A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca- age 8
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissie - age 6
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4
'Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mummy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss' Emily - age 8
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8
'My mummy loves me more than anybody because you don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6
'Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day' Mary Ann - age 4
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image) Karen - age 7
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8
And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'.
I've often hear men say they are simple, and what you see is what you get. I'm not sure that's entirely true, but one thing I am sure of is that what you HEAR and what you get are not always the same thing.
So, if you would be so kind, can anyone (men in particular) help me translate any or all of the following?
I love you. I like to cook. I want to marry you. You look beautiful tonight. Let me help you with that. You're the one that got away. If I'm carrying my golf clubs don't ask me where I'm going. I always loved you. I still do. It just wasn't the right time then to say it. Let's do a threesome. I want to give it to u as a gift. I always make sure my partners pleasure comes first. I'll call you.
A boy goes into the confessional and says, 'Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl'. The priest asks, Is that you, Joey Pagano ?
'Yes, Father, it is.'
And who was the girl you were with?
'I can't tell you, Father, I don't want to ruin her reputation.' Well, Joey, I'm sure to find out her name sooner or later so you may as well tell me now.
Was it Tina Minetti? ... 'I cannot say.' Was it Teresa Mazzarelli? ... 'I'll never tell.' Was it Nina Capelli? ... 'I'm sorry, but I cannot name her.' Was it Cathy Piriano? ... 'My lips are sealed.' Was it Rosa DiAngelo, then? ... 'Please, Father, I cannot tell you.'
The priest sighs in frustration. You're very tight lipped, and I admire that. But you've sinned and have to atone. You cannot be an altar boy for 4 months. Now you go and sin no more.
Joey walks back to his pew, and his friend Franco slides over and whispers, 'What'd you get?'
So I had a little accident a few weeks ago and broke and sprained fingers on my right hand. I haven't been able to make much use of it while it's healing, and have even taken the secretly calling her Scarlet (as in Gone With the Wind) sometimes because while she still looks nice, she's just not all that useful.
The funny thing is, I'm finding myself missing things I wouldn't have expected.
Like styling my hair ... usually I'm more of a wash and wear sort of woman, with exceptions.
And exercise ... go figure! Ask me how often I actually exercised before. Now, I find I'm missing swimming, shooting hoops and the yoga class I took six years ago.
But the biggest urge is to be able to cook again. Especially now that Fall has arrived, and the weather is colder. I am fantasizing about roast chicken dinners with mashed potatoes and gravy, lamb stew and ice cream with apple crisp, still warm from the oven. Maybe pots de creme or an amaretto mouse.
Grilled cheese sandwiches or potato leek soup with dill muffins were probably my favorite comfort foods as a child.
What were yours? I'm taking notes because in a few weeks I'll be back in business, and oddly ... I can't wait to cook! lol
OK ... so it was pointed out to me that I'm not all that good at asking the 'getting to know someone' kinds of questions. Can anyone help? What are some really good questions you ask or have been asked before?
Hmmmm ... or maybe even what's the worst first chat/e-mail question you've ever heard? LOL Now, that could be interesting ...
I was thinking about Wendy's Blog and my own experience with scammers. I know I have a few ideas about how to spot them, but I could definitely use more ... and maybe it would help all of us if we listed the red flags. Mine are:
1. won't chat on LF and insists on another chat location 2. tells you he loves you, wants to marry you, build his dreams around you etc. after a few chats 3. wants to talk/chat at length every day (no one has that much time, unless their 'job' is scamming) 4. wants you to delete your profile and get off LF because you've finally found each other (before you've ever met in person) 5. works on an offshore oil rig 6. no answer at the phone number he gave you (or excuses about bad reception because he works on an oil rig) 7. cell phone numbers registered out of South Carolina (not all of them of course, but it seems to be a trend) 8. calls that come through an international router number 9. all the compliments and declarations of falling in love begin to sound emotionally manipulative (because they are) 10. widowed AND orphaned (has no family at all except a child)... has a child who lives with a distant relative in another country (because they work such long hours or whatever) 11. gets angry when you don't respond they way they want 12. request for money ('nuff said)
Frankly, 2, 4-6, 8,10 and 12 aren't just red flags ... they're deal breakers.
Have you ever met someone and had the feeling that you've known them before or were hit with an overwhelming sense of significance in your meeting? As if you must have known them in a past life or were somehow destined to meet in this life?
Let's try a little experiment and see if it works ... all those in favor of LF granting a free one-week membership to Ariesram, please respond with a 'quality' comment here.
By my count, he has written blogs with more than 10 responses and has certainly generated a lot of activity on the blogs, which was obviously the idea behind offering a free week in the first place.
... and speaking of being embarrassed to be in the same gender, I was really upset by a recent blog that gave a huge list of undesirable qualities in men. In fact, it brought me to tears.
I like men. I always have.
I like ...
1.The way men compliment us and make us feel wanted and beautiful 2.How accepting men are of us and even find some of our faults endearing 3.Being held while I fall asleep at night and feeling safe 4.How sexy men are 5.The way men look, walk, taste and smell, with or without cologne 6.Their energy, intelligence and humor 7.How men are caring and kind in ways that are entirely different from women 8.The way they will open doors, reach high places, and lift heavy stuff 9.The way they will check our tires or brush the snow off our car before they do their own and leave for work 10.The way they will offer strong arms and broad shoulders to comfort and protect us, and if they can?t think of anything else to do they may even offer to beat people up on our behalf (I am not saying I take them up on the offer, though) 11.The way it is ok to swear or burp in front of them 12.The sounds they make when their testosterone is surging 13.The way a man can turn me on with a look or just by walking across the room 14.How hard men work to get past our defenses 15.How much courage men have 16.When a man asked how your day was he probably really wants to know 17.The little boy still left inside men 18.How often they think of us throughout the day 19.How willing men are to make love when we ask 20.How good it feels to lay down and feel the weight of a man pressing me into the mattress and know that it?s right (when it is) to be there with him 21.Being kissed until I wake up in the morning 22.How fun men are to be with 23.How patient they are 24.How they do know us and see us in ways we don?t know about and make room for what we need without ever telling us 25.Their muscles and the beautiful lines, hills and valleys of their bodies 26.The way a goatee will frame a mans lips so they beg to be kissed or a mustache or beard can be used for pleasure 27.The way men offer to go out in the rain or snow or park the car or drive when we are tired, even if they are too, all to take care of us 28.The way men brag about us to their friends 29.How much they miss us when we?re apart 30.The way men will not bring up old arguments after they are done 31.The way they drop everything to help a friend or stranger 32.The way men refrain talk trash about their friend behind their backs 33.The way they move mountains to be with us or face dragons or walk through fires we don?t even know about, all for our sake