Courtesy of yalibnan.com

As they say ' diamonds are forever'. If this is the case you might as well learn how to pick your diamond in order to enjoy it forever. In this article we will explain the step by step approach to buying diamonds, in order to allow the shopper to compare in a logical manner one diamond to another.

There are internationally recognized specifications that all Diamond traders use. These specifications are called 5C's. The 5 C's are:
Carat - Color - Clarity - Cut - Cost

Carat :
This defines the weight of the diamond
The larger the carat the higher the price
One carat is equal to 0.20 gram
It is very important not to mistake carat weight with the dimension of a diamond. Because different cuts of diamonds will have different dimensions , even if they were the same carat weight.

Prices of diamonds are expressed in the trade as a price per carat. So when we say that the Carat Weight has the biggest impact on the price of the stone, we refer to the unit price per carat, not just the overall price of the whole stone.


Example 1: These are examples only and do not reflect the actual price.
Diamond "A" = 0.25 carats and costs $1,000 per carat. $1,000 x 0.25 = $250/stone.
Diamond "B" = 0.50 carats and costs $1,250 per carat. $1,250 x 0.50 = $625/stone

How "big" is a carat?
Since it is not easy to weigh a diamond, specially if it is already mounted. The best way to find out its carat weight is to measure its diameter. The table below gives you an approximate size in mm based on the carat weight
0.25 ct. - 4.1 mm 0.50 ct. - 5.2 mm
0.75 ct. - 5.9 mm 1.00 ct. - 6.5 mm

How much does "carat weight" affect cost?
Let's take a typical Diamond for an example, and see what happens when we take it through different carat weights.

A Diamond of G color and SI1 Clarity will be in one Category of prices when it is between 0.50 - 0.69 carats. When you take that same quality Diamond and increase the size to the next price category, which is the 0.70 - 0.89 carat range, the price increase will be approximately $1,100 per carat. Increase to the 0.90 - 0.99 carat range, and the price increase will be approximately another $800 per carat. Increase to 1.00 - 1.49 carat range, and the increase will be approximately another $800 per carat. If you increase to the 1.50 - 1.99 carat range, the price increase will be approximately $1,200 per carat.

In other words a diamond that is 1.0 carat is approx equals to : 1250+1100+800+800
=3950 /carat

While the .5 carat diamond of same color and clarity will be 1250x.5= 625
2 diamonds of 0.5 carat each = 1 carat = 1250

In other words the price of 1 carat diamond is much higher than 2 diamonds of 0.5 carat each. In this example it is 3950/1250 = 3.16 times higher.

Color
The color of a diamond has the second biggest impact on its price, after carat weight. Did you know that diamonds come in every color of the rainbow?
Grading color in the normal range involves deciding how closely a stone's body color approaches colorlessness. Most diamonds have at least a trace of yellow or brown body color. With the exception of some natural fancy colors, such as blue, pink, purple, or red, the colorless grade is the most valuable.



If a diamond does not have enough color to be called fancy, then it is graded in a scale of colors ranging from Colorless to Light Yellow, "D" through "Z". A diamond with a "D" color is considered to be colorless. If the color is more intense than "Z", it is considered fancy. A fancy yellow diamond fetches a higher price than a light yellow diamond.

The Laboratories only grade diamonds which are unmounted , or "loose", and they do so under special light. Once a loose diamond is mounted on a ring, even the trained professional cannot always tell the difference between, say a "D" color and an "E" or "F" color diamond!

How much does "color" affect cost?
Let's take a typical Diamond for an example, and see what happens when we take it through different color grades.

Let's start with a 1.00 carat Diamond of K color and VS1 Clarity. If you move up to an H color, you will pay approximately an extra $1,700 per carat. Move up to F color, the increase will be approximately $1,100 per carat. Improve the color to D and the increase will be approximately $900 per carat.

In other words lets assume a 1 carat diamond of K color = $3000
A 1 carat diamond of D color will be = 3000 +1700+1100+900= $6700
This is more than double the price ( 2.23 times) of K color diamond

Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to how clear, or "clean" the diamond is. The more "clean" the diamond, the higher the price. Most diamonds have "imperfections" in them. The clarity scale is a measure of the severity of those imperfections or "inclusions" as it is known in the trade.



For example, a deep break in a diamond which is not that visible when you look at the stone face-up, could sometimes have a greater impact on the clarity of a stone, than a small black crystal which you can see very clearly face-up.

The following is the GIA Diamond clarity-scale:
________________________________________
FL-Flawless
These stones have no imperfections inside or on the outside of the stone under the magnification of a loupe of 10 power.
IF-Internally Flawless
These stones have no inclusions under a loupe with a 10 power magnification.
VVS1,VVS2-Very Very Slightly Imperfect
These stones have very small inclusions which are very difficult to see under a loupe with a 10 power magnification.
VS1,VS2-Very Slightly Imperfect
These stones have small inclusions which are slightly difficult to difficult to see under a loupe with a 10 power magnification.
SI1,SI2-Slightly Imperfect
These stones have inclusions which are fairly easy to see under a loupe with a 10 power magnification, or visible to the naked eye.
I1,I2,I3-Imperfect


These stones have inclusions which range from eye visible to very easily seen to the naked eye.

How much does "clarity" affect cost?
Let's take a typical Diamond for an example, and see what happens when we take it through different clarity grades.

Let's start with a 1.00 carat Diamond of G color and SI1 Clarity. If you move up to a VS1, you will pay approximately an extra $1000 per carat. Move up to VVS1, the increase will be approximately $700 per carat. Improve the clarity to IF and the increase will be approximately $700 per carat.
In other words lets assume a 1 carat diamond of G color and SI1 clarity = $4000
A 1 carat diamond of G color and IF clarity will be = 4000 +1000+700+700= 60 % more

Cut
The cut of a Diamond is the only property which is totally dependent on man. Although often overlooked, cut is actually one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing your diamond. A Diamond cutter analyzes the rough diamond, and has to determine how to extract the most beauty and most profit out of the rough stone.



Cut refers to not only the shape of the diamonds, but its proportions and finish, factors which determine the sparkle of the diamond.

It is possible to take the same stone, and depending on which method the cutter decides to use, to either cut it into the most beautiful stone it can be despite heavy weight loss and perhaps lower monetary value. Or else, he can cut a stone to its maximum weight and monetary value, but lose some "brilliance" and "sparkle"!

You see, even if you have two equal polished diamonds, both the same carat size, both the same color, both the same clarity, they may look completely different. How? There are many different shapes, and facets in a diamond. The weight can be distributed in different parts of the stone.

The goal in terms of extracting the greatest beauty from a Diamond, is to have light enter a Diamond, disperse the light as it bounces inside the Diamond, thereby producing the different colors and sparkly effect, and finally returning as much light to the eye as possible.

According to conventional wisdom, the proportions shown at the top of this section are the best for maximum light return.

Cost
The most important "C" you have to think about is COST.
There's no "guideline", since there are too many personal factors to consider. You know your financial situation better than anyone. You have to decide on a budget for how much you want to spend, and/or can afford to spend, and then go out and see what that budget can buy. At the end of the article we will give you ideas on how to save and beat the system.

How much does each "C" affect cost?

Let's take a typical Diamond, and change the various properties to see how it affects the price:

Carat- We saw from the example shown above how much more expensive is 1 carat diamond than 2 diamonds of .5 carats each. It was 3.16 times higher

Color- We also saw how improving on the color from K to D more than doubles the price ( 2.23 times higher)

Clarity -We also saw how improving on the clarity from SI to Fl increases the price by almost 60% .

Cut - Is more complicated. The variables are numerous and therefore should be judged on case by case basis. Usually Belgian cut diamonds are for instance much more expensive than Indian cut diamonds. Part of it is prestige, part of it is supply and demand. India is considered to be the largest diamond cutter in the world in terms of volume.

In order to help our readers get the best value for their money we decided to give you some tips on how to get a nice diamond that you will be proud of without having to rob the bank...

Carat : Most professional couples (according to US statistics) usually settle on ring carats from .7 of a carat to 1 carat.

First tip if you are budgeting to get a diamond of .7 carat, try to settle for .69 instead
You could save per carat about $1100 or $770 per stone

2nd tip color
Once the diamond is mounted on the ring, even an expert cannot tell the exact color category of a diamond. If for instance you move from F to H color you will be able to save about 1100 per carat
This is another saving of $770 per stone of about .70 carat

3rd tip clarity
As in case of color , once the diamond is mounted on the ring, even an expert cannot tell the exact clarity category of a diamond. If for instance you move from VVSI to VSI clarity you will be able to save about $700 per carat or $500 per stone of about .70 carat.

I don't want you to skimp on the cut, because this is by far the most important thing about a diamond.

If you add up the savings per carat= 1100 +1100+700
They add up to $2900 . This is a big chunk of savings for a couple starting their life together.

Now lets say you go to diamond dealer to buy a diamond. You could tell the dealer you want :

.69HVS1 brilliant

If you want to buy a diamond of about 0.70 carat and the dealer will know exactly what you want. If you are not sure about the price of this dealer you can go to another dealer and tell him/her exactly the same code. This allows you to compare one dealer to another based on the same specifications. ( as you can tell this is .69 of carat and not .70. In other words it is 1 point shy of 0.70. This is where the term shy buying came from)

Similarly if you want to buy say a diamond of about one carat you will tell the dealer you want:
.99HVS1 brilliant (similarly this is .99 carat and not 1.00)

It is very important to insist on seeing the diamond you want to purchase in its original sealed pouch. Many dealers offer to issue you their own certificate, this can be misleading since the certificate ( see below) should be issued by an independent gemological lab and not the dealer. GIA and HRD are two of the most respected diamond certifiers in the business.
( The picture on your right shows a typical diamond certificate. Since the certificate is wider and longer we decided only to extract the information that you need most).

A certified diamond has been viewed by an independent gemological lab. The lab has studied the stone carefully and recorded all of its attributes on a certificate. This certificate is a blueprint of the diamond. It lists the shape of the stone, its carat weight and the grades for its color, cut and clarity. The certificate will note any inclusions or blemishes found in the diamond.

So what do you do if you're considering a diamond that is already part of a stunnin platinum setting your fiance has fallen in love with? Ask the jeweler for a store certification. The store should be more than willing to give you a written certificate listing all of the attributes they claim the diamond has. You'll still have to take their word that the diamond is what they say it is, but at least you'll have that word in writing and you will be able to save a lot since once a diamond has already been mounted it loses its certifying premium. This applies to all diamonds that have already been mounted. Again in this case if you want to compare one Jeweler to another you compare based on mounted diamond of equal attributes or specifications.


Some jewelers get upset when customers try to compare based on above, but other jewelers prefer to deal with customers that know what they want. In the end you are going to buy from the jeweler you feel you can trust most.

Since certified diamonds are usually placed in a sealed pouch, the moment the seal is broken and the diamond is removed it should be mounted on the ring. Jewelers will mount the diamond while you are waiting for it.

Finally, to help you speak the jeweler's language, we have added at the end of the article the terms that are commonly used by Jewelers, when they talk about diamonds.

There are hundreds of jewelers in Lebanon, but we elected not to list any, since you can find them everywhere. Our aim is to inform the readers and not to influence their decisions.

We hope this guide will help you in selecting the diamond your fiancé will love and enjoy for life thereafter. The main thing for couples is not to worry if you can't afford the most expensive diamond now, there will be more diamonds in your life. Believe me. I have been there. Good luck


Diamonds: A Glossary of Terms

Speaking the jeweler's language:

BLEMISH: A flaw on the exterior of a diamond, such as a scratch, abrasion, nick or chip.

BLUE-WHITE: Refers to a diamond that glows (flouresces) blue under ultraviolet light.

BRILLIANCE: White light reflected back from a diamond.

BRILLIANT: A round diamond with 58 facets.

CARAT: A unit of weight, equal to 200 milligrams. In ancient times one carat was equal to one carob bean or four grains of rice.

CARBON: The raw material of which diamonds are made. Occasionally a diamond will contain tiny pockets of carbon which can be seen as black spots within the stone.

CLOUD: A cluster of small inclusions, or internal flaws, within a diamond.

CROWN: The top of a diamond. Everything above the girdle.

CULET: The bottom facet of a diamond, usually very small.

DISPERSION: Colored light reflected from within a diamond; also called fire.

EYE-CLEAN: Refers to a diamond that has no inclusions or blemishes visible to the naked eye.

FACET: A polished surface on a diamond. A round, full-cut diamond usually has 58 facets.

FLUORESCENCE: A diamond's reaction to ultraviolet (UV) light, causing the stone to glow in various colors.

FULL-CUT: A diamond with 58 or more facets.

GEMOLOGIST: A person who has been trained and accredited in diamonds and colored stones.

GIA: Gemological Institute of America, an independent, non-profit organization which sets and upholds standards for grading diamonds and other precious stones.

GIRDLE: The narrow, unpolished band around the widest part of the diamond; the girdle separates the crown and the pavilion of the stone.

HEAD: The prongs which hold a diamond in its setting.

INCLUSION: A flaw within a diamond, such as carbon spots or fractures.

KARAT: The measure of the purity of gold; 24-karat being pure gold. Jewelry is made from 18K and 14K gold, which contain other metals for strength.

LASER-DRILLED: A diamond that has been treated with a laser to remove carbon spots.

LOUPE: A small magnifying glass used to view gemstones

OFF-MAKE: A poorly proportioned diamond.

PAVE: A method of setting diamonds very closely together, giving the illusion of one or more larger diamonds.

PAVILION: The bottom of a diamond; everything below the diamond's girdle.

POINT: One-hundredth of a carat. A diamond weighing one-and-a-half carats weighs 150 points.

SEMI-MOUNT: A setting which is complete except for the main stone, which will be selected separately.

SINGLE-CUT: A diamond with only 16 or 17 facets.

SPARKLE: The liveliness of the light reflecting from a diamond; the sum of the brilliance and the fire (dispersion).

TIFFANY: A simple, elegant 2-3mm ring setting with a head that holds a single diamond.

I am a very lucky woman. You know why?

First of all, Lem puts up with my mood swings. And THE-WEDDING-IS-OFF stuff...

(evil chuckle)

And if that isn't enough, you must see the ring that he got me.

This is a man that is into quality and beauty. He invested on a ring that could someday start an family heirloom tradition. It is VVS1, ideal cut, G Color on an I Love You Setting. The total carats on all 3 diamonds are 1.7 approximately.

I wore it for the first time yesterday and I was kind of embarassed. Because the middle diamond is just huge. It's as big and as round as remote control button! If you look at the diamond from the top, you can see right through to the silver band. It is just pure ice, and sparkles like nothing I have seen.

Today though, I am getting used to it.

It could have been a down payment for a house. But Lem's just gonna have to wrestle this ring off me. Because it is not going back.

It's mine now.

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I have been busy lately developing The Discount Diva. All my free time in between work and everything else I've spent making it more user friendly.

And today, I finally had a chance to keep up with my blog friends Negrito and Kunstmaeker. After all this time, these two now have decided to move on from the blogging world.

Can you believe it?

I know sometimes, this blogging stuff really takes over you. I even had some strange comments of GO GET A LIFE from my ever courteous visitors on more than several ocassions.

(I do have an idea who that repeat offender is by the way...)



It just makes me feel sad because I really enjoyed their posts. And vicariously try to live my life through them and their exotic trips to the underworld and poetry. Now, I dont have that to look forward to anymore.

Well, I'm still going to keep their links open under MY FRIENDS in hopes that they will someday come back.

Please don't forget me :(

Last Saturday night, the girls and I took in a chick flick over at Tinseltown - Friends with Money.

I really make a point not to see any of Jennifer Aniston's movies. It's like Friends all over again, except on the Big Screen. But Bobbie and Mel are both her biggest fans so off we went. And surprisingly enough, this was one of the first movie in a long time that I really enjoyed. You cant go wrong with a stellar cast, and a great writing team. Even Jennifer's acting abilities couldnt do this movie any wrong.

Olivia: I'm a... maid. What?
Mike: You're... you're really a maid?
Olivia: Yeah.
Mike: Can I... watch?



And of course, Mike buys Olivia a french maid outfit and makes her dust the trellis up and down in one of the scenes.

There's also that scene with Francis McDormand ..... She freaks out at being passed by another customer while waiting for a cashier at Old Navy. She yells for a manager. The manager tells her never to come back. And just like a bird who flies right smack to a glass window, Francis does the same thing and breaks her nose on her way out. Doin' the Old Navy.

The Imaginary Diva has a new tenant!

This site has all the news you need for up-to-date Celebrity Gossip, Lifestyle, Health, Beauty, Fashion, and of course,

The Diva's favourite topic - Men!

I am so tickled pink, that I can now keep up with all the need-and-must-know on my favourite actress Ms. Angelina Jolie. And they have all the latest news!

There are also FREE Goody Bags available for Women Who Love Beauty and Love To Shop! Did somebody call my name??

Here is an excerpt on WHEN MEN SAY THEY'LL CALL (please respect copyright).

Dont forget to visit WOMEN LIFESTYLE, FASHION, HEALTH, BEAUTY AND PERSONALITY! You cant miss the link under my visitor stats.

Advice From A Guy Who Broke Up

The concept for the book sprang from a well-remembered “Sex” scene: The women are dissecting Miranda’s date from the previous night, offering their theories on way he declined her invitation into her apartment afterward. Carrie’s boyfriend proceeds to squash their optimism with his manly insight: “He just not that into you.” But bfore it made its way onto the small screen, this cruelly honest little line came from the mouth of Behrendt, who offered it as a real piece of advice to a writer during a “Sex and the City” story meeting.

The idea is that if a guy is giving a woman excuses (he’s busy…he doesn’t want to ruin the friendship…he’s scared of his feelings…he dropped his phone in the toilet…), he would rather chew off his own arm than tell her the truth: He’s just not that interested in her.So, Behrendt (a reformed “bad boy” who fit the pattern) and Tuccillo turned this epiphany into a book, and Oprah got her giddy mitts on it, and that was all she wrote. “Demand is huge,” says Stephanie Trout, manager of the Barnes & Noble on Northwest Highway in Dallas. “It’s mostly Oprah-driven.” She says it’s mostly women in their late 20s to early 40s asking if they have the book. For weeks, the answer was: not yet.

You can read the whole story by visiting ......

I had a new visitor today that deserves a mention! And a place on my Diva's Friend List. Dr. Wickidy of Wacky World.

His blog is quite entertaining and delightful. It's like picking up a book, and reading the first page and not being able to put it down. Of course, I had to read all the posts. Before you know it, you get this little sweet story in your head about Dr. Wickidy. You would just adore him!

(He really has this way in making you want to fill out a survey).....

He tells me he's not famous. But I dont believe him.

1. Don’t imagine you can change a man - unless he’s in diapers.

2. What do you do if your boyfriend walks out? You shut the door.

3. If they put a man on the moon - they should be able to put them all up there.

4. Never let your man’s mind wander - it’s too little to be out alone.

5. Go for younger men. You might as well - they never mature anyway.

6. Men are all the same - they just have different faces, so that you can tell them apart.

7. Definition of a bachelor: a man who has missed the opportunity to make some woman miserable.

8. Women don’t make fools of men - most of them are the do-it-yourself types.

9. Best way to get a man to do something - suggest they are too old for it.

10. Love is blind - but marriage is a real eye-opener.

11. If you want a committed man - look in a mental hospital.

12. The children of Israel wandered around the desert for 40 years. Even in biblical times, men wouldn’t ask for directions.

13. If he asks what sort of books you’re interested in, tell him checkbooks.

14. Remember a sense of humor does not mean that you tell him jokes, it means that you laugh at his.

15. Sadly, all men are created equal.

I learned something new today about Me. And just when I thought I knew everything.

I was visiting BlogExplosion Blogs and came across Overlooked. He just recenlty made an entry about a new Google Site - www.googlism.com

Googlism.com will find out what Google.com thinks of you, your friends or anything! Search for your name here or for a good laugh check out some of the popular Googlisms below.

"Find out what the Web says about you" - Flazoom.com

I typed in my first and last name - it came back as : Sorry, Google doesn't know enough about sharon x yet.

A Good Thing. Do I really want Google to know more about me?

So, I decided to just googlism my first name. And here are Top Pick! Edited. Edited. Edited. Hey, I did not know those four letter words were allowed by Google. Apparently Googlism, has a healthy dose of filthy words.

sharon is up to no good
(Like, nobody knew that)

sharon is
(Yeah, just Sharon is... ???)

sharon is right too
(Quick reminder, I am right all the time)

sharon is the problem
(Ahem)

sharon is bang voor jullie"
sharon is bang voor papa
sharon is "bang" naar deel 5
(Somebody, please translate this for me!!)

sharon is the one who needs 'one
(No need to fill in the blanks for this one)

sharon is nazi
(Gotta be the best one so far)

(And finally)
sharon is tackling two sacred cows

sharon is sharon is sharon

Sol and I are chatting again about going to a weekly salsa club. We had such a great time last time. The only day she can go is on a Wednesday and the events are pretty thin. Actually, non-existent.

I did found an old ad that a local popular band La Clave was playing at Sonar on Wednesdays. I got so excited over that because Sonar has got the best wooden dance floor. And it's huge. Of course, it is closed. It's always just my luck.

The ad did have a contact number for La Clave and asked them where they are playing. And starting next week, they are going to be the resident band at my old hangout - Saigon on Thursday nights.

I guess I will not be blogging on Thursday nights!

I just got through another major overhaul on this The Discount Diva. I got so blinded by all the pink, and various shades of pink.

This time I redesigned the site and took it from CSS Style Sheets to HTML instead. I had some problems with CSS because I cant preview my work in progress as conveniently as HTML. And I think the effect is a little bit better because I have more javascript experience in HTML. The Discount Diva is now white, with blue, and with purple.

Of course, all the links are not working yet. I still need to finish it. The work in progress should be finished this weekend. Then, I can hang it on a domain name. And maybe get some publicity on it.

I was having another run with my insomnia last night, and I surfed the web trying to tweak my The Imaginary Diva and The Discount Diva.

I found this really awesome site for my new messaging board. It's quite different than some of the sites out there. This board is hosted by Poppydog.com and it's fully customizable. So, I decided to try it out for The Imaginary Diva.

Of course, I had to slave away all night trying to figure out the right codes for the CSS Style Sheets, but I think I managed to do okay. I was halfway done at 4AM. There was just nothing I could do with the IE run time issues. My mind was just a mush of jelly by that time. I was able to get it all fixed this afternoon.

You do not have to be a member of my board to be able to read and post. But, this Message Board has some neat features if you are a member. I have activated the instant messaging feature! That means for all logged in members we can send each other instant messages.

Isnt that just exciting?

More of the ultimate weight loss quiz
Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

Losing weight is more about how you behave and your lifestyle more than anything else. In Part 2 of the Ultimate Weight Loss Quiz, find out if how you live will help or hurt your efforts to lose weight permanently.


1. What are your sleeping habits?

a. I only get five hours. (-3)
b. I get about six hours a night. (-2)
c. Eight to nine hours. (+3)
d. I'm an insomniac. (-4)

Researchers at Columbia University found that individuals who slept less than four hours a night were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who got seven to nine hours. Those who averaged five hours of sleep had a 50 percent greater risk of gaining weight, and those with six hours had 23 percent more risk.

2. When it comes to physical activity:
a. Who has time? (-5)
b. I get enough just living. (-4)
c. I take a long walk a couple of times a week. (+2)
d. I walk or do other physical activities daily. (+4)
e. I walk or do other activities at least 60 minutes daily. (+7)

You must increase activity to lose weight (almost all successful weight losers do), and walking works. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 77 percent of successful losers use walking to keep weight off.

3. As a child, you were:
a. Overweight and exercised very little. (-5)
b. Pretty active and a bit pudgy but not obese. (-1)
c. Active, in shape and always ate healthful foods. (+3)
d. Not fat, didn't have much physical activity, and didn't eat healthfully. (-2)

Being overweight as a child increases your chances of being overweight as an adult. According to studies in Pediatrics, overweight children have a 50 to 70 percent likelihood of becoming overweight or obese adults.

4. My significant other is:
a. Always doing something physical and in decent shape. (+2)
b. Usually pigging out with me in the evenings and on weekends. (-3)
c. Always bringing home fattening foods and never wanting to be active. (-2)
d. Very supportive of my eating healthfully and being active. (+2)

According to research from Cornell University, one criterion we use when selecting a spouse is how he/she eats. If you're a vegetarian or a gourmet, you are more likely to feel comfortable with someone who shares your tastes.

5. What's it like where you live?
a. Plenty of parks and scenic areas to walk around. (+4)
b. Few parks or recreational areas and/or scenic areas. (-3)
c. The suburbs or rural area. (-2)
d. A major city. (+3)

The most common environmental barriers to exercise, according to Health Education Behavior, include safety and the lack of availability or cost of parks, beaches, rec centers, pools and gyms. The American Journal of Public Health reports that people walk and cycle more when their neighborhood has connected streets and nearby shops. Other influences on activity include sidewalks, bike paths, traffic and crime.

6. How's your stress level at work and at home?
a. Very stressful work, such as being a 911 operator. (-5)
b. Moderate stress, such as strict deadlines. (-1)
c. Light to no stress. (+3)
d. High stress from a recent major life event (marriage, moving, job loss). (-3)

Stress increases the release of the hormone cortisol in your body, which may increase your appetite and cause you to store more fat. Plus, we tend to turn to high-calorie, high-fat comfort foods in times of stress.

7. Do you eat while doing other activities (such as driving or watching TV)?
a. No, I eat in a silent place with no distractions. (+5)
b. Yes, but fewer than twice a week. (-1)
c. Yes, two to five times a week. (-3)
d. Yes, more than five times a week. (-5)

Mindless activities induce high-calorie eating.

8. Do you believe you need to lose weight?
a. I've heard that it's OK to have a few extra pounds. (-4)
b. My doctor said I'm at high risk for diabetes and heart disease and I need to lose a few, but I haven't done anything yet. (+2)
c. My spouse bugs me all the time to lose weight. (-2)
d. I would like to look more attractive. (+2)

Part of being able to change a behavior requires that you have a real desire to do so. Make sure you know the reason why you want to lose weight.

9. Do you think you can actually lose weight for good?
a. Not really. (-3)
b. I have fat genes -- but with a bit of work, maybe. (+3)
c. I know that I can eat healthier foods, and ultimately I can control my weight. (+8)
d. It's possible, but so is winning the lottery. (-4)

Feeling confident or believing that you can change your behavior is the single biggest predictor of being able to shed those pounds.

SCORING:

30 or more: Ph.D. in dieting.
15 to 29: Nutritionist.
0 to 14: Changes necessary.
-15 to -1: Need as game plan.
-25 to -16: Overhaul required.
-26 or lower: Seek assistance from a professional

HOW DID YOU SCORE? PLEASE SEND A COMMENT.

Well, it's 12:19 Sunday morning and the party has been a no show.

I should be really tired by now. I started work very early this morning. At 7AM. It was a slow day at the office. I got caught up with all the paperwork. And Matt. Went to a friend's little get together right after work. Left early at about 6:30PM.

But not before I promised to hike the Squamish Chief tomorrow morning at 10AM.

Hiking. No problem. But no Gondola to go down from the top? Did I say I am scared of heights? Please look for me if I dont blog in by night time. I still might be on my way down. With my eyes closed. I'll post pictures. Really. I promise.

I have spent the rest of the night playing with Javascripts, CSS Style Sheets, and tweaking the Imaginary Diva and The Discount Diva. Ever since John Chow got me hooked on content sites, my friends think I have gone AWOL. They might send the Geek Patrol to come look for me.

I ended up catching two of my favourite tv shows - Stargate and Stargate Atlantis. And the highlight? I got approved for my own dating site on the net!!!!!! It is just the coolest. I am not sure what I'll call it yet. I'm not even sure if there is money revenue on it. But, omg, I have a dating site!

Well, I should really call it a night and mentally prepare myself for that hike.

Somebody forgot to educate Lemmy while he was growing up about the common sense of treating women with respect.

There are other things in life aside from his Stargate and his Ebay.

This relationship is definitely done and over with.

The office has been quite challenging lately. The water cooler gossip has emerged to be a full scale cat fight.

WHEN THE MOUNTAIN WILL NOT GO TO MUHAMMAD, MUHAMMAD WENT TO THE MOUNTAIN.

A little gossip is definitely a dangerous thing. Especially when the gossip has moved from the water cooler to the individual work stations. Hate inciting and dubious sources of information has given the new gossip in town low gasoline to fan the flames. So, now Muhammad has had to go to individual work stations to preach his insanity.

Taking a step back, we have to realize that the office is not, and will not, be a democracy. We will not always be heard. We will not always be liked. And we will have no control over management. Those that feel that one voice will make a difference is a fool.

And if we take another step back, we also have to realize that census say only 50% of those "information centers" have a valid reason for working the room. And the other 50% do not even remember why they got started.

And when called to the carpet, these "information centers" will fall back on everyone else. It was never their idea. It was just passed on to them. And as good samaritans, they are informing the population.

Really. And you think this is the first time they have said that? We all have behavioural patterns that tend to repeat almost in a cycle. Good. Bad. And the gossip mongering.

It is a tendency for repeat offenders to offend again. After all, we are only human. We make mistakes. But, we have to go through life as a process. Develop a learning curve to help us adapt with future challenges. We should let all our mistakes of yesterday and today be a foundation for better decision making.

So, please. Dont blame anyone else for the puddle you are standing on. If you dont like the puddle. Dont start it. We create our way in this world. Be a Master of your own destiny.

And I dont want to hear about the puddle you are standing on. It's Old News.

Office-Politics is everywhere.

Tell us about it...

What problems are you grappling with? Is a co-worker making you want to tear your hair out? Did the Boss call you into his/her office? And then pull the rug out from under you! Did you snag a fired co-worker’s furniture -- only to have it stolen by someone in another department? Is the cubicle dweller next to you driving you bananas by chatting on the phone with his wife, girlfriends, kids, etc.? If office politics is causing you heartburn we want to hear from you. Submit your dilemma to OFFICE-POLITICS. We'll keep your identity a secret.

Late last night I was going through another bout of my insomnia so I was up quite late just visiting blogs and seeing if the other half of this world was having a better run.

And of course, Negrito's blog is just all the excitement I can handle. With all these exotic places and people to see.

Today I have a very strange adventure to tell. I went to one of these places that you cannot even imagine if you did not went there, and this is entirely my fault. I mean, as a Grito I am terribly curious. And when I heard that somewhere, they were constructing the biggest building ever made, well, I thought about it once, once and a half, once and three quarters, but not twice. I wanted to run to Dubai, in the Emirates.

As usual I went to Charles de Gaulle to take Air France - I am now such a frequent flyer people do not even bother me hanging around doing nothing in the lounges of Charles de Gaulle - and suddenly: the black hole, maybe I fell asleep, or maybe it was un uneventful flight, all i know is that the second after, I went out by only +33 degrees, full sun, no wind. I must admit I immediatly regretted not to have taken my silk scarf instead of the wool one.

Read More

Then, I passed by Kunstemaeker's, and he just writes such beautiful prose.

It seems like summer is gone. Like summer is through with us. Like from now on,
all we’ll get is autumn, winter and spring. Wind, ice and rain.

I went to Africa several years ago and I met beautiful people with big white smiles. They embraced my presence. I ate and drank and laughed with them but cried because everyone knew the white man was responsible for losing summer. I brought only three seasons with me. It broke my heart and I returned home carrying this
knowledge like a heavy burden.I fell into a deep sleep and dreamed my troubles
away. I became 20 years older in one day.

I remember summer but now all I have left are memories. Memories that are slowly fading. How did I lose you? Sometimes a mind purposely forgets. I wish I was forgotten.

Read More

Yes, I am going through a case of Blog Envy. I like grumble a lot on this blog. And talk about things that people are most likely not interested about. Post up pictures that I find silly to capture my mood. Just like Jerry Seinfeld who wrote a tv show about nothing. This blog is really about nothing.

They inspire me to write better, talk about better things and definitely write about something good to write about.

I am currently composing a petition to change the name of U.S. Currency from dollars" (Ewww!), to "dewlars" (Yah!). I believe that with the change in name from the plain old anti-Semitic, fascist, connotations of the term "dollars" (from the Greek word "doll" which means inanimate object and the Swiss word "ars" which is the vulgar terminology for human backside). So is that what we are "Doll Asses"? Is that what you want your currency to represent? No! That's the answer. Take the leap into the future and make the change to dewlars (taken from the English word "moist" which means moisture and the Latin word "lars" which is the Latin vulgar term for human backside). Now which would you prefer to be, doll asses or moist asses? The choice is yours to make and yours alone, but this is not the end, no! The revolution is now and the Revolution will be televised! Until we speak again I remain. . .

Give him your support! DJ Nikita

Today I smiled, and all at once things didn't look so bad.

Today I shared with someone else, a bit of hope I had.

Today I sang a little song, and felt my heart grow light,

And walked a happy little mile, with not a cloud in sight.

Today I worked with what I had and longed for nothing more,

And what had seemed like only weeds, were flowers at my door.

Today I loved a little more and complained a little less,

And in the giving of myself, I forgot my weariness.

So don't forget to smile!

Well, I have been very quiet of late. It's because I have been investing all my blog time on my discount site. I have been on Geek Mode.

I'm half way over building The Discount Diva site and I am going to be hanging it sometime on a pretty catchy domain.

I have now decided to go PINK! At least, I am now in peace with my choice of color. It was a choice between ultraviolet and canary yellow. Good heavens the pink won.

I even wrote my first product review on the Freedom of the Seas with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. I am so proud of myself.

When I am done with this, probably in another month, I will be looking into The Naughty Diva. So, keep in touch.

Has inspired me to go to Mickey D's for Lunch and have a Big Mac Meal with Super Size everything.

Anyone care to join me?

It's time for PETA's 2006 World's Sexiest Vegetarian Poll. Previous winners include Carrie Underwood, Chris Martin, Andre 3000, Tobey Maguire, Josh Hartnett, Alicia Silverstone, Lauren Bush, Natalie Portman, and Shania Twain.

This year they have a long list to choose from. No sense in just narrowing it to even Top 10. PETA's site must be listing ALL of the movie star vegetarians in the US. What's even more astonishing is that the Men's Nominee List is longer than the Women's List. Prince is on the list of nominees and I will not want to see his naked bod on a billboard for PETA anytime soon.

To vote, visit PETA's website.

Yesterday, a client of mine was just finalizing her cruise to Alaska on a Princess ship. She was getting this together earlier than the cruiseline final payment because they were going to the Bearded Santa Convention in Branson, Missouri.

You know, I really hate to ask.

So, I went on the net. Found out that this is going to be the first ever convention.

My client says that:

The convention is to stress Santa ethics and personality. I think they also go through a series of flash cards to lock in on the reindeer names. When you get this old it is a good idea to throw out a refresher.....

I wonder if they hand out the names of those who have been good for the year? I wonder if my name is on the list.....

Would really love to crash this party. It's almost as inviting as crashing an Energizer Bunny convention. And you know how much I adolize the Bunny.

In February 2004, I met Lindsay (Mick) through Lavalife. I didnt know back then that he would start the turning point of my life. He introduced me to his friend Lemmy.

Last week Lem and I were poking through his old hotmail emails. He started chatting about our first date. It was kinda sweet that he saved all the emails we had going back and forth in 2004. So on May 5, 2004 we went on our first date. I still remember how much of a disaster that was.

First I was close to an hour late. He parked across the street from my place and waited for me in his car. In the middle of a Vancouver heatwave. I finally finished with my project and I asked him to park his car in the garage. I still had my condo on Beach Ave. He moved his car. We had to jump up and down on the hose to get the garage to open from the inside. I banged my forehead on the gate while it was opening. Seriously dont know how that happened.

I almost asked him to kiss it better. But then, he might have thought I was a psycho. After all, it's only our first date. I had this big black mark on my forehead the whole time.

I gave him my house keys to hang on and we went for a walk on the beach. He tried to buy me lunch. I said no. We sat on the beach afterwards, and he told me that I needed a second coat on my toenails.

????????

Made it back into the parking garage. And I looked up at him and I said KEYS, and he thought I said KISS in my non-existent Filipino accent. I still remember the look on his face when I repeated KEYS......

Anyway, the goof never called me after that. I asked him out 3 times after that. I mean, I cant expect to have everything handed to me in a silver platter in this lifetime. So, I've had this policy of asking three times, and if I dont get it, it was never meant to be mine. I just move on to the other battles I can win.

And that I did, I actually started dating another guy. Lem had to do some serious convincing and wooing to get me back. Of course.....

I am always persuadable.

You know what I really like about Lem the most? He makes me smile and he makes me laugh. I like being happy.
<

Bad, Bad Kitty.

Thursday night, Matt and I took the train home after work. The first in awhile. We passed by T&T to pick up a couple of things. And I really thought things would be different. Oh well, I am always wrong when it comes to him.

Friday morning, I got in late of course, went for coffee at Tim Hortons with Matt. Carrie did not make it in to work two days in a row. She's been sick. Sarah and I had pizza delivered to the office at lunch. Chatted with Grace and arranged to do lunches on Fridays. Arranged my set weekly lunches with Alan (we now have a specific lunch schedule at the office). Found out something personal that was quite disturbing. Talked to Mel about it via email.

Lem sent me these wonderful dozen long stemmed orange roses to celebrate our two year first date anniversary. (ah, he is so sweet!) (I mean, who celebrates their first date anniversary?) The roses were so, so beautiful. Its his favourite color. It was so funny because the florist called me to tell me that they didnt think it was going to get to me on time. They had to find the flowers at a shop in White Rock. About an hour away. Of course, I never told Lem about that.

Matt and I had another one of our famous we-are-not-going-to-talk-to-each-other-after-this-conversation-because-we-are-going-to-piss-each-other-off-just-one-more-time. (evil chuckle) This is too much energy for me. Fight only the right battles. This is definitely not one of them.

Lem picked me up and we went to my favourite restaurant. Drove to the Beach. Drove Home. Had a fight. Made up. Never ever going to be an afterthought again.

Saturday I got in to work early. Booked such great cruises for myself and for Rob, Grace and Daniel. Montana was his comical self again. Did relief reception. Met Mel's mom. Went to the groups department for an hour and crashed. I wonder if anybody heard me snoring. I was so tired. I woke up got back to my desk. I think I will do that every Saturday from now on. Maybe I'll bring a pillow. Worked overtime for about 45 minutes.

Lem picked me up and tried to kidnap me into going to Victoria for the weekend. Surprise, surprise! I just love surprises. Just as much as I love dares. (I never back down on a dare). I was so tempted. But I cant let my mom down. I drive her to church on Sundays. We went for dinner instead and then came home. Watched some Stargate. Slept early.

Drove my mom to church. Went to work. Went to church to pick up mom. Had an interesting lunch with Mikey (kid I used to babysit before) and Jay (his uncle - we grew up together). The pastor's daughter-in-law is pregnant. Wow, she's so young. Little Daniel is back from the Philippines. But he's not so little anymore. And we'll have a jam session soon. I used to give him piano lessons. We hunted down the keyboard that I gave him that he left at church when he went back to the Philippines. Mom and I had more food at a Filipino restaurant.

Went home. Did my blog. Worked on thediscountdiva. Cleaned my house.

Cleaned my house some more. I guess I should sleep sometime tonight.

BlogExplosion - Expat life in Bangkok. White Boys in Asia

I just signed up for Blog Explosion recently. And I've never realized how much of a nosy neighbor I am. No more listening through closed doors. No eavesdropping over the phone. No gossiping over the watercooler at the office. Chances are somewhere, sometime someone has blogged about it. You just gotta find it.

I have turned on the BLOG THIS feature of my new Google Tool Bar. With that, there's no stopping me in blogging about everybody else's blogs.

(Did I say that right?)

There are a lot interesting things out there that's been written and this is my Top Pick of the Day. It's quite inspirational really knowing that I dont live there, and that women in North America have generally more options. Hey, I dont want to take the feministic approach to this. So, please read it as it is.

I wonder what the exchange rate is to Canadian or US Dollars. Anyone know?

This is written by Da Wizard / An Expat. Copied by Me. Very interesting.


Thai Bar Staff Wages etc

How much do Thai bar girls get paid? Here are their terms and conditions - plus those of brothel workers and massage girls too. The benefits package isn't very tempting but, on the plus side, they get to meet lots of interesting new people.

Bar girls
Bar girls' salaries range from 2,000 to 6,000 baht per month. Here are some of their work rules.

Only two days off permitted a month, or they must pay 300 baht a day for extra leave days.
No leave permitted on Fridays, Saturdays and national holidays. Otherwise, fines range from 500 to 1,000 baht a day.
Must go out with the clients four to 10 times a month or pay fine of 500 baht for each missed quota.
Must sell 80-100 drinks to clients or pay 30 baht a drink for the missed quota.
Must have health check-up every three months. If the blood test is positive for sexually transmitted diseases, they will not get the salary for that month.
Must wear the outfits arranged by the bars or pay the fine of 100 to 200 baht.
Must not use the clients' restrooms.
Must not eat during work hours.
Must buy own drinking water.

Brothel workers
Sex workers in brothels do not get a salary. They get a 50 percent share of what the clients pay. Here are their work rules:

Work hours start from 6pm to midnight or around the clock depending on clients' visits.
No days off.
Must stay in brothels or in the places set by the brothel owner.
Must pay the police 50 baht a day.
Must pay for food and accommodation 200 baht a day.
Must pay for condoms.
Must have health check-ups once a week.
Those who are indebted to the brothel owner must be accompanied by brothel personnel when they go out.

Massage women
Sex workers at massage parlours do not get a salary. They get their share from what the clients pay for the service. Here are their work rules:

Must follow the work hours set by the business operator.
Must inform leave days in advance.
Must meet the number of clients set by the operator.
Must observe the dress code set by the operator.

I am builing a big bon fire this summer.

I am planning on burning all those Stargate DVD's, and that crazy S&M Mask. The newest addition is Lem's Geeks Rule T-shirt.

He bought it at a Microsoft Partners Convention in Texas. And he wears it all the time. I am not kidding. All the time.

He loves that shirt so, so much. He even designed a Meego for it.

A couple of months ago, I was researching on Google some topics for my blog. I came across an Astrologer named Jenna.

She sent me an email saying that for $65.00 she will give me information on a life transit that is about to happen that will change my life. I was going to get a detailed reading about how it is going to affect my work, my lovelife and my family. It was catchy. I almost caved in.

But why tempt fate? There are just some things that are better left unsaid, untold, and to be discovered in the future.

If you have been keeping up with my blogs, I mentioned my Melodramatic Week. It has been the most strangest, disappointing, emotional, exhilirating week. And as I have said, it's like the sun, moon and earth are aligning to give me this bizarre range of emotions all at the same time. Again, I am back to - I dont think I came home to right house and I woke up to go to the wrong job.

Well, Miss Jenna sent me an email today saying that my transit started a couple of days ago. And I shouldnt waste any more valuable time. For a reduced rate of $45.00 I can better understand what's happening.

Should I?

Lem bought for me www.imaginarydiva.com. I am planning to go live in the next few days.

I have been pulling my hair out with Blogger and their inflexibility to do certain things sometimes. Oh, like, for example, FTP servers. So, folks at home, read this first, before you go and move your publishing from Blogspot to your FTP or SFTP servers.

Lem told me that I should just have imaginarydivabc.blogspot.com forwarded to my server account. And of course my I'm-smarter-than-you-complex (another story, another blog) did not listen to him. He is always right you know. Sometimes that ugly complex of mine pops up at the most inconvenient time.

Instead, I changed my Blogger published access directly to my FTP server. When I did that all my new posts were not appearing on imaginarydivabc.blogspot.com. But it was appearing on www.imaginarydiva.com. I tried to go back and change my FTP access to Blogger / Blogspot, and it would not let me! It told me that the name was no longer available!

And I was thinking, how are my loyal fans going to find me now?? I've got to get a message to them somehow (yes, another story, another blog).

Of course, I had to blame Lem for that.... At midnight, when I'm not thinking straight. He's not thinking straight.

The good folks at Blogger Help Group did come through. I found a strain of help messages that let me fix the problem.

So, ladies and gentlemen, and fans of my blog, I am now back in service.

I do, however, have to make sure I give Lem a big apology. Wish me luck.

The Red Button Game! Thanks to Aaron for keeping it alive!

Won at Hangman (right navigation bar bottom of my blog). This is a first! Word of the day is DISPERSAL with only 1 letter in the Garbage Bin.

Yeah!

Wondering which fella to flirt with next? Make a point of getting to know these men—they can teach you wonderful things about life and love…
So you’re out on the town, looking for a cute guy you’ll click with…who’ll be the next lucky dude? Who’s your usual type? Before you answer, wait a second, and let us urge you not to date your usual type. You’ll benefit big-time by dating various types of guys. Here’s why: Each will stretch the boundaries of what you think makes a suitable mate and teach you a unique set of skills that will come in handy when you do meet The One.

Type #1: The Older ManThere comes a point in every guy’s life when he’s no longer interested in keg parties, Sony PlayStations, and phrases like “getting laid.” In short, a man becomes a man, and that’s exactly why you should see what an older guy is all about. No, it’s not because he could be a sugardaddy who’ll shower you with fancy meals and great gifts (although that could be nice). The real perk of dating an older guy is his worldliness and wisdom, which is bound to rub off on you, says Steve Nakamoto, author of Men Are Like Fish: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Catching a Man. “Because he’s had more life experience and has been through more than younger guys, he can play something of a teacher role,” he explains, adding that he once dated a woman 14 years younger than him. “She still calls me today to thank me for the things I taught her,” he says. “She’s always been very appreciative of advice I gave her, even little things like buying a CD, after I explained that I meant certificate of deposit, and not a music album!”

Type #2: The Starving ArtistOkay, sure: These dudes are not going to take you to fancy restaurants or even pay for your half of the dinner bill. Money, nice meals, and material goods don’t mean squat to this guy—and that’s exactly why you’ll have an incredible time once he opens your eyes to life’s simpler pleasures. Erika Meitner of Charlottesville, VA, now sees the world differently after a summer spent with a struggling musician, Jesse. “We went on the best dates, because they all involved great conversation and the most unexpected adventures,” she says. “He knew all the best cheap beer bars, where the jukeboxes rocked, and colorful people always wanted to tell Jesse their stories.” Not only will the world seem infinitely fascinating, but you may feel more fascinating, too, as you become inspired by his creativity and perhaps play the role of his muse.

Type #3: The MetrosexualOK, so he may be better dressed and more recently manicured than you. Get over it—because not only will you reap the obvious benefits of dating a guy like this (like being able to borrow his expensive shampoos), you’ll get a chance to live a happenin’ life! These guys will take you to all the hottest clubs and coolest clothing stores, and let’s not forget just how fabulous you’ll feel walking hand-in-hand with a man who looks like he just stepped out of an issue of GQ. The benefits don’t end there: His style may well rub off on you. “That’s significant,” says Nakamoto, “because it makes her feel better about herself, as well as making her a stronger player on the social and professional fields.”

Type #4: The Bad BoyThis rebel might have a motorcycle or not, but one thing’s for sure: He lives on his own terms and is not about to apologize for them. Hang with him for a while, and you’ll learn why being bad can feel so good—and how to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks. Talk about liberating! “In general, women tend to be pleasers, much more so than men,” Nakamoto says. “A bad boy can show them what it’s like to quit trying to make everyone else happy, and just do what you want.” New Yorker Diana Petroff has first-hand experience with these bad-boy benefits, having once dated one of these rebels. “He knew there was more to the world,” Petroff explains. “And from being with him, I learned to look deep inside myself for what's truly important—rather than just accepting what my parents or friends thought was the proper path for me.”

Type #5: The Nice GuyHe never makes you feel insecure or uncertain, never plays hard to get, never makes you doubt how he feels about you. It’s a shame that we need to explain this one, and yet we know how hard it can be to date a true sweetheart, at least at first. “A woman won’t be used to the frequency and consistency of affection nice guys give, since most other guys who are playing the dating game don’t do that,” Nakamoto explains. Even so, he advises that women get used to the nice guys, and quick. Why? Because once you’ve had the good stuff (a guy who calls when he says he will; a guy who wants to see you more often as he gets to know you), you won’t stand for anything less. At the same time, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should start sending out the wedding invites after a few months. “Just because he’s nice doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the right guy,” Nakamoto warns. “He might rate low in terms of romantic chemistry, because he lacks the edge that creates the kind of surprise, passion, and excitement that all people want in their lives.” Of course, the key is finding the man who has everything you want—until then, however, go ahead and try everything and don’t worry so much about whether you’ve found Mr. Right. Trust us, he’s out there. In the meantime, have fun!

_______________

Written by Maura Kelly

Before settling down, these are the gals every man should date. Why? For the connection you two feel, of course, but also for the relationship lessons each one will teach you.

With so many amazing women out there, how do you know which one is right for you? The honest truth is, you don’t really—that is, unless you get out there and date. “Men should experience dating many different types of women before they settle down,” says Gilda Carle, Ph.D., a New York-based relationship expert. “The more relationship skills you learn and the more experiences you have, the more prepared you’ll be when true love finally comes.” So, allow us to present five women you really should date before you say, “I do.” Of course, no one is saying you should go through life with a little checklist titled “Women to Date,” but spending time getting to know and appreciate these women can be a wonderful thing. Here, a look at who they are and why you should go out with them.

Type #1: The Older Woman
If you haven’t tried dating up the age chain, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. Mature women have been places, seen things, and have a sophistication and wisdom that you, my young friend, can—and should—soak up like a sponge. “Older women know who they are and what they want,” explains Dr. Gilda. Spend time with one and you’ll gain a terrific perspective on life, and realize that being a desirable woman doesn’t mean being a woman younger than you are. Says Patrick Hayden of Seattle, WA, “I definitely recommend dating an older woman. I dated one when I was 19 and she was 30, and what she taught me carries over to this day.” While a knowledge of wine, travel and the human condition are usually par for the course, so is something else: a tutorial on how to please a woman in bed. “The older woman I dated was like a sex mentor to me. She taught me absolutely everything I know,” recalls Patrick.

Type #2: The Guy’s Girl
Every guy needs to experience that rare breed of gal who looks and talks like a woman, but loves sports, beer, and action flicks—in short, who acts like a guy. Evan Silver is dating this type right now and couldn’t be happier about it: “She’s a hot woman who plays rugby and encourages me to hang out with my guy friends,” he says. The guy’s girl is often so similar to you that you forget to censor yourself around her—a good thing, according to Dr. Gilda, because it causes you to be more comfortable around women in general. “You’ll let your guard down more, just as you would around your guy friends,” she says. “You’ll learn that women can offer you friendship that you don’t have to reserve for your own gender.” We’re not saying you’ll be staging belching contests with all your future loves, but you will realize that there’s no reason to walk on eggshells around the person you’re dating. You can just be yourself—which is all women want anyway.

Type #3: The Free Spirit
This girl always stops to smell the roses. Think Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Claire from Six Feet Under. She’s totally creative, spiritual, spontaneous—maybe a tad ditzy—and she relies more on instinct and inspiration than reason and good planning. Why is this good for you? Because let’s face it: Guys are goal-oriented. We like game plans and spreadsheets; road maps and instruction manuals. That’s why sometimes we need a free spirit to fly into our lives and shake us free of our rigid ways. “A woman like this can tap a man’s creativity in ways no one else has,” says Dr. Gilda. “She shows him that not everything has to be perfect or planned.” Michael Pagliughi of Ocean City, NJ, concurs. He considers himself a tad uptight—and says that his art-student girlfriend taught him to chill. “She took me to some underground art galleries, had me stay up to the wee hours even when I had to work the next day,” he recalls. The spontaneity she taught him has carried over into other relationships. “She really helped me discover a more romantic, creative side of myself,” he says. “Now I’m much more likely to meet a date somewhere unexpected or surprise her with flowers."

Type #4: The Brainy Chick
In the dating game, looks often trump intelligence—guys go for hotties rather than girls who can stand their ground in a heated debate. This is really a shame, since not only can the sharp ones keep your mind from turning to putty, they can help you appreciate all facets of a woman and even handle those times in your life when you don’t know it all. “Men are so often intimidated by smart women—they have vulnerable egos and never want to feel as if any woman is showing them up,” says Dr. Gilda. Sure, dating a woman who can beat you at chess or argue circles around you about Middle East politics might be a bit of a blow to your ego at first, but ultimately, you’ll grow from it. Michael of Austin, TX, recalls his brainy ex-girlfriend this way: “She taught me how to debate with the best of them. I had to bring something to the table or she’d get bored. She challenged me in a way I wasn’t used to and that felt great.”

Type #5: The Seductress
Every man fantasizes about dating a girl who has an, um, healthy libido and is extremely creative in bed. The good news: These girls actually exist—and if you date one, you’ll be a much better man for it. But it’s not for the reason you might think. Says Dr. Gilda, “Every guy needs to get this type of girl out of his system. Because he’ll quickly realize that sex alone cannot sustain a relationship.” Evan can relate; he dated a girl who lived and breathed sex. “It was cool at first,” he recalls. But soon he began to want something more. “There was nothing else there, no romance and not much conversation,” he says. “I realized the only connection we had was sexual.” Evan has since moved on from the seductress, but he learned a ton. Sure, hot sex still ranks high on his wish list, but now he also wants a girl he can also really relate to and bond with. And that’s a very valuable lesson.

________________

This is written by Jonathan Small

The internet is always a fountain of information. Since setting my Personalized Google News, it updates me on the latest need-to-know activities worldwide.

It seems that the need to know for May 6, 2006 is the International No Diet Day. I had to do some additional research on this, because clueless me, have never heard before of it before.

Sure enough, here is the 411 on it.....

May 6th is a day to protest against dieting!

Down with the tyranny of thinness!

Give up dieting for one day, and celebrate healthy self-acceptance!

Speak out! Have a picnic! Smash your bathroom scale!

Down with Barbie dolls! Girls need new role models!

Food is not the enemy!

The enemies are the diet and fashion industries!

The enemies are advertising and television!

Let's stop judging ourselves by what the scale says!

Food is meant to be enjoyed!

It's time to say no to the diet mentality!

People come in all shapes and sizes!

Size diversity forever!

In 1992, Mary Evans Young and Diet Breakers planned a no-diet picnic in Hyde Park in London. They asked people to think about whether diets really improve their lives. In 1993, No Diet Day came to the US, and has been celebrated worldwide since then.

In years past, INDD celebrations have included scale smashings, demonstrations, and closet cleanings, where women take the clothes they have been saving "until they got thin", and donate them to shelters.

©2000, Council on Size & Weight Discrimination, Inc. 845-679-1209 www.cswd.org

What are you up to??

In this lifetime, we will always have obstacles come our way. Forks in the road. We can get so caught up sometimes fighting every battle. And then we get so drained.

I think we all need to learn to take a step back and evaluate the situation. It just all comes down to fighting the battles that are worthwhile. Battles that have better probability of going in our favour. Why fight a losing battle? What a waste of energy.

Please dont try to fix what's not broken.

It's like as if the sun, moon, earth and stars have all aligned to make my last few days very melodramatic.

You know, it's the kind of day that you'll never ever remember or nothing really momentous happens. It's not happy / happy / good, it's not bad, and definitely it's not terrible. They're the kind of days that sometimes you feel it's leading up to something big.

Poor Lemmy. He's had to deal with me. With lots of hugs and kisses. And he put Stargate aside just to make sure that all is well with my mental being.

Still, I feel a little bit misplaced. Like as if I came home to the wrong house last night and I went to the wrong job today.

Something doesnt feel right.

Maybe I'm phasing in and out dimensions. Who knows. It's all that Stargate I've been watching.

Lem calls me at work and tells me that he's making me dinner.

And he made me such a great dinner. It was ready, piping hot when I got home.

He let me change his boxing match on tv to one of my favourite show Crossing Jordan.

Then he tells me he's taking a night of ebay.

And Stargate.

He follows me around the house with no purpose whatsoever.

Help, an alien is walking around pretending to be Lemmy!!!!!

We import products from China for our ebay store, and one of the factories we deal with, our sales rep just got back from maternity leave. We are very excited of course. She's our favourite and takes care of us really well.

Lem is so sweet and sent her "Canada" baby clothes. They sent us this picture.

It's very beautiful today in Vancouver.

The Alaska cruise ships are now in town and we can see them from our windows here in the office. The tourists from all over the world are now crowding our downtown streets.

I had some time off scheduled for the last 2 weeks of May and I just cancelled it with the big boss. Lem and I have both finally agreed to do the wedding thing in August. He's busy. I'm busy. And we'll all sort it out in the next few months.

All is happy in the neighborhood today.

It's such a shame that I'm leaving Burnaby and moving.

I remember the first time I moved to Burnaby, when I was 16. I hated the place. I came from such a fun city called Pasadena in California. Where it never snows.

I had to go to finish my high school at Burnaby Central, and the teachers would always alphabetisize the seating. The pesky boy named James always sat behind me, and such a cliche, always played with my pigtails. Ever since then we've been the best of friends. He's been through all my heartaches, and all of my problems. You know, sometimes even the strong ones need someone to depend on.

We've just been so busy. Him getting married. Me floating around (what else is new he says) But some things never change. We are always just a phone call away. Okay, maybe I should correct that, we're just an MSN away. Now, we're neighbors again, even for just a short amount of time.

And I know I can always count on them to be there for me, without any prejudice. That's what real friendship is all about.

I have finished updating my right navigation bar. And yes, I took away the banners. By popular demand.

I did add a couple of neat things though. A lyric box which hopefully I will not forget to keep on updating. Some free beauty product links. And a Hangman game. I have just spent the last 2 hours on it and I seem to have lost just about every play. I mean who can guess WYOMING???? Hang Me Now. Please.

I have reached the end of the road for my newest blog - thediscountdiva. It's now up to Steve to make it pretty. I seem to gravitate to colors such as canary yellow, hot pink and violet. That doesnt seem so appropriate for a discount site. And I guess when he's done and over with, I'll probably hang it on some server. So stay in tune....

And the plan for tonight is to learn Joomla. Taking John Chow's advise. So many pages to go through. So many words. How did I ever manage to finish university? That I will never understand.

Tonight will be a quiet night for me. And as Lemmy says, a Quiet Sharon is the best Sharon to be around with.