quality Gin?
The best gins come from distillers who make their base spirit on-site, or get it from small artisans that micro manage the procedure. Smart distillers then blend the freshest botanicals with curatorial discretion. What you want is a gin that has balance, complexity and smells more like a garden than aftershave. Good gins have a good smell. In order to reveal these it’s a pretty good idea to add a few drops of water to the gin, treating it like a scotch. Just like wine, you should be able to pick out the different parts, the norm being between a citrus, sweet and tangy scent. Always avoid gins that have long lists of ingredients, as there should never be too many botanicals. Gin should always have one or two signature taste characteristics rather than a jumble of ingredients. If you can’t tell what the hell the different ones are, it’s probably not a premium gin. Avoid gins that aren’t labeled “distilled”. This means that they’re compounded mixture of tanker-truck booze, lab manufactured flavors, and will light your lungs on fire! Believe me, it’s kinda painful and sickening.

The history of Gin:
Many people argue about the origins of Gin. As I understand it, the contention is between Italy and Holland. Italy claims that it had created the drink at the Salerno Medical School, which it had used in various celebrations. Holland claims that Franciscus Sylvius, a Dutch doctor in Leyden, created the infusion of juniper berries and distilled grain produce as a remedy for weak kidneys and stomach disorders. Either way, all sources agree that the drink was most common in Holland.

During the 30 years war, English troops fighting in the lowlands were given “Dutch courage”, and took the concoction back to England for mass production. The distillation process was fairly easy to recreate in England and various laws actively encouraged the home distillation of spirits. This mass production lowered the price of Gin and soon became a firm favorite with the poor, as it was cheaper than beer and ale, and had a warming quality. The influx of gin in the market suppressed the production of good gin, but the quantity consumed continued to rise. Suddenly the abuse of alcohol became a major social problem, leading to such terms as “down gin lane”; a description for areas that were scenes of idleness, vice, misery and death.

The problem was tackled in 1736 by passing the Gin Act, making gin prohibitively expensive. Previously a license to retail gin cost £3 ($258.87 today), to £50 ($4314.50 today). Over time the cost lowered, but only marginally. Gin became more expensive to distill, increasing quality and social rank by making it a commodity that only the rich could afford. It continued to rise as technological improvements allowed for beer and ale to become cheaper, and refined a drier gin. In the late 1800s, gin became a popular favorite in gentlemen’s clubs, where it was added to various cocktails (such as “Pink Gins”), leading to the habit of mixing gin with unpleasant tasting liquids[1]. Thus leading to today’s view of Gin.

So how do you drink it, and top choices?
Sure there’s tonic (a personal favorite), but there are other ways to enjoy your gin if you don’t enjoy the taste of quinine. Consider not mixing your gin at all. If it’s a good gin, it won’t make you feel like your liking a car battery. Make a martini but skip the vermouth, which personally doesn’t appeal to me anyway. Why mix gin with flavored wine? Gin is the Rolls-Royce of cocktail spirits, so it advocates drinking it slow and straight, or strained after some easy shaking over ice. Why shake? The shaking introduces oxygen to the drink which enhances the botanical ingredients making them much easier to recognize and to pop out. You can also add little garnishes to the drink which will melt in with the juniper; cucumber is an interesting choice, and I’ve seen several add in a couple of pearl onions.
But, Gin doesn’t follow any strict recipes-it requires juniper…that’s about it- so distillers can get creative with their blends and create specific tastes. Premium distillers make mixes that make sense, and have some uncommon but complimenting ingredients. Remember that what makes the gin a beautiful drink is the fact that they are blended with skill and intention, revealing a thoughtfulness, and complexity you won’t find in other spirits.

Suggestions:

• 
  Bluecoat: A little sugary. It’s got a lemon drop candy flavor that’s pretty light.
• Bulldog: This gin is drier than most and…exotic. This I think is because it adds a botanical called dragon eye, which in my personal opinion is awesome in an of itself
• No. 209: This is thick and very tangy…not a personal favorite but it certainly clears up the nasal passages.
• Aviation: Spicy! Not in the buffalo wing sense, but rather in the cardamom and anise sense.
• Leopold’s: I can never really put this right on place it’s always a tie between citrus and spice
• Hendrick’s: It’s got cucumber and is probably one of the best that you can start on. It’s got an unusual taste but it’s still one of the most drinkable gins.

Now these are just suggestions, I’m not saying these are the best. I’m just offering them up as ones that would make a good start for people looking for a variety of tastes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with other brands, so go ahead…raise your glass…take a sip! Gin and Tonic for me

[1] Enter the “Gin and Tonic”. Previously called “Indian tonic water”, gin was added to tonic water to disguise the taste of the quinine necessary to fight malaria in the tropics, during the campaigns of the East India Company

How to be a Gentleman:
This morning I was on the metro along with the thousands of other 9 to 5ers, getting ready to trudge through another day, I witnessed at least a dozen strapping young men standing around idle as an old lady tried to drag her packed wheelie case down the escalators and onto the train. Totally appalled, I stood up from my seat (which, incidentally, was snapped up immediately by another selfish, slack jawed human bystander), walked past everyone and lifted the wheelie up into the train just before the doors closed on it. It took me five seconds and minimal effort, but she was so surprised and so grateful for it. Everyone around me looked at me strangely, like I was some freak of nature.

It got me thinking though — I’ve always been told that while I am on an equal playing field with men, I am still a woman and it is, in a sense, my duty to be ladylike when a man is a gentleman towards you. I remember a time when guys held doors open, said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, and charming men gave up their seats for the elderly, a pregnant lady, or someone who just looked like they’d had a rough day.

So what the hell happened? Well, believe it or not, but my male friends actually do voice their confusion and frustration after dates or nights out with friends, about not knowing what to say to a girl or how to act to show them they are actually a genuinely nice guy. They want to be pleasant, nice, and funny but don’t want to be dismissed as just ANOTHER guy with only one thing on their mind. They want to be polite, but not offensive. In essence, they want to be a gentleman.

See, chivalry’s not dead. It just got confused. With the push of equal opportunity and political correctness, I think most guys have the right intentions. It’s really easy sometimes to offend a girl just by being polite — as stupid as that sounds. Some guys unfortunately have good intentions, but come on way too strong or don’t know how to deliver. Others only use politeness as a way to pick up chicks, thus ruining it for everyone. The remainder? Well, they’re just jerks.
So here’s my guide to being the perfect modern gentleman. I say modern, because there are several things that have since my upbringing have become outdated, or are just impractical. For example, I was always told that a gentleman stands up whenever a lady at the table stands up. While in formal settings this is still somewhat of a requirement, it is no longer something everyone does if you’re hanging out in a restaurant. It’s actually ineffectual as you can easily get in the way of the person trying to leave. So this is just a quickie guide, in the hope that everyone can exercise some of this in the real world, and foretell the comeback of nice gestures and gallantry.

First Impressions:
A gentleman takes care of his appearance. This does not mean that you have to dress in the best clothes with precise knowledge of the latest trends. It just means that you’re presentable and give the best first impression that you can give. Now you can stick to your personal style if you like, but just remember the basics: Clean teeth, Fresh Breath, groomed hair (In various orifices on your body), clean nails, deodorant, clean clothes, and healthy skin (not flaking or chapped because its dry…no one wants to kiss someone that reminds them of a leper…well unless you’re into that).
You know that amazing feeling when you’re out somewhere and a cute girl flashes you a smile? Now nothing necessarily can come from it, and she might be down the road and around the corner by the time your brain’s caught up with the rest of you. But it’s still nice to have an acknowledgement that a cute girl thinks you look nice, or dress nice, or that she digs your shoes, so you must be worth the effort. Newsflash, superstud! Girls get that same amazing feeling if you smile at them first! And it’s the simplest, easiest, cheapest nice gesture you can give.

It’s all about delivery though, and I think this is the biggest problem guys face. Girls are scary. We’re like sharks in the water, we smell fear. I can see how guys are afraid of us; especially the ones they think are cute. I know tons of guys that have loads of stuff to talk to a girl about, have frozen still in their tracks because they are not sure how to actually talk to one, or acknowledge one. The trick is something that I can’t expound enough; a little belief in yourself. Confidence. That’s the key

Most guys over think things though, and try to cram too much into a smile. Obviously, your smile shouldn’t say, “Hey baby. You are one sexy mama and you should shimmy over here!” Nor should it say, “Hey. I think you’re cute and I was wondering if you wanted to come and hang out and have a chat and see if we have something in common because if we do I think it’d be awesome to hang out and go somewhere some place sometime and do something because I think you’re cool and interesting.”

Try and smile at someone as if you’re saying “Hey! What’s up?” without words. Because essentially, that’s all a smile to a stranger should say. Nothing may come of it, and that’s fine. All you want to do with a smile is give her your acknowledgement and respect. She might take it on board and that’ll be that. At least you brightened someone’s day. If you’re lucky though, she’ll flash you a “Hi. Not much…” smile back. And those, my friend, are awesome!

A compliment is a great way to break the ice or strike up a conversation with someone, but again, you need to be smart about it. You need to understand that a compliment is only good if it’s sincere. Don’t make stupid, back-handed sarcastic ones. And it can’t be too superficial either. So you think she’s cute or pretty. Of course you do, that’s why you’ve noticed her. Just stop and try not to be really shallow about it — what is it about her that you like? Try and work it out, but don’t blatantly stare while you do so, because you’ll look like a creep. It’s a delicate balance, I know, but it’s something we all need to learn: a general compliment will make you sound like Johnny Everyguy, and she’s heard all that before. Say something really specific or weird and you’re a creep that she’ll be telling her friends about over coffee tomorrow.

So if you find yourself noticing a girl some place and you want to be a gentleman about it, quickly ask yourself why you’ve noticed her. Maybe she’s got a button or a tee from an obscure band you like. Is she sitting at a table and reading your favorite magazine. Perhaps she’s just ordered that weird cocktail that it seems no one else but you like at your favorite bar. Or maybe you love her laugh and just had to talk to her. Something not so shallow, a little different, but most importantly, honest. That’s what you’re aiming for here. And that’s what’ll set you apart from the fifty other guys that have already stared at her boobs tonight, telling her she has a pretty “smile”

Keep things positive: I mentioned above the ‘back-handed compliment’. Girls reading this will know what this is. I see and hear guys do these all the time, and I don’t for the life of me understand it. A guy will be interested in a girl, strike up a conversation and all is fine. But suddenly it’s like the 10-year-old inside of him takes over and he’s pulling the cute girl’s pigtails again — making sarcastic comments, saying negative things to ‘playfully tease’ the girl, flirting with their friends to ‘play hard to get’ (which can work sometimes, but a lot of the times you come of as someone that just likes to flirt), sending mixed messages or just generally saying things that could be taken a number of ways. I don’t get it, and I’m sure most girls don’t want to play these games. So stop it.

Keeping the gentleman flowing: Okay, so you’ve embraced your inner White Knight. She can see the nice guy you are and now you don’t want to mess it up. What do you do next?
Nothing, that’s what! Come on, this stuff is really easy and SHOULD be coming naturally for you. Maybe you’ve just regressed into Caveman Mode, forgotten it all and gone over to the Dark Side. Well, bring yourself back to the light: it just boils down to being respectful. If going out on a date, pick the girl up or at least make sure you’re on time to meet her wherever you’re going. Let her sit first, or be extra courteous and pull out her chair to let her sit. Let her order first, engage in some appropriate conversation, listen to what she says, don’t start eating until you both have your meals, and make sure she’s comfortable and content throughout the meal. Obvious, huh?

And even if you have fallen for a girl who’s really switched on to the modern, PC way of life you can still be a gentleman. There’s such a good balance between males and females these days that we’re lucky to be part of, but most guys seem to take advantage of. For example, splitting a bill was frowned upon back in the fifties and most people go dutch these days. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer to pay. It’s just manners. Politeness. A great gesture. It’ll make her feel special. Just make sure it’s not an empty gesture. Because there’s nothing worse than that, and it’s game over well and truly if you’re found out to be a snake.

Check the cavemen at the door: This isn’t supposed to be a ‘how to talk to girls’ article though. My main point is that the more masculine half of the population used to be far nicer and respectful. I mean, what the hell happened? I’m not saying times are back to the point where you should take off your cloak and lay it in the mud to save a girl’s shoes. But the old lady on the metro just made me realize what the world is like right now. And frankly, I felt ashamed of every person that had just stood and watched her. Don’t discriminate either, if the old lady had been a blonde haired, large chested lass dragging a shopping cart onto a tram, suddenly every guy there would’ve been Don Juan reincarnated.

Why do you have to be interested in someone to be a gentleman? People say that guys will do anything for a pretty face, and isn't that the truth. For shame, boys! That’s not how it should be at all. So I issue you a challenge: treat everyone the same and be a polite gentleman anyway — even if it’s just for the sake of being nice. Do at least one good deed a day, to anyone, anytime. In fact, do a million good deeds.

Seriously, do it! I dare you

There’s nothing wrong with being nice to a stranger. I admit, times have changed since the old days when your parents were young, polite bucks and Boy Scouts were helping old grannies to cross the street. ‘Stranger danger’ is rife in everyone’s attitudes, and sometimes someone won’t even appreciate your efforts to be nice.

But that shouldn’t mean you keep to yourself and only interact with those you know, running in the same old circles. Where’s the fun in that?! A while ago, I made friends with a girl who was in the same class (back in the college days). I’d seen her all over campus a few times, and one time she had a heap of bags full of books and notepads. When we got off, I offered to help her out since my hands were empty and we were heading the same way. Nothing suspicious, no hidden motives – it was just a nice gesture. And she appreciated it. I was just someone who’d offered to help her out. And from that came a great new friendship.

I’m not a student any more, but we do catch up from time to time, and she’s got some awesome friends who I now count as my friends too. And it all started from a mere compliment and a nice gesture.

These are just the basics…I won’t get into the large pedigree of etiquette that has been engrained in my head…and which I generally ignore myself (I don’t always wear only A-line skirts). But this will help you get the advantage in getting that cute girl that you would like to know more about.
Good Luck!

Happy New Year everyone!
I hope that everyone had a wonderful time last night and that whatever they did, they did so with as much inner strength as they could muster. It's the beginning of a new year for everyone and it's time to make the best of it. I have several personal traditions for New Years and New Year's Eve. I'll make a confession....I have spent every single New Year's Eve with my family. This is not because I don't like going out (quite the contrary) but...because I don't get to see them very often...and it just so happens that are almost always in town during the holidays. This however does not prevent me from celebrating with my friends! I may spend the traditional view of New Year's with family, but I have a tendency to view every day as a New Year if you will.
But I digress; traditions. One, I carry with me always some small rocks that I collected back as a little girl. They each have interesting patterns, and I picked them back when I was first learning about the earth. I remember thinking that these rocks have been here for longer than I have, and will continue to be here long after I am dead. These rocks...for some odd reason, just make me feel optimistic about the future. Luckily they are pretty small, so I can carry them in whatever purse I carry. The second tradition is grapes. My mother showed me this one. At 12 make sure you have 12 grapes. When the clock strikes 12, you eat all the grapes that you can in the first minute. Now there is some contention in the family about the matter of time. Some say that you should eat all the grapes in the first 12 seconds, others the first minute. Either way, if you get the kind of grapes that are big and juicy, you have a ton of fun watching everyone (and yourself) trying to gobble away at the grapes. After the grapes and rocks, I dance at least ONE song....and kiss someone. The kiss doesn't have to be on the lips, and it doesn't have to be someone that you're attracted to necessarily...just a kiss to ring in the new year and bring in some luck!
My final tradition is watching the sunrise. By this time I am generally exhausted from dancing, drinking and warding off the usual questions from my family. But I try to make an effort to do this every time. Watching the sunrise has always made me think that anything is possible. Plus I love how no one else is around, and how the world changes in vibrant hues...each one different and unique, yet still remaining the same in it's constant cycle.
And this year's resolutions: Every year, I make a list of things that I want to do or accomplish in the year. I make a point of saying that resolutions are not absolute. In my opinion absolute resolutions are better off stated as goals. Here you have a time scheduled to complete those goals. For example...a goal of mine is to go to the doctor's for my (overdue) annual check up by February. A resolution on the other hand is something that you wish to accomplish and are...resolute about it ;)
1. Learn to love my workout: I work out, but I find that sometimes I don't do it because I want to. Rather I do it because I'm told it's good for me and I know I should. So...this year, I will try to truly love it. I mean, it keeps me in shape, will ensure that I live to see future generations react to mine, makes me feel good, and allows me to force a release of feelings that I can't really release in real life. I plan to do this by jotting down a few notes after every workout, reminding myself how I feel (which is generally exhausted...but somewhat elated as well). I will not force myself to go to the gym when my body is screaming for me not to. I will take a break instead, and go when I feel I want to.
2. Work hard at work, play hard at play:Work, as much as I dislike it, is important. It pays the bills, and allows me to have fun money. Plus, it's not really all that bad. No one is forcing me to stay there and if I didn't find at least something that I liked about it, I wouldn't be there. So I must find what keeps me there, and work at that. But I don't intend to run in a Rat-race. I understand that a job is important, but so are all the other factors of your life. This year I will learn to make the two of them work. Work hard, play hard!
3. sunscreen and care: My body has so far been so good to me. I put it through so much, and it still continues on. The wonderful machine that it is. I plan to take better care of it, and return the favour.
4. Memory games: I was sitting down reading one of my favourite books the other day, and I could not remember the definition of the word that I was reading. I knew the word, I had used...but at that moment my mind drew a blank. Suddenly I became paranoid that I was loosing my memory and not exercising it enough. So this year, it's time to work on a few mind games.
5. Study for the future:Since I still have no idea what I want to do with my life, professionally speaking, I'm going to start looking into all the fields that I have an interest in and see if I find a sudden spark. This however, will also include studying for odious future tests (as I call them), like the GRE or the LSAT.
6. Paint and create more: I love painting and creating things. This year, I want to have several projects...and actually complete them.
7. Inner peace: I grew up in a very catholic family. But I don't necessarily call myself a catholic. I honestly have no idea what I would call myself. So this year I plan to find out, and find...a faith...in something at least; which doesn't have to be religion.
8. Dance more: I love to dance, and I want to learn more.
9. save money: I am not very good at this. I tend to be an impulse buyer, and this is not good. I vow to start saving money...that way when I'm old and crazy I can at least bribe people to put up with me.
10. buy a new computer: Oh lord, of course I mention buying something JUST after I said that I needed to save money. But my poor old computer needs to be replaced. I have had it for a good 5 years and it has lasted me through so many trials. I just hope that it holds out for as long as I can save my money.

And now its your turn. Any traditions that you do on new years? how do you normally spend it? How did you spend it this year? And what are your resolutions?

once again
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Wishing you all the best!