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Saturday, 5 April 2014

How to handle sexual excuses

Many women love to have sex with their spouses but most of the time, the desire is truncated by the usual work load of a typical married woman. There are days a man will hit the bed immediately he arrives home because of the day’s work load. And there are other days when men are very active but there is no required libido for a hot night. What do couples do in such an instance? Many spouses just put up their best excuse forward and go on to sleep. The truth is if you do this often, you will hurt the relationship you have laboured to build over the years. Listen to this: ‘When it comes to bedroom activities, my wife is good at giving all forms of excuse just to avoid sex. As a matter of fact, giving excuses is what she does for a living,’ says Mr. Kadiri. His wife’s response to my enquiry is, “Madam, if something is sweet, would you refuse to eat it even when you are tired?” To avoid sexual excuses, it takes two to tango. So, let us look at some of the problems and see how we can handle them for real. Your excuses may be about the work load of activities. You can burst this excuse by asking yourself an honest question: Do I really need to complete this task now? Can it not be done at a later time? If your Blackberry takes your attention more than your partner does, put it out of the bedroom entirely. Or are you always bothered that the kids might walk in or call for attention? Most parents do not engage in sex because of the fear of their kids walking in while they are at it. Even though this excuse may be true at first, it should not eventually become a survival habit. But instead of destroying the good time you share together, you could have your friends or relatives take your kids over for a day or two. Remember that your relationship is as important as your kids and teaching them that you and your spouse need some private time now and then will teach them about boundaries and their importance early in life. Many couples have destroyed their sex life with this excuse. I tell couples that they will always find something that will trouble their minds as far as their relationship is concerned because the fellow we are married to will offend us often, if not daily. Using anger as your tactic can damage your relationship. If you are resentful of every mistake and you allow that to be your sex excuse, you will hate that spouse and you will never see anything good in him or her. So give room for weaknesses to grow into strength. If you are menstruating and your spouse wants to have sex with you, all what you are thinking about is your menses. You may really be having your period, but if you use it a lot of times as excuse, you could be building relationship problems over time. If you just cannot think about having sex when you are having period, let your husband know and he will respect that. But remember that you do not always have to have penetrative sexual encounter to perfect your intimacy level. You could curdle, hug and smooch. Another excuse is this, “There is no point of having sex, I never get an orgasm anyway. Your husband may not have experimented with all the moves to help you reach an orgasm, but telling him that there is no point having sex with him is like destroying his manly ego. This also truncates all the possibilities of enjoying sex. Imagine how you’d feel if he told you that you never did anything right to please him. You’d want to know what it is that you can do to make him feel nice. It is common in relationships for couples to work round the clock. But then who said that sex has to happen at a certain time, in a particular place, for a particular period of time? You could either meet up for lunch at a guest house and have the best of sex or wake up in the middle of night and have a passionate sex. Although, this may not be a long-term solution, it is the best way in which you can preserve intimacy. Some people say, ‘I’m too tired for sex tonight,’ just as an excuse to avoid sex. But be assured that sex will not take a whole night to end and spoil your sleep. In fact, it will help you sleep better. Moreover, if you really can’t think about sex, you can wisely present it to the partner that is burning with desire in such a way that it will not subject your marriage to relationship turbulence. You often hear some women say, ‘I can’t miss my favourite soap opera.’ No matter how lame this may seem, entertainment does have more significance than real life, sometimes. Even though staying up all night to watch your favourite soap opera or reality show when your partner goes to bed is all right, but picking fictional characters over your spouse over the years can hurt the relationship. Experts suggest that powering down all the electronic equipment at least an hour before getting to bed can make things more favourable for couples. Hear this one, ‘Oh not again, I thought we already had enough sex, is sex your food?’ We often tend to compare our sex lives with that of somebody else. What matters is not the number of times that your best friend has sex with her husband but the number of times that he or you want. An average number should depend on your spouse’s need and your sensitivities to each other’s happiness and satisfaction. Wives particularly think a great body equals a great sex, so when they think they are not looking good, they say ‘I don’t feel very nice about body right now.’ Some women put their vanity over intimacy and on the other hand, all what men think about is that they want you and not whether you have mascara on your face or a killer thigh. If you think that you are fat and losing some pounds would make you feel better about yourself, then go ahead with it. The very thought that you have a better frame will make you feel better about yourself. You could also get yourself a new lingerie or haircut to feel better.

How to make a first impression on a girl

When you first meet a girl, there are a few things you should do to make a good impression on her. Doing these things will help keep you in her favor which will help later on if you do decide to take things to the next level. Most of the things on this list may seem simple, but they can make a big difference if you follow them. 1. Be Yourself This rule is tried and true for almost all social interaction, and it certainly applies when you meet a woman for the first time. One mistake a lot of guys make is that they think they know what kind of a man a girl wants, and tries to exude that type of personality. This usually comes out in the form of overconfidence and machoism (think of the average meat head). If a guy acts like this only when meeting a girl for the first time, he might come off too strong and scare her away. He also might be seen as fake, which is a huge turnoff no matter who you’re dealing with. 2. Smile More It never hurts to smile more when you meet people for the first time. People like to be liked by other people and the easiest way to express a liking for another person is to smile when you see them. Think of how popular and well liked a cute puppy dog is that eagerly wags its tail and has a big smile on its face for anyone it sees. If you keep a natural smile on your face, you can help convey friendliness and positive vibes, which is crucial in first encounters with anyone. 3. Be Well Dressed Women love a man that can dress well. When you dress well, you convey confidence, style, and charisma. Even if you’re not too confident or charismatic, dressing well will make you look the part. Conversely, dressing poorly can put the odds against you. If a guy dresses like a slob and tries to make a good first impression on a girl, he’ll have a much harder time of it. Being well dressed can mean the difference between a good and bad first impression because when we first meet people, the first thing we take in is their appearance. If you are well dressed, you’ll be starting off on the right foot with every first impression. 4. Be Well Groomed This one is very much related to being well dressed, but is just as important. It is important to shower daily, brush your teeth twice daily, and wear clothes that are clean and unwrinkled. These are the very basics, but there are many other ways you can be even more well groomed. *.Use facial wash instead of soap *.Use lotion and lip moisturizers when the weather is cold and dry *.Keep your finger and toe nails clean and neatly trimmed *.Make sure your facial hair is in order *.Whiten your teeth *.Trim unruly nose, chest, neck, and back hair It may seem like these little things might not make a big difference, but women do notice. No girl wants to date or kiss a slob. 5. Show Her Your Good Conversation Skills If a guy meets a girl for the first time and struggles to keep a conversation going, he will have no chance of dating her later on. Dating is a one-on-one activity that puts all of the responsibility on you and the girl you’re dating. That means if your conversation skills are lacking, you better improve them in order to have more successful dates. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to improve your conversation skills with the opposite s*x.

5 tricks to make your man jealous

Jealousy, when in a relationship, to a certain extents shows that your partner loves you and is possessive for you. It is only fair to demand his attention, if he has been running busy, spending most of his time at workplace or partying out with friends. And, believe us, crying or nagging is a passé. We reckon that you breeze through a few ways that will set his heart on fire with jealousy! These tricks will certainly help you to get his attention, and to reignite his interest in you. 1. let him know you have a life apart from your relationship There is a life outside your castle of love too. You should take some time out for yourself. Go out with your girlfriends and throw pajama parties. While you are out with them, do not take his calls or reply to his texts. Or, if you want to tease him and ignite jealous sparks in his heart, attend the call and tell him how much fun you are having, or even better pick his call, and let him overhear your fun-conversations. 2. Play reverse psychology Remember when he says he is busy and will get back, why can’t you do the same? When he calls you, pretend as if you are busy. This way give him the taste of his own medicine. If he doesn’t want you to know who he is hanging out with, you can also shoot the same bullet of sweet revenge. Share this reverse psychology of ‘you get what you give’ with your friends too. We are sure, all girls can find their own way of getting back at their men, and thus get their attention as well! 3. Got a new haircut and your guy failed to praise you? Sporting a new ‘just lost-weight’ look, and he still doesn’t consider complimenting you? Well, to tackle this phase of being royally ignored, try out this formula: make a flattering remark about your male friends in front of him, or make a mention of how this new male friend keeps volleying compliments. Well, this will certainly make your man go green with envy. And, this trick will make sure that nothing about you ever goes amiss by your prince charming. 4. Leave him wondering While you are out with him, pretend as if you just got a hillarious message but don’t share it with him. When he walks into the room, walk out as if pretending to be on a call. Also, make him crave for your attention by ignoring him. If he hops in online, do not buzz him at first. Just let him take an initiative of starting a conversation with you. If he calls you, pretend you are busy and do not commit that you will call him. Let some thoughts run in his head till they wear him out. We all know, men love mysteries and mysterious girls, right? 5. Go out with male friends No guy would ever like the idea of his girl spending maximum time with her male friends, especially when she tells him that she is busy and cannot meet him. This will definitely disturb him a little, and he will realise that he has to compete with others for your attention. Learn to be mysterious and you will see how much this will make him crave for you. Since every medicine comes with a word of caution, so do these tricks. Beware; your guy might retaliate by making parallel moves. Be subtle with your moves, and know where to draw a line

What women and men think after sex

Last week we started an extensive thought-provoking discussion: we started enumerating what actually goes on in the minds of partners shortly after sex. Many partners in relationships are eager to travel down the memory lane with their loved ones immediately after sex. This inquisition is based on the quest to know if or whether their partners’ professed love and commitment is actually a reality or a mirage. Dating partners or intending couples are not left out either. They want to know the truth. It has helped a lot of ‘about to be married’ partners to take decisions about their relationships. It has even helped avert a supposedly doomed marriage. When a guy is only interested in a sexual intimacy and not a committed relationship, one of the cardinal signals is his thought shortly after sex, especially in a one-night stand. Once he is done, the next thing he does is staring at the ceiling with thoughts of choosing the right time to bid goodbye or how to get such free sexual favour over and again. And sometimes, some guys might not really want to end such so far the girl in question is willing to freely give sexual favour. They can play along till they are ready to change sex partners. At this crucial time, it is important for the girl in question to cleverly ask what the guy is actually thinking about. When he is caught unawares, his reaction, facial expression, body movement and verbal expression or remark will definitely give him away. However some guys are so smart and could outwit the girl and pretend they are in such relationship for real. But close observation is needed here; it is important for the lady to watch out for some unconscious remarks, jokes, expressions and telephone conversations. Some other guys who are indecisive nonetheless may be ready for commitment. They may be wondering what step to take next. Should he be calling her up to ask for another date? Should he be making conversations with her on a daily basis? Should he make his intention of commitment to her known? Can sex be the true measure of her commitment? How must he behave with her now that they had quenched their physical thirst? At this stage, a girl in love should try and start a sincere soul searching conversation with him so as to be able to measure the level of his commitment. Many times, girls make the mistake of thinking that sexual relationship prior to marital commitment makes the relationship solid. I do not think so because there may be nothing left to imagination again. Sexual encounters between the married seal the bond of intimacy more than imagined but sexual encounters between singles sour the union. Sex is never a good measure of a commitment in a relationship. Sex is a means to an end and not an end itself; so it must be handled with every atom of carefulness. It must never be put up as bait for a good relationship. The primary test of commitment is to look out for real love because everyone wants to love and be loved. Even in a marriage relationship, great sex life between husband and wife does not connote nor present a great marriage, but rather an established loving companionship. Singles should not jump the process and make sex a yardstick for a good one. It is better not to be in a relationship than be in one that sex is only the activity of the day. Singles must be convinced that the relationship is by choice and not by force. Any partner that forcefully demands for sex is an abusive partner. Dating relationship is a friendship relationship; friendship and not sexual passion is what holds relationship. When a partner in a relationship does not see reason for complete commitment, he or she is not expected to be in a relationship. Marriage is not for girls and boys because boys or girls always want opportunity without responsibilities. And when talking about responsibilities, age is irrelevant. When it comes to maturity, growing up is not the same thing as growing old and mature. There is more at stake in a relationship than just two people trying to meet each other’s sexual needs all the time. It is far complex than that. So next time a single is trying to envisage, envision, visualise, picture and imagine the thought of his or her partner, he must ask himself whether the relationship is worth the sexual sacrifices or not

Reasons Forgiveness are critical in a relationship

Forgiveness in its most basic sense is letting go of the desire, the need, and the “right” to require punishment or restitution for the perceived offense. In forgiving, we renounce the right to hold resentment; we stop fanning the flame of anger, and instead seek to restore that which has been lost. The alternative to forgiveness is to allow little seeds of anger to be planted, watching them take root in the form of resentment which eventually leads to distance and walls developing in your relationship. You may have a situation currently that has taken root in your relationship in the form of resentment, anger, or perceived inequality. As you experience the implications of this circumstance, consider some of these aspects of forgiveness: *.Forgiveness is about you – your choice to let go of the experience of hurt and pain. *.Forgiveness is not about another person’s perception of your situation or relationship. *.Forgiveness offers grace – unmerited favor, undeserved, and free of expectations. Forgiveness provides a unique way to deepen your relationship and strengthen what you have together that is not possible any other way. When we are hurt, our natural response is to protect ourselves to ensure further harm does not occur. This happens through the release of adrenalin putting us into the “fight or flight” response. This could take the form of a spouse withdrawing emotionally, withholding who they are, their expressions of love, in an attempt to reduce vulnerability for a future wounding, an attempt to “flee” from potential hurt. An individual may protect themselves by becoming “armed”, by having an arsenal of criticism ready should they need to “fight” when anticipated pain is triggered in the future. The alternative to holding on to the hurt and protecting oneself from future pain is choosing to offer the gift of forgiveness and letting go of resentment. Nelson Mandela summed up resentment quite visually, “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” No one wins when pain is left unresolved. Pain is a signal that something is wrong and within a relationship when pain comes through insensitivity, lack of support, misunderstandings, or unmet expectations, forgiveness offers a remedy that has a twofold benefit. Forgiveness allows us to move beyond our pain, to heal, and to grow. Forgiveness also provides grace to your partner for a wrong that has been experienced. Forgiveness does not look to equalize a situation, does not look for whether a situation is fair, rather, looks at not allowing pain to take root. Forgiveness is about allowing yourself to stay vulnerable with hope for growth in your relationship. It requires a willing heart to look beyond the injury and see the person whom you love, whose dreams you hold as your own, and to see their own pain that has now become your own. Forgiveness is one of the greatest, unearned, unmerited gifts we can offer to our partners. We let go of our right to bring a sense of equality to the situation and instead, disarm the pain and hurt, by looking beyond and ahead

Clitoris and better sex

There are some couples who always seem to have an almost perfect sexual relationship. But then, there are some others who have a really hard time staying contented in their relationship because the sexual side is dead. One of the principal secrets a couple needs to know is the recipe for perfect romance and sex. And it needs just two ingredients- unconditional love and wild sexual passion. When it comes to wild passion, couples are advised by sex therapists not to ignore the clitoris. The clitoris when well-handled, gives both husband and wife the best of sexual pleasure. The clitoris, often described as a small penis, is actually the female version of the penis although much smaller than the penis. It has exactly the same number of nerve endings like the penis. The clitoris is actually big. It is behind the labia and surrounds the vagina. The visible parts of a clitoris are the hood; the frenulum, where the skin of the inner lips meets at the glans; the clitoral opening to the vagina; the hymen; the fourchette; the perineum; and the urethra. The woman’s vulva which is a fatty layer of skin, mostly covered by pubic hair, surrounds and protects the clitoris. The clitoris is the key for sexual pleasure for most women and unless it is touched, stroked and licked directly, most females would not be able to have an orgasm. Just as a husband gets most but not all of his sexual pleasure from his penis, the wife gets most but not all of her sexual pleasures from her clitoris. The clitoris is harder to find than the penis because it is hidden under a hood and it is also a delicate organ and must be handled as such. The clitoris swells slightly during arousal, and then retracts under the clitoral hood as arousal continues and it becomes hypersensitive. This means when a female is feeling sexy, her clitoris is filled with blood and swells up. The outside part doubles in size (like the size of a large pea) and feels hard. It is packed with nerve endings (it has around 8000 nerve endings, this is twice as many as the end of the penis) and is very sensitive. This is why most married couples like to touch it lightly at first during foreplay. Many husbands sometimes misinterpret the “disappearing clitoris” as a sign of diminishing arousal in their wives. In fact, it is the exact opposite. The shaft of the clitoris runs up under the hood for cover and protection when extremely aroused. This hood covers the clitoris, protecting it from excessive stimulation. Some husbands sometimes think they need to retract the hood to get to the clitoris when manually or orally stimulating their wives. But this is unnecessary; at best, it can only result in overstimulation that borders on pain. Dried secretions known as smegma can collect under the hood, causing pain during sex. A man knows that a wrong touch on his penis will not only fail to give him pleasure but may cause intense pain. However, many men fail to realise that a rough touch on the clitoris can also cause pain to the woman. The reason most men make inadequate lovers is that they do not know where the clitoris is. They don’t even understand the importance of this organ and how to stimulate it. Now for better sex, couples must know how to handle the clitoris and its environs. It is important the clitoris is gently stimulated by gently squeezing it at the initial stage of sexual contact. When the husband gently squeezes these folds of skin between his fingers, he’ll immediately feel the pressure it puts on his wife’s clitoris in her facial expression. Remember that different people have different preferences, so make sure to play around with this technique and experiment with squeezing different areas until you find what she prefers. Feather light touch is another clitoral stimulation. It is really easy and the opposite of the previous one. With ‘squeeze style,’ you may be using some form of pressure but ‘feather light’ is completely the opposite of this. When using ‘feather light’, you will be using an absolute minimum pressure on her clitoris, almost to the point where it feels more like soft vibrations. To start, make your wife lie down on her back and rub a small quantity of lube or saliva on her clitoris. Next, you are going to bring your finger to the side of her clitoris so that it’s just about touching it. It should feel as if a feather is touching the side of it. You shouldn’t have your finger covering her entire clitoris. Instead it should just be touching the side of it. All you need to do is simply move your finger up and down, while keeping in contact with the side of her clitoris. You will only be moving your finger a few millimetres up and down. So you will hardly be moving it at all. In fact, it will feel more like gentle vibrations. While doing this, you will notice the tension building up in her as she may start desiring more pressure. When you continue with this you would have developed a very good hard on and before you know it, both of you are experiencing a good climaxing sex.

9 reasons girls love bad boys

What is it about guys who are just a little apart from the mainstream that makes them so desirable? While a guy who plays by the rules often succeeds, the rules of love and attraction are frequently much different than those of climbing up the corporate ladder. Look at a couple where he has a hint of danger and you will see many reasons why she is with him. Some of these reasons are all about him, but most of the time they are really all about her. When a woman loves a bad boy, something more than his attitude drove her there. And usually it was already inside her. The Thrill Dating a man who stands apart from the norm is known to deliver a heightened level of excitement. Perhaps he slightly ignores you and makes you work harder for attention – the thrill of finally getting him alone and to yourself can be an overwhelming rush. Maybe he is a little confrontational with people, and perhaps gets into altercations. That can make you feel even more special when he is affectionate toward you. It all gets your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing. The badder he is, the more stimulating the intimacy becomes. A Cure for Boredom A girl who has a succession of boring dates will more easily follow a guy whose very presence in her life charges things up. If she is getting out of a long-term relationship that stuck to a simple pattern, she is an unwitting foil for the charms of a guy whose whims will take her out of the traditional routine for good. Filling the Emptiness If your life has become a repetitive series of cell phone conversations about trips to the mall, an interesting guy who stands apart from the crowd can fill the emptiness in a hurry. The downside is that your world can suddenly look mighty small when you are in the arms of a man who doesn’t operate by society’s chosen standards. When everything you represent fails to impress him, all of your values could disintegrate. For such a reassessment of one’s existence to occur in a short period of time with one guy, indicates that you are not living your own life’s potential. Your bad boy is able to enter and rock your world because there is a space inside you that is open to anything. Reflected Glory Does his unconventional appearance cause people to stare at you two? Does his nonconformity have the potency of an aura? All of this attention is bouncing back onto the people closest to him. The taste of this reflected glory can be like a powerful drink or drug. You may quickly get addicted to the limelight he provides. When you walk into a room and the people react to his presence, it may become impossible for you to wander more than a few feet away from him. Danger is an Aphrodisiac If your man has his own way of doing things it could bring about situations that are tense and dangerous. While we all have a built-in fear response, being around this element can make you slightly used to extreme situations. The danger of everyday life can become a turn-on. While someone putting you in harm’s way should be something from which you need to be protected, you could grow accustomed to the danger a bad boy creates and embraces. The excitement of it all could make you feel more alive, but you might be growing blind to the actual danger you are facing more regularly. Your bad boy could be your lover, but he is not necessarily your protector. Rebelling Against Family or Upbringing Dating a bad boy is announcing that you make your own choices in life. The need to make such a defiant statement may be based in having a strict upbringing. A need to rebel could be manifested in your relationship with a bad boy. When you embrace a taboo relationship, you are telling the world that everything up until this point in your life is worth sacrificing in order to be your own woman. In this regard, your bad boy may really be just a prop. As bad as he is, he might have a heart of gold and your using him as an assertion of your independence could carry consequences far beyond what you imagine your conservative family and friends have waiting in store for you. Fear of Real Intimacy Your need for a man who lives by his own rules might be a way for you to maintain an avoidance of really confronting your emotions on an intimate level. If your bad boy is a drug user or heavy boozer, his stunted emotional development may ensure that he never delves deep into your psyche. And if he were to clean up his act, it would be grounds for you to look elsewhere, again running from a true emotional bond. Maybe your bad boy has a criminal side and is in and out of jail. You can assure yourself of never risking intimacy when your bad boy is locked up away from you. Trying To Top Your Friends If you have friends who are marrying successful men, the bar might be raised quite high in your social circle. If you were dating a car mechanic and your best girlfriend is engaged to a doctor, you might look like a real loser in the eyes of a certain clique, no matter how deep your love for Mister Transmission Repair goes. But if you are suddenly dating a bad boy, the hierarchy is turned over. Now your girlfriends will be seen as marrying members of the drab establishment while you are living on the edge, high above them all. What fantastic revenge … unless of course you fall. Drama Addict All of the above scenarios carry a common thread no matter what mold your bad boy springs from: your love of drama is necessary for the bad boy to turn you on properly to maintain your wild affair. A love of drama in your life attracts you to bad boys in order for others to see you as larger than life, and to leave them all in their boredom while you have a more interesting existence than they could ever imagine.

11 charming words to make your compliment unique

Instead of calling someone ‘hot’ or even ‘beautiful,’ you should use more charming words to make your compliments stand out. No one wants to hear the same things uttered over and over again. If you give someone a compliment that they’ve never heard before, they’re going to remember it. Here are a few charming words to throw into your sentences the next time you’re praising someone: 1. Wondrous It sounds and means the same thing that ‘wonderful’ does, except it has a bit of a twist. It’s not used all that often, which makes it sound special. Wouldn’t you love someone to describe you by using it? ‘Wondrous’ is one of the charming words that will get a smile out of anyone. There’s just something sweet about it. 2. Breathtaking Save this one for special occasions. You don’t want to overuse it, and make it appear meaningless. When you see someone adorned in their best clothes, ready to head to an important event, telling them they’re breathtaking will give them extra confidence. It’ll be just what they need. 3. Enticing Entice means to lead on by exciting hope or desire. So the next time your crush asks you to hang out, tell them that you’re enticed by their offer. It might not feel like a compliment, but it’s telling them that you’re interested. What’s nicer than that? 4. Elegant Calling someone ‘beautiful’ doesn’t always do their appearance justice. Calling someone elegant makes them think that they look like royalty. It suggests that they’re not only classy, but gorgeous as well. 5. Stunning This is an intense word that announces how great someone looks. Since it’s not used often, it hasn’t lost its kick. That’s why you should only use it when you really mean it. Just like the rest of the words listed, you don’t want it to lose its meaning. 6. Angelic You wouldn’t use this on someone dressed for the club, but it’s perfect for a bride on her wedding day. It’s a great word to describe someone who looks conservative and cute. 7. Fetching Instead of telling someone they look attractive, say that they look fetching. It’s an old-timey word that they’ve probably never heard used to describe them before. 8. Sensuous Sometimes, you want to tell someone how sexy they are. Instead of using that word, you can try saying ‘sensuous.’ It means the same thing, but it sounds a bit more classy. 9. Striking Striking means unusual or extreme in a way that attracts attention. If someone is wearing a new style that you can’t get enough of, tell them how striking they look. 10. Lovely When you tell someone that they’re lovely, watch their smile grow. It’s such a sweet, innocent word that shows how much you value them. If you love someone’s personality, and think they’re just plain adorable, tell them how lovely they are. 11. Majestic You may think of mermaids when you hear the word ‘majestic,’ but it really means that one is showing lofty dignity or nobility. Use this word when you stumble across someone that has all of those classy traits. Everyone loves to be praised, so you should give out compliments as much as you can. Just make sure that they’re always genuine. What’s the greatest compliment that anyone has ever given you?

Nine steps to become a better person

Everybody wants to become a better person, but many of us don’t know how. Sometimes its hard and one can get confused. Butnot to worry, we’ve brought some steps that can help you in achieving this. Check out some steps to becoming a better person 1. Forgive everyone The first step to becoming a better person is forgiveness. This can be a difficult one, but by learning to forgive everyone, your life will become much easier and happier. First of all, you should forgive your parents. Everybody has some scars from their childhood, even if they’re raised by wonderful parents, and perhaps you are no exception. Remember it was in the past and you live in the present so let go of those past childhood hurts and you will feel much better. No parent is ideal. They have never raised kids before, and sometimes they’re learning as well as growing with their kids. 2. Learn to keep your dignity Another important thing to do to become a better person is to learn how to keep your dignity. Keep in mind that only you’re responsible for your choices and decisions in life and never get down on yourself when you do something wrong. Even if someone hurts you or you have a big disagreement with somebody, don’t let anyone or anything bring you down and remind yourself that your life is unique, special and really worthwhile. 3. Pursue your passion It’s important to find yourself and pursue your passion. Learn to listen to your inner self, and this will help you make your dreams a reality and become a better person, even when someone is trying to bring you down. Some people try to bring you down because they’re too weak and diffident to pursue their passions and they think you shouldn’t pursue yours. Don’t listen to them. Spend time with yourself and think about the thing that bring you joy. You’ll soon discover your passion and start pursuing it. 4. Share your time, energy and talents Every person has talents, including you. You might not aware of them, but you have them. Sharing your time, energy and talents can help become a better person, so learn to share more of your precious time with others and help people in need and you will feel much better about yourself. 5. Become a morning person It’s a great feeling to rise with the sun, listen to the birds that are chirping their nice songs, and watch people exercising outdoors. I’m not a morning person, so it hard for me to get up early in the morning, but when I do, I have some time to do things I usually don’t have time to do, such as reading a book, practicing meditation or running. When I get up early, I feel much better and my day seems to be more productive. 6. Turn off your TV I know, I know, it’s so hard to turn off your TV when there are so many interesting shows, but you have to do it in order to have more energy and time, and spend that time on things that will make you a better person. Television is a real time-waster. Switch it off, read your favorite book, go outside for a walk, or bake some cookies. Watching TV will never bring you joy and won’t help you become a better person. 7. Learn something new You should never stop learning something new. Just because you are in your 30s or 40s, or even 60s, doesn’t mean you can’t learn a new language or other interesting things. Knowledge is always great and the more you know, the more you feel better about yourself. When you are well educated person, everyone respects you and your knowledge. 8. Exercise It may sound strange but exercise can also help you become a better person. If you don’t like to work out, I suggest you to try swimming. I like water and swimming is one of my favorite activities, which helps me reduce stress, anxiety and get in shape. When I have a hard day, I always go swimming. Stress and anxiety can make you feel depressed, so you should find the way to get rid of them. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to do it. 9. Join a local library Nowadays iBooks and books that are available on phone apps are more popular than libraries. But by joining a local library, you’ll have access to different kinds of books, to research material (periodicals, journals) and computers. Most libraries also offer community group seminars so be sure to check it out

Why you are still single

Any single person will eventually be asked the question “Why are you single?” In my almost 31 years (the majority spent as a party of one), I’ve been asked that question so many times that I’ve lost track. And I get it – from an outsider’s perspective if you are at least moderately attractive and carry yourself somewhat decently, then you should be attached. Not fitting into this social norm raises questions, though for some it’s clear that they’re simply trying to determine what’s wrong with you. For that audience, I have developed quite the arsenal of snarky comebacks that I keep on hand for when the spirit moves me. But snark aside, I wanted to write this article to the former group of curious onlookers, as well as those singletons who themselves have a hard time coming to terms with their single status. I convened a team of my single compadres to get their reasons for why they are single, as well as what it would take for that status to change. Here is what they had to say: Why are you single? *.I haven’t met the right person- One of my gal pals admitted that past dating experiences have shown her what works and what doesn’t when it comes to the opposite s*x. She is single and willing to wait for that person who is the right fit, as opposed to trying to stick a square peg into a round hole. *.Having things in order- This was the primary reason offered by my guy friend, as he desires to have his career and finances in order before pursuing a serious relationship. *.Life is already amazing- I’m a pretty bubbly and upbeat person who genuinely enjoys life. Consequently, I’m fiercely protective of maintaining this positivity, and anyone who doesn’t share my outlook just wouldn’t work for me. Why would you turn in your single card? *.Companionship- It is so refreshing to be around someone that just “gets” you and with whom you can spend endless amounts of time without feeling tired. My friends and I agreed that companionship would be a key feature to giving up the single life. *.Completion of goals- My friends and I are pretty ambitious but we also acknowledge that there are some areas where we could use help. For example, I have recently undertaken a home renovation project that has been difficult to complete on my own. Having an SO with handyman skills would be very appreciated. *.Societal pressures -I can admit that I have considered manufacturing a relationship simply to prevent the onslaught of questions at family gatherings about who I’m dating. Or, to deflect speculation that I might be a lesbian because I don’t have a man. Yeah, all of the above can be nerve wracking and I completely understand wanting to fit in or make sense to others. Thankfully, I haven’t reached my breaking point yet, and I’m willing to wait for the one that is right for me. Bottom line, being single is amazing, as is being in relationship with someone you genuinely love. Whatever your reasons for choosing the path of singleness or coupledom, I hope that your path leads you to happiness and contentment. And to those of you who are single and not quite sure how to explain to others when they ask “Why?”, do this: Say nothing, hold your head high, and put every ounce of your time and energy into pursuing your purpose. The resulting joy and fulfillment that you reflect will speak for itself….and who knows, it may just attract that special someone

Oh Nigeria:Once a beautiful country

Each time I sit back and think about our dear country Nigeria my heart becomes giddy and melancholic. I feel weak and desolate and I’m left wondering what has really gone wrong with a once-beautiful and lovely country. Nevertheless, the more I think about Nigeria and its numerous problems, the more pain I feel in my heart. Let us tell one another the truth: Nigeria is no longer what it used to be: almost everybody and everything has gone crazy. At times the way we conduct ourselves, relate to one another, and treat Nigeria is very unbecoming, wicked and insensible. The worst part is we spend precious time blaming one another, agencies of government as if we are not aware that the problems of Nigeria are caused by all of us. Yes, all of us. Who else? I had wanted to talk write about sports, with particular attention on the English Premier League (EPL) and the craze among Nigerians, especially the youth, about the EPL, but changed my mind when I read some disturbing news from across the country, which have added to the pain in my heart. The latest developments were the bombardment of insurgents’ fortress in Sambisa, Borno State, in which about 2000 (Nigerian) insurgents were killed; attempted jail break at the Department of Security Service (DSS), Abuja; death of Chief G.O.K Ajayi – a foremost legal personality; tragedy of the discovery of a kidnappers’ horror den in Soka Area of Oyo State; biting to death of a 19-month-old baby by his policeman-father in Benin; the massacre of innocent villagers in Benue by suspected Fulani herdsmen; and numerous others. I was also saddened by the news that the missing Malaysian jetliner was yet to be found as at Monday, despite objects spotted by different satellites. All the incidents put together made my weekend quite boring. Not sure of a better way to communicate my feelings forced me to do this piece, at least to enable me to ventilate my angst and boredom. I recall with nostalgia our growing-up days in Aba when things were still very normal, not now everything seems to have fallen apart; when men were men, and could prove their manhood in capable ways; when we used to be our brother’s keeper and treated, even, a stranger like a member of our family; when children used to be polite, respectful and deferred to their parents and guardians on every matter; when there were no serious robbers, but pick-pockets; when money had value and you could build a house with just 100 pounds; when husbands and wives clung to each other like leeches and confided in each other with absolute conjugal fidelity; when education meant everything to parents and their children; when electricity and water were supplied with regularity; when death was not common and it was always very scary and painful to learn of the death of someone; etc. What has happened to those beautiful days when travelling abroad was just intended to acquire ‘Oyibo’ man’s education, and not for frolicking and jamboree as is the case these days. Where are our cash crops – groundnuts, palm oil, cashew, rubber, etc – that served as the mainstay of our economy before the discovery of oil in 1958? Oh, my God, where are the famous Groundnut Pyramids in Kano; the rubber plantations in Western Nigeria; tin and columbite for which Jos and its environs were known; etc? Where are the beautiful and altruistic ideals for which Nigerians were once known? The strong family bonds and traditions: Where have they all gone? Why have we allowed ourselves to be used by Satan and his agents to perpetrate evil against our own nation and even relatives? Where have all the great politicians who saw politics as a means of developing Nigeria gone? Yes, some of them may be dead, but can’t we reproduce them in some, if not all, of us? Rather what we have largely are opportunists and acquisitionists, who have no place in public service. All they are interested in is building fiefdoms all over the place and working to gain the whole world, without caring about the vanity and ephemeral nature of life. Oh God! Where are all the men and women of good conscience whose presence inspired hope in others? They walked the entire political spectra of this country spreading the good news of national unity without fear or shame. Unfortunately, their successors have squandered our common patrimony and left all of us desolate and disheartened. Those who govern us do so with little care or love. The oath of office administered on them on the day of their inauguration no longer means anything to them. Instead of serving the people as they pledged, the people now kowtow to them for the crumbs that fall from their tables. The majority of our people lives below the poverty line and cannot afford three square meals a day. Those who administer our affairs see no cause to govern with the fear of God? After all, how many of them fear God. They serve other gods and pay obeisance to demigods. This is why they do not care where their souls go after death. God, are you still there? I have asked this question because it seems you have abandoned us. Is it because of our transgressions? Do not kill us before we get old, for you live and reign forever. Cleanse our nation of the evil men and women who have vowed to destroy it and your people. When will you restore our nation, Lord? When? If you allow things to go on the way they are we will wake up one morning and discover there is no more country to call ours. Nigerians behave any way they like, do whatever pleases them and treat Nigeria like a leprous entity. We should beware, because judgement day is fast approaching. I cannot stop asking questions until somebody provides me answers. Let me ask yet again, where were those boards that provided uninterrupted utility services to the people in the 60’s? I remember with mixed feelings the quality services provided by such companies as the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) and Public Works Department (PWD) – known today as Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and Ministry of Works respectively. Some of the infrastructure provided by these companies still stand till date. The roads then were built to stand the test of time and vagaries of weather. The standard of life in the good old days used to be very high. Everybody was content with what he or she had. There was no room for cheating (419 and other such crimes), lousiness, slothfulness, greed and avarice. Parents were in control of their children and ran their homes with love and dutifulness. Couples led a faithful life and did things together. Their children and wards emulated them with pride and reverence. Those were the days children were named after their parents and bore other such names that typified their character or depicted their family tradition. They bore such names as ‘Oyirinna’ (like his father), ‘Adaku‘(precious daughter), ‘Omeroha’(the generous man), ‘Omengboji’(he who gives to others whenever he has), etc. What do we have these days? People bear names that do not mean anything to them or portray their personality. Imagine somebody who has looted the treasury or an armed robber naming his child after him (Oyirinna or Oyirinne). Kalakuta Republic is what we have in many homes, where relationship between couples and their children is tempestuous and estranged. Trust has taken flight in many homes, and in its place we have mutual suspicion, unfaithfulness and lust. Most parents hardly ever communicate filially with their children. Communication between most husbands and their wives is a mere luxury. Many children themselves have grown to cater to themselves as their parents lack the financial or moral capability to discharge their duties to them. Most of our female children have lost the moral fibre to live an upright life. They resort to all kinds of atrocious things to make ends meet. Their parents are even handicapped to stop them from doing whatever they like, since they have suddenly become the breadwinners. You ask them why they engage in these ignominious acts to keep body and soul together and they tell you ‘man must survive’. Are these girls to blame? I do not think all the blame should be heaped on them. The society, which is expected to take care of them and has failed to do so, should partake in the blame. Why would a young girl not engage in prostitution when she has been abandoned by her parents or negatively influenced by them or their peers? She no longer listens to her parents and does not care a hoot how anybody feels about her actions. What of our young boys? It is the same story. They have the world at their feet and resort to self-help when they find themselves in a tight situation. How did cultism and other misdemanours find their way into the lives of our young ones? The answer is very simple: The society created the enabling environment for them to be so indoctrinated. The ills that plague our society would not have got to this embarrassing level if the society had played its own role dutifully. Most of our schools are dilapidated and suffer from dearth of qualified teachers and teaching aids. Many students are so poor they can barely afford money for their examinations, let alone pay the exorbitant fees charged by their schools. What results from all of these is cultism, prostitution, robbery, drug abuse, etc. What happens to all the billions voted annually for education? Who pockets the money and who supervises the supervisors? I was baffled by the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that some of his trusted officials lied to him about the true state of things in the FCT. I wonder why it was now that he discovered he had been told lies all this while. A minister of his calibre should have had a mechanism of having first-hand information about goings-on in the ministry he superintends. I find it quite worrisome that as important as Abuja is that he should leave it directly under the supervision of his officials. There is a limit to what powers one can delegate. So, how culpable is each of us in the mess into which we have submerged Nigeria? The crises besetting every nook and cranny of this country are caused by us. No other person. The direction Nigeria goes is predicated on the attitude we exhibit toward Nigeria and to one another. Some of us treat Nigeria like our personal property or, better still, like a piece of furniture that can be tossed around anyhow. We lack patriotism and morality and have always shown penchant to acquire wealth even at the detriment of our own lives. Religious and political crises that have become the order of the day in Nigeria have their roots in indiscipline and injustice. In the 60s, despite the differences in tongue, we still co-existed as one, indivisible people. Though we belonged to different political affiliations we did not allow that to constitute an impediment in our avowed determination to make Nigeria a great nation. You could hardly tell from where any one came. Igbo and Yoruba living in the north co-habited in peace and mutual respect. The same situation obtained for Hausa living in the east and west of Nigeria. Your religion and status did not quite matter. What was paramount was that you were a Nigerian. It was this bonding that gave rise to Nigeria’s independence. The fighters for our freedom – the Great Zik and his colleagues – did not allow ethnic or religious cleavages to becloud their vision to take Nigeria to the next level. That was why their contributions to the liberation of Nigeria from the clutches of colonialism will not easily be forgotten. They carved their names in gold through their altruistic services to nation and fellow citizens. That was the vision of our forbears. How things suddenly went out of hand is what I cannot understand. The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Those that enjoy the perks are less than one per cent of our overall population. From among the remaining 99% they pick their acolytes and stooges who collude with them to fleece our dear country. This one per cent controls our financial resources, security agencies and other juice perks, leaving the rest of us impoverished and at their mercy. It seems all of us have been intimidated and coerced, as nobody is asking questions any longer. Might has become right and many have been forced to resign to fate out of frustration. Those who summon courage to challenge them are bullied, castigated and hauled into detention for one flimsy reason or another. Everybody must dance to their tune; Section 36(1) of our Constitution means nothing to them. They believe that in spite of the guaranteed freedom of speech by the constitution nobody should hold a contrary opinion. By so doing and for fear of any reprisals, the weak choose to keep quiet. Today the once-peaceful north has been turned into a killing field. Thousands of our compatriots have been dispatched to their early graves for no fault of theirs in particular. Worst of it, everybody is confused on what can be done to stop the carnage. But I pray God to grant those of us who have offered to fight for the weak, voiceless and oppressed the courage to continue to do so. Though the powers that contend against us are formidable, we believe there is nothing impossible for God to do. He will surely see us through. After all, no condition in life is permanent. Nigeria cannot continue the way it is going, otherwise we all will be imperiled. We must stand up and redeem Nigeria from the clutches of the forces of darkness that are assailed against it. The restoration of Nigeria is a task we all must embark upon individually and collectively, no matter your religion, status or political alignment. Oh! Nigeria, my once beautiful country, please bear the pain of the injustices done against you with equanimity, hoping that very soon the light of God will shine upon you and you shall be free and prosperous again

I know your secrets

A rich man's son who was classmate to Akpos told him dat most adults are hiding at least one dark secret&dat this makes it very easy to blackmail them by saying,"I know the whole truth."So Akpos decided to go home&try it out. He got home&as he is greeted by his mother he said,"Mama, I know the whole truth." His mother quickly hands him N500&said,"Just dont tell your father." Q...uite pleased, he waited for his father to get home from work&on arrival his greeting to His father was"Papa, I know the whole truth"His father quickly took him aside&gave him N1000 saying"just don't tell ur mother"wow! Amazed by dis, he ran out to meet d gate man saying"I know the whole truth"d gate man quickly dropped d padlock&embraced him really tight n said"thank God say u don know say na me be ur Papa.....!! Akpos fainted!!!

New Girlfriend Needed

A New Girl Friend is Needed Urgently The Last one was forced to resign cus I forget to watch a football match and she didn't remind me.. Can u imagine? Anyway, new applicants should start sending in their application REQUIREMENTS: 1) The Letter must be FORMAL 2) Two passport sized photograph 3) Applicants must be HND,BSC or MSC holders 4) The applicant mustn't send text msgs,chat or even use a phone but only write letters to avoid cheating on me 5) The Applicant must nt talk to any other man except me.. And if u insist u would pray to jesus, write down your prayer request I'll pray them for u. Other requirements will be presented in the two hard cover note that will be given to applicants during the interview.. Thanks

2013/2014 English Premier League exams

Henry Nnamdi Okafor: 2013/2014 English Premier League Exams (Attempt all questions) 1. Discuss the fall of Manchester United and the rise of LIVERPOOL FC in relation to 2013/14 Epl season(20mks) 2. Using Arsenal as an example. Describe the force of gravity??(15mks 3.Chelsea first signed Nemanja Matic for 9m,sold him to Benfica for 3m and later re-signed him for 24m....Prepare a profit and loss account(12mks). .. 4.Differentiate between'the special one'and the'chosen one'(4mks) 5. Write an essay on this proverb''old is gold,''in relation to Old trafford (20mks) 6. Calculate the probability of Manchester united winning the next game in relation to previous performances (15mks) 7.Estimate the velocity at which Manchester united is depreciating considering the new manager(7mks). 8.With the aid of a diagram, prove that Manchester united will go trophyless this season(20mks) 9.Without Using Table, list out the first 4clubs in EPL (5mks) 10.Explain the sudden quietness of all ManU fan/supporters on all social networks. (20mks). 11.Choose the correct answer and explain (10mks) a ..Moyes = Wenger b..MoyesWenger

The campaign against insurgents

Boko Haram members The campaign against insurgents in the North-East intensified with the capture of a top leader of Boko Haram and the killing of about 70 insurgents at the sect’s stronghold in Gwoza Hills, Borno State. Saturday PUNCHinvestigations revealed that the leader was arrested on Thursday evening while he was trying to flee the bombarded Gwoza Hills with some blackToyota Land Cruisersports utility vehicle in his escort. It was learnt that the Special Forces captured him alive and flew him immediately out of Borno State to Abuja for interrogation in one of the military formations in Abuja. A source, who confided in our correspondent, said that the arrest of the man suspected to be one of the topmost commanders of the sect (if not the leader), had triggered anxiety among security agents in Borno State. Security officials were of the view that the captured Boko Haram leader might be a very key person to the operation of the sect for him to have such a massive and luxurious escort comprisingToyota Land Cruiservehicles. The source said, “On Thursday, soldiers arrested a top member of the Boko Haram around the Gwoza Hills after the battle of Wednesday night when troop took over the hills. “The Boko Haram member must be a very high ranking member of the group if not the head because he had severalToyota Land Cruiserjeeps in his escort when he was captured. “Another thing is that they didn’t want anybody to know his identity; the commanders immediately flew the man to Abuja; as we are talking, the man is being interrogated there. A highly placed security source confirmed the arrest of the Boko Haram leader but would not make any further comment on the issue. Investigations further revealed that troops killed over 70 insurgents at Bita community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and Bama headquarters of Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. The insurgents were said to have been killed in two different gun duels with troops at Bita and Bama where Armoured Personnel Carriers and military tanks were fully deployed for the combat on Thursday. Investigation revealed that the soldiers attacked the insurgents when they were moving to launch an attack on Bita community a day after troops overran their Gwoza Hills enclave on Wednesday. The source said that some soldiers sustained gunshot wounds and were being treated at a hospital in Maiduguri. It was learnt that some other insurgents were killed also on Thursday evening on their way to Bama after the first encounter which resulted in the killing of over 40 members of the sect. It was gathered that the special forces waited for the convoy of the insurgents on their way to Bama when an intelligence report was received that they (the insurgents) were on their way to launch another attack in Bama. A security source said that the insurgents were moving in 15 trucks loaded with fighters when they ran into the ambush of the troops. The source said that the troops destroyed seven of the trucks which caught fire and killed about 30 of the insurgents.” However, it was stated that the insurgents escaped with eight of the vehicles in the convoy. When our correspondent contacted the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, he confirmed the deployment of APCs and military tanks but asked to be given more time to confirm the capture of the Boko Haram commander and those killed in the two battles. “That APCs and military tanks were deployed is no news but you have to give me some time to confirm this story from the relevant places,” he said. However, Olukolade said that the troops arrested a middle-aged Cameroonian who served as the arms courier for the sect. He said that the arrest of the Cameroonian led to the discovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition which was hidden in the premises of a burnt church. Olukolade said that weapons recovered from the insurgents in the premises of the church in Kalabalge Local Government Area of Borno State included anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled guns, other brands of machine guns and thousands of various calibres of rounds of ammunition. He said that the Cameroonian led troops on a cordon and search operation to a hideout where a terrorist was captured. He was silent on the rank of this particular terrorist whose singular arrest featured in his news statement.

Letter to my Unknown Wife

A LETTER TO MY UNKNOWN WIFE I woke with a start in the wee hours of the night on my bed, I stretched my hand across the bed to feel the softness and the tender skin of my wife but it was my pillow that occupied the space beside me; then I realized that my wife is yet to come into my life. An idea strikes me and I decide to write a letter to my unknown wife. Hello dear, it’s funny that I don’t even know your name yet but that is of little important because I will always call you “My Angel”. How is life treating you and I hope you are living a just life, for a clear conscience keeps the mind happy and a happy mind keeps one focus. My angel, it might have happened that we have met without really meeting or we may have passed each other on the road without even a glance or possibly, we have never met; whatever the case may be, we are destined to meet someday. My angel, I’m looking forward to the day we shall be pronounce husband and wife, the day that man will says: “You may now kiss the bride”, the day my parents will embrace yours, the day that your siblings will accept mine, the day we shall be known as a family, a big family. I promise I will never ask you to drop your surname but you are definitely adding mine to yours (smiles) and I won’t choose a place for our honeymoon the pleasure will be yours. I’m also looking forward to the night when we shall conjugate our marriage, when I shall plant the seed of my first twin inside of you….God willing. My angel, I will never treat you wrong though we may and we will have our ups and downs but that will only makes our love grow stronger. My angel, I don’t care if your flower has been plugged, I lost mine some years ago with a beautiful lady 5years my senior. On my part of the world I’m building a formidable me, a me that will be able to provide for you and the kids, a me that will respect you, a me that will love you but above all these, a me that will be your best friend now, always and forever. Education is important my angel and I hope you are acquiring it but if you are not I can always send you back to school to get it but you must be learning a trade or a work that will keeps you preoccupy positively, I don’t want you idle for an idle hand is a devil workshop. Be careful with men, don’t fall prey to their sweet words which carry little meanings; listen, believe but never lost your focus in life and don’t see men as the solution to whatever problems you face in life. Work hard and tackle all your problems with a brave heart, so that when we meet I will respect and love you because love is never enough I need to respect and love you before we can build a happy home. I will be a fun husband, every new day will always be better than the previous day, that I promise you. And we may not be the richest couple but we shall be among the happiest couples on earth. On this note my angel, I want you to know that I am praying for you and I’m wishing you the very best life can offer, until we meet have fun (reasonable fun). SEE YOU SOON MY ANGEL

A Letter to my Mum

Dear Mother, LETTER TO MY MUM ON MOTHERs DAY Thank you for always attempting to keep me happy, safe, protected and nourished. Thank you for your kindness, caring and immeasurable patience. Thank you for looking out for me even when I didn't think I needed it and for letting me fall when I had to learn by making my own mistakes. Thank you mom for always being there; for waiting up and worrying, for the lectures and the endless concerns. Thank you for laughing with me, even though I knew at times that you were also laughing at me. Thank you for the limitless hugs, kisses, vitamins and bandaids and for the support I receive from you every single day. Thank you mom for keeping me warm, for keeping me calm and for keeping me sane. Thank you for understanding that there were times that I would be mad with you but always forgiving me in the end. Thank you for sticking up for me, for encouraging me, for believing in me and for letting me know that you never expected more than the best I could do. Thank you mom for teaching me to be honest, courteous, appreciative and loving. Thank you for trying to teach me to be neat and tidy, even though it didn't work. Thank you for teaching me to try to see the best in people, to be diplomatic in the face of conflict, and when I had no choice but to fight, to fight fair. Thank you mom for instilling in me a love for travel, books, flowers, photography and food. Thank you for nurturing me to always try something new and to keep an open mind. Thank you for the thousands of back rubs, millions of phone calls, and for always sending me home with left-overs. Still, to this day, you spoil me and I am incredibly grateful for it. Thank you mom for showing me how much beauty is around me, and reminding me of it constantly when my world feels dark and frightening. Thank you for the endless stories, songs and games when I was young, and the endless conversation and knowing smiles now that I am older. Thank you for putting up with thousands of diapers, my know-it-all teenage years, my sometimes insane teens and the emotional roller coaster that was my 20's. And through it all, thank you for loving me no matter what. Thank you mom for being so smart, so beautiful, so wise and so talented. It's nice to know that I have the potential somewhere in my genetics to possibly one day be as special as you. Mom, the words "I love you" are not adequate enough to express how grateful I am to be your son, how much you are appreciated or how much you will always mean to me, so I will simply say: Thank you mom for being my superhero, my expert-in-everything, and my very best friend. Your Son

How to drive traffic to your blog

Is it easy for people to find your blog content? Do you want to promote your blog content to more readers? When you blog to promote your business or industry, it’s important to make sure your content gets seen. Get found in search If you’re going to get new visitors to your website, you want to make sure they’ll be able to find you. And one way they’ll find you is by searching for you on their search engine of choice. That’s why it’s important to optimise your content for SEO. Post your content on social media The most efficient way to get more people to your blog is to post your content on social media. That way your current followers will start reading your blog and they may also share your content with their own personal networks. Social media content can spread like wildfire, so it’s important to post your blog content on different social media networks. After you create your blog content, prepare your posts to go out on social media. Think about how you can frame your post so that it’ll attract readers to your site. Pose a question or ask readers to consider a particular situation that will encourage them to click on your link. Create interest with engaging and exciting titles. We’re all human. We judge books by their covers and we judge blog posts by their titles. Knowing that, it’s important to spend some time crafting your title. When you start writing your blog post, a working title is fine. Get the general topic of the blog post down and write your content. But before you publish it, come back to the title and think about how you can take it up a notch to make it more engaging and truly pull your reader in. Here are a few elements that can help you create engaging blog titles. • Incorporate a number into your blog post. By that, I mean something like “5 Ways to do X” or “7 Steps to X”. Titles with quantitative elements attract readers. • If there’s data in your blog post, mention data it in your blog title. • Is this a breaking story? Is this new research you’re releasing? Tell your readers they’re about to read something they won’t find somewhere else. • Make your title catchy or quirky so the reader laughs without even reading the post. Everyone wants more humor. Introduce fresh perspectives Having a variety of topics is important for any blog. Having a variety of blog authors who approach a business or industry from different perspectives is also beneficial for a blog. Not only can you get content creators for free, but you also get promotion from someone else to his or her audience. If bloggers are going to take the time to write content for you, they are most likely going to promote it to their network, at least through social media. Make it easy to share your content If you make a task easy, odds are someone will do it. The same applies for your blog content. If you want someone to share your content with their network, make it easy for them to do that through social sharing buttons or prewritten emails that your readers can send to their network. Conclusion When you invest time and resources into creating content for your blog, you should also spend some time making sure it reaches as many people as possible.

6 reasons men are afraid of relationships and commitments

To help you ladies understand, why men are the way they are, when it comes to commitment, here are some major reasons that send them running to the hills when “commitment” word is used. 1. Freedom is priceless Guys feel that there is no way they can sustain their freedom while in a relationship. The choice to do what they want to and when they want to, is something that they will not give up easily. Once a woman enters their life, their next cricket game will have to wait while they watch the latest romantic comedy with their sweethearts; and they don’t want that to happen 2. Hard to leave the field Many women view this as the most important reason behind why guys run from commitment. As much as guys would like to deny this, it is partially true. Men are never completely satisfied, and some of them are even scared that a relationship could ruin their chances of finding someone “better”. They would hold on to their freedom as far as possible, as they are never sure what it is they are truly looking for. 3. Free time? What is that? That is the general consensus that most men have. Once men enter a committed relationship they feel they would have to spend their entire time either following, or being followed by their lady love. Most guys can’t give up on their essential ‘guy time’ for a relationship. That could be one of the main reasons why men think twice before getting committed. 4. Still quite immature So, what if he has a stable job and a lovely apartment? That doesn’t mean that the guy is ready to commit himself to a woman. Commitment, for most men, is a sign of growing up and taking responsibilities. And, that is what sends them into a panic mode, instantly. It is a well-known fact that girls mature faster than guys, and this point comes into play here. If the man feels he isn’t mature enough for a serious relationship there is no way you could force him into one. 5. Emotional baggage There are a large number of men who just can’t get emotionally involved with a woman. As it is, we know that men have a tough time showing their emotions. And, relationships mean exploring a multitude of emotions every now and then. The reason can be anything, from a childhood trauma or a previous failed relationship. Such men will not want to say yes to a steady relationship, as they might not be emotionally comfortable yet. 6. One partner, forever! Ask a guy, is he ready for “one partner in bed forever”? And, it will take him some time to answer it. Most guys are not ready to give up the idea of “variety” by committing to one woman.