Little Red Riding Hood (a new version)

One day, Little Red Riding Hood's mother said, "Little, Grandma called me on the phone and said she didn't feel so well. Why don't you get your motorbike and bring her some fruit?"

"Oh, poor Grandma... Okay, Mother. I'll go to her house right away," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"Be Careful with the traffic, dear. And don't drive too fast," advised her mother.

"Okay!" answered Little Red Riding Hood.

As soon as she got to her grandma's house, she knocked on the door.

"Knock...Knock...!"

"Come in," said the voice inside, "the door is open."

When Little Red Riding Hood walked into the bedroom, she saw an old lady look so busy listening to rock music.

"Grandma? Wow! This is a surprise! I thought you hate rock music!" said Little Red Riding Hood.

"Oh please, dear. I have always listened to rock music even before your mother was born." said the old lady.

"But Grandma," said Little Red Riding Hood. "I didn't know you like reading comics!"

"Oh yes I do, I read a lot of comics every day," muttered the old woman.

"And Grandma," said Little Red Riding Hood. Are you eating chewing gums?"

"Yes, I am," answered the old woman. "I love chewing gums, but I like little girls like you better."

Suddenly, Little Red Riding Hood quickly took an aerosol out of her pocket and sprayed her until she fainted.

"I knew you were not Grandma."

Later, she found her grandmother trapped in the garage.

"Oh dear, thank God you're here," said Grandma "that burglar wanted to steal all my precious things."

"That's horrible, Grandma," said Little Red Riding Hood, putting the spray back into her pocket. "Let's call the police right away."

(adapted from: Story Telling)

Creole Onion Soup

This is a traditional French dish adapted by the Creoles of New Orleans. It is sometimes known as "Looney Soup" 

Ingredients :  

• 75 gr unsalted butter

• 6 large onions, peeled and sliced

• salt and pepper

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 600 ml beef stock

• 60 gr plain flour

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp Worcester sauce

• 6 slices of French bread

• 6 tbsp grated cheese

Method : 

1. Melt butter slowly.

2. Add sliced onion, a pinch of salt and pepper and the sugar.

3. Cook on a low heat, stirring from time to time, until the onions have browned.

4. Add beef stock and bring to the boil.

5. Sift the flour, stirring hard to avoid lumps.

6. Add chicken stock.

7. Simmer for 3-4 hours.

8. Add sauces.

9. Top each bowl with bread and cheese, and place under grill for two minutes until cheese has melted. The bowls will be hot, so warn your guests. It's a very filling soup so you won't want much else to eat. It should be served for 4 to 6 people.

(taken from English Book grade 9) 

 

a Touch of Gold

King Midas was very wealthy king. His hobby was collecting gold. From the time he got Jup in the morning to the time he went to bed, he would count his gold.

One morning, as he was sitting alone in the garden, Dionysus, the God of Wine, came to him and said, "Midas, I grant you a touch of gold. Whatever you touch, it'll turn into gold. Be careful. What you think will bring you the most happiness might cause you the greatest grief."

Midas was very happy. He didn't heed Dionysus's warning. He touched a tree, and it turned into gold. He touched this palace, and it turned to gold. Midas dance joyfully.

Suddenly, he realized that he couldn't eat because when he touched the food, it turned to gold. He was very hungry and the worst thing happened when his daughter ran to him crying and complained that all the flowers  in the garden had turned to gold. When Midas touched his beloved daughter, she turned to gold. He was extremely unhappy.

Finally , Midas went bach to Dionysus and said, "Please take back your gift. I no longer want the golden touch. I realized that wealth doesn't always bring happiness."

Dionysus laughed, "I see that you have changed. Go and bathe in the river river of poctulus. The spell will be undone and your woe will be gone."

King Midas was relieved and happy. After he took a bath, he rushed into his palace he poured the water to his daughter and she come back to life.

(taken from : Hasil Semiloka UNAKI) 

do you have bad breath ?

here are tips for keeping your breath fresh :

• brush your teeth for at least 3 minutes after each meal and before you sleep . don't forget to brush the roof of your mouth and your tongue as far back as you can get without triggering the gagging reflex. if you can't brush immediately after meals , gargle several times .
• use a breath freshener that has little or no alcohol .
• floss regularly with unscented floss . Flossing rids the teeth of decaying material in the tiny spaces between the teeth that toothbrushes can't reach .
• have a thorough dental check-up at least every six months . 
• eat plenty of vegetables and  and fruits . They contain fibers which can eliminate the layer of mucus at the back of the mouth .
• avoid garlic and onions , or at least don't consume too much of those .
• don't smoke .

Let's start our days with fresh breath . :)

Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin (pronounced loo-boo-teng) (born January 7, 1964) is a footwear designer who launched his line of high-end women's shoes in France in 1991. Since 1992, his designs have incorporated the shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature. On March 27, 2007, Christian Louboutin filed an application for U.S. trademark protection of this red sole design.

Shoes

Christian Louboutin helped bring stilettos back into fashion in the 1990s and 2000s, designing dozens of styles with heel heights of 120mm (4.72 inches) and higher. The designer's professed goal is to “make a woman look sexy, beautiful, to make her legs look as long as [he] can.” While he does offer some lower-heeled styles, Louboutin is generally associated with his dressier eveningwear designs incorporating bejeweled straps, bows, feathers, patent leather and other, similar decorative touches.

In his U.S. trademark application, Louboutin explains the inception of the signature red soles:

"In 1992 I incorporated the red sole into the design of my shoes. This happened by accident as I felt that the shoes lacked energy so I applied red nail polish to the sole of a shoe. This was such a success that it became a permanent fixture."

 Louboutin received inspiration for his lethal-looking stilettos from an incident that occurred in his early 20s. He had visited a museum and noticed that there was a sign forbidding women wearing sharp stilettos from entering for fear of damage to the extensive wood flooring. This image stayed in his mind, and he later used this idea in his designs. "I wanted to defy that," Louboutin has said. "I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident and empowered."
 

Christian Louboutin has topped The Luxury Institute's annual Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) for three years; the brand's offerings were declared the Most Prestigious Women's Shoes in 2007, 2008, and 2009.  

(adapted from Wikipedia)

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Something Got Lost

by Shawn Olson
Posted on August 5th, 2006

 
They never gave you many lines
So you never had much to say;
Still… something got lost when you left this stage
Something special followed you off the page.

I can’t remember much that you said
But I can’t forget who you were—
The roles you played were always cast
In loving shades of garden light.

My memories work not like movies
So the visions are not so clear
But one thing that I cannot forget
Is your motherly love sincere.

What were your words?
I listen to my heart… but I cannot hear
Your voice is distant… sad…
Too quiet to span receding time.

At least I still have your love;
I can still hear your laugh
And feel the warm smile on your face.
I remember the dreams in your quiet eyes
And the soft happiness you always shared.

Alas… I love you Mom…
Your star still shines long after the curtain fell.
My tears shed only because I know
No encore comes for this sad musical.

 

45 Lessons Life Taught Me

by Regina Brett
http://www.reginabrett.com/about.php

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others.
You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life,
don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words
'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is,
not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,
we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

the Secret Meaning of Flowers

A hundred years ago flowers had a special power. They could convey secret messages through various floral arrangements. I’m not kidding – the Victorian era was peculiar about a lot of things, and the symbolic meaning of different types of flowers was one of the most interesting developments from the period.

Haven’t you ever wondered if there is something extra special in the single red rose? Is it just romantic or is your boyfriend just too cheap to afford a full dozen? If you were alive at the turn of the century (or a little before or after), you’d already know that the red rose is a symbol of passionate love. The more passionate you are, the more roses you get.

I should add the Victorians were extremely strict about their virtue and morals. A bare ankle was hot stuff and could get a girl in serious trouble if she were reported to have raised her floor length skirts a bit too high. Imagine the trouble a girl your age would be in if some boy started buying her “passionate love” flowers. Oh my!

Roses

The most popular flower has many meanings. Like I said before, the red rose is passionate love. The white rose on the other hand is purity, perhaps why it is used at so many weddings. A pink rose is friendship, and a yellow rose means you are zealous or excited. A rose that is both red and white is a symbol of unity –I wonder why we don’t see more of these at weddings-.

Just to give you an idea of how the covert Victorian flower language worked, you and a boy you didn’t really like might be walking in a rose garden with a suitable chaperone about ten feet behind you. You can only talk about the weather and how beautiful the flowers are because you’d be in major trouble if you started talking about emotions or making plans with the guy.

So to tell you how he feels, your boy picks you a single red rose and makes a remark on its beauty. You thank him and keep walking while you think about how to respond. Then you see it – you grab him a pink rose from a nearby bush. He might be passionate about you, but you’ve told him in no uncertain terms that you’re just friends. Isn’t that so much easier than the notes and friendly phone calls we make today?

Carnations
Carnations have different meanings based on different colors as well. Pink carnations show gratitude, red carnations are flashy. Striped carnations are a sign of refusal (perfect for the boy situation above), and white are remembrance. White carnations are one of the most popular funeral flowers to this day. Finally, yellow carnations are cheerful.

Tulips
Another fun flower, especially this time of year, the tulip has a few sorted meanings of its own. Pink tulips are to show caring. Purple tulips are a sign of royalty. Red tulips are a declaring of love (move over roses!). White tulips are a show of forgiveness, and yellow tulips are a sign of being hopelessly in love. (Awwwww….)

Other Flower Messages
Almost every flower of the day had some message attached to it, but here are some of my other personal favorites. 
• A yellow chrysanthemum means you have secret admirer.
• Black-eyed Susans are form of encouragement.
• Hibiscus and Orchids show delicate beauty.
• Holly is domestic comfort.
• Ivy is fidelity (another wedding favorite to this day.)
• Lavender is distrust.
• Lilac is first love.
• Orange blossoms are fertility (yet another wedding favorite of old.)
• Rhododendrons tell you to beware.

Flowers would be sent from one person to another sometimes with a note and sometimes without. The flowers would often tell a different story than the note or they might say everything that needs to be said clearly enough on their own. Girls of the day would also wear flowers pinned in their hair or to their dresses and these flowers as well told a tale at parties and social gatherings. I’d love to see the girl brave enough to wear a red carnation...
 

black-eyed susans

 

 
  

UFOs

It’s one of the most enjoyable mysteries in the world. What’s the story behind the unidentified flying objects that appear in the news and other legitimate reports from time to time? I say legitimate only because there are so many hoaxes and scams out there, that the real UFOs are sometimes lost in the madness. But there are UFOs, and I’m willing to be someone knows the answers to the mysteries. What are those things and who’s in charge of them?

Unidentified Flying Objects
Since the mid twentieth century, there has been a greater fascination with aliens and mysteries than ever before. Science fiction writers became very popular and War of the Worlds scared many citizens out of their minds before they realized it was a radio program – not real life. Area 51 and Roswell gave life to rumors that there were aliens out there and some of their gear – flying saucers, space ships and the like were arriving here on Earth.

Most of the rumors were put down as gossip, make believe or good, clean fun, but that doesn’t make UFOs disappear. There is always an answer to what a UFO probably was when you see one, but does that make it anything less? Nope! It MIGHT be 100 different things, but when fifteen people see odd light patterns over a wide area, something is going on – and it’s not clever camera work.

Secret Aircraft

I, for one, believe the military has all kinds of secret projects. I actually hope they do. I’m positive that the folks out there that like to cause big trouble are keeping secrets from us, so I think creating faster, better airplanes and the like make sense. I’m not saying we should stockpile weapons or anything, but if the military has a great new plane, we should probably keep the design to ourselves, you know what I mean?

So there is a pretty good chance that any secret aircraft that we’re developing for the military have to be flown somewhere to try them out. If they are secret test craft, the military isn’t going to be sending out announcements or scheduling an air show. I think a fair number of UFOs are our own planes – we just don’t know about them yet.

Space Missions
The military is doing their thing and I’m reasonably sure the government is spending big bucks trying to develop all kinds of other projects like time travel or new space equipment. Again, if a new space vehicle is being developed, it’s going to be tested. Maybe we’re making our own flying saucer to take up to Mars or beyond one of these days.

The Unknown

It’s entirely a personal opinion, but as we learn more and more about the universe and what other planets are like, I’m having a hard time believing that there isn’t SOMETHING else out there waiting to hang out with us. If there is someone or something out in the great unknown, I sincerely hope they aren’t nasty. If they can reach us before we can reach them though, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a few alien missions to check us out from time to time. Maybe there really are captured aliens at Roswell…makes a girl wonder!

 

Déjà Vu

Has it ever happened to you? You’re walking through the door and hear a friend talk about a pop quiz and realize you’ve seen and heard this exact situation before. You’re struck by that weird feeling and start to dwell on the experience. If you don’t already know, you’ve just experienced déjà vu. Or, in actuality, you’ve experienced what scientists call déjà vecu, or “already lived.”

Already Lived
The eerie part about déjà vu is how exactly you’ve already lived that particular experience. Have you really lived it, perhaps in a past life, or is it just something like a dream you once had? There are many competing schools of thought on déjà vu, but some facts are known for sure.

• The experience we know as déjà vu occurs most in adolescents age fifteen to twenty-five. Apparently this age group is more sensitive to changes in their environment.
• At least 70% of the population (based on studies) has experienced some form of déjà vu at least once.
• Adults and children of all ages experience déjà vu.
• There have been very few tests run on déjà vu simply because you can’t recreate it making it fun to speculate on why and how it occurs.

Popular Theories
There are many theories about why we have that weird sensation of experiencing something twice.

Scientifically, it is believed that déjà vu is some sort of anomaly in your memory. That means something in your memory goes a bit haywire making you think you’ve experienced something before when you’ve actually only dreamed something similar and not remembered until now.

Another scientific explanation that some are trying to pursue is that vision is the answer. Two eyes might see an event separately. If one is faster than the other, you might feel like you’re seeing something twice. This version can’t explain why you hear the same things twice and why people with only one eye still experience déjà vu.
 

More interestingly, those with beliefs in paranormal feel that déjà vu is a sign of psychic abilities. This theory suggests that the more you experience déjà vu, the more able you are to communicate with those beyond us. Experience déjà vu often? Maybe you’re ready to conduct your first séance!

There is a strong argument that déjà vu is tied to dreams. When you dream you only remember a very small portion, so déjà vu could be you remembering a dream very similar to what you’re actually experiencing now.
 

My Déjà vu
I’ve experienced déjà vu very vividly more than a few times in my life. I know that what I dream is almost identical to what I’m experiencing at a much later date – and sometimes I can remember the original dream even before the actual event takes place. Weird, eh? But theories aside, I know exactly what causes the déjà vu:

It’s a shift in the Matrix, of course.