A Must-see North Cotabato Celebration

From August 25 to September 1, 2011 a colorful, joyful and extravagant celebration for the province of North Cotabato have been taking place. The 97^th foundation anniversary is spearheaded by Gov. Emmylou "Lala" Talino-Mendoza who is enthusiastic on the expected huge number of Cotabatenos to flock activities of the week-long 97th Foundation Anniversary celebrations. This is the biggest and grandest event ever because it will showcase 38 spectacular events that the audience will surely love. Celebration's venue will be on the Provincial Capitol, Amas, Kidapawan City. Various visitors already come to the provincial capitol to witness the much anticipated activities. Tents, booths and bazaar are already in place to display the province's rich and bountiful crops as well as native products. Each of the 17 municipalities and one city has its own colorful booth to attract visitors and guests and to flaunt their creativity through various nature inspired and vivid decorations. 

A 17 municipalities and 1 city comprises North Cotabato Province

North Cotabato is one of the treasured provinces in Mindanao. The province is bounded on the North by the Province of Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon, on the East by Davao del Sur, on the Southwest by Sultan Kudarat and on the West by Maguindanao province. The province is like gold, when being tested in fire, the quality and luster never ceases amidst peace and order problems. And to show how rich the culture and how triumphant and jubilant the people are in this province, the week long celebration will highlight the "kalivungan" street dancing competition and float parade with delegates coming from the different municipalities and a city. The champion for the said street dancing will have a grandiose prize of P150, 000. 00 and will represent the province in "Sinulog" festival to be held in Cebu City on January 2012. 

Other activities that will surely capture the crowd's attention: Mutya ng Cotabato August 26 -parade of candid exotic young beauties vying for the crown of the most beautiful lady in the province; Lumba sa Pulangi on August 31 -It's a river boat competition at Pulangi river. Himig, Sayaw and Musikahan on August 31 -this is a Dance and Musical contest that portrays Filipino music and cultures. Kumbira sa Kapitolyo, September 1 - everyone is invited to eat and dine at the Capitol. 

According to the organizers, outdoor and indoor activities are Inter-LGU and SK Sports Olympics (August 25-27); Extreme team trail run (August 26); Market-Martket sa Kapitolyo (August 26-Sept. 1); Musical Street Parade (August 26); Mindanao Open Chess Tournament (August 27-31); 1st Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza's Mountain Bike Challenge (August 27-28); Ultimate Frisbee Tournament-August 27-28; 1st Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza's Airsoft Tournament (August 27-28).

1st Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza's Table Tennis Cup (August 27-28); 1st Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza's Open Dart Cup (August 27-28); Gov's Cup 2011 Tennis Tournament (August 27-28); 1st Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza's Open Bowlng Tournament (August 27-30). Paramotor Gliding Show (August 28, 30 and Sep. 1); Inter-Collegiate Cheer Dance Competition (August 28); Batang Cotabato Boxing Championship (August 28-30); Motocross Competition (August 29); Sepa sa Mangis (August 30); and Lumba sa Salbabida (August 30). 

Agro-Fair Booth

The joyous festivity is called "Kalivungan" a Manuvu term for "festive gathering". North Cotabato is an epitome of diverse cultures and dialect and Manuvu are the first settlers in this area. And through using indigenous term in reference to the celebration means it has great respect to our indigents and regards them as really part of the whole community.

sources:www.cotabatoprov.gov.ph

KABACAN... a brief introduction

August 18, 2011 marked the 64th Anniversary of my hometown Kabacan. A small, never been heard town in Mindanao, Philippines. The ever bombing and booming town that stood-still after few terrorist attacks and bomb explosion. Many say that its hard to live here because of the peace and order situation. Others regarded my town as one of the most critical places in the Philippines. But guess what? this town is a peace-loving town that embraces peace negotiations and advocacy. Those who once lived here and left will always return because the spirit of Kabacan will always live. We, who live in this critical town are considered fighters and proactive. Proactive because we make change in anticipation of future results. We will fill the town with youthful tunes. We will cultivate the land with bare and passionate hands. We will work towards progress with simplicity, intelligence and unity.

Kabacan is a one of the rice granaries of Mindanao. It has diverse cultures and traditions. Its very interesting town because of its complexities and intricacies makes this town intriguing. It has already universities, college schools, supermarket, wet markets, radio station, internet cafe, resorts, grocery stores, tourist spot cave and a lot more. As the earth revolves, as so goes this town. It becomes progressive amidst war and skirmishes. Every hurdle this town encounters, it raises up one step higher. It accepts difficulties as challenges and as an opportunity to step one notch higher compared to the neighboring towns. This attitude makes us speed up to success super highway.

Since August 1, 2011, this town implements the cellophane-less shopping. Plastic cellophane is prohibited to be used in buying goods. We can not use straw for softdrinks or soda. We are not allowed to use Styrofoam for food. Even small retail stores are following this rule. People here can easily follow rules specially if its about caring our environment. We used old newspaper and ready made paper bags for securing bought items.

If you want to enjoy the meekness of beauty of this town, try and visit us to have a personal experience. We can not offer a superb accommodation and hospitality but instead we can give you a place next to your home.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Reproductive health is more than just reproductive organs and reproduction. It is how social, mental and sexual behaviors and relationships affect health and ill-health. According to World Health Organization (WHO), good reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how to do so. Implicit in this last condition is the right of youth to have access to information concerning their reproductive health and the right access to appropriate health care services for their medical and reproductive health needs.

Too often reproductive health has been considered as relevant only to childbearing women of reproductive years (15-44). It is true that women bear by far the greatest burden of reproductive problems and that biological, social, cultural, and economic factors increase a woman’s vulnerability to reproductive ill-health. But reproductive health has to be understood within the context of relationships between men and women, communities and societies, since sexual and reproductive behaviors are governed by complex biological, cultural and psychosocial factors.

With this world full of whims and caprices and even intricacies as a result of liberalization and globalization, adolescents often bombarded with challenges which directly and indirectly affect their decision making. Juvenile delinquencies, teenage pregnancies and early marriages, which are social stigma, are some of the problems faced by adolescents today. There are reasons that trigger youth risk taking behaviors such as socioeconomic changes as results of urbanization and modernization, improved health and nutrition status resulting at low age in menarche, earlier sexual maturity, low level of knowledge concerning reproduction and control over sexuality and ignorance about sex and family planning.

Within the realm of school, the ever-increasing number of students who engage in drug addiction, smoking, early marriages and early pregnancies as results of pre-marital sex, and other risk taking behaviors reflect ignorance and lack of sense of direction of students. These conditions consequently give unfavorable effects on student’s performance in school and influence his/her ways of behaving and relating to others and coping with life’s pressures and demands. The decisions they will made now will determine their future, thus, it is of great importance that they will have sound mind and body to have sound decisions. Adolescents are vulnerable to violence and poor health unless they will be properly equipped with appropriate knowledge, information and health services to empower them to adopt responsible attitudes and make sensible decisions about themselves and to prompt them to become responsible persons. They need too programmers to prepare them for the future reproductive responsibility and to function effectively as adults (e.g., future parents, teachers, business leaders, civic servants, policy makers and others).

VALUES: What You Stand For

Values form from the core of your understanding about the world, the basis for your deepest feelings. They act as motivators for your beliefs and actions. You can also think of them as the main themes upon which you weave the experience of your life. Values feed your passion for activities that you overtake over the long run. They do not usually change drastically throughout your life, but act as an anchor, allowing your return to your original purpose.

Your core values tell what you stand for. Many of us, unfortunately, have grown up with the sense that values are like rules—a straight jacket that limits our behavior. Yet when we look at the people who deeply believe in something, we see the opposite. We see people who can draw vast reserves of energy that seem to flow from their beliefs.

Values are energy source. A person who believes in something, who acts on what seems really important, always finds the energy to accomplish the task. People disconnected from this energy source find themselves struggling against burnout.

People tend to feel crazy if what they are doing in their work world is drastically at odds with their values. For example, a young man was having terrible stomachaches for reasons his doctor could not isolate. Something was making him very sick. Telecommunications Company, feeling very excited about the king of high tech research he would be doing, when asked about the values and beliefs concerning strategic arms control and military matters. Slowly he began to say that he had been raised in a religious tradition that opposed military service and was feeling conflicts with his values in doing his new job. He literally made himself sick with the incongruence between his personal beliefs and the mission of the company.

Not everyone experiences this level of conflict, but many people begin to fell less excitement about what they are doing if their personal values are continuously challenged at work. Connecting your personal values with your work efforts is the KEY TO KEEPING YOUR SPARK ALIVE.

TIME MANAGEMENT

A critical component and a precious asset that has been recently added to the list of resources for individual, group and organizational functioning is TIME. It is the seventh m (minutes representing time), as domain of general management; the other six being man, money, machines, materials, market, methods.

A very trying problem that many in the organization, including managers meet the insidious difficulty of managing time. They have expressed their desire to assert more control over their schedules. However, the ever-present time problem persists and exists. Most often, it can not be defined nor denied.

Queries about time element have surfaced. What is the nature of time? How is it perceived? How is it understood? Why are we faced by this problem?

PERCEPTION OF TIME

When material things like buildings, furniture, and supplies are destroyed or when money gets lost, they can be replaced. But when time is lost, it is gone forever. It can not be recouped for time is not only fleeting. It is irreversible; it is irreplaceable. Also it is transitive and successive. It moves on a certain order that can not be changed. It cannot be compressed, extended, expanded or reordered; it cannot be stopped physically. In this sense time is OBJECTIVE.

However, time can also be subjective; it can be highly relative. It is a person oriented, value-laden and culture bound.

It is interesting to observe that individuals having same culture could have great differences in the way they perceive time. Certainly, a Filipino living in a remote island like Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao would consider time lightly compared to his co-Filipino living in Manila. In this sense, time is also situational.

For some people, time seems uneven in pace. Now slow, now fast -- depending on one's moods, feelings, disposition, expectations and aspirations. "A watched pot never boils" is a cliche that demonstrates how one's state of anxiety affects his perception of the length of time a pot boils.

A bank manager waits endlessly but patiently for a late but rich client who expressed his plan to transfer his account to this bank from another bank. But the clock clicks its minutes away fast when the client arrives and tells him personally the good news.

While we Filipinos generally do not fuss over an activity that starts even an hour late, the Westerners and the Japanese consider it a "crime" when others let them wait. In cultures where natural rhythms of the sun, water, and soil predominate, time is relative to a man's harvest which bounty he has waited while appreciating nature's gifts by the wayside. For him, time is not of the essence. He enjoys eternity.

But time is objective and impersonal to men of action like businessmen and managers who live and thrive in a world of competition and material ambition. Timekeeping for them is time serving. They are the servomechanism of the clock. In fact, others are blamed for a manager's inability to control his time. This is, however, an overly rational approach.

Why do people waste time if it is a valuable resource? Two reason can be ventured here: there is plenty of time to waste and there is not enough to do. Again, this is a value-laden thought depending on one's purposes and goals.

The old proverb: If you want to get a job done, give it to a busy man" is very apt. The person who accomplishes little is one who has plenty of time doing nothing. The caution, "If you don't have anything to do, don't do it here" is a good warning. It is easy to understand why people would like to waste time when they do not have anything to do. What is perplexing is why some busy people still waste time, especially those who are aware of time management techniques.

Too many of us, time has escaped our attention because of its elusive and invisible nature. It cannot be accumulated but can only be spent as it becomes available. It is a limited resource, so are other managed resources like funds, equipment, and staff. This problem besets the manager who has not been taught on how to manager such a resource that comes continually.

(excerpt from: Management of Human Behaviors in Organizations by C.R Rodil Martires & G. Fule)

SEX REASSIGNMENT OF A TWIN WITH ABLATIO PENIS

One of the most famous cases in the literature on sexual development is that of a male identical twin whose penis was accidentally destroyed – a disorder termed Ablatio Penis – during circumcision at the age of 7 months. Because there was no satisfactory way of surgically replacing the lost penis, a widely respected expert in such matters, John Money, recommended that the boy be castrated, that an artificial vagina be created, that the boy be raised as a girl, and that estrogen be administered at puberty to feminize the body. After a great deal of consideration and anguish, the parents followed Money’s advice.

Money's (1975) report of this case has had a great influence on current thinking about sexaul development. It has been seen by some as the ultimate test of the nature-nurture controversy with regard to the development of sexual identity and behavior. It pitted the masculinizing effects of male genes and male hormones against the effects of being reared as a female. And the availability of a genetically identical control subject, the twin brother, make the case all more interesting.

According to Money, the outcome of this bizarre case comes down strongly on the side of the social-learning theory of sexual identity. Money reported in 1975, when the patient was 12, that "she" had developed as a normal female, thus confirming this prediction that being raised as a girl would override the masculinizing effects of male genes and early androgens. Because it is such an interesting case, Money's description of it has been featured in many textbooks of psychology, medicine, sociology, and women's studies, as well as in many television, magazine, and newspaper stories, each time carrying with the message that the sexual identity and behaviour of men and women is largely a matter of upbringing. However,there is a reason to question the rosy picture painted by Money.

In 1980, a British news team preparing a report on the case discovered that several psychiatrists had examined the patient in 1976 when she was 13 and had reached a conclusion that conflicted with that of Money. Their conclusion was that the patient was having significant psychological problems, including considerable ambivalence toward the female role. She refused to draw pictures of females, she aspired to occupations that are commonly regarded as masculine (e.g, auto mechanic), and her masculine gait was the object of scorn from the classmates who referred her as "cave woman". Clearly, things were not as a cut-and-dried as Money's report, published the year before, had made them out to be.

Current theories of hormones and sexual development greatly increase the understanding of the case mentioned above, and they provide the basis of prescribing treatment. However, it is important to recognize that the current theories do better with respect to gonads, reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics than they do with respect to brain and behavior.

GREAT TRUTHS WE NEED TO LEARN

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD:
1) Growing up is mandatory; growing old is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:
At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 16 success is . . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . . . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . not peeing in your pants.

EXCEPTIONAL HUMAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT (No Penis since Birth)

THE CASE OF ANNE S.

Anne S., an attractive 26-year old female, sought treatment for two sex-related disorders: lack of menstruation and pain during sexual intercourse (Jones & Park, 1971). She sought help because she and her husband of 4 years had been trying without success without children and she correctly surmised that her lack of menstrual cycle was part of the problem. A physical examination revealed that Anne was healthy young woman. Her only readily apparent peculiarity was the sparseness and fineness of her pubic and axillary hair. Examination of the external genitals revealed no abnormalities; however, there were some problems with her internal genitals: her vagina was only 4 centimeters long and her uterus was also underdeveloped.
Anne’s doctor concluded that she was a MAN. No, this is not A MISTYPED; they concluded that Anne, the attractive young housewife, was in fact Anne, the happily married MAN.

Three lines of evidence supported this diagnosis. First, analysis of some cells scraped from the inside of Anne’s mouth revealed that they were of the normal male XY type. Second, tiny incision in Anne’s abdomen which enabled Anne’s physicians to look inside, revealed a pair of internalized testes, but no ovaries. Finally, hormone tests revealed that Anne’s hormone levels were those of a male.

Anne suffers from a disorder called the ANDROGENIC INSENSITIVITY SYNDROME: all of her symptoms stem from the fact that her body lacks androgen receptors. During development, Anne’s testes released normal amounts of androgen for a male, but her body could not respond to them in the absence of androgen receptors, and her development thus proceeded as if no androgens had been released. Her external genitals, her brain, and her behavior developed along preprogrammed female lines during fetal development without the effects of androgen to override the female program. Anne did not develop normal internal reproductive ducts because, like any other genetic males, her testes released Mullerian inhibiting substance. At puberty, Anne’s testes released enough estrogens to feminize the body in the absence of the counteracting effects of androgens; however, without androgen receptors, adrenal androstenedione could not stimulate the growth of pubic and axillary hair.

Money and Ehrhardt (1972) studied the psychosexual development of 10 androgen insensitive patients conducted that the placidity of their childhood play, their goals, their fantasies, their sexual behavior, and their maternal tendencies – several had adopted children- all “conformed to the idealized stereotype of what constitutes femininity in our culture.” However, it is not clear what part of this normal psychosexual development is attributable to their androgen insensitivity, and what is attributable to their experience of being raised as a female.

An interesting issue of medical ethics is raised by the androgenic insensitivity syndrome. Many people believe that physician should always disclose all the relevant findings to their parents. If you were Anne’s physicians would you tell her that she is a MAN? Would you tell her husband?

(I write this blog to find answers too to NANCY NAVALTA' case, the famous Philippine Athlete, who were being disqualified for joining national and international competition. Her physicians found something after battery of physical exam. But the results were not disclosed. After winning several competitions, some other countries’ athletes complained. She should compete on MEN’S division for track and field and not on WOMEN’S division. They insisted that she is a MAN. Her physical features are those of men, but on Nancy’s part, she is really a woman. She claimed that she was once fallen in love with a man. Hmmnn...)

Being a Filipino Is Being Responsible

Jesus dutifully fulfills his mission of salvation on earth in a particular place, time and situation as planned by God. So do we also perform our duties as Filipino citizens in preparation for future in heaven. Performing our earthly duties require a lot responsibility. Being responsible involves (a) answering for our actions, and (b) realizing that our actions affect other people. Responsible persons have both the maturity and the courage to face up to the consequences of their deeds. Moreover, because they consider very important their own value and dignity as individuals. Therefore they are considerate and careful of the effects of their actions on others.

In these times, the average teenagers have plenty of opportunities in their own immediate environment to observe and practice their duties as responsible FILIPINO citizens in the daily activities of their lives. Specifically, they can ask themselves: Do i obey traffic rules and regulations? Do i help protect the natural resources of our country? Do i help promote cleanliness of the environment? Do I put my waste materials in the garbage can? These are only a few of the responsibilities each one can perform as a Filipino citizen in this day and age. HOW RESPONSIBLE ARE YOU AS A CITIZEN OF OUR COUNTRY?

INITIATIVE: A Key to Good Interpersonal Relationship

The desire to do something good for others is natural to most people. Their hearts are infused with the capacity to feel for others and do something for them. Therefore, it takes but the willingness to put into action the good deeds that their minds and hearts urge them to do to concertize something. They can actually initiate themselves to do something once they see the value of what they are doing. They are motivated from within to start an action. This is INITIATIVE.

Persons who have initiative do not wait to be told what to do or when or how to do it. They do not look for approval, praise, or reward to start moving. They perform actions out of their volition rather than through the urging or pushing of someone else.

In peer relationships, persons who have initiative take the lead to build harmony and true friendships among friends. If they are leaders in any activity or project, they initiate the creation and maintenance of a warm and healthy atmosphere in which everybody can work cooperatively to accomplish tasks and achieve goals. They start the ball rolling to encourage everybody to participate in good action. Most Filipinos value initiative in a person. Persons who do not need to be told what to do are considered trustworthy, industrious and headed toward a successful future. They are welcome members in any group because they can easily spot occasions to be of immediate help to anyone.

If someone in a group is quick on initiative, you can bet that group will be able to accomplish something of note.

Persons who have initiative to do work that is pleasing to GOD earn not only the earthly reward of good interpersonal relationship with others but also build a sound investment in their final union with GOD in heaven. HOW MUCH INITIATIVE DO YOU HAVE?

QUITE SIMPLY, I ASK: Is PEACE means ABSENCE of War?

The Philippines have suffered enough from the continuing armed and violent confrontations in many parts of our country.

From 1973 to 1992, the death toll reached 55, 471 – soldiers, government officials, rebels and innocent civilians. About 33, 709 have been wounded. And 1, 832 are missing.

Some 1.5 Million people have experienced displacement in the course of more than two decades of armed conflict. They were ordinary peasants, tribal and marginal Filipinos who were all the more deprived of their sources of livelihood; children, who died of diseases, were orphaned, and deprived of education because of fighting.
Damage to crops and properties since 1982 and has already been estimated P1.38 Billion.

Furthermore, the government has had to spend billions in operations to maintain peace and order throughout the country under the environment of armed internal conflicts. Perhaps, if only half of this could have been spent on the development and livelihood programs, our country might in a much better state today.

We could have already paid our debts.

We could have built more schools and health concerns.

We could have had more funds for land reform and mass housing. Our government employees and workers could have had more decent pay. We could have set up more power generators and would not have had to endure long brownouts, more farms to market roads, more school buildings especially to remote areas in the Philippines, and could have built infrastructure to prevent pestering floods during heavy typhoons and natural disasters.

Today, a rifle bullet costs average of P25 or higher. The cost of a 25 bullets could thus be enough for a day’s budget for 2 average families.
As the armed confrontations rage on, attaining progress becomes an ever more difficult task. Our country will be doomed to poverty, and will forever be at the tail-end of our fast-developing Asian neighbors.

The contending parties claim they are fighting for the sake of our country and people. Yet, it is our country and people as a whole who eventually suffer the most as the conflict goes on.

For so long time we have longed and aspired for peace. But even if there are many difficult obstacles, our dream of a genuine, just and lasting peace is not unattainable. If we are united, nothing is impossible. The peace that we all desire is within reach.

Our people’s involvement is the key to the attainment of a genuine, just and lasting peace. Those involved in the conflict agree that the peace process cannot prosper unless it is anchored on the involvement and participation of all sectors of society.

A peace process should be community-based, reflecting the sentiments, values and principles important to all Filipinos. It shall not be defined by government alone, nor by the contending armed groups, but by all Filipinos as one community.
It is the goal of the peace process to establish a just, equitable, humane and pluralistic society. It is aimed at peacefully resolving and ending the armed conflict, with neither blame nor surrender but with dignity for all concerned.
Come then and let us march on the road to peace. Let us start now. Let us all participate. Let us enlighten ourselves on the issues, and realize how we can contribute towards the attainment of PEACE.

KISSES.....

Below you will find a variety of kiss types. If you find some that catch your fancy, feel free to try them :-)

Butterfly Kiss - With your faces less than a breath away, open and close your eyelids against your partners. If done correctly, the fluttering sensation will match the one in your heart.

Cheek Kiss - A friendly, "I really like you" kiss. Often the preferred kissing method of a first date. With your hands on your partner's shoulders, gently brush your lips across her cheek.

Earlobe Kiss - Gently sip and suck the earlobe. Avoid louder sucking noises as ears are sensitized noise detectors.

Eskimo Kiss - With your faces less than a breath apart, gently rub your noses together.

Eye Kiss - Hold your partner's head with both hands and slowly move their head in the direction you wish your kiss to go... then slowly kiss up towards your partner's eyes and give them a tender kiss on top of their closed eyes.

Eyelid Kiss - While your partner is resting/sleeping with eyes closed, very very gently kiss the spot right below their browbone. A very intimate kiss.

Finger Kiss - While laying together gently suck on their fingers. This can be very seductive and pleasurable.


Foot Kiss - An erotic and romantic gesture. It may tickle, but relax and enjoy it! To give a toe kiss by gently suck the toes and then lightly kissing the foot. It helps to gently massage the base of the foot while performing the kiss.

Forehead Kiss - The "motherly" kiss or "just friends" kiss. The forehead kiss can be a comforting kiss to anyone. Simply brush your lips lightly across the crown of their head.

Freeze Kiss (or Melt Kiss) - Experiment with this fun kiss. Put a small piece of ice in your mouth, then open mouth and kiss your partner, passing them the ice with your tongue. It's an erotic and sensual french kiss with a twist of cold.

French Kiss - The kiss involving the tongue. Some call this the "Soul Kiss" because the life and soul are thought to pass through the mouth's breath in the exchange across tongues. Surprisingly, the French call this "The English Kiss".

Fruity Kiss - Take a small piece of fruit and place between your lips (juicy fruits such as grapes, strawberries, small pieces of pineapple or mango are ideal). Kiss your partner and nibble one half of the piece of fruit while they nibble the other until it breaks in half, allowing the juice to run into your mouths.

Hand Kiss - Gently raise her hand to your lips. Lightly brush your lips across the top of her hand. Historically this kiss was performed with a bow, which showed deference to a lady.

Hickey Kiss - The object is not to draw blood, but to gently leave a mark that will prove your interlude was not a dream. This is often included in erotic foreplay.

Hostage Kiss - Cover your lips with tape and get your love's attention. When they come near, make noises like you're trying to tell them something and motion as if you can't get the tape off. Once they remove the tape from you to hear what you're trying to say tell them: "I've been saving my lips all day just for you!" Then kiss your love passionately!

Hot and Cold Kiss - Lick your partner's lips so that they're warm, and then gently blow on them. The sudden cold blast makes for a sensual explosion, and they will often try it on you next, as well as get very passionate.

Mistletoe Kiss - Surprise your lover by capturing them with a gentle holiday kiss under the mistletoe. This is also a good method for shyer individuals to steal a kiss from a potential lover.

Letter Kiss - Send your lover a kiss in a love letter by writing the letter x several times in a row at the bottom of a letter such as XXXXX.

Lick Kiss - Just before kissing, gently run your tongue along you partners lip whether it be the top or bottom one depending on the position of your lips. Very sensual.

Lip Sucking Kiss - When kissing gently suck on their lower lip. This can be very exciting.

Neck Nibble Kiss - Gently nibble up and down your partners neck. End with a gentle kiss on the lips.

Nip Kiss - This kiss can create a very erotic sensation. While kissing your partner, ever so gently nibble on their lips. You must be very careful not to bite to hard or hurt your partner. When done correctly, this kiss ignites wonderful sensations.

Reverse Lips Kiss - It involves standing above your lover and kissing them from over their head. This way, each kisser can take the hyper-sensitive bottom lip of thier lover in their mouths, and GENTLY draw blood to the surface of the lip by nibbling and sucking. A very sensuous, connecting kiss.

Searching The Cavern - Use the lips and tongue to gently tickle and kiss your lover's navel. Vary speeds and stroke to change sensation. Invigorating and intoxicating.

Shoulder Kiss - Simply come from behind, embrace her, and kiss the top of her shoulder. This is a sensual, loving kiss.

Sip Kiss - Take a small sip of your favorite drink. Leaving a little bit of it on your lips, kiss your partner. It is a unique way to create a sensual feeling and your partner will enjoy it.

Talking Kiss - Whisper sweet nothings into your partner's mouth. If caught in the act, simply say as Chico Marx, "I wasn't kissing her. I was whispering into her mouth."

Teaser Kiss - Starting on the forehead, a sweet short kiss on lips, then move up the arms up to her hand, kiss her hand, then come back up her arm, to her face and then lightly kiss her lips till she wants a passionate kiss.

The Buzzing Kiss - Gently place your lips against your lover's neck , behind their ear. Now, send a shudder through their skin by gently growling and humming, vibrating your lips and cheeks as you do so. Move up and down the neck, over the bones of the face and lips. Stimulating and erotic when done correctly.

The Whipped Cream Kiss - Dip your finger into some cool whip or whipped cream of your choice. Lick it off slowly, then embrace your partner and kiss them deeply letting their tongue slip over yours for a wonderfully sweet kiss. It's very seductive and passionate.

Tiger Kiss - Quietly sneak up behind your partner making sure they do not know what you are going to do. Out of the blue, grab them and gently bite their neck. Make sure to get a few good growls in too. This will surely surprise them.

Trickle Kiss - Take a sip of a favourite drink and trickle it slowly into partner's mouth while kissing.

Tongue Sucking - A variation of the French kiss. During an open-mouth kiss gently suck on your partner's tongue (not too hard because it may hurt). Very sexy :-)

Quickie Kiss - When you're in a rush. Often the nose gets it rather than the lips.

Vacuum Kiss - While kissing open-mouthed, slightly suck in as if you were sucking the air from your partners mouth. This is a playful kiss.

Wake Up Kiss - Before your partner awakes lean over and kiss their cheek and move over giving soft kisses until you reach their lips. Definitely a more than pleasant way to wake up!

FLIRTING TIPS

Flirting Tips
Women are so much more subtle about flirting clues that men need to really pay attention. Ladies, men are not used to women flirting with them. An overwhelming majority of men said they would just love it if a woman would talk to them first or at least express a larger clue that you were interested in checking them out.

#1: Repeated contact...at least three separate verbal or non-verbal clues need to be given. Why? The first time he's going to look around and make sure it's really him that you are flirting with. The second, he knows it's him and he gets flushed and pleased. (At this point he'll probably walk by you and at least smile..he's checking you out a little more.) The third time you can express interest-by introducing yourself, or commenting on his tie, or waving from across the room. Now he knows you are open to meeting and it will be a cinch.


#2: Whisper...it always gets their attention. Ask them if you can tell them a secret...Then whisper in their ear: 'I just love your tie...can I buy it from you when you are done with it?'

#3: Don't sit with other women...men don't want you to reject them in front of an audience. If you do go out with a friend...separate every so often or take a breather from talking...men do not want to risk your disapproval by interrupting you. (You have already missed out on a lot of quality polite men who didn't want to interrupt.)

#4: Treat men gently...If someone you are not interested in approaches you and flirts ...be nice.... All the other men are watching to see what you do. If you laugh after he leaves or show visual disapproval, you are cutting your chances on anyone else approaching you. Try shaking his hand and saying something like: 'It was so nice of you to approach me...what's your name? Tom? Tom, I know how hard it is to meet people...I might have a girlfriend who would be interested in you.'

#5: IF he acts like a JERK! Be polite but firm. Hand him a copy of the men's version of 'Flirting with Greatness' and ask him to go practice on someone else. Firmly say that 'lines' with sexual overtones are not only not attractive to you but to most other women in the world.

#6: Use the Buddy system. Walk through a group of men and have someone watch to see who's checking you out.

#7: Become More Irresistible! Show a little leg....wear higher heels...the redder the lipstick the more available and noticeable you will be. Arch your back a little as you sit up tall and cross your legs high. Wear earrings that are interesting enough to make someone comment on them.

#8: Look over your shoulder...and smile at him. This asymmetrical position is always a signal you are interested.

#9: Give him a look all over from head to toe - nod with approval and then flash him your most winning smile.


#10: Remember that flirting is a way of connecting from the heart and acknowledging someone.

Be generous! Have Fun!

Love and Insanity

What is Insanity? I took the effort of trying to find a dictionary inside my drawer. Unfortunately, there was none. I couldn't define insanity for you then. Oh no, I can't, but I can set an example. I know that there is no dictionary inside my drawer but still I expected to find one. That's an example of insanity in its simplest form. Love and Insanity. Within the few months of my being hooked-up with Tristan, one of the many things that I have learned is the parallelism of Love and Insanity. I came to realize that these two words are somewhat synonymous. This is manifested by the countless stories of experiences documented by different individuals here. Love life with a plot a la telenovela, with a complete casting from supporting actors to the usual protagonists, peers, parents or classmates to name a few. What do I see? I see insanity in a broad daylight. Love life recycled from one generation to the next. Insanity inherited by yet another group of people in the same environment at a different time. I find it insane considering that our way of life has indeed made a giant leap into what we call the future and yet the same old pains, troubles or problems haunt people's love life.


Define Love. Love is this. Love is that. Love is here. Love is there. There isn't a consistent definition for love. Worst is, one definition conflicts with the other. No, conflict is an understatement, contradict would have been better. In binary, a "1" is never a "0" and vice versa. Treating one as the other is insanity. Love bringing either happiness or sorrow, or sometimes both, is insanity. Does insanity define love? Or, is insanity love, in a negative form? Let us get back to my previous example. That is an analogy illustrating insanity. Now, let's take love. We know that our love will get to nowhere but we take the risk of gambling with love. The result is we get hurt. And that is insanity. Foreseeing darkness ahead but still taking the courage to step into the dark. The result is disaster. In real life, it's like you know he's married but what the hell. And that is love. You can feel she cares for somebody but still you convince yourself that she loves you, because you love her. And again, that is love. And what about this latest crap? When you love someone you gave that someone the opportunity to hurt you. Isn't that insanity to the max or just plain masochism? Do I speak justly then when I say that those who love are insane? Would you still love? I assume that answers to both questions are unanimously "yes". And again, that clearly manifests insanity.We are used to saying the phase "falling in love" to mean "being in love"? Isn't it "to fall" connotes a negative meaning? Isn't it insanity then that we allow ourselves to "fall" in love? But wait, others say "high with love" to mean addicted with love. Just the same, and addiction is even worse. To let our selves get "high" with love is again an act of insanity. To fall is to go down contradicting the word high. With these two contradicting results associated with love, setting love in front of a well-polished mirror, love vividly reflects insanity. But despite this shocking analogy, I would still say, "If to love is to be insane, please, take all my sanity away". It is with pride that I'll shout to the world, "Call me insane because I am in love!"

Does the first letter of your name describe your personality?

(A) You are not particularly romantic, but you are interested in action. You mean business. With you, what you see is what you get. You have no patience for flirting and can't be bothered with someone who is trying to be coy, cute, demure, and subtly enticing. You are an up-front person. When it comes to sex, it's action that counts, not obscure hints. Your mate's physical attractiveness is important to you. You find the chase and challenge of the "hunt" invigorating. You are passionate and sexual, as well as being much more adventurous than you appear; however, you do not go around advertising these qualities. Your physical needs are your primary concern.

(B) You give off vibes of lazy sensuality. You enjoy being romanced, wined, and dined. You are very happy to receive gifts as an expression of the affection of your lover. You want to be pampered and know how to pamper your mate. You are private in your expression of endearments, and particular when it comes to lovemaking. You will hold off until everything meets with your approval. You can control your appetite and abstain from sex if need be. You require new sensations and experiences. You are willing to experiment.

(C) You are a very social individual, and it is important to you to have a relationship. You require closeness and togetherness. You must be able to talk to your sex partner-before, during, and after. You want the object of your affection to be socially acceptable and good-looking. You see your lover as a friend and companion. You are very sexual and sensual, needing someone to appreciate and almost worship you. When this cannot be achieved, you have the ability to go for long periods without sexual activity. You are an expert at controlling your desires and doing without.

(D) Once you get it into your head that you want someone, you move full steam ahead in pursuit. You do not give up your quest easily. You are nurturing and caring. If someone has a problem, this turns you on. You are highly sexual, passionate, loyal, and intense in your involvement's, sometimes possessive and jealous. Sex to you is a pleasure to be enjoyed. You are stimulated by the eccentric and unusual, having a free and open attitude.

(E) Your greatest need is to talk. If your date is not a good listener, you have trouble relating. A person must be intellectually stimulating or you are not interested sexually. You need a friend for a lover and a companion for a bedmate. You hate disharmony and disruption, but you do enjoy a good argument once in a while-it seems to stir things up. You flirt a lot, for the challenge is more important than the sexual act for you. But once you give your heart away, you are uncompromisingly loyal. When you don't have a good lover to fall asleep with, you will fall asleep with a good book. (Sometimes, in fact, you prefer a good book.)

(F) You are idealistic and romantic, putting your lover on a pedestal. You look for the very best mate you can find. You are a flirt, yet once committed, you are very loyal. You are sensuous, sexual, and privately passionate. Publicly, you can be showy, extravagant, and gallant. You are born romantic. Dramatic love scenes are a favorite fantasy pastime. You can be a very generous lover.

(G) You are fastidious, seeking perfection within yourself and your lover. You respond to a lover who is your intellectual equal or superior, and one who can enhance your status. You are sensuous and know how to reach the peak of erotic stimulation, because you work at it meticulously. You can be extremely active sexually-that is, when you find the time. Your duties and responsibilities take precedence over everything else. You may have difficulty getting emotionally close to a lover, but no trouble getting close sexually.

(H) You seek a mate who can enhance your reputation and your earning ability. You will be very generous to your lover once you have attained a commitment. Your gifts are actually an investment in your partner. Before the commitment, though, you tend to be frugal in your spending and dating habits, and equally cautious in your sexual involvement's. You are a sensual and patient lover.

(I) You have a great need to be loved, appreciated... even worshipped. You enjoy luxury, sensuality, and pleasures of the flesh. You look for lovers who know what they are doing. You are not interested in an amateur, unless that amateur wants a tutor. You are fussy and exacting about having your desires satisfied. You are willing to experiment and try new modes of sexual expression. You bore easily and thus require sexual adventure and change. You are more sensual than sexual, but you are sometimes downright lustful.

(J) You are blessed with a great deal of physical energy. When used for love-making, there is nothing to stop you, except maybe the stamina of your partner.(you could have danced all night.) You respond to the thrill of the chase and the challenge of the mating game. You can carry on great romances in your head. At heart you are a roamer and need to set out on your own every so often. You will carry on long-distance relationships with ease. You are idealistic and need to believe in love. The sex act seems to satisfy a need to be nurtured deep within.

(K) You are secretive, self-contained, and shy. You are very sexy, sensual, and passionate, but you do not let on to this. Only in intimate privacy will this part of your nature reveal itself. When it gets down to the itty-gritty, you are an expert. You know all the little tricks of the trade, can play any role or any game, and take your love life very seriously. You don't fool around. You have the patience to wait for the right person to come along.

(L) You can be very romantic, attached to the glamour of love. Having a partner is of paramount importance to you. You are free in your expression of love and are willing to take chances, try new sexual experiences and partners, provided it's all in good taste. Brains turn you on. You must feel that your partner is intellectually stimulating, otherwise you will find it difficult to sustain the relationship. You require loving, cuddling, wining, and dining to know that you're being appreciated.

(M) You are emotional and intense. When involved in a relationship, you throw your entire being into it. Nothing stops you; there are no holds barred. You are all-consuming and crave someone who is equally passionate and intense. You believe in total sexual freedom. You are willing to try anything and everything. Your supply of sexual energy is inexhaustible. You also enjoy mothering your mate.

(N) You may appear innocent, unassuming, and shy; but we know that appearances can lie. When it comes to sex, you are no novice but something of a skilled technician. You can easily go to extremes, though, running the gamut from insatiability to boredom with the whole idea of sex. You can be highly critical of you mate, seeking perfection in both of you. It is not easy to find someone who can meet your standards. You have difficulty expressing emotions and drawing close to lovers.

(O) You are very interested in sexual activities yet secretive and shy about your desires. You can re-channel much of your sexual energy into making money and/or seeking power. You can easily have extended periods of celibacy. You are a passionate, compassionate, sexual lover, requiring the same qualities from your mate. Sex is serious business; thus you demand intensity, diversity, and are willing to try anything or anyone. Sometimes your passions turn to possessiveness, which must be kept in check.

(P) You are very conscious of social proprieties. You wouldn't think of doing anything that might harm your image or reputation. Appearances count. Therefore, you require a good-looking partner. You also require an intelligent partner. Oddly enough, you may view your partner as your enemy...a good fight stimulates those sex vibes. You are relatively free of sexual hang-ups. You are willing to experiment and try new ways of doing things. You are very social and sensual; you enjoy flirting and need a good deal of physical gratification.

(Q) You require constant activity and stimulation. You have tremendous physical energy. It is not easy for a partner to keep up with you, sexually or otherwise. You are an enthusiastic lover and tend to be attracted to people of there ethnic groups. You need romance, hearts and flowers, and lots of conversation to turn you on and keep you going.

(R) You are a no-nonsense, action-oriented individual. You need someone who can keep pace with you and who is your intellectual equal-the smarter the better. You are turned on more quickly by a great mind than by a great body. However, physical attractiveness is very important to you. You have to be proud of your partner. You are privately very sexy, but you do not show this outwardly. If your new lover is not all great in bed, you are willing to serve as teacher. Sex is important; you can be a very demanding playmate.

(S) For you, it is business before pleasure. If you are in any way bothered by career, business, or money concerns, you find it very hard to relax and get into the mood. You can be romantically idealistic to a fault and are capable of much sensuality. But you never lose control of your emotions. You are very careful and cautious before you give your heart away-and your body, for that matter. Once you make thecommitment, though, you stick like glue.

(T) You are very sensitive, private, and sexually passive; you like a partner who takes the lead. You get turned on by music, soft lights, and romantic thoughts. You fantasize and tend to fall in and out of love. When in love, you are romantic, idealistic, mushy, and extremely changeable. You enjoy having your senses and your feelings stimulated, titillated, and teased. You are a great flirt. You can make your relationships fit your dreams, all in your own head.

(U) You are enthusiastic and idealistic when in love. When not in love, you are in love with love, always looking for someone to adore. You see romance as a challenge. You are a roamer and need adventure,excitement, and freedom. You deal in potential relationships. You enjoy giving gifts and enjoy seeing your mate look good. Your sex drive is strong and you desire instant gratification. You are willing to put your partner's pleasures above your own.

(V) You are individualistic, and you need freedom, space, and excitement. You wait until you know someone well before committing yourself. Knowing someone means psyching him out. You feel a need to get into his head to see what makes him tick. You are attracted to eccentric types. Often there is an age difference between you and your lover. You respond to danger, thrills, and suspense. The gay scene turns you on, eventhough you yourself may not be a participant.

(W) You are very proud, determined, and you refuse to take no for an answer when pursuing love. Your ego is at stake. You are romantic, idealistic, and often in love with love itself, not seeing your partner as he or she really is. You feel deeply and throw all of yourself into your relationships. Nothing is too good for your lover. You enjoy playing love games.

(X) You need constant stimulation because you bore quickly. You can handle more than one relationship at a time with ease. You can't shut off your mind. You talk while you make love. You can have the greatest love affairs, all by yourself, in your own head.

(Y) You are sexual, sensual, and very independent. If you can't have it your way, you will forgo the whole thing. You want to control your relationships, which doesn't always work out too well. You respond to physical stimulation, enjoy necking and spending hours just touching, feeling, and exploring. However, if you can spend your time making money, you will give up the pleasures of the flesh for the moment. You need to prove to yourself and your partner what a great lover you are. You want feedback on your performance. You are an open, stimulating, romantic bedmate.

(Z) You are very romantic, idealistic, and somehow you believe that to love means to suffer. You wind up serving your mate or attracting people who have unusual troubles. You see yourself as your lover's savior. You are sincere, passionate, lustful, and dreamy. You can't help falling in love. You fantasize and get turned on by movies and magazines. You do not tell others of this secret life, nor of your sexual fantasies. You are easily aroused sexually