Death is coming

The closer death creeps up upon me the less I am able to understand the reasons for life or living.

Yes I have experienced a close family member dying and unlike television it takes decades to handle such a thing. To think I am going to put my family through such a thing when I finally leave is more horrific to me than the thought of death itself.

My life was and is still a learning experience but when all said and done what am I to do with all this accumulated learning over my lifetime if I just die. There is no logic or reason to this.

Long ago I became aware that the God story that is sold to the majority is just a nice story to give mankind with a message of a basic layout of how nice life could be if everyone followed these ideas. Not many in life do and if one thinks about it the good and evil structures actually depend on each other. The good that can be experienced in life is only understood as good when there is it's opposite to compare it to. This is not rocket science only common sense in reality. I am not saying we need to experience bad but understanding in it is needed to appreciate the great things many of us can have in our lives. From birth to death there are many ways mankind helps his fellow man. How many ways can you help?


Friday, June 19, 2009

Ideas To Make A Loved Ones Hospital Stay A Little Better.

By Brian G. Hall

Those who are unfortunate and have been cursed with poor health spend a large portion of their life admitted into the hospital. Spending so much time in the hospital can affect someones mood. They will start to become depressed and lonely. But there are many things you can do to help out a loved one who is a patient at a hospital.

One clear way to bring happiness to a hospital patient is to buy them presents. Often times people like to buy boxed candy but that is ill advised. Many patients are on a strict diet and candy can be harmful to certain patients. The best kind of gift you can purchase for a person is a nice bouquet (for women) or a nice house plant (for men). Or you can even make them a gift. A nice hand written card with an encouraging message will always be appreciated by a person who has fallen ill.

One should take full advantage of the hospitals visiting hours too. Make sure you schedule sufficient amount of time for your visits. A patient would much rather prefer if youd stay with them an extra hour rather than only showing up for a quick meet and greet. You can bring outside activities so bring a board game or at least a deck of cards so you can keep the patients mind off his or her health.

To make a persons stay at a hospital more comfortable, buy them a nice night gown. Hospital gowns are made out of very strong and durable fabrics. They were designed to last as long as possible, with numerous washes and repeated use. These design features are actually very practical but it comes at a cost to the patient.

While the gowns are very sturdy and durable, they arent very comfortable. The fabric is often times too thick and can cause a rash in any patient with skin problems. Also hospitals get their standard gowns in bulk, meaning they come in only 4 sizes small, medium, large, and extra large. With such a limited selection often times patients are left with wearing over or undersized gowns. Also many patients might have a fear of germs and wont be able to relax wearing the communal gowns.

If you purchase a hospital gown you will drastically improve your loved ones stay in a hospital. Custom gowns come in a variety of sizes. Ensuring you can find the right fit. Also the fabric is more breathable and soft decreasing the chances of skin irritation. You can also purchase multiple gowns for your loved one just in case they dont feel comfortable only wearing one.

With your love and support the patient will no longer have to suffer through the lonely and depressing feelings they are bound to feel while confined to their hospital bed. Keeping them happy is one of the best ways to make them feel better about their situation.

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Smart Methods to Win an Ex Girlfriend Back

By Ricardo d Argence

Just how long or how quickly has it taken you to figure out that you want to find out how to get your ex girlfriend back?

A lot of guys are not sure if they want their girlfriends, but it's evident when they first walk out the door. Other guys wait until they're dating someone else to realize the new girl is not for them.

How to get your ex girlfriend back under whatever time lapse, involves the same steps. It can be quick and it can be easy, if you follow some basic steps.

In the midst of the pain, try to get back in shape. Be upfront and take the situation at face value. You two broke up for some reason - it's time to find out why. But first, don't eat too much ice cream or drink beer for a pain suppressant. Take your health seriously because love is not worth self- indulgence.

Too much self-indulgence can add weight around your sides. Those 'love' handles would be developed from the anger you have towards your ex girlfriend. It's not worth it so hit the field with confidence and look for a way to get through the troubles.

If you really want to get your ex girlfriend back, consider chilling with the guys for a while. Go out. Change. Another way to get over the circumstances is to date someone else that you might like. You don't have to like her all the way, but you can chill out with the chic until you settle your thoughts.

Remember, you're not actually in a relationship with your ex, you might want to be, but until that dream is an actual, you're a free agent. But don't set out to hurt some other girl just because you want to make your ex jealous or just because you're thinking about yourself. Just make it clear to the girl that you're just interested in some fun and nothing more.

Think about your previous relationship and what it did to you. Do you want to go back to that or do you want something more? In order to get your ex girlfriend back without strings, make this clear in your mind.

Be original and fresh instead of old and boring. A lot of guys try to use flowers, cards, and candy to sweet their ex off their feet. This is not going to work if you don't have a plan. Don't spend any money on them, it's time for you to spend an afternoon or quality time that can help reinforce your love.

Keep yourself in the best condition possible - instill your security, keep your mind and heart open to changes, and work with your own problems first. Once you have everything together, contact your ex girlfriend for a brief hello.

Be open to simple conversation in the beginning. Do not pressure your ex girlfriend back into the relationship because it may make her uncomfortable.

Depending on what you deduce, you either ask for a second chance or you retreat and give it more time.

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Thursday, June 18, 2009

My Boyfriend Broke Up With Me, is It Possible to Get Him Back?

By Ricardo d Argence

Did your boyfriend break up with you? This is a rough time in your life. You are probably hurting and want to know what caused your boyfriend break up.

First and foremost, while you may want to do a bit of soul searching to assess where you are, avoid playing the self-blame game about your boyfriend break up. The truth is that your ex has his own issues to deal with. Remember the phrase "it's not you, it's me" when it comes to the reasons why your relationship ended.

You can spend time trying to get your ex back. If you are going to go down this route, you need to know the following things:

Don't bug your ex after a boyfriend break up. If he's ended the relationship, then he wants his space, so don't call or text him several times a day.

It's okay to flirt with other guys in his presence. It may even make him want you back more.

When you do get back together for a "trial date" be cheerful and friendly but don't pressure him for more than he can handle.

If you truly feel deep down that your boyfriend break up is final and the relationship can't be saved, then you need to take steps to move on.

One of the first things you can do after your boyfriend break up is to sit down and write a long letter to him pouring out your heart. You can talk about the good times and bad. You can tell him what a jerk he is and call him all sorts of names. But, don't mail the letter! Instead, take a candle out and burn it. This is one of the best ways to get closure after a boyfriend break up.

The next thing you need to do is do a property exchange. Give him back the t-shirt that you love to sleep in. Get the econ textbook you lent him. If there are things like toothbrushes that are too trivial to exchange, throw them away. Don't have anything around that reminds you of him. If you have gifts that he gave you, box them up for the time being. If you have any money issues to resolve like debts to the other or a joint checking account, get them sorted out.

After the property exchange is completed, make an agreement that you won't communicate with each other for a period of thirty days. This can be a challenge if you typically see each other every day. This is a difficult but necessary part of getting some much needed space after a boyfriend break up.

A boyfriend break up is very painful, but it doesn't mean that your life is over. In fact, you might even consider it a good thing because it frees you up to meet your true soul mate.

Of course, you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that just because you've gone through a boyfriend break up that all of the doors are firmly shut. If you think you have a shot of winning him back and that's something you want, you should by all means take the opportunity to do so.

After all, true love can't be squashed by a boyfriend break up.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

How to Handle a Marriage in Crisis

By Ricardo d Argence

Handling a marriage in crisis is not easy because once it was blossoming with love and life and now your marriage is floundering and about to die. When the two of you were dating, love seemed to be in full bloom and it had a life of its own. The two of you had begun a new life as a couple.

When you get married, it seems like everything just falls into place and everything makes sense. When times get tough, though, and the marriage begins to struggle it can seem like the new life is starting to get old and may die out. If you aren't ready for your life together to die, your marriage in crisis may need to get C.P.R.

Get Counseling: If you are serious about saving your marriage in crisis, then you may want to think about going to a marriage counselor. This tool is not utilized by many people. If you are seeking a resolution to your problems and want to find little ways to help the two of you grow closer then you should definitely think about marriage counseling. You will be able to understand your partner better and find ways to show your affection towards your spouse.

When utilizing marriage counseling, you will find better ways of self-expression without coming across in a manner that will be perceived as an attack.

Did it ever occur to you that one of you is dealing with some serious issues that is putting your marriage at risk? If you happen to be one of those people, then it may be best to get therapy on your own. This may be a hard pill to swallow because your pride tends to rear its ugly head and get in the way. However, if you are serious about saving your marriage that is in crisis, you will want and need to seek out a good marriage counselor.

Get Perspective: For a marriage in crisis, one of the most important thing that needs to be done is to get some perspective on what is happening. This is one area that a marriage counselor will be helpful because it will help you to look at things and situations from other perspective.

From where you are standing things may look pretty clear. However, once you are able to see from another angle, things that you couldn't understand before may make a lot of sense. Getting perspectives from other angles and vantage points will really be helpful in helping you fully understand what is happening so that you can then save the marriage in crisis.

Resolution: Now that you have been able to get a better handle on the crisis you are now faced with and you are able to get some good marriage counseling, you will have a great deal of knowledgeable ideas and information to make use of. All of these things will help you to repair any damage that has been done to your marriage IF you are willing and able to act on it. Knowing is half the battle. However, no battle that was half fought was ever won. By applying this saying to your marriage in crisis, you will surely come out as a winner.

If you happen to see someone who is drowning and you know how to swim, perform CPR and have been trained in first aid, you possess all of the tools necessary in order to save a life. Knowledge by itself will not save that person. However, by acting upon the knowledge that you possess, that persons odds of surviving is quite high.

The same thing is true with your marriage. It not only takes you acting upon it and getting issues resolved that were killing your marriage. You can only save a marriage in crisis by acting in order to make things better.

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A Cartoonists New Philosophy Of Cartooning

By Rick London

I started my odyssey into learning cartoons in the late '90's. I hadn't a clue what was to come. Before I embarked upon this mysterious venture, I decided it would be to my advantage to talk to America's most visible cartoonists. I was surprised how many of them were open and available to speak with me were. Fortunately, I was both too young and naive to know NOT to bother the masters. I was able to track down "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz through his art dealer, Marc Cohen. When Schulz picked up his phone, I started asking the five journalistic Ws (Who, what, when, why, and where). His (and others) advice turned out to be exactly what I needed to know. My "cartoon philosophy" had begun. It has since evolved, but I can look back and easily see Schulz knew "what was to come" in the world of cartooning. He knew the Internet was the key as was/is merchandising.

Why did Schulz become a cartoonist? Like me, hed tried just about everything else and didnt do it very well. I asked him if there was any money to be made in such a venture. I could almost see his smile on the other side of the line. He assured me there was plenty, but not to expect it in newspapers. He told me that even if you do get syndicated, the money is still just pennies per newspaper and that the smart way to approach it, that is, to look at it as a career, is licensed merchandise, such as tees, caps, mugs, etc. He told me he made millions more in licensing than in publishing.

I told him I did not draw very well (which is true) and, that I wanted to try something very new and different. It was to be a color cartoon in which the artwork, for the most part was more fine art than cartoon art, and that I wanted a different look and feel to each cartoon, but a theme, focused on wordplay and picture-play in which, at times, the viewer might have to take a second or two to get it.

Schulz assured me that nearly 20% of all cartoons we see in the newspapers are team efforts that is, an artist and writer, and that if I did not feel my own artwork was up to snuff, to recruit an artist to draw my concepts. He also encouraged me to read as much as I could about Walt Disney because what I was about to attempt was actually a Disney model without animation; he actually called it Disney meets Gary Larson, which was a bit flattering to say the least.

I also spoke with several other cartoonists, most of whom created in the same genre as Gary Larsons Far Side, such as Leigh Rubin (Rubes), Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), and Jon McPherson (Close To Home). I was amazed, again, at how open and available they made themselves. In fact Leigh and I became good friends and talked regularly on the phone. He was already one of the worlds leading cartoonists, and I was just starting. That didnt matter to him. I will never forget that kind of generosity and his willingness to lead me in a direction that made it work for me. And of course the same is true for Charles Sparky Schulz (Sparky by the way was what he liked to be called. That was the name of his favorite dog, a Schnauzer; and I knew I liked him right away. I have a tendency to hang with fellow animal lovers, and Schulz also had an uncanny biting wit, often held back in Peanuts, even though it was always funny, was meant for family audiences, his target. In real life, he displayed a sense humor that reminded me a great deal of some of my British favorites such as John Cleese of Monty Python.

There seemed to be a common thread regarding the philosophy of cartooning, amongst all of the masters. That is, Sure, you must make a living in this world, but keep the day job. Cartooning is a labor of love, and, only 1% or so actually end up doing it for a living. One must approach it with a very open mind and a love for making people laugh, and to be flexible, as the Internet at the time, was changing the whole nature of the cartoon business.

Pragmatic advice is hard to find. How did "Sparky" know the Internet was changing? How did he know it would change how we perceived cartooning? I knew about "vision" and that some people "saw" things others could not, but could he be this brilliant? He was. Licensed merchandise became even more of the key to making it work than Sparky Schulz had felt; and he had seen it coming. Today, though my cartoons appear in publications worldwide; mostly trade magazines, college textbooks and on websites, the majority of my take is from the sales of funny gifts and collectibles. When I look back over the past twelve years it has all becomes a blur. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the world's top illustrators of cartoons. I wrote/they rendered.

By a luck of the draw (no pun intended), I have been one of the few (of which Schulz and the others had told me) who has been able to "make it" in the world of humor and cartoons. I know though, that even if I had not been one of the lucky ones, I would still be doing "something creative" as that temptation never is diffused. It becomes as if to be an appendage, and, it gives one the thought, that, even if not so, if one person laughed, the purveyor of the humor left the world a bit nicer and more peaceful.

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Sunday, June 14, 2009

Did He Broke with You? How to Get Your Ex Boyfriend Back

By Ricardo d Argence

If you are dealing with a boyfriend break up, chances are you are emotionally raw. You may have a hard time dealing with constant questions, like "Did your boyfriend break up with you?" and other nosy inquiries. What you really need is to understand the cause of the break up.

First and foremost, while you may want to do a bit of soul searching to assess where you are, avoid playing the self-blame game about your boyfriend break up. The truth is that your ex has his own issues to deal with. Remember the phrase "it's not you, it's me" when it comes to the reasons why your relationship ended.

If you really want to, you can spend time and energy to try to get your ex back. But, there are some important things you should know before setting out on this path:

Avoid trying to stay in constant contact with your ex after a boyfriend break up. After all, he's broken up with you, so he needs some breathing room. Don't text or call him multiple times every day.

Flirting with other guys when he's around is okay. In fact, it might encourage him to want you back!

If you do end up on a "trial" date to see if you can get back together, do be friendly and accommodating, but don't lay on too much pressure.

But, if you have a feeling in your gut that the relationship is over when your boyfriend break up with you, then you need to start moving on.

One cathartic thing that can help you after a boyfriend break up is to take the time to pen a long letter that spells out your feelings. You can remember all of the good and bad times you shared. Vent your anger, and call him all the names you want. But, instead of sending the letter to him, burn it. This is a great way to get some much needed closure after a boyfriend break up.

Next, you'll want to trade back your property. That ratty T-shirt of his that you enjoy sleeping in? Give it back. Retrieve the econ textbook he borrowed. If there are items that are too small to exchange, like toothbrushes and other personal hygiene items, just get rid of them. If you have gifts from him, avoid the temptation to throw them away and just store them for now. You want to eliminate anything around you that might remind you of him. Also, make sure to sort out any money issues if one of you owes the other, and separate any joint checking or credit accounts.

After you have completed the property exchange, agree that you won't have any communication for 30 days. This may be hard if you are used to seeing each other on a daily basis, but after a boyfriend break up it is necessary to give yourself some space and distance.

A boyfriend break up is perhaps one of the most painful things you can go through, but it isn't the end of the world. In fact, you might think of it as a new beginning and realize that you are now free to meet the one who will truly be your soul mate.

Of course, you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that just because you've gone through a boyfriend break up that all of the doors are firmly shut. If you think you have a shot of winning him back and that's something you want, you should by all means take the opportunity to do so.

True love can even survive a boyfriend break up.

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What Do I Have to Do To Get My Ex Boyfriend Back?

By Ricardo d Argence

Understanding the steps to take to get your ex boyfriend back can sometimes be a hit and miss affair and it's no surprise because we are usually not taught this stuff. We usually have to figure it all out as we go along or we try to have our friends help us out.

There is something wrong with relying on our family and friends though. They're no better equipped to help us than we are to help ourselves. What is needed is a no miss plan and the initiative to take action on the plan.

The first step you should take is to put some distance between you and your ex. This simple action will preserve your sanity as well as make a clear statement to your ex boyfriend. This is an important step and will put an end to fixating on your ex boyfriend. You will be able to concentrate for a change on your requirements and need to get you through this very stressful time.

Make a serious attempt to reconnect with your family and friends and accept any help that will undoubtedly come from those who love and care about you. If you're serious about figuring out how to get your ex boyfriend back it would be a huge mistake on your part to isolate yourself.

With people around you it means you're not sitting at home crying and obsessing about the breakup of your relationship or your ex boyfriend.

Since your now spending time with your friends and family, ask them what they think caused the breakup of your relationship. There is probably no doubt that your boyfriend gave you the reason he was walking out the door, and you probably have your own ideas, but an outside opinion can be helpful now.

Sometimes the perspective of another person is very helpful when trying to make some sense out of the situation. If your really want to understand how to get your ex boyfriend back then ask for the opinion of others.

Your next move is to make sure that given what you've heard back from family and friends regarding their take on the breakup, that you now think for yourself. You either agree or disagree with what's been said and of course you're doubtless going to get different opinions from them all.

Take the time that is needed to weigh what has been said and understand that the final decision is yours. You may have started out trying to figure out how to get your ex boyfriend back, but do you still want him back? Maybe you have heard some real truths and there may be some questions and doubts. Maybe you have come to terms with your breakup and are able to readily accept it now.

No matter where you are in the healing phase, be perfectly clear about what you want before you make another move.

If you're still determined to go ahead and win him back, then your next move is to call him and to do so calmly and without emotion and drama and talk to him about the way you feel.

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