How Moody Does Your Period Make You?

Are you one of those women who barely bats an eye at PMS, or are you an all-out rage queen? You might not be as cool and collected as you think.
Find out how much your period affects you - and your friends and man!

Take this quiz and find out.

http://quiz.ivillage.com/health/tests/menstrual.htm


And let us know the results on the comment section.
We'll share the experiences, OK.
:)

Quiz courtesy of iVillage.com

Pick-Me-Upper

It is true that many people hide behind a great smile, yet they may be going through the most difficult times in their lives.

Some of you who are reading this may have just had a fight with your partner/husband this morning (or last night), have credit cards bills and whatever bills that you've yet to pay (and the collection agencies are bugging your every serene time), a family member is ill, your child has low self-esteem and worst still your child does not want to follow instructions, you may be going through a divorce, or you dread going to work to face your silly boss (or that bitch sitting next to you) or you may just be feeling dull about nothing (it does happen!).

Sometimes, you need not really discover what it is that is making you feel lousy - but you know you are because you can't seem to smile, you get agitated over little things, the phone rings and you say, "damn-it", you feel like you need to drive fast and furious in order to feel better about controlling the wheels, and you just want everybody else to go "fuck-off!" (oopss.... excuse me for the f-language).

Remember, when you feel "lousy" about yourself...... there's a bad aura that goes around with you, thus, the bad karma snowballs to other things and onto other people. And most of the time, the people you hurt most is the people closest to you.
(do you realise that?).

It is surprising to note that the power of the "mind" is an amazing tool which many fail to use because they are too coup-up with the problem itself. Different people seek and response to different kinds of pick-me-uppers, some rejoice over songs
(i.e. "R.E.S.P.E.C.T" and "I Will Survive", or "Dancing Queen" or even "Oh Carol"),
some over books, others over a window-shopping extravaganza, while some would pop in a DVD and watch a funny movie.

However, the most dreading is that, not only you feel like you've just got hit by a train, but worst still is when you didn't even notice the train closing on you.
You can't seem to identify what is it that ticks-you-off and what is it that picks-you-up.

Frustrating, isn't it?

If you're feeling down and you feel depress 24x7, you need to find the one thing that can make you feel at ease. I too, have had my share of depressing days........ and in transferring the frustration into a vacuum, I seek solace in either a :
i) funny romantic book
or
ii) funny romantic movie

The bottom line is.......... it should be able to make you forget about the pain, it should make you laugh, the least, it should make you smile.
I know it'll only be temporary - but temporary is better than 24-7!
Remember....... you need to channel your frustration into the vacuum; keep it away from your loved ones and things will snowball positively with your smiles.

Note :
Oh, by the way - treating yourself to a simple facial, or colouring your hair (drastic colour change) can also lift up your depressed self.

So come on....... take a deep breath, exhale.........
.............. channel out the bad vibes and bring in the positive aura.
hmmm.......... it aint't that bad after all, is it?

Life is Beautiful.

Color Combinations

Every night before going to bed, we'll be wondering what to wear the next day for work. Standing in front of the wardrobes, flipping one by one, figuring what to wear and which color should go with another. Most often, what's the go-to color in most women's wardrobes? Black, of course. Well, it is a universally flattering shade that works for any occasion, on any body type, and for any item of clothing but the problem: Wearing black (or the black-and-one-color combo) every day can get boring and predictable.

Lets break out of the shell by trying some new color combinations -- combinations that look fresh, stylish, and way more chic than black. Here the ones we can try out:

Brown and Pink
Standard thinking was that brown, a warm shade, should be worn with other warm neutrals; and pink, a cool shade, should team up with other cool colors or black. Not anymore. Wearing brown and pink together is sophisticated and feminine. We love the look of brown trousers with a pink or rose button-down or sweater. Pair with shiny brown boots and a glossy, brown leather belt.

Navy and Orange
When you think of navy, you think classic, demure, and traditional. And when you think of orange, you think dramatic, funky, and sporty. We love wearing the two together for a classically sporty look. Your best bet: Pair navy trousers with a simple orange sweater shell or long-sleeved silk tee; top with a navy blazer for a modern take on a suit. On your feet, go for navy or black oxfords, or, if you're feeling really funky, orange-accented trainers.

Burgundy and Red
Usually paired with black, burgundy and red look striking when worn together. A great way to do this: Top a burgundy tee or shell with a red hoodie or zip-up sweater. Wear the combo with jeans and sneakers for an old-school look.

Charcoal and Yellow
Most of us tend to pair charcoal -- a bold, smoky color -- with an equally strong, cool shade, like red, white, or black. But you can soften charcoal's bold effect by wearing it with lemon yellow. To try the pair, go for a charcoal skirt topped with a lemon yellow cashmere V-neck. Pair with dark tights and knee-high boots.

Chocolate and Baby Blue
Like the combo of brown and pink, chocolate and baby blue make a chic, sophisticated pair. One fun way to try this look: Top a pair of baby-blue corduroys with a chunky chocolate cardigan. Or try the look for work by wearing a baby-blue sweater under a chocolate suit.

So, lets shop for those colors and try it yourself...

Courtesy of LHJ.com - Ladies Home Journal

Eat Right & Live Healthy

Our society nowadays is increasingly concern about health issues. Gym rooms and fitness centers are growing like mushrooms everywhere. But does exercise alone help us to be fit and healthy? How much do we know about our food? Being a ‘food lover’ myself, I used to pay less attention to what goes into my mouth until my late father was in comma for 2 weeks in 2003 due to heart attack, renal failure, stroke and diabetic. He once said….. “biar mati makan, jangan mati tak makan.” Yup, he was a food lover just like me but I guess, he lost control over his eating habit.

Besides these diseases, cancer is also becoming a common health problem. Not only can it be fatal sometimes, but modern medication has never been able to find a cure for it. Again, how much do we know about cancer and what do we do to prevent from getting it?

Since ‘eating’ is part of our lives, nothing much can be done about this… I mean, we HAVE to eat in order to live anyway (but not LIVE to EAT eh!). However, we can always take preventive measures by ensuring that we only eat good food (so guys, say bye bye to junks!).

Have you heard about antioxidants? Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals – free radicals are found in our environment like pollutants, smoke, chemicals which have been linked to the causes of cancer, arthritis, heart diseases. Therefore, stabilizing free radicals will prevent damages (not totally, though) to our body cells. In short, antioxidants are important and there are hundreds of antioxidants available from various plants and vegetables (of course I wouldn’t know every single one of them).

According to doctors, based on considerable laboratory evidence, antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. Antioxidants can be found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and some other sources. Below are some of the common sources of antioxidants:

1. Foods that are orange in color, like sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, pumpkins, papayas ;
2. Green leafy vegetables like spinach;
3. Fruits like watermelon, guava, pink grapefuits, mangoes and citrus fuits;
4. Plant foods like rice (woo hoo!!!!) and wheat;
5. Liver, milk and egg yolks;
6. Vegetables like red pepper, broccoli and cabbage, tomatoes;
7. Vegetable oil like soybean and corn oil;
8. Nuts like almonds, brazil nut and barley.

Now that you know what's good for you... no more excuses eh!!!! Have fun eating! I know I always do!

Hey Working Girl ! Let's Dress Trendy

Go for Quality, Not Quantity

You don't need a lot of pieces to dress rich, only five or six that are interchangeable and of superior quality. A structured jacket like this solid black velvet blazer with contrasting trim and a four-button closure, a pair of beautifully tailored trousers, a little cap-sleeved pleated top or a creamy top cardigan will do.

Make It Fit

People who know fashion wear pieces that drape gracefully, creating that telltale elegant silhouette. Seams should lie smoothly, collars should be pristine, and pleats should be crisp, even and smooth. Skirts will have a pretty swing to them. Everything should fit the contours of your body just right.

Look for Luxury Fabrics

Designer Lauren Moffatt believes dressing well means surrounding yourself in only the finest fabric. "Aside from the fact that better-quality fabric feels amazing against your skin" she said, "it retains its shape and symmetry and won't bunch up or cling to your body in odd ways." So embrace those cashmeres, merino wools, silks and fine cottons.

Be Creative and Recycle

If you own a high-quality piece from seasons past that just needs a bit of tweaking, don't toss it, recycle it. For example, you can remove bows or other "too-last-year" flourishes such as extravagant ruffles, take up a hem or remove those exaggerated shoulder pads; just be creative!

Browse Your Local Consignment Shops

Consignment shops are another goldmine for discovering valuable, modern items at a fraction of the cost, and unlike with eBay, you can try them on. Look for well-constructed pieces made from wool, silk, cotton and linen.

Shoes and Bag Speak Volumes

The benchmark of dressing rich has to be the shoes and handbag, so pay special attention with your choices: no ragged heels or dirty scruffs on shoes, and no busted zippers or ripped seams on bags. And FYI, you might want to think twice about carrying Louis Vuitton; imitations are so ubiquitous these days, everybody may assume it's a fake anyway.

Classic Black Coat

One "Don't forget that quintessential tailored black wool coat," said Jennifer Meyer, public relations director for Club Monaco. "You can wear it with everything from jeans and a tank top to an elegant cocktail dress and look smashing."

This article is edited to fit into the Malaysian contect.
Original article, courtesy of ivillage.com

Your Birth Month

Welcome 2006!

I'm pretty sure with a long list of New Years' Resolutions to re-vamp your lifestyle for a brand new you, you'll be wondering ..... what else can you do to make it loophole-proof. So, let's see what the birth month reveals about you........ (and how you can use it as a guide to re-vamp !).

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very Stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislike unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizing dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. sexy. Affectionate Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and haste but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Easy to talk to. Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having lots of ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Has that someone* always on his/her mind. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Abiding. Able to show character. one guy/girl kind of person. Loveable. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. loves music. pretty/handsome. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Sensitive. Down-to-Earth. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Easily excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not always revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. LOVES to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Gorgeous, and loves to be a tease. Waits for friends.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride of oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people's mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Thinking generous. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves sports, leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic. Sexy but has brains.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to takes things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn't pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly.Brave and fearless. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciates praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable. Extremely

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egoistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logic.