Imagine me without you. Imagine ourselves without God. Imagine ourselves without our loved ones. It is so hard to lose someone we love so dearly. I know it does not all end up here, but in the moment of losing we cannot help but stop. I will really miss him so terribly. I tried not to question Him or blame anyone, but surely days will be lonely again. Yeah we have to go on, but I will bring all the memories, for comfort.

Thanks be unto Him who walks upon the wind, who rides above the storm! There were broken limbs and twigs everywhere, but only one tree uprooted around the property. Thank God there were no damages in the buildings. The water supply was cut off, we had no electricity (but I had prepared for it!) so there was no way to know about what had come of the hurricane, the news and progress. But I guessed that time Gustav was gradually fading and further inland. As of about several days ago, as I said we didn’t have access to the news but I just hoped that nothing is coming over here in Louisiana anymore. Because sometimes when nature strikes, once is not enough. And we are all so thankful that hurricane Ike indeed didn’t harm us, though my heart goes to those affected. We just lost power yesterday for two hours because a big tree fell across the road where the power line is, but it was not as bad as Gustav where we had no electricity for four days. As of now, the once category 4 hurricane has become just a tropical depression, and just right since it has been storming around for a week more or less. Well, some through the water, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood.. some through great sorrow but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long. And that was what I have been doing when we were in the dark. And He led me.

This was on our way out from the Taj Mahal. Children selling souvenirs. The girl was selling a pencil. I have had a load of souvenirs that time. It was a great time. It gave me the souvenir of the Taj not just in pictures but in my mind, forever.

Frontier trivia of the day:

Poor children in India begin working at a very young and tender age. Children are often exploited and deprived of their rights in India, and until further measures are taken in the matter of tackling the problem of child labour, many Indian children will continue to live in poverty. (indianchild.com)

Drinking alcohol is not good for our health as well as smoking are not good for our health. What I do not understand with so many people is that they continue on their vices no matter how government and health professional inform them of the bad effects of it. Some of them will not stop because they do not feel the side effects of it abruptly. May be that is one of the reasons why they continue on.

World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has warned the drinking alcohol increases risk of cancer.

There is now strong evidence that alcohol increases risk of breast cancer, bowel cancer, kidney cancer and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus.

WCRF recommend that if people drink alcohol at all, they limit consumption to two drinks a day for a man and one for a woman.

For more information on the link between alcohol and cancer risk, download the WCRF recommendations booklet at www.wcrf-uk.org/publications

In in our subjects in college, we were thought about how to have proper mechanics. It is very important for everyone of us in order not to injure our body parts. Sitting correctly is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness. There were a lot of things, I only remember to have proper body mechanics when I already feel the pain in my back. I am not good in sitting up properly so I usually injure my back ligaments that results to back pains. There is a proper way on how to sit up correctly. Sitting upright, at 90 degrees, is the worst position for your back, as it strains your back unnecessarily. You should lean slightly back, at an angle of about 135 degrees.

Most of us workaholic. We work so hard to meet the necessity and demands of our daily lives. Sometimes we forgot to enjoy and have time to relax, play and dance. It is one of the cause why people will become boring and lost the energy and joy of working because they get easily worn out. Vacation are given to all the employees in order to be refreshed and renewed. I am guilty of that. I usually take my vacation when there is a special occasion or something but it was not a good idea. I should have vacation with no appointments and everything just enjoy the moment and play. We should try to maintain the balance between our work, family, friends and leisure. When we are just working and working, we will have untimely signs of aging and no one like that.
Our skin starts to age when its cells die off faster than the body can replace them. Sickness, anxiety, stress and depression also add to the aging of the skin. Try and maintain a balanced lifestyle by balancing work with play and doing fun activities that you enjoy.

We have just discussed the issues with regards to preparedness for this coming hurricane, Gustav, which is now getting stronger, level 3 just like Katrina when it hit New Orleans on 2005. Most of the times, when nature blows, it will not just once but with equally damaging aftermaths. I can manage, I believe I can get through with it even though I am alone here. I just hope and pray for the best, not for the worst. Worst case scenario would be out for a month more or less. As of now, there are so many people in the street already, maybe in few days be knocking on the doors for food.

Along the way we encounter so many people. Some are inspiring, and some are there to crush our spirit, especially when they are on the advantage over us. We are all striving, we are all making our living, we are all grasping for air, and no one really is supreme. But this is the game of life. We happen to play the lowly part, but for those who hold the ace for the moment life is still like a wheel. The humiliating experience that knocks us down actually makes us look upward and stronger.