"Almost Lover" - A Fine Frenzy

Your fingertips across my skin
The palm trees swaying in the wind, images
You sang me Spanish lullabies
The sweetest sadness in your eyes, clever trick


Well, I?d never want to see you unhappy
I thought you?d want the same for me


Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be?


So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
Should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do


We walked along a crowded street
You took my hand and danced with me in the shade
And when you left you kissed my lips
You told me you would never ever forget these images, no


Well, I?d never want to see you unhappy
I thought you?d want the same for me
( From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/a-fine-frenzy-lyrics/almost-lover-lyrics.html )


Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be?


So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
Should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do


I cannot go to the ocean
I cannot try the streets at night
I cannot wake up in the morning
Without you on my mind


So you're gone and I'm haunted
And I bet you are just fine
Did I make it that easy to walk
Right in and out of my life?


Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Why can't you just let me be?


So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
Should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

Work Ethics

Is there someone in your life whose very presence makes you feel weighted down from holding your tongue? You don't like the way he talks or someone who acts as Mr. Know-It-All? He always has something negative to say. You can't stand being around him, yet something keeps you there. What can you do?

Perhaps this adage applies - people are our mirrors. We see in them what we put in front of them.

One day, I realized that there was too much criticism in my workplace and that, more importantly, I played a large role in it. In the midst of meditation I asked to be relieved of this burden. I found myself asking what the alternatives were so I took out my Merriam-Webster thesaurus and began searching for the antonym and contrasted words of "criticize."

At first, I felt excited about words like praise, approve, and endorse. I started searching for synonyms of synonyms and making a list. As the list grew, I started feeling insecure and unsure of what I wanted to do with it. These were all action verbs. Could I actually praise him to his face? Could I approve of his voice? Could I endorse him as knowledgeable?

I realized that I very seldom felt like performing the actions on that list. The problem was that the list of words was so powerfully positive that I didn't have enough energy to act upon them. This energy that I'm talking about is Life Force energy, Chi, Ra, Kundalini. Criticism had become such an integral part of my life - thoughts, self-expression and perspective - that I unwittingly had blotted out the very energy that I needed to be truly joyful.

It's sad, I know. The good news is that I made a decision. I would gently, without criticism or time limits, apply those actions to myself before I tried them out on others. When I made this decision, the burden lifted off of me. I had given myself time to improve myself. (Hey, "improve" is one of the action words!) So far, the results have been encouraging. I find less of a need to criticize myself, and, therefore, others; although, from time to time, I must rush back to my list as a reminder of what I could be doing instead of criticizing.

Here is my list:

Accept
Activate
Animate
Applaud
Approve
Assure
Buck up
Cheer
Compliment
Cultivate
Develop
Edify
Embolden
Encourage
Endorse
Energize
Enhance
Enhearten
Enlighten
Enrich
Excite
Fortify
Help
Illuminate
Improve
Inspirit
Invigorate
Motivate
Perk up
Praise
Quicken
Rally
Renew
Revive
Stimulate
Stir
Strengthen
Uplift

Try them! :)

Languages of Love

The main cause of relationship failure is the age-old issue: lack of communication. However, the concept of communication is as vast as the Milky Way galaxy. And, it's quite daunting to think about where to begin.

To figure out how to get happiness in any kind of relationship (and for the other person to also get what he wants) you've got to be aware of your love language, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, marriage counselor and author of the New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages. Dr. Chapman outlines the five love languages as follows:

1. Physical affection, which can easily be mistaken for something malicious and only related to sex, but that's not necessarily the case. People who are touchy-feely and enjoy giving and receiving hugs and pats on the back, holding hands, or touching someone's face when they're trying to communicate have this love language.

2. Acts of service, like cooking, cleaning, taking the dogs out for a walk, or helping their loved ones do errands, are what people who speak this love language use to show their affection.

3. Material things. Some find it hard to actually say how much they care. So, rather than verbalize it or do an actual physical gesture, they course it through gifts and tokens.

4. Quality time is the most intangible language, but for some, it can also be the most sacred. To give time and undivided attention is how some people choose to prove their true feelings. These are people who live busy lives (or maybe very isolated ones) but step out of their daily routines to share that time with someone they feel deserves it.

5. Words of validation. Talk may be cheap for some, but others find kind words priceless. They love to hear how much they are loved, appreciated, and adored.

Everyone wants to feel validated in their relationships. We all want to feel that we aren't being taken for granted and that our efforts mean something to the people we care about. But, because there are so many ways to communicate our love, we may find ourselves in a situation where our partners are actually showing appreciation, but we aren't aware of it because we expect it to be expressed in a different manner.

We need to stop and consider that our partners may actually be showering us with affection in their own love language. But, what happens is, we are oblivious to in-your-face signals, and they, in turn, end up wrongly thinking we don't care. In the end, we become disappointed because we were assuming the worst in what is just a clear case of love miscommunication. Evidently, there is much love to go around, but we need to make the connection work!

So, you need to discuss with your partner what he responds to best: gifts, words, time, touch, or acts of services. That way, you can give him what he wants and in turn, he can give you what you want. Remember, you need to ask yourself, too: What do I respond to most? And how do I show affection? Say, you may choose to receive gifts from a loved one but personally find yourself always showing affection through words. You may even have more than one language! The key is to assess yourself and your partner, then learn to speak each other's language.

So, what is your language of love? What do you best respond to? Let's get a discussion going in the comments! :)

"Talk That Talk" - Rihanna ft. Jay-Z

Talk that talk to me, yeah

Talk that talk to me, yeah

[Jay-Z]

I be trying to chill, b–ches wanna f–k me

Every little city I go, f–k me

Shorty must've heard

Got the word, I move that D

Had it by a bladder

She like, oh I gotta pee

Ran into a rocko in my restroom

Singer slash actress in my bedroom

God I have the ticket for a walk through

Everything that do is big

I talk big money, I talk big homes

I sell out arenas

I call that getting dome

Million dollar voice

Came through phone

We heading to the top

If you coming, come on

I'm Flying out to Pisa

Just to get some pizza

Fly down to Jamaica

Just to roll some reefa

Sex on the beach

Left love speechless

They say that money talk

Tell these other ni--as speak up

What's up

[Rihanna - Hook]

One and two and three and four, come on let me know if you want some more

You know what I like right now get it right

Boy talk that talk to me all night

Yeah boy I like it yeah boy I like it

Love it when you talk that talk to me yeah

Yeah that talk to me yeah

Love it when you talk that talk to me, yeah

[Rihanna]

Say what you want, say you want you like

Say you want me to do and I got you

Tell me how love you, tell me how to hold you

Rihanna Talk That Talk lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/rihanna-talk-that-talk-lyrics.html

I'mma get it right on the first try for you

Cause you ain't never had a woman like me, yeah

And you will never have another like me, yeah

Noooooo

So i'mma give it to you baby

[Hook]

One and two and three and four, come on let me know if you want some more

You know what I like right now get it right

Boy talk that talk to me all night

Yeah boy I like it yeah boy I like it

Love it when you talk that talk to me yeah

Yeah that talk to me yeah

Love it when you talk that talk to me, yeah

[Bridge]

What you saying now

Give it to me baby

I want it all night

Give it to me baby

What you saying now

Give it to me baby

Give it to me baby

Give it to me baby

What you saying now

Give it to me baby

I want it all night

Give it to me baby

What you saying now

Give it to me baby

Give it to me baby

Give it to me baby

"The Fighter" - Gym Class Heroes ft. Ryan Tedder

Starting All Over Again

How can I tell you what I feel for you?

When I think of you my feelings twist inside

As if someone's fist reached in and grabbed a few,

And turned and turned them tight and tangled. I've tried

Somehow to say: You're the sun in my sky,

The wind that takes me where I want to go,

The sweet incense that makes me feel so high

That loving you seems all I need to know.

But it all sticks in my throat! It sounds too cute,

Empty as a wrinkled paper bag.

You won't believe it! Better I stay mute

Than offer you cliches that make you gag.

And yet I wish to tell you of my love,

If only love its own locks would remove!