Music Video: Howie Day - Collide

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Posting this song by request of Lis manis! ... Thanks!!! :)

Sunday's Reflections

[ "Reveries" Artwork by Maxfield Parrish ]

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to the tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One ray the more, one shade the less
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress
Or softly lightens o'er her face,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
And on that cheek and o'er that brow
So soft, so calm yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow
But tell of days in goodness spent
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

- Lord George Gordon Byron

Sophie's World

She is forever standing
at our secret pond
beneath our loving tree.
Welcome late-spring breeze
lifting summer dress and hat
ever so slightly.

She is dropping a rose
frozen forever in time
it cascades from her hand.
Around her, the pond,
the cat-tails, the bird song,
all captured deliciously.

She is smiling playfully
as rose follows petals
to rest amidst lily-pads.
A buzz of bumblebee,
breeze dancing leaves above,
mid-morning sun seems to kiss her.

She laughs hearing her name
turns with anticipation
burned forever is the sight.
Even as life continues -
for that split second
her beauty is immortalized.

[ Immortal by Daniel James Burt ]

Sophie's World is also a book of the same title written by Norway's Jostein Gaarder. The book centers around the life of a 14 year old norwegian girl name Sophie who receives some mysterious and cryptic messages in the mail one day, changing the way she she looks at life and this world. This book made the European best seller, was adapted into a movie, and has been translated into english, as well as many other languages. Some argue that the translations do not accurately depict the sentiment of the original writings. [ View a detailed synopsis of the book here ]

The Chemistry of Love

[ Photo by Marius E. Hauge of Norway]

For years, scientists have attempted to understand the mechanisms that control this emotion we call "Love." Some of the collective data have shown the same chemical (Dopamine) involved in drug addictions to nicotine and cocaine also share the same neuro responses to falling in love.... hence the term "addicted to love."

Recently, the hormone Oxytocin is believed to not only play a role in uterine contractions in child labor and breast feeding, but also plays a large part in the bonding process between adults. During sexual intimacy, both males and females experience an increase of this hormone (as well as Dopamine and Norepinephrine), and in combination with another hormone called Vasopressin, increases the long term emotional attachment between partners.

You may be wondering about the neurotransmitter serotonin - an important CNS modulator of mood, emotion, sleep and appetite. Interestingly, in studies comparing patients diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and couples who had just fallen in love, both groups displayed a significant drop in activity of a serotonin transporter protein in their blood platelets. In other words, the next time someone tells you he/she is crazy about you, you better believe it.

So, where does chocolate play in all of this? Theobroma Cacao, also known as the cacao tree (named by Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus), is used to make chocolate. Chocolate contains Phenylethylamine (PEA). PEA also helps to release Dopamine in the so called "mesolimbic pleasure-centres" of the brain. In studies, PEA has shown to allleviate depression in some depressed patients.

The long and short of it? Share some chocolates, cigarettes and cocaine while in bed with your mate! OK, perhaps not, but there's some cool stuff below ...

• Click here to view "Falling in Love in Six Acts"
• Take the face perception test for the "ideal" partner
• Read more about the science of love
• Society for Neuroscience article: Love and the Brain

Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs,
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes,
Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers' tears.
What is it else? A madness most discreet,
A choking gall and a preserving sweet.
- William Shakespeare "Romeo and Juliet"

Shades of Gray

[ Photo by Jan Peter - Click Img 2 enlarge ]

You're Beautiful!!!

[Click on lyrics to view video!]
The James Blunt video shows a half nakkid James in the snow, and jumping off a ledge down some distance to the freezing waters below!

You're Beautiful

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

- James Blunt

Abstract and Concrete

[Click on above image to enlarge]

The 1962 artwork titled "Abstract and Concrete" was done by Norman Rockwell for the Saturday Post. In this painting is an elderly gentleman looking at an abstract painting, presumably, that of Abstract Expressionist artist, Jackson Pollack.
To learn more about the two artists, click on the links below:

• About Norman Rockwell
• Art of Norman Rockwell
• About Jackson Pollack
• Art of Jackson Pollack