"Singapore succeeds at managing everything - except dating"

SINGAPORE: It was like a college mixer, a classroom full of young men and women seeking a recipe for romance.

They had assembled for the first class of "Love Relations for Life: A Journey of Romance, Love and Sexuality."

There was giggling and banter among the students, but that was all part of the course material as their teacher, Suki Tong, led them into the basics of dating, falling in love and staying together.

The course, which is in its second year at two polytechnic institutes, is the latest of many, mostly futile, campaigns by the government to get its citizens to mate and multiply. Its popularity last year has led to talk of expansion through the higher education system.

"We want to tell students: Don't wait until you have built up your career," Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, minister of state for community development, youth and sports, said at a news conference last month. "Sometimes, it is too late, especially for girls." <<<< WOT????

...

"I'm not open to relationships in school," said Wei Shan Koh, a former student who works as a teacher's aide. "Boys in school are not my cup of tea. They are male chauvinist pigs. They're annoying and childish. And they won't give in to you. They're just not mature."

Another former student, Tian Xi Tang, was quick to respond.

"I think girls' ideas are a bit childish, or you might say girlie," said Tian, who hopes to become an engineer. "It's a matter of pride. Guys are more outspoken.

We don't like a girl to be more outspoken."

...

Credits to Els for highlighting the paragraph above - and for starting a battle of sexes (and ego)

How long has it been now?  Maybe 4 or 5 years, wouldn’t you say?  At least 5 years since your return from Mexico.  Even though your trip south of the border was short lived, it was the demise of our relationship.  Wouldn’t you agree? 

It’s hard not to blame you for having the fun you did, after all, we were young and our relationship wasn’t built on anything more than whisky and sex.  If only we had been older, maybe we could have salvaged more good times than bad.

You consumed nearly a year of my life, so it’s hard not to think about you from time-to-time.  I’ll catch certain subtleties in people, reminding me of you, some good and some bad. 

Though, we gained more than we lost.  The battles and wars we fought with ourselves and each other only helped us out for today. 

It’s amazing how engaged souls can be and how quickly they can disband.

Then in the morning I woke fifteen minutes before the lecture would start.
I stayed in bed. I could not move.
I was like a snow angel, but frozen in my bed.
I was afraid.

I called up Hans to tell him I think what we had was not good.
He sobbed. Out of misery, litost, anger, shame, I wasn't sure.
But I predicted this.
When I ended the phone conversation, I wanted to end my life.
I have hurt M, Hans and myself.
And I knew that even with a lifetime I could not get M's trust back.
He was just that sensitive and insecure, but he is the one I want.

Then I went to university. I went to the psychology tutorial.
Bertrand was there. But he probably didn't notice I looked weird.
I couldn't lift my pen, not even my paper.
I wanted to end my life.
I wanted to end my life to gain M's trust that I loved him that much.
Then I thought of my mother and couldn't do it.

No, actually Bertrand came and talked with me as well. It was mainly on academic subjects but he was another brake to my suicide.

The rest of the evening began when I found that Ardelia didn't go to work but slept at home all day, and Hans was still upset and crying about some serious man issues.
Ardelia asked Hans to come over to our apartment.
I found that his attitude and friendship with me had changed; because I changed the rules in our friendship.
Ardelia showed us one of her roadtrip videos. I was very excited to see her outside the context of a flatmate.

My votive candles, french vanilla & white tea, burnt silently in my room.
Hans told me how he lives his life with ugliness.
Or how he hasn't found a solution to the depression that the ugliness has brought.
I put myself in his shoes and imagined being the ugliest person on earth.
It was scary.

I said, the only two things I could think of is:
1. A person has the same face as you but due to his contexts, he doesn't feel ugly nor is he hindered by it.
2. When you feel the pain of looking into the mirror, remind yourself someone else is feeling deeper pain than you are. Then use that as the motivation to live on. For example, a mother could be grieving her child's death right now.

* * * *

M did not come to get his things today.
I asked why, and he replied, "It just feels awkward seeing you now."

I hoped it meant something.

I know it isn't very 'politically correct' to even call a woman 'woman'; let alone a generically friendly loving term such as 'girlie', but since I cannot conjure up a better one (nor do I have the desire to do so); that will have to do.

You can have all the lez sex you want (like if lez sex is any real sex, I mean gay [male] sex is more real than any of that shit), just make sure that you at least once stick a cumming fat dick in your heated pussie. Get drunk, or whatever. The point is, have all needed recreational sex on the side; but have, a-place and understand the paramount importance of reproductive sex. You're emotional inner state is irrelevant, you can justify your homo ways all you want (alpha shortage, social cohesion, etc), in the bitter end all that matters is successful off-springing. You know, like the backward traceable chain from you to Adam & Eve.

You might be attracted to somebody that shows so much a passion for living; or some other dumb shit thing (like motocross or nascar racing); that you may start to believe that he can hack it, and take you along the ride and it's successes with you. But think again, the 'spark of life' can easily be energetically misplaced and/or emulated, that a word of caution must arise. First, too much of it, and he will sell you out like the cheap whore that you were to begin with (when you actually decided for such a low-life) to achieve his fairytale dream. Second, too little, and loserdom for your whole family will also definitely arise. Just be careful, and try to be more wise.

Supposedly they[/you] are sexually superior. You can have it anywhere, anytime; yet, they limit themselves with moronic crap like, if I ask for 'whatever' (dance, phone#, date, etc), it most certainly mean I will have to have sex with this man; or I am too 'whatever' (fat, short, dumb, ...); or something other like that. Well, I say, enough of this shit; do you want to end up alone and lonely for the rest of your life? Fuck the Walt Disney Co. and their wait for prince charming crap; that's fine for firstly stirring up a young girlie's romantic imagination, but nothing more.

You think that you're so hot shit, playing hard to get, and all that bullshit. Like if it's such a mystery what's going on in your romantically biased air heads. At the very core of it all; you're so pathetically little; for only God's thoughts are inscrutable. Yes, I can understand why nearly all you morons are 'take my virtue, but not my dignity'.

Remember, the slutie girl always get the man, or at least a dandy good time, whereas the not so .., well you get the point. Unless you're very beautiful; playing hard to get will only get you that, and that you will, precisely. You can't have your cake, eat it too, and not expect to pay the price as a fat roll. Same here, approach this whole business for what it really is; you can always upgrade your relationship latter on.

The game of attraction is a power dance struggle (think cats); to win some times in one aspect you have lose some others on another. Do not concern yourself with being perceived as coming on too strong. No self-respecting man will ever turn you down; no matter what.

Have you ever been to a topless (nudist) beach? Notice how everybody exerts almost perfect self control. If we're not jumping at each other then, I can assure you most will not on some lame impasse. If some actually does, then you surely know how to pick them; for it is universally punishable and ultimately counter-productive, considering how easy it is to get. [Corollary, death fuck orthodox muslims, real rapists and fanatics.]

I guess what I trying to say is that, the big bad wolf in the end wasn't that mean after all, and hence, it is not a very good depiction; it was more like a cute adorable pup. [Ah, the illusion of beauty...]

Do not seriously flirt; flirting is for someone you already know (at work, for instance), for teasers who want to get anally raped, and for insecure & immature persons that need constantly be reminded that they are wantable. Always come forward in a secure and direct manner. You have the upper hand; use it.

The only three valid reasons for a turn down would be, in order of precedence; first, some sort of physical displeasing abnormality (buggy eyes, six fingers, etc), second, the same, but mentally, and third, a personality flaw (jerk, nutcase, etc). You can read them all in less than a minute; use your intuition. Did trying to choose the best possible mate make me superficial? Then I guess, I'm the king of shallowness. Just say "You're not my type", and gracefully walk away. Don't even bother for an alternate statement or explanation; stick to this, trust me.

Pick someone within your status, physically, intellectually and economically; I know this is not very objective, but you will eventually figure it out. A good couple of criteria would be, were I (as a friend) to introduce this person to (friendly) myself; and as disassociated as possible, ask yourself, do we make a nice couple. Notice how love is not part of the equation; unless you mean falling-in-love type of love, but please, no romantic love. If you want romance, read a good novel.

Love is like hope. The very idea of the potentiality of it can get you thru a rough time. But don't fool yourself, love has nothing to do with marriage. Always keep an alfa, beta, gamma, etc. relationship on at all times. Life is anything but static, be prepared to dynamically upgrade your ladder accordingly; at the blink of an eye.

And finally, please, no mutt kids, only real big time losers dilute themselves to do that. It should be your very last resort, not your first option. Choose as within as possible. Does behaving like a natural patriarch make me a racist? I suppose so; just like being constantly 'in heat' makes me a slutty pig; bottom-line, I don't care; it just does not form part of the calculation. I must admit that to imprint a desirable trait, some mofos had to go at it first; and I am grateful that they did, for I would not have come to exist; I'm also grateful for the increase resistance to deceases and the decrease in recessive syndromes. Just an interesting sidenote, in some cases around here, some conquistadores rewarded a passive strategy based on interbreeding. But don't go overboard; ie, do not try to overcompensate a perceived shortcoming in a giant step (I'm too light/dark). I have never seen such a 'good looking couple', let alone a cute offspring; it's odd, and you get a likewise result. Once again the point is there are better ways, and choose someone as close as possible from within your genetic distance group. The more down the line, the better; just like you would do, say for a pet, or a flower.

Epilogue:

All right, I know; I didn't actually get to 'prove' anything; but I'm tired & worn-out. I really did try to finish/polish (all) this; so this will have to do. All this trouble doesn't seem worth it anymore. In retrospect the others seem a bit biased towards men, so I decided to fix this affront in here; plus there were a couple of other issues I would've like to address. I'm sorry, but they will have to remain un-done/translated.

Finally, I'd like to grace you over with one of my own quotes:
"Destiny's a matter of perspective. From our limited point of view, there's the illusion of choice. We get to 'make decisions'; such as, what should I have for breakfast, eggs or cereal; and the likes. In fact, every possible outcome has already been 'pre-setted'; just like macroscopical certainty occurs out of microscopical uncertainty, so does the big-picture result arises. Ie, we only get to choose our damnations. Or alternately, think of the Earth as a giant lab maze; we are the mice, running thru the corridors of life, figuratively and literally; and it's just that, we don't get to see the shaping pathways."

DeGirbil Suckpupet

Chehra Hai Ya chand khila hai from Film : Saagar

Director: Ramesh Sippy
Singer : Kishore Kumar
Music : RD. Burman
CAST : Rishi Kapoor, Kamal Hassan, Dimple Kapadia, Madhur Jaffery, Saeed Jaffery, Shafi Inamdar

Ho, Chehra Hai Ya Chand Khila Hai
Zulf Ghaneri Shaam Hai Kya
Saagar Jaisi Aankhon Vaali
Ye To Bataa Tera Naam Hai Kyaa

Tu Kya Jaane Teri Khaatir
Kitna Hai Betaab Ye Dil
Tu Kya Jaane Dekh Raha Hai
Kaise Kaise Khwaab Ye Dil

Dil Kehta Hai Tu Hai Yahaan To
Jaata Lamha Tham Jaaye
Waqt Ka Dariya Behte Behte
Is Manzar Mein Jam Jaaye

Toone Deewana Dil Ko Banaaya
Is Dil Par Ilzaam Hai Kya
Saagar Jaisi Aankhon Vaali
Ye To Bataa Tera Naam Hai Kya...

Ho, Aaj Maein Tujhse Door Sahi
Aur Tu Mujhse Anjaan Sahi
Tera Saath Nahin Paaun To
Khair Tera Armaan Sahi

Ye Armaan Hain Shor Nahin Ho
Khamoshi Ke Mele Hon
Is Duniya Mein Koi Nahin Ho
Hum Dono Hi Akele Hon

Tere Sapne Dekh Raha Hoon
Aur Mera Ab Kaam Hai Kya
Saagar Jaisi Aankhon Vaali
Ye To Bataa Tera Naam Hai Kya...

This story is about a young widower who falls for his 7-year-old son's teacher, a young divorcee new to town.  Sparks describes how this new romance finally starts to pull the widower out of his mourning until someone tells the widower who really killed his wife.  Of course, there's a twist there that I won't spoil here and the twist comes between the widower and his new love interest, of course.

I enjoyed this book.  The descriptions of the widower trying to ask the teacher out were cute.  I could almost visualize the scence and I chuckled.  The romance was heartwarming, if not believable.  I remember thinking that romances don't happen like this.  But, it was an escape from reality.  And, for once, Sparks provides a happy ending.  I was getting worried near the end that it wouldn't happen, but it does. 

Overall, not the best book ever, but enjoyable.

The story is a terrific yarn. Action piles on action, betrayals and love affairs follow hot on each others' heels, new characters appear and disappear, towing the reader in their wake. And I must admit it made a very refreshing change to find a fantasy novel that wasn't an epic journey in search of a magical sword (or ring, or codex, or orb), involving a dwarf, an elf, a giant and a wizard who must never, ever use his or her powers. Kushiel's Dart involves travel, but only as part of the ongoing storyline of political intrigue and personal machinations.

Carey also excels at world building and her (clearly beloved) Terre D'Ange is a masterpiece of intricate detail. The descriptions of the Night Court (basically a system of themed brothels) is eye-openingly sumptuous and the idea of a world based around a fictional religion involving a thinly-disguised son of Jesus is intriguing. Carey's central characters, too, are engaging and even if I never quite managed to relate to the heroine, Phedre's, love of pain, I found enough else to like about her. It does seem rather a shame, then, that two of the most interesting characters in the book (Phedre's master, Delauney and her fellow pupil Alcuin) are killed off before the story is halfway told. It also seems a shame that so much of the book veers away from Terre D'Ange and the Night Court to other, less skillfully-described (and less original) settings.

There were other dissatisfactions, mostly to do with the mechanics of the writing. The language grew ever more convoluted and formal throughout the book, so that by the end hardly a sentence went by without 'in truth', 'and, too', 'as it were', or any one of a hundred other meaningless phrases which added nothing except extra words. Phedre, the apparent narrator of the piece, uses 'in truth' on almost every page and it became so intrusive that I was praying 'please, no, not again' after every single use. I would really love to read the book again after a good, hard edit, to rid it of all its excessive verbiage.

On top of that, the narrative is almost wholly 'tell not show'. Phedre simply tells us how she feels, or how a scene looks, without Carey taking the time or trouble to demonstrate it through the characters' actions or reactions. In the end, in a book that is very 'visual' in tone, this probably doesn't matter, but it was noticeable.

But perhaps the biggest problem of all is that everything is just too damned convenient. Everyone, without exception, is terribly beautiful. Nobody ever gets pregnant, in spite of enough sleeping around to make Desperate Housewives look prudish. And the 'adepts' are given (sometimes even sold) into a life of prostitution without their consent, yet not one of them ever seems to utter a word of complaint. I couldn't help thinking it would all have been so much more interesting if some of the adepts had rebelled, or gone off to have illegitimate children, or run away to be with their lovers. As it was, it was all far too glossy, and the problems such a social system must inevitably bring in its wake were totally glossed over. A pity, as without that grit and realism the book became just another romance, albeit one with an unsual setting - and a very unusual heroine.

Its precisely why i wanted a break in between the engagement and the marriage. 3 months is a good time. It allows for affection to start building up and by the time you start missing each other, its perfect time to get married. At least the intervening period leaves both of us with some time for introspection. Think and reminisce about the great bachelor days we had. Fantasise about the great days we might have in the future. And also get ready for the petty fights and tensions that might creep up in the relation inadvertently.

More than 7 years of a bachelor living, all alone, away from my family in distant Singapore has conditioned my mind to a certain type of thinking. Over that, i have been living alone for more than 3 years now. I have a whole house to myself. I have no problems walking around naked, sleeping wherever i like (on the couch, bed and sometimes on the floor too). Fortunately, i dont have the habit of throwing the wet towel on the bed (an oft mentioned reason for a fight between partners). Iam a firm believer in keeping things in their right places. Other than a few books, which would be strewn around, am pretty much an organised person.

Other than that there are not much vices. I don't drink, smoke, gamble or womanise. And ya, that does mean that i manage to save quite a good portion of my salary. Probably my only weakness is the fact that i buy a lot of books and have a constant look at the stock market and am always reading up stuff that would help me save more and multiply it.

Most of my friends believe that living alone means that i have a very colourful life. But trust me, i probably live the most boring life you would have ever encountered. Friday evenings after work are for gym or a movie all alone or i just go back home, do the laundry, watch TV, surf net, have dinner and retire to bed early. Saturdays, i cook, clean, catch up on sleep or visit some friends or watch a movie/sports on TV. Sundays fly by before i can even realise. Its more than 4 years since i stepped into a pub/disco and more than a year since i even had a sip of a beer. That explains. Its not that i have never done it. There have been times when i smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish. Just that i have left those days far behind.

Am so accustomed to living alone that i would need some time to adjust and be able to share my private space with someone special. It would take time, but i hope to give it my best shot. Living alone has made me independent, confident and capable of making my own decisions, which am sure wouldn't have been possible had i been staying with my family. So, its an advise i give anyone who asks, to stay alone, away from the family. You start to develop new facets of your personality. Makes you grow as a person. Try it out sometime.

If you are asking if iam excited? Of course, iam. Everyone marries at least once in their life time and am also going to experience it. There is some nervousness and excitement. A mixed feeling. No one has seen the future, so i rather not comment. But ya, i hope everything works out for the best.

Meanwhile, i keep my fingers crossed.

+++

One could fall in love with Graydon Hall Manor - the mansion, the grounds, the terrace, the water fountain.  In a matter of minutes this mansion will take your breathe away.

As you step through the doors, you can feel the warmth and initimacy that this venue offers.  The chapel has an overlooking balcony and is so beautiful.  It is a perfect romantic setting for a candlelit ceremony. 

Then imagine your guests being served cocktails, white glove formal service, on the stone terrace overlooking cascading water fountains and being drawn into the breathtaking garden for a private stroll.  For dinner your guests then can proceed to the grandeur of the dining room. 

It is no wonder that Graydon Hall has been consistently ranked in the top 100 venues in Canada.  www.graydonhall.com

This afternoon I had the pleasure to enjoy a Tasting appointment in this gorgeous setting with Nicole Pieckenhagen, Managing Director and Amy Hopkins, Event Designer.  The menu was exquisitely prepared by Chef Arpi Magyar.   Chef Arpi Magyar holds the distinction of one of Toronto's well-respected chefs.  From executive chef of Pronto, Oliver's and Auberge du Pommier, to chef and owner of Splendido and Cucina, chef Magyar will undoubtedly exceed your expectations. 

Chef Magyar will custom create each plate for every event.  For your consideration, Salad - smoked duck breast on a watermelon & watercress salad, drizzled with a honey champagne vinaigrette; Starter - goat cheese baked in crisp pastry with cracked papper & pistachios, paired with a warm pepper salad; Main - soya seared salmon with pastini, celery & leek, in a shellfish broth; Sweet Endings - baked pear with creme anglaise & black currant sorbet.

Graydon Hall will captivate you and promise many memories of a perfect wedding day.

Visit RSVP Wedding Talk at Casamentos Haute Couture Wedding Design at www.casamentos.ca

Last month, Mayer had flown to Miami to spend time with the 39-year-old actress, and during their time together, he had fresh flowers delivered nearly every day to their shared hotel room

"She just always seemed like a lot of fun to him," a Mayer insider said.

Know more About Tej Kohli

Tej Kohli Geo Cities

Jama dane Te wo futta
Ushirosugata annanimo
Yuugure no hitonami ni
Yurenagara chiisakunaru
Anata kureta kotoba wo Hitotsuzutsu omoidashi
Me wo tojita
Shiawase na omoi dake
Koko ni aru hazu nanoni
Fuan ni naru Doushitenano
Kokoro ga furueteruno
Tsutaetai motto sou
Afureteru Kono kimochi
Sukidakara Sukidakara
Zettai sukidakara
Furimuite Kakedashite
Oikakete yukitai kedo
Yuugure no sabishisa ga
Sonna yuuki nomikonda
Anata no egao no naka ni Watashi wa iru
Sukoshi hanareta dakede
Maigo ni natta youna
Kodomo mitai ni nakidashisou
Sunao nara Konna omoi
Shinakutemo sumunoni naa
Karapoo no watashi dake
Koko ni ite sakenderu
Sukidakara Sukidakara
Zettai sukidakara

Parece que a questão da leitura em crise é comum a vários países, mesmo os ricos e desenvolvidos estão sofrendo com a diminuição do número de leitores. Os problemas variam da falta de interesse até a inexistência de bibliotecas. Além disso, em muitos países, principalmente nos do chamado Terceiro Mundo, se é que esta nomenclatura ainda é valida e existe num mundo globalizado, a educação ser precariamente valorizada e o analfabetismo é uma realidade.

No México, por exemplo, a situação é tão calamitosa quanto no Brasil. Entretanto, uma lei de valorização da leitura e do livro foi votada e entrará em vigor. Esta lei é conhecida como Ley de Libro ou Ley de Fomento para la Lectura y el Libro , que pode servir de parâmetro para algumas políticas de incentivo à leitura no Brasil como a questão do preço fixo dos livros.

Assim como no Brasil, uma grande quantidade de municípios não dispõem de bibliotecas. Em percentual real são 94% dos municípios mexicanos que são “órfãos” de livros. Um número absurdo e que não está tão longe da realidade brasileira.

Um país que deu Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes e recentemente David Toscana, sofre dos mesmos males que a maioria dos países latino-americanos.

Veja algumas leis do livro que existem em vários países.

Alemanha

Versão em alemão (pdf)

Versão em espanhol (doc)

Argentina (em espanhol)

França

Versão em francês

Versão em espanhol

Imagem que ilustra este artigo:

Blank Book with Letters © Tony Latham/zefa/Corbis

Le Chevalier d'Eon Ending Theme

Fly, sway, go all the way
I’m in the same fate with you
I feel your beat all around
Wandering in the everlasting way

Forever…
Tears fall, vanish into the night
If I’m a sinner…
Chivalry, show me the way to go

Rise, high, just feel alive
Say a prayer for you today
I still believe in your love
Trace the shadow of truth into the dark

Forever…
Tears fall, vanish into the night
If I’m a sinner…
Chivalry, show me the way to go

Wandering my crying soul
Only you can wipe away my tears

Forever…
Tears fall, vanish into the light…

***

This song is the closing/ending song of the anime Le Chevalier d’Eon. The anime was mainly about revenge, and believe me it is rated PG because of his strong violence in its scenes and language. The opening song for this anime is entitled “Born”.

The anime was produced by Production I.G. (like Prince of Tennis and Blood+) and Sony’s production arm, Aniplex (like La Corda D’Oro and Jigoku Shoujo). Here in the Philippines it premiered its back-to-back episodes in Animax on November 3, 2007, Saturday, 8:30pm. Like Blood+, it is classified under genres like horror, action, drama, mystery, supernatural, with a little bit of romance.

d’Eon de Beaumont is so cool!

Ending Song Bokura Ga Ita

Romaji:

Ima kimi ga ii kaketa kotoba ga
yubi saki ni sotto orita kita
nanimo iwana kute ii yo
tsunaida yubi wo gyutto atatamete
kotoba wa kotoba dakara kokoro hanbun mo tsutanenai kara

setsuna kute modokashi kute yuuyake ga futari wo tsutsunde yuku
komiageru mune no omoi kokoro ga itai yo

moshi kimi ga tabibito ni nattara
dore gurai kimi wo matteru darou
kisetsu ga kawaru sono tabi ni
kioku ga usuragu koto ga atte mo
dareka wo konna fuu ni kokoro ippai de aisenai kara

mamorirai taisetsu na kimi
itsu datte futari wa hitori ja nai
kono mune ga kowaresou de
furete hoshii yo

setsuna kute modokashi kute kaerenai kono mama aruiteitai
yubisaki ni kanjiteiru kokoro no kotoba wo

Translation:

the words you were just about to say
fell softly onto my fingertips
you don’t have to say anything
i’ll clasp your hands tightly and warm it up
because words are words, i can’t express half of the feelings in my heart

it’s so wrenching and irritating as the sunset engulfs the two of us
my heart aches from all the feelings welling up inside of me

if you were to become a traveler
would i be able to wait for you as i do now?
as the seasons change,
even if our memories are to fade
i wouldn’t be able to love someone with all my heart like this

i want to protect the precious you
the two of us are never alone
my heart feels so fragile
and i want you to touch it

it’s so wrenching and irritating that i can’t go home;
i want to keep walking like this
i feel the words from your heart on my fingertips

]]> http://kyrillevin.wordpress.com/?p=26 Thu, 15 May 2008 02:29:23 +0000 kyrillevin http://kyrillevin.wordpress.com/?p=26 Katou Izumi

Bokura Ga Ita Ending Song

Kisetsu ga sukoshi ugoita ki ga suru
Hizashi mo mijikaku itsuka zurete
Futari no basu wa kawaranai machi
Hashitteiru koto hotto shiteta

Mado no soto itsumo mitai ni miteru anata
Soshite watashi mo mane wo shiteiru
Itsumo mitai ni

Nee, futari wa onaji na no ka na
Ikitai basho wa namattetatte iin da yo ne
Nee Futari wa onaji na no ka na
Itoshii kimochi anata no shisen wa ima mienakute

Futari no basu wa kawaranai machi
hashitteiru koto hottoshiteta

Furekaketa hitotsu mukou no hashi ni ukabu
ugoku tsumori no nai zuutai no
samishige SHIRUETTO

Nee, futari wa shinjiteru ka na
basu no kouhou wo...
kinou kawashita yakusoku
Nee, futari wa shinjiteru ka na
kisetsu no saki wo...
anata no kotoba ima, kaze no oto

Nee, futari wa onaji na no ka na
Ikitai basho wa namattetatte iin da yo ne
Nee Futari wa onaji na no ka na
Itoshii kimochi anata no shisen wa ima mienakute

 Once, as a girl of seventeen, beautiful, headstrong Portia Cabot saved the cursed life of the dashing vampire Julian Kane—who marked her forever, then left to go in search of his soul. He returns five years later to find the enchanting young girl he left behind grown into a bewitching woman with a woman's heart . . . and a woman's desires.

Portia quickly discovers that Julian's seductive and forbidden kiss can still make her crave the night . . . and his touch. But the Julian who has returned to London is not the vampire she remembers. His fruitless pursuit of his stolen mortality has reduced him to drunken debauchery. And a recent spate of murders makes Portia fear that the man she has always adored may truly be a monster.

Julian knows he must drive Portia away—but his passion and hunger for her grow more irresistible every time they touch. For years he has fought the temptation to embrace his dark gifts, never realizing that Portia's love may give him the most dangerous gift of all . . . a reason to live.

I'll let you know how it turns out. :) Happy Reading

~Nannette~

Last night was no different. Right from his training he headed to an Internet café near his sister’s home for us to chat. We talked about usual stuff at first; how’s our son, how’s training, when he’s coming back. Suddenly I just felt like snapping at him for talking about things we’ve been talking about for days. I wanted to talk about something new (and probably promising).

And so we ended up talking about our plans for the future. When we would get married, where we will live, and where our son would go to school.

What I love talking about the most is the where we will live part. I mean you know, everyone seems to have a dream house. Mine’s living in a simple bungalow house painted in white. Adorned with classic bedroom furniture for us to sleep in at night, installed with chic bar furniture for our guests. Oh I would sure love it most if it’s from Highland Design Furniture.

Marvin was talking about a spacious lawn for us to have camping when the moon is full; setting up a tent there and go star gazing.

How I love to talk about the future!

• - A 40-or-less-word caption
• - A 40-or-less-word title
• - A 40-or-less-word post
• - A 40-or-less-word poem
• - 40 or less syllables of either!

Short…sweet…and hopefully a lot of fun!

ohhh. . . ahhhh. . .  just a little lower sweety

And how together I've been feeling? Near totally undone by my failure on this count.

I had a good metaphor rolling about fish and bait and a pond. All combinations of those elements ended up with me looking like a dumbass.

FIJI CLUB

Dear Miss Ross,

            What an exceedingly civilized appearance this paper presents.  I am really quite ashamed of it.  To be in these glorious islands and yet sitting in the English Club is a combination, which I do not care the least about – and this club is so absolutely and thoroughly English.  The rain is beating on the tin roof today as it has almost every day since I reached Suva.  You should be just now somewhere in Tonga.  I hope that it is not raining there, so that you can have some degree of comfort in going ashore.  I wonder just where it will be.  Vauvau is beautiful.  Haapai is a most typical South Sea trading station without the admixture of any other element.  Nukualofa is interesting as being the seat of government of the last of the native kingdoms left in the South Seas.  I do hope that your visits to these places will prove interesting, and that you have met some agreeable people on the Tofua.  My stay here in Fiji has been a bit spoiled by the weather, but I have tried to get all that I could out of it.  In Suva itself there is practically no native life at all, but I have been by the Rewa river and also taken a drive a bit into the interior.  Failing to find native life in Suva, I have found no small amount of interest in talking with and studying the strange characters which the sea seems to cast up in these little South Sea ports.  Many of them have been virtual exiles for many years, and presumably were compelled to leave their own country for some reason or other and can never return.  One of them in especial, a man by the name of Wilson, Scalper Wilson he is called, has lived in these islands for forty-one years.  He is an American born in Clinton, New York and a soldier of the civil war.  He is now over eighty years of age.  A derelict past any hope of salvage, and past any hope of salvage, and cared for by some of the natives in their houses.  His tales are exciting and stirring, both in regard to his experiences in the islands and in the civil war.  His recitals in regard to the latter are remarkably intelligent and interesting, and, in reference to the campaigns of which I have made a study, are astonishingly accurate.  This may sound as though my youth made me very easily deceived and imposed upon.  That may be true to a certain extent, and yet his tales interest me mightily, and I cannot half but feel an interest in the man himself, rascal and reprobate though he may be.  There are others here too, but he is the most interesting of them all, and I would be [absurd] enough, were I living here, to do what I could to help him.  I enjoy talking to people of that sort, and endeavoring to sift the truth, which is strange enough in itself, from the elaborate fabrication which accompanies it.  I attended the native Fijian church this morning.  Despite what the almost united voice of the Traders say against them, these missionaries are good and honest men.  The mistake, which they seem to me to make, is the superimposition of all that goes with religion in their own land upon these native Christian communities.  In their land a frightfully unattractive  meeting house, with rows of people in their best clothes, seated on hard benches is the outward sign of a religious service.  Therefore so it must be here.  Their imagination seems to present no other form to their mind.  I should prefer to talk to these people in a large native house, in an old time assembly hall with the people seated in comfort on mats on the floor.  And why should a native deacon or other church official wear an English cut black coat?  Now just why should he?  I truly believe that the spirit is there, but why should the form always accompany it in some minds?  I would like to be told that I am wrong, for I should prefer to think that these men are absolutely right.

 From where I am sitting now, I can look over the white and red roofs of this little town and out over the sea.  Across that sea, Samoa is not so very far distant, but soon I shall have left this island world far behind.  Samoa is the place however that holds the chief place in my thoughts and memory.  The hurt, which I felt when I left Apia, is as sharp as ever, but I never forget that you told me that I did just what I should do.  It will be a very long time before you receive this letter – months in fact, but I hope that you will remember some of the things to which I refer.  I do not know where you will be when you read this, but I hope that it will find you very well and happy. 

Very faithfully yours,

Prentis B. Gilbert

30 September 1912

Suna, Fiji