Michael Jackson... We will Miss YOU

The Leaf and the Tree

When will you learn, myself, to be
a dying leaf on a living tree?
Budding, swelling, growing strong,
Wearing green, but not for long,
Drawing sustenance from air,
That other leaves, and you not there,
May bud, and at the autumn's call
Wearing russet, ready to fall?
Has not this trunk a deed to do
Unguessed by small and tremulous you?
Shall not these branches in the end
To wisdom and the truth ascend?
And the great lightning plunging by
Look sidewise with a golden eye
To glimpse a tree so tall and proud
It sheds its leaves upon a cloud?

Here, I think, is the heart's grief:
The tree, no mightier than the leaf,
Makes firm its root and spreads it crown
And stands; but in the end comes down.
That airy top no boy could climb
Is trodden in a little time
By cattle on their way to drink.
The fluttering thoughts a leaf can think,
That hears the wind and waits its turn,
Have taught it all a tree can learn.
Time can make soft that iron wood.
The tallest trunk that ever stood,
In time, without a dream to keep,
Crawls in beside the root to sleep.
Poem: Edna St Vincent Millay

Romance on a Budget

Romance On A Budget
by: Heidi Richards
Romance isn’t about spending money, it’s about spending time together, spending energy and creativity to attract and keep the relationship exciting and the love alive.
Romance isn't about how much money you lavish on another. It’s about attracting the object of your affection. Romance is about making dreams and fantasies come true. Romance is defined as “an exciting and mysterious quality; a relationship between two lovers.”
It is the “act of making your partner feel loved.” Romance is more than an act, it’s a state of being. It’s the heart, the soul and the mind working together to create an adventure, and increase enthusiasm for one another.

“Romance means intimacy and connection, which means paying attention to detail. It’s making her lunch or giving him a massage. It’s making the bed together and cuddling. It’s holding hands and leaving little “love notes” around the house. It’s touching and feeling and listening and sharing. It’s excitement and serenity, spontaneity and planning. It’s telling the other person what you want, and doing the things the other person likes. It’s connecting deeply.

Romance is about timing, imagination, exploration and creativity. Being Romantic is about…. being creative, being willing to take a risk. Sometimes it’s being sweet. Sometimes it’s being silly. Romance is about … the right attitude. And attitude can cost you a little or a lot. True romantics have the right attitude; and use imagination to cultivate loving, sensual relationships.

So just how do you develop the right attitude? Start out with little acts of affection, little things to show you care and can be romantic. Here are a few suggestions (excerpted from the book, Romance on a Budget) to help you spark your imagination.

- This Kiss (#10) – You must remember this; a kiss is still a kiss… kiss often. Repeat several times.

- Look into My Eyes (#11) – When you gaze into each others eyes, everyone else seems to disappear. And looking intensely at one another can send a message to your lover that can lead to other things.

- You Light up my Life (#15) - Spray the perfume or cologne you wear on a light bulb. When the light is turned on the scent of you will fill the room.

- What a Feeling (#19) – Tell your love how much you appreciate him/her. Write your message on a post-it-note and stick it where it is sure to be found.

- Get out of your Comfort Zone (Intro) – Do something impulsive, even a little risky that will excite your lover and ignite the romance.

Like the song says “Love Don’t come easy.” I believe that “Romance Don’t Come Easy. “ But with a little practice and planning, the results can be thrillllllllling….

What is Love?

One of the most commonly asked questions, What is Love?
What is its exact definition? Well, there can never be a definite answer. Everyone got his or her own answer to it. To some it can be really simple while to others, it can get really complicated.
But one definite thing that is for sure, everybody needs love. It is a basic human need; we are not born into this world to be alone. It has always been our natural instinct as human to reach out to people, to be with and accepted by others.


Consciously or subconsciously, everyone is searching and waiting for that special someone to appear in his or her life.

But where and when will this special someone appear? For all you may know, he or she could be just nearby or even just beside you. It all depends on fate a lot would say. Fate? Well fate is again, something that cannot be explained, something that is always so amazing. Think about it. Among the millions and millions of people who could be out there, why is it that you had somehow met your friends to later become th best of friends? Got retrenched, feeling so terrible and disappointed but to later find your love among your new colleagues in your new job? Life has just suddenly become so beautiful?

Well, this is indeed a very true encounter of a friend of mine. Hmm… thinking about it, isn’t there also kind of a fate between you and me that you are actually reading this article right now? Everything is like all so miraculously arranged, having a reason behind every event that happened.

Do you believe in fate? Personally I definitely do. But again, are we really going to be just sitting around doing nothing, waiting for fate to just come by? Well, I wouldn’t think so. If you are not going to help yourself, who is going to? Fate has always been around us. As long as we are in places where there are people, presence it may be. Many at times, it had actually been there but somehow we just didn’t realized and cherished it when it was there. Sad to know of it, isn't it so? Well, sometimes we were just too obsessed with our works, dreams and nevertheless too high an expectation that we missed to see it, to cherish that someone who was all along just beside us. It is only too late to realize it now, an opportunity won’t drop by twice. Your happiness lies in your own hand, don’t live your life a regret. I am sure you wanna have a life that is so full of fond memories than with tons of regrets, don’t you? Think about it.

Let us just open up ourselves shall we? Everyday is a beautiful day, stop burying yourself with that tons of endless work. Make time for yourself, reach out, make more friends, make new friends, widen up your social circle, live a balanced healthy social life. Make life enjoyable; you will see things in a more different way. You might be going, “Hmm… why is it that all this while, I have never noticed that she is actually such a pretty girl.” Well, in fact this is how true love comes about. It doesn’t always have to be a love at first sight, to be attracted to his or her physical look. Sometimes it is through an initial friendship, enjoying the companion of one another that along time, you discover the beauty of his or her inner human qualities, unknowingly falling in love with the person. Wouldn’t this be a more beautiful and meaningful love than to a love at first sight?

Remember, love has always been a game ever awaiting your participation. Just as in life, it is a game of chance; if you never try you can never win. Well if you did not find your love today, Do not be disappointed. It is just like missing the last boat leaving the dock. There will always be another one to pick you up the next morning? And always will there be.

Why You Need To Constantly Say 'I Love You So Much'

When you enter into a relationship, all you say to your spouse is 'I love you so much'. When you love a person so much, you are willing to do anything for them; to make them happy. 

However, some time down the line the words 'I love you so much' tend to disappear if not fade away. This is mainly because reality has set in and life has to go on as usual. Many think that falling in love will happen like a fairy tale but, reality states otherwise. 

This is not to say that marriage or any other commitment cannot be totally 

blissful but, it is to suggest that a lot needs to be done for 

couples to reach this stage. 

Love is a treasure that needs to be safeguarded. This is the attitude that you are supposed to enter with in any relationship. Love is a beautiful thing but, some give it the ugly face.

Choose to be one of those people who appreciate love for what it really is. When you respect it, you will find the reason for safeguarding it. Saying to your partner 'I love you so much' is very important and you should say it often. This does not just refer to men alone. Women also need to say the words. This is the only way to make the spouse feel appreciated and important. 

There are so many things that make those words fade away. The following are some of the things that cause couples to become estranged. First, commitments to family obligations like children leave barely enough time for spouses to have quality time together. More and more couples have become very busy in this regard at the expense of saying words like 'I love you so much'. It sounds very easy to say the words but couples will tell you that the words can totally disappear.

It you want to have a spouse to come home to at the end of the day, it is vital that you work towards your relationship while you still have time. One thing that spouses forget is that it is the little things that make the most difference. Saying those words is pretty simple and, you can say them from the bottom of your heart and cover for so much. One thing that you should never forget is that, for you to have a strong family, you need to strengthen the love between couples.
This is the only way that a family can share true joy. Saying the words 'I love you so much' will therefore not only build your marriage but, it will build your family. The other thing that can hinder those words from coming out is bitterness. Bitterness comes from many things in a marriage or relationship. Conflicts will always be there and, it does not really matter what the problem is. You need to confront the problems head on and deal with the problem. This way, you will have the chance to say the words without any regrets. You must always find room for forgiveness if you want to move to the next level.

Today is a Beautiful Rainy Day in New York... Romancing in the Rain

Take advantage of a romantic rainy day with your lover, by experiencing new things indoors and out.

The beat of raindrops dancing on the rooftop creates the perfect ambiance to accompany the two of you cuddling, making love, and feeding each other chocolate-covered strawberries.



If you dare, take a step into the weather and enjoy the feel of each  
 drop of rain.

Let yourself be drenched and feel your emotions run high, your heart beat faster, and your sensuality awaken. Whether you spend your rainy days cozy and warm inside or embracing the romance of the showers, the ideas in this article will help you make your rainy day romance something your partner will never forget!