Oh daffodils, sweet sign of spring
Herald nature’s awakening
From winter’s cold and gloomy days
Without the sun’s bright shining rays
What will happen to you now?
You’ve come too soon, I don’t know how
Cold and snowy days ahead
May mark the end of my daffodil bed.
Most of us see birds as a symbol of freedom, or even as symbols of the future. Their ability to soar high into the sky and their proximity with the sky makes them desirable for humans who cannot fly without substitute wings. From time immemorial,
mankind has considered birds to be signs of eternal life. Many folklores and stories suggest that birds were taken as signs of renewed life, often as a transition between life and death. Many even consider them to be an idea or proposal for the future.
“Do you ne’er think what wondrous beings these?
Do you ne’er think who made them, and who taught
The dialect they speak, where melodies
Alone are the interpreters of thought?
Whose household words are songs in many keys,
Sweeter than instrument of man e’er caught!”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s ‘Tales of a Wayside Inn’
Often, we see magpies as signs of good or bad omens. Do any of these symbolism have any meaning or are they simply hyped folklores? Now that we are thinking on such lines, and you have dreamed of, or seen a particular bird, then a quick glance at the following table will help you know just what it means. Help yourselves . . .
*Click on the images for a better view.
Connotes
★ Good omen
★ Paradise
★ Mysticism and Magic
Seeing a blackbird for most is a sign of a good omen. Apart from being a good omen, it could also refer to a heightened awareness either spiritually or in your personal life. It could also imply shyness and insecurity, which directly implies lack of self-confidence. It could infer to being vulnerable to the decisions made by others. The color black, as we know, is associated with supernatural prowess, hence lending the individual who sees a blackbird frequently in his dreams a mystical and magical feel.
Connotes
★ Arrival of spring
★ Hard work
★ Spiritual joy
Bluebirds are associated with spiritual joy and contentedness, it most often predicts the occurrence of a happy condition or good tidings coming your way. It is symbolic of a transition or spiritual awakening. It may also refer to the craving of an individual for the inner child which would obviously mean innocence.
Connotes
★ Fearless
★ Truthful
★ Talkative
A blue jay could mean anything from being faithful to your spouse or purity of the soul, which definitely implies a gentle human being. To an extent, it means clarity in thoughts and actions of the individual. Blue jays are symbolic of adaptability; besides, seeing a blue jay either in its natural habitat or in your dreams could also send across a message to develop an innate talent.
Connotes
★ Joy
★ Freedom
★ Intellectual development
Canaries are happy birds that spread joy and a sense of well-being. For some, a flying canary could be a sign of freedom, while for some others it could be a sign of spread of unwanted information that we know as gossip. It could also mean that you as an individual, is the cause behind the gossip. A canary is also a symbol of selflessness, sexual ecstasy (flying canary); in the extreme, it could mean entrapment (caged canary).
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Vibrancy
★ Nobility
Red is the color of love, and it is but natural to associate a red cardinal with love and warmth. It could be a reference to a possible passionate encounter or a sign of you settling down in life with the person you love. Besides, it could mean delight by way of accomplishment of a good deed.
Connotes
★ Clarity
★ Purity of soul
Chickadee is symbolic of higher thinking capabilities, which implies a better understanding of the self as well as that of the world. It also refers to fearlessness with regards to expressing oneself, and being happy in the self, the individual tends to be truthful and faithful to others around.
Connotes
★ Hysterical futility
★ Feeling of fear
You must be familiar with idioms like ‘chicken out’ or ‘chicken-hearted’ – what it essentially hints at is – the individual is not brave enough to face difficult situations and is timid. If you happen to see a hen sitting on her eggs, take it as a sign of fertility and protectiveness. Seeing a chicken with its head cut off would symbolize hysterical futility as the individual is apparently not thinking logically.
Connotes
★ Renewal
★ Christ’s resurrection
★ Social elevation
★ Immortality
Cranes provide myriad symbols for interpretation, basically it is associated with renewal and rejuvenation of the body and the spirit. It is symbolic of peacefulness and the ability to resist trauma and generally as a healing measure. It could also mean that the individual who sees it is curious to take up matters in his/her hand.
Connotes
★ Sacred law
★ Clear messages
★ Straight talk
Crows are a symbol of mysticism and the ‘other world’. Most cultures believe that the crow is symbolic of ancestral souls. Seeing a crow could be interpreted as a straight talker or an arrogant speaker. Seeing a crow could also hint at the individual being a master of illusions.
Connotes
★ Peace
★ Inner initiation
★ Holy Spirit
Purity and innocence best define the dove. For a Christian, it is a sign of hope and the descent of the Holy Spirit. It is also a sign of pure love and compassion, many sayings also insist, be gentle like a dove. It could be a hint to a compassionate and gentle individual.
Connotes
★ Weak inner strength
★ Simplicity
Don’t fall in for the name, even though they are tame ducks, they tend to be relatively aggressive especially when you confront them. Seeing it would symbolize your own aggressive nature when confronted by an unknown force. It is also a sign of marital bliss and simplicity. At times, it could be seen as a spiritual vulnerability. Besides, it could also be a sign of honesty.
Connotes
★ Adventure
★ Grace
Quite an irony if you go by what its name suggests, a wild duck is relatively peaceful and sensitive. It refers to the individual self who, when confronted is aggressive, but if left by himself is actually sensitive and peaceful. People who happen to dream of wild ducks in particular love their individuality and are a contented lot, and most importantly have a heightened awareness of themselves and others around them.
Connotes
★ Triumph of light over darkness
★ Self-confidence
★ Royal bearing
★ Intellectual freedom
★ Positive energy
★ Renewal
★ Symbolic of Christ
Seeing an eagle could mean anything from prosperity and success to a contemplative individual. It is not a rare sight seeing eagles and its meaning would definitely be different in the situation in which you see it. It could mean an act of generosity or kindness of the individual. It could also be symbolic of inner healing and enlightenment. Some cultures see eagles as an act of faith soaring high. It could also refer to a person with a forbearing personality.
Connotes
★ Protector
★ Spiritual aspects of life
★ Spiritual achievements
Falcons like eagles are taken as signs of hope and positivity. Seeing a falcon could imply some sort of help coming through to you. It also signifies heightened spirituality and freedom. For some of you, it could also mean a spiritual message or help coming to your aid.
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Grace
★ Balance
Flamingos refer to an outgoing personality. It also denotes responsibility and vibrancy. Seeing a flamingo could be interpreted as being family oriented and having a well-balanced personality. Flamingos encourage you to be social and vibrant in life. Besides, it is also a sign of responsibility and leadership.
Connotes
★ Swift
★ Desire to escape problems
★ Watchful
★ Providence
Old quacks, that’s what old people are called, ain’t it? Well, geese are symbolic of an individual who can babble nonstop for hours on end. It could also mean a happy-go-lucky attitude towards life. At times, it could symbolize apparent foolish behavior. Besides, they could also mean quarrelsome individuals (tame goose), fidelity and loyalty towards spouse and family (snow goose), and a devout Christian (gray goose).
Connotes
★ Nobility
★ Acute perception
★ Quick discernment
★ Messenger of the sky
Hawks, eagles and falcons are known to be messengers of the sky, and are symbolic of spiritual awareness and spiritual rejuvenation. Reach for the sky applies not just for eagles but for hawks too, seeing a falcon should be taken as a message of inspiration and logical thinker. A falcon is a reminder to lead an honest and truthful life.
Connotes
★ Intellectually impoverished
★ Panicky
★ Protective
She is a ‘Mother hen’. You must have cribbed of so many people in this way, if they have fussed over you! Hens are a sign of fertility and being a mother figure to someone. If you happen to see a hen sitting on her eggs, it could mean that you as an individual can be guarding some secret or are very secretive, not allowing anyone to know what goes on in your life. Seeing a hen could also mean you are highly susceptible to danger, are intellectually impoverished and panicky as an individual.
Connotes
★ Good omen
★ Symbolic of the souls of the world
★ Contended
★ Symbol of Christ on the mount of olives
A heron refers to a self-reliant, independent individual free to make decisions. It basically points out to an individual who strives for reasoning and is aware of the happenings with himself/herself and the world around at large. Seeing a heron could be interpreted as longevity in life. People who constantly see herons in their dreams are considerably good at dealing with other people and make good leaders.
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Joy
★ Messenger
★ Stopper of time
★ Permanence
Who doesn’t like eternal life? Seeing a hummingbird won’t mean giving you eternal life, but it is considered as a sign of permanence. The hummingbird symbolizes an optimistic approach to life, it reflects on the gentleness of the individual. Besides, it also stands for devotion and spiritual awareness of the individual.
Connotes
★ Harbinger of Lunar functions
★ Devouring deadly deeds
All I can say about ibis is that, it is considered to be a scavenger, and seeing an ibis refers to a spiritual esoteric or rare and unusual interest. The ibis probe the mud for food, hence symbolizing a person dwelling in evil, and feeding it to others around as well. The possibility of a transformation or change is inherent when you see an ibis.
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Dignity
★ Speed
Kingfishers denote beauty, agility and refer to serenity and a peaceful approach to life. If you happen to come across a kingfisher, it could be symbolic of success and prosperity coming your way. Seeing a kingfisher could also be symbolic of your faithfulness towards your spouse.
Connotes
★ Masculine energy
★ Resourceful
★ Psychic
★ Vibrancy
Macaws are highly intelligent and hence, symbolize an ability for higher thinking and intellectual individuals. It also is a pointer to the awakening of psychic abilities. An individual is made up of male and female energies and seeing a macaw is indicative of a balance between the two energies. It is also symbolic of resourcefulness of the individual and represents a well-adapted and adjusted individual.
Connotes
★ Chatterbox
★ Flashy
★ Happiness
★ Good fortune
Magpies are symbolic of happiness and jovial approach to life, yet it can denote a shaky personality. It can also be a reference to unpredictable behavior or situations occurring around you. It denotes lack of discipline in life and an individual with a highly deceptive nature. In the extreme, it could also symbolize marital bliss.
Connotes
★ Imitation
★ Mockery
The name says it all, mockingbirds are but that, and they symbolize a person who lacks individual expression. It could be taken as a sign of rebuke and the innate ability to imitate people and situations around you, thus making a mockery of yourself. It could also mean that you or someone close to you is committing adultery.
Connotes
★ Good omen
★ Cry for help from a poor soul from purgatory
Everyone is aware that a nightingale’s song refers to love and longing, what it could also mean is a sign or warning of an impending death. It could also refer to praise for acts of charity. With its natural ability to sing, it symbolizes a creative individual who is unearthing his/her potential. It could also refer to someone who has taken up the responsibility to bring about a transformation or reformation.
Connotes
★ Faith
★ Virginity of Mary (egg)
Ostriches are believed to be shy and evasive, yet seeing an ostrich could be representative of a contemplative personality. Like the peacock, it is also symbolic of pride, seeing it could also mean you are a religious hypocrite faking your faith. In some cultures, it is taken as a sign of fertility.
Connotes
★ Wisdom
★ Knowledge
★ Harbinger of death
★ Prince of darkness
Wise as the owl or not, owls are symbolic of an inquisitive individual. It also refers to a contemplative and virtuous individual. You can take it as a sign of enlightenment, and of course, wisdom. Beware though, seeing an owl could either mean you are being judged or are making a false judgment about another. It could also mean a warning of danger lurking around.
Connotes
★ Lacks analytical thinking
★ Unconscious messages
Parakeets are good to look at but unfortunately the symbolism is just the opposite. Seeing parakeets flying could bring a sense of freedom yet seeing one that is caged could refer to your relationship that is caged and stuffy. It is also symbolic of lack of freedom. If you happen to see them in your dreams, it could be hinting at a message being conveyed to you.
Connotes
★ Bringer of rain and seed
★ Babbler
★ Status symbol
Parrots are symbolic of an individual who lacks a personality of his/her own, it simply means it is dependent on another for views, opinions and ideas. Parrots are known to be imitators and seeing parrots could mean you or someone is making fun of someone.
Connotes
★ Universal consciousness
★ Prestige
★ Birth
★ Pride
★ Spring
Pride goes before a fall, and peacocks with their magnificent beauty are associated with pride. It refers to conceit or falseness of a person. It could be symbolic of success and goodwill and to an extent, is associated with immortality.
Connotes
★ Sacrificial death of Christ
★ Abundance
If you have watched Finding Nemo, then you will know, that pelicans are symbolic of abundance, besides, they are also symbolic of acts of charity and generosity. Seeing a pelican could mean that you believe in selfless service to others. It could also refer to a sacrifice or sacrificing attitude.
Connotes
★ Harmony
★ Supernatural calamity
Pheasant symbolizes a spiritual seeker. It could also be a sign of wickedness, and secrecy. For someone who is going astray, seeing a pheasant could mean giving in to seduction. Take it as a sign of warning and supernatural calamity.
Connotes
★ Resurrection
★ Utmost spirituality
★ Recreation of earth
Phoenix, as you know, is a mythical bird, seeing it in your dreams could be a sign of bouncing back from adversity. It is a symbol of immortality and of spiritual rebirth or transformation. It could also be taken as a sign of aggressive behavior.
Connotes
★ Gossip
★ Blame for the action of others
★ Youthful generation
Pigeons represent the lost culture of the young generation, it also refers to ignorance and gossiping nature of people. It is taken as a sign of courage to take the blame on to oneself.
Connotes
★ Family oriented
★ Protectiveness
Quails live in groups, hence symbolizing group harmony. It is a symbol of lust and love. For some, it is a symbol of victory and even more, an ability to overcome obstacles.
Connotes
★ Recognition of spiritual lies
★ Reminder of God’s love
★ Teacher
★ Mystery
Ravens are considered to be sign of good omen, yet they are harbingers of misfortune and deception. It is a sign of alertness and watchfulness, it could also refer to an adjusting personality.
Connotes
★ Speed
★ Agility
★ Reflexes
Spotting a roadrunner could mean that you are a quick thinker and have leadership qualities. It could also refer to a well-adjusted and adapted individual.
Connotes
★ Rebirth of ideas and spirit
★ New beginning
Robins are symbolic of a rebirth or the beginning of a new idea. It is a gateway to new opportunities, and refers to patient outlook towards life. It is also symbolic of growth in personal and spiritual life. It also symbolizes selfless and sacrificing nature of the individual.
Connotes
★ Awakening of ideas
★ Spirituality
Roosters are symbolic of aggressiveness and a warning of impending danger, it is also reflective of the shimmering aspects of personality.
Connotes
★ Speed
★ Foraging
Sandpipers are symbolic of heightened paternal instincts and a quick wit. It refers to an adventurous spirit and an explorer of the wild. It also refers to a focused approach to life.
Connotes
★ Freedom
★ Sea God ‘Lir’
★ Messenger
Seagulls are highly intelligent and refer to intellectual abilities. However, they lack concern for life/things. You can take it as references to skillful approach to life.
Connotes
★ Gentle
★ Intellectual
★ Ancestral knowledge
Sparrows are sweet little birds that symbolize companionship, and a symbol of hope. It is also a sign of fertility and renewal as well as rejuvenation of the spirit.
Connotes
★ Resurrection
★ Fertility
The stork came visiting! Seeing a stork symbolizes a creative and speculative individual. It also refers to birth and rejuvenation; besides it points to a philosophical approach to life.
Connotes
★ Harbinger of spring
★ Attribute of love Goddess, Aphrodite
Seeing a swallow could refer to having a disciplinary approach to life. It could also connote rejuvenation of the spirit and is symbolic of the relationship between two brothers.
Connotes
★ Personal grace
★ Inherent spirituality
★ Foresees impending death
★ Hypocrite (because of black flesh)
Swans with their beautiful white features, refer to the purity of soul, innocence. It also refers to faithfulness towards family and spouse. It is also a sign of honesty and integrity, elegance and grace. It also points towards a spiritual awakening.
Connotes
★ War and bloodshed
★ Noisy
Tanagers refer to an individualistic and egocentric individual. It could also refer to restlessness due to an impending warning. It also refers to spiritual awakening of the individual.
Connotes
★ Paradise
★ Peace
Toucans can symbolize blooming partnership/companionship. It could also refer to relaxation and peace. It lends importance to teamwork and family and is a warning of impending death.
Connotes
★ Acquisition
★ Restlessness
★ Sacrifice
Turkey is symbolic of sacrifice and it lays stress on family togetherness. It implies healing of the body after critical surgery and spiritual rejuvenation. It refers to a selfless individual and symbolizes a rapid rise from a sticky situation.
Connotes
★ Aggressive
★ Watching over you
★ Virgin Mary (because it doesn’t sit on its eggs)
Vulture refers to a greedy individual. It also refers to a prophetic or demonic approach to life. It could also mean a visionary and harbinger of impending death and gloom.
Connotes
★ Prophecy
★ Magic
★ Heralds rain and storm
★ Guardian of trees
Woodpeckers are protectors of the trees and refer to people who are protective of nature and their surroundings. It refers to an apparent surge of power and an industrious outlook towards life. They are also symbolic of prophetic and mystic powers.
You are sure to find lots of similarities between the symbolism of birds, not only birds but also with animals too. The symbolism varies again in different regions. Where in one culture a certain bird may be considered as a good omen, in some other culture, it stands for a bad omen. Ultimately, interpreting birds is up to you and your beliefs. Keeping symbolism apart, if you ever find yourself bored and have nothing else to do, try bird watching. Don’t waste your time trying to identify them and hunt for their significance, simply lose yourself to their chirping and rejuvenate yourself therein.
Shaving Cream Speller (for visual and hands-on learners)
Squirt some shaving cream on your kitchen counter and you are ready to put your finger in the white foam to spell words and clean your counter all at the same time. Shaving cream is a safe cleaner for most surfaces and washes away easily from your hands after you spell your list of words in it. If you don’t want the mess in your kitchen allow your child to practice their words while taking a bath. You will love the way your tub surround shines after this activity. Place the spelling list in a 3-hole plastic page protector and hang it in the bathroom using small suction cup hooks. You will find your kids wanting to bath and study much more frequently!
Cookie Sheet Speller (for visual, auditory, and hands-on learners)
Purchase several sets of plastic magnetic alphabet letters or create your own by printing letters on card stock and laminating them with clear contact paper. Say a word for your child and then have them spell it on the cookie sheet. For auditory learners, have them put the word at the top of the sheet and drag each letter down in the correct order as they say the letter aloud.
Colorful Words (for visual learners)
Choose three colored pencils that will work well together, for example: yellow, blue, and green. Have your child write the first spelling word by copying it from the list. Use the lightest colored pencil first, then take the next lightest color and write over each letter. Finally, take the darkest color and go over the word again. A variation of this method is to use one colored pencil and build the word as you go down the page. So for the word crayon you would write c on the first line, then on the second line you would write cr. The third line would be cra and so on. It would look like this:
c
cr
cra
cray
crayo
crayon
This can be time consuming but this is how I helped my daughter pass her spelling tests when nothing else was working.
Use Technology (for visual, auditory, and hands-on learners)
www.spellingcity.com is a wonderful (and FREE) website that allows your child to type their words in and then play games and do activities with the words. If you don’t have internet you could also also use a word processing program and allow your child to type their spelling words and then change the fonts and colors of their words. Print the list and cut the words out. Next, say a word and have your child find it in the pile and then have them give it to you and try to spell it aloud to you. If they spell it right keep it out of the pile, if they spell it incorrectly, put it back in the pile. After a few nights the pile of correctly spelled words will increase.
Scrabble Speller (for hands-on and visual learners)
Use letters from a Scrabble game (which you can often find at yard sales and thrift stores) to spell words on the list. The parent should spell a word on the list with the tiles and add a letter or switch the place of two letters and then have the child correct it. This activity of fixing the words will help them remember the correct spelling long after the test is over. You can also mix up the letters to the word completely and have your child try to put them in the right order as quickly as possible. You can time your child each night and track their improvement on a graph to integrate math skills.
Studying spelling words should allow for the child to really process the word, the patterns within the English language and ways to use the word in other contexts. By trying some of these new approaches your child will not only enjoying studying the words more but, they will also make better connections with the words so that they can use them later on.It is a good idea to ask your child’s teacher for the spelling list on a Friday for the next week so you can study over the weekend when you have more time to really have fun with the words. The first time your child studies new words you should only spend about fifteen minutes on a list of ten words. The time you spend studying should increase a little each day if needed. Most teachers give spelling tests on Fridays, so if by Wednesday night your child doesn’t spell at least 75% of the words correctly you may need to try several of these methods in the same night or even for two nights in a row. My daughter struggled with spelling when she was in the primary grades but, after we started using these various methods for several weeks we found they she started moving through new lists faster and with less tears. She is now in middle school and still applies some of these methods when she studies her words or finds new words she wants to know how to spell correctly. Hopefully, you will find these methods fun and helpful and share them with other parents to use as well.
My husband and I were recently engaged when we stopped at a self-service car wash to give his “baby” a bath. As I was bored and had no desire to help, I wandered off and came upon this little black ball of fur. Upon closer inspection, it was a tiny kitten that appeared to be no more than a few weeks old. Of course, I could not leave the poor thing there all alone and convinced my soon-to-be husband to take us to the vet.
The vet confirmed it was a male kitten about four weeks old. Once he cleaned the kitten up, I saw he had the most amazingly blue eyes and I fell in love immediately. Nineteen years later, Chatty stared at me with those blue eyes but they were hazy now. He was just as weak as he was when I found him but it was due to old age now. I held Chatty that morning until he passed on and it still makes me cry to remember that morning.
My friend just lost her cat of 15 years this weekend. She asked how I survived the hurt and pain of losing a pet that had become so close to you that he was not just a pet but also actually a part of your family. I told her that it was the same as grieving any other loss – - it takes time.
The advice I gave my friend for dealing with the loss of her pet included:
Some people say to get another kitten right away and some say that it does not help or it hurts more. I say do what makes you feel better. We did get another kitten soon after but that is because our other cat was grieving the loss of Chatty and needed a playmate – it was more for her than for us. Getting through the loss of a pet is painful; however, the love and joy they bring to our lives is well worth the pain we experience when we lose them.
Have you ever thought to yourself that you’d really love to do something with your kids that doesn’t involve money or technology? If you have, then Exquisite Corpse is the activity for you. It is a simple game that will also help to educate your students about word choices and sentence structure. It originated as a game played by the surrealists in the early 1920s, and is still enjoyed by people today.
A Surrealist Parlor Game
Emerging in the early 1920s, surrealism took the world by storm. Famous surrealists include Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, and the leader of the movement, André Breton. Surrealism focused on unexpected combinations. You can famously see these unexpected combinations in the artwork of Salvador Dali, which has delighted many a viewer, and prompted much study. The surrealists used to play parlor games that enhanced their creativity and provided them with ideas for their work. Now, people play them to laugh at the funny combinations as well as to further delve into poetic turns and word choice.
How to Play
The key to this game is the sentence you work from. This sentence is “The exquisite corpse drank the blood-red wine.” If you want to turn this game into a grammar lesson, you can divide the sentence into two: the subject (“The exquisite corpse”) and the predicate (“drank the blood-red wine”). Each person is responsible for half of the sentence, either the subject or the predicate, and they should follow the pattern of the sentence. Each subject should have an article, an adjective, and then a noun. Each predicate should have a verb, an article, an adjective, and a noun. To begin, each person needs a piece of paper and a writing utensil. Each person should write a subject on his or her paper in the article, adjective, noun format. After everyone has written their subject down, they should fold the paper over so what they have just written is hidden. Then, they should pass the paper to someone else. When everyone has a new paper, they should not look at what was written before, but write a predicate down in the verb, article, adjective, noun format. Only after they have written the predicate can they flip up the paper to see what the subject is. The whole sentence read together should be hilarious and unexpected.
Word Choice
The first few rounds of this game might fall flat. This is because, if the words in the sentence aren’t interesting words, the sentence will just be boring. Think of the words in the original sentence. What is more interesting than an exquisite corpse drinking blood-red wine? Choosing interesting words makes all the difference in this game. In this way, you can teach your children about interesting words and use this game as a vocabulary builder as well as a fun activity.
Variations
If you have several kids or family members in a group, there are many possibilities with this game. You can have everyone write a subject, fold it up, and put it in a bowl. Then, have everyone write a predicate and fold it up and put it in another bowl. Then, take turns drawing subjects and predicates and reading them aloud. You might be surprised at the combinations. Another favorite is Exquisite Corpse Picture. Have someone draw the top to a picture and then fold the paper over so just a little bit is showing. Then, have someone else draw the bottom to a picture without looking at the top. This can create some crazy combinations and some great artwork for the fridge.
Did you know that a fetus develops its first sensitivity to touch by eight weeks of gestational age? By fifteen weeks, a human fetus has an adult’s taste buds and may even begin to savor the taste of the amniotic fluid! It is no wonder then that even the most ancient wisdom prods a mother-to-be to be careful about her health and maintain a relaxed and peaceful state of mind at all times. By 25 weeks of gestational age, your baby is able to hear your voice and perhaps your partner’s (if the sound is close enough to the womb) and by 27 weeks, the baby is even known to recognize the mother’s voice. Yes, mind your language around your womb!
Fun Activities to Induce Your Baby’s Senses
On a more serious note, here are some practical ways in which you can make use of the above knowledge and begin to stimulate your baby’s developing senses of hearing, smell, sight, touch and taste. You can start your interactions with your child and begin the first lessons in life while it’s still in the womb! Of course, once the baby is born, you can take over from where you left off the womb lessons and continue stimulating the senses further, especially its sense of sight (which develops the most after the baby is born in the first few weeks). Let us explore some fun ways to stimulate your baby’s senses.
| Prenatal Stimulation | Stimulation After Birth | |
| Sense of Touch |
|
|
| Sense of Hearing |
|
|
| Sense of Smell and Taste |
|
|
| Sense of Sight |
|
|
Why is there so much stress on stimulating a baby’s senses, now even extending the concept to the womb? Isn’t that taking things a bit too far? Well, a lot depends on your perspective of whether you want to educate your child just a few weeks into conception or soon after birth. There is growing scientific evidence that unlike previously believed, babies are conscious and develop feelings even while inside the womb. There is clear evidence that a baby’s senses develop quite a bit even in the fetal stage. Surely, you already have a natural instinct to interact and communicate with your baby, unborn as well as newborn. In addition, there are several books published by doctors and researchers about ways to engage with your baby to sharpen its senses and sensations. In fact, if you keep all the science and the educational perspective apart, the above methods are really just fun ways to reach out to your baby and strengthen the sacred bond even further!
Disclaimer: Please be aware that this article is for informative purposes only. You are encouraged to seek medical advice before employing these methods of stimulation.
Dale Wren is a go-getter. He is the type of guy that ‘gets the job done’, ‘never says die’, the kind of guy that, when the chips are down and the last batter is on the plate, gives his all and never holds back. At least, that’s the type of guy Dale wishes he could be. He wishes he was looked at as all those things by his friends and family but, in the long run, when all the chips are down, when it’s the ‘last batter on the plate’, Dale is almost never called in to ‘pinch hit’. Instead, he is reprimanded for being an inactive participant and tossed into the ‘crappy job’ pile among the other bottom feeders. Dale can’t help it, though. He knows how he really thinks, knows that he would truly give 110%, if need be. He just knows that, at the moment, he cannot. He cannot because he is currently cowering in fear underneath his cubicle, listening to the disembodied voice of a sociopath in a mask that just a few minutes ago invaded his place of business demanding money. Dale’s co-worker, also cowering in fear in the cubicle across from him, shoots him a worried expression, to which Dale reciprocated with an ‘I don’t know what’s going on’ shrug of the shoulders. Yeah, it was going to be one of those do-nothing days for Dale Wren, apparently.
The masked invader waved his gun around the office, barking orders at his co-conspirators, all of whom were going from cubicle to cubicle, looking for someone that held the keys to the vault in the back. The lead invader chose this particular bank due to its purported value to the city and due to the many confirmed rumors that the place was loaded. The key, though, was getting in, snatching the cash and getting out without the cops knowing. But this invader had a plan, an ingenious one, he thought. Or so he thought. For he did not count on a do-nothing nobody like Dale Wren.
“All right, I am getting tired of asking this, but I will ask ONE more time! Which one of you low-paid jerk-offs has the key to the vault?” The invader scanned the floor, narrowing his eyes and focusing on any suspicious movement. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, a lone figure stood up, hands up over his head, shaking. The invader smirked under his mask, glad he didn’t have to waste any bullets on the likes of these nobodies. “Now, that’s more like it! You don’t have to come close, you! Just leave the key right there on top of that desk. One of us will get it. You did the right thing, buddy. Your friends here will thank you later!” Dale didn’t exactly know how or especially why he got up at that moment. He was terrified of guns and shooting, didn’t want to die in this place and, most important of all, he had no clue where any key to any vault was located. Regardless, he did get up and now, as it would seem, got himself into a right nasty pickle.
One of the goons inched closer and closer to Dale, his weapon ready to fire at any given moment. Dale made a show of fumbling around in his pockets, deciding that if he was going to die, at least he was going to look like he was doing something. At that exact moment, though, a curious thing happened. As Dale was pretending to look for a key that did not exist in his pockets, an urge to sneeze came upon him. This was not like any other urge, though. Normally, he would have been able to hold it in. Not this time. This time, Dale Wren let out one of the most uproarious sneezes in the recorded history of the 2nd National Bank of Grandville. The sneeze was so grand, in fact, that it startled the goon, who fired his weapon carelessly into the air. The bullets from that weapon then ricocheted off the metallic framework in the ceiling, bounced off the metal rings of the vault in the back and then finally lodged themselves strategically in each and every one of the goons. To say the least, Dale was shocked. So shocked, that he let out a yelp, which made one of the secretaries wet themselves. This normally would not have been an issue, however, this particular secretary was crouched down in fear beside the main invader who, as fate would seem to have it, was standing right on top of a main electrical conduit line which fed into the office’s circuit box on the wall. As the electricity sparked and ignited the invader into death’s sweet embrace, Dale Wren couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in himself. It was he, after all, that petitioned to have all the cables where people could see them and, thus, have a semblance of production.
From that day on, Dale Wren was thought, not as a do-nothing nobody, but as a consummate man of action and his life would never be the same again.
As Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich continue to battle for the GOP Presidential Nomination, it seems that the chances of a Republican candidate capturing the White House are slipping. Of course, there is more than ample time for Romney, Gingrich or possibly another GOP candidate, to capture some momentum and make a serious run at President Obama in the November election. But unless a new GOP candidate emerges – or President Obama has major stumbles down before November – it would appear that the current administration is in the driver’s seat and it’s their race to lose.
The unfortunate reality for GOP candidates like Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich is that they are so similar to Barack Obama as to be almost indistinguishable. So when they inevitably start talking about things like “change” and “shaking up Washington”, voters simply can’t buy into it. It was that same rhetoric that pushed Barack Obama into the White House in 2008. And, of course, three years later nothing has changed and Washington is as gridlocked as ever. That’s not a Republican or Democratic issue – it’s the inherent corruption of the U.S. government and its policy machinations.
Americans are slowly waking up to the reality that there are no fundamental differences between Republican and Democratic politicians. They are, first and foremost, politicians. They are the elite and most come from elite backgrounds, which is no coincidence.
The status quo is greatly advantageous to them from the standpoint of power and financial gain. There is zero incentive for a Republican or Democrat to push hard to change the way our government operates. That’s why, for the better part of the last four decades, nothing has substantially changed. And come November 2012, we should all expect more of the same.
The political parties will have to come call their memberships together soon; the intent is to focus on one candidate for election to any political office. This reduces the waste of multiples fighting it out, while the entire political party gets cut to pieces taking sides. The major election we will all be looking to will of course be the Presidential office, gaining support from the delegates of each party only a few will continue. But this was known from the beginning, what may not be understood or known is who some strategies for such are played out. The candidates are well versed and prepped by those managing their campaigns, so are those who finance the campaigns well informed and understand how to gain political offices. Together each has their own means and ideas but only a few will succeed to the end.
The political process is not a simple one; it has become more complex over time as those involved have made it such. The simple idea of offering an opinion and finding a favorable reception to such among the public has long since past. The major component of any present campaign is the money flowing through it, thus the major players are not only always looking for funds but are expected to help other raise these two. But just as important are those behind the scenes who are supplying the funds, as well as those gaining such on behave of the candidates. The funding comes not from the majority of the population but from those with disposable incomes, in many cases large disposable incomes.
Those with monetary funds to spare often support the candidates mostly aligned with the same concepts the monetary supports want to see more of. But they also supply funds to others, this due to the desire to keep all candidates interested in their needs. Not known which side is to win, they want to spread interest to as many candidates as they can, thereby keeping whoever wins interested in them. But with this comes other things as well, the ability to direct influence into a campaign allows one to control options. These can be to cut and divide the political candidates into difference aspects the public will follow, thus marketing to different political demographics. It can also means several candidates can be selected to act a “breakers”, those who you do not expect to win but will instead take so many votes from others as to let a third succeed. Diverting attention between those in lower ratings allowing a higher rated runner to get closer to being selected.
With the primaries coming up soon, it is hard to think there is not some kind of influence being used to direct how the monetary funds are being used. Those seeking such offices rarely leave the decisions of who to vote for to chance. They attempt to pressure the one candidate they want into office, well ahead of any other. The strategies have been formed for sometime now as such there may already be a decision on who is to win such primary votes. But the public is not aware of these on-goings; kept to behind the scenes such strategies would be secure. The real facts then of how and why someone is selected are for those private individuals who are allowed to enter such domains.
The primaries will undoubtedly offer us a look at who is considered a political champion and who is not. Speaking rather frankly, we know the President-elect Obama will champion the Democrats. To split on this would put a rift in the Democratic Party at a time it can not afford, there is little doubt Obama holds great power in this party. But the Republican Party has many runners; the most likely will be Romney or Ron Paul. The rest are beginning to see they simply do not have what the public or the monetary funds see as useful qualities. Yet they can keep fighting it out and offer to hold the others back, gaining nothing else but a few favors in the future.
But the reality is the monetary funds have made the decision, hiding behind the PACs and other contribution systems they have used. Although they will be forced to review who supports who, it will undoubtedly end with long battles that last way past the final elections. At such a point, how does the public gain? Only that seeking to take political control gain, the public has been offered little to choose from in many years. The results are less and less competition in politics to produce fewer advantages in society.
Contact: Michael Pulse MPulse@truth-things.biz Author of: The Truth of Things
CEO of Stone Rose LLC Profile on Elance: http://mpulse-stone-rose.elance.com
Sandpapers are things that we sometimes tend to take for granted. Some of us have also committed the folly of making use of any variety available at home, because all sandpapers are ultimately sandpapers, aren’t they? Yes, they are, but each one has its own purpose. So, when you use the wrong type, either you won’t be able to do any sanding, or worse, leave scratches on the surface. Some dilemma, this. And when you get down to the task, you’ll have grit size, material, backing adhesive, abrasion… so many things that must be considered while choosing the right kind of sandpaper that fits your needs. Confused? Fret not, as we bring you a comprehensive guide on different types of sandpapers available in the market and their uses.
Characteristics and Types of Sandpaper
Surface Material
This refers to the material that forms the surface. There are four commonly found materials.
Grit
The grit of a sandpaper is the abrasion that you see on the surface. This is the most crucial feature of a sandpaper. They have values that correspond to the level of coarseness; higher the number, smoother the surface, and vice versa. Following are the types of sandpaper available, along with their respective uses.
| Sandpaper Varieties | ||||
| Grit | Grit Grade | Grit Size (µm) | Compatible With | Used For |
| Macro Grits | Very coarse | 30-36 | Metal and Wood | Removing rust, Shaping wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coarse | 40-50 | Metal and Wood | Removing paint, On hardwood floors, Removing scratches | |
| Medium | 60-80 | Wood and Plaster | Preliminary smoothing of walls, Wood sanding, Removing marks | |
| Fine | 100-120 | Wood and Plaster | Final use before the finishing | |
| Very Fine | 150-220 | Wood and Plaster | Final sanding | |
| Micro Grits | Extra Fine | 220-240 | Wood and Plaster | Sanding between coats, Giving a silky touch |
| Super Fine | 400-600 | Wood, Plaster, Glass | Sanding of finishes, Wet sanding, Giving sheen | |
| Ultra Fine | 800-1000 | Glass | Polishing | |
Backing material
Though sandpapers are often ‘papers’, sometimes different materials like cotton, polyester or rayon may be used in backing. Vulcanized rubber or fiber can be used to make the base as well. In case of very fine grits, mylar is the appropriate material. Why is this important? The backing material indicates the flexibility, thus determining its usage.
Adhesive Used
The glue mainly used to manufacture sandpapers is called ‘hide glue’. However, it is not waterproof, if you need to use one for wet sanding; pick one that has a resin bond and waterproof backing material.
Shapes
Sandpapers are available in different shapes to suit your requirements, sheets being the most common. Other shapes include rolls and disks, and cloth backed belts are used to fit in belt sanders. Sandpaper sponges allow sanding in hard-to-reach spots.
Sanding can be made easy just by choosing the right kind of product. And just in case you run out of regular sandpaper, you even have the option of a liquid sandpaper. Hopefully, you are now armed to make the right choice. Before you get down to business, don’t forget to put a dust mask on!
