A Woman Should ...

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year. I know I am two weeks early but I figured I'd better put this out now before I get caught up with something else and eventually miss the date.

IWD is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. If you would like to know more about the history of IWD, read here.

To commemorate this day (in advance), I wish to share what Maya Angelou said (and hopefully empower women at the same time):

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .... enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .. a youth she's content to leave behind

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .... a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..... a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..... one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .... a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .... eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honoured

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a feeling of control over her destiny

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to fall in love without losing herself

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...what she would and wouldn't do for love or more

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...where to go - be it to her best friend's kitchen table or a charming inn in the woods when her soul needs soothing

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... what she can and can't accomplish in a day, a month, and a year

And ... here's a reality check from Oprah:

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.

Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.
Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.

Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not meant to be.
Slower is better.
Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.
If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends".
A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend. Don't settle.

If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.
Don't stay because you think "it will get better."
You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.
The only person you can control in a relationship is you.

Avoid men who've got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women.
He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently?

Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.
If something bothers you, speak up.
Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.
You cannot change a man's behavior.
Change comes from within.

Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are...
even if he has more education or in a better job.
Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
Never let a man define who you are.

Never borrow someone else's man.
If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you.
A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.
All men are NOT dogs.

You should not be the one doing all the bending...compromise is a two way street.
You need time to heal between relationships...there is nothing cute about baggage...
Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.
You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you...
a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals...
look for someone complimentary... not supplementary.

Now, this is in no way a male-bashing moment. I am hoping that sharing these thoughts (that was sent to me via email), it will make someone smile, another rethink her choices, and another woman prepare.

Ten Thoughts to Ponder for 2008

In continuation of my new year thoughts, here are Ten Thoughts to Ponder for 2008:

Number 10 - Life is sexually transmitted.

Number 9 - Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.


Number 8 - Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.

Number 7 - Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day, teach a person to use the internet and they won't bother you for weeks.




Number 6 - Some people are like a Slinky ...
Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs. (Thinking of someone now?)

Number 5 - Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Number 4 - All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to Criticism.

Number 3 - Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200.00 and a substantial tax cut saves you $30.00?

Number 2 - In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is Weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

And The Number 1 Thought For 2008: We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located among millions and millions of cows in America but we haven't got a clue as to where millions of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located. Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of Immigration?

P.S. This list is from my email archives. I am still unable to blog something original at the moment.

New Year Thoughts

Happy Chinese New Year everyone. Welcome to the Year of the Rat.

I have always been intrigued by the Chinese zodiac signs and what they represent. To find out more about what a rat symbolises, I checked Wikipedia. This is what I found:

The Rat (Chinese:鼠) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Rat is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities. The Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol 子.
In Chinese, the word 鼠 may refer to either the rat or the mouse. Therefore, in this context, Year of the Mouse and Year of the Rat are interchangeable terms.

Frankly, from personal observation, a rat and a dirty politician have a lot in common.

(Of course, this is in no way intended to make one who was born in the year of the rat 'guilty by association').

OK, enough about rats and dirty politicians. Regardless of species, they are always up to something no good. We cannot change that trait no matter how hard we try. At least, we can rely on faithful and adorable house pets. They can be trained and will probably learn from their mistakes. Here's what I'd imagine a pet's resolution to be in the new year (this list was sent to me via email):

15. I will not eat other animals' poop.

14. I will not lick my human's face after eating animal poop.

13. I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee table.

12. My head does not belong in the refrigerator.

11. I will no longer be beholden to the sound of the can opener.

10. Cats: Circulate a petition that sleeping become a juried competition in major animal shows.

9. Come to understand that cats are from Venus; dogs are from Mars.

8. Take time from busy schedule to stop and smell the behinds.


7. Hamster: Don't let them figure out I'm just a rat on steroids, or they'll flush me!

6. Get a bite in on that freak who gives me that shot every year.

5. Grow opposable thumb; break into pantry; decide for MYSELF how much food is *too* much.

4. Cats: Use new living room sofa as scratching post.


3. January 1st: Kill the sock! Must kill the sock!
January 2nd - December 31: Re-live victory over the sock.

2. The garbage collector is NOT stealing our stuff.

AND the Number 1 New Year's Resolutions Made by Pets...

1. I will NOT chase the stick until I see it LEAVE THE IDIOT'S HAND.

With that, this ends another lame posting. Do enjoy the Chinese New Year season, eat lots of Yee Sang (for yourself and for me) and don't forget to stop and smell the roses. When you do that, do take care of the 'thorns' that may hurt your day.