I live in a state that doesn’t have mass transit anywhere in the state; if you want to go anywhere, you have to go by car. I grew up in a city that depended on mass transit to move its millions of people from place to place.

Elsewhere in the state, you drove your car but I didn’t see bicycles or motorcycles on the highway. I’m sure they existed but they didn’t have the right of way and, in those years, there were no bicycle lanes in traffic.

When I hear my clients talk about traffic in their European or Asian cities, I can see such a different life from when I was growing up. Of course, it may be that there are so many years separating my life then and my life now.

At the time, there were much fewer cars on the highway and everyone traveled by subway to get to where they were going. On the weekends you could take your car into the city and there was relatively little traffic and you could always find a place to park.

Nowadays, it’s not only easier to take the subway to wherever you’re going in the city but it’s also more cost-effective because parking is so limited and so expensive.

The one thing that has not changed in all these years is that when you live in a metropolitan city, you are surrounded by everything you need or could want.

If you want to go out to lunch in the city, when you walk out of your office you’re just a few blocks away from some of the best restaurants. Of course, you have to get there before the lunch crowd if you want to get a table because restaurants fill up very fast during peak times.

For the most part, I remember that it didn’t pay to take a bus in the business district because most things are within walking distance. And, unless you were having a working lunch in your office, it didn’t pay to order food to be delivered because restaurants were a hop, skip, and a jump away from your office.

I don’t imagine much has changed in that regard between metropolitan cities and suburbia but I’m just very glad I grew up in a metropolitan area when I was young enough to enjoy all it had to offer. Nowadays, I’m just very glad I can get to where I’m going by car.

Memory loss happens to all of us at some time or another and we usually shrug it off thinking it will eventually come to us or how important was it anyway. Let’s face it there are times when you can’t just shrug it off – whether it be work related or family sometimes you really need a little help.

Are medications the answer? Sometimes people would rather do that because it is so publicized and you know that is what your doctor is going to recommend the majority of the time. Other remedies are being researched and hopefully being more accepted in the medical field.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for inhaling and massage. It not only smells great but has many therapeutic benefits and has far less if any side effects than medications. They heal the mind, body and spirit.

Let’s take a look at rosemary essential oil and how it just may improve your memory and alertness.

Rosemary essential oil is one the oldest plants used throughout history for cooking, fragrance in soaps and other cosmetics and medicinally to improve memory, support circulatory and nervous systems, stimulate hair growth, and relieves muscle spasm and pain. Today, rosemary oil is used for curing infectious diseases, increasing hair growth, improve memory, ease symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, relieve gout, improve skin conditions, clear up throat and lung infections, improve liver conditions, and ease muscle soreness. The list can go on and on.

New research is finding out more and more every day just how special rosemary essential oil is. For instance, a recent study found that daily intake of rosemary and Thyme prevented thrombosis (blood clots). Here is the study for those who would care to peruse “Long-term intake of rosemary and common Thyme herbs inhibits experimental thrombosis without prolongation of bleeding time.”

It is time to venture into the research that this whole article is about. Researchers enrolled 144 older volunteers to see how effective rosemary essential oil could be on memory. The volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three different groups – one group inhaled rosemary essential oil, another group (control) was exposed to no odor, the last group inhaled lavender essential oil.

The results were the volunteers who participated in the rosemary oil infusion treatment did significantly better than those in the control group (no aroma). The third group was the lavender oil treatment and they did not do well but let’s face it lavender is traditionally known for sedation and sleep properties.

In further review, the rosemary group experienced significant enhancement of overall memory and were much more alert than the other 2 groups.

In conclusion, we can see for ourselves how rosemary essential oil was the winner and should be seriously taken into consideration for treatment of improving memory and for increasing alertness. Let’s face it sometimes we could all use assistance in both areas!

If you don’t know the lyrics of the song “Yesterday When I Was Young,” you should. It was written by Herbert Kretzmer and first released by Charles Aznavour. However, this song has been adapted and sung by many entertainers, including Elton John.

Some college students fail to recognize that their ‘now’ doesn’t last. Others don’t care. They are ‘dazzled’ by the excitement and the fun. The future is so far out, so gigantic and many years longer than the time that has already gone by.

Because it is difficult to see the future, too many students fail to look, plan, set goals and prepare. They play, they drink, they love and they enjoy college life as if the future will go on forever with no adverse effects or consequences. Unfortunately, things, people and opportunities disappear with time. That can be a hard lesson.

Looking around, you may wonder if some students will even notice when their friends, loves, dreams and their youth gradually fade away. Drinking, drugs, sex, social networks and an obsession with personal enjoyment may interfere with important things getting done.

Helicopter parents try to insulate their children from the realities of life and the demands of personal and career success. Students do not intend to grow up looking back on their lives with only memories of wasted time, a lack of direction and a whole lot of emptiness. Only the strongest children will break away and reach their potential.

It is natural for older people to look backward with regret; and it’s natural for young people to look forward with optimism. Older people have experience while young people have youth. Successful people seem to have both. They’ve done a lot in the early years and can benefit from those experiences, as they move forward. They come at life with an excitement and enthusiasm that propels them forward.

Youth is like loose change in a pocket. If students spend it unwisely, it will run out before they intend. No matter how they spend their youth, the results will become obvious, as students leave college, enter the work world and become responsible for their lives.

Successful students are rewarded (paid) for what they did yesterday – experiences and accomplishments. They usually receive recognition, acceptance, compensation and personal satisfaction for their performance and behavior.

“The time has come for me to pay for yesterday when I was young.” That is the last line of the song. Since a self-indulgent college experience has consequences, students will pay for the follies of their youth.

Since change is regarded as the flavour of life, like every form of Marketing, PR has seen a drastic change over the years. From being restricted to the print media, and working with journalists, modern PR practices have evolved to being entirely different to what they used to be a couple of decades ago. With every company having an online presence and with customer engagement growing with every passing day, new forms of community outreach programs have started to come in vogue. Bloggers, Influencers and Social Media Managers have taken the role of Journalists in the modern area of Public Relations.

Traditional PR people who have only worked with press departments find the new concept of new age Digital PR done over the internet and social media to be funny. Blogging and contacting influencers seems odd to them. Some do not even recognise this as PR. However, the tech-savvy PR professional or ones who know about the internet industry recognise the importance attached to both word of mouth publicity and social media marketing. The digital-savvy journalists today know very well about the art and importance of sending out real-time information via Tweets live from an important Press Conference.

In the past press, radio, and TV were the main sources of information dissemination. These were the only mediums that could deliver a message and left the PR guys unaware of the results of these messages unless the campaign was highly successful. Today, digital PR not only helps in creating a two-way communication flow where the marketers get to determine the aspirations of the audiences and shape their messages and products accordingly. Also, modern day PR channels like blogs, social media, and general online promotional campaigns give the PR professionals an exact picture of the effect of their PR activities. They can add spice to the flavour as and when required. Even, the content of the messages in today’s PR campaigns has changed. It no more focuses on the brand and its spokesperson, but rather is determined to be giving something of value to the customer. Brands have stopped talking about themselves and how they are the “best” as there are 100s other saying the same thing. Content is the King in this age of information, whosoever has the best content will attract a greater number of audiences. Content endorsement by social media influencers is pivotal in gearing you up for success against your competitors in modern day digital PR. When others talk about you regularly, you reap the benefits of such positive mentions. This has made influencers very powerful in determining the growth of brands.

Depending on a Press Note for PR is not longer the only PR strategy, brands are writing blogs and encouraging other influential bloggers to review their products. Using a more visually interactive and attractive message helps the cause of the brands better and the more liked content, the more viral is the PR campaign. With Social Media being a very influential means of communication today, a brand cannot just shy away from these platforms. Brands continuously need to create engaging content that starts conversations between them and the audience.

A man often does send us these signals that he is into us right from the beginning of dating. He calls, sets up dates in advance, texts and keeps in touch. You start to get excited and let your guard down. You feel good about this, after all the dating gurus say watch a man’s actions and not his words right? So what happens here? Why are you are left wondering why he disappeared without a clue.

It’s important to realize men often live in the moment. Sure they have goals, just not at this moment. They may give you gifts in the beginning, nice thoughtful phone calls and want to spend time with you. These things are great and hopefully they will last, but they don’t always do so. The man has one goal in the moment upon meeting you. His goal is to woo you and win you. This does not always translate that he wants a commitment.

The man who you felt lead you on and disappeared may very well want a relationship. He didn’t lie to you when he told you this necessarily. He really does want a relationship, he just doesn’t know if he wants it with you or right now. Have you ever started dating a guy and really liked him in the beginning only to get a few weeks or even months down the road and decide he isn’t really the guy for you. You still want a relationship, you just realize it’s not with him. You may have even told him a relationship is what you wanted. Should you be tarred and feathered for changing your mind?

If you don’t think men are motivated by winning, think again. Observe them in a group watching a ball game or race or other sport and you decide. When they meet a girl that gets their interest, their goal for the time being becomes to win her. In the beginning, you can enjoy this winning behavior, but the true test comes later.

If you have been dating a while and his efforts stay the same or increase, you may have found a keeper. If on the other hand, you notice his efforts begin to decrease, chances are he isn’t in it for the long haul. Hopefully you won’t be so hopelessly in love at this point that you will struggle to let him go or start making excuses for him. Hopefully you won’t still try to hold on and hope that he will change his mind or be left scratching your head wondering why he disappeared.

Do you want to enhance your marriage? It may surprise you to find out that one of the ways you can do this is simply to go on a date.

Going on a date was all important before you were married. It was the means that you use to get your future spouse more and more interested in you.

It was also a fun way of spending time together. Actually, having fun together was the most important thing that you could do to increase the interest of the one that you really desired to be interested in you.

Somewhere along the way things changed, didn’t they? I guess, in a way, life sort of gets in the way. You have to make a living to provide for your family. This takes much of your time. This sets your schedule also. After a while, it is easy to fall into a rut.

Falling into a rut is important, or at least realizing that you have fallen into the rut is important. This is so because boredom may set in, and boredom is one of the most damaging factors to a marriage.

What was it like back in those days when you and your future wife were dating? Probably you had a variety of dates. I know some people may have done the same type of thing over and over, but those who had very exciting lives, had a variety of activities in which they engaged.

Dating does not have to be expensive to be effective.

Here are some ideas:

• Go window shopping.
• Play miniature golf.
• Take in a movie.
• Go out to a fast-food place.
• Stay home and date (play a game).
• Go somewhere with friends.
• Go to a sporting event (be careful and sensitive here, husband).
• Take a walk together.
• Ride bicycles together.
• Go on a picnic.

These are just some ideas. Tell your spouse that you would like to do some activities together, and find out what he or she is interested in. Make a list. Then check off the ideas on the list.

If you do this, you may find that your marriage, and your life, becomes exciting again. You may find that instead of focusing upon your problems and focusing upon these types projects may cause the appearance of the importance of you problems to fad in the background.

When marriage becomes fun again, you may also find that you and your spouse will be able to talk more openly and that you will be able to work out any other problems you may have.

So, do you want to enhance your marriage? Then go on a date!

Lasagna must be one of the most delectable dishes in the Italian repertoire. Lasagna, however, unlike most Italian dishes is not a simple preparation. Lasagna is a carefully planned assembly. While the individual ingredients of lasagna are rather straightforward, the assembly of those ingredients is very complex; and, depending it what you chose to include can be somewhat costly. In my childhood, lasagna was not something you saw at just any time. In my childhood, lasagna was a dish reserved for holidays. From some acquaintances of Italian extraction, lasagna was not known at any time of the year. In my family lasagna was always the first main course for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. It was a dense casserole of alternating layers of the lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese and what we called “gravy.”

Of course, since lasagna was served only on holidays, it was only a part of a many course holiday dinner. Such dinners usually began around 1pm and continued into the night. On holidays there was a complex arrangement of dishes. First came the fruit salad. This was a mixture of canned Dole fruit salad with the addition of select fresh fruits served in high glass cups chilled with ice. I don’t know the origin of this course. It was certainly not Italian. It may have been influenced by what restaurants were serving in the 1950’s.

But what is the history of lasagna? In the world on internet access to information from all over the world I’ve done an extensive review of lasagna’s history on line. Working from Google Italy and our own American Google, I found a wealth of variations on lasagna recipes and history. According to several site, lasagna is a most ancient food. It seems that lasagna may have its origins in an ancient Greek dish “laganon,” or “lasonon.” The Romans adopted this dish and called it “lansanum.” There are also several sites that claim lasagna as a dish of British origin called “loseyns” as found in a medieval cookbook of the late 14th century. While these sources may be something possible, I would also have to note that a good bit of water has gone under the bridge since ancient times. I am somewhat doubtful that the “lasanum” of the Romans or the “loysens” of the British is the lasagna that we know today. Then too, there is the tomato question. While all lasagna recipes do not require tomatoes, (there are a good number of “white lasagna” dishes,) tomatoes in most recipes are now significant. But, the use of tomatoes in the dish would not have happened until well after Columbus. The use of tomatoes also took some time. When first introduced to Europe from the New World they were believed to be poisonous. In 1544 the Italian herbalist, Pietro Matthioli classified tomatoes has highly venomous. Only later, after going through a stage when tomatoes were thought to be an aphrodisiac did tomatoes find their way to the table, especially in Naples and Southern Italy. From what I have found, the first printed recipe with tomatoes appears in 1692. If lasagna as we know it today includes tomatoes, then, it would have not been known in its present form until somewhere around 1700. It would be my guess that lasagna as we know it today may have no ancient roots but may very well be a dish that was re-invented at a much later date.

So, what about lasagna as we know it today? Some of the earliest references seem to date from the 17th century. One of the most interesting sites I found contends that traditional lasagna is peasant dish based on the most elemental pork products For many, the main meat source was pork. The pig would be slaughtered in the winter. The best parts would go to the “patrone,” the landlord. The peasants would be left with the offal, the innards and other fragment portions. From the left overs that had some measurable meat, the peasants would makes sausages. From the boney portions they created the foundation of the tomato sauce (what we called gravy).

My research on lasagna took me in many directions. I even went back to my cook book library to reinvestigate my 1988, pre-celebrity chef, Giulio Bugialli “On Pasta.” It seems that lasagna takes a different form not only in the various provinces of Italy but in the diversity of every home. Some lasagna are meat based, others a founded on greens such as artichokes or endive. Some folks, like my relatives, add hardboiled eggs and peas; others do not. In the end, what goes between the layers of pasta is as variable as the things you can find to put between them. Yes, what we know in America has cousins in Italy. There is nothing like strips of pasta interlaced with delectable ricotta and meat sauce. But there are also lasagnas that are vegetarian based, like a wonderful lasagna with artichokes.

The recipe I eventually settled on is a compromise of my family’s traditions, Bugialli’s wisdom, and countless googled sites. In recognition of what seems to be one of the fundamental elements of lasagna, I have used ground pork and pork sausage as the meat base. For the cheeses, I have selected those found in Campania: ricotta, percorino romano and scarmorzza. Scamorzza is solid cheese found in the South of Italy. Lasagna is not a simple recipe. You can’t do it as a 30 minute meal. It takes time, time, and time. Carrying out a recipe like this tells why lasagna was only a holiday dish.

What I write about below is personal psychology 101.

Most people in life want control over their life.

Indeed, that’s a huge understatement. We all want more control over life and our lives than we can seize.

When we interact with life and with others in a way that demands control, that very action forces others in a direction they would prefer not to go. That creates conflict. Conflict creates the blame game. The moment we begin blaming someone else is the same moment we refuse to take our own responsibility for our contribution to the conflict. In refusing our responsibility we surrender the only control we have; the only control we ever have, that is, the control we have over our own responses – over ourselves. If we think we can control or have control over others we’re deluded.

The ‘internal locus of control’ (psychology term) suggests we have control over a great many things, for instance, how we respond to others and what choices we decide to initiate. By taking responsibility we take our control. By owning your contribution to conflict, and not taking theirs, you’re able to apologise for what you did wrong. Having an internal locus of control gives us maximum control over our own lives.

The ‘external locus of control’, however, sees issues of conflict as the other person’s problem. It’s the blame game – the game that gets us nowhere. By refusing to take our responsibility we lose whatever control we could have in attempting to control the other person. Having an external locus of control gives you minimal control over your own life, and it damages your relationships, because others are confused as to why you refuse to own what you did wrong.

The sanest way to live life, and the only way to relate with others, is by taking responsibility for our lives, for our actions, words, mistakes, errors, faults, and successes.

Along with the Mahindra Bolero’s simple maintenance, excellent fuel economy and unrivaled reliability and endurance – the Bolero offers different modifications and variations, which means it presents with a likable relationship between work and play.

Comfortable design and luxury

The Mahindra Bolero boasts a mighty design that parallels comfort to the Bolero’s force. This acme of comfortability, and a driver-oriented experience, is achieved through the interior’s pleasantly soft seating; ergonomically designed and manufactured gearstick; sumptuous armrests and the user-friendly instrument-cluster.

Assuring safety

The Bolero ensures the least likelihood of tipping or rolling – due to its ingenious and stable design. The Bolero’s radials are notably wide and it has a significant low center of gravity, as well as an extra dense anti-roll bar made of anticorrosive sheet metal. All these components contribute to the Bolero’s excellent stability and any driver’s piece-of-mind in the event of an impact accident.

Ease and utility

The Bolero is nicknamed a ‘workhorse’ for good reason – it can transport anything and practically everything you might need to. The load box has an incredible 1-ton (2520 cubic meters) maximum capacity – meaning it can conveniently fit anything from sand and scaffolding to various types of cargo. The Bolero’s load box is customizable to suit your needs. You can choose between a conventional bakkie-bed layout, a loader (4×2) or a drop side (4×2). The Mahindra Bolero was designed and manufactured to do your heavy lifting. The loader and drop side versions of the Bolero come with vinyl seating and rubber flooring.

Mahindra Bolero Bakkies

The Mahindra Bolero legacy starts with the single cab bakkie – the Maxi truck. This variation provides 74kW of power and great efficiency on any terrain. The single cab comes with 2.5 liter NEF turbo diesel engine – which offers the ability to haul cargo plainly from 1000rpm (in third gear!) – proving that the Bolero single cab has plenty of force to back you up. The single cab is also the bakkie with the largest load box of all the bakkie contenders. It boasts a maximum capacity of 2520m3/ 1 ton and exceptional maneuverability, due to its high ground clearance and a 6.75 m turning-radius. To add to the Bolero’s list of notable features – it is fitted with a hydraulic clutch, which makes gear shifting simple and effortless.

This variant of the Bolero is also available as double cab bakkie. This means that whilst it is fitted with the same engine and delivers the same force and performance, it is a larger version of the single cab. The Bolero’s double cab model boasts a 2260mm x 1530mm x 730mm load box and the standard hydraulic clutch, higher ground clearance and 6.75 m turning-radius. In short – you’re getting the same great benefits of the single cab, with the added double cab seating and power steering.

The single and double cab Bolero bakkies are available in 4×2 and 4×4 versions and come standard with air-conditioning; mat flooring and fabric cloth seat covers.

Mahindra Bolero Maxi truck Plus

The Bolero Maxi truck Plus is just step up from the single cab Maxi truck. It is fitted with a M2DICR 2,5-litre turbo diesel engine – offering reliability whilst also being arduous and tough. This engine is powered by a four-cylinder, direct-injection configuration, which provides power to pull heavy loads consistently and adequately. Even at high operating temperatures, as well as altitudes – the Bolero Maxi truck Plus can hold its own and more. The gears come with an extended service life and provide remarkable torque in low gears. The five-speed gearbox enables drivers to easily and economically get the most force and full capability from the Maxi truck.

The Maxi truck’s engine offers less power, but makes up for it in incredible torque and fuel economy. The Maxi truck’s torque can reach 195 Nm at just 1400r/m and can be held steady up to 2200r/m. The Maxi truck’s combined cycle has mean fuel consumption of 7,0 liter per 100km.

The amount of torque produced by the Mahindra Bolero consequently entails that it can carry a full load, whilst consistently performing at remarkably efficient levels.

In our house, thunder has a variety of meanings. Some not as good as others, but that is another story. Either way, I am not a fan of thunder.

Recently, some heavy thunder visited our area along with rain and lightning. I was beginning to understand how Noah felt during his first night in that Ark. Some of the thunder was so loud it seemed like it was inside our house.

Thankfully, I lost my heebie-jeebies a long time ago.

All week long the rain came and with the rain was lightning and of course, thunder. What in the world would a rainstorm be without thunder?

One night the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I decided to stay inside and enjoy listening to the thunder on the outside. Nothing is more cozy than listening to it rain and thunder while drinking a nice hot cup of coffee. It is even better when an Apple fritter comes with that coffee, but that would create a different kind of thunder on the inside.

I must point out during this time, young people were breaking into cars, rummaging through them and stealing whatever they could find. Even locked cars were broken into and I wished I knew how they did that. I have locked myself out of my car several times. If only I had the skills of a car thief, I would not worry so much nor call for help.

I had my vehicle broken into once and they rummaged all through it. Unfortunately, for them, I had nothing of value to steal, except several Bibles and a dozen gospel tracts. Not one of my Bibles or one of my tracts was stolen. All that work and they found nothing to steal. I had considered putting an offering plate on my seat with a sign that said, “Your tithe goes here.”

When it comes to robbing vehicles, I have no experience. If I were going to rob a car the best time to do it is doing a heavy thunderstorm when nobody wants to come outside.

If I was going to invest time in stealing, which I am not, I would not focus on cars, especially in my neighborhood. People keep the dumbest things in cars.

While listening to the storm, it suddenly got quiet. Both my wife and I took a deep breath and she said, “I think the storm’s over. I’m going to go out and check my car.”

I really never gave it much thought. I went back to the book I was reading and then I heard it. The thunder roared again like I have never heard it roar before. I was waiting for the lightning to flash, but again the thunder roared.

Of course, I thought it was thunder, but it turned out to be my wife moaning in agony.

I was rattled, jumped out of my chair and ran to the door to see what was wrong.

It took me a while to figure out what in the world was going on but when I did, I broke out in uncontrollable laughter. I’m so sorry. That’s the way my clock ticks.

Standing there, I heard my wife screaming, “They broke into my car and stole everything inside. What kind of people does this?”

I rode in my wife’s car many times and I have yet to find something in her car worth the effort of stealing. Of course, hidden in a little space on the dashboard are several gift cards for restaurants. She always keeps a collection of these so they are handy when we stop for lunch when traveling.

Everything in that car had been rummaged through and trash thrown all over the place. The only thing these “amateur thieves” did not find was the gift cards. There they were as neatly as my wife had put them. If you would look at that part in the car, you would not know they were there.

In anguish my wife said, “Look at that mess in my car.”

It was a mess for sure. I had to calm her down and so I said, “Look here, my dear. All your gift cards are in place. They didn’t touch any of these. They didn’t get anything worthwhile.”

“That is,” she said rather mournfully, “something to be thankful for.”

She paused for a moment and then said, “Look at that mess in my car.”

The sad thing about the whole situation was her car had been locked. She is very obsessive about locking her car at night. She always asks me, “Did you lock your car?”

I wanted to say, but I know when to keep quiet, that her car had been locked and still the thieves broke into it. Some things are to be left unsaid which creates a platform of happiness.

No matter what tragedy hits us, if you look for it, you can find something good. Sometimes it takes an awful lot of looking to find anything good in a situation. The effort, though, is certainly worth it.

I thought about what the apostle Paul once said. “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

No matter what the situation, the great challenge of the Christian is to find something to give thanks for. A thief can’t steal anything of real value.