Blogs for optimyst.

Farewell Frannie1954

03-MAR-13

I have learned today that one of the nicest ladies on here, Frannie is leaving MM. I know thatin the past she has had some issues with Trolls on here. I would like to say on behalf of all the real people and the good friends you have made thank you for letting us know you and we all wish you peace and happiness.

To those a**holes who think abusing a lady whilst hiding behind false identities is somehow enjoyable. I think you are sick in mindand body and need to get some professional help. You know who you are and I hope you get some perverse pleasure from your sick behaviour in driving away a truly nice lady and someone whose friendship has been greatly valued by ma

Define a Gentleman

12-FEB-13

I have read the dictionary definition of a Gentleman but wonder if you have any others?

I was given one 'A Gentleman is one who can play the bagpipes but doesn't'

Memory

30-DEC-12

2012 is coming to a close and regrettably it is a year that will be remembered for a terrible tragedy and the deaths of 26 innocents but let us pray that from this madness some sanity will prevail and something truly positive will arrive in 2013

Merry Christmas

07-DEC-12

Well this is a very international site with some very educated people I was wondering how many languages we can get on here saying ''Merry Christmas'

I will start with two I know

Welsh 'Nadolig Llawen

Dutch ' Vrolijk Kerstfeest'

One Word

03-DEC-12

It has been announced that the Director of the Olympic opening ceremony, Danny Boyle, has won a prize. The prize is to have a giant neon sign placed on a building in MediaCity, Manchester that will be seen all over the city. The only condition is that it can be only one word!

I am asking what would your word be?

For me it is BELIEVE

Children just GET it

10-SEP-12

Following on from my earlier post about the Paralympics,I watched the fantastic closing ceremony and was struck by a story told by Sir Peter Craven, President of the International Paralympic committee.

It concerned George, the 5yo son of Emily a friend of his daughter. George had been watching the Paralympics but one evening his Mum sat him down to read a book with her. The book was called 'Treasure'. On the first page there was a picture of a man with an eye patch, a hook for a hand and a wooden leg. Emily asked George 'What do you think the man in the picture is?' George looked at it and said'He has only one leg, He Must be an Athlete!'

There you have it a child's view of the world changed forever and that is the legacy of the Games it has opened so many peoples eyes to what can be achieved and that we are all people who have value and our diversity should be celebrated and society in the UK has taken a huge stride to inclusivity in society.

Freedom of Speech

09-SEP-12

Yet again Freedom of speech is under attack this time from the home of the free and land of the brave. I have been reading with interest a number of articles about Emmet Burns Jr, a democrat (sic) legislator in Maryland who has written to the owner of the Baltimore Ravens to tell him to stop his employee Brendon Ayanbadejo making public pronouncements on his support for Gay Marriage.

Whether you agree with gay marriage or not it is you right to put forward your opinion and if you are in the lucky position of a professional footballer who knows he will get an audience then it his right to be able to put forth that view. It was a right I thought was envisioned in the US constitution and was something millions gave their lives for in numerous wars. To have the audacity to try and gag this man's view is crass and should it be successful is the thin end of the wedge. We have the right to think and voice those thoughts as long as we are not inciting others to violence or intolerance. It is vital we protect freedom of speech and Emmet Burns jr should be ashamed of his efforts to gag free speech.

Paralympics

06-SEP-12

Following on from the fabulous Olympic games in London we are being treated to some wonderful sport at the Paralympivs. Magnificent achievements by athletes who have overcome huge adversity in their lives. Provide inspiration to everyone not just to disabled but to us all that if you want and are willing to work for it then you can achieve the seemingly impossible.

It was truly wonderful to watch Richard Whitehead, a double above the knee amputee, race in the 200m and be in last place as they came round the bend only to move like an express train in the last 50m to take the Gold. That is just one of the fantastic achievements by these athletes and it is such a shame that this fabulous event is not getting any coverage in N America. Canada have said they will show the opening ceremony 3WEEKS AFTER the closing ceremony! USA has one of the largest teams many coming from the ranks of service personnel injured in the line of duty and their reward to be ignored by the TV companies SHAME on the Executives who think this sport is not worthy of coverage.

Come on USA stand up and celebrate the inclusivity and achievement of all

The Perils of a Taser

28-FEB-09

Just try reading this without laughing 'til you cry!!! ¿

Pocket Taser Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife. A guy who purchased his¿¿lovely wife a pocket Taser for their anniversary submitted this: ¿

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my¿¿¿ interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little¿¿something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, ¿
pocket/purse- sized taser. The effects of the taser were supposed to be short¿¿lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her¿¿adequate time to retreat to safety....?? WAY TOO COOL! ¿

Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA
batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! ¿

I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button¿¿AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue
arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!!¿¿Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of¿¿her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to¿¿myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right? ¿

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently¿¿(trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking¿¿that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. ¿

I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a¿¿second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was¿¿going togive this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did¿¿want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong? ¿

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading¿¿glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, ¿
and taser in another. ¿

The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major¿¿loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your¿¿ assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5¿¿inches long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and ¿
loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible¿¿way!' ¿

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my¿¿best...? I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to¿¿ one side as to say, 'don't do it dip shit,' reasoning that a one second burst¿¿from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to ¿
give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the¿¿prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . . . HOLY MOTHER OF GOD WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION . . . WHAT THE HELL!!! ¿

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in¿¿the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and¿¿over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position with¿¿tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my¿¿body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs? ¿

The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid¿¿getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room. ¿

Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a¿¿violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be¿considered conservative?

*(^%#@, THAT HURT LIKE HELL!!! ¿

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing¿¿at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where ¿
it originally was. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still¿¿twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling.

Apparently I sh+t myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came¿¿ from my hair. I'm still looking for my nuts and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!! ¿

P. S. My wife loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it!¿¿

Single Parent Stress

24-AUG-08

Life can be pretty stressful for a single parent. You have to fill both parental roles everyday. It is not easy to cook, wash up, clean keep house and earn the money all by yourself and then be relaxed and playful with children. It can be done and it is worth the effort and if you put in some degree of effort and stress management it will make your life a bit easier. ? Get enough sleep. You may think it is not possible but it is always possible to rearrange routines ? Eat a healthy diet Children will learn from your example ? Sit down with children during meals and talk to them even if you plan to eat later. Turn off the television! ? Do not let your entire life revolve around your children. Go out as a grown up at least once a week. ? Pamper yourself you deserve it ? Meditate every day ? Remind yourself everyday that although, like any parent, you are bound to make mistakes now and again, overall you are doing an excellent job ? Enjoy your time with your children you will never have it again ? If you have to choose between cleaning and being with your children let them win most of the time. Or involve them in cleaning and make it a family affair ? Try not to doubt yourself but if you find yourself doing so consciously replace your doubt with a vote of confidence ? Teach your children to exercise Learn a sport or do yoga together Children like yoga and it is good for the whole family ? Make it a family tradition to tell each other what you love about each other ? Be silly! ? Be your own best friend. Nurture your inner confidence so that you will have plenty of reserves when it seems no one else is on your side.

Desert Island discs

22-AUG-08

We have here a radio programme that has been running for 66 years where celebretieschose 8 records they would take with them on a desert island. At the end of the programme they are asked if all the others were washed away which one of the 8 would you save. So I am asking which piece of music could you not do without and why do you choose it? For me it is 'Fanfare for the Common Man' as performed by Emerson Lake and Palmer. Just a great piece of music that always make me want to get up and do something a very up beat piece of a classical piece

Your Most Treasured Possession

21-AUG-08

the place where you live is a massive conflagration, all the household members have got to safety. You have a few moments to save just one of your possessions. What would you risk all for and be willing to risk the flames to save? For me I have a box known as my Memory box and I would save that if I could not get that there is just one picture in it I would save of my two children in seperate beds fast asleep but holding hands across the gap.

Dating site or 'Something Else'

20-AUG-08

I copied the following from a profile on here of a girl who publishes highly provocative pictures and this is her description of her 'mate' I am looking for a highly successful, honest, calm, generous lover/benefactor, 40 years plus who travels FIRST class and enjoys good food, wine and a comfortable lifestyle Now please is that someone looking for love or just a meal ticket ????

Self Esteem

08-AUG-08

Imagine you are wearing a sign that tells everyone in the world ?I am a unique and a very special person. You always wear that sign; that badge and you wear it with pride every day. Every day you become more and more aware of your special qualities and assets and the beauty within you. You place your complete trust in your inner mind. The values and opinions that you accept are your own. You make up your own mind. You trust your own judgement opinions and values, relevant, informed and special decisions that you have been putting off are easier now because you trust yourself and your ability to make the decisions which are the right ones for you and those whom you love for those who are special to you and rely on you and your special wisdom, strength, all those qualities and capacities within you. You admire yourself; you like yourself and trust yourself so much more Others too find it easier to like you, to respect you, to admire you, to love you but you no longer worry or concern yourself about what others think of you. It matters only that you like and respect yourself You are aware that that you cannot please everybody and the only way to be successful in what you do is to trust your own judgement and to please yourself. What is right for you will be right for those who are close to you and as you do what is right for you - and always trusting your own judgement, having that belief in yourself, you now have the confidence to do what you want to do. Those who would manipulate you and take advantage of your easy going nature are now confounded, aware that with due consideration you do what is right for you and those who are important to you. You trust your own judgement and meet your own special and legitimate needs and the needs of those close to you and who are special. You meet those needs, you are independent and self sufficient. Changes are happening within you changes for the better, some you will be aware of now. Others you will be aware of some time in the future. As you trust yourself more and more, your subconscious mind will cause those ideas to be made available to you - ideas for your benefit, those ideas will be absorbed for your betterment so that you can easily overcome any challenge. Know and believe that whatever the mind can conceive. The mind can achieve. Every day you are feeling more and more comfortable within yourself and you are becoming your own best friend. Every day you love and respect yourself more, not in an egotistical way - but in a way that is positive, natural and constructive and can only be beneficial to you. Take a moment now to enjoy the feeling of liking yourself and being happy and content with the unique and special person that you are. Know and believe that each and every small part of your mind, your body and your spirit is an important wonderful and beautiful part of nature. Spirit means your higher self that part of you which is inspired, strong, kind, loving and happy; all of those good and special qualities that are to be admired. Those special qualities that are an integral part of your unique personality and are there for whenever you need them. If there are things that you have done in the past that you regret now is a good time to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself now and release yourself now from the shackles of those negative elements which prevent you from moving forward. Now you can be that person you want to be. If there are things which others have done to you in the past, now is the time to forgive those others, forgive others now and release yourself right now from the past. You now live for the moment, this moment. Now that you are that person that you want to be, a true friend of your own personal and wise advisor that is you personified

Femininity/Manliness

06-AUG-08

What one characteristic would you say marks out the femininity of a woman and the manliness of a man. I do not mean physically but emotionally

Mood Ring

05-AUG-08

A husband bought his wife a Mood ring, one that changes colour with her moods He quickly found that when in a good mood it turned Green. When in a bad mood it left a big red mark in the middle of his forehead Next time buy a DIAMOND!!!

Step Children

26-JUL-08

It does take a special sort of person, male or female to take on another person's children, and treat them equally as their own. No matter how easy it may seem to love a child, it does make a difference that the child may not physically be your own, though the rewards can be just as fullfilling. We all know how good a child is at surveying the tactics to use with adults, we all realise that kids operate sneakiness like it's an art form against the niaive grown ups and, as such, the would be parent whether it be their natural parent or step-parent sometimes don't stand a chance. Kids are brilliant at using a situation to benefit themselves, by playing parents off against each other or just playing on the would-be sympathy vote..........So, yes in my opinion it does take a special and dedicated person to willingly and lovingly take on someone else's children. It becomes harder to deal with a split-level family when another child arrives, as there are times when the step child may feel pushed to one side or not treated as equal by the step-parent........This is a very difficult situation, and one that usually occurs accidentally, but the consequences can be devastating to the child and and traumatic to a families contentness. If anyone would like to add an opinion or leave a personal experience, please feel more than welcome.

The Optimist's Creed

20-JUL-08

I was sent this some years ago and have tried to live by it ever since and anyone that knows me can testify that I live up to its ideals Promise Yourself To be strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind, To talk happiness and prosperity to everyone you meet, To make all your friends feel that there is something in them, To look at the sunnyside of everything and make your optimism come true, To think only the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best, To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own, To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements of the future, To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile, To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticise others, To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

A Physics Lesson

16-JUL-08

I wonder how many will read with this title lol A Physics teacher brought in a large glass jar to the classroom and asked the students to identify the contents; Large and small stones, bits of rock, sand and worn glass. The teacher then tipped the contents over the table and asked the class to refill the jar starting with the sand first. Each group of pupils tried but no matter what they did they found there was never enough room to fit everything back in the jar. Eventually the teacher told the class to start with the large rocks and finish with the sand. The sand simply nestled in the gaps around the rocks until all the contents were back in the jar. The class concluded that if you start with smaller items first it was impossible to get everything back in the jar. The Teacher added that this was the case in life if you fill up your lives with lots of less important things you will not have room to fit in the bigger more important things So we should think of our lives as that glass jar. There are physical constraints on how much we can put into it. We should ensure each day we put the most important aspects of our life into each day first and fit everything else around those.

Who Are you

15-JUL-08

In one of my roles I help people to overcome challenges they have to self esteem. They often see a distorted picture of themselves, overlooking their strengths and inflating their shortcomings. I have used the following to help them start to re-evaluate themselves to help them see a more balanced picture of themselves. Draw a large circle and divide it into 5 pie sections; Social, Physical, Emotional, Work and Spiritual. In each section list your strengths and areas where you need to work Social refers to how you relate to people Do you have friend, are you helpful etc Physical write about you appearance, health and fitness Emotional relates to you psychological well being; Do you readily express your emotions Can you manage control them? In Work component list your talents that have contributed to your achievements at work or school Are there any weaknesses that may be hampering you? Spiritual you should consider if there is a guiding purpose in your life you may wish to examine your belief and value systems. Review your list and ask yourself how each strength and weakness shapes your self esteem. If your list contains many more weaknesses than strengths question each one and look for concrete evidence List some ways to change weaknesses into strengths I hope these may be of some use to any who may feel that their self esteem is not high and would appreciate any feedback from any who use it please send to e-mail thanks

Look for the Silver Lining

07-JUL-08

It can be very difficult to find positive things when faced with an adverse life situation. With a little structure and time though you can find things that will make you feel far more positive and thus life will seem better. I offer the following to you and see if it helps you Take a piece of paper and draw 3 columns. In the first column write down the situation you are facing e.g. starting a new job In middle column describe your initial thoughts on the situation; were you angry, upset, worried etc. What is making you feel that way e.g. I feel anxious as I will know no one and will the job be the one I thought it was? In the 3rd column list ways to reinterpret your thoughts in a positive way e.g. I am not anxious I am excited; I can use my anxiety to motivate me to do well; I do not know anyone so this is an opportunity to meet new people. Ask yourself what good can come from the situation? What lessons can I apply to the future? What strengths do I have as a result? what else could this experience mean? Should you struggle ask a trusted friend to help you find ideas. With practice you will find positive reinterpretation becomes a positive habit

What have I done?

02-JUL-08

How about just taking a minute or two to think about what you do best, what have you done successfully in your life? Isn't it strange how we dwell over our mistakes and spend ages thinking about them rather than what we have achieved. Think what you have accomplished in the last day, week, month or year! What do you want to achieve in both the short and long term and then go for those stars and when you look back be proud! You may surprise yourself with all that you have accopmlished when you start to look around

Coffee Anyone?

27-JUN-08

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for each of you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup. But you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups. Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it." So, don't let the cups drive you... enjoy the coffee instead

Pity party

19-JUN-08

I saw earlier a blog now gone where someone was feeling they deserved a pity party. Whilst I understand the feeling I am always of the opinion that you do not have to travel very far from your home to find someone who has it a lot worse. Too many do not take the time or make the effort to look at the lives of others and see what they are experiencing. So perhaps you should take a minute and think about some people who would think you have a lot, perhaps then your situation will not seem so bad after all! Count your blessings What do you give thanks for that makes your life so rich?

Make Everyday Count

14-JUN-08

Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, even if it doesn't seem right because you are too young or too far, just follow your heart. Surround yourself with those who make you smile, laugh, and make you happy. Break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create your own life then let go and live it.

Aging Disgracefully

11-JUN-08

To commemorate her birthday , actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was 'My Favourite Things' from the legendary movie 'Sound Of Music'. Here are the lyrics she used: (Sing It!)-If you sing it, its especially hysterical!!! Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting, Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings, Bundles of magazines tied up in string, These are a few of my favourite things. Cadillacs and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses, Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses, Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings, These are a few of my favourite things. When the pipes leak, When the bones creak, When the knees go bad, I simply remember my favourite things, And then I don't feel so bad. Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions, No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions, Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring, These are a few of my favourite things. Back pain, confused brains and no need for sinnin', Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin', And we won't mention our short shrunken frames, When we remember our favourite things. When the joints ache, When the hips break, When the eyes grow dim, Then I remember the great life I've had, And then I don't feel so bad.

Hope

04-JUN-08

If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope If you can find beauty in the colours of a small flower, then you still have hope If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, then you still have hope If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, then you still have hope If you can see the good in other people, then you still have hope If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep, then you still have hope If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder, then you still have hope If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism, then you still have hope If you give people the benefit of a doubt, then you still have hope If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration, then you still have hope If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection, then you still have hope If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree or cook the turkey, then you still have hope If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase yeah..BUT.. Then you still have hope Hope is such a marvelous thing. It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break It sustains us when nothing else can It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we?d rather give in Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the direction Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places Never lose hope!!!

Wisdom

03-JUN-08

I always like positive quotations and so I would like to share some of them with you Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. Plato Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. Jimi Hendrix One of the greatest pieces of economic wisdom is to know what you do not know. John Kenneth Gilbraith Life is a continual process of remaking ourselves. And finally one I really always enjoy Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit Wisdom is knowing not to put tomato in a fruit salad ;)

Reposting Rose

02-JUN-08

I posted this piece some time ago but felt it was so good and with so many new people here I thought it might be nice to repost it. I thought it very moving but also very poignant for internet dating John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She now lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel." So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured. Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had greying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her grey eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?" The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!" It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. "Tell me whom you love," Houssaye wrote, "And I will tell you who you are." ~ Author Unknown ~

Stress

02-JUN-08

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked: 'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.' He continued, 'And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, As the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. ' 'As with the glass of water,you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.' 'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now,let them down for a moment if you can.' So, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life: * Accept that some days you're the pigeon,and some days you're the statue. * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. * Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker. * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.. * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others. * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on. * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late. * The second mouse gets the cheese. * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live. * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. * Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. * We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colours, but they all have to live in the same box. *A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour..

NCO XXVII (Return to Sanity)

21-FEB-07

I removed NCO XXVI because for some they felt it was not a positive blog. I feel that some they did not read the whole content as I was using the past drama to highlight how important truth is on such a site as this. I feel it has served its purpose in a way to allow some to vent their disquiet about untruths and about some who assist in the propogation of other peoples falsehoods. Once you post something on here it is in the public domain and will be subject to scrutiny. Some will read it as you intended and others will take a 180 view and there will be every shade in between, such are the problems of communication. If you do not like the idea of being criticised then you should not post details of your personal life on here! I am hoping that now with this final episode we can return to some degree of sanity. Lies on here will always be found out particularly if they are big. Small lies such giving the wrong age or putting on a false picture will also be found out eventually. Once dicovered that someone is lying even if only a tiny lie then what else is being lied about. A site like this relies heavily on the truth, for some the truth can seem to be hurtful but surely the truth should always be told. Lies will destroy a site like this as has been shown over the last month or so. Currently people on here doubt the veracity of other members and regularly challenge them to verify if they are real. Is that how a site such as this should be run? Why should we have to go through this routine it would not have been needed had the original parties not lied and others had not compounded the lie. Due to a small minority of so called single members the rest have to suffer! Honesty is something I value and ask that everyone here posts with honesty and if you do not like the posting fine you have the right to say so but make it a postive statement and not get into the mud slinging that has been seen

Giving 100% and more

13-FEB-07

I know this is an old one but I thought might make a few people smile What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life? Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions: If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. Then: K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96% and H-A-R-D W-O-R-K 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98% But, A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100% And, B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T 2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103% But, look how far you can go! A-S-S K-I-S-S-I-N-G 1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118% So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullsh*t and As*Kissing that will put you over the top.