It’s a goal for every couple to be happy in their marriage. This often means overcoming hiccups, forgiving past grievances, letting go of each others’ little annoyances, and even doing things for the other that you don’t really want to do (like redecorating the house for her or going to football games with him). Doing these things are great and are essential in creating a happy marriage, but after so long of working just to keep the peace with each other and doing things to avoid conflict, couples often discover that they wish their relationship had more flavor. They wish it was more exciting, more vibrant, more passionate, etc. This doesn’t mean that they’re not in love with their spouse or that they’re not happy in their relationship. They just wish their relationship had more excitement, more variety and more…well, flavor. So below are some tips that will help you to create more flavor in your relationship.
• Don’t just focus on how to keep from irritating your spouse, focus on how to excite your spouse. It’s natural to not want to annoy your spouse but if all you focus on is not stepping on their toes then you ‘re losing focus on more fun things like thinking of ways to excite or surprise your spouse. For example, next time you get an invitation to go out with your friends don’t just think about how you’re going to tell your spouse in a way that won’t annoy them or get you in trouble. Instead, think of a way you can turn it into an opportunity to surprise or excite your spouse.
• Add variety. Humans are creatures of habit. After years of marriage you probably have a favorite TV show you watch together, a favorite restaurant you both like going to, a usual night of the week you go out on and a regular babysitter who you call. But in all this routine, you lose a lot of flavor your relationship. Part of having an exciting relationship is to experience novel things together. This way you are always getting to know each other in new ways – like seeing your spouse wince when they try a new food they don’t like or when they buy you a new kind of CD to listen to. These novel experiences create freshness and variety in an otherwise routine relationship.
• Spice up the bedroom. As mentioned before, humans are creatures of habit. After years of marriage many couples come to a routine in the bedroom, too. They find themselves having sex in the same position, at the same time (e.g. after the kids go to bed), and in the same place (e.g. the bedroom). Breaking habits in the bedroom and trying new things creates spontaneity, allows you and your spouse to connect in new ways and forces you to communicate about an area of your relationship that creates passion and bonding. So next time you’re both feeling in the mood don’t just wait until the kids are in bed. Any place or time with some privacy will do. Besides, finding a new places and times might require you to get creative about new positions, too.
• Talk about each others’ emotional needs. After living with someone so long you learn to discuss practical needs very well (e.g. need more milk, or need new socks, etc) but have you ever stopped to ask what their emotional needs are? Every person has the same fundamental emotional needs: the need to feel safe, the need to feel appreciated, and the need to feel important to name a couple. You two may be doing well at talking about your practical needs but how well do you do at talking about your emotional needs? To open up to each other and talk about whether you feel important enough or safe enough, etc., that creates a new flavor in your relationship that creates connection vibrancy.
These are just a few suggestions of things you can do to create more flavor in your relationship. But don’t limit yourself to just these. Make an effort to identify the routines in your relationship and come up with ideas together about how to change them in ways that are new, exciting and fun for both of you. Just like ice cream, there’s lots of different flavors you can try and while some may not exactly be your cup of tea, you may be surprised which flavors you actually like.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
For an exquisite gift to that special man in your life, a designer tie can be just what you’re looking for. They are a truly luxurious gift and will last for many years when properly cared for.
How to choose one that is truly good quality? Price isn’t always a good indicator. Here are a few tips to help you when shopping for men’s ties:
BIAS CUT
You want a tie that has the fabric cut on the bias. This helps ensure that the tie falls straight rather than twisting or falling at an angle.
To test a bias cut, try this: take the necktie and make a tie knot. Drape it over your hand (make sure the knot lies on top). If the tie falls straight and not off center, the tie is likely cut on the bias.
TIE LINING
The lining could be cut too small for the design of the tie and can cause it to pucker or curl at the edges. Test the lining by draping an unknotted tie in half over your hand. Watch that the narrow end of the tie falls to the middle of the wider end. This is a good indicator that the tie is falling straight and the lining is sized appropriately.
STRETCH THE TIE
Grab the necktie at both ends and give it a good tug. If the tie retains its shape and is not misshapen once you relax the ends, it’s a sign that the tie is well made and the fabric is of good quality.
LOOK FOR THREE PIECES
A good quality tie will have one piece for the back narrow end, one piece for the front wide and and one piece for the center neckband.
FABRIC
A fine quality tie is made from silk (not satin!) with the lining made from wool. Look for high wool content or 100% wool.
Keeping these tips in mind the next time you shop for a good quality men’s tie will help save yourself from spending too much money on a shoddy necktie priced as if it were a well made designer label tie.
The myth that the running shoe is beyond the fashion realms is an idea that the three trainers below can safely put to bed. Exercising the energetic nature within all of us Ape’s, this bunch have finesse to ensure that even when covered in sweat your feet still look cut above the rest.
Did you ever get a blob of white sauce fall on smack in the middle of your black silk tie? Mustard parted ways with your hotdog to land on the most visible part of your favorite maroon tie? Of course white goes well with black and yellow with red, but it’s an unwanted decoration on your tie. All you need to do is follow simple cleaning tricks to ensure that you always have a clean tie to wear, without buying a new tie every time.
The tie can be sent for dry cleaning for professional help. Silk ties pose more of a problem as dry cleaning them tends to rob them off the color and sheen. Dry cleaning removes most stains but can sometimes worsen them too, or cause the tie to lose some of it’s original color all over or in the stained area. Make sure that you inform the dry cleaner about the origin of the stain so it can be treated with specific stain removers.
If the tie is of lesser value than the dry cleaning and you wish to keep the tie, you can try these stain removal tips. These methods work most of the time but not with every stain.
To remove a stain, never rub it. Gently dab it with a clean towel, napkin or cloth. Rubbing will spread the stain.
Do not wash the silk tie with water to remove the stain, the original stain will go but you will wind up with a larger water stain.
To ward off diabetes, the solution is simple, according to a new study: Move more. The more you exercise, the better your body handles blood sugar and insulin, scientists found.
It may sound obvious, but up until now research had actually showed mixed results on the effect of cardio on blood sugar. This is the first study to show that the more exercise you do, the better your insulin sensitivity.
For this study, researchers had 55 healthy people who weren’t already exercising come into the lab and work out three to five times per week. After four months, the researchers found that people who had burned the most calories per week saw the greatest improvement in insulin sensitivity. What’s more, higher-intensity workouts—boosting the number of calories you burn per minute—also made a significant impact in slowing the path to diabetes. (Click here for 50 More Ways to Add Years to Your Life.)
Here’s why: As you continue to exercise at least once every few days, your body learns to handle insulin more efficiently, which helps prevent type-2 diabetes, says study author Francesca Amati, M.D., Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at the University of Lausanne.
Our advice? Work smarter, not longer. Add this interval routine to the end of every workout: Walk for 60 seconds, followed by a 30-second sprint, for four cycles. (You can also do the same slow-fast ratio on an exercise bike, rowing machine, or in the pool.) If you’re strapped for time, make this your workout for the day. (If diabetes runs in your family, you need to watch your weight, too. Make sure you know The Truth About Calories.)
That’s a mere six minutes of running, but you should feel completely cashed out by the end. Follow each interval routine with a 10-minute walk or jog. “That will both flush out lactic acid and extend your calorie burn as your heart rate tapers down,” says Tom Holland, M.S. Not tough enough for you? Work up to only 30 seconds or even 15 seconds of walking between your sprints, for up to 10 cycles.
“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.”
It’s so much easier to be pessimistic than to be optimistic, isn’t it? To look at the glass half empty instead of the glass half full, to criticize and complain instead of expressing our appreciation and gratitude for everything that happens to us and all around us. Well, not anymore.
Today I want to present you 8 steps toward a more healthy and positive thinking, toward a more healthy and positive life, and hopefully you will realize that it’s a lot easier to be positive than to be negative, and it’s a lot easier and healthier to be optimistic rather than pessimistic.
1. Always focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. The mistake that most of us make when having a problem is to talk about it over and over again instead of focusing on the end result, instead of focusing on what we want to achieve.
2. Know that every problem comes with a lesson. There is always a lesson in everything that happens to us, and we should constantly look for what that lesson is and master it, because you see, just like Confucius said it: “If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.”
3. Don’t believe everything you think. Our problems aren’t as big as the mind is trying to convince us, and if you choose to believe every negative though that goes through your mind, you will always get in trouble. Observe your mind, observe your thoughts, but don’t identify yourself with them. Go beyond them.
4. Choose to express your gratitude for everything that happens to you, whether good or bad, and also for every person you interact with. The more you choose to express your gratitude, the more reasons you will have to express your gratitude for, and when you’re too busy focusing on the many things that you are grateful for, there will be no more room left for stress and worry, there will be no more room left for negativity.
5. Know that there is a reason for everything. Everything that happens to you, happens for a reason and every person that enters your life enters for a reason, and it’s your responsibility to act upon this knowing and not to label them as being good or bad, negative or positive, etc.
6. Let go of your need for perfection. When you try to do everything perfect, you will meet with stress and frustration, because you see, it is impossible to be perfect in everything you do, and why would you want to be perfect anyway? Don’t you know that perfection leave no room for improvement?
7. Let go of your resistance. Accept things as they are without you trying to change them, without trying to fight against them. When you stress over an outcome and when you resist what is, you are in fact fighting against the present moment, against the present reality, against the whole universe, and believe me, this is a battle you will never win. Allow yourself to just be. Go with the flow, and know that life wasn’t meant to be a struggle, even though that’s what your mind was trying to convince you all of these years. Learn to let go and know that: “By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning.” Lao Tzu
8. Learn to be present in everything you do. When you become present and really engaged in the now, your whole life will become so much easier and you will realize how your problems will start to disappear, little by little. If you get too caught up in your mind, if you think too much about what happened in the past and about what may happen in the future, you will create a great deal of pain and suffering, and the energy you will generate will be toxic, not only for yourself, but also for those around you, because you see, energy it’s contagious.
This Mother’s Day, Jada Pinkett Smith invites us into her family, as she sits down for a heart-to-heart conversation with her daughter Williow and her mother Adrienne. In this short trailer, Adrienne admits that she wasn’t the greatest mother to Jada and Willow wonders about why the three generations of women haven’t spent enough quality time together. Check out the video and let us know what you think!
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale
“If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.” – Michael Jackson
Designer Ishac Bertran has come up with an elegant idea for spatially aware devices with a user interface that allows media to be transferred seamlessly from one device to another. A user would simply hold up their mobile device to their computer, creating a visual link that appears as a circle across both screens to show they’re connected, and then transfer content by dragging and dropping it.
Despite how virtually connected our devices are (iCloud, Dropbox, …), they still lack a tangible connection. A (representation of a) physical connection of those devices would facilitate a more intuitive interaction built on traditional mental models from the physical world. That’s one of the main reasons why kids interact with iPad so naturally, because it uses interfaces based on natural, tangible interactions.
Take a look at the video below that explores new ways of interacting with media across multiple devices:
Be the first man who captures her heart
Tell her she is beautiful both inside and out
Hugs and Kisses are sure to make her feel loved
Expectations like these she will grow to cherish and adore
Holding her doors and pulling her chairs out begins with you
Set the tone from the start so these things won’t be anything new
Showing her how she should be treated early is only the beginning
Creating a confident girl will turn her into a confident woman
Let her know that loving herself first is the greatest foundation
So that she won’t need to seek it from others as some form of validation
Teach her that she deserves to be treated with the utmost respect
And if she encounters someone who doesn’t, she’ll walk away without regret
She won’t feel the need to stay in something where she is not truly loved
Because she’ll remember all that was instilled in her and her choices in life won’t seem so tough
So don’t forget to love our Daughters and plant the seed of love
Because her first idea of Love was created by you and sets the bar highly above
“The ability to concentrate and to use your time well is everything if you want to succeed in business – or almost anywhere else for that matter.” – Lee Iacocca
What ever happened to good old-fashioned manners? Not a lot of men follow the simplest of rules these days and consequently, it shows in how they behave. Aside from the momentary fashionable trends that seem to grip our society ever half generation – good etiquette tips never go out of style.
Mybrotha gives you 10 of the most important ones:
1. Restaurants – Whenever dining out (especially in a formal setting), be sure to allow your female partner to be seated first. You can control this situation by pulling out a chair for her and seating yourself afterwards. For those of you who dare to be really chivalrous — it is common practice to stand when a woman gets up to leave the table.
2. Table Manners – When sitting at a table (either in a restaurant or at home), your elbows should never rest on the eating surface. Elbows on the table are acceptable only between meal courses, or in extremely informal settings like bars or pubs.
3. Addressing Women- Did you know that there is a correct and incorrect way to address a woman, both verbally and in writing? It all depends on her age and marital status.
You should speak and write “Mrs.” when addressing married woman. For any woman who is unmarried, or if you’re not sure about her marital status – use the term “Ms.” For girls and teens under the age of 17 years, you should use “Miss”.
Various cultures inside and outside the U.S. usually have two distinctions — (i.e. Madam, Señora, Frau (for adult and married women); and mademoiselle, señorita, fräulein (for unmarried teens and girls). Of course you could always use a generic, respectful “ma’am”, for women of all ages and classifications.
4. Hats and Caps – Never enter a building with your hat or cap on. The only exceptions are public places of interests such as train, bus, and subway stations; indoor and outdoor pavillions; or places near public street entrances like lobbies or hallways. You should always remove your hat for photographs, when entering a home, for the national anthem, and when in the presence of a woman.
5. Flowers- Unless you mean to say — “I love you my little Snookum-Cakes”, something other than red or pink roses should be given to female acquaintences. Roses are a symbol of love, romantic interest, or “respectful love” — as in situations when giving roses to a mother on Mother’s Day.
For occasions when a female is not a love interest (i.e. birthdays, graduations, promotions, or new friendships) — choose from a variety of “friendly flowers” like Lilies, Sunflowers, Daisies, Chrysanthemums, Bamboo, or Irises.
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman
SUPER BOWL CHAMPION New York Giants’ defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul went up against supermodel and Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover model, Kate Upton, in a head on battle of the sexes. The event this week—powered by Axe SportBlast, an energizing 2-in-1 shampoo and shower gel—put the two up to a series of challenges, from a table tennis match to a balance beam stunt. In the end, it was his killer runway strut that won him the competition.
JPP’s journey to the NFL has been similarly surprising. He didn’t even play football until junior year of high school—only to be drafted by the Giants in 2010. It’s something an early high school JPP, with his eyes set on the basketball court, didn’t see coming. “Anybody can try something new and succeed at it,” he says. “I’m living proof of it.”
Not convinced that a Superbowl title is in your future? You can still try out new things closer to your comfort zone, suggests the 2012 Pro Bowl pick. “For those men out there playing a sport and think that sport is not for them, I encourage them to go out and try something new,” JPP says. “There’s nothing wrong with it. If it’s not for you, just go back and play the sport you were playing before.”
You can apply this lesson to your grooming routine as well. If you can’t remember the last time you changed your hair, try something different, like growing it out. Or, pick out a new sports-inspired fragrance for a simple way to enliven your whole routine.
Sat May 26: Eric Roberson LIVE 7:30 PM
The Birchmere Music Hall
3701 Mt. Vernon Avenue Alexandria, VA 22305
(703) 549-7500
Tickets $35 Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
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Sun June 3: Just Live Soul Presents UnSung Heroes
Ft. Eric Roberson, Chico DeBarge, & Glenn Lewis
IndigO2 - The O2
Millennium Way Greenwich SE10 0AX
Ticket Prices £28.00 - £44.00 Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
Tues June 12: WBLS Presents Up Front & Personal
With Eric Roberson & J Holiday
BB King Blues Club & Grill
237 W 42nd Street New York, NY 10036
Doors Open @6:00 PM Showtime @8:00 PM
Tickets $22.00 In Advance, $25.00 Day Of The Show Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
Wed June 13: City Parks Foundation Presents
The Summer Stage W/ WBLS
Featuring Eric Roberson And J. Holiday
Herbert Von King Park
670 LaFayette Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11216
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Admission: FREE
Sun June 15: Smith Entertainment Presents
The Mister Nice Guy Tour Ft. Eric Roberson
W/ Special Guest Jennifer Sheffield
Hosted By DJ Thomas Krowne
The 4020 Lounge At The Fish House
Durham, NC 27707
Ticket Prices $25 / V.I.P. Tables Available Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
Fri June 22: The Mister Nice Guy Tour
Featuring Eric Roberson
The Shrine 2109 S. Wabash/South Loop Chicago, IL
Doors Open 8 PM/ Showtime 9:00 PM
Advanced Tickets $20.00 Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
Sat June 23: Jill Scott's Summer Block Party
Featuring Jill Scott, KEM, DJ Jazzy Jeff
With Special Guest Eric Roberson
The Mann Center 5201 Parkside Ave Phila., PA 19131
Doors Open @6:00 PM Showtime @7:00 PM
Tickets $99.75, $79.75, $49.75 (Terrace), $39.75 (Lawn) Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
Sat July 7: 2012 Essence Music Festival - Super Lounge
Featuring Eric Roberson, Stephanie Mills, Big Sam’s
Funky Nation, Dru Hill, The Original Pinettes Brass Band,
The Stylistics, The Robert Glasper Experiment,
& Teedra Moses
Mercedes Benz – Super Dome
Sugar Bowl Drive New Orleans, LA 70112
Doors Open @ 6:30 PM Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
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Sat Aug 4: Summer Spirit Festival
Featuring Eric Roberson, Erykah Badu, Common,
Sharon Jones And The Dap Kings, Chuck Brown, & Estelle
Merriweather Post Pavillion Doors Open @3:00 PM
10475 Little Patuxent Parkway Columbia, MD 21044
Ticket Prices $44 (Lawn), $66 (Loge Pavillion),
$86 (Floor), $125 (Center Floor & Center Pavilion) Click Here To Purchase Tickets.
Oct 20 - 28: The 6th Annual Capital Jazz Super Cruise
Featuring Eric Roberson, Will Downing, Boney James,
Earl Klugh, Chrisette Michele, Gerald Albright, Dwele,
The Brand New Heavies, Oleta Adams, Kim Waters,
Nick Colinne, Peabo Bryson, Ken Ford, Nnenna Freelon,
Shilts, Marcus Johnson, Frank McComb, Chuck Brown,
Bob Baldwin, Gary Taylor, Stanley Clarke & George Duke,
The Three Mo’ Tenors, The Urban Guerilla Orchestra,
Step Afrika!, N’Dambi, Geno Young, Algebra Blessett,
Choklate, Elijah Bland, Navasha Daya, Chaz Shepherd,
Lynne Fiddmont, & Jarrod Lawson.
Plus Special Guests D.L Hughley, Yolanda Adams,
& George Clinton& Parliament/Funkadelic.
Departing From Ft. Lauderdale to St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten/St. Martin
For More Info Go To www.CapitalJazz.com
NEWSLETTER
Enjoy
Here is the Music Player. You need to installl flash player to show this cool thing!
