A sincere apology

I've been a very bad blogger. With my recent atrocious obstacles in my already hectic life, I've neglected the one thing I enjoy the most...writing. I started this blog due to this passion, and when things got rough I ignored my duties as a blogger...and bolted, leaving no trace of life behind. What does that say about me...tsk tsk tsk!
So I decided to extent a sincere apology to my dedicated readers. Now don't think you're gonna hear a simple sorry and that's it. I want it to feel genuine, and I want to maybe even make out into a lesson for future moments when stumbling on the proper etiquette of delivery a sincere apology.
Now rushing through the whole matter comes off as it didn't really affect you, that the other person's feeling mean nothing to you and well you just come off as an ass. And trust me the last thing you want is make the situation even worse than it already is...let's do this right the first time.
First...in person, over the phone or by letter or note...

1. Acknowledge what you did was wrong. Ex: I haven't kept my blog up to date.
2. Accept responsibility for your actions. Ex: I know there are no excuses that can change the fact that I neglected my responsibilities and all of your (my readers) needs.
3. Make amends for your wrong doings. Ex: It truly disturbed me that I did this, and I'm going to try to submit two new entries before the week is over. This is my way to show you all that I wholeheartedly want to make it up to all of you.
4. Offer reassurance that the wrongdoing will not happen again. Ex: In the future, if I'm neck high in stress and problems, I'm going to remind myself of this moment today. I'll remember that I have all of you, and that no matter what time of day, if I share some information concerning the matter, that I can assist myself, as well as help one of my readers.
5. Don't overuse the word sorry. Ex: And so what I'm trying to say is, I'm truly sorry and i hope you can forgive me. 

So when it all comes together, it comes out like this:

I haven't kept my blog up to date. I know there are no excuses that can change the fact that I neglected my responsibilities and all of your (my readers) needs. It truly disturbed me that I did this, and I'm going to try to submit two new entries before the week is over. This is my way to show you all that I wholeheartedly want to make it up to all of you. In the future, if I'm neck high in stress and problems, I'm going to remind myself of this moment today. I'll remember that I have all of you, and that no matter what time of day, if I share some information concerning the matter, that I can assist myself, as well as help one of my readers. And so what I'm trying to say is, I'm truly sorry and i hope you can forgive me. 

Hope you all can accept my apology and return to read my future blogs xoxox

Breaking Free From Break Up Protocol

Everyone, at one point in their life, has been a dumper or a dumpee. It's not pleasant to go through, but if things are not working with your partner, might as well pull the plug, then drag it on longer, investing time and varies of feelings.
No matter what end you are on, when dealing with a break up, I strongly believe that maintaining a clear mind, filled with positive thoughts will allow you to handle the emotions you are faced with, on a higher note.
Through my research (asked my friends and family), many confessed of preoccupy their time with activities, generally physical ones. This is a great idea because when you're active, endorphins are released. Just to let you know, endorphin is a chemical found in the brain. Once released, it will make you feel good, reduce anxiety as well as reduce your sensitivity to pain.
Here are some other ways to release happy hormones.  :)
Another common thing to do, listen to love songs. Now I'm a sucker for a good love song, but when I was dealing with my break up and all the feelings that comes with it, I thought why not listen to empowering break up music. So with the help of my friends and family, I came up with a playlist that should keep your moral up.  Now for my men readers...I mostly found women empowering break up music. But if you come across any songs that you think is quite suiting, please don't hesitate to share. Will definitely add to the playlist. ;)
I hope that when you are listening the playlist, that you get up and dance (if you feel like it) and start living again. Discover who you are all over, and find someone new. Good luck and hope this helped a little with the process.

Bells are ringing....

With wedding season in full affect, I thought to myself, why not make it a little easier for the maid of honor. I've been in that position before, and you definitely want to assist your friend/bride to be to your fullest, as well as be organize to remove some bridal stress. So I came up with a list of duties to assist the bride and prepare the maid of honor.

Pre-Wedding

• Ordering and choosing decorations and favors.
• Shopping for the wedding dress.
• Register for wedding gifts and letting the guest know (of course)
• Help with seating arrangements
• Plan and host bridal shower and bachelorette party
• Keep order and organization of the bridesmaids.
• Attend and help with dinner rehearsal.
• Attend bridal fairs, cake and catering tasting.

Wedding Day

• Bride arrives to ceremony (refer to checklist).
• Assist bride to get into dress and make up.
• Be the messenger for the bride.
• Check the reception room.
• Make sure the bride has a privacy and a quiet stress free area.
• Help with veil and train.
• Calm the bride down at the alter.
• Care for the bouquet.
• Keep safe the groom's ring.
• Be the witness, sign the marriage license.
• Say a toast/speech.
• Make sure you lock up the money bag.
• Constantly provide moral support to the bride.

Sweet Words for a Loving Event

A Maid of Honor has many duties when tending to the bride to be, but one duty that generally gets overlooked, is coming up with a great speech. So here are some great pointers/ideas to creating a sensational speech that will touch the newlyweds and the guests.

• Stories the bride shared about the groom.
• Funny (nothing too embarrassing) stories while growing up.
• How long you have known each other (the bride and yourself).
• Appropriate embarrassing moments shared with the bride.
• How beautiful the newlyweds look.
• Mention some funny habits of the bride.
• Words of advice.
• Wishes for the newlyweds (concerning success, babies, happiness, etc.)

The newlyweds will definitely appreciate your sweet and kind words. And having some key points prepared, takes away much of the stress when standing in front of a big audience...good luck :)

Maid of Honor Checklist (Wedding Day)

A great list for a Maid of Honor that wants to impress...and be prepared.

• Dress
• Bobby pins
• Make up
• Make up for touch ups
• Clear nail polish
• Nail glue
• Hairspray
• Tissue
• Perfume
• Jewelry for the bride and yourself 
• Wedding day shoes and casual shoes 
• Undergarments
• Needle, scissors and thread (white thread and thread that matches the color of the bridesmaids dresses)
• Contact solution
• Breath mints
• Panty hose/nylons (at least 2 pairs)
• Change of clothes (for the bride and yourself)
• Watch
• Any prescription medication for bride or groom
• Plane tickets for the bride and groom
• Flowers
• Extra money 
• A friend that drives and has a car (in case of an last minute emergencies)
• Your speech
• A card to give to the bride
• 2 garters (1 to keep and 1 to toss)
• Groom's ring
• Camera
• Tylenol, tums and antacid
• Deodorant/Antiperspirant
• Numbers of all important people
• Toothbrush
• Tampons and pads
• Sanitizer wipes
• Tide to go

Fight with class not crass

Relationships are not always fun, exciting or romantic....like in the movies.

Many times, it involves a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience. During a quarrel, both parties are just trying to be understood, but get distracted with mindless gestures, sarcastic undertone and snarly remarks. Let's be honest, behind closed doors we don't handle problems like the Tanners in Full House, and never hear soft sappy music once a solution surfaces. No generally, arguments are fuel with an intense passion due to the strong feelings and bond that are shared by the couple. 

So if this ever-oh-so strong bond is shared, why is it so difficult to fix some issues.  

Here are some simple tips that may help smooth things out between you and your partner when the next battle occurs.

• Clear the mechanism.
 Like a pitcher in a baseball game, all distractions must come to a stop and cleared/ignored to be able to throw a good pitch. Problems cannot be truly solved if handled at a loud and distracting environment. So arguing at a party, not a good idea. Trying to be heard while your partner's favorite television show is airing...again..not a good idea. Find a comfortable place for both parties to discuss, distraction and stress free.

• Before battle, wash your mouth out with soap.
When an argument arises, crude language, name calling and shouting brings nothing but heartaches, headaches and dead ends to solutions. Hurtful words can never be erased. It is not healthy to think or feel comfortable to humiliate your partner when they are vulnerable. Calling your loved one a female dog or the synonym for a donkey, not normal. Have some respect, talk to individuals the way you would want them to talk to you.

• You're not yellow, if you walk away.
At times, arguments get quite heated that instead of blowing up and doing something that one might regret, walking away and cooling off is the best decision. There are people that prefer dealing with the issue immediately and others need to walk away, collect their thoughts so that they can express themselves correctly. Many times relationships are made up of these two types...which is fine, if both can come to a compromise. Don't get upset if your partner needs to step out of the situation. Remember to be patience, and know that they are not running away from the situation, but more to trying to find the solution. As for the walker, please be considerate of the time you take to calm down. Disappearing for hours is not really considerate when concerning your partner and their feelings.

• True hearts can bleed.
Saying what you truly feel isn't easy. The honest truth can hurt, and so when asked to say the honest truth..take your time. Honesty is a funny thing. Being honest with yourself, is at times a great battle, let alone with a partner it can sometimes feeling like the most difficult obstacle to face. Relationships need honesty, but both partners must understand it might not be exactly what they wanted to hear or face. You have been warned, prepare yourself.

• They've seen your birthday suit, so don't be shy to bare it all. 
 Exposing yourself, being vulnerable, not knowing if you will be handled with care or torn to pieces.... is hard to do. No one knows in love, but once you take the chance, you will truly know. How? Well maybe it's the romantic in me, but a truly good partner, will not shut you down but embrace the moment. And honestly, if your partner is exposing themselves, why do a douchey thing like knocking the wind out of them with crass and immature mockery. Exposure in a relationship should be a wondrous, discovering experience. So whenever it may occur, under the sheets, face to face during pillow talk or during a heated dispute, remember it's a learning experience not a competition.

Hope these tips will smooth future disputes between you and your partner...and if ever you have any questions on how to deal with an issue, don't be shy...give me a shout :)

Great Ideas Suited to Your Date

Dating is a nerve wrecking experience. Between trying to make a good impression, and sustaining the chemistry, the anxiety does not encourage the creative thinking process. Coming up with great destinations for sparks to fly, ends up as a medieval  torturous experience.
Not my cup of tea.
So to help everyone out when stomped with this challenge, I have come up with some great suggestions that will make you shine :)

Alluring Artists/Artistas

Painting la vie en rose for your partner.

1. Local art galerie or museum for the latest exhibition
2. Theater (variety of picks, dance, comedy, etc)
3. Bazaar 
4. Screening of a movie (documentary, silent, animation, etc)
5. Pottery painting

Busy Body Babes

Keeping your partner's <3 pumping.

1. Go-carting
2. Hiking
3. Wall/mountain climbing
4. Dancing
5. Renting sporting equipment and enjoying the outdoors of your neighbourhood (skates, bicycles, boats, etc.)

Captivating Caregivers

Falling in <3 with heartwarming moments.

1. Animal shelter (taking a dog for a walk)
2. Community gatherings (dance, coffee, tea)
3. Eco-friendly event
4. Local zoo
5. Fundraiser event

Delicious Dare Devils

High adrenaline, stirring your <3 into the fast lane.

1. Bungee jumping
2. Rodeo
3. Skydiving
4. Paintball
5. Snowboarding/Surfing

Electrifying Experts (Techie, Sci-Fi, Gamer)

Definitely connect circuits with you <3

1. Science museum
2. Space camp
3. International game jam
4. Robot exhibition
5. Apple store followed by a free WI-FI cafe

Hope these tidbits of <3 will assist you on your own twists of creativity during the date. :)