Have a little FUN

Seeing the image below makes me think that life is actually about fun. Don't you think so? That's when I realize that simple things can really make you feel that fun is always there waiting for you, all you need is just to get up and do something. I guarantee that when somehow you feel bored, do something that you rarely do. You don't have to think about big and huge things, just do common things that can bring the fun side of life...

Things To Do When You're Bored

• Read a book.
• Get out of the house. Take a walk, or go for a jog.
• Exercise. There are many simple exercises that you can do at home.
• Catch up on some sleep.
• Play loud music and sing along or dance to it.
• Click photographs of your house or of yourself.
• Switch on the television and switch to a channel playing shows in a language that you do not understand.
• Go on a cleaning spree, and get rid of the dust on everything that you can see.
• Make crank calls to your friends or to your neighbors.
• If you have a hobby that can be pursued from the comfort of your home, indulge in it.

(source from buzzle.com - image by Kari Hawker titled "Come back to me...")

Pomodoro pasta

It's been a while since the last time I post something on recipe and cooking. I don't know why I've been craving fro some pasta the last few days. Any pasta with fresh tomato sauce, garlic scent..hmm yummy. So I browse along and came across this recipe of Shrimp Pomodoro Pasta from Chaos in the Kitchen. And I just knew that pomodoro is an Italian word for "tomato". So, it doesn't take a genius that shrimp pomodoro here means a pasta dish with tomato sauce. Would you look at the picture of the pasta/ Oh My God, it looks so very delicious. And more importantly, it is so easy to make. This can be your menu for today's dinner=)

Shrimp Pomodoro

(serves 6, prep 15 min, cook 30 min)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 plum or Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup basil, julienned
• 1 lb penne pasta

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add shrimp and cook briefly until pink and opaque.
3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
4. Add onion and garlic to hot oil and cook until onion is soft.
5. Add wine and cook 5 minutes.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and cook 20 minutes or until tomatoes have released their liquid and softened.
7. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and salt if desired.
8. Add pasta and cook per package instructions.
9. When pasta and sauce are ready, add red pepper flakes, basil, shrimp and pasta to skillet with sauce. Stir to coat noodles evenly. Serve.

(images from Chaos in the Kitchen)

Monday...

Monday is here..a new week is here. I can't believe we're now entering the second half of 2010. How's your weekend? Anyone celebrating 4th of July? My weekend was a blast. i went to this mountain and saw a waterfall. It feels good to be able to re-connect with nature=) Well, to open up this new week, I'm posting these cheerful images by Travis Grace.

A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart.

(Hal Borland)

This week..

Friday..oh how I love Friday. How was your week went so far? I've been through good and bad things this week. Reminiscing old times with childhood friends was a good one, a misunderstanding with a friend was a bad one, watched one of my favorites team won on one of the world cup matches was a good one..and that's how my week went so far.

These are some of the cutest images of animals that I hope can brighten up your Friday. Hoping that these images can put a smile on your face, let go of the not-so-good things happened on the work days, clear all the rust in your head and just let your mind and heart be light. Enjoy your weekend =) Have an amazing one..

(image sources: kitten from thingsthatmakeyougoaahh, hamster mug from flickr, baby pandas from thingsthatmakeyougoaahh,
bunny from flickr, cat and dog from funfoll)

Say what you feel..

Have you ever been in a situation in which you have to say something but you're afraid to speak up? Or have you ever met someone who's just like that? Will you be happier with people who can always say what they feel or with people who never said what they have in mind? I once met someone who always say things indirectly until I was realizing that our conversation can sometimes be like a riddle in which I have to guess what exactly the meaning of every word and expression. When I get the chance to choose, I would say that I would be happier with people who can say what they're thinking or what they feel at the right time. Because sometimes I found it rude when people always say what they think or feel without analyzing the situation at that very moment. So, I guess it's all about the right timing and condition. But I would say that people have to be able to speak their mind.

I found this article from Psychcentral. The article was written by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. He is a pioneer in online mental health. Maybe after reading the article, you'll be able to know the reason behind those who find it hard to speak their mind. Even more, maybe you can help them to be more active on telling other people what they feel and think=)

10 Reasons You Can’t Say How You Feel

1. Conflict Phobia

You are afraid of angry feelings or conflicts with people. You may believe that people with good relationships should not engage in verbal “fights” or intense arguments. In addition, you may believe that disclosing your thoughts and feelings to those you care about would result in their rejection of you. This is sometimes referred to as the “ostrich phenomenon” — burying your head in the sand instead of addressing relationship problems.

2. Emotional Perfectionism

You believe that you should not have feelings such as anger, jealousy, depression, or anxiety. You think you should always be rational and in control of your emotions. You are afraid of being exposed as weak and vulnerable. You believe that people will belittle or reject you if they know how you really feel.

3. Fear of Disapproval and Rejection

You are so terrified by rejection and ending up alone that you would rather swallow your feelings and put up with some abuse than take the chance of making anyone mad at you. You feel an excessive need to please people and to meet what you perceive to be their expectations. You are afraid that people would not like you if you expressed your thoughts and feelings.

4. Passive-Aggressive Behavior

You pout and hold your hurt or angry feelings inside instead of disclosing what you feel. You give others the silent treatment, which is inappropriate, and a common strategy to elicit feelings of guilt (on their part).

5. Hopelessness

You are convinced that your relationship cannot improve no matter what you do. You may feel that you have already tried everything and nothing works. You may believe that your spouse (or partner) is just too stubborn and insensitive to be able to change. These positions represent a self-fulfilling prophecy–once you give up, an established position of hopelessness supports your predicted outcome.

6. Low Self-Esteem

You believe that you are not entitled to express your feelings or to ask others for what you want. You think you should always please other people and meet their expectations.

7. Spontaneity

You believe that you have the right to say what you think and feel when you are upset. (Generally, feelings are best expressed during a calm and structured or semi-structured exchange.) Structuring your communication does not result in a perception that you are “faking” or attempting to inappropriately manipulate others.

8. Mind Reading

You believe that others should know how you feel and what you need (although you have not disclosed what you need). The position that individuals close to you can “divine” what you need provides an excuse to engage in non-disclosure, and thereafter, to feel resentful because people do not appear to care about your needs.

9. Martyrdom

You are afraid to admit that you are angry, hurt, or resentful because you do not want to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing that her or his behavior is unacceptable. Taking pride in controlling your emotions and experiencing hurt or resentment does not support clear and functional communication.

10. Need to Solve Problems

When you have a conflict with an individual (i.e., your needs are not being met), avoiding the associated issues is not a functional solution. Disclosing your feelings and being willing to listen without judgment to the other is constructive.

(images source: vi.sualize.us, lightsdrawer.tumblr, entreduasaspas.tumblr, weheartit)

Key Lessons in Life..

I never get bored reading more and more about lessons in life. I always think there are endless life lessons that we can learn. Whether it is to be applied or not in our life..it's all up to us. The most important thing is to be able to know what's good or bad in this life. To know that life can be happening in so many way but somehow our thoughts can be the main thing to direct our life...into a better life of course. So, this is an article by Arvind Devalia that I found here. It's about lessons of life derived from the famous Gandhi. His wisdom has been able to guide the life of many people. And these are 6 points of life that can be the keys to our life.

1. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

This is possibly Gandhi’s most famous phrase and tells us that before we can go and change the world, we have to change ourselves. From the being, comes the doing and ultimately the having. So we now have the message – “Do the change you wish to see in the world”.

Focus on changing yourself and being the change you wish – and soon we can begin to look at the bigger picture and solve the world’s challenges. There is this anecdotal story about how a mother came with her son to see Gandhi. She wanted Gandhi to tell her son to stop eating too much sugar as it was harmful for his health. He asked her to come back a month later by which time he himself had cut down on his own sugar intake.

The point is that before you can get anyone to take on your own teachings, you have to apply them to your own life. There are various phrases to reflect this message such as “practice what you preach” and “walk the talk”.

“Let your life be your message” – Gandhi

2. Reduce, reuse and recycle

“There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed” – Gandhi

Even in Gandhi’s time there was vast disparity in the world between the rich and the poor. He could see how the world’s resources were being pilloried to satisfy the excessive demands of the West whilst most people in the rest of the world were barely surviving.

Today I would argue that the way we are all living in the West and elsewhere, there is not even enough for everyone’s needs. We must revisit how we live our lives and truly learn to reduce, reuse and recycle – the 3Rs.

The time has come when we cannot just rely on others – each one of us has to do our bit. Increasingly, more and more people and also businesses are waking up to their responsibilities to the environment, the larger community and the global implications of their activities. Start today and apply the 3Rs in your life.

3. Live a simple, minimalist life.

Gandhi lived a very simple, frugal life. He died with very few possessions and he preached simplicity and minimalism in all areas of life. He also dressed simply and even persisted with his simple Indian loin cloth when he visited England and met the King. When asked if he was under dressed for a meeting with the King, Gandhi replied that the King had enough clothes on for both of them!

Minimalism is something I am beginning to apply in my life too. To get you started, please check out this excellent “Minimalist Guide” from my blogging mentor and friend Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. Start living a simpler minimalistic life from today – and you will release a lot of time and energy to bring more of Gandhi’s teachings into the world.

4. If no one walks with you, walk alone

Believe in your cause, follow your truth and stick to your journey even if you have to walk the path on your own. Gandhi at the end of his life was said to be heart broken with the partition of India as millions were killed and displaced. Even then, he still had a message for the world – it takes just one man to make a difference.

If no one responds to your call, go forward alone.
If no one talks to you, oh luckless one,
If everyone turns away from you in fear,
Reveal your thoughts and express your ideas to yourself.
If everyone leaves you while you are travelling a dangerous road,
If no one wants to look after you,Walk on alone, on the road strewn with thorns, trampling on them with bleeding feet.
If no one shows a light, if in the dark stormy night everyone shuts their doors,
Use your rib as a torch, lit from the fire of thunder. – Rabindranath Tagore

So anything and everything you do counts and will make a difference.

5. Get your power through humility

Gandhi was a very humble, down to earth, ordinary human-being but therein lay his power and authority. His power came from being very clear about who he was, his values and his mission. So the clearer you are about who you are and what you stand for,the more power you will exert in the world, whilst remaining humble and as down to earth as you wish. Of course, by power what I mean here is not the power that corrupts but one that changes the world and makes a positive contribution.

6. Start today

“The difference between what we do, and what we are capable of doing, would solve most of the world’s problems” – Gandhi

Believe that what you do matters, and that it will make a difference. You can’t save the whole world single-handedly, and we can’t all be a Gandhi or a Mandela, but you can certainly make a difference to one person at a time. So look for ways to contribute. Ask yourself what special skill or knowledge you have that can solve a problem or make the best of a situation and that will help or support others.

And actually, maybe we can all be a Gandhi or a Mandela:-) Start small – and get started no matter what. They too started small one day at the beginning of their own life journeys. So fear not – you already have and know enough – new skills will come for sure as you progress on your journey. And whatever you choose to do, it will make a difference.

The point is that everything we do matters and makes either a positive or a negative impact on everything around us. You can start today to apply Gandhi’s message in your life, simply by focusing on this one question:-

How can I bring more love and peace into my life today?

Just know that every little bit helps and by you being more loving and peaceful, the rest of the world becomes more loving and peaceful too. After all, we all have a “Gandhi” inside of us, just waiting to emerge.

(written by Arvind Devalia - image sources: beautyineverything, allposters, weheartit)