Love Is an Addiction – Grow It

ankaj.

---

Love has no limit or it should not. If you truly love somebody, you realize the meaning of phrase “love is blind.” You are blind to your partner’s simple faults. You know you are not perfect and so you do not expect them to be perfect. Love is not tangible; it is not like a drum of water that dries with evaporation. Love is an addiction. Yes, you heard it right! The more you exercise it, the better you become at it or should become better at it.
Love, however, comes with a warning sticker – it is unknown and forgetful. People you love often take you for granted, but you need to remember that they do not do it out of ill will; they love you back as much as you love them, but wrongfully assume you don’t need to hear it.
In the secret, you may become restless and resentful. Unfortunately, you cannot keep these emotions secret for long, so you will eventually blow up and accuse them of real and imagined crimes. You take them by surprise and scare the hell out of them since they didn’t see it coming. They in turn, accuse you of changing into a person they do not recognize… a beautiful habit is broken into pieces and buried. It can truly be a painful expertise.
If you love someone, practice habits that keep the fire burning. To set you off, here are a few:
• Every day, without fail, say, “I love you” to them. I know some tough people who think this is the definition of soft, but if you can fall in love… Assure your woman particularly; they are inferior like that. They need to hear these things often, but she also needs to say it to you.
• Nobody is perfect, not even the person you hopelessly love. They will make mistakes, tons of them, some are even repeat offenders, but if the mistake does not make it into the penal code, forgive. You will not judge because love understands that those you love are not perfect.
• You will value those you love by often doing something nice to them. It does not have to be grand, even picking up a dusty flower from somebody’s fence will do. It is the thought that counts.
• It is not about you; it is about your partner. Make them happy; good deeds attract good deeds, and if they love you back, they will make it their company to make you happy.
• If someone hits you, if they cheat on you, if they regularly bring you down, they do not love you, and you cannot probably love them. Love is neither violent nor cruel........click here for more.

The 3 D’s to Finding Love

---

They say that time keeps on falling. For those of us who know love or yearn to find it, we know that the same pillars of time apply to it. Love is tricky enough to be called a science. Whether you have it and you feel it withering away or you tasted it before and you want it back in your life again, there are laws just like in physics that you have to apply. Finding love therefore needs you to look not only at ways of finding love, but to take into account the times we live in as well.
It is possible to be married or in a relationship and yet not have love. Such a situation is pretty much the same as one who has never loved and desires to make love part and parcel of their life. Whether you are looking to rekindle it or find it, below are some barriers caused by the times we live in, that you just have to overcome if you want to nestle yourself in love.
Direction
One of the most important things about finding love is recognizing that times have changed and, so have the places where one would expect to find love. There was a time not so long ago that one could stroll down the street or into a café and find love. Today however, life is such a hustle and bustle that it is a hallucination to assume such a movie situation can find you love. In the very same way that you are stressed with the daily rules that afford you a life, the person you are hoping to give you love is battling to live a basic life.
The answer here is to place you in the path of love. Do not look to clubs or major social events as the perfect opportunity to find a better half. Look instead for the quiet settings of people who have the same things in common as you do. For example, if you love to read and you want a partner who will do the same, sit in the park and read a book. If you build it, he will come.
Distractions
Never before has anybody lived in a time where there were more distractions than we have today. Couples sit in bed with laptops or tablets in their hand, wake up to the morning news and listen to music on their commute to work as well as back home. Going out is all full of media ads and trying to perfect being a socialite that it becomes simply impossible to be you. The solution to finding love here is to learn how to turn them all off. Leave the iPhone back home once in a while and just listen to the flutter of butterflies. Without trying to have some ‘alone’ time, there is no way of finding your bearings towards love in range.
Discover
One of the worst things about life is staying in a comfort zone. Humans as species are made to be in constant growth and progression. Even married couples who find love can err by staying in a comfort zone instead of constantly finding ways to make love flourish. Those who have tried their luck at love but all in vain should not decide it is hopeless. Do not stay in the relaxation zone. Realize that you age and with age you must find new ways to grow in the same way a muscle trained to doing the same amount/type of exercise will not expand further..... click here for more..

How to love your own company

In a world where coupledom is celebrated and motivated, you may feel as if there is a lot of pressure on you to be actively looking to pair yourself with someone in the universe. The thing is, right now, right at this very moment, you could be really happy with yourself and/or feeling that you are really not suitable with anyone else. And there is surely nothing wrong with that.
Now that we’ve got you all psyched up about your singleness, your mind is probably whirling with ways to woo yourself on your next one-man date. You’d be amazed at just how much you can enjoy solitude. Just like dating, doing things on your own is the perfect way to get to know yourself better. So here are a few things that are properly ideal to do on your own and in public:
Take a ride
If you don’t know how to ride a bike then good for you, you get to spend more time with yourself learning how to do it (there are silver linings everywhere).
Once you have learned how to master the pedals, take a leisurely ride through scenic routes. Enjoy guilt-free, indicative, breezy, sun-in-your-face time alone. Cycling is a completely good thing to do on your own so you don’t even have to feel like people are quietly judging you for it.
Have a book date
Books are gadgets that, like cellphones, really help you out in a difficult situation. But unlike cellphones, people are more sincere of you reading in public. Stand next to a couple making out while you scroll through your cellphone and people are bound to create a ‘forever alone’ meme out of you. Stand next to that couple while reading a book and you’ll probably get a stranger walk up to them and tell them to have some respect. Well, let’s just say that’s what we’d like to believe right now.
Pick a day just to go out and relax. Go to the park, get a corner table in a coffee shop or go on an author finding in a bookshop or library. Hey, you could even cycle there.
Cook for yourself
Right, moving on from this ‘tutorial’ and onto a more serious note. Every person should, at least once in a while, take the time to truly have dinner by themselves. Not microwave/TV dinner and not fast food in the parking lot. An actual prepared-on-the-stove, made with love and attention, music in the background, glass of wine in hand, candles on a cautiously set table type of meal. Okay the wine is optional, the candles not so much.
Treat yourself to wonderful dinner made by you. Get some recipes, some candles and your self-assured attitude. You deserve this.
Have a movie night
You know all those movies you’ve suggested on a date/night out that were never received with as much enthusiasm as you thought it deserved? Recall all those times you heard the words “Are you kidding me?! We’ve watched this move five times already! Can’t we watch something else?”
Introducing your very own movie night. A night where everything you say goes. Take out your DVD collection of all your popular classic movies. Recite the entire movie, word for word. Out. Loud. Noisily eat your secret chocolate stash. In fact, eat all those non-movie snacks that people often judge you for wanting. Laugh out loud, cry, be needlessly paranoid or be a hopeless romantic...........click here for more.

Dating Concepts to Encourage You

Are you stuck in a dating rut and need some ideas? Add variety to your dating life by trying out one of these ideas. From classic dates you may not have thought of in a while, to cheap dates, adventure dates, plan-ahead dates, lesson dates, and surprise dates, there are enough ideas here to get your innovative juices going.
Classic Dates
One of the most classic dates includes dinner and a movie. Spice it up by going to a drive-in theater. Pile some pillows and blankets in the car and bring whatever movie snacks you want, from popcorn to self-made fried chicken. An often ignored dating past time is a good old-fashioned game of miniature golf. Go at night when the course is lit up and romantic. As you walk over the bridge of water from one hole to the next, stop and give your guy or gal a smooch. Go bowling on a double date. While the other couple bowls, you and your date can snuggle up. Go roller skating or ice skating and try not to trip over each other.
Adventure Dates
Are you an amazing couple? How about a nature walk or hike? Take your bikes out for a spin or rent some in a great cycling area, such as the beach. Go rock rising, either on natural rocks, or at a rock climbing service? Take a hot air balloon ride and hold each other tight as you soar high in the sky. Other journey dates involve water skiing, jet skiing, snow skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, ATVs, and motorcycles. Go to a batting cage or drive go carts. Play paint ball and see how much paint you can cover your date with.
Plan-Ahead Dates
A plan-ahead-date is usually something you have to buy tickets for in advance. Take your date to a concert, a play or musical. From Broadway to Group Theater, there are a variety of price points for these types of dates. Take your date to see their favorite comic where you can both have a good laugh. Be mystified at a magic show or go to the circus and pretend you’re a kid again. Go online and explore the large array of options. Plan-ahead- dates are great gift ideas, by the way.
Surprise Dates
Take turns planning dates and amaze each other. One week you plan the date and can go anywhere you choose. The next week your important other gets to pick and surprise you. The date may include a series of surprise stops, such as one place for dinner, another for entertainment, and a third for dessert. When you’re in charge of the date you might decide to blindfold them so they can’t see where you’re going. The date doesn’t have to be anything elegant and neither of you should expect too much. Just have fun and be prepared for anything.
One way to change things up is to simply explore areas outside of your usual dating area. If you’re bored with your usual stomping grounds try discovering the next city or town over for what they have to offer. If you’re used to chain restaurants, try some unique one-of-a kind places that you can’t find just anywhere. With a little creativity you can keep things interesting. Despite of where you go and what you do, always remember to engage with your date and enjoy the simple things, like staring at the sunset together or holding hands as you walk bare foot on a sandy beach, or patch of grass....click here for more..

How to Grab Beautiful Girls on Facebook

---

 
Do not use the “poke” function to try and get her focus
Why? Well because a hot girl would be getting so many pokes from random guys it would get annoying. I know the poke function is fun and cool to play with, but you have to realize that it does nothing to convey your style.
In fact you’re just another guy who can’t think of anything initial to say, so that’s why you decided to poke her. You want to engage women online in a way that makes you stand out from the rest of the chumps. That is why you need to avoid using the same methods that all the other guys use otherwise you’ll run the risk of being lumped jointly as another weirdo.
Do send her a funny short and exciting first message
You want to let her know that you are a very interesting person. The only way to convey this to her is by sending her something unique and customized to her profile. Make sure it’s funny, and a bit cocky. This lets her know that you’re not just an average Joe and you are very confident about yourself. You have somewhere to go and you know how to get there. This is attractive to women, so make a point when you message her. Be sure to tease her a little also as it makes her want to message you back because you have given her a compelling reason to do so. This is how to pickup girls on Facebook. Give her a reason to want to message you back and soon enough you’ll be asking for her MSN and number and she’ll actually want to give it to you!
Do not give her the impact that you are illiterate
Yes guys, this means you need to communicate with proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. You need to show her that you’re not an idiot and you did pass Basic English in primary school. If you come across as a guy who is unintelligible, then no matter how attractive you are she’s just going to think you’re a dumbass. Please, spend time to read what you write and proof read your sentences. This sounds really basic, but the amount of guys who still mail messages girls as if they were little 14 year olds amazes me!
Get a plan.
Attraction online is much more organized than most guys realize. There is a step by step process that all guys can follow as long as they implement it. For example, you can set yourself up so that you message 5 fascinating girls a day or whatever. That works delights................click here for more

Make a Contact after a Break Up

---

 
Break ups can be confusing and mentally tedious. It makes sense that you would want to attain closure, and the simplest way to do that would be to talk to your ex and discuss the relationship and where it went awry. Or perhaps you’re over your ex and he won’t stop seeking to contact you. Or maybe, you miss him and you’re thinking whether it would be okay to call him and say hello.
What exactly are the rules to contact after a break up? Is there a designated waiting period before can connect with them? Is it okay to talk to them at all, and more essentially, is it healthy for you? The following will answer all of these questions.
First, ask yourself what your motives are with him. If you’re debating whether or not to contact him, be honest with yourself. Are you looking to get back together with him? Are you just wondering how he’s doing? Do you want a sweater that you left at his house back? If you’re running the risk of getting heartbroken all over again, it’s probably a good idea to give it some more time before you talk to him at all. You don’t want to fall back into the same trap and find yourself crying over him all over again. If you’re just wondering how he’s been, it’s a little different. There’s nothing wrong with staying friends with an ex. But you do want to give it a little time for the relationship to settle into a platonic status rather than expecting it to instantly.
 If he’s the one doing the contacting, you will have to ask yourself the same questions. What do you expect from him? Why is he calling you? Why do you want him to be calling you? If you’re hoping for a cheerful reunion with your ex boyfriend or lover, realize that you could end up being irritated. Are you ready for another feasible heartbreak if he is trying to get back together with you? Worse, are you ready to feel humiliated and hurt if he’s not calling to get back together? Keep your mind and your heart open to all leads of why he’s calling you so that you can be ready and protect yourself mentally.
It seems like some people break up and get back jointly all the time. Or that some lovers break up and can instantly have a normal friendship. Not everyone is that way, though, so think it through before you call..........for more click here

11 Romantic Beach locations for Valentine’s Day

---

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.for more click here

60 years Old love letter (love story)

As I walked home one very cold day, I came on a wallet somebody had lost in the road. I picked it up and viewed inside to find some I’d. so I could call the owner. But the wallet included only three dollars and a crumpled letter that seemed as if it had been in there for years.
The package was worn and the only thing that was readable on it was the come back address. I began to open the letter, hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the dateline–1924. The letter had been written nearly 60 years ago.
It was composed in a wonderful feminine handwriting on powdered blue stationary with a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a “Dear John” letter that told the receiver, whose name showed up to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any longer because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always love him.
It was signed, Hannah.
It was a wonderful letter, but there was no way apart from for the name Michael, that the owner could be recognized. Maybe if I called details, the operator could find a phone record for the address on the envelope.
“Operator,” I began, “this is an uncommon request. I’m trying to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there in any case you can tell me if there is a phone number for an deal with that was on an envelope in the wallet?”
She recommended I speak with her owner, who hesitated for a moment then said, “Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I can’t give you the number.” She said, as a politeness, she would call that number, explain my story and would ask them if they desired her to connect me.
I waited a few minutes and then she was back on the line. “I have a party who will speak with you.”
I requested the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, “Oh! We bought this house from a family who had a girl named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!”
“Would you know where that family could be located now?” I asked.
“I keep in mind that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home some years ago,” the woman said. “Maybe if you got in touch with them they might be able to monitor down the daughter.”
She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone number for where they believed the daughter might be living.
I thanked them and contacted. The woman who responded to explained that Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.
This whole thing was ridiculous, I thought to myself. Why was I creating such a big deal over discovering the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?
However, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was expected to be living and the man who responded to the phone told me, “Yes, Hannah is staying with us.”
Even although it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come by to see her. “Well,” he said hesitatingly, “if you want to take a chance, she might be in the day room viewing television.”
I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a guard welcomed me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building. In the day room, the nurse presented me to Hannah.
She was a lovely, silver-haired old-timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye. I told her about discovering the wallet and showed her the letter. The 2nd she saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, “Young man, this letter was the last get in touch with I ever had with Michael.”
She seemed away for a moment deep in thought and then said softly, “I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so good looking. He seemed like Sean Connery, the actor.”
“Yes,” she ongoing. “Michael Goldstein was an amazing person. If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And,” she hesitated for a moment, almost biting down hard her lip, “tell him I still love him. You know,” she said happy as tears began to well up in her eyes, “I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up to Michael…”
I thanked Hannah and said goodbye. I took the lift to the first floor and as I was standing by the door, the guard there asked, “Was the old lady able to help you?”
I told him she had given me a lead. “At minimum I have a last name. But I think I’ll let it go for a while. I spent nearly the whole day trying to find the owner of this wallet.”
I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said, “Hey, wait a minute! That’s Mr. Goldstein’s wallet. I’d know it anyplace with that bright red lacing. He’s always dropping that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times.” “Who’s Mr. Goldstein?” I asked as my hand began to shake.
“He’s one of the old-timers on the 8th floor. That’s Mike Goldstein’s wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks.” I thanked the guard and swiftly ran back to the nurse’s office. I told her what the guard had said. We went back to the lift and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up.
On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, “I think he’s continuing to in the day room. He loves to read at night. He’s a beloved old man.”
We went to the only room that had any lighting on and there was a man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein seemed up with shock, put his hand in his back pocket and said, “Oh, it is losing!”
“This kind gentleman found a wallet and we considered if it could be yours?”
I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he smiled with relief and said, “Yes, that’s it! It must have slipped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward.”
“No, thank you,” I said. “But I have to tell you one thing. I read the letter in the hope of discovering out who owned the wallet.”
The smile on his face instantly disappeared. “You read that letter?”
“Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is.”
He instantly grew pale. “Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me,” he pleaded.
“She’s fine…just as fairly as when you knew her.” I said softly.
The old man smiled with expectancy and asked, “Could you tell me where she is? I want to call her the next day.” He got my hand and said, “You know something, Mister? I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came, my life basically ended. I never wedded. I guess I’ve always loved her.”
“Mr. Goldstein,” I said, “Come with me.”
We took the lift down to the third floor. The halls were darkened and only one or two little night-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her.
“Hannah,” she said softly, directing to Michael, who was waiting with me in the doorway. “Do you know this man?”
She fine-tuned her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn’t say a word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, “Hannah, its Michael. Do you remember me?”
She gasped, “Michael! I don’t believe it! Michael! It’s you! My Michael!” He walked gradually towards her and they appreciated. The nurse and I left with tears streaming down our faces.
“See,” I said. “See how the Good Lord works! If it’s meant to be, it will be.”
About three weeks later I got a call at my workplace from the nursing home. “Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!”
It was a wonderful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed up to join in the party. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their best man.
The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom performing like two teenagers, you had to see this couple....for more click here..

My mom with one eye- Heart touching story

---

 
My mom only had one eye. I disliked her… She was such an unpleasantness. She prepared for students and teachers to assist the family.
There was this one day during primary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so ashamed.
How could she do this to me? I overlooked her, tossed her a hateful look and ran out. The up coming day at school one of my classmates said, “EEEE, your mom only has one eye!”
I wanted to hide myself. I also desired my mom to just go away. I confronted her that day and said, “If you’re only going to make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?”
My mom did not react… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, simply because I was full of anger. I was unaware to her emotions.
I wanted out of that house, and have practically nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.
Then, I got married. I purchased a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grand kids.
When she was standing by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, “How dare you come to my house and scare my children! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!”
And to this, my mom quietly answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address.” – And she gone away out of sight.
One day, a letter about a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a company trip. After the gathering, I went to the old shack just out of desire.
My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.
“My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were arriving for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.
You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.
With all my love to you,
Your mother.”
After that moment i always miss my mom.
Love u so much mom…..For more click here

Move Ahead in Love: Venus Lead in Capricorn

---

Now that we’ve all had an chance to knowledge the darker sides of Venus — love and relationships – over the past month, we’re ready to move forward — armed and awake — on January 31. Venus Retrograde in Capricorn in the first month of 2014 was no doubt a tough reunion with shadows, jealousies, power plays, worries and toxic patterns. As Venus goes direct on January 31, the question is how do we want to move forward with new attention? How do we bring more reliability into our relationships? It’s time to pave new ground with enough self-love to sustain us through any future storms.
Whether you’re in a new relationship, directing an existing one or preparing for your next duo, this is the time to get clear about what you are saying yes and no to when it comes to integrating. What are the rules, deal breakers and vital limits you need to make your relationships solid? Two of the important parts to a stable, high-road relationship are tolerance and absolution. The question to ask now that Venus is direct is: is your love strong enough? How much are you willing to undergo and work on in order to bring the darkness to light in your intimate activities?
Capricorn signifies the hard work necessary to build something lasting. As long as we value the relationship, we will put in the effort required to overcome all the hurdles and challenges that certainly arise in the merger of two individual celebrities. If we don’t see the value in the long-term potential, chances are we will cut our losses and save our special time and energy for someone or something we deem more beneficial. The danger here is the illusion that by changing partners we can somehow break the pattern when in reality the saying goes, “swap the partner, keep the problem.” In that case, it might be better to take enough time to break the pattern internal before going on a new tryst.
Finally, the point now is to march forward with the new ideas firmly under your belt rather than turn a blind eye to what you’ve just revisited. There’s a cosmic reason as to why we repeat training!
..........................click here for more interesting ad loving articles

Dating with an Alpha Female

---

You’re viewing this woman and you sense instantly that she’s on top of her dating game. You seem questioned, but how do you actually know if it’s an alpha female you’re interacting with? Here are the revealing signs and how to deal with each.
She’s not quickly impressed. Heads up: she knows men are attracted to her. In fact, she’s used to men following her. Her objectives are higher than most women, so your initiatives should also exceed the generic chocolate and flowers move. Be wise sufficient to avoid brilliant pick-up lines that will only make her roll her eyes. Be unique and get her attention.
She’s not unique with you. Like an alpha male, she isn’t into the habit of commitment. She likes to keep her options open and is always pleased with the notion of viewing several men at any given time. If you actually want to pursue her, level up with her. She’s viewing other men? Date other women yourself and let her know. Once her aggressive nature is stroked, she’d clamor for the title of being your woman.
She’s distracted a lot. She is performing a lot of things all at the same time. She believes she can call for you anytime based to her liking, and does just that. Well, don’t be that guy. Make her recognize that you have agreements yourself and that you’re not some extra tire she can use. But proceed to pursue her and level with her, not turn into her slave.
She demands on going Dutch all the time. This one’s a classic alpha female trick. If you don’t pay for everything for her, she officially doesn’t owe you everything. Still, continue to offer to pay on dates but don’t insist. Maybe next time you can take her someplace else where you’ve planned and prepared for almost everything so she can’t make up excuses of paying for anything! It’ll definitely surprise her.
She demands a lot from you. She seems nice when questioning for favors, yet absolutely forgets you when she doesn’t need or want something from you. As tempting as it might be, ongoing to give in to her whims doesn’t earn you her respect. Don’t jump through all the hoops and keep your dignity. Do only what you think is within reason.
She has a sharpened tongue. She talks down to you sometimes or makes rude or mocking remarks. You always have to be ready for a verbal fight. An alpha-females’ goal is to always win in any discussion, so give her a competition but don’t be rude yourself...for more articles click here..

Japanese Girls – Why They Are So Pretty!

---

The list is long: pigeon-toed, squeaky voices, baby noises, giggly, cute make-up, air headed, pig tails, flower prints, pastel one-pieces, furry little stuffed dolls, and so on. The popular images offered around the world of Japanese girls are all about cuteness.

There are many possible theories floating around the internet on why Japanese women are so cute. Some theories range from how they are shown in manga and in anime that have a direct effect on young Japanese girls. There are also social demands placed on young women from men to be cute and skinny. Promotion ploys to attract business for anything cute and cuddly are all over Japan. Then there’s the media, and so forth and so on. All of these reasons have some quality.

My take on all of this is relatively straight forward. The keyword here is trends, which come and go here in Japan, along with marketing schemes started by celebrities and media moguls. The “Kawaii” or “cuteness syndrome,” as it’s called in English, didn’t start overnight. I contend that it was started at around the latter half of Japan’s “bubble economy” when wealth swept through the country, how else could Japanese girls fund their shopping trips. Some experts may argue against this by saying the origins of “kawaii” started much earlier than this. Based on which aspect of “kawaii,” they are correct. My view is much more contemporary and practical.

Seika Matsuda was and is still the person largely credited for starting this “cuteness” trend back in the 1980s. She was the first “cute” idol, singer, and songwriter to flood the television airwaves back when Japan was having its financial boom, and slowly its subsequent decline....more click here

What would you do…?

---

Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the loss of owing a huge sum of cash to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, wanted the merchant’s stunning daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant’s debt if he could get married to the little girl. Both the merchant and his daughter were terrified by the proposal.The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into a clean bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she selected the black pebble, she would become the moneylender’s partner and her father’s debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be pardoned. But if she rejected to pick a pebble, her father would be tossed into jail.

They were positioned on a pebble strewn path in the merchant’s garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he chosen them up, the sharp-eyed girl observed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then requested the girl to pick her pebble from the bag.

What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to recommend her, what would you have told her? Careful research would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should reject to take a pebble.

2. The girl should display that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and compromise herself in order to save her father from his debt and jail time.

The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the distinction between lateral and logical thinking.

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it drop onto the pebble-strewn path where it instantly turned lost among all the other pebbles........read more at click here