Independence Day: August 15

Road to independence

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.

15th August is a National holiday of India. In the capital New Delhi most of the Government Offices are lit up. Flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs take place in all the state capitals. In the cities around the country the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is done by politicians belonging to that constituency. In various private organisations the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is carried out by a Senior officer of that organisation. Schools and colleges around the country organise flag hoisting ceremony and various cultural activities within their respective premises. Families and friends get together for lunch or dinner, or for an outing. Housing colonies, cultural centres, clubs and societies hold entertainment programmes and competitions, usually based on the freedom theme.

SOME MORE OF LIGER...

Liger

The liger is a cat born from the breeding of a male lion and a female tiger. This combination produces an offspring with more lionistic features than if the reverse pairing had occured. That would produce a more tigeristic creature known as a tigon. Both are members of genus Panthera.There is no scientific name assigned to this animal because of it’s human assisted ancestory.

A liger looks like a giant lion with muted stripes but like thier tiger ancestors, ligers like swimming. This goes against the nature of a lion but is what makes creature special. It gets the best of both parents. That is not always the case though with crossbreeds. Sometimes the results go the other way and the animal gets theworst of both parents. That would suck! Enjoy the site and I hope you fall in love with the liger, even if you don’t agree with the science… remember it’s not the liger’s fault.

ME & MY BOSS When I Take a long time to finish,I am slow,When my boss takes a long time,he is thoroughWhen I don't do it,I am lazy,When my boss does not do it,he is busy,When I do something without being told,I am trying tobe smart,When my boss does the same,he takes the initiative,When I please my boss,I am apple polishing,When my boss pleases his boss,he is cooperating,When I make a mistake,you're an idiot.When my boss makes a mistake,he's only human.When I am out of the office,I am wondering around.When my boss is out of the office,he's on business.When I am on a day off sick,I am always sick.When my boss is a day off sick,he must be very ill.When I apply for leave,I must be going for aninterviewWhen my boss applies for leave,it's because he'soverworkedWhen I do good,my boss never remembers,When I do wrong,he never forgets...

who needs prayers!!

A lady approaches a priest and tells him, ' Father, I have a problem . I have these two talking female parrots, but they only know how to say one thing. They keep saying 'Hi, we're hot. Do you want a date?' 'That's terrible!' the priest exclaimed. 'But I do have a solution to your problem. Bring your two parrots over to my house and I will put them with my two male talking parrots to whom I have taught to pray and read the bible. My parrots will then teach your parrots to stop saying that terrible phrase, and your female parrots will learn to pray and worship.' So the next day, the lady brings her female parrots to the priest's house. The priest's two male parrots are holding rosary beads and praying in their cage. The lady puts her female talking parrots in with the male alking Parrots, and the female parrots say, ' Hi, we're hot . Do you want a date?' One male parrot looks over at the other male parrot and screams, ' Put your Bible away Idiot , our prayers have been answered !!!!!!!'

How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work

It's hard enough to make local relationships work, but having miles, States, and sometimes even an ocean between you makes it even more difficult. However, successful long distance relationships can and do exist. Here's how to give yours every chance to survive and thrive.

Steps

1. Ask the important questions at the onset, to make sure you are both clear on the parameters of the relationship. These can be difficult and awkward questions to ask, but will save you great heartache and misunderstanding down the line. Example: "Are you open to the possibility of relocating if the relationship should become more serious?"
2. Communicate in some way every day, more than once if possible. Since you won't be seeing each other, it's important to establish and maintain an emotional connection. These don't have to be long, in-depth conversations (though those should occur sometimes). Tell each other about your little triumphs and tragedies. Ask for advice. Use an instant messenger program or VoIP for real-time chat, or web cams for that visual connection, but while instant messaging and e-mails play a large role in long distance relationships, remember that they can in no way replace verbal communication. E-mail is great so make sure you use it, especially if long-distance phone calls put a strain on your budget.(Even though phone calls might get a little too expensive, there are special cards if you are to call each other from different countries, there will be no problems with costs since it is very cheap. We highly recommend you get one of those cards, it will be a lot cheaper and from experience E-mail and instant messages makes it easier to misunderstand each other.) Write love letters. Send small gifts or flowers for no reason. In this case, quantity is as important as quality. You may discover an advantage over others whose partner is close at hand - you don't take communication for granted!
3. Take advantage of the benefits a long distance relationship offers: more time with friends and/or family, no arguments over toothpaste caps, the pleasure of seeing your sweetheart again after a long absence, time to mull your options (rather than snapping at your partner impulsively) before you respond to that email s/he wrote that seemed so rude the first time you read it, etc. Most important, being far apart gives you a chance to maintain your individuality - something that can get lost in the shuffle when couples spend all their free time together.
4. Pursue common interests, even if it means pursuing them apart. If there's a movie you're both interested in seeing, watch it individually and then call each other afterward and talk about it. Read a certain book at the same time. Stargaze while on you're on the phone. Set your watches to go off at the same time every day, and synchronize your alarm with that of your partner. Make it a point to think of each other when your watch goes off, and revel in the fact that he or she is thinking about you, too. Find creative ways to bond.
5. Avoid the temptation to be controlling. People have free will and no one can or should control another person. As long as you are both interested in being in the relationship, you will stick with it and distance will not make a difference. As soon as one of you decides the other is not a good match - or someone else is a better match - your relationship ends, whether you live 3000 miles apart, two streets over, or share the same bed with your wedding picture on the wall. You are going to have to trust each other completely if this relationship is going to work.
6. Talk about your future together. Assuming that ultimately you'd want to live together, discussing how you're going to get to that point will help you prove to each other that the relationship is going somewhere and that your efforts and frustrations are not in vain.
7. Know when to say good-bye. While this is tough in any relationship, this can be especially hard over long distances. When communication becomes one-sided or sparse for too long and for no apparent reason, when arguments (yes, you'll have them) become too frequent, when the whole thing just seems like more trouble than it's worth, it's time to re-evaluate the relationship. Either you'll decide to go your separate ways, or you'll get closer for having overcome another obstacle to your happiness together.
8. Remember things will get better with time, and even the relationship will become better. Have hope.

Tips

• A long distance relationship is no different from a proximal relationship in that they both require a great deal of work, excellent communication, patience, sacrifice and understanding. But you will have to work extra hard to maintain the communication and to stay focused enough to not let your daily life interfere with your desire to be with the other person. Don't forget them or you can forget the relationship and it will all be over.
• One of the hardest parts of a long distance relationship is connecting when one person gets busier than the other. If this happens in a relationship it is important to maintain communication. If you are the busy person, try to warn your partner ahead of time that you will be working many hours and may have limited time. If you are the not-as-busy person, take advantage of the time by picking up a new hobby, getting in shape, reading a new book, etc. Flexibility is very important.
• It helps to have a solid time in the future for when the long distance part of the relationship will end, no matter the time length. Without it, the relationship can begin to mold into something that is always distant - even with great communication. With it, each person can see the point at which the distance will end and work harder to keep emotions readily available.
• When talking to your partner, take note of things they enjoy the most (hobbies, day-to-day activities, etc.), and do a little research on it so you have more to do when you see them next. For example: If your partner likes to dance, find the location of different clubs where you will see them next. If you don't know how to dance, take lessons and you will impress them by your willingness to make an effort on their behalf.
• Buy a game that you can play together over the internet, such as a MMORPG (massively multi-player online role playing game). You will be able to chat while playing and it will give a greater feeling of togetherness.
• Mail each other scented clothes.
• Send each other spontaneous ecards.
• Make a creative countdown and mail it to your partner to enjoy until you see each other next. For example, create a photo calendar, with something you add for each day to describe what you love about them.
• Do not set unreasonable expectations for your visit. Fantasizing about the visit is fine, but not out loud or by email to your partner. Instead, enjoy the excitement of the surprises to come.
• The Long Distance Relationship Guidebook is a well-balanced, practical book for couples in long distance relationships who need some guidance.
• Buy a webcam so you can chat face to face and see each other, so when you meet you will remember what they look like.
• Consider the fact that living far apart gives you both a chance to grow as individuals. Some couples break up to "find themselves", but in a long distance relationship you both have enough space to do your own things and still have a connection.

Warnings

• Remember, every kind of relationship takes hard work and dedication to your loved one or partner, whether it's long distance or proximal. If you and your partner are willing to take these steps, then expect bumps and turns in the road. These bumps and turns will only help contribute towards a relationship.
• Long distance relationships are not for the faint of heart. They can be very trying - but so can proximal relationships.
• Long distance relationships can and will test you and your partner; you need to trust him/her entirely as paranoia can play a major part in the demise of your relationship. Also, these kinds of relationships can bring a lot of disappointment and heartache--depending on the time you spend away from each other it is VERY important that if you want this relationship to work you must make a great effort not to drift apart.
• Long distance relationships are difficult, as you are emotionally attached to a person you cannot touch or comfort (hug, kiss, hold hands), and this can hurt your heart and wreak havoc with your emotions. The only way to make these relationships work is if you and your partner honestly believe you will be able to survive without each other for a considerable amount of time without the need or desire to be with someone else.

7 Tips to Better Arguments

Everyone disagrees at some point or another, the trick is how to "discuss' without resorting to name-calling, finger-pointing or personal attacks. This may be easy with a store clerk, but with a spouse or friend things can get complicated quick. These are a few tips this Irish, red-head has picked up through ten years of marriage and many clients...

1. Shut your mouth and listen. Actually listen to the person you are in conflict with - do not plan your next verbal attack while the other person is speaking. A way to force yourself to do this is to repeat back to the other person what their complaint is after him/her stops speaking. For example, "I hear you are mad at me because I am late, correct?"

2. Walk away to take some time to settle down. Sometimes whatever you are arguing about can be quite painful or upsetting and you may start feeling yourself becoming defensive and/or accusing - this is not going to lead to a positive outcome, so allow yourself some space to settle down. Let your partner know you need some time to settle down and try to set up another time to discuss this later. Doing this allows you to focus on the "real issues" instead of your "bad reactions" that may distract you from the "real issues." Some years ago when my husband and I were in marriage counseling, he would do something stupid/selfish and I would go ballistic. It took us a long time to get to his very, real bad behaviors because my reactions would be so outrageous as to eclipse his negative behaviors. I had to learn to settle myself down before/during discussions as to deal with the real issues.

3. Breathing. Sometimes in the heat of an argument you may realize you are holding your breath or experiencing shallow breathing. Stop speaking for a few moments and just breathe. Use your breath to sooth yourself back down to more relaxed space - you will notice you can listen better and have more clarity after you regain your footing.

4. Do you want to be right or do you want to find common ground? This is your ego wanting to "win" your arguments. Being right all the time can ultimately lead to isolation and loneliness. The real question to ask yourself is - why do I have to be right? Ask yourself in the middle of an argument - am I trying to be right or can we compromise? It takes two people to argument, but one to make a change for the better.

5. What is your part? Be honest, you do have a part - even if it is very small. The quicker you can focus on your part in the argument, the quicker you will get to resolution. When you discover your part, you are able to learn - how to avoid this in the future, or what is important to you or even, why this isn't working? With better information and clarity you are able to make healthier decisions that meet the needs of both of you instead of just one.

6. Humor. Yes, some arguments are very serious and some would argue jokes are not appropriate. However, I am Irish as I have said (gallows' humor for sure) and the quicker I can laugh about whatever, the better. Once I was with my sister-in-law taking care of both our kids (four in all) and my husband was two hours late getting back from a bike ride with friends. Over the couple hours he was late - I was getting more and more pissed off. Finally he walks through the door and my sister-in-law greets him with, "Hey, "dead-man-walking" - good to see you upright?" I just about wet my pants I was laughing so hard. Yes, I was still angry, but no longer at the point of inflicting bodily injury...A warning though, not everyone appreciates this humor as I have lost a friend by making this very same joke with her husband. Needless to say, it would have happened sooner or later as I don't take life/events nearly as dramatically as she did.

7. Flexibility and letting go. Once you discover you don't have to be "right" or recognize your part in the argument, you become more flexible. As much as I hate it - disagreements, arguments are opportunities to bring your relationship closer be it a friend or lover. There is no one person on the planet who you would get along with always - not even a soul-mate or twin-flame. There will be disagreements in life if only because each of us is a separate, thinking individual with our own unique perspective. Arguments are an opportunity to learn about yourself and your partner - it just doesn't feel like an opportunity in the heat of the moment. So breathe. Be open to learning new information and once peace/harmony has been restored, let go. Holding grudges or continuing to stew about past arguments is about you - not the other person. These negative feeling hurt you every day and even draw more arguments into your life. If you are having trouble "letting go" try journaling, talking with other friends or possibly seek professional help with a coach or therapist to discover how to let go or what is driving your unresolved feelings