HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

It's a special day for us today. It's our 27th Wedding Anniversary! I am reminded of the saying that goes 'It feels great to be with a person whom I can annoy for the rest of my life'. Thank you hubby for all your love and the wonderful years you have given me and for always being my good friend, counsel and companion!

LALIQUE PERFUME FLEUR DE CRISTAL

Fleur De Cristal from Lalique is a beautiful floral perfume for women. Although, it's been in the market for over a year and a half, I just tried it out a few days ago at the Perfumes booth in Avenues Mall. I must say, I really liked the fragrance. Top notes in Fleur de Cristal comprise of sharp and light aromas of bergamot and jasmine. Middle note contains Stephanotis and lily of the valley petals. Base notes give off a warm warm and sensual trail of amber, sandalwood, cashmeran.

DIFFICULT PEOPLE

ALPHABETS TAUGHT TO CHILDREN NOW A DAYS

KONY 2012 FILMMAKER JASON RUSSELL HOSPITALIZED

Documentary filmmaker,  activist and co-founder of Invisible Children,  Jason Russell who made an  internet sensation through his viral video KONY 2012, is hospitalized. His wife Danica, shared on her post on the 'Invisible Children blog' that Russell is diagnosed with 'brief reactive psychosis', an acute state brought on by extreme exhaustion, stress and dehydration and that he'd have to remain in hospital for a number of weeks. He was detained by police recently for his bizarre naked outburst and transported to hospital.  To read Danica Russell's post visit the Invisible Children Blog

Jason Russell's answer to 'Who am I?" is, " I am a rebel soul: dream evangelist.  I am obsessed with people. I tell stories by making inspiring movies that move people's emotions and then I take those emotions and transform them into action. My middle name is Radical. I married my best friend. We have known each other since we were six and seven. I have a three year old boy named Gavin Danger and a one year old girl named Everely Darling. I truly believe I am the luckiest person on earth because of my family, friends and the ability to go to a dream factory every day to work".

HOLDING ON TO ANGER

MY PHOTOS FOR THE DAY - BEACH SIDE WALK BEFORE AND AFTER SUNSET

I took these pictures at the waterfront near the Scientific Center in Salmiah. Both pictures are taken at the same location , except that one is taken before sunset and the next one after sunset, from different angles. Do you prefer to walk by the waterfront when the sky and surroundings are bright or do you prefer the evening scenery?   

MOVIE A THOUSAND WORDS

How about watching a comedy movie this weekend? That too an Eddie Murphy one. Directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Koren, 'A Thousand Words' is a comedy drama movie in which Jack McCall (Eddie Murphy) who is a literary agent, lies to a New Age guru, Dr. Sinja (Cliff Curtis). Now as a consequence of lying, Jack McCall gets cursed by Dr. Sinja with a magical Bodhi Tree with 1000 leaves in his backyard. Each time he says a word, a leaf would drop. Now according to the curse, when the last leaf falls, McCall is doomed to perish.  So what does he do? What  should he do? How can he survive the curse? Will the lessons he learn from the tree help him? Well, find out by watching the movie.  

To know where the movie is being screened and for online booking, visit Kuwait Cinescape

MIRROR MAN

This is not a sculpture or a robot. It's a real man dressed in a mirror costume. Gustav Troger is an Austrian born artist based in Los Angeles and San Francisco. His mirror costume is unique and rather bizarre and not something that would have been so easy to make. His human mirror mosaic costume is created by assembling hundreds of small mirrors to a jumpsuit, hat and mask. Troger loves to walk around in his mirror costume and study people's reactions. Naturally they are surprised and stop to take pictures with the mysterious mirror man. Watch the Mirror Man in action in the video. 

WEIGHT LOSS - YOUR BODY IS AN INSTRUMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE IN GOOD ORDER

We hardly realize that we treat our body like a garbage dump whenever we overeat, eat left overs or consume food high in calories. We do dump into our stomach a lot of food our bodies don't really need. Although we can't see what's happening inside our stomach, it is certainly a huge strain on the digestive system when it's loaded with unnecessary food. The proof lies in how sluggish, tired, sleepy or lethargic we feel after eating heavy meals. Try to take foods in natural form (salads and fruits), have your vegetables steamed or grilled; your lean meat/fish/chicken baked or grilled and use less oil, less salt and less sugar. This makes our body function at it's optimum, giving us the right energy and concentration to go about our activities. Our body is a divine instrument  through which we experience the world. So like any other instrument, it needs to be in good order.  Too much oil, salt, sugar, red meats, processed foods, junk foods and excess of carbohydrates makes the body susceptible to lifestyle diseases and endless suffering in the long run. Frankly...no one wants to be sick. Wouldn't it be great to have a healthy body not just in our youth, but in our middle age and old age? Through conscious food choices, drinking plenty of water and getting enough exercise, experience the joy and music of  life through a healthy body.

THE POWER OF LOOKING AT BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS

HUMOR THE TERRIBLE SINGER

PINE SHOES BY HADAS ILANI

These  strange, yet unique and innovative looking Pine Shoes are designed by Hadas Ilani. He used  varying sewing techniques to put together pine needle strands, creating a textile which is then formed into shoes. Hadas Ilani's Pine Shoes were exhibited at Ventura Lambrate 2012, at Milan under the theme Design Bonanza.

STRANGE ALIEN LIKE CREATURE

Don't these pictures remind you of something; those weird alien creatures from science fiction movies? Mao Xiping from Gezhai village, Henan Province  in China encountered this creature, whom she thought was an alien at first. It used to sneak into her flat and steal cucumbers. She managed to trap it and took it to the police station and asked the officers to arrest the alien! Well, it certainly wasn't arrested. Later it was established by experts to be a malnourished monkey.

Alien like monkey relishing a peach

BEST PLACES IN THE WORLD FOR WOMEN

According to The Independent, here are the world's best places for women. This report was prepared by them for the International Women's Day earlier this month.

1. Best place to be a woman: Iceland 

Iceland is said to have the greatest equality between men and women, taking into account politics, education, employment and health. 

2. Best place to be a mother: Norway

Norway is the world's best place to be a mother, based on health, education and economic conditions and low risks of maternal mortality. 

3. Best place to read and write for women: Lesotho 

Literacy rates among women in Lesotho are higher than men. 95 per cent of women are able to read and write, compared with 83 per cent of men. 

4. Best place to be a woman in the arts: Sweden

The Swedish Arts Council has launched initiatives to provide women with equal opportunities and rights as men. The Swedish Film Institute requires that film grants be distributed evenly between men and women and there are quotas for women in film production. 

5. Best place to be a female top dog: Thailand 

Thailand has the greatest percentage of women in senior management (45 per cent). 

6. Best place to give birth: Greece 

Greece is believed to be the world's safest place to give birth, with a one in 31,800 risk of dying in childbirth. 

7. Best place for women in economic participation: Bahamas 

The Bahamas is considered the best place for economic participation and opportunity for women 

8. Best place to be a woman journalist: Caribbean 

In the Caribbean region, women journalists report the highest proportion of TV, print and radio news stories (45 per cent). 

9. Best place for women’s right to choose: Sweden 

Sweden permits women to have abortions without restrictions for the first 18 weeks of pregnancy, devoid of any mandatory consent requirements. 

10. Best place for women to earn money: Luxembourg 

Luxembourg shares the top spot (with Norway) for estimated income earned by women. When income is capped at $40,000, women and men earn the same amount. 

11. Best place for women to live long: Japan 

Women in Japan can expect to live long upto 87 compared to men living up to an average of 80 years. 

12. Best place to be a lady of leisure: Denmark 

Women in Denmark have more time for leisure, spending only 57 more minutes each day on unpaid work than men. 

13. Best place to be a woman athlete: US 

Five of the top 10 highest-paid female sport athletes in 2011 were from the US. 

14. Best place to leave your husband: Guam 

The island of Guam has the highest divorce rate in the world. 

15. Best place for high-skilled jobs for women: Jamaica

Jamaica has the highest number of women in high-skilled jobs, such as legislators, senior officials and managers. Almost 60 per cent of these roles are filled by women.

Visit The Independent to read the full report on "World's best and worst places to be a Woman"

A MOTHER'S LOVE

MOTHER'S DAY SOME FUNNY STUFF

MOTHER'S DAY POEMS

I came across these beautiful poems, which I must share with you. The poems reflect our feelings towards our mothers and the feelings our children hold for us. I dedicate this post to my grandmother whom I adored, my mother who was a pillar of strength, courage and wisdom, and my beautiful children - my daughter and son.

Grandma too

While we honor all our mothers

With words of love and praise

While we tell about their goodness

And their kind and loving ways.

We should also think of Grandma, 

She’s a mother too, you see…

For she mothered my dear mother

As my mother mothers me.

To My Mother

I just want to thank you 

For your warm smiles

Your encouragement

Your words of wisdom

That still guide me today

Thanks for everything

Happy Mother’s Day

-C Harding

A Mother's Prayer For You

I said a Mother's Day prayer for you

to thank the Lord above

for blessing me with a lifetime

of your tenderhearted love.

I thanked God for the caring

you've shown me through the years,

for the closeness we've enjoyed

in time of laughter and of tears.

And so, I thank you from the heart

for all you've done for me

and I bless the Lord for giving me

the best mother there could be!

Everything Mom

How did you find the energy, Mom

To do all the things you did,

To be teacher, nurse and counselor

To me, when I was a kid.

How did you do it all, Mom,

Be a chauffeur, cook and friend,

Yet find time to be a playmate,

I just can’t comprehend.

I see now it was love, Mom

That made you come whenever I’d call,

Your inexhaustible love, Mom

And I thank you for it all.

-By Joanna Fuchs

What “Mother” Means

“Mother” is such a simple word,

But to me there’s meaning seldom heard.

For everything I am today,

My mother’s love showed me the way.

I’ll love my mother all my days,

For enriching my life in so many ways.

She set me straight and then set me free,

And that’s what the word “mother” means to me.

Thanks for being a wonderful mother, Mom!

-By Karl Fuchs

You are loved very much

Somehow we always say the least

to those we love the best

And hope our thoughts

are understood.

Although they're unexpressed -

That's why it means

so very much,

when days like this are here

To say how very much

you're loved

each day throughout the year.