How to make up when you have forgotten your wife’s birthday?

* First, forget about making excuses. You need to agree with her that you screwed up big-time, and you need to admit it. Sincerely, contritely, loudly and often. Sincerely apologise and say sorry.

* Next, get ready to make a gigantic concession of some sort. Maybe, you could consider a vacation with your in laws that you have been avoiding for quite a while or do something that she has been asking you to do.

* Take her out shopping, plan on watching a movie together and finally take her for a nice and cosy dinner. Spring a surprise on her, maybe get her some flowers, buy a perfume or something like that without being asked to.

* Take a good look at her and compliment her on how nice she looks in the lovely dress that she is wearing.

Photo credit : http://www.fotolia.com/

Here’s a Quick Way to get back your Girlfriend

Relationship breaks ! Relationships are difficult to maintain. Even with the best of intentions, relationships may be neglected or, the two of you involved may forget to nurture and took things for granted. Then the relationship breaks down.

* You should not beg for her to come back. That would mean desperation. She might be irritated if you frequently call her. This would appear like a blame game and might only induce guilt. This might scare her away or lead her to cut off all communication.
* Keep your communication lines open. She might be more inclined to talk with you about the things that made your relationship hit rock bottom. It would be easier for you to ask for forgiveness. You should also forgive her for anything wrong that she might have done.
* If she is dating someone else, choose your words carefully. Your words have considerable weight and how you say will make difference.
* Never bad mouth her new beau. It only makes you look bad and jealous. She is likely to not talk to you afterwards. Women have a tendency to already know that you may be jealous. The best thing for you to do is show her how mature you actually are. Sometimes by wishing her good luck. It’s called reverse psychology in relationships.
* Many ex couples are choosing to stay friends if the break up was amicable. If she is able to call you after the break up then you still have a fighting chance. Should she bring up her new hunk, you should hold back on doing trash talking. Let her figure things out on her own and let her come to you if she wants to. Give her some advice after you listen to talk.
* By not badmouthing her or criticising him, she will realize how mature you actually are. This means she will want to keep you as a friend and if it does not work out with her new beau. You can be someone who she puts her trust and feelings with.
* Don’t be there when she wants you. You need her to miss you. Get busy or ignore her calls.

You can make people / friends like you

Yes, it is possible through some simple rules .

1. Smile - not always , but in maximum cases.

2. Become genuinely interested in other people- this is necessary.

3. Remember that a person's name you met - when you call him/her with his/her name , he will never forget a person like you.

4. Talk in terms of the other person's interests-but don't be so loud.

5. Be a good listener, encourage others to talk about themselves-...and listen it sincerely.

Love in the time of AIDS

The doumentary Love (and Babies) in the Time of AIDS, A Journey to India follows HIV/AIDS activist Thembi Ngubane, 23, as she travels from her humble home in Khayelitsha, South Africa to the bustling centre of Bollywood in Mumbai, India.

The movie, initially shown in Africa this past year to commemorate World AIDS Day, focuses on Thembi’s discovery at the age of 16 that was living with HIV. Her ex-boyfriend had died from the disease.

The revelation transformed Thembi from a carefree girl into a young woman focused on staying healthy for her unborn child while spreading awareness about the deadly virus and the importance of education in HIV prevention.

”When you are dating a person, you are young and you think this person is cool and you think you are the only one. All that love stuff is all you think of,” Thembi says in the documentary. “I was sure I caught the virus from him.”
Courtesy : mediaforfreedom.com

Top 10 lies men tell to...

You may rearrange the ranks !

10. No, you don’t look fat.

9. I don’t enjoy going to pubs and bars.

8. We’ll talk about it later.

7. You remind me of Jennifer Lopez.

6. I love your cooking.

5. I don’t think of other women.

4. You can use my razor to shave your legs.

3. I love romantic movies.

2. I love spending time with your mom.

1. I’m sorry.

10 First aid essentials for your Pet !

Emergencies can occur anytime and the best thing to do is be prepared. Having a first aid kit ready will help to reduce anxiety if an emergency happens. Keep the kit in a readily available place and periodically check to make sure all the items are up to date and present. A small plastic box works well to hold all the necessary equipment.
If someone is taking care of your pets while you’re away, be sure to discuss about your
pets with them. Make sure they understand what you consider an emergency, how to contact you, the name and phone number of a secondary contact person you trust to make decisions on your behalf if you were unavailable, and where to take your pet in case of an emergency.

STEP 1
Get a durable, waterproof (or at least water-resistant) container that opens and closes easily yet securely. It should be large enough to hold the items mentioned below.

STEP 2
Include bandage material, such as gauze pads, cotton gauze, adhesive tape and masking tape.

STEP 3
Keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and anti-bacterial ointment or cream in the kit.

STEP 4
Include diarrhoea medication, but seek your veterinarian’s approval before use.

STEP 5
Be sure to pack a pair of scissors, plus tweezers or forceps.

STEP 6
Add a few eye droppers for dispensing liquid medication or for cleaning superficial wounds.

STEP 7
Include a syrup to induce vomiting in case your pet is poisoned.

STEP 8
Find activated charcoal at any health food store. This remedy is good for poisoning or diarrhoea and controls flatulence resulting from any stomach or intestinal upset.

STEP 9
Store blankets in the kit to keep your pet warm in extreme conditions.

STEP 10
Include the phone numbers of your pet’s regular veterinarian and of a nearby emergency veterinary hospital.

True Lies about Marriage !

LIE 1: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
Marital bliss is a myth. The type of unconditional love that one has for their own children, doesn’t and shouldn’t exist between marital partners. We live in a culture that stresses a preoccupation with personal happiness above all and a belief that marriage is the solution to life’s problems and essential for personal happiness. This type of thinking leaves people unskilled in developing and managing intimate relationships and couples who have little appreciation for the true difficulties and complexities of married life.

LIE 2: I TALK ALL THE TIME; MY SPOUSE JUST DOESN’T LISTEN
Most of us talk ourselves to death but we actually communicate very poorly. We are encouraged to be open about our feelings but very few of us know how to speak or listen effectively. Relationship experts advise us to tell it like it is and be brutally honest to our partners but the truth is that brutal honesty often encourages brutality more than honesty. Spouses use their version of the truth to bludgeon their partners into submission.

LIE 3: PEOPLE DON’T REALLY CHANGE
Many today believe that deep down, people can’t change much or that nothing in a marriage can change unless both partners change. These incorrect and pessimistic beliefs sabotage efforts to improve the marriage. Most people go about trying to change their relationships in unproductive ways, get frustrated by the results and then claim that this outcome proves that people don’t change, but even if one partner is adamantly set against change, there’s a lot the other partner can do.

LIE 4: WHEN YOU MARRY, YOU CREATE YOUR OWN FAMILY LEGACY
You may live far away from your family of origin, but now that you have your own family, their grip on you is tighter than ever. When we become husbands, wives
and parents, the models and issues we saw within our families of origin emerge and take over our relationships. Our grandparents were likely to live close to their parents (if not in the same house), see each other often and stay personally involved in each other’s lives. Today, in our highly mobile society, we tend to live farther from our parents. Paradoxically, their influence may be greater than ever. Spouses who don’t appreciate the power their original families exert on their values and styles tend to face problems in their marriages.

LIE 5: EGALITARIAN MARRIAGE IS EASIER THAN TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
In the newer, egalitarian model of marriage, the expectation is that while not every chore will be split halfway, family responsibilities should be divided fairly, and decisionmaking power will be shared. The husband in this model respects his wife’s work and shares in family life, never insisting on being in control based on financial earnings or gender. Equality in theory is wonderful; in reality, but spouses in trouble often are conflicted over gender role expectations and responsibilities.

LIE 6: CHILDREN SOLIDIFY A MARRIAGE
Let’s speak the unspeakable: Children are an enormous threat to your marriage. It’s very, very difficult to admit that the children you love so much can drive a wedge into your life as a couple. However,
the reality is that in a world where spouses already work too hard and don’t spend enough time with each other, the addition of children usually eats up the remaining physical and emotional energy you had for each other. Even when you love your children fiercely, even when you think you are prepared for the tremendous dislocation they would cause, children can tear your marriage down to its bedrock.

Do you need a sex counselling ?

* When you attain puberty. Go for both social and medical counselling to understand the changes in your body and the natural sexual urges and desires like masturbation and physical attraction towards the other sex .

* In case your contraceptive method fails, and also to know what the safe options are .

* Certain lifestyle choices are also important for good sexual health. To know how to be physically fit and maintain personal hygiene. Both reed-thin bodies and obese ones affect sexual health in different ways .

* Both men and women need regular internal check-ups—including tests for blood sugar, cholesterol, liver and routine urine examinations—to rule out any infections in the body .

* Pubescent girls should be taught about the period of menarche, that is the first menstrual cycle. For some, it can take a while before the cycle regularises. Parents shouldn’t panic .

* Almost one-third of sexual health problems are psychological and affect conjugal lives too. One needs to seek professional help before a problem leads to depression and affects a relationship deeply .

With a little care, parenting can be fun !

Parenting is a tough job, and maintaining close relationships and open communications helps to ensure parents and their children stay connected through all ages of their upbringing. Here are some simple tips for enhancing the bond.
Say I love you:
Tell your child you love him every day — no matter his age. Even on trying days or after a parent-child disagreement, it is more important than ever to express your love. A simple ‘I love you’ goes a long way toward strengthening a relationship.
Teach your faith:
Teach your child about your faith. Tell him what you believe and why. Allow time for your child to ask questions and answer them honestly. Reinforce those teachings often.
Establish a special name:
Create a special name for your child that is positive and special or a secret code word that you can use between each other. Use the name as a simple reinforcement of your love.
Maintain a special bedtime ritual:
For younger children, reading a favourite bedtime book or telling stories is a ritual that will be remembered always. Once children start reading, have them read a chapter, or short book to you. Even most teenagers still enjoy the ritual of being told goodnight in a special way by their parents.
Let your children help you:
Unloading groceries after going to the store is a good example of something that children of most ages can and should assist with. Choosing which shoes look better with your dress lets a child know you value her opinion. Of course, if you ask, be prepared to live with the choice made!
Play with your children:
It doesn’t matter what you play, just enjoy each other! Let kids see your silly side.
Eat meals as a family:
Eating together sets the stage for conversation and sharing. Don’t rush through a meal. When schedules permit, really talk and enjoy one another.
Think creatively:
Whether it is a walk around the neighbourhood, a special trip to a playground, or just a movie night with just the two of you, it is important to celebrate each child individually. Think creatively and the opportunities created will be ones that you remember, always.
Respect your kid’s choices:
It is important to respect those choices. Children reach out for independence at a young age, and parents can help to foster those decision-making skills by being supportive and even looking the other way on occasion.
Make them a priority:
Your children need to know that you believe they are a priority in your life. Children can observe excessive stress and notice when they feel you are not paying them attention. Sometimes, part of being a parent is not worrying about the small stuff and enjoying your children. They grow up so fast, and every day is special. Do make the most of it. You could start right away!

Who is Naughty !

Even infants can tell the difference between naughty and nice playmates, and know which to choose, a new study finds.
Babies as young as 6 to 10 months old showed crucial social judging skills before they could talk, according to a study by researchers at Yale University’s Infant Cognition Center published in Thursday’s issue of journal ‘Nature’.
The infants watched a googly-eyed wooden toy trying to climb roller-coaster hills and then another googly-eyed toy come by and either help it over the mountain or push it backward. They then were presented with the toys to see which they would play with.
Nearly every baby picked the helpful toy over the bad one.
The babies also chose neutral toys — ones that didn’t help or hinder — over the naughty ones. And the babies chose the helping toys over the neutral ones.
There was no difference in reaction between boys and girls, but when the researchers took away the large eyes that made the toys somewhat lifelike, the babies didn’t show the same social judging skills.

The choice of nice over naughty follows a school of thought that humans have some innate social abilities, not just those learned from their parents.
A study last year in Germany showed that babies as young as 18 months old overwhelmingly helped out when they could, such as by picking up toys that researchers dropped.
Researchers also want to know if the behaviour is limited to human infants. The Yale team is starting tests with monkeys, but has no results yet, Hamlin said.
Parents should be cautious while presenting toys to their kids and be aware of the age-suitability of the play things which are often mentioned on the packs.

New, Fresh Love rules !

Just because you’ve always done something one way doesn’t mean it’s the right way. Remember how much your life improved when you finally gave up super-lowrise jeans, dating only bad boys, and dial-up modems? Relationship experts say that ditching the following seven love rules can be just as liberating, maybe more.

OLD RULE: DON’T BE A JEALOUS GIRLFRIEND

A lot of women think they’ll seem neurotic and needy if they act jealous. So when, say, a woman flirts with her man, many women may decide just to grit their teeth and play it cool to prove how secure they are.

NEW RULE: ACT A LITTLE TERRITORIAL

A couldn’t-care-less act can backfire, because a total absence of jealousy can be seen by your guy as a sign that you aren’t investing in the relationship. No, you can’t go all fatal attraction every time he comes into contact with another woman, but it is OK to casually point out specific things that irk you like when a friend flirts with him or he repeatedly brings up a female co-worker you distrust.

OLD RULE: NEVER GO TO BED ANGRY

You are trained to talk it out when there’s tension because you want resolution.

NEW RULE: SLEEP ON A PROBLEM

Heat-of-the-moment discussions can spiral out of control quickly. When you force an issue, you blab without having thought out what you need to say, which increases the chance that you’ll both blurt out things you’ll regret later. And that’s doubly true if you’re tired. Sleeping on it first allows you to sort out what points are truly important. It also lets you decompress so that you’ll be calmer and more rational when you make your case. Just say, “I’m irritated and need time away.” It can be smart to acquiesce if he’s asking for a recess, too. Instead of insisting that you hash it out at that moment, schedule a time to readdress the issue. Saying “Let’s talk about this tomorrow after work” makes it clear that you intend to revisit
the conversation ...
and that he’s not off the hook.

OLD RULE: CRUSHING ON OTHER GUYS IS CHEATING

Unlike men, who feel free to ogle away at chicks without the slightest sense of remorse, women have a tendency to overthink a fleeting flirtation or lusty attraction to other men. Some women worry that they’re betraying their boyfriends or that it’s a sign that something is wrong in their relationship. So, they ignore the compliments they get or look through that handsome guy in office. The end result is that you get all the guilt of an illicit affair without any of the fun.

NEW RULE: AN INNOCENT FANTASY CAN FUEL YOUR LOVE LIFE

The juiced-up feeling you get from a clandestine crush can be good for your existing twosome. The reason? You start to feel like that foxy, flirtatious single girl you used to be (the one your man found so irresistibly hot), and he reaps the benefits of your reawakened excitement.

OLD RULE: ALWAYS TRY TO WOW HIM IN THE SACK

You like to spend a lot of time cooking up ways to blow your guy’s mind between the sheets, which, to be clear, is a very good thing. The danger begins if you focus on pleasing him to the point where you don’t get your own O-zone needs met. Women sometimes have a hard time articulating what they want, particularly in bed.

NEW RULE: BE SELFISH BETWEEN THE SHEETS

Men pride themselves on being able to get you off, so even though it seems like a giving nature would provide him with the ultimate gratification, you’ll actually erode his sexual ego over time if he thinks your toes aren’t curling, too. If you’re not satisfied, you both end up unhappy. The solution is easy, even if you’re too shy to say outright what you like.

OLD RULE: YOU HAVE TO SHARE THE SAME INTERESTS

Some couples mistakenly think that being on the same page and being close means taking an active interest in all of each other’s pastimes.

NEW RULE: SOLO TIME BOOSTS YOUR BOND

Forcing yourself to participate in his random hobbies dilutes your interactions. You get bored and ask him lots of questions, and he feels uncomfortable because he knows you’re not really interested. Conversely, pressuring him to take part in your extracurriculars will just make him resentful. Enjoy your interests on your own.