Friday, November 25, 2011

A laugh a day keeps the doctor away

As the saying goes, "laughter is the best medicine," Research has shown that laughter is one of the most powerful ways toward off some of the diseases and illnesses known to man.  So, if your stress levels are mounting, if you are feeling unhealty, if you are feeling rundown and depressed, or you just want some relief . . . LAUGH!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Leadership Skills – Start Here!

"At the age of seven, a young boy and his family were forced out of their home. The boy had to work to support his family. At the age of nine, his mother passed away. When he grew up, the young man was keen to go to law school, but had no education.


At 22, he lost his job as a store clerk. At 23, he ran for state legislature and lost. The same year, he went into business. It failed, leaving him with a debt that took him 17 years to repay. At 27, he had a nervous breakdown.

Two years later, he tried for the post of speaker in his state legislature. He lost. At 31, he was defeated in his attempt to become an elector. By 35, he had been defeated twice while running for Congress. Finally, he did manage to secure a brief term in Congress, but at 39 he lost his re-election bid.

At 41, his four-year-old son died. At 42, he was rejected as a prospective land officer. At 45, he ran for the Senate and lost. Two years later, he lost the vice presidential nomination. At 49, he ran for Senate and lost again.

At 51, he was elected the President of the United States of America.

The man in question: Abraham Lincoln."

– Author Unknown

20 of the world's most iconic skyscrapers


Buildings that are great, not because they're tall, but because of what they represent.

1. Empire State Building, New York, United States
Height: 437 meters
Cost to build: US$41 million
Completion date: May 1, 1931

2. China Central Television Headquarters, Beijing, China
Height: 234 meters
Cost to build: US$600 million
Completion date: January 2008

3. Commerzbank Headquarters, Frankfurt, Germany
Height: 300.1 meters
Cost to build: US$414 million
Completion date: 1997

4. Elephant Tower, Bangkok, Thailand
Height: 102 meters
Cost to build: NA
Completion date: 1997

5. Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Height: 262 meters
Cost to build: US$96 million
Completion date: October 31, 2010

6. Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco, United States
Height: 260 meters
Cost to build: US$32 million
Completion date: 1972

7. Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong
Height: 305 meters
Cost to build: NA
Completion date: May 1990

8. Kingdom Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Height: 302 meters
Cost to build: US$458 million
Completion date: 2002

9. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Height: 452 meters
Cost to build: US$1.6 billion
Completion date: June 1996


10. Tokyo Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, Tokyo, Japan
Height: 204 meters
Cost to build: NA
Completion date: October 2008

11. Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China
Height: 492 meters
Cost to build: US$1.2 billion
Completion date: August 2008

12. Hotel & Casino Grand Lisboa, Macau
Height: 261 meters
Cost to build: US$385 million
Completion date: 2008

13. Bahrain World Trade Center, Manama, Bahrain
Height: 240 meters
Cost to build: US$150 million
Completion date: 2008

14. Two International Finance Center, Hong Kong
Height: 415 meters
Cost to build: US$2.5 billion
Completion date: August 2008

15. Burj al Arab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Height: 321 meters
Cost to build: US$650 million
Completion date: December 1999

16. Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan
Height: 508 meters
Cost to build: US$1.8 billion
Completion date: 2004

17. Torre Agbar, Barcelona, Spain
Height: 142 meters
Cost to build: US$130 million
Completion date: 2004

18. Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Height: 828 meters
Cost to build: US$1.5 billion
Completion date: January 2009

19. 30 St. Mary Axe, London, England
Height: 180 meters
Cost to build: US$212 million
Completion date: 2003

20. Turning Torso, Malmo, Sweden
Height: 190 meters
Cost to build: US$80 million
Completion date: 2005

Sunday, May 1, 2011

10 things that make me smile today

1. Jokes
2. Coffee
3. Tomorrow's not working
4. Completed my housework
5. Novels
6. Found out all my cookies gone!
7. Spontaneous comments
8. Watching a dog licking it puppies
9. Lizard watching me sleep
10.Lunch out

Saturday, March 26, 2011

House Rules

  1. If you open it, close it.
  2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
  3. If you unlock it, lock it.
  4. If you break it, repai it.
  5. If you can't fix it, call in someone who can.
  6. If you borrow it, return it.
  7. If you use it, take care of it.
  8. If you make a mess, clean it up.
  9. If you move it, put it back.
10. If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission.
11. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone.
12. If it doesn't concern you, don't mess with it.
Every morning, wake with the awe of just being alive.
Each day, discover the magnificent, awesome beauty in the world.
Explore and embrace life in yourself and in everything you see.
Live every day well.
Let a little sunshine out as well as in.
Create your own rainbows.
Be open to possibilities.
Believe in miracles!
~ Vickie M. Worsham ~

How to Steam Broccoli

Broccoli is an extremely nutritious vegetable that can benefit nearly everyone's diet. Extremely versatile, this green cruciferous broccoli can be eaten cooked or raw. However when it is cooked, broccoli should be prepared using a method that preserves the majority of its nutrients. Boiling removes many of the vitamins and minerals from this vegetable, so steaming or sautéing are considered the preferred method for cooking broccoli. Steaming broccoli is fast and simple, so even a novice cook can do it successfully.

Before you cook Before you steam your broccoli, it is important to prepare it properly:
1. Wash the broccoli thoroughly under cool running water.
2. Cut off the thickest portion of the stalks, removing the fibrous, woody bases.
3. Either chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces or cut it into thin stalks with florets at the top so it looks like a group of small trees.

Stovetop steaming
There are various kitchen implements available for stovetop steaming. You may use either a folding metal steaming basket, a hard pan-insert designed for steaming or a steaming basket made of wood. Whichever steaming tool you select, it should be placed in a pan that has a tightly fitting lid.

1. Fill the base of the pan with water so it is up to the level of the steamer, but does not rise up into the steamer.
2. Set the stove burner to high.
3. Once the water is boiling, place the broccoli loosely in the steamer. It is okay to fill the steamer, but it should not be packed with broccoli.
3. Cover the pan.
4. Allow the broccoli to cook three to five minutes. If the pan is really full, you may need additional time.
5. Make sure to remove the pan from the heat source and to remove the lid once the broccoli is done or it will continue to cook.

Microwave steaming
To steam in the microwave, you will need a covered microwave-safe dish or bowl.

1. Place the cut or chopped broccoli in the dish.
2. Add one to two tablespoons of water to the dish, depending on the amount of broccoli.
3. Cover the dish tightly, either with a lid or with microwave-safe plastic wrap.
4. For two cups of broccoli, cook on high for three to five minutes. For a larger amount of broccoli, you will need to increase the cooking time.
5. Remove the lid from the dish once the broccoli is done or it will continue to cook.

Recent studies suggest that stovetop steaming may preserve more of broccoli's nutrients than microwave cooking.

How to tell when broccoli is done Broccoli is done when it is still a little crisp, but the stalks cut easily. It should be a bright green. The best way to test broccoli for doneness is to taste it!

Once the broccoli is cooked, consider serving it with butter or lemon butter and a little salt and pepper to taste. It is often served with cheese sauce or with garlic-based Asian sauces

http://www.essortment.com/health-nutrition-steam-broccoli-48355.html