Hidup adalah Seperti Benang

by : Titut Mulyono

Sering aku berpikir, bagaimanakah seharusnya kita menjalani hidup ini, agar hidup kita bisa menjadi berarti. Karena kita tahu, hidup tak bisa diulang, dan hanya sebentar. Bahkan sering diibaratkan hidup kita hanya seperti sedang berteduh di bawah sebuah pohon, begitu sekejapnya. Sungguh suatu pertanyaan besar, bagaimana kita dapat mengisi hidup kita yang hanya sekejap ini, dengan hal-hal yang berguna dan berarti, baik untuk kita, maupun untuk orang-orang yang ada di sekeliling kita.

Akhir-akhir ini aku sedang belajar merajut. Sebuah kegiatan yang pernah aku lakukan ketika aku masih berusia 10tahun. Kegiatan ini sangat menyenangkan untukku, karena disamping aku bisa mendapatkan hasil karya dari tanganku sendiri, yang membuahkan kepuasan, ternyata, selama merajut, aku seperti menjalani terapi. Terutama terapi untuk menjadi tekun, sabar, tapi juga tetap memiliki ambisi (karena ingin segera melihat hasilnya, hehe..).


Sambil merajut, aku juga memiliki waktu untuk merenungi segala sesuatu yang telah aku lewati dalam kehidupan ini. Baik suka, maupun duka. Susah maupun senang, tawa maupun tangisan. Ketika merajut, aku juga seperti diputarkan kembali semua kenangan tersebut. Kenangan dari mulai aku masih kecil, hingga saat ini, semua yang telah aku lalui seperti diputar kembali dalam ingatanku...sampai akhirnya, aku menemukan sedikit filosofi dari seutas benang.


Jika dilihat secara selintas, apalah arti sebuah benang...? Sungguh tidak menarik dan tidak berguna jika ia hanya tetap menjadi seutas benang belaka.. Tapi melalui tangan-tangan terampil, kreatifitas, dan teknologi yang semakin maju, seutas benang dapat menjadi berbagai macam bentuk yang dapat berguna untuk kehidupan manusia. Sebut saja, ia dapat menjadi sebuah taplak meja, berbagai macam jenis kain, baju, alas tidur, alat kesehatan, kebersihan, dan lain sebagainya. Sungguh banyak yang dapat dibuat dari seutas benang. Yang terpenting untuk menjadikannya hal yang lebih besar dan berguna, adalah ilmu, wawasan, skill, kreatifitas dan teknologi.


Begitu juga halnya dengan hidup kita. Baru akan menjadi hal yang lebih besar dan berguna, jika kita memiliki ilmu, wawasan, skill, kreatifitas dan menguasai teknologi. Kita yang menentukan akan menjadi apa hidup kita ini, akan berguna dan berartikah hidup kita. Kita juga yang menentukan, akan kita buat seperti apa hidup kita, seperti hal nya benang, akan kita buat menjadi apa benang itu. Apakah menjadi taplak meja, baju, syal, sprei, atau apa saja..


Kita semua dilahirkan sama, yaitu sama-sama seperti benang, yaitu lurus, dan panjang. Tinggal terserah kita, mau kita rajut/tenun menjadi apa. Karena itu pembekalan diri dalam ilmu, wawasan, skill, dan pengetahuan teknologi, menjadi amat penting. Dan jangan lupa, kita juga harus membekali anak-anak kita dengan ilmu, wawasan, skill dan teknologi, agar mereka nanti dapat membuat hidup mereka menjadi "taplak yang indah", atau "bedcover yang mengagumkan", atau bahkan selembar "gaun yang sangat exotic".


Terima kasih benang, karena melaluinya, kita dapat lebih mengembangkan diri lagi, agar tidak hanya karya rajutan yang menjadi indah, tapi kita juga dapat membuat hidup kita menjadi indah.

Apakah Kita Butuh Penghargaan ?
(Single Mom's Matters)

by : Titut Mulyono

Being Single Mom, sepertinya selalu mendatangkan atau menarik masalah. Baik dalam lingkungan kerja, keluarga, maupun sosial; baik masalah besar maupun kecil. Banyak "labeling" yang di"tempel"kan pada seorang single mom, sementara di sisi lain single mom terus ditumpuki oleh segudang "keharusan" dan kewajiban. Hal ini yang sering membuat seorang single mom menjadi extra sensitif.

Ada seorang teman saya, sebut saja bernama Tina, yang menceritakan kekesalannya pada mantan suaminya, di masa pasca perceraian. Tina yang telah hampir 3 tahun menjadi single mom, dan kedua anaknya tinggal dengannya, menceritakan kepada saya, bahwa suatu hari dikala ia tengah bekerja dan tidak ada di rumah, mantan suaminya datang ke rumahnya untuk menjenguk kedua anak mereka. Jika dilihat selintas, hal tersebut seharusnya tidak menjadi sebuah masalah. Namun, Tina merasa jengkel, karena mantan suaminya tersebut tidak memberi kabar apapun atas niatnya untuk mengunjungi anak-anak. Dan Tina baru mengetahuinya beberapa hari kemudian, dari kedua anaknya itu.

Tina merasa begitu geram pada mantan suaminya yang telah menikah lagi itu. Ia merasa dilangkahi, karena sang mantan telah memasuki rumahnya tanpa kulonuwun atau assalamu'alaikum terlebih dahulu kepada pemilik rumah yaitu dirinya. Menurut Tina, hal tersebut sangat keterlaluan. Karena bagaimanapun, mantan suaminya, sekalipun adalah ayah dari kedua anaknya, bukanlah lagi menjadi bagian dari rumah tempat dimana Tina tinggal. Sudah sepatutnya jika sang mantan ingin memasuki rumahnya, kulonuwun atau assalamu'alaikum terlebih dahulu. Tina merasa ia tidak lagi dihargai oleh mantannya itu.

Kemudian Tina mencoba menghubungi mantan suaminya itu melalui sms dan telepon. Tapi sang mantan tidak pernah menjawab sms dan teleponnya. Tina semakin geram, hingga suatu waktu ia berhasil menghubungi mantan suaminya itu melalui jalur maya, internet.

Dari pembicaraan Tina dengan mantannya, Tina menceritakan bahwa mantannya itu ternyata telah mem-blacklist nomor telepon Tina, sehingga apapun yang dikirimkan oleh Tina pada mantannya itu tidak akan pernah sampai dan tidak akan pernah dijawab. Dan ketika Tina menanyakan mengapa mantannya itu tidak memberi kabar padanya ketika akan menjenguk kedua anak mereka, Tina merasa sangat kaget dengan jawaban sang mantan yang mengatakan bahwa "tidak penting" untuk memberi kabar padanya, ataupun kulonuwun terlebih dahulu. Malah Tina dikatakan oleh mantannya sebagai wanita yang "gila hormat", sekalipun Tina sudah mengemukakan bahwa ia cukup dikabari saja melalui sms sekalipun, dan ia akan selalu mengijinkan kapanpun mantannya ingin menemui kedua anaknya, sekalipun pada waktu tengah malam atau dini hari. Dan yang lebih membuat Tina geram, adalah mantannya malah menuduhnya ingin menjauhkan dirinya dari kedua anaknya.

Tina sungguh sakit hati dengan perlakuan mantannya itu. Ia merasa mantannya itu sudah sama sekali tidak menghargai dirinya, sebagai ibu dari kedua anak mereka, yang telah membesarkan dan merawat kedua anak tersebut dengan keringat dan airmata. Dan semenjak itu, setiap kali mantannya datang ke rumah untuk mengajak kedua anak mereka jalan-jalan, Tina tidak mau lagi bertemu dengan mantannya.

Meskipun hingga saat ini, saya tidak habis mengerti mengapa hal tersebut dapat terjadi pada Tina, dan mengapa mantan suaminya itu berperilaku seperti itu, saya malah bertanya-tanya pada diri sendiri : Apakah kita perlu penghargaan atau dihargai (oleh mantan suami) ? Apalagi oleh seorang mantan yang berpola pikir seperti itu?

Lama saya berpikir dan merenung untuk mendapatkan jawaban itu. Saya juga menjadi bertanya kesana kemari untuk mendapatkan jawabannya. Pada akhirnya saya mendapatkan jawabannya, dan mengutarakannya, bahwa kita tidak perlu penghargaan atau dihargai oleh mantan suami kita, atas apapun yang telah kita lakukan kepada anak-anak kita; atau oleh siapapun. Keikhlasan dan niat baik, adalah kuncinya. Dan penghargaan dari manusia atau dihargai oleh manusia, adalah bukanlah hal yang penting. Karena baik perbuatan atau perkataan yang dilandasi oleh niat baik dan ikhlasan, akan mendapat penghargaan dan akan dihargai oleh Sang Pemilik Semesta. Mengapa kita harus pusing, terganggu dan mendapatkan penghargaan dari manusia? Bukankah DIA adalah Sang Maha Adil...??

The Importance of Selecting a Nanny

by Jenny Antelli

There are many factors that influence children as they are growing up. Parents, siblings, friends, teachers and television are a few of the obvious ones. A major influence in some families can also come in the form of a nanny.

A nanny is basically a substitute parent for part of a child's day. He or she will make decisions for and say things to a child that could play a large factor in their attitude and behavior when growing up. Raising a child and finding a good nanny should not ever be taken lightly. With so many negative influences in the world today, it is critically important that the person chosen to nanny a child will be a positive influence in his or her day.

There are a few different options that are available when selecting a nanny. Some people may choose to find one on their own, while others may use an agency. If the decision is made to find a nanny without an agency, a lot more work will be required in order to insure a quality person, as background checks and research will need to be performed.

When using an agency, the agency will provide a list of potential nannies for you to choose from. The next step is to set up interviews with the individuals who may fit the situation. Interviewing a potential nanny is an important part of the process as it is one of the best ways to learn about the personality of the person. A child care provider's personality will play a significant role in type of care that he or she will offer, so it is important to conduct a quality interview.

During an interview, treat the interviewee as if they were already under your employ. Ideally, there should be a variety of potential nannies provided by the agency that meet your requirements. The specific questions that should be asked are dependent on the qualifications that are being sought in a nanny, but there are a few general guidelines to follow.

It is important to verify all the information provided on his or her application/resume, especially asking about prior nanny positions. These past positions are great opportunities to learn about how specific situations have been handled in the past. Ask about worst situations they have encountered and what the outcomes were, and why they left the previous position. Be prepared to test interviewees with "what if" scenarios as well, such as fire emergencies or injuries. Another important type of question to ask has to deal with your specific requirements. If the child in question needs help with English homework, for example, the nanny that is hired would hopefully be able to help with that.

Overall, ask open-ended questions that relate to your specific needs and the needs of your child. Generally, yes or no questions will not get the information you desire. Be observant of a candidate's tone and body language as well. Do not hide aspects of the job that you need this person for, but be open and honest about the position. Discuss salary, hours, responsibilities, duties, how time off is arranged, and anything else that may cause confusion or problems later on.

A face-to-face meeting is one of the best ways to determine the quality of the employee you will be hiring, so take this selection process seriously. This interview is to help you find someone that will be watching, taking care of, teaching and influencing your child. It is important to find someone who is worthy of the job.

About the Author

A Minnesota nanny can provide you with experienced child day care in Rochester MN.

Female Libido - How to Increase Libido Naturally

by Kelly Price

Female libido problems are common - but don't despair, here we will show you some natural herbs which if combined, will increase your libido and overall wellness at the same time...

There are numerous causes of female libido problems and here are some of the most common ones.

It's been proved that estrogen plays a key role in women's sexuality.

Low estrogen levels are associated with lack of desire, arousal, and issues that may cause sex to be painful.

Lack of testosterone is a major cause and while seen as the male sex hormone women need it to.

Another common cause is - poor blood circulation and sex drive relies on pumping blood to the genitals in creased volume, hence your heart beats faster as soon as you become aroused. While you need blood pumped to the sex organs the blood also has to be let in and here nitric oxide plays a key role allowing the blood vessels to relax enough to allow an increased flow of blood to enter.

Mood also plays a key role in female sexuality. Mental stress, Fatigue and anxiety can all affect libido. It's therefore important that the mind is properly nourished, receives sufficient oxygenated blood, and has correct hormonal balance.

Herbs for increased Libido

The herbs below will all come together, to tackle all of the above problems and not only will they lift libido - they will also lift mind, spirit and give a better sense of overall wellbeing.

Today, can be found in the best female herbal sex pills, let's look at them and how they increase female libido naturally.

Satavri Extract

This herb strengthens and increases muscle tone and increases overall body strength. It also helps to moisten dry tissue, of the female sexual organs and increases levels of testosterone.

Damiana Extract (Turnera Aphrodisiaca)

This herb helps to relax the whole body and is known to relieve anxiety, depression, and headaches, fatigue and balance female hormone levels and control hot flushes.

Avena Sativa

Avena Sativa helps the body relax and is known to, enhance sensitivity in the vagina.

Ginseng Eleuthero

Ginseng helps to promote overall wellbeing, vitality, performance and libido. It stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, which secretes the adrenal corticotropic hormone (ACTH), this then binds to the brain cells and the result is - enhanced mood and more energy.

Schisandra

Schisandra treats a variety of menopausal symptoms. The herb increases blood flow to the female pelvic region and extracts of Schisandra act as a phytoestrogen which is crucial for female libido.

Choraka (Dong Quai)

Dong Quai is seen by many as the "ultimate herb" for women and with good reason. It has numerous health benefits and is used to restore balance to a woman's hormones and cycles, helps restore menstrual regularity, and aids conditions of the reproductive system. It's also an excellent herb for blood health and circulation and key source of nutrients to enhance female well being and sexual drive.

Get All the above for Greater Wellness and Libido

You can get all the above herbs and others in the best herbal sex pills for women, to combat the physical and mental problems that can cause low libido and you can do it naturally, as nature intended and enjoy better health and a better sex life to - try the natural route to higher libido and you will be glad you did.

About the Author

NEW! ALL THE ABOVE HERBS + MORE IN ONE POWERFUL PILL!

For more information on Herbs to Increase Woman's Sexual Desire and comprehensive info on Best Female Sex Pills

Make Money Fast

by Tiye Smith

The question has come into everyone's mind at one point or another."How do I make money fast?" Luckily for everyone who has ever had that question come to mind there is an answer! There are several ways to make money quickly online, now we will venture through the online category.

3 websites to make money online.

1. Associated Content.

2. Cash Crate.

3. Forum booster.

Let's begin with associated content. Associated content should be the number one stop for those people who frequently ask themselves, how I could make money fast. Associated Content requires you to write content, which in other words for those who aren't familiar with the online language, content means articles.

Associated Content requires that you write articles for them, they will pay you anywhere from $3 to $40 for your content.

Most of the time however the bids that they place on your content are for much less than $10. However, this is still a great way to make money online if you can type several articles per day. You may be surprised to see how easy it has become to earn a part time income through writing for Associated Content.

The next site that we will talk about is Cash Crate. Cash Crate is a site that pays you to take surveys. They may pay anywhere from a dollar to possibly a hundred dollars, just for you to take a survey.

Doesn't sound too bad now does it? The reason they pay you to complete surveys is that companies are willing to shell out loads of cash for in-depth information from their consumers to find out exactly what they word on the street is about their product or services.

They even have a daily survey on the homepage that is guaranteed to make you some extra income; the guaranteed survey on the homepage pays $0.80. It may not seem like much but do the math, over a 30 day time period. That is almost $30 extra dollars just for taking surveys.

Are you still asking yourself that question, how do I make money fast? Well if writing tons of articles and taking surveys doesn't really sound like your cup of tea, there is always the alternative of Forum Booster.

Forum Booster is a website that pays you $0.10 for each post you make on a forum. This is great for those of us that would be searching and posting on forums either way, why not get paid for it? If you can post sixty posts in 1 hour, you can make $6, which is not that bad for earning money online.

It may not be minimum wage, but you have the advantage of being in the comfort of your own home. You can be in your pajamas sipping coffee while working on posting on these forums. Each post should be a minimum of 12 words, which is not difficult to do at all.

Overall there are tons of ways to make money quickly online but these are just the tried and true and the best of the best.

About the Author

Tiye Smith is a member of a private and elite money making society that teaches you how to build a six-figure a month business on the internet.

If you want to make money online, join the society before it's too late.

http://www.maverickmoneygenerator.com

Business Mums :

How to Successfully Juggle Being a Mum and an Entrepreneur
By Alison Basson

As mums we already have a busy life and it is a well known fact that women are great at juggling a hundred and one things at once. But when it comes to taking on a small business as well, things get a little more challenging. As any business mum already knows it can be challenging trying to juggle the children and a business smoothly but it can be done and you don't need to be 'superwomen'.

Organisation and a 'great well oiled plan' is the key if you wish to create a successful business and lifestyle.

When becoming a mum in business it is important to have a balance between your children/family and your small business, otherwise your new business will take over. A business doesn't grow over night so don't try and make it - a few extra hours a week will not achieve this.

If you want to create a successful professional small business you will need to make some decisions about when you are going to work in your business and who will look after the children at those times. So here are some great tips to help you successfully juggle both:

1. Have a routine and plan your day. Write down everything you need to do and achieve. Include personal and business goals and then put together a weekly action plan and daily task list. It will make it easier if you can dedicate set days to your business and then you can do all your business tasks on those days.

2. Separate your work and family time. Make a clear distinction between the two. Set time aside for your family and avoid working in family time. Trying to work with children in tow is not a great recipe for success and not very fair on your children.

• Set up an office environment away from the children. - This will help you to focus on work and be professional.

• When making phone calls - children will always interrupt so make your business calls when they are asleep or when someone else can watch them. It is not professional to make calls with noisy children in the background.

• Do the day-to-day running of the business. If you look after your children full time, working when the children are asleep can be a great option.

3. Have set working days. This will help you to focus on your business with no interruptions from your children. If you need some additional time to concentrate on the business then consider having your children looked after for a period of time each week by a relative or friend, Childcare or Family Day Care or a Nanny?

4. Get help from experts. If you try and do everything yourself, you will pay a high price - your health, family time and an unsuccessful business. Outsource tasks to experts; use their knowledge to help you grow your business. Recruit a PR person, a bookkeeper, an admin person etc.

5. Know what you want to achieve from your business. Having definite objectives will help you to work towards your goals. Break them down into smaller goals that you can achieve as you work towards your ultimate goals. It is much better than having everything going round in your head and being unsure whether you are actually achieving anything.

By following these few steps, your business will develop the strong foundations it needs to succeed. Remember, building a business takes time, and you must be patient and dedicated to be successful.

A great way to help you successfully juggle being a Mum and an Entrepreneur would be to connect with other business mums, just like you on our website. Get your free access by going to http://www.businesswomenunite.net where you can also discover tips and strategy that women just like you are using every day to grow profitable businesses! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Basson

The World Needs More Women Leaders
by: Stephen Oakes

Mature and industrialized nations today continue to strive for human equality, especially when it comes to women’s rights. In general, women are the voice which calms the fighting spirit of man. I believe that women who are elected to office bring new perspectives to issues and are more inclined to collaborate effectively with their counterparts. I often wonder if this is one of the reasons for the civilized manner in which modern countries enjoy. It is a sense of balance and fairness that allows people to determine their own fate.

The inclusion of women into national and global politics is pertinent to the progression of peace and prosperity in our times. In part, I am referring to regions of instability. In Iraq, I think it is very important that women have the ability to run for elected office. This could serve the country well in the difficult times still ahead. How often in history have we seen what a large group of men do when confined to the same set of genes and testosterone that only serve the escalate tensions and bring about devastaing wars.

As a gender, males have a strong sense of pride and are not afraid to fight for survival. This begins at a young age when males fight for dominance of the pack. We live by the rule that only the strongest shall survive. There is no room for trust or fairness.

Women are psychologically known to be more collaborative, nurturing, and social. There is no preferred biological makeup, yet different situations call for the strengths of one gender over the other. This is why I believe that women should be more included in global politics. They are much better suited to find common ground and come to a productive solution that is acceptable to all parties involved.

About The Author Stephen Oakes http://www.Jutiagroup.com

Girl Power!

The Sexiest and Most Popular Women in Comics
By Otto Kreistler

When we think of comic book protagonists we usually imagine large, buffed up men with unreal abilities and even flashier names. Everyone from Superman to Ant Man to the Green Lantern have fascinated comic book readers ever since the first issues of their respective series came out. So from there comes the stereotype and widespread opinion that the comic book is definitely a man's world. And they may not be completely unjustified when they say that due to the extremely high concentration of male heroes and superheroes in comic books and graphic novels today.

But does that mean that women, in particular superheroines are left out of the limelight? Definitely not! There are countless of women heroines in comic books today who can kick the butts of their male counterparts and still have enough for seconds. These are a few women who have been making the days of comic fanboys (and girls!) for the past decades:

* Vampirella: Probably the skimpiest dressed vampire in comics, which is quite a feat in itself, Vampirella is a citizen of the planet Drakulon where all the inhabitants are called Vampiri. She found her way to Earth in an effort to save her dying planet but eventually became enlightened to the side of good, eventually fighting crime. She has all the advantages of being a vampire, including superhuman strength and speed, the ability to change her shape and to hypnotize people with her stare.

* Rogue: Like all mutants in the Marvel universe, Rogue is one of those who view her powers with disdain as it literally prevents her from having normal relations with anyone, human or mutant alike. It allows her to absorb the strength, memories and superpowers of those she touches with her bare skin, making it hard for anyone to give her love or tenderness. In spite of this, Rogue remains a fun and daring person with a lot of heart in the face of trials.

* Wonderwoman: One of the most iconic superheroines of all time, it wouldn't be a long shot if you discovered your parents grew up with Wonderwoman around since she has already been in comic existence since the 1940s. This Amazon is seen by many as the female equivalent of Superman, but has grown to be much, much bigger than that.

* The Phoenix: Before the immense and unnatural power and personality of The Phoenix was awakened inside of her, Jean Grey was already a powerful psychic and telepath in the X-Men. But when her powers awakened, she would become one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe. This power however would lead her to lose her mind, making her devour entire planets until the X-Men somehow discovered a way to weaken her.

These are only a few of the many female characters that are just kick-ass in co

These are only a few of the many female characters that are just kick-ass in comics. If you want to see the rest of your favorites and find out more about them, just visit: http://crunkish.com/top-ten-women-in-comics/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Otto_Kreistler

The Smart Woman Manifesto: What is a Smart Woman?
by: Vicki Flaugher

A Smart Woman uses her entire toolbox of experiences, talents, feelings, logic, intuition, education, and yes, even her mistakes, to live her life authentically engaged. She takes the time to care for herself, evaluate what she really thinks and feels, and acts and reacts from a place of patient love, energized compassion, and balanced accountability. Choices are opportunities and she welcomes them. Opportunity leads to her future and she faces that future with a ready and willing heart and a nimble and open mind.

A Smart Woman respects others’ points of view while still making her own choices. She gives generously to others while nurturing herself. She knows the value of boundaries and is skillful in using them to build stronger relationships. She speaks up when she needs to and she knows how and when to supportively listen as she keeps her vision of peace and tolerance in sight. She knows when to walk away, wishing luck and best wishes to those who are on another path. She knows and values her true worth.

Adaptable, caring, capable, and clever, a Smart Woman embraces life and triumphantly whoops and hollers her way to joy. She claims her power and her divine birthright, as each of us do, in a myriad of infinitely beautiful and unique ways, creating a fulfilling life as a Smart Woman. She's not out to prove anything to anybody. She is here to learn, live, love, laugh, and contribute.

I believe we all have a lot to share, to communicate, to witness, and to celebrate. I would feel honored and thrilled to know you are by my side. So, what do you think? Are you ready to explore? I hope so, because today, I am making firm plans and those plans include you. I am a Smart Woman with firm plans. Are you?

Here's to you and your Smart Woman path!

About The Author Vicki Flaugher, creator of http://www.SmartWomanGuides.com, is on a mission to nurture and empower the 35-55 year old Coming of Age female audience. Her website is a worldwide community site where Smart Women everywhere can submit articles about their own experiences surrounding topics like aging, health, entrepreneurship, relationships, spirituality, and sex and sensuality (to name a few). You can join in the fun at her blog at http://speakout.smartwomanguides.com.

Sushi Recipe
by: Eugene Yeng Aik Ngin

Sushi is a delicious, healthy and easy to prepare food. Deciding on and finding your ingredients, preparing the beautiful presentation, and enjoying your creation are all part of the fun of sushi. Finding a great sushi recipe is the first step in putting together a wonderful meal.

Sushi, traditionally, refers to rice, but it has developed to include the whole concept of the finger food. It commonly is a fish or vegetable, served with vinegar rice. A sushi recipe can be presented in several ways. Some common ways are wrapped in seaweed, served in a bowl, in bite size pieces or in a cone type wrap. Wide ranges of vegetables, seafood, and shellfish are used throughout a sushi recipe.

There are some common ingredients that you should always have on hand to prepare a good sushi recipe. These include seaweed, called nori, rice, and sushi vinegar. These are the base ingredients you will need to start with for any sushi recipe. Several sauces such as soy sauce, and wasabi; a spicy paste like substance, are commonly served with sushi to enhance the flavor. Common vegetables in a sushi recipe include carrots, cucumber, peppers, and avocado. Common seafood used in sushi recipes are crab, salmon, octopus, and shrimp. This is by no means an exhaustive list of what you can use in your sushi recipe. The sky is the limit. Get creative as you like with your sushi recipe.

Where can you find a good sushi recipe? There are several great places where you can find a good sushi recipe. A great place to start is the Internet. By doing a quick search through a search engine for sushi recipe, you can find some great websites that will provide you with a great sushi recipe. Often, they will provide you with detailed pictures and instructions that can help when preparing your sushi recipe. Also, try bookstores for their cookbook selections or local sushi restaurants to see if they will share their sushi recipe.

There are several pieces of kitchen equipment that can help you in preparing a sushi recipe. One of the most important pieces of equipment is a sharp knife. A sharp knife is essential in cutting and preparing the ingredients for your sushi recipe. It will allow you to cut your fish into thin slices, slice vegetables into attractive shapes and designs, and do all of these with ease. Another very helpful piece of equipment is a bamboo mat, traditionally called sushimaki sudare or makisu. This mat is what you use when you roll your sushi such as in a California roll. It is possible to roll with your hands, but the rice can be very sticky, so the mat can help eliminate a little frustration while preparing your sushi recipe. Other equipment such as rice cookers and sushi presses can also help make the preparation quicker, but they are not essential for preparing a good sushi recipe.

A final touch in the presentation of your sushi recipe is the plates and dishes you serve them on and the utensils that you use to eat them. Patterned china dishes, saucers, and cups are a beautiful touch. You can also use matching dispensers for items such as soy sauce. Often, chopsticks are used when eating sushi. Chopsticks come in all styles from wooded to metal and can complement your presentation beautifully. You can also eat sushi with your fingers, so make sure to have some nice matching napkins with the dishes.

It is easy to find the ingredients you need to complete your sushi recipe. Sushi recipes generally use basic ingredients that can be found easily. Many of the ingredients, if not all, can be purchased at most local grocery stores. If your grocery store does not carry what you need, try asking them to bring it in. Many companies will bring in supplies that are requested by their customers. For more complicated recipes that require special ingredients, many Asian specialty stores carry the more obscure ingredients on a regular basis. These stores can provide hard to find sushi recipe ingredients, often directly from Asian suppliers. A final option for finding your sushi recipe ingredients is online. There are countless websites that you can use to order everything from your good ingredients to equipment to finishing touches such as utensils.

Sushi is a wonderful food style. It's fun to follow a sushi recipe and see your final result. Many people consider preparing a sushi recipe an art form. It can be an exciting addition to your family dinner or an impressive dinner party concept. With a great sushi recipe, you can make out standing delicacies. It can be a great bonding event; gather the family together and everyone can make their own sushi dish. Grab your sushi recipe, your ingredients, your equipment, and have some fun.

For more info, please visit http://www.thairecipe-sushirecipe.info

About The Author Eugene Yeng is the webmaster of http://www.thairecipe-sushirecipe.info. This website is a resourceful portal on sushi recipes and thai recipes.

How Soy Isoflavones Increase Women's Health

by: Greg Wirth

Soybeans, containing various phytochemicals, are one of richest source of isoflavones, also known as phytoestrogens. They contain about 36% protein, 18% fat, 30% carbohydrates, isoflavones and other minerals and vitamins.

Soy Isoflavones are similar to natural estrogens. They show both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects. Soy isoflavones also act as antioxidant agent. Major constituents of soy isoflavones are genistein, daidzein, and glycitein.

May help prevent cancer

Soy Isoflavones are helpful in preventing various types of cancers - breast, lung and mouth cancer. They also find use in reducing risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. Soy isoflavones also help in increasing bone density.

Pregnant women and men with prostate cancer should avoid the use of soy isoflavone supplements. However since the preventative effects of isoflavones are particularly important for young women soy products should be included daily to increase the prevention of breast cancer. The low incidence of breast cancer in Asian women primarily from Japan and China could be explained by the high intake of soy isoflavones.[1]

Additionally a new study suggests isoflavones may prevent DNA damage to the immune system in postmenapausal women: Soy isoflavones from supplements and soymilk benefit the immune system of postmenopausal women The recommended serving contains 40-50 mg per day of soy isoflavones. Providing about 25 mg of genistin, 19 mg of daidzin and about 6 mg of glycitin.

More Information

One of the most comprehensive no-fluff sites of information on soy isoflavones is Isoflavones.info. If you are a women or young lady please take time to review that site for a better understanding of how isoflavones can keep you living long and healthy. Additionally be sure to review my site listed below for more information on using a high quality broad-spectrum vitamin supplement.

Greg S. Wirth

[1] Biological effects of a diet of soy protein rich in isoflavones on the menstrual cycle of premenopausal women. Cassidy A, Bingham S, Setchell KD. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994 Sep;60(3):333-40

About The Author Greg Wirth is a nutritionist, author and consultant on multi-vitamin supplements. Focusing on pharmaceutical-grade vs food-grade supplementation. Please contact him at his website http://www.my- antioxidants-guide.com for specifics on the nutrient you are researching.

What Does RICH Mean To You?
by: Paul Mara

Have you ever been asked that question?
I was!
Back in 1979 while doing a “pressure cooker” course on selling with an insurance company!
I wondered how relevant that question was, considering my personal and financial situation at the time.
No wife!
No job!
I was a solo dad with three children, one of them a baby less than a year old.
“You must be kidding”, I thought to myself at the time!
What relevance can that have to me learning to sell insurance policies?
How naive I was!
The course that followed had an unbelievably positive and a life changing effect on me. Although it only took affect several years later. The seed had been sown!
You’re probably saying to yourself, “How can a course on selling life insurance have that much effect on anyone?”
Well that Insurance Company was the one created by W Clement Stone.
I found the course to be very challenging, because in New Zealand at that time we weren’t really aware of the “Hype” that Americans used to motivate their workers to perform at their optimum. It pleases me each time I think about it now, to know that I passed, top of the class and received a book as a reward, this book was already a best seller, but I’d never heard of it.
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, of which W Clement Stone was co-author with Napoleon Hill. They shared their secrets on becoming wealthy and having a healthy, productive lifestyle, utillising the power of a "positive mental attitude". Sadly my motivation and my persistence waned and I stopped selling insurance.
I kept all the information, studies and the book I had won.
The “BOOK” Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, which I never opened or read for probably 3 years.
However I did continue two very positive things! I continued to read on a daily basis some of his quotes and I even put them on the wall.

My two favorites were;
“Success is achieved and maintained by those who try and keep trying” and
“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve”.

The second thing and the one which I believed the most important was “Goal Setting” I enjoyed the challenge and had learned enough during the course to realize its long term value.
Life began to take several steps in the right direction not major ones, but positive ones.
Several important things happened in my life over the next 12 years.

Around 1981-2 I began reading, Through a Positive Mental Attitude,
I applied so many of their ideas and formula, and by 1992 mine and my families life had completely turned around, this included a wonderful wife and two more children and a list of goals I had made in 1986 after father passed away, became a reality.
I had arrived finally, or so I thought, and was ready to respond to the question that still continued to bother me after all those years.

What Does RICH Mean To You?
I had some answers!
That’s what I believed anyway!

1 - " A consistent income created from hard work
2 - " A healthy family
3 - " A loving wife and loving children
4 - "A nice car
5 - " A great holidays

There are other things, but they are either directly or indirectly related to the above list.
Even now when I look at that list it seems to have “hit the nail on the head”.
Then within three years it all slowly began to fall apart, business wise, thankfully not family wise our “Polynesian Inheritance” is so strong, family always come first!
Where was I going wrong?
What was I doing wrong?
Whose fault was it?
Why now when we seemed so successful?
A myriad of questions passed through my mind, I began to blame myself, I was making wrong decisions.

I had begun a downward slide a personal one that took away my mental fortitude, my belief, my self-confidence, I lost motivation, the thing that really hurts me when I think back is that, “I didn’t really care anymore” I began to think that the world owed me, I was a good person so for that I should be rewarded. What a “Pity party”, darn pitiful is all I can say now!
After all these years I am finally getting back on track!
I realize that age and the new generation means I can never be what I was back then, why?
Well that’s the past and I now live for today!
Not tomorrow!
I have found a “Certain Way” that has been available to each and every one of us for more than ninety years.
Probably what W Clement Stone and Napoleon Hill and thousands of others used to become rich, but forgot to tell us some very vital points, whether they did it consciously or just took it for granted that we would figure it out, I am really not to sure.
Want to find out as I have???
The real meaning of what “RICH” is, go to my website “Right Now” and find out how you to can have a “RICH” balanced and fulfilled life with “Prosperous Equilibrium”.

PS. Get a “FREE COPY” about this “Certain Way”, with THE SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH check it out right now!

http://www.prosperous-equilibrium.com/

About The Author I have been involved in several businesses over the last 38 years, some very successful and some not so good! But I love it! I began as a Motor Mechanic who owned several car repair businesses employing up to 15 people in New Zealand and Tahiti. When my father passed away in 1986 I took over his work as a Medical Interpreter and Guide in New Zealand, being fluent in three languages. We owned apartments for clients also. We now live in Australia and I am now involved in Internet Marketing and loving the challenge. A very happy "Baby Boomer"! http://www.prosperous-equilibrium.com/

Meminta Maaf dan Memberi Maaf

by : Titut Mulyono

Idul Fitri telah tiba, seiring dengan berakhirnya ramadhan, kita seperti terlahir kembali karena diharapkan telah kembali fitri, yang artinya kembali bersih, suci. Waktunya kita meminta maaf dan memberi maaf di hari yang fitri ini.
Tahukah anda, ternyata dalam hal meminta dan memberi maaf ini, memiliki aturan atau nilai-nilai tersendiri...?

Pagi ini, sebuah pintu wacana telah dibukakan kepada kita, melalui sebuah tayangan acara Mama&Aa' di Indosiar, yang dipandu oleh Mama Dedeh dan Aa' Abdel. Topiknya adalah mengenai meminta maaf dan memberi maaf.

Dari tayangan tersebut, kita jadi mengetahui bahwa : Yang memiliki nilai dan pahala yang lebih tinggi dan lebih banyak, akan dilimpahkan kepada orang-orang yang terlebih dahulu meminta maaf, daripada yang memberi maaf setelah diminta. Mengapa begitu, ya?
Ternyata, karena meminta maaf itu amat berat. Apalagi sifat dasar manusia yang selalu merasa benar, dan juga pendendam atau pendengki. Padahal, jelas-jelas Allah SWT tidak menyukai manusia-manusia pendendam dan pendengki, namun mengapa masih saja kita merasa berat untuk meminta maaf lebih dulu?

Mungkin banyak dari kita yang juga mengalami sendiri, bagaimana beratnya meminta maaf pada orang lain, apalagi jika jelas-jelas orang tersebut yang lebih dulu berbuat kesalahan, semisalnya telah memfitnah atau menghina kita. Bagaimana kita bisa meminta maaf lebih dulu pada orang-orang seperti itu? Sungguh amat sulit dan berat, pastinya..

Sekalipun Allah SWT telah menjanjikan limpahan berkah dan pahala, bagi siapapun yang terlebih dahulu meminta maaf, tapi tetap saja kebanyakan dari kita akan mengurungkan niat untuk meminta maaf terlebih dahulu kepada orang-orang semacam itu. Mengapa....?
Apakah kita tidak percaya pada janji Allah? Atau karena hati kita telah membatu karena dendam dan dengki, sehingga kita tidak mampu melakukan hal tersebut?
Semua itu tergantung pada pilihan kita. Mau masuk ke dalam golongan manakah kita?
Mari bersama-sama kita renungkan, dan pikirkan. Apakah kita termasuk orang-orang yang beruntung, atau justru merugi...?

Kebersihan hati di hari fitri, adalah tujuan dari dilaksanakannya berpuasa. Jika setelah bulan ramadhan ternyata hati kita masih dipenuhi oleh kebencian, dendam dan dengki, maka berhati-hatilah. Karena bisa jadi di akhir jaman nanti, kita akan termasuk kepada golongan orang-orang yang bangkrut dan merugi.

Why We Choose Lampe Berger Business?

Why We Choose Lampe Berger Business?

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Mengapa Harus Berubah...?

by : Titut Mulyono

Tahukah anda, bahwa perceraian akan merubah sebagian besar kehidupan anda? Bahkan hal-hal baik yang biasa dilakukan ketika masih bersama, baik antara kita dengan pasangan kita, keluarga besar kita, bahkan anak-anak kita, bisa jadi akan hilang seiring dengan dicabutnya surat nikah?

Hal-hal yang hilang yang akan dapat langsung kita rasakan di masa-masa awal perpisahan adalah :

1. Komunikasi.
2. Pengertian.
3. Toleransi.
4. Kerja sama/koordinasi.

1. Komunikasi.

Sebagian besar perceraian yang terjadi, akan meninggalkan luka. Berbeda dengan cerai mati, cerai hidup selalu membawa masalah berbuntut. Di samping luka yang sulit untuk sembuh, rasa jera untuk berkomunikasi lagi dengan mantan, sering menambah parah hubungan atara insan yang bercerai. Belum lagi jika salah satu dari yang bercerai telah menikah lagi. Pendamping baru, sering menjadi tembok bagi hubungan komunikasi dan silaturahmi antara pihak yang bercerai. Belum lagi sakit hati antara keluarga besar kedua belah pihak. Buruknya komunikasi ini akan membawa dampak buruk bagi buah hati kita. Mereka akan selalu dihadapkan pada situasi "tegang", "permusuhan", dan bahkan mungkin situasi "genting" atau "perang", jika sudah meyangkut pada masalah ijin atas suatu hal yang akan dilakukan oleh buah hati kita.

Disini dituntut tingkat kedewasaan yang tinggi bagi orang tua yang berpisah. Orang tua, dituntut untuk dapat mengesampingkan "perasaan" atau "gengsi" diri sendiri, demi anak-anak. Dan hal ini benar-benar dituntut dari kedua belah pihak. Jika salah satu pihak saja yang memiliki tingkat kedewasaan yang tinggi, sementara pihak lainnya tidak, maka buruknya komunikasi akan terus terjadi, dan anak-anak akan terus menjadi korbannya. Karena itu, kita sebagai orang tua, mampukah kita melakukan hal yang terbaik untuk anak-anak kita di masa pasca perceraian..? Hal itu akan kembali kepada diri kita masing-masing.

2. Pengertian.

Pengertian, sekalipun sudah tidak bersurat-nikah, tetap harus dipertahankan. Jika kita bisa memiliki pengertian untuk saudara-saudara, atau sahabat-sahabat, atau teman-teman kita; mengapa kita tidak bisa memiliki pengertian kepada mantan suami/istri kita...?? Ingat ! Pengertian ini tidak semata-mata dimiliki oleh pasangan yang telah menikah saja. Tapi juga wajib dimiliki oleh siapapun, baik yang menikah maupun tidak. Apalagi jika telah menyangkut kepada hal proses pendidikan anak terhadap nilai-nilai dan norma-norma dalam kehidupan. Tahap ini baru akan bisa dicapai jika hubungan komunikasi antara kedua belah pihak telah tercapai. Jangan berharap akan ada pengertian pada sebuah hubungan (apapun hubungan tersebut) jika tidak terdapat komunikasi yang baik.

Sekali lagi, kembali orang tua yang bercerai, dituntut untuk mengesampingkan "ego"nya demi kebahagiaan dan kenyamanan bathin buah hati mereka. Karena jika kita selalu ingat, bahwa dampak yang akan diterima oleh anak-anak kita atas apa yang mereka alami (dalam hal ini perceraian kedua orangtuanya ) baru akan terlihat beberapa tahun ke depan. Apakah mereka akan dapat tumbuh dengan jiwa dan tubuh yang sehat.....? Semua itu tergantung dari apa yang kita perlakukan kepada mereka mulai hari ini dan ke depan. Jika kita memperlakukan mereka dengan baik dan benar, insyaAllah ke depannya pun mereka akan menjadi anak-anak yang baik. Begitu pula sebaliknya. Pilihannya ada di tangan kita, bukan di tangan mereka. Karena kita yang membentuk mereka akan menjadi seperti apa.

3. Toleransi.

Kehidupan pasca perceraian, memiliki banyak liku-liku. Dimana masing-masing individu akan menjalani hidupnya secara terpisah, tidak bersatu lagi seperti dulu. Karena itu permasalahan dari masing-masing pihak akan tetap muncul, yang mana pihak lainnya tidak lagi selalu mengetahui permasalahan apa yang sedang melanda salah satu dari mereka. Oleh karena itu, dalam rangka memberikan atmosfir yang sehat dan baik bagi anak-anak, "sense of" toleransi antara kedua belah pihak yang telah berpisah, justru dituntut untuk menjadi lebih tinggi. Mengapa...? Karena kita tidak bisa lagi mengetahui secara otomatis, apa yang tengah dialami oleh mantan pasangan kita. Dan tidak mungkin lagi kita menuntut mantan pasangan kita untuk selalu bercerita mengenai perjalanan hidupnya, termasuk masalahnya. Karena itu, toleransi atau besar hati harus selalu dikedepankan, jika sudah menyangkut kepada pembentukan atmosfir yang sehat dan baik bagi anak-anak.

Lagi-lagi disini dituntut tingkat kedewasaan kedua belah pihak, bahkan mungkin ketiga atau keempat belah pihak, jika salah satu atau keduanya telah menikah lagi. Bukan hal yang mudah, memang..tapi juga bukan berarti sulit. Semua itu membutuhkan perjuangan. Tapi jangan takut....jika kita memiliki tujuan yang baik, maka Allah akan membukakan, memudahkan, dan melancarkan hal tersebut. InsyaAllah..

4. Kerjasama/koordinasi.

Masih perlukah...? Sekalipun sudah bercerai, kerjasama atau koordinasi masih sangat diperlukan,terutama jika menyangkut pada masa depan dan proses mendidik anak. Mengapa...? Karena sekalipun terjadi perceraian, bagi anak-anak, tidak ada kata "bekas" ayah ataupun "bekas" ibu. Anak-anak, pada suatu hari, mungkin akan dapat mengerti mengapa kedua orang tuanya bercerai. Kedewasaan mereka yang mengantarkan mereka pada sebuah pengertian dan pemahaman mengenai perceraian kedua orang tuanya. Tapi jangan lupa, yang membentuk kedewasaan dan kemampuan berpikir mereka, adalah kita juga, orang tuanya. Karena itu, sekalipun telah bercerai, kerjasama dan koordinasi diantara kedua orang tua, tetap dibutuhkan.

Contoh kecil saja, misalnya, jika anak-anak tinggal dengan ibunya, maka akan ada waktu-waktu rutin dimana sang ayah akan bertemu atau mengunjungi anak-anaknya. Waktu kunjungan ini sekalipun rutin, tetap harus dikoordinasikan. Karena bisa saja, ketika waktu berkunjung ayah tiba, anak-anak sedang sakit, atau sedang ulangan/ujian sekolah. Hal ini selayaknya dikoordinasikan, mengingat untuk kebaikan anak-anak itu sendiri.

Melihat ulasan di atas, seperti terbuka mata dan hati kita, bahwa pasca-perceraian itu sendiri, memerlukan tingkat kedewasaan yang tinggi yang dimiliki oleh kedua belah pihak. Jika kita masih sering mengedepankan "ego" sendiri, atau "ego" pendamping baru kita, maka sesungguhnya kita belum siap untuk bercerai. Karena yang akan menjadi korban berkepanjangan adalah buah hati kita sendiri.

Sanggupkah kita melihat buah hati kita selalu menjadi korban, atau bahkan rusak jiwanya oleh perbuatan kita sendiri...? Mari kita renungkan bersama dengan hati yang rendah serendah-rendahnya. Mari kita persiapkan perubahan masa pasca-perceraian ini, bukan hanya untuk diri kita, tapi juga untuk anak-anak kita.