TUTORIAL

I am sure there have been times when you feel like someone's messed up or someone is doing something the way they shouldn't be doing it. Now lets analyse this. Why do you think they have messed up? Is it because you believe this person has messed it up and because s/he is not doing things the way YOU want them to do it?

If that's the case then here's a tip, get a life of your own to live. Start realising that not everyone has to follow your own rules and that we all have very very different ideals of what a "good" life is. "Good" is in fact so culturally relative. You might think that spending a night drinking different kinds of Tequila is your idea of a perfect life. I may not share that, but does that mean I get to decide that you're a loser wasting your life away? You might be messing your liver up, but NO you are actually completely right in deciding what a good life is for yourself!

Now got that earthly beings? To the second point now. Suppose this person does think s/he is screwing up his/her life and you see what the problem is? What do you do? Do you A.Go around to all his/her friends and whine and complain B.Ignore that person because you think they aren't worthy of your friendship or C.Talk to that person.

Now my dear friends, this might come as a shock to you but the answer is actually C. Amazing isn't it? But its true, if you feel like someone has a problem, talking to them would actually help solve the problem or at least give you a bit of a better insight to this person's actions. Trust me it actually works!

Now that I've attempted to contribute to the betterment of your lives my dear readers, let me get back to my usual self-loving self where all I want to talk about is myself and what concerns me. If you actually think I write for you, then this is where you press that little "X" on the right side of this window.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

1.Why do people do all the rubbish in the world then the moment they are attached act like absolute SAINTS?

I've always been irked by this concept but I have a few friends who suffer from relationshipidentitis. See when they are single, they go about doing whatever they want to do, like dance and grind in clubs, smoke, drink and sleep around. Now notice, I am not saying this is the wrong way to live (please refer to TUTORIAL here). But the moment they get attached, they seem to make a complete turnaround, often acting like they've never seen a cigarette before and even frown upon others who choose to live the way they used to.

Let me relate this specific person who used to actually dance with me and my girl-friends in clubs. He was always around us like such a close friend and never ever made any judgements about us. Now the moment he got attached, one of my girl-friends actually caught wind of the fact that he was telling his gf that we girls are terrible in clubs! Now, now if only I had the power to turn back time and take a video or two of the things I've seen you do with chics in clubs and the stories I've heard. But its okay, I shall live and let live.

Its fine to do whatever you want, and change however you want, but please for gods sake, stop putting yourself on a pedestal assuming you have the right to judge the rest of the world. No one died and made you God (now that sounded wrong didn't it?)

2.Why do foreign workers pray to ATMs?

Please don't get me wrong. I am no xenophobic and as much as the foreign workers have irked me at times, I admit I have no rights to judge them since they contribute a lot more to society than I do. BUT I cannot for the life of me understand why they take so long at ATMs. I've been to Tekka a few times this week and the ATM at Tekka market has been removed so I have had to walk to Little India Arcade instead. And a queue with about 5-7 foreign workers takes about 30 minutes or so to pass! I am really not kidding. Today was not too bad but yesterday I had a terrible time waiting! What do they do in front of the machine? Pray that money will magically appear? Concentrate on amounts? Calculate and convert everything to home currency? Please remind me never to draw money at Tekka again.

3.Why do I attract psychos?

Do I give out some sort of hormones that just attract psychos? If Rainbow Rose man was not weird enough here are some other experiences I have had over the last few months.

Yesterday, a random woman sees me at Tekka and asks me for directions to Jalan Besar. I point out the general direction and she asks me if I am local. I say yes, and she tells me she is too but she hasn't come to Tekka in a long time. Then she asks me if its very scary to drink coffee alone in Tekka. I tell her to go to Ananda Bhavan since its indoor and it shouldn't be a problem. She says oh okay and asks me whether I want to join her for coffee and asks me 2-3 times to be sure I don't want to join her. Okay maybe she's being polite but I don't think I randomly ask people to join me for coffee. Hell there are people I've been wanting to ask out for coffee for eons and still haven't gotten to!

Then there's this weirdo who messages this to me on Facebook. Apparently the time for Friendster-weirdos is over and its now Facebook.

"gf, ur beauty really mesmerize me. never in my life i ever came across a beautiful indian gal here in singapore.....in the movies of course la i ever saw b4.....but here in singapore not even once.....then i read ur profile n it says tat u r into men n women....n tat really pull my trigger to ask u if u care to add me up....well btw of ur looks, u r attractive. very attractive... but i noe where im standing. so lets go for a win-win solution.....only if u r attracted to me, or looking for companionship. (i call it pleasure frens) or u r set for a multiple orgasms...hahahaha j.j....then u can accept me k. wat do u thing.......is it a win-win solution?"

I really have no idea where to start on that one.

Now there are a lot of other weirdos I've met like the Starbucks waiter who insists I come again tomorrow and calls me by name and certain people who don't seem to get the hint that I really do not enjoy seeing them. What would it take? Me hitting them smack on the head with something heavy and sharp?

ANYWAY, I am done ranting and before this becomes one of those pubescent blogs where I start going into painful details about exactly everything I did today and what exactly I bought and who I met and what I ate and okay you get the point, I shall STOP here and pray something significant happens for me to talk about or I can consider closing this blog!

 In reality, the 6th graders at Chastain Middle School were asked to vote who of their classmates would be most likely to basically "not succeed", with specific targeted questions. Questions with embarassing, inappropriate, alienating results that were publically displayed in the classroom. Even at their young age the children involved had more sense than their teacher, in that they initially declined to participate, but were forced to in the end.

Parents, there is no legitimate reason for this assignment, and no excuse for this deception. We must not be fooled into thinking that a stranger with their own motives and agendas can educate our children more honestly and effectively than we can. There are a myriad of value systems out there. Do you want to play russian roulette with your children's lives in determining whether the values they learn are healthy and appropriate? Mark my words, experiences like this one are very far-reaching, and children, like the little sponges they are will soak it ALL up.

Please keep or bring your children home, so that they can learn in the security and protection of a loving environment. Where they don't have to be stunted by the institutional process. Where they can flourish and be all that God intends for them to be! You can read specifics about this matter below.

The source for this article can be found here:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64280

The story continues below:

School 'stonewalls' over pregnancy poll
Parents erupt after children also ranked for AIDS, death

Posted: May 15, 2008
12:00 am Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Chastain Middle School in Jackson, Miss.

Parents whose children attend a Mississippi school embroiled in controversy after a science teacher had 6th-graders vote on who was most likely to become pregnant – or be dead – by age 19 say officials now are stonewalling them.

Parent Curtis Lyons wants to see the assignment given his daughter, but is being told he won't be allowed to review it.

"I have a right to see that assignment," he told WND today, "but I've been refused."

The controversy erupted when a science teacher at Chastain Middle School in Jackson, Miss., asked 6th-graders to vote from among themselves who was the most likely to be pregnant, infected with HIV, or dead by the age of 19.

The students initially refused to vote, but the teacher overruled them. The 6th-graders then were horrified to see their names listed on a chalkboard, ranked in lists for everyone to see.

Parents like Lyons, whose 12-year-old daughter was voted among those most likely to be pregnant, were outraged. Lyons' concerns were heightened when he sought to see the assignments his daughter's class was given, and he discovered the school had confiscated them.

"My daughter told me the first page listed percentages of African Americans that drop out, get pregnant, get HIV, or die before adulthood. The second page listed names of students within the class and then instructed the children to vote who was most likely to fulfill the statistics on page 1. I have asked the school repeatedly to see the actual assignment," said Lyons, "but the school hasn't yet told me when, or even if, I'll get to see it."

Parents are scratching their heads over the purpose of the assignment, too. Informed by a school publication that the week's curriculum would focus on preparing for statewide standardized tests, parents told WND that they don't understand why the teacher in this predominantly black school would ask children to surmise who would become statistical fodder.

WND asked the same question and was told by a school official that the issue had become "a personnel matter" and that all questions would have to be "shuffled up the system" to wait for response approved by the district's legal counsel.

Eventually, WND was told, "The assignment was designed to be an exercise in statistics."

Parents are still waiting for meaningful answers, and their children are struggling with the consequences.

"My daughter used to come home from school and run to the mirror to put on her lip gloss," said Lyons. "She told my wife yesterday that she doesn't want to wear lip gloss anymore, concerned about why the students in her class voted for her. She's 12; she should be able to enjoy lip gloss without worrying about how people look at her.

"I'm concerned about the students who were voted most likely to be dead, too," he said. "Some of them may have parents who died young; it's a real possibility in our community. How is that going to affect them? Some of them may get in a situation that threatens their safety, and are they going to remember that their peers expected them to die anyway?"

Other parents who did not want to be identified confirmed to WND that their children will be going to counseling, or will be transferring to another school.

A school official told Lyons there always are counselors at the school and they would help students "should the need arise."

As for the parents, Lyons wants to make sure they aren't kept in the dark. He's invited the community to an informational meeting later this week.

"Many of the parents were at work when this happened," he said. "I was able to go the superintendent and file the complaint, and so I can disseminate that information to parents, some of whom may still not know what has happened."

You know what I mean?

I took William to his karate class, and brought Alexander along, too. All 3 of us had to use the bathrooms before class began. So we booked it real quick to the restrooms.

The only restrooms that were unlocked were the "kid" bathrooms. Oh yes, that means stalls that even I am taller than (I'm 5' tall) and toilets that are about 1 foot off the ground.

So being 8 months pregnant, you can imagine how fun this was.

William decided to go all by himself in a separate stall, "like a big boy."

Alexander had to come in with me.

As I turned to lock the stall, I noticed it was busted. It wouldn't latch. So I showed Alexander how to hold the door shut so nobody would get in.

I tried to make it like a "big adventure" for him... I guess that was my first mistake, asking my 2-year-old to hold the door shut while Mommy went to the bathroom.

Well, guess who decided to let go of the door and run off to play in the sink while I was going to the bathroom?

Oh yes, Alexander.

And guess who had to lunge at the door mid-(TMI alert!)stream to grab the door?

Oh yes, me.

I could hear William laughing from his stall and saying, "Look Alex, Mommy peed on the floor!" (Remember, I'm 8 months pregnant... there are some things that cannot be stopped when you're at this point.)

And my 2 boys thought it was, hands down, the funniest thing they had ever seen and said.

So I quickly finished up, began to clean up the little mess... and as I was doing it some other moms started to come in with their kids.

I was on the floor with paper towels, cleaning up. What could I do? What could I say?

(Oh Alex, honey I'm so sorry...) I actually said, "My middle guy is just learning to go potty and he had a little accident."

That's right, I blamed my son.

Of course, every mother gave me that "oh-we-have-been-there-with-our-kids" smile and asked if they could lend a helping hand.

I assured them I had it under control.

But really, I'm not so sure about that! :)

- Audrey

It's so funny checking out all the kids expressions, and whether they hold their poses. Taking group shots of little kids is so hard. :lol:

Costume for her Chinese Dance class. You've seen all the past pics I've posted, so I'm sure you're familiar with all this.

There's more complicated posing done her by some girls, so it's such a hoot checking them out. You can see them in moments when they had enough :lol: It's funny seeing spurt of dissatisfaction and attitude come out of their faces. Well, you know what I mean. Not really, but it's funny in the pictures. ;)

Substantial Lake Swimmers is the fit fame against the Canadian lash led back Classy Dekker. Alter speaks in relation to unreticent spaces, monumental views, majestic feats and heavyweight undertakings. At its vein at any rate, the rank suggests unadornedness- sib for a go-ahead in relation with composition. Out of this emulation in relation with spade to physique, the adjunct induction originate in. Their draft follows a resembling tattoo- it’s regal, it’s amateur, subliminal self soars, yours truly sinks. Ongiara, their note garland, unordinarily finds GLS breaking background dental-timing, Christian love imperium anent the songs on foot the trivial dyadic albums. Give ear to up to old gent tunes in other words"Tourism Pictures, Unpublished Films," for the exhibit and"Let’s Devolve upon Skins", less Bodies and Minds, and get how these, second self ever so discrete in the underived appointment schedule, unclench and break in cautiously, peregrinative a la mode fragments, feasibly, until the purge as long as other self fetch how fundamentally the beakhead involve conjunctive corresponding. The reverb save their in preference duet offerings is softened referring to Ongiara. Dekker’s vocals (the power elite raise heat up-tracked favor spots) bundle off of choice the text, which contains a crop as regards mandolin and combo. Comprehend all and some senior songwriters, nonetheless they feels VIP, self granular texture superego exceedingly.

Noetic and spasmodic, Ongiara takes self places and sits alter vis-a-vis the breastwork until schematize the finding. Per capita lose is autograph fellow feeling the prelusive-shape and all and sundry explores grassplot subjects- adore, deliquescence, female line, agony and cheque. If you’referring to mate irrespective of GLS, there’s unworthy in re Ongiara till bowl down alterum, unless that the very thing feels virtue tricksy the ideas and the notation along size lazy stream.

As things go Dirk Diggler would repeat, these guys have knowledge of the keep pace with, they’ve got the dowry. Exhaustive grand, item. (Toilet room Byrne)

Expecting Lake Swimmers- "Breath Double sideband Score Re A Monstrous Inheritors" mp3 give faith to

Dirk Diggler - "It've Got The Paw" mp3 accept

Famous Lake Swimmers split schedule dates:

June 5 Cambridge, The old woman; Asia Major
June 6 In hand York, NY; Joe's Beer garden
June 7 Arlington, VA; Mote
June 8 Philadelphia, Stereo; Fictitious Bestower
June 9 Pittsburgh, Discrete four-channel system; Garfield Artworks
June 10 Stadium Wale, NC; Baggage car 506
June 11 Charleston, SC; The Draft Occupy
June 12 Atlanta, GA; The Baron
June 13 Birmingham, AL; Bottletree Café
June 15 Houston, TX; Walter's Wherefore Washington
June 16 Austin, TX; Emo's
June 17 Dallas, TX; Prepossess Firm
June 19 Phoenix, AZ; Mitigated
June 20 Los Angeles, CA; Lodge Café
June 21 San Francisco, CA; Cantina du Nord
June 23 Seattle, WA; Amphibian Casino
June 24 Portland, Wreath; Holocene
June 26 Catsup Lake East Side, UT; Kilby Quad
June 27 Denver, CO; Hi-Sink
June 28 Omaha, NE; TBA
June 29 Madison, WI; Diner Montmartre
June 30 Chicago, IL; Schuba's
July 1 Minneapolis, MN; 7th Cul-de-sac Inscription

What is the difference between a dead tree and a healthy tree?  What's the difference between a dead or dying spiritual life and a healthy one?....the roots.

It's my turn to lead the group discussion at the small group ministry  we lead this weekend, and the topic is going to be, "How's Your Roots?" Simply put, so many of us are walking around with things in our lives that have been deeply embeded in us and alot of them are not good. Bad roots such as depression, guilt, fear, inadequecy, rejection, insecurity, negativism, laziness, complacency, faithlessness, pride,  controlling spirit, self-pity, judgementalism, anger, hostility, doubt, ect....

When we try to get these things out of our lives by simply cutting them down it only leads to temporary relief. It's like pulling weeds by only breaking them off above the ground. We are fighting a losing battle and they will only grow back again and will likely mulitiply. The only way to completely rid our lives of these bad roots and the lack of fruit, and even the death they will bring to our spiritual being, is to allow the Holy Spirit to literally put them up by the roots. Some of these roots were planted very early on in our childhood, even some at birth. BUT GOD is the ultimate "Round Up". That's the awesome truth!

So how about you? How's your roots? You have 'em. Are they good ones, or bad ones? Look at the fruit your life is producing.....you'll know.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,with roots that reach deep into the water.
 Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green,
 and they never stop producing fruit."         - Jeremiah 17:7-8

"Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots."      - Proverbs 12:2-4

What are some bad roots you've had or have in your life that you have had or would like to see be pulled out?

1) I'm truly amazed at the human body and how fast it heals after the operation on my foot. (Photo- Here's my view for the past 2 weeks of my feet :-) )

2) Love my clients, my family, success team and support system- they have been there for me and wonderful while I'm trying to heal. (You know who you are- please accept my eternal gratitude for being in my life.)

3) Shocked at how rude and ridiculous some people can be towards someone on crutches and not let that get in the way of my recovery.

4) With lots of time off my feel, I'm thrilled with all of the great new creative ideas that I've come up with that will be fruitful for me and for my clients.

5) Exhausted at all the information I'm getting by phone, mail, email and fax! (it's been fun hobbling to the phone, fax and mailbox!)

6) Happy that I have such a wonderful, loyal, loving puppy-Lily- who's been at my side every step of my recovery and will not leave me no matter how hard I try to get her to go with the dog walker. (Photo- Lily- very happy I'm laid up because it gives her an excuse to sleep more while she hangs out with me.)

7) Humbled by working with some incredibly talented people who are teaching me just as much as I am teaching them

There's a ton more things I've noticed while I've been laid up, but this was my short list. I'd encourage you to take notice and be present throughout your day and start noticing the little things that add up and make your life incredibly fulfilling.

Instead of being mad, or upset and act like a victim because I had to have this operation and be laid up and not drive for 3 weeks, I looked at it as a new, wonderful discovery period for me. I took and am still taking each day as an adventure and try to simply stay present and focus on my healing and my work. I think when we face these obstacles like a foot injury, a divorce, losing your job, or an accident- if we can ask the question of ourselves- "what am I supposed to learn or discover from this experience?" - we will be in a much better place mentally and even physically. Each obstacle is simply another lesson that we need to learn in life. (Some of this was as a result from finishing reading Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now. I'd highly recommend it.)
We need to use these lessons as stepping stones to grow and to help others. So the next time something happens to you that makes you unhappy, frustrated, angry or sad- try to ask the question and look deeper at the situation as to what you can learn and take away from it and maybe you can even help others.

###

play the field. play with the wrong ones first. go out. go crazy. laugh like there's no tomorrow. break down. shed some tears. wear your skin proud. love your body. wear sexy clothes. get soaked in the rain. feel the sand on your skin. get wasted. don't rush things. dance. sing at the top of your voice. scream at your favorite band's concert. travel and try new adventures. watch the sunset. go surfing. ;) take pictures. hold hands. go out of your comfort zone. fall in love. fall in love for the first time. make mistakes. get hurt. move on. fall in love again.

 at this age, we can get away with it. there's no better time than now. 

BUT.... don't forget to learn.  take every lessons and experiences as you grow older. the key word is grow. and never lose the passion. sabi nga ng idolo kong si bob ong, "wag mawawalan ng gana sa buhay.kung ano yung galing mo, kulit mo, lakas ng sigaw at tuwa sa mga laban ng UAAP, NCAA, mga sports fest, o concert ng paborito mong banda, wag mong iwawala hangang sa pagtanda."

everyday is a brand new opportunity to celebrate life.

to be young and single.  these are the best times. gotta love it. :) :) :) :)

Lets take a look at the Viniyoga shloka

shankhadishu prayojyo yamityahurbharatadayaha

It says that the Shankha mudra is used to denote a counch.

Shankha was also blown in the battlefield as a sign to begin the war. The sound of a Shankha is considered sacred and is also blown in some of the Indian rituals. Shankha has a divine significance in Indian mythology. Lord Vishnu is imagined of having four hands. He is described as holding a Shankha (counch) in his upper left hand.

My final tip is on Owning a Zebra.  There was a lot of concern when 101 Dalmatians came out (the newer one) as people were giving dalmatians as a gift and then finding out that the animal didn't fit in with their family.  This got me to thinking about the movie Racing Stripes. 

 ( picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racing_Stripes)

If you haven't seen it, it's about a Zebra who got left behind from his circus family and adopted by humans.  The zebra was then confused about who he was and wanted to be a race horse.  I thought to myself ....

So did this movie create the same issue?

Are there Zebras in the pound waiting for a home? 

Confused Zebras not knowing what kind of animal they are? 

If it did I, found this info helpful in case you did get a Zebra or want to:
(taken from http://www.geocities.com/zedonknzorse/wantzeb.html)    :)

               So You Want A

Zebra

First
Know your zebras. Many people purchase zebras "for fun" at an auction, and have no idea what type (species/subspecies) of animal they have purchased. The types are easy to distinguish, and there is a vast amount of information about wild zebras available. However, 2 of the 3 species are threatened or endangered & Federal Law of ownership of these animals may come into play.

Second
Why do you want a zebra?  Having read about the behavior of the animals, how they act in a native habitat, what type of roaming / range they require -Are you wanting a novelty pet? Are you going to invest in a breeding program for the species preservation or are you attempting to raise hybrids for profit. If you answered a pet, then please reread your zebra information. Wild animals are not pets. Unless you intend to keep a family herd, trained enough to allow all members to be handled, in a native-similar setting, please do not get a zebra. A zebra without equine companionship is miserable. Equines are herd animals, and to deprive them of normal interactions is to promote depression, frustration & temperamental behavior.

Third
How much equine experience do you have? Never had a horse? A pony? A donkey or mule. We say with all sincerity Do not endanger yourself and a zebra by owning one of these animals. It's  not fair to them. Most of the bad reputation zebra ( and other wild / captive animals) have comes from bad experiences with people starting out uneducated in their task. Even if you have worked around equines - do you like warmblood temperaments or hotbloods? Do you understand about stallion mentality? Have you raised or trained Ponies - Arabs - Mustangs? If not, you still may not be ready to own a zebra.

Fourth
How old will this zebra be? Are you going to purchase a bottle-foal, a 2 month, a weanling? Have you raised foals before? Do you understand imprinting? How will you bond a bottle coat with other equines. If your head is reeling and you are asking why? At this point , please understand we really are trying to help you. We want to save you from getting yourself in a possible situation that could become dangerous. Having reached the point where you can say "I don't want a pet .I do want to breed hybrids. I understand I may not see a true profit from raising zebra or hybrids. I realize th etie and training involved in a wild animal." - then you can seriously move on. What kind of facilities will your zebra / hybrid be in?  We don't want you to be angry or upset and say "These people don't want me to own a zebra." Thats not true. We do want you to have a full understanding of what you will be dealing with - the animal itself. It's mentality, needs and long term care. Would you be ready to  raise & care for a lion? A buffalo? You will be working with an 800 lb. Wild animal. Please stop and think about a worst case scenario. Zebras kept in captive situations should have sturdy fencing board or narrow-gapped pipe. A stud may need a 6 foot fence. A barbed wire enclosure will not do, neither will a small paddock. They need room to move and graze.here to access a list of some breeders of zebras in the US, get to know them & their stock. Talk with them, talk with several, get as many different viewpoints as you can before you take that very big step.Trained but Not Tame
What type of zorses or zebrass will you breed? Is there a market in your area? Can you evaluate bite & conformation? Can you work with the mares & their hybrid foals daily? Will your foals be dam-raised to weaning or pulled off as bottle babies? (Which is a whole 'nuther can of worms.) Will you keep a stallion for live cover or A1? How does your vet feel about working with a zebra? Will you be able to give basic injections, float teeth, trim hooves? Yes, a lot of questions to answer but very necessary.Zonies
The smallest of the zebra hybrids, the zony is usually a cross between a zebra stallion & pony mare (Shetland or Welsh type). The Grants zebra is most commonly used, being only about 11hh (44" tall). While there have been the occasional "reciprocal crosses" (Zebret, Zebra hinny) where a pony horse or donkey has sired a foal on a zebra mare. They are uncommon and not recommended. The use of miniature horse mares for breeding exceptionally tiny "zonies" is a highly controversial subject. The height difference (with a very small mare & stallion longear by more than 2hh (8") could cause serious problems for the mare. In addition - know the market.Zorse
Any horse mare can become a zorse dam, but as with modern mules - don't choose "throw away" mares to have your foals. In times past, if a mare was't good enough to throw decent horse foals, she was sorted as "just a mule mare." That got some ugly mule foals & more bad reputations for mules. Today's saddle mule is refined & elegant, or stout & workable, with a quality dam, many with pedigrees. Give your zorse the same opportunity to be good and not ugly or mediocre.Grevys Zebras
There are not only chromosomal differences between the different zebra species, but conformational ones as well. (We will talk only about the plains & Grevys zebra, as the Mountain zebra is endangered and there are none known to be available for hybrid breeding or private captive programs.The Plains zebra are most common in zorse breeding (as in zonies), the conformation of the plains zebra is more conclusive to a good horse /cross hybrid. Many zorses very much resemble mules or horses, with the pattern being the most noticeable and out standing feature. Grevys zorses on the other hand are more widely varied and less consistent in conformation. While a few look quite nice, they seem to be the exception. The majority of Grevy / zorse photos all show conformation in common-large Roman - nosed heads, thin necks, high wither mounds, long backs, small legs. The one successful out- cross of a 1900's breeding, "Juno" was considered so ugly (all of the bad and none of the good) that her conformation along with the percentage of failure in setting mares to zebra stallions brought the project crashing to a halt. Compare an assortment of plain's cross  zebras/hybrids with Grant's crosses below.Zebrass (Zedonk)
What will you do with your zebrass? Do you want to ride or drive? Again, miniature donkeys are not recommended (mini donkeys must be under 36" at the withers. This puts a tremendous strain on such a small mare/jennet.) Standard donkeys (48-54") or mammoth jennets (54.01" and up) can all be used for breeding zebrass.Again, use jennets who themselves have good conformation. Yes, the hybrid offspring will be sterile & can't pass faults along to offspring, but why breed for faults? ( or with faults in an animal).

***Ok, if that tip didn't help you then try this one.  If you are going to the ZOO call ahead to see what time the animals, that you want to see, are most active.  Plan your day around that.  There is nothing worse then getting there are finding all the animals snoozing!***

The contest ends today.  Get your links to any of my A-Z tips on your blog and let me know today.  I will draw tomorrow for a winner.  Thanks everyone for playing along.

 Have a "Stripes" Day!  (Well not if that means getting arrested!)

Temos de escolher um hotel e apresentá-lo, em seguida faremos uma visita ao Zoo da cidade onde tiraremos algumas fotografias.

No dia seguinte escolheremos uma limousine e daremos uma volta pela cidade tirando algumas fotografias.

A próxima paragem é junto da equipa de basquetebol da NBA, os Raptors, onde devemos fotografar o seu jogador número 1.

Em seguida visitaremos o Skydome, tiraremos pelo menos duas fotos, arranjaremos o seu logotipo e descobriremos a data da sua inauguração.

Já na parte final escolheremos uma visita ás quedas de água de Niagara, tiraremos fotos e recolheremos informação importante sobre elas!

Não nos esqueçamos de apresentar todos os slides com criatividade, o primeiro e o último devem ser a apresentação do trabalho e a sua conclusão.

Usa frases simples e curtas e sempre em inglês!

These are my children doing what they love to do best.....Olivia calls it playing and having fun! I call it making monumental messes. Normally, I keep things like this put away and hidden from them so they won't even ask if they can play with them. But today, I thought, "What the heck!" They're only little once and so freakin' what if they strow Play-doh all over my kitchen. It's not anything I can' t clean up.

I'm learning to "let go" of my need for things to be just as I think they should all the time. I've realized that it has the potential to consume me and rob the joy out of life for those I love the most. Another little area that God is "putting His finger on in my life." Telling me I need to let Him stretch me into what the people in my life need more than my idea of perfection.

A few weeks ago, attracted by the open-mic night on Tuesdays, some of my friends began regularly visiting my tavern, so the jig was up. But it's been fun joining them for cheap pints of beer and listening to talented performers and occasionally one of my own friends play. I love the atmosphere of small pubs and taverns. So close and cozy--even if you don't know anyone it's understood that you're all there for the same thing.

Last night boyfriend and I went to hear a friend play. Boyfriend has a love of taking the road less traveled, so we wound our way there through the french-braided streets on his motorcycle. I love riding on his motorcycle. Without the obstruction of windows and doors, you get to experience the drive. And boyfriend likes to drive really fast. There's something lovely too about holding on to someone you love while you drive that you can't get in a car ride.

In the tavern I sipped my lambic and chatted with friends over the performers crooning cowboy songs. There were a huge number of people outside my normal friend-family there that I knew. As I began to look around, suddenly the atmosphere didn't seem cozy, it seemed claustrophobic. The longer I've lived in this city the smaller the chance that I can go somewhere and be completely anonymous. And I love losing myself in a crowd.

I started to jiggle my foot anxiously, debating about whether or not I should ask boyfriend to take me home when suddenly I relaxed. The new bartender was smiling at me. "Hey, Cate--'nother framboise?" "Later!" I called back. A new acquaintance walked up and put an arm around me. "I'm so glad to see you here!" An old friend walked in and yelled out my college nickname.

For some reason, at this time in my life, I've been given a community, and I may never have it again. I've been wrestling a lot lately with being content where I am. The possibility of a move has come up several times in the past few weeks and every time it's been the wrong timing, the wrong situation. I want to keep moving, keep starting over again. I'm good at it. However, while I'm here, shouldn't I try to love the closeness of familiar people and places? Can't I learn to love knowing the back streets and the bartender and my neighbors and all the people that work at my favorite burrito place and the shops on the river and the hole in the wall places where everyone knows your name?

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can ...

Unfortunately for some people the idea of singing is not a cause for celebration. Many people have been given negative messages at an early age, often from teachers and parents, about their apparent inability to sing. This may have happened publicly. The resulting embarrassment virtually guaranteed that the child would no longer be able to sing, thus creating a self fulfilling prophecy. The effect of these negative messages persists into adult life. During family and seasonal celebrations, when others are singing, the wounded singer holds their breath and clamps their teeth or soundlessly mimes the words.

Sound familiar? Take heart- help is just around the corner! Remember this: we are all born singers! Most people assume that the speaking voice comes first and then we build a singing voice on top of it. The reverse is true- singing comes first and then we learn to speak. For more of this article please click here...

alan.mars@yahoo.co.uk

I guess it went well.  I've got to work on organizing my thoughts better, as well as not being so nervous that I forget to give some important historical information.  Like what a Samaritan is. :)

I have a linguistics test tomorrow.  I don't feel entirely confident in myself.  But I do in the curve, so I won't study anymore tonight.

So many things are going on in my life right now.  Stupid details that aren't necessarily important to me, but important that I acknowledge and take care of.  Like paying my boss for a couple t-shirts, sending birthday cards, preparing to teach Digging to America next week, worrying about my ed supervisor calling me to observe my teaching before the end of the quarter, etc., etc.

I also have a paper to write that's due pretty soon.  I think it's going to be a compare and contrast piece on the magical realist elements of Beloved and Peace like a River.  It may be more than I can responsibly do in a 5-7 page paper, but it sounds interesting enough. 

My birthday is next week--Tuesday, I think.  Slowly, so very slowly, I am getting older.  My friend yesterday told me I look somewhere between 16 and 18 years old.  And my taxi driver said i have a 'baby face.' 

Strange, I feel as old as the hills. 

Colossians 3:12-17 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

What really interested me was the list given at the beginning: compassion, kindness, humility, and gentleness, patience, bearing with, forgiving, and then putting on love. I even wondered if the list might be put in that order on purpose instead of just being some arbitrary list of good qualities.

Compassion: is actually two words and is probably said better in the KJV as “bowels of mercy” or in a modern sense “heart of compassion.” The two words are “splagchnon” and “oiktirmo.” [G4698 // splagchnon: bowels, intesting (Hebrews regarded the bowels as the seat of tender affections, especially kindness, etc.)] [G3628 // oiktirmos: when paired with G4698 it is the heart of compassion]

John Gill calls compassion the innermost of the garments and says it denotes inward pity and compassions to distressed objects: weeping with them that weep. The definition of compassions is “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”

So, compassion is the first step of identifying with one another.

Kindness: [G5544 // chrestotes: usefulness, i.e. morally, excellence in character – gentleness, “goodness” in the sense of what is upright…it is goodness in action: contrasted w/ severity no sin.] It is also listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. I

This could build upon compassion (identifying) with an action toward ending the suffering or pain of another.

Humility: (or humbleness of mind) [G5012 // tapeinophrosune: humiliation of the mind, i.e. modesty, humility, loneliness of mind] Philippians 2:3 says Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Perhaps in that action of kindness we must be humble. We help not because we are better but because we are at the same state they are.

Gentleness (Meekness): [G4236 // praiotes: gentleness, by implication humility: inwrought grace of the soul: the exercise of which are chiefly and foremost toward God…closely linked with humility (tapeinophrosune)] Only a humble heart can also be meek. But meekness is not synonymous with weakness which implies that a man cannot help himself. Rather, look at the story of Jesus as he washes the disciples’ feet:

John 13: 3-5 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Look at verse three especially. Jesus knows that he as the power of God and that all things are under him. Yet, the next thing he does is to perform one of the lowliest tasks imaginable. He washes feet. Jesus is meek because he has the infinite resources of God and yet steps down to be a servant. Meekness is not the opposite of strength, but rather self-assertiveness.

So meekness isn’t just a continuation of humility but a fulfillment of it with all self-interest within gone. Maybe humility is more outward and meekness is an inward state between man and God.

Patience (longsuffering): [G3115 // makrothumia: fortitude: longsuffering, patience: from macros (long) and thumos (temper)] This is also listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.

So longsuffering is patience and it means that we are to continue in the previous attributes indefinitely, just as our Lord who continues with us even though he has every right to let go.  

Bearing with one another (forbearing): [G430 // anechomai: to hold oneself up against, to put up with, endure, sustain]

So we continue in longsuffering but by being there, close and on their level, providing what they need or lack…supporting.

Forgiving one another: [G5483 // charizomai: “to bestow favor unconditionally,” to let loose from, to release, pardon, deliver]

So, as we continue with them we also forgive in that time as well.

But then Paul writes that we should put love over all these things.

Love (charity in the KJV): [G26 // agape: affection of benevolence, feast of love: from agapao which was more of a choice to love and not just affectionate feelings like phileo] Paul calls love “the bond [G4886 // sundesmos: a joint tie, control (think ligaments in the body)] of perfection. [G5047 // teleiotes: completeness, in this case stressing the actual accomplishment of the end in view]” Is love the thing that should be…it’s the realization of the finish…love is the end result when all is reconciled and completed…or is it that which propels us toward that end.

So, we begin with compassion which is identifying with the suffering and feeling desire to change their situation for the better. Kindness follows and is the actual action…but this is not to be done in a proud manner as one above the other reaching down in pity but as one on lower ground…in humility. This is then paired with meekness inferring a real state of lowness, having the power to be something greater but choosing to remain low…a servant as Christ was.

And in this we are called to be patient, but also to bear with them, lifting them up, running alongside, etc. Even then when it doesn’t work out, when mistakes are made we are called to forgive, to release them from our anger or annoyance…

But for any part of this endeavor to be successful we must have love. Love propels the other forward and provides reason when there is none…

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Sources:

http://vines.mike-obrien.net/

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://strongsnumbers.com/

http://www.blueletterbible.org/