End of July

We have come to the end of July and the summer is near over. Time passes by to fast and I hate just how much time I have lost. I was hoping to be stronger and had hope to have done things on my bucket list but the fact of the matter is it is to late. So, much time has been wasted and I will never get that time back. 


Who should I blame? I could think of many but the truth is - as much as others had a hand in the course of my life, it is my fault for allowing them to hold me back.


I just do not know what to do to have a better life for the time that is left. That hurts and makes me sad.

Milky

Oldies but goodies

Meat Loaf I would do anything for love


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYE-a0gGCnM&feature=related


UB40 red red wine


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXt56MB-3vc&feature=relmfu


Deee-Lite Groove is in the heart


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etviGf1uWlg&feature=related


Satisfaction-Rolling Stones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a7cHPy04s8&feature=related


Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry (1976)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRr2kf84V2M&feature=related

The B52's - Love Shack

Fish & Chips

York Fish & Chips in Richmond Hill, Ontario sucks! They use to much batter and way to much oil. Thumbs down for that place.

There use to be a great place on Yonge Street but they shut down, which is a shame because they were there for 30+ years. Now, we have to go on the hunt for another good place for fish and chips.

Milky

Off the charts...

For the last month my levels have been insane but the last two days have been right on.

Take Care

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_FbS_whoOM

I know you’ve been hurt by someone else
I can tell by the way you carry yourself
If you let me, here’s what I’ll do
I’ll take care of you
I’ve loved and I’ve lost

[Drake: Verse 1]
I’ve asked about you and they told me things
But my mind didn’t change
And I still feel the same
What's a life with no fun? please don’t be so ashamed
I’ve had mine, you’ve had yours we both know
We know, they don’t get you like I will
My only wish is I die real
Cause that truth hurts, and those lies heal
And you can’t sleep thinking that he lies still
So you cry still, tears all in the pillow case
Big girls all get a little taste
Pushing me away so I give her space
Dealing with a heart that I didn’t break
I’ll be there for you, I will care for you
I keep thinking you just don’t know
Trying to run from that, say you’re done with that
On your face girl, it just don’t show
When you’re ready, just say you’re ready
When all the baggage just ain’t as heavy
And the party's over, just don’t forget me
We’ll change the pace and we'll just go slow
You won’t ever have to worry,
You won’t ever have to hide
You've seen all my mistakes
So look me in my eyes

[Rihanna]
Cause if you let me, here’s what I’ll do
I’ll take care of you
I’ve loved and I’ve lost

[Drake: Verse 2]
Yeah
It’s my birthday, I'll get high if I want to
Can’t deny that I want you, but I'll lie if I have to
Cause you don’t say you love me
To your friends when they ask you
Even though we both know that you do (you do)
One time, been in love one time
You and all your girls in the club one time
All so convinced that you’re following your heart
Cause your mind don’t control what it does sometimes
We all have our nights though, don’t be so ashamed
I’ve had mine, you’ve had yours, we both know
We know, you hate being alone
You ain’t the only one
You hate the fact that you bought the dream
When they sold you one
You love your friends but somebody shoulda told you somethin’ to save you
Instead they say,
Don't tell me, I don't care
If you hurt, I don't tell you
You don't care, if you're true

Don't tell me, I don't care
If you hurt, I don't tell you
You don't care, if you're true

[Rihanna]
I know you’ve been hurt by someone else
I can tell by the way you carry yourself
If you let me, here’s what I’ll do
I’ll take care of you
I’ve loved and I’ve lost


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SvIlT5Rnk4

MY TOP TEN

Places to visit before I die...


Argentina
Bora Bora
Cyorus
Greece
Iceland
Morocco
New Zealand
Panama
Sudan
Turkey

Milky

TOP TEN PLACES by Travel.ca

http://travel.ca.msn.com/specials/dream-vacations/10-places-to-visit-before-you-die#image=11


Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
Talk about standing the test of time: The Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of the three main pyramids in this iconic archaeological site (pictured), is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one still intact.
At 146.5 metres tall, the Giza Pyramid Complex was the loftiest man-made structure on the planet for more than 3,800 years, and even today towers over the sandy outskirts of Cairo. Guarding the site, the surreal Great Sphinx is still among the world's largest statues, while various ancient tombs and modern museums — such as the fascinating Solar Barque Museum and the soon-to-be-completed Grand Museum of Egypt — can easily turn a day trip into life-long fascination.

Great Wall of China
Okay, so it's not really visible from space. That takes nothing away from this stunning series of fortifications that stretch a total of 21,196 kilometres — more than twice the width of Canada — across northern China and parts of Mongolia. Constructed over nearly 2,000 years, the Great Wall presents visitors with a wide range of experiences, from strolling along the pristine stone ramparts of the Badaling and Jinshanling sections (pictured) — and taking cable cars, zip lines and even a 'toboggan run' up and down the wall — to hiking along the dilapidated grassy ridges of outlying sections.

Angel Falls, Venezuela
When it comes to breathtaking waterfalls, the 'fall' often trumps the 'water' — which is why the world's tallest cascade (pictured) trumps rivals like Niagara, Victoria and Iguaçu. Besides its 807-metre plunge over the sheer cliff face of Auyantepui mountain, Angel Falls is special because of its incomparable surroundings. Canaima National Park, the sixth-largest nature preserve in the world, boasts soaring rocky plateaus, dozens more dramatic waterfalls, misty rainforests and pristine beach-fringed lakes. No wonder it served as the exotic inspiration for the classic adventure novel The Lost World and its many TV, film and radio adaptations.

Manhattan, N.Y.
Frank Sinatra was bang on when he sang, 'If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere.' Old Blue Eyes was of course referring not just to New York, but more specifically to Manhattan, its architectural, financial and cultural heart. If you seek a city taken to extremes — with soaring skyscrapers (pictured), charming parks, pulsing nightlife and the world's best theatre scene — then Manhattan is the place to be. And it's got pedigree to spare: Who hasn't dreamed of strolling through Central Park (which opened in 1857)? Or gazing out from atop the Statue of Liberty (dedicated in 1886) or the Empire State Building (the world's tallest building from 1931-1972). To borrow from Sinatra once again, there are few travellers who don't want to be a part of it.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Pick an exotic zoo animal, and chances are it's on the loose in this Connecticut-sized preserve. The Serengeti region is home to the largest mammal migration on Earth, with more than a million wildebeest and 250,000 zebras galloping across its grasslands in spring and fall. It's widely regarded as the best place on the planet to observe Africa's 'Big 5' animals — lions, leopards, elephants (pictured), rhinos and buffalos — with scores of other fascinating species like cheetahs, gazelles and giraffes joining the menagerie. And if you've had your fill of chasing critters, the park also offers fascinating displays of indigenous Maasai culture and some of the most luxurious safari camps anywhere.

Machu Picchu, Peru
Take ancient Inca ruins that by themselves would win World Heritage status in a heartbeat, surround them with spectacular Andean peaks, and you've got a prime example of mankind and Mother Nature working together to amaze. Heck, even getting to Machu Picchu can be thrilling for hikers, with the renowned Inca Trail winding 42 kilometres from the modern city of Cuzco to the 'Lost City of the Incas.' And if you think Machu Picchu is the end of the trail, think again: Huayna Picchu, the steep mountain that looms over the city, has several temples and terraces on its peak, which can be explored via yet another breathtaking — some would say heart-stopping — path.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia
With more than two thirds of its surface covered by ocean, the Earth's largest and most vivid display of marine life cannot be overlooked. Located off the coast of northeast Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system — and is by far is the biggest single structure made by living organisms — with more than 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching 2,600-plus kilometres. The Germany-sized Marine Park, meanwhile, protects the thousands of species of whales, dolphins, turtles, fish, coral and more that draw scuba divers from around the world. Visitors looking to slip into the crystal-clear waters have dozens of options for doing so, from the luxurious resorts that have sprung up on dozens of islands to daily boat tours to live-aboard vessels that let divers sleep over the spectacular underwater scenery.

 Angkor, Cambodia
Who would have thought the world's largest religious structure — bigger than any of Europe's cathedrals or the mosques of the Arab world — could ever be 'lost'? But for centuries after its abandonment in the 1400s, this gargantuan complex of walls, terraces, residences and temples, centred on the towering Angkor Wat (pictured), lay cloaked in jungle. As it turns out, this slow decay has somehow enhanced the site, with many temples left to crumble romantically — and making visitors feel as though they have stepped into a Tomb Raider video game.

Grand Canyon, Ariz.
It's not the deepest canyon, it's not quite the widest, but no cleft in the Earth's surface combines the two measurements to such dazzling effect. Forget what you've seen on postcards: After you get over the initial shock of its stunning size, a first-hand look at this 1,800-metre-deep, 29-kilometre-wide marvel (pictured) will reveal the awesome power of erosion. The Colorado River spent millions of years carving through the multicoloured strata that yield such a glorious layered effect. And after you've taken it in from the rim, you can skew your perspective with a raft trip down the river far below, a helicopter ride high above, a hike (or donkey ride) deep into the chasm, and even a stroll past the rim at the glass-floored Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Wild Horses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f11ZV7I7n4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Jso1lD5uk

Beautiful day

It is such a beautiful day. The sky is blue and the sun is shining, it is hot but the nice kind of hot. The dogs are rolling around in the grass and soaking up the sun. It is days like this that I wish could last forever.

Milky

Pets

Cairo and Hugoboss get along like buddies. But Phoenix and Mischeif hate each other so much. London does not like any of the boys and I wonder if he misses the girls. Which by the way are doing well in their new home. Beautiful is going to have some more kittens. This lady really likes cats. I thought it was crazy that there were six in this house. She has six and wants more - that is a crazy cat lady. I am just happy they are well and being playful with the others.

Hugoboss is funny pup and lately Phoenix has been more of a suck. He is hanging on me and will not leave my side. I wonder if his senses know something is wrong. Even the cats have been close by. Who knows how much they understand.

Milky

Start packing

The packing starts up again. I still have so much to pack and we are at a 60 day count down. Everyday, one room at a time and once the 60 days are done I will have to unpack - oh happy joy joy. I have to say I am not looking forward to this but I know it has to be done. I just wish I was not this sick and tired.

Milky

sytycd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dmjrNfXH_E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN4rb1Dwo6E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lOOvOmSKhQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shg7qFHkciU&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0wTDjHFCoQ&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BybZ1It7KM&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi0TqflYMEk&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnftu7jSvNI&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zACQ0URYgmg&feature=related

The Moody Blues

Nights in White Satin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9muzyOd4Lh8


sytycd 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsO_NgKKXx4

Love Loss Poems

Cold





Her hand burned where he last touched it,

making sure she doesn’t forget.

She presses it firmly to her cheek

to keep her tear-soaked face warm

in the whirling wind of a cold winter night.



Her legs have gone numb,

so has he heart,

because they sat out in the snow too long

without his loving touch to keep them warm.

Loneliness drowns her

in every aspects

as her head falls to the ground.



She isn’t dead,

yet,

but she soon will be.

Her heart will shatter

when she lets out that last sob

with the memory of his last kiss being the last thing she sees.


Written by theemptyechoes


Ex Issues





I never meant to hurt you;
that wasn't my desire.
You never meant to hurt me either;
I was still tossed into the fire

I should have gave up;
or at least kept fighting.
Alas, my heart was crushed;
and it was my own fault that I was dying.

I gave you up for happiness;
but now that is gone.
Why do I still think of you;
maybe you were the one.

I let you get away;
at least that is what I feel.
Still, the drugs and drinking pushed me away;
you were in fantasy; I was with the real.

It was hard for me to say no;
when you asked for me back.
Hell if you had only asked earlier;
who knows where I could be at?

My choice wasn't simple;
like only door one or door two.
I chose her guiding light;
instead of the pain I had with you.

The pain is my own fault;
I take the blame.
Maybe I wouldn't have fought for you;
when you had him; if I was completely sane.

Love does that I guess;
turns the normal into weird.
I chose what would make me happy;
yet now, I am here.


Written by Levi (siphondarkness)


im sorry





im sorry for the times you cried,
and the lonliness you felt inside.
im sorry for the way things were,
and the lonliness that u endured.
im sorry for the nights we lost,
and the deep pain it mustve cost.
im sorry for the loved you missed,
losing you made me realise this.
im sorry i wasnt the girl you deserved,
this has been the hardest lesson learned.
im sorry i wasnt there to show,
the deepest love you ever know.
im sorry for the empty days,
and the stresses that you still yet pay.
im sorry for the way i left,
i never felt so much regret.
im osrry for the heart i broke,
that shattered with the words i spoke.
im sorry for the empty space,
that laid beside you in my place.
im osrry for the empty arms,
you fell into when times were hard.
im sorry for the days that passed,
our love now will surely last.
im sorry it took so long to vow,
to love you forever here and now....

Written by sadgurl   


count 'em





I’m dyin’ see?  
know it sure as anything  
that I’m dyin’ see  
the end of me
 
felt it last night in my dreams  
felt it coming  
felt the drummin’ of the death the end the rot of me  
the end the bend the stop of me  
and I got fear  
of that one ride I have to take
 
the clock has started running down
somewhere somehow that bell-ringing day has fed itself back through time  
to shake me with news
The Day  
That Day
 
yeah I’ve seen it before  
years ago  
vision premonition madness of truth
whatever the name it’s the same end game  
the death the darkness the nothing  
then everything passed that day  
every sunset every salty-hearted sailing sunrise  
everything I ever built will fall in rust rot decay
 
I’m no man making history
not made of some godly clay  
nothing I’ve ever done will matter
not afraid nor regrets for that  
there is honesty in obscurity  
good men live quiet and go well  
I’ve done the one and now I’ll do the other  
but brother  
of death and all her gifts  
the one I don’t want is this certainty of hoof-beats
this terrible ground this slow count-down
this knowledge of here it comes  
the end the reason the calculation of sums  
reduction reduced produced to mute meat  
and only just only nothing  
just gone  
 
no song low enough for the knowledge I know  
no woman earth enough to ease the blow  
so I’m going and I’ll go  
dead stop  
dead end  
dead. fucking. dead.

Written by Deathproof

 are we meant to be?





when you close your eyes do you think of me?
when you open them an I'm not there is it hard to breath?
when you think ahead and all you see is gray
do you take the chance or do you walk away
is it fair to say love is blind
or maybe you believe out of sight out of mind
distance to me is not close to content
if my heart was your money would it be spent?
do you value the moments I stared directly into your eyes?
told you I love you as I began to cry?
did you notice the tears that fell for you
knowing what we have is too good to be true
each path in my life has obstacles too overcome
my life is a story now this chapter is done

Written by ashley_n


You and Me

you and me so far away 
trying to make time in the day

you and me
we are us

skype dates and text messages
and sadly no touch

too far away is what we are
but soon you'll be home yet still so far

this is hard on both of us
but life's not easy neither is love

all i want is you to be safe
without care love is a waste

i am an odd one i know
only with you does my true self show

no longer hiding behind fake smiles and broken lies
my heart beats faster as i realize

your the one to stitch me up
to stop the tears and blood

the one that fixed what was torn
and that made me feel reborn

an ocean away and over two years between
even still that doesnt matter to me

in the end they may see what they want to see
but we'll prove to them thats not what love really means

Written by Samantha New (firesister)

Ten rules

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/10-rules-for-friendly-fighting-for-couples/all/1/

Ten rules for friendly fighting: or how to ensure that conflicts will strengthen your marriage instead of harm it.

1.Embrace conflict. There is no need to fear it. Conflict is normal, even healthy. Differences between you mean that there are things you can learn from each other. Often conflict shows us where we can or need to grow.

2.Go after the issue, not each other. Friendly fighting sticks with the issue. Neither party resorts to name calling or character assassination. It’s enough to deal with the problem without adding the new problem of hurting each other’s feelings.
 3.Listen respectfully. When people feel strongly about something, it’s only fair to hear them out. Respectful listening means acknowledging their feelings, either verbally or through focused attention. It means never telling someone that he or she “shouldn’t” feel that way. It means saving your point of view until after you’ve let the other person know you understand that they feel intensely about the subject, even if you don’t quite get it.
 4.Talk softly. The louder someone yells, the less likely they are to be heard. Even if your partner yells, there’s no need to yell back. Taking the volume down makes it possible for people to start focusing on the issues instead of reacting to the noise.
 5.Get curious, not defensive. Defending yourself, whether by vehemently protesting your innocence or rightness or by turning the tables and attacking, escalates the fight. Instead of upping the ante, ask for more information, details, and examples. There is usually some basis for the other person’s complaint. When you meet a complaint with curiosity, you make room for understanding.
 6.Ask for specifics. Global statements that include the words “always” and “never” almost always get you nowhere and never are true. When your partner has complaints, ask to move from global comments of exasperation to specific examples so you can understand exactly what he or she is talking about. When you have complaints, do your best to give your partner examples to work with.
 7.Find points of agreement. There almost always are parts of a conflict that can be points of agreement. Finding common ground, even if it’s agreeing that there is a problem, is an important start to finding a common solution.
 8.Look for options. Fighting ends when cooperation begins. Asking politely for suggestions or alternatives invites collaboration. Careful consideration of options shows respect. Offering alternatives of your own shows that you also are willing to try something new.
 9.Make concessions. Small concessions can turn the situation around. If you give a little, it makes room for the other person to make concessions too. Small concessions lead to larger compromises. Compromise doesn’t have to mean that you’re meeting each other exactly 50-50. Sometimes it’s a 60-40 or even 80-20 agreement. This isn’t about scorekeeping. It’s about finding a solution that is workable for both of you.
 10.Make peace. An elderly friend who has been married for 68 years tells me that she and her husband made a rule on their wedding day never to go to bed angry. They agreed from the outset that the relationship is more important than winning arguments. Sometimes this meant they stayed up very, very late until they came to a workable compromise. Sometimes it meant that one or the other of them decided the issue wasn’t really important enough to lose sleep over. Since they both value the marriage, neither one gave in or gave up most of the time. When one did give in or give up, the other showed appreciation and made a peace offering of his or her own. These folks still love each other after 68 years of the inevitable conflicts that come with living with another person. They are probably onto something.

he said she said

Interesting read....

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/he-said-she-said-why-couples-would-rather-fight-than-get-along/all/1/

They just can’t stand the daily harsh exchanges that get them nowhere.

Each also is convinced that if the other would only shape up, they could get along. Coming to therapy is the first thing they’ve agreed on in a long time. It’s a last-ditch effort to save the marriage. At least it’s a place to start. I know they’re desperate. I know they are looking to me to be the referee. Hopefully I’ll be able to move to coaching them to be on the same team.

Many hidden reasons can fuel bitter fights. If we are to stop the fighting, we need to understand what each side is protecting or getting out of the fights. Maybe then we can help each of them feel better and then find happier ways to manage their differences. Since people are more alike than different, there are at least some common motivators for quarrels, arguments, and all-out war. Either gender can fall into any one of them. It’s only for the sake of simplicity that I use one or the other pronoun here.

Need to be “right.” Some people have their self-esteem tied up in being “right.” They have to be right even if they’re wrong. Even if they realize mid-bicker that they’re wrong, it is more important at that point to get the other person to concede that they’re “right” than to admit a mistake. To get out of the tangle, their partner may do just that.

It isn’t worth it to try to reason with someone who isn’t reasonable. Yes, the person has preserved his mistaken sense of dignity by being once again “right” but it’s at the expense of the respect of those around him.


Power. Some people use fighting as a way of gaining power. By getting her partner to back down, give in, or at least to pay attention to her when he doesn’t want to, she has proven to herself, and him, that she has the upper hand. What she doesn’t seem to understand is that to have the upper hand is to lose the mutuality that intimacy requires.

Control. Some people have been so hurt in life or are so sure they will be that the only way they can quiet their fear is to be in control. By dominating his family and arguing his partner down, he feels safe. He doesn’t understand that this kind of safety often erodes love and respect. He may succeed in making himself so “safe” that other people have to leave to feel safe from him.

Hiding. Some people use fighting as a way to hide. When his partner begins to question where he is spending his time or his money, he’ll start in about almost anything else. He gets his partner so busy defending herself from his complaints that she loses track of her original concern.

He may have something to hide. Or he may just hate that she is always checking up on him and hides to preserve his sense of independence. He scores in this skirmish but the trust has suffered yet another blow.

Superiority. Some people need to feel superior in order to feel good enough. They therefore need to find ways to prove their superiority to themselves and others on a regular basis. She may be more facile with words. She may be able to think circles around him and meet point with reasoned counterpoint. She serves up her complex arguments with sarcasm and a sneer. Ultimately, he either becomes convinced that she really is superior and wonders why she tolerates his insignificant self or he gives up just to get away from the put-downs. An oppressed partner isn’t a happy one. Eventually, he’ll rebel and it won’t be pretty.

Fear of being a loser. Some people have the mistaken idea that if you’re not winning, you’re losing. Not wanting to be the loser, they strive to be the winner in every conflict. Not wanting to appear “weak,” they constantly come on strong. Certain that there is a battle coming at any moment, they work from the position that a good offense is the best defense. They don’t realize that their constant effort to win most certainly will make them lose a marriage.

Energy. Some people use a fight to get their juices running. Perhaps he’s low-grade depressed. Perhaps life just doesn’t have much excitement any more. Picking a fight with his partner is far easier than scraping up the motivation to change his life — he can do it from the couch. He gets momentary stimulation but his life is still stuck in the muck.

Hidden gifts. There are some people who use a fight as a way to let the other person have a victory so they can win a more hidden goal. She wants out of the marriage but doesn’t want to hurt him. She lets him find fault with her. She lets him see all her less than wonderful qualities. She’s willing to appear inadequate or to be the bad guy so that he can leave feeling justified rather than wounded. She’s given him a final gift while at the same time getting out of a marriage she didn’t want.

Business as usual. Sadly, some people just don’t know any better. Having grown up in households where parents bickered, quarreled, put each other down, or had out-and-out battles, they think that fighting is just what people do. As much as they hated it as kids, they repeat what they watched their mom or dad do. The result? Another generation growing up in an unhappy, embattled family.

Sometimes ending fights in a marriage merely is about teaching the couple new ways to be assertive, to negotiate, or to let disagreements be. When that’s the case, a few coaching sessions are all it takes. The couple learns new skills, practices them, and is greatly relieved that they now can get along better. Thank you, doctor.

But most couples who fight know full well how to solve problems reasonably and even do it successfully in other areas of their lives. It’s where it counts the most, in their most intimate relationship, that they mysteriously lose their ability to disagree civilly and solve problems fairly and with a minimum of drama.

To be in a loving and intimate relationship is to be at our most vulnerable. When couples can’t seem to learn to get along, it’s often because the fighting is an unconscious way that one or the other (or both) avoids personal exposure and quiets fears of closeness. Being right, superior, or in control are important ways that these people have learned to protect themselves. In that case, ending the fights requires more than simple coaching or skill building. It requires helping the individuals become conscious of what is really behind the fights and supporting them in learning ways to be close without being afraid. If the couple is committed to the marriage, a skilled therapist often can make a place that is safe enough to deal with old hurts and open new possibilities for intimacy.

It takes awhile for people to feel strong in themselves. It takes practice to learn ways to help each other feel safe. It takes cautious trials for people to feel secure in showing their true selves. With time to develop reciprocal support and understanding, fighting can be replaced with self- respect and mutual understanding.

Country 6-7

Did you know Japanese people don’t have middle names
 Did you know some playing cards in India are round
 Did you know the national anthems of Japan, Jordan, and San Marino each have only 4 lines
 Did you know women were not allowed to vote in France until 1944
 Did you know the fastest insect is the Australian dragon fly (its top speed is 57 km/h (35mp/h))
 Did you know 20% of China's plants are used in medicine
 Did you know 2/3 of the world's eggplants are grown in the US New Jersey
 Did you know it was once illegal to slam your car door in Switzerland
 Did you know people in Iceland read more books per capita than any other country
 Did you know the word denim comes from 'de Nimes' or from Nimes which is a town in France
 Did you know the world's smallest mammal is the bumblebee bat of Thailand
 Did you know England's Stonehenge is over 5,000 years old
 Did you know there are 132 rooms in the US White House
 Did you know over 96% of American households purchase bananas at least once a month
 Did you know Hawaii is the only US state that grows cacao beans which go into the production of chocolate
 Did you know 52% of Americans drink coffee
 Did you know Brazil accounts for 1/3 of the world's coffee production
 Did you know coffee is grown commercially in over 45 countries around the world
 Did you know coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the US
 Did you know Japan is the 3rd largest consumer of coffee

Did you know over 5 million people in Brazil are employed in the coffee industry

 Did you know the US is the world's largest consumer of coffee

 Did you know Australia is the only country that is also a continent

 Did you know Hawaii officially became apart of the US on June 14 1900

 Did you know the dollar was established as the official currency of the US in 1785

 Did you know in 1872 Yellowstone in the US was the world's first national park

 Did you know in 1900 the average life span in the US was 47

 Did you know the Cambodian alphabet has 74 letters

 Did you know the average American will consume over 465 trees worth of paper over their lifetime

 Did you know over 550 hot dogs are eaten every second in the United States

 Did you know instant mashed potatoes (dehydrated potato flakes) were invented in Canadian in 1962

 Did you know in American supermarkets peanut butter is one of the most frequently purchased items

 Did you know England's first great industry was wool

 Did you know the average age at which America's presidents have taken office is 54

 Did you know there are 2 credit cards for every person in the US

 Did you know 40% of Amsterdam commuters get to work by bicycle

The Great Escape

Another interesting show. I like it.


The Great Escape is a reality television series on TNT that premiered on June 24, 2012, at 10:00 pm EDT. The competition series, hosted by Rich Eisen, features three two-person teams each week who are dropped "into the middle of their own epic action/adventure movie" and competing for a cash prize. The show is produced by Imagine Entertainment directors Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, and The Amazing Race producers, Bertram Van Munster and Elise Doganieri.










Read more...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Escape_(U.S._TV_series)

You raise me up - Celtic Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fi-ic1FAaM&feature=related

His song to her

On their Wedding day


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upkYQqbrjSc




Who can say
where the road goes
where the day flows
only time
And who can say
if your love grows
as your heart chose
only time


Who can say
why your heart sighs
as your love flies
only time
And who can say
why your heart cries
when your love lies
only time


Who can say
when the roads meet
that love might be
[| From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/e/enya-lyrics/only-time-lyrics.html |]
in your heart
And who can say
when the day sleeps
if the night keeps
all your heart


Night keeps all your heart


Who can say
if your love grows
as your heart chose
only time
And who can say
where the road goes
where the day flows
only time


Who knows - only time
Who knows - only time

Loreena McKennitt

The Mystics Dream

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIghrxxhQYs&feature=related

A clouded dream on an earthly night

 Hangs upon the crescent moon

 A voiceless song in an ageless light

 Sings at the coming dawn

 Birds in flight are calling there

 Where the heart moves the stones

 It's there that my heart is calling

 All for the love of you

A painting hangs on an ivy wall

 Nestled in the emerald moss

 The eyes declare a truce of trust

 And then it draws me far away

 Where deep in the desert twilight

 Sand melts in pools of the sky

 When darkness lays her crimson cloak

 Your lamps will call me home

And so it's there my homage's due

 Clutched by the still of the night

 And now I feel you move

 Every breath is full

 So it's there my homage's due

 Clutched by the still of the night

 Even the distance feels so near

 All for the love of you. 

The Mummer's Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0

When in the springtime of the year

 When the trees are crowned with leaves

 When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew

 Are dressed in ribbons fair

When owls call the breathless moon

 In the blue veil of the night

 The shadows of the trees appear

 Amidst the lantern light

We've been rambling all the night

 And some time of this day

 Now returning back again

 We bring a garland gay

Who will go down to those shady groves

 And summon the shadows there

 And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms

 In the springtime of the year

The songs of birds seem to fill the wood

 That when the fiddler plays

 All their voices can be heard

 Long past their woodland days

And so they linked their hands and danced

 Round in circles and in rows

 And so the journey of the night descends

 When all the shades are gone

"A garland gay we bring you here

 And at your door we stand

 It is a sprout well budded out

 The work of Our Lord's hand" 

Country 1-5

Did you know the Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters
 Did you know 'Topolino' is the name for Mickey Mouse Italy
 Did you know Perth is Australia's windiest city
 Did you know the flag for Libya is unlike any other being a solid green color
 Did you know Switzerland eats the most chocolate equating to 10 kilos per person per year
 Did you know Tennessee is bordered by 8 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia - more than any other in the US
 Did you know the only continent with no active volcanoes is Australia
 Did you know the longest street in the world is Yonge street in Toronto Canada measuring 1,896 km (1,178 miles)
 Did you know the croissant was invented in Austria
 Did you know In eastern Africa you can buy beer brewed from bananas
 Did you know African Grey Parrots have vocabularies of over 200 words
 Did you know Australia was originally called New Holland
 Did you know 'Lonely Planet' for travelers is based in Melbourne Australia
 Did you know hippopotamuses have killed more people in Africa than any other animal
 Did you know the coins thrown into the Trevi fountain in Italy are collected for charity
 Did you know french fries are originally from Belgium
 Did you know Venetian blinds were invented in Japan
 Did you know the first sailing boats were built in Egypt
 Did you know Brazil is named after a tree
 Did you know Brazil covers 50% of the South American continent

Did you know Brazil borders every country in South America except Chile and Ecuador
 Did you know the brand Nokia is named after a place in Southern Finland
 Did you know Jamaica has 120 rivers
 Did you know China manufacturers 70% of the worlds toys
 Did you know The Great Wall of China is approximately 6,430 Km long (3,995 miles)
 Did you know paper originated from China
 Did you know the wheelbarrow is invented in China
 Did you know tree hugging is forbidden in china
 Did you know India has the most post offices than any other country (over 100,000)
 Did you know India is home to over 200 million cows
 Did you know the Taj Mahal in India is made entirely out of marble
 Did you know New York was the first capital of the United States
 Did you know Americans eat 35,000 tons of pasta a year
 Did you know Americans throw away 44 million newspapers a day
 Did you know Germany borders 9 other countries
 Did you know Peru has more pyramids than Egypt
 Did you know Christmas trees originated from Germany
 Did you know Americas top selling ice cream flavour is vanilla
 Did you know Iceland consumes more Coca Cola than any other country
 Did you know there are 70 million sheep in New Zealand (with 4 million people)
 Did you know the worlds smallest bird is the 'bee hummingbird' found in Cuba
 Did you know the US flag has 13 stripes (representing the original 13 states)
 Did you know every day 7% of the US eats at McDonalds
 Did you know Brazil got its name from the Brazilian nut (not the other way around)
 Did you know more than 75% of all countries are north of the equator
 Did you know Yugoslavia is bordered by 7 other countries
 Did you know Hawaii officially became apart of the US in 1900
 Did you know there are no rivers in Saudi Arabia
 Did you know the largest exporter of sugar is Cuba
 Did you know Icelandic phone books are listed by first names (not surnames)
 Did you know the subject of the first printed book in England was about chess
 Did you know the yo-yo was originally used as a weapon for hunting the in the Philippines
 Did you know orienteering originated from Sweden
 Did you know New Zealands first hospital was opened in 1843
 Did you know the Chinese used fingerprints as a method of identification as far back as AD 700
 Did you know paper money was first used in China
 Did you know The US shreds 7,000 tons of worn out currency each year
 Did you know americans spend $10 million a day on potato chips
 Did you know all of the cobble stones used to line the streets in New York were originally stones found in the hulls of Belgian ships ballast
 Did you know a Chinese checkerboard has 121 holes

Did you know 32% of all land in the U.S. is owned by the government

 Did you know Pinocchio is Italian for 'pine head'

 Did you know the oldest exposed surface on Earth is New Zealand's south island

 Did you know you can buy square watermelons in Japan (developed to stack better in supermarkets)

 Did you know everyday, more money is printed for Monopoly sets than for the U.S. Treasury

 Did you know American's eat 18 billion hot dogs a year

 Did you know India has over 50 million monkeys

 Did you know Iceland was the first country to legalise abortion in 1935

 Did you know Japan is the largest exporter of frog legs

 Did you know the average American eats 263 eggs a year

 Did you know in 75% of American households women manage the money and pay the bills

 Did you know hypnotism is banned in public schools in San Diego (U.S.)

 Did you know a third of Americans flush the toilet while they're still sitting on it

 Did you know Iceland consumes more Coca Cola per capita than any other country

 Did you know Australia has the largest sheep population

 Did you know the most eaten fruit in America is the banana

 Did you know Italy and France produce over 40% of all wine

 Did you know dairy products account for 29% of all food consumed in the U.S.

 Did you know Canada has more lakes than any other country

 Did you know Spain's largest source of income is from tourism

Did you know the first place in the world to allow women to vote New Zealand

 Did you know the first parachute jump from plane was in 1918 over France

 Did you know the first US coast to coast aeroplane flight occurred in 1911 and took 49 days

 Did you know before 1863 the postal service in the US was free

 Did you know the number 1 cause of blindness in the US is diabetes

 Did you know the most common Spanish surname is Garcia

 Did you know the US produces 19% of the world's trash

 Did you know per person France consumes the most cheese

 Did you know 45% of Americans don't know that the sun is a star

 Did you know the Greek national anthem has 158 verses

 Did you know in Africa more people are killed by crocodiles than lions

 Did you know 93% of households in Denmark consume wine (the highest % in the world with France second with 85% of households)

 Did you know Americans consume over 10 billion bowls of soup each year

 Did you know Finland has the largest number of islands in the world (over 179,550)

 Did you know the average Americans diet consists of 55% junk food

 Did you know Canada has more doughnut shops per capita than any other country

 Did you know before beginning his movie career Keanu Reeves managed a pasta shop in Toronto Canada

 Did you know all pilots on international flights identify themselves in English regardless of their country of origin

 Did you know diamonds mined in Brazil are much harder than those found in Africa

 Did you know the first city to mint its own gold coins was Florence, Italy in 1252

September 30th

So, it is now on paper that we have to move on September 30th. I cannot believe how much crap they have put us through. I am starting the new hunt and hope that this time around it will run smoothly. But of course I expert the worse. I guess time will tell. 


The timing is awful because I am so tired but I will continue to pack daily, again. Yeah me.


Crossing my fingers for better results.

Milky

Asian Restaurant

bun saigon vietnamese restaurant

252 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5T 2C2, Canada (416) 504-2188 

Pho 88

http://www.pho88.ca/

Bedding

New Bedding options? Which one?

Cilia or Kenora

Montreal, Quebec – Schwartz’s

I have been to this place and it is so good! It is a must try when you go to Montreal!


 Restaurant: Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen
 Cuisine: Deli/Sandwiches
 Last visited: November 6, 2011
 Location: Montreal, QC (Plateau Mont Royal)
 Address: 3895 Boulevard St-Laurent
 Nearby subway stop: Sherbrooke
 Price Range: $10 or less


1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 6
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4 (for what it is)
Overall: 5
Additional comments:
■Since 1928
■Montreal institution
■World famous Montreal Smoked Meat
■“Best in City”
■Multiple award winning
■No preservatives
■Smoked daily
■Local/tourist favourite
■Line ups/very popular
■Hole in the wall
■Cheap eats/budget friendly
■Eat in/Take out
■Sun-Thurs 8am-12:30am
■Friday 8am-1:30am
■Saturday 8mam-2:30am
■Hot meat available after 10am

**Recommendations: Smoked Meat Sandwich, sit at the counter, tip the butcher and don’t forget the pickle!

Okay it’s time for a coffee break and onto a meat break… and then onto food coma!

This is likely one of the posts you have all been waiting for! The world famous Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen that has been frequented by locals, tourists and celebrities since 1928. It’s notorious for the best Montreal Smoked Meat, and of course if you’re in Montreal you can’t miss out of the opportunity to try it. It’s an institution and must try if you’re a foodie visiting the city. It’s a foodie’s “Eiffel Tower”.

It’s a very casual diner that hasn’t changed since it opened. Its unpretentious atmosphere and long lines during peak hours don’t stop locals or tourists from visiting this foodie destination. Sure, you have to like smoked meat to be able to appreciate this, but even if you don’t, it’s still something to check off your list. Missing out would be like missing out on dim sum in Vancouver, not the “national food” there, but it very well could be because it’s excellent there.

My experience at Schwartz’s was very reminiscent of my visit to Katz’s Deli in New York. Both are equally hyped, globally recognized, and most raved about in their perspective cities. Katz’s is famous for their pastrami and Schwartz’s is famous for their smoked meat. I find them both very similar, but to some Montrealers and New Yorkers the two are never to be confused.

They both vary slightly in cuts, cooking and smoking methods and honestly it’s comparing creme de la creme. I had Meg Ryan experiences at both of them. Montreal Smoked Meat is supposed to be cured for longer, but in this case Katz’s is cured for 30 days and Schwartz’s for 10 days, so the one at Katz’s is noticeably saltier even from memory.

Oh god. Stop yourself from drooling all over your keyboard. It is really as good as it looks. Okay for vegetarians, this may not appeal to you, but carnivores I can feel your energy. This will certainly hit the spot. I’m not a smoked meat fanatic, but I certainly enjoy it when I have it.

In Vancouver, the closest thing I’ve found so far is from Estrella’s Montreal Smoked Deli in Langley, but even after trying this, it was significantly different. Estrella’s is still excellent, but the slices weren’t cut the same and I actually found Schwartz’s closer in comparison to the pastrami at Katz’s. They come from different parts of the beef brisket, but they were similar. Again, Schwartz’s is not as salty and it has more apparent spices and seasonings, and in the end it just comes down to what you’re accustomed to. Vancouver doesn’t have much of a smoked meat culture, so I appreciate both on equal levels.

In terms of Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen being the “best Montreal Smoked Meat”, I’m really not sure since I only tried one other one in Montreal (you’ll see soon enough which one ). However I’m sure I can have Montrealers testify that this is the real deal.

There are a few others that are apparently “better”, but given the short time I was there, I wasn’t on a hunt to find “the best in the city”. I was more than satisfied to stop the hunt here, which usually means I haven’t had better. I imagine if there’s better, it would be by a marginal difference and personal preference. Schwartz’s does represent the standard for Montreal Smoked Meat, so if you only have time for one experience, I would say make it this one.

**Note: For another local’s choice that rivals Schwartz’s see - Deli Lesters VS Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen

On the table:

**Smoked Meat Sandwich – 6/6
 ■$6.15
 ■Cott Cherry Soda $1.90
 ■I know. I know, I know. I forgot to order a pickle. I don’t know what I was thinking. Sorry to break tradition! Please remember to order a jumbo pickle with this, it will also help “cut” the grease.
 ■Anyways this Smoked Meat Sandwich is the “must try” item.


■As I said, it is the “Eiffel Tower” for foodies! See what I mean.
 ■It’s served on rye bread with a thin layer of old fashioned mustard which you can only mildly taste under all that meat.
 ■The meat was medium fatty, unless you request otherwise. Honestly “fatty” would be way too rich and “fatty” for me, so medium fatty was perfect.
 ■The meat is beef brisket smoked for 10 days.
 ■The slices were hand cut quite thick rather than thinly shaved slices of “roast beef”, like how some places may do it.
 ■It also didn’t taste like roast beef or ham, like some can, and it had a meaty chew and beefy flavour, yet your teeth just sink straight through the multiple layers.
 ■The smoked meat wasn’t necessarily smoky in flavour, but it was very flavourful with a coarsely ground spice rub of black pepper, coriander and lots of whole grain mustard seed. I could taste those three seasonings the most, but there were other spices.
 ■It was well cured and salty, but not too salty (well it’s fast food salty) and I would get random peppery bites of cracked peppercorns from the seasoned crust.



■I don’t know how else to explain this, but by zooming in!
 ■If that photo turns you on, you are indeed a carnivore at heart. But if not, those little white threadlike strands of fat holding the meat together are completely gelatinous free in texture. I’m not a fan of chewy gelatinous fat, and this was very enjoyable and easily overlooked.
 ■The meat would loosely break apart into tiny chunks with every bite and fall “meat snowflakes” upon picking it up.
 ■It was an effortless pull of the meat to see the thin white ribbons of marbleized fat cave and release bits of meat.
 ■It was no doubt tender and moist and it shred away in chunks beautifully.
 ■I don’t even know how they sliced it while keeping the meat in tact because it was melting with tenderness and almost delicate.
 ■This was freaking delicious, but it’s very rich and one sandwich, or even half, would be enough for most.
 ■It’s a very guilty indulgence, and I could have rolled over after this, but I was off to find dessert!

Written By http://www.followmefoodie.com/2011/11/montreal-quebec-schwartzs-montreal-hebrew-delicatessen/

Kingdom of Heaven

Such a great movie! If you are into movies like this then you will love this one. Great story and the music is lovely.

Milky

The Melting Pot

http://www.meltingpot.com/

On the list to go to. I think that it is going to be very yummy to try out!


Type: Contemporary / Eclectic, International / Global
Attire: Casual
Neighbourhood: Richmond Hill
Price Range: Pricey - $20-$35
Features: Casual Dining, Comfortable Booths, Events, Extensive Wine List, Family Dining
Payment: MasterCard, Visa, AmEx, Interac
Website: http://dine.to/profile_features.php?feature=website&id=20230
Extras: Patio, Wheelchair Accessible

The Last of the Mohican's

This was one of my favourite movies ever! It was a great story. It was not just the love story between Lewis and Stowe. It was a story about a father's love for his son and his adopted son. A brother's love. A father's love for his daughters. A sister's love. A love between two strangers. It just went on. Most people who watched it never really saw the stories in between.


I loved it.

Milky

The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical epic film set in 1757 during the French and Indian War and produced by Morgan Creek Pictures. It was directed by Michael Mann and based on James Fenimore Cooper's novel of the same name, although it owes more to George B. Seitz's 1936 film adaptation than the source novel. The main cast includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, Wes Studi, Eric Schweig, Steven Waddington, and Jodhi May.

The soundtrack features music by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman, and the song "I Will Find You" by Clannad. The main theme of the film is taken from the tune "The Gael" by Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean. Released on September 25, 1992 in the United States, The Last of the Mohicans was met with nearly-universal praise from critics as well as being commercially successful during its box-office run.

Read more.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_of_the_Mohicans_(1992_film)

rain

All of the storm have been bad and at the same time for the lands. It is crazy that in one minute everything is okay but in the next minute someone has lost their home. My heart goes out to those who have lost so much.


Milky

As I Lay Me Down To Sleep

by Sophie B. Hawkins 


It felt like springtime on this February morning
In the courtyard birds were singing your praise
I'm still recalling things you said to make me feel alright
I carried them with me today, Now


(chorus) As I lay me down to sleep
This I pray
That you will hold me dear
Though I'm far away
I'll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy


I wonder why I feel so high
Though I am not above the sorrow
Heavy hearted
Till you call my name
And it sounds like church bells
Or the whistle of a train
On a summer evening
I'll run to meet you
Barefoot barely breathing


(repeat chorus)


It's not too near for me
Like a flower I need the rain
Though it's not clear to me
Every season has its change
And I will see you
When the sun comes out again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXWD1HjWI8M

Love in the wild

I know this show is girly but I really like the games in it. I also liked that the couple that has been together the whole, won. So far they are still together which is nice. So, just maybe love can be found for some in the oddest places.

Who knows...

Milky

Wipeout

I watched the show last aired and it was so funny. I have not laughed that much in a long time. These people are crazy for putting themselves through that but omg to funny!

Milky

Hell's Kitchen & Masterchef

This season has been great! Hell's Kitchen is always insane and so many HUGE mistakes. Robin is such a pain and two faced! She is not as good as she thinks she is.

Felix from Master Chef should not have been the one to go home. She has done so well from the beginning. something was very wrong with that call. David should have left and I hope he is next to go. Christine has shown much and deserves the win.

Both shows are back on August 13th, grrrr to the waiting!

Milky

Sharam feat. Kid Cudi - She Came Along

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6A-N1vKUgI

Churrasqueira Red Rooster Portuguese BBQ

This is another great place to get Portuguese BBQ. It has just the right amount of spice added and the flavour profile is right on. another place that you can pre-order for family events or take out. Which ever it will a HIT!

Location 

2354 Major MacKenzie Drive Maple, ON L6A 1W2 

(905) 417-0074

sick-update

It has been a rough few weeks, as I have been insanely sick. Pushing through so much pain and now being weaker than ever has proven to be hard. Started new medication, finally. That has been scary! 


I am sleeping a lot due to the lost of iron issue so it makes me so tired. I have not been out for such a long time and it sucks!

Milky

I am so.....

Bloody sick, right now. The last few days have been painful, a nightmare and pure hell! I cannot believe how fast my body has turned on me. It is crazy! I really do not have enough words to explain, other then four infections at once, on top of everything else - SUCKS! Milky

MW-Safe return

I hope that you have had a safe trip home and on your way to your normal healthy routines. You need to take better care of yourself.

Milky

Regrets of the Dying

http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.


2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.


3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.


4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.


5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.


Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Take the quiz

http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes

This is a fun thing for the children

The 5 Smallest Countries in the World.

By Alex in Neatorama Exclusives, Travel on Jan 4, 2007 at 4:50 am


1. Vatican City 

Size: 0.17 sq. mi. (0.44 km²)
Population: 783 (2005 census)
Location: Rome, Italy

The size of a golf course, the Vatican City [wiki | official website] is the smallest country in the world. It’s basically a walled enclave inside of Rome, Italy. It’s so small that the entire country does not have a single street address.

The Vatican City may be small, but it is very powerful. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See, or the seat of the Catholic Church (basically its central government), which has over 1 billion people (about 1 in 6 people on the planet) as constituents.

The Vatican City was created in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty (which was signed by one of history’s most repressive dictators, Benito Mussolini) and is ruled by the Pope, basically a non-hereditary, elected monarch who rules with absolute authority (he’s the legislative, executive and judiciary all rolled into one) – indeed, the Pope is the only absolute monarch in Europe.

Another unique thing about the smallest country in the world is that it has no permanent citizens. Citizenship of the Vatican City is conferred upon those who work at the Vatican (as well as their spouses and children) and is revoked when they stop working there.

The Vatican City is guarded by the smallest and oldest regular army in the world, the Swiss Guard [wiki]. It was originally made up of Swiss mercenaries in 1506, now the army (also personal bodyguards of the Pope) number 100, all of which are Catholic unmarried male Swiss citizens. The Swiss Guard’s Renaissance-style uniform was commonly attributed as to have been designed by Michelangelo – this was actually incorrect: the large "skirt" pants were a common style during the Renaissance. Only their uniforms seem antiquated: most of the Swiss Guards carry pistols and submachine-guns.

The official languages of the Vatican City are Latin and Italian. In fact, its ATMs are the only ones in the world that offer services in Latin! And here you thought that Latin is a dead language…

For a country that has no street address, the Vatican City has a very efficient post office: an international mail dropped in the Vatican will get there faster than one dropped in Italy just a few hundred yard away – in fact, there is more mail sent annually per inhabitant from this country (7,200 mails per person) than anywhere else in the world.

The Vatican City has a country code top level domain of .va – currently there are only 9 publicly known .va domains [wiki]. It also has a radio broadcasting service, called Vatican Radio [wiki], which was set up by Guglielmo Marconi (the Father of Radio) himself!

The country’s economy is unique: it is the only non-commercial economy in the world. Instead, the Vatican City is supported financially by contributions of Catholics worldwide (called Peter’s Pence – hey, even the Pope accepts credit cards!), the sale of postage stamps and publications, and tourism.

Lastly, as an ecclesiastical paradise, the Vatican City has no taxes.

2. Monaco

Size: 0.8 sq. mi. (1.96 km²)
Population: 35,657 (2006 estimate)
Location: French Riviera on the Mediterranean

Monaco [wiki | official website] is the second smallest country on Earth (it’s roughly the size of New York’s Central Park), yet it’s the most densely populated (23,660 people per km²). Actually, Monaco used to be much smaller than it is now – about 100 acres were reclaimed from the sea and added to its land size. At the narrowest, Monaco is only 382 yards wide!

The Principality of Monaco, its formal name, means that the territory is ruled by a prince. For the last seven centuries, Monaco was ruled by princes of the Grimaldi family from Genoa. (The whole thing started one night in 1297 when François Grimaldi disguised himself as a monk and led a small army to conquer the fortress guarding the Rock of Monaco. The coat of arms of the Grimaldi bears the image of monks with swords!) Now, the Prince shares legislative authority with a National Council.

In 1861, Monaco relinquished half of its territory to France in exchange for cash and independence. When the reigning prince realized that most of Monaco’s natural resources were on the land that got bartered away, he decided to bet the whole economy on … what else, gambling (see, casinos aren’t only for American Indians, it’s a time-tested, universal solution!)

And so began Monte Carlo [wiki], a region of Monaco well known for its glamorous casinos (a setting for Ian Fleming’s first James Bond Novel Casino Royale [wiki]) and its Formula One Grand Prix.

In 1918, Monaco entered a treaty with France for military protection – the treaty, however, also stipulated that Monaco would lose its independence (and become French) should the reigning Grimaldi prince died without leaving a male heir! When Prince Rainier III took over, he was a bachelor and most Monegasques (that means people of Monaco) were gloomy about the country’s future. However, he ended up marrying Hollywood actress Grace Kelly [wiki] – the marriage not only produced a male heir, it also helped burnish Monaco’s image as a glamorous place to be for the wealthy. (Monaco can rest easy now, a new treaty with France stated that the Principality will remain independent even without a male heir).

For a long time, Monaco had no income taxes and was a tax haven for wealthy foreigners and international corporations. This caused a unique thing about Monaco’s population: most of its residents are not native – in fact, only about 1 in 5 people are native Monegasques. After a long dispute with France, Monaco started to impose income taxes on all of its residents who are not born there. Its natural citizens are forbidden from entering casinos, but to make up for it, they do not have to pay any income taxes.

3. Nauru
 
Size: 8 sq. mi (21 km²)
Population: 13,005 (2005 estimate)
Location: Western Pacific Ocean

Nauru [wiki] is the world’s smallest island nation, the smallest independent republic, and the only republic in the world without an official capital.

Nauru only has one significant source of income: phosphates from thousands of years’ worth of guano or bird droppings. This proved to be both a boon and a bane for Nauruans – for a long time, its residents enjoyed a relatively high level of income as the country exported its phosphate like there’s no tomorrow.

The government employed 95% of Nauruans, and lavished free medical care and schooling for its citizens. Most didn’t take advantage of this offer: only one-third of children went on to secondary school. The adults didn’t really work, either – office hours were flexible and the most popular pastime was drinking beer and driving the 20-minute circuit around the island. For a while, Nauru was a paradise – for a brief moment in 1970s, Nauruans were even amongst the richest people on the planet.

Nothing lasts forever and sure enough, Nauru’s phosphate reserves soon dried up and left 90% of the island as a barren, jagged mining wasteland. Wasteful investments (like buying hotels only to leave them to rot) and gross incompetence by the government (former presidents used to commandeer Air Nauru’s planes for holidays, leaving paying customers stranded on the tarmac!) didn’t help either.

As if that’s not bad enough, Nauru is also beset by obesity problem. Decades of leisurely lifestyle and high consumption of alcohol and fatty foods have left as many as 9 out of 10 people overweight! Nauru also has the world’s highest level of type 2 diabetes – over 40% of its population is affected.

So now, Nauruans are poverty-stricken and fat – but they are trying to turn things around. With no natural resource left, in the 1990s, Nauru decided to become a tax haven and offered passports to foreign nationals for a fee. This attracted the wrong kind of money (but a lot of it): the Russian mafia funneled over $70 billion to the tiny island nation. Things got so bad that most big banks refused to handle transactions involving Nauru because of money laundering problems.

This led Nauru to another extraordinary money-making scheme: it became a detention camp for people applying for asylum to Australia!

4. Tuvalu
 
Size: 9 sq. mi. (26 km²)
Population: 10,441 (2005 estimate)
Location: South Pacific

Tuvalu [wiki] is basically a chain of low-lying coral islands, with its highest elevation being 16 feet or 5 meters above seal level. With total land area of just 9 square miles, Tuvalu is not only a teeny tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, it may not even exist in the next 50 years if sea level continue to rise (a controversial claim, nonetheless there were evacuation plans to New Zealand and other Pacific Islands). Even if the sea level does not rise, other problems such as population growth and coastal erosion still make Tuvalu a very vulnerable country.

During World War II, thousands of American troops were stationed on the islands of Tuvalu and the island became an Allied base. Airfields were quickly constructed and after the war, abandoned. In fact, today rusting wrecks can be found on the islands, a constant reminder of its role in the War.

Today, Tuvalu also derives income from renting out its Internet country code top-level domain .tv, as it is the abbreviation of the word ‘television’. This scheme got off to a rocky start (the original company who tried to do it failed to raise the necessary funds), but finally proved to be the largest source of income for the country.

5. San Marino
 
Size: 24 sq. mi. (61 km²)
Population: 28,117 (2005 estimate)
Location: North-central Italy near the Adriatic coast.

With the formal name of The Most Serene Republic of San Marino [wiki], it’s not surprising that San Marino has got lots of charms. Founded in AD 301 by a Christian stonecutter named (what else) Marino (or Marinus, depending on who you ask), who along with a small group of Christians, was seeking escape from religious persecution, San Marino is the world’s oldest republic.

Its history belies its simple motto: "Liberty." Indeed, San Marino was such a good neighbor that it was hardly ever conquered by larger enemies (it was briefly conquered in the 1500s and the 1700s, for like a month each). Even when Napoleon gobbled most of Europe, he left San Marino alone, saying it was a model republic!

San Marino takes its government seriously: for such a tiny country, San Marino has a very complex government structure, based on a constitution written in 1600. The country is ruled by an elected Council of 60, who appoints 2 captain regents (from opposing political parties, no less) to administer governmental affairs for six-month term. Talk about preserving liberties through division of authority!

Before World War II, San Marino was amongst the poorest countries in Europe. Today, with more than 3 million tourists visiting every year (half of San Marino’s income is derived from tourism), the people of San Marino are amongst the world’s richest people.