Seeking Unknown

Valentine’s Day Debate

2010-02-14T09:24:00.000-08:00

A few thoughts on the pros and cons of participating in the fervour that now surrounds Valentine's Day, a day that is fundamentally still a wonderful and simple day to express to your loved one that you care...

AGAINST:

Commercial exploitation

Forced heightened expenditure

Peer pressure

Popularity segregation

Showy and public

Expected

Fear of rejection or unreciprocated feelings

Receiving an unwanted card

Shouldn’t need a fixed date for love

FOR:

Well no, we shouldn’t need a fixed date to express an important sentiment, and love should be spontaneous and constant and a healthy balance of give and take in the perfect relationship BUT as we all know life has a funny way of throwing mundane and really-not-that–important-on-retrospect stuff in the way daily. Valentine’s Day, like any holiday, is a chance to take stock and make sure nothing does get in the way, therefore ensuring we do at least annually have one day we take the time to say and show we care.

As for fear of rejection or unreciprocated feelings – take a chance. Worse scenario is that the fairy tale is over leaving you all the sooner ready to find a real fairy tale, and best scenario is that yes this is the real deal that you’ve thankfully started sooner by initiating things. If you really are too scared then remember the tradition of the day and send something anonymous. Take pleasure in letting them know you love them without the selfish need for reciprocation. It is usually in life, though admittedly not always, those things that we didn’t do and wonder ‘what if?’ about, that we regret more than chances taken, even if they do fail! Shoe on the other foot and you are the recipient of an unwanted card, ignore but don't ridicule and hope that they find happiness elsewhere. At least from your lack of response hopefully they will all the sooner move on.

Is expected such a bad thing? Your partner is enthusiastic and likes you making a fuss. Yes peer pressure adds to the expectation and those people that are seen as popular and pretty get segregated into elitism throughout life but there has to be a balance. If the expectation is too high and for a showy public recognition rather than an intimate exchange or celebration then there are bigger issues than Valentine’s Day to be dealt with. You can be intimate in your sentiment while celebrating with thousands of others on a very public day. Ignore what others think and are doing and enjoy in the way that suits you whether popular or unusual, corny or different.

As soon as something is popular you will have pressure and segregation for only a lucky few to achieve. By nature humans are sociable mating creatures and the desire to love and be loved makes the world go round. This is not a debate about single versus partner but whether we should participate in Valentine’s Day or not. You don’t have to boycott the day and its core sentiment because it is popular; ultimately you lose out so rather do your own thing.

Commercial exploitation and ensuing heightened prices are unfortunately inevitable but not unavoidable at least for those with imagination; pick a flower, make a card, cook a meal.

The three key elements are: time, effort, thought.

Time can be pressed, effort can be pre-cursed with insecurity of ability but thought just involves listening to your loved one and taking note of what they like, or, what makes them happy. If a purchase is involved chances are it won’t fall into the remit of commercial exploitation and forced heightened expenditure of things associated with Valentine’s Day as it will be unique to them. If their tastes or pleasures are expensive there are always interpretations that again with a little thought can prove you care, know what they like, listen and love them.

Love is wonderful, frightening, exciting but above all a strong feeling that makes us remember we are alive and what life is all about...so celebrate Valentine’s Day, in your own way yes but it’s another chance to say ‘I love you’ so seize it and enjoy!

A final note - thank you to the sender of my anonymous card last year that sparked a relationship and wonderful past year and to celebrating a rather lovely Valentine's Day in our unique way this year x

Michael Buble 'Haven't Met You Yet Lyrics' Lyrics

2009-09-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

I'm Not Surprised
Not Everything Lasts
I've Broken My Heart So Many Times,
I Stop Keeping Track.
Talk Myself In
I Talk Myself Out
I Get All Worked Up
And Then I Let Myself Down.

I Tried So Very Hard Not To Loose It
I Came Up With A Million Excuses
I Thought I Thought Of Every Possibility

And I Know Someday That It'll All Turn Out
You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid That I'll Get So Much More Than I Get
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Mmmmm ....

I Might Have To Wait
I'll Never Give Up
I Guess It's Half Timing
And The Other Half's Luck
Wherever You Are
Whenever It's Right
You Come Out Of Nowhere And Into My Life

And I Know That We Can Be So Amazing
And Baby Your Love Is Gonna Change Me
And Now I Can See Every Possibility

Mmmmm ......

And Somehow I Know That It Will All Turn Out
And You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid I'll Get So Much More Than I Get
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

They Say All's Fair
And In Love And War
But I Won't Need To Fight It
We'll Get It Right
And We'll Be United

And I Know That We Can Be So Amazing
And Being In Your Life Is Gonna Change Me
And Now I Can See Every Single Possibility

Mmmm .....

And Someday I Know It'll All Turn Out
And I'll Work To Work It Out
Promise You Kid I'll Get More Than I Get
Than I Get Than I Get Than I Get

Oh You Know It'll All Turn Out
And You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid To Get So Much More Than I Get
Yeah I Just Haven't Met You Yet

I Just Haven't Met You Yet
Oh Promise You Kid
To Give So Much More Than I Get

I Said Love Love Love Love Love Love Love .....
I Just Haven't Met You Yet
Love Love Love .....
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Jazon Mraz 'Lucky' Lyrics

2009-09-04T05:44:00.000-07:00

Kelly Clarkson 'Already Gone' Lyrics

2009-09-02T04:54:00.001-07:00

The Encylopaedia of Life (EOL)

2009-07-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

All romantics know the meaning of life is love... but for those looking for a more academic exploration, look no further than the exciting Encyclopaedia of Life (EOL).
This colossal collaborative encyclopaedia documents all living species known to science. Compiled from existing databases and contributions from experts and non-experts alike throughout the world, it is available free on the internet.
A tall order indeed when you consider there are approximately 1.8 million known species!
This enticing website has a page for each species suitable for the general public but with several linked pages for more specialized users.
The EOL is a rich primary resource for a wide audience including, scientists, conservationists, teachers, and students around the world.
...If only categorising love was that simple!

L-O-V-E

2009-07-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore can

Love is all that I can give to you
Love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart and please don't break it
Love was made for me and you

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore can

Love is all that I can give to you
Love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart and please don't break it
Love was made for me and you
Love was made for me and you
Love was made for me and you,,,

~ Nat King Cole

'Just Go' Lyrics - Lionel Richie featuring Akon

2009-05-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

It’d be so nice
If you didn’t have to feel so lonely
It’d be so nice
If I could sneak you for a moment

I know you like to get away, go away, far away
To a place where there’s just us two
Got a busy day, everyday but not today
Cause I’m here to take that stress from you

So you can just chill and clear your head
And let me do everything for you cause you deserve it
Prepare your meal and make your bed
Well let just first make this with you
cause you are so worth it

(Akon)
I just want us to go go go
Drop everything and just go go go
I just want us to go go go
Drop everything and just go go go

(Lionel Richie)
How would you like to sail away in the Bahamas?
(Just you and me, girl)
So far out in the sea where nobody can find you
(Just the end of the world)
Cause there is no rush for you to come back and face the rain
Cause there is plenty sunshine where I pickin’ you
And I’m here to reduce the pain

I know you like to get away, go away, far away
To a place where there’s just us two
Got a busy day, everyday but not today
Cause I’m Here to take that stress from you

So you can just chill and clear your head
And let me do everything for you cause you deserve it
Prepare your meal and make your bed
Well let just first make this with you cause you are so worth it

(Akon)
I just want us to go go go
Drop everything and just go go go
I just want us to go go go
Drop everything and just go go go

(Lionel Richie)
Just imagine when you tired and
Layin’ by my side and
Sippin’ on some wine while I stand in massage and
Releasein’ all your tension I couldn’t handle a time and
My job is to keep my baby smilin’

So you can just chill
And clear your head
And let me do everything for you cause you deserve it
Prepare your meal and make your bed
Well let just first make this with you cause you are so worth it

(Akon)
I just want us to go go go
Drop everything and just go go go...

Happy Mother's Day

2009-03-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

No painter's brush, nor poet's pen

In justice to her fame

Has ever reached half high enough

To write a mother's name.

Photograph by Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, 1936

White Day

2009-03-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

A holiday celebrated annually in Japan on 14th March.

In Japan, Valentine's Day is observed by females who present gifts to men as an expression of love. Handmade chocolate is usually preferred by men as it is taken to be a sign that they are the only receiver.

White Day was invented for men to reciprocate such gifts. Men who receive a "honmei-choco" (chocolate of love) or "giri-choco" (chocolate of courtesy or obligation) are expected to give a gift in return. Although a gift may also be given by a man to a woman he did not receive one from.

Not surprisingly popular White Day gifts are white in colour and include; marshmallows, cookies, chocolate, underwear and jewellery. Usually the gifts are more expensive, hence the term “sanbai gaeshi” (thrice the return), and as a general rule should be three times the cost of the Valentine's gift given.

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The Heart Nebula

2009-03-09T06:34:00.000-07:00

The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, is located about 7,500 light years away from Earth in the Perseus arm of the Galaxy in the northern hemisphere constellation of Cassiopeia.

Nebulae are purely dusty and gaseous clouds. The beautiful Heart Nebula gained its name from its red glow and evocative shape.

An Emission Nebula, its bright red glow comes from light emitted from the effect of ionised hydrogen gas which has been excited by the stellar wind of a small group of stars near its centre.

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Dance with the heart and desire

2009-02-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

To express feelings by dancing takes over the whole body and letting go to the music with dance is living life. Some quotes on the joy and passion of dancing:

"Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire." Robert Frost

"Dancing: the vertical expression of a horizontal desire legalised by music." George Bernard Shaw

“Great dancers aren't great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.” Martha Graham

“There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.” Edwin Denby

“Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!” Constanze

“Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order.” Samuel Beckett

"Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on earth." Mark Twain

"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once." Friedrich Nietzsche

“There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.” Vicki Baum

"Love is a lot like dancing; you just surrender to the music." Pierce Brosnan

“We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.” Japanese Proverb

"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance." Unknown

"You don't stop dancing from growing old, you grow old from stopping to dance." Unknown

“Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another.” Unknown

"Anyone who thinks sunshine is happiness has never danced in the rain." Unknown

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The power of passion

2009-02-20T02:43:00.000-08:00

A strong emotion evoking strong opinions; some quotes on the subject of passion:

“Never underestimate the power of passion.” Eve Sawyer

“If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength.” François de la Rochefoucauld

“Passion doesn't look beyond the moment of its existence.” Christian Nevell Bovee

“Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship.” Oscar Wilde

“All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion and desire.” Aristotle

“Love without passion is dreary; passion without love is horrific.” Lord Byron

“A man without passion is only a latent force, only a possibility, like a stone waiting for the blow from the iron to give forth sparks.” Henri Frédéric Amiel

“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life.” Federico Fellini

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot.” D.H. Lawrence

“Let men tremble to win the hand of woman, unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart! Else it may be their miserable fortune, when some mightier touch than their own may have awakened all her sensibilities, to be reproached even for the calm content, the marble image of happiness, which they will have imposed upon her as the warm reality.” Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Passion - a definition

2009-02-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

To be passionate about someone or something...

feel very strongly

fervid desire and attraction

powerful or compelling emotion

strong amorous feeling

love, ardour

intense fondness, boundless enthusiasm

sexual desire, lust

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Lyrics - "This Year's Love" by David Gray

2009-02-16T04:04:00.000-08:00

This year's love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
And I've been waiting on my own too long
But when you hold me like you do
It feels so right
I start to forget
How my heart gets torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Feeling like you can't go on

Turning circles when time again
It cuts like a knife oh yeah
If you love me got to know for sure
Cos it takes something more this time
Than sweet sweet lies
Before I open up my arms and fall
Losing all control
Every dream inside my soul
And when you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain't this life so sweet

This year's love had better last
This year's love had better last

So whose to worry
If our hearts get torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Don't you know this life goes on
And won't you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain't this life so sweet

This year's love had better last
This year's love had better last

www.seekingunknown.com

Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is celebrated annually on 14th February throughout the world.

A day when lovers openly celebrate and express their love, giving each other cards, flowers especially roses, chocolates and gifts.

Marriage proposals are popular on Valentine’s Day with a leap year custom of women asking men.

One of the earliest descriptions of Valentine's Day was written by Chaucer in 1380,
"on Seynt Valentynes day,/Whan every foul cometh there to chese [choose] his make [mate]."

An early tradition was for men to leave an anonymous gift on their sweetheart’s doorstep on Valentine’s eve.

Valentine's Day was celebrated over the centuries with exchanges of handwritten notes and small tokens of affection, until printed cards provided the fashionable way for people to express their emotions.

Elaborate Victorian Valentine’s cards often had discreet panels in them for hiding secret messages to the recipient under folds of lace or ribbons, helping to bypass strict eyes that might check the suitability of any correspondence.

Today an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year (Christmas being the first).

Traditionally and perhaps most excitingly Valentine's cards remain anonymous, sent by a secret admirer.

Happy Valentine’s Day
? x

www.seekingunknown.com

Cupid draw back your bow...

2009-02-13T06:40:00.000-08:00

Cupid, a popular icon of Valentine’s Day, known for firing his bow and subsequently making those struck by his arrows fall in love, has the most romantic tale surrounding his own love life when he accidentally shot himself.

This legend stems from Roman and Greek mythology with Cupid (also known as Eros) as the god of erotic love and beauty.

Cupid was the son of Venus (Aphrodite) who became insatiably jealous of the beautiful human princess, Psyche, who captivated those around her consequently distracting them from worshiping Venus.

Venus ordered Cupid to make the princess fall in love with the ugliest monster on earth but the plan literally back-fired when Cupid, so taken with her beauty, shot himself in the foot and fell in love with her.

Passionate Cupid contrived to hide what had happened from his mother and visited Psyche each night as her unseen husband in the darkness, insisting she was not to look at him.

Unfortunately Psyche’s curiosity was aroused by her jealous sisters, who made up stories about her ugly lover, so she peeked at him one night and to her pleasant surprise saw the favourable appearance of Cupid.

Discovered, Cupid fled and left Psyche searching for him, during which time she had to undergo difficult tasks set by Venus in the hope of winning him back. Witnessing this Cupid could no longer bear her suffering, or to be apart from her, and pleaded with the gods.

Psyche was consequently given the gift of immortality so that she could be with Cupid, becoming goddess of the soul, and the lovers were reunited and married.

The unison of love and soul... a tale of everlasting love.

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Love is in the air

2009-02-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

As love is in the air here are a few quotes on the subject:

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” The Bible: Corinthians

“Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.” Mother Teresa

“Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.” William Shakespeare

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Aristotle

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” Sophocles

“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be,” Robert Browning

“What will survive of us is love.” Philip Larkin

“What a grand thing, to be loved! What a grander thing still, to love!” Victor Hugo

“A man falls in love through his eyes, a woman through her ears.” Leo Tolstoy

"Who knows where the road will lead us, only a fool would say,
But if you let me love you, I'm sure to love you all the way.” Frank Sinatra

“We all want to fall in love. Why? Because that experience makes us feel completely alive, where every sense is heightened, and every emotion is magnified.” Barbara Streisand

“The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.” Natalie Cole

“All you need is love.” John Lennon/Paul McCartney

“You don't marry someone you can live with; you marry the person who you cannot live without.” Unknown

“Love isn't finding a perfect person. It's seeing an imperfect person perfectly.” Unknown

“Love isn't blind... It only sees what really matters.” Unknown

“To love is to live.” Proverb

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Seal it with a kiss

2009-02-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

Some kissing quotes to get us in the mood:

“A man's kiss is his signature.” Mae West

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” Ingrid Bergman

“You may conquer with the sword, but you are conquered by a kiss.” Daniel Heinsius

“Is not a kiss the very autograph of love?” Henry Finck

“I can forget my very existence in a deep kiss of you.” Byron Caldwell Smith

“Soul meets soul on lovers' lips.” Percy Bysshe Shelley

“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” Albert Einstein

“If you are ever in doubt as to whether to kiss a pretty girl, always give her the benefit of the doubt.” Thomas Carlyle

“A kiss seals two souls for a moment in time.” Levende Waters

“A kiss makes the heart young again and wipes out the years.” Rupert Brooke

“A kiss without a hug is like a flower without the fragrance.” Proverb

"Her kisses left something to be desired... the rest of her.” Unknown

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Sin, seduction and secrecy - legend of a rose

2009-02-05T03:16:00.000-08:00

We all know roses as beautiful popular flowers traditionally given to loved ones, particularly on Valentine’s Day, but digging into their rich heritage unveils a lot more to their lasting popularity than first meets the eye.

Legends surrounding the rose prove as intriguing as their structure, as delicate unfurling petals belie stems often full of sharp thorns (officially known merely as prickles).

In Christian beliefs roses had no thorns and grew in the Garden of Eden. As flowers of beauty in the earthly paradise they gave only pleasure to Adam and Eve, however, after their expulsion and the fall of man thorns were added. Meanwhile the pure white rose still remains a popular symbol for the Virgin Mary.

In Greek and Roman mythology the rose was sacred to Aphrodite and Venus, both goddesses of love and beauty, so the flower subsequently became synonymous with the same qualities. While Cleopatra, another icon of beauty, famously had the floors of her palace deeply carpeted with rose petals to enchant and beguile Antony.

The rose has a long tradition as a keeper of secrets. An original legend of the flower’s association with secrecy is that it was a rose that Cupid offered when trying to bribe Harpocrates, the God of Silence, not to betray the confidences of his mother Venus’s various amorous escapades.

Meanwhile it was a Roman custom to place roses on doorways and ceilings in rooms to remind guests to keep secret what was said within those walls. The phrase ‘sub rosa’, literally meaning ‘under the rose’, is derived from this ancient practice and still used today to mean secretly or confidentially.

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Say it with roses

2009-02-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

When choosing which roses to buy your loved one be careful as your choice speaks volumes. While it is a well known fact that roses symbolise love, they also denote an array of other sentiments and emotions according to their colour:

Red - romantic love.

Lilac - love at first sight.

Orange - desire.

Yellow - joy and friendship.

Pink - gratitude and appreciation.

White – purity and reverence.

Two roses entwined - an engagement or marriage is imminent.

Dead roses – not only popular with Morticia Adams but also given to say "it's over".