Of romance

Someone told me recently that romance has a shelf life of 5 years and that after that only love remains. Me thinks: What is love without romance?!

Interesting... it never occured to me that romance had an expiry date, I've always believed that romance and love go hand in hand. How sad, this notion. But then again, is it not a more realistic point of view? I dunno. Things are far greyer these days. Nevertheless, I choose to believe as I did before that one cannot separate love from romance. ;)

Anyways, my friend's statement peaked my curiosity and I Googled "what is romance?" and "is romance real?". Here're some snippets of what I found... some are hilarious!

How to be romantic (check it out here) "...a whole ton of things are intrinsically romantic, and you should use them to your advantage..

• Fancy Curly Things

  Flair and flourishes are romantic. Whenever you get her a greeting card, get one of the ones with all the curly pink scribbles on it. When you write her letters, make the tails of the 'g's and 'y's really long and the loops in the 'd's and 'b's and 'p's really big. That's way romantic. Notice how romantic the title banner at the top of this page is? The 'R' is particularly romantic, because it's red." [Me thinks: What?!! Are girls that guillible?]
  

"When you connect with and experience your own feelings while, at the same time, taking in the feelings of the one you love, you are walking straight into the open heartspace of real romance, into the special connections you make with one another, whether small and subtle or grand and brilliant." [Me thinks: I like this]

"Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Romantic

10. The Rose-Growers of America need your help.
9. You'll stay young-at-heart.
8. You need all the help you can get!
7. Love makes the world go'round.
6. Your partner will let you out of the Doghouse.
5. Romantics lead more interesting lives than mere mortals.
4. Why Not?
3. Your partner wants it-- What more reason do you need???
2. You'll score points with your partner's mother.
1. It will improve the quality of your life."

Share your point of view at BBC's Talking Point on the subject "Is romance dead?"

Fav shots

Here're some favourite shots taken recently in Paris and Cambridge. I'm lovin' summer!

Summer Holiday

The canto movie staring Sammi Cheng and Richie Ren brings back memories! Lets go for a beach holiday again!! http://www.redang.org/gallery1_01.htm

Today's insight

Prayer isn’t about giving God a list; it’s about opening ourselves and our lives to him so that he can influence us more deeply and we can come to know him more intimately.

Remembering the past

By looking back, we are reminded about the many blessings which have been poured out in our lives, despite the challenges and despite the sadness.

By looking back, we strengthen our resolve to move on into the future, to take what we have become and to make good of it.

By remembering the past, we will never forget who we were, come to realise what we are now and strive to be who we want to be.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David. 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

************

This always gives me peace.

Nothing like a live performance

If I may just say, watching Alicia Keys perform live is totally awesome!!! Shame I forgot my camera... silly me! Here's a pix of yesterday's concert from ThisisLondon...

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

Interesting that Nadal & Federer were shown to recite this on BBC's live telecast of the Wimbledon 2008 men's single finals.