***BEST POST OF THE YEAR***

• I was born in a secluded village on a mountain. Day after day, my parents ploughed the yellow dry soil with their backs towards the sky.
  
  One day, I wanted to buy a handkerchief, which all girls around me seemed to have. So, one day I stole 50 cents from my father's drawer.
  
  Father discovered about the stolen money right away.
  
  'Who stole the money?' he asked my brother and me.
  
  I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Neither of us admitted to the fault, so he said, 'Fine, if nobody wants to admit, you both should be punished!'
  
  Suddenly, my younger brother gripped Father's hand and said, ‘Dad, I was the one who did it!' He took the blame and punishment, for me.
  
  In the middle of the night, all of sudden, I cried out loudly. My brother covered my mouth with his little hand and said, ‘Sis, now don't cry anymore.
  
  Everything has happened. ' I will never forget my brother's expression when he protected me.
  
  That year, my brother was 8 years old and I was 11 years old. I still hate myself for not having enough courage to admit what I did.
  
  Years went by, but the incident still seemed like it just happened yesterday.
  
  When my brother was in his last year of secondary school, he was accepted in an upper secondary school in the central part of town. At the same
  time, I was accepted into a university in the province.
  
  That night, Father squatted in the yard, smoking packet by packet. I could hear him ask my mother, 'Both of our children, they have good results? Very
  good results?' Mother wiped off her tears and sighed, 'What is the use? How can we possibly finance both of them?
  
  At that time, my brother walked out, he stood in front of Father and said, 'Dad, I don't want to continue my study anymore, I have read enough
  books.
  
  Father became angry. 'Why do you have a spirit so weak? Even if it means I have to beg for money on the streets, I will send you two to school until you have both finished your studies!'
  
  And then he started to knock on every house in the village to borrow money.
  
  I stuck out my hand as gently as I could to my brother's face, and told him, 'A boy has to continue his study .
  
  If not , he will not be able to overcome this poverty we are experiencing.' I, on the other hand, had decided not to further my study at the university.
  
  Nobody knew that on the next day, before dawn, my brother left the house with a few pieces of worn out clothes and a few dry beans. He sneaked to my side of the bed and left a note on my pillow; 'Sis , getting into a university is not easy. I will go find a job and I will send money to you.' I held the note while sitting on my bed, and cried
  until I lost my voice.
  
  With the money father borrowed from the whole village, and the money my brother earned from carrying cement on his back at a construction site, finally, I managed to get to the third year of my study in the university.
  
  That year, my brother was 17 years old; I was 20 years old. One day, while I was studying in my room, my room mate came in and told me, 'There's a villager waiting for you outside!' Why would there be a villager looking for me? I walked out, and I saw my brother from afar. His whole
  body was covered with dirt, dust, cement and sand. I asked him, 'Why did you not tell my room mate that you are my brother?'
  
  He replied with a smile, 'Look at my appearance. What will they think if they would know that I am your brother? Won't they laugh at you?'
  
  I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I swept away dirt and dust from my brother's body. And told him with a lump in my throat, ‘I don 't care
  what people would say! You are my brother
  no matter what your appearance.'
  
  From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip. He put it on my hair and said, 'I saw all the girls in town are wearing it. I think you should also
  have one.' I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled my brother into my arms and cried. That year, my brother was 20 years old; I was 23 years old.
  
  After I got married, I lived in the city. Many times my husband invited my parents to come and live with us, but they didn't want. They said once
  they left the village, they wouldn't know what to do. My brother agreed with them. He said, 'Sis, you just take care of your parents-in-law. I will take care of Mom and Dad here.'
  
  My husband became the director of his factory. We asked my brother to accept the offer of being the manager in the maintenance department. But my
  brother rejected the offer. He insisted on working as a repairman instead for a start.
  
  One day, my brother was on the top of a ladder repairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, and was sent to the hospital. My husband and I visited
  him at the hospital.
  
  Looking at the plaster cast on his leg, I grumbled, 'Why did you reject the offer of being a
  manager? Managers won't do something dangerous like that.
  Now look at you - you are suffering a serious injury. Why didn't you just listen to us?'
  
  With a serious expression on his face, he defended his decision , 'Think of your brother-in-law, he just became the director. If I , being uneducated, would become a manager, what kind of rumors would fly around?'
  
  My husband's eyes filled up with tears, and then I said, 'But you lack in education only because of me!' 'Why do you talk about the past ?' he said and then he held my hand.
  
  That year , he was 26 years old and I was 29 years old.
  
  My brother was 30 years old when he married a farmer girl from the village. During the wedding reception, the master of ceremonies asked him, 'Who is the one person you respect and love the most?' Without even taking a time to think,
  he answered, 'My sister.
  
  'He continued by telling a story I could not even
  remember. 'When I was in primary school, the school was in a different village. Everyday, my sister and I would walk for 2 hours to school and back home.
  
  One day, I lost one of my gloves. My sister gave me one of hers. She wore only one glove and she had to walk far.
  
  When we got home, her hands were trembling because of the cold weather. She could not even hold her chopsticks. From that day on, I swore that as long a s I lived, I would take care of my sister and would always be good to her.
  
  'Applause filled up the room. All guests turned their attention to me. I found it hard to speak,
  
  'In my whole life, the one I would like to thank most is my brother,' And in this happy occasion,
  in front of the crowd, tears were rolling
  down my face again.
  
  MORAL: Love and care for the one you love every single day of your life. You may think what you did is just a small deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot.

RARE VIRTUES LADIES SHOULD LEARN 3

1. Sometimes, go out without make up.
2. Never call anybody ugly.
3. Have a routine.
4. Be completely self sufficient.
5. Know how to fix things around the house.
6. Know when it is time to leave, time to let go, time to be quiet.
7. Wear dresses
8. Become a mother.
9. Make plans and follow through on them.
10. Be the kind of woman that makes things happen.
11. Wax.
12. In conversation, focus on the other person.
13. Know how to cook 10 dishes very well.
14. Don’t be a high-maintenance friend. Life is busy.
15. Travel. Go on adventures.
16. When in another country, it is only polite to greet people in that language.
17. Be able to take care of yourself and like the way you take care of yourself before you become a mother.
18. Work.
19. Meditate.
20. Always carry a pen and paper in your handbag.
21. Spa days.
22. Have one collection that you love and can display in just one place in your home.
23. Don’t be picky about food.
24. Carry wet wipes in your handbag.
25. Never criticise your partner in front of his friends. Or anybody for that matter.

RARE VIRTUES LADIES SHOULD LEARN 2

1. Don’t talk about your exes.
2. Remember peoples names.
3. If he does not have a chance, tell him.
4. Be ferociously loyal to your man.
5. Never stop flirting with your husband.
6. Don’t be afraid of getting dirty when you have to.
7. Be punctual.
8. When asked for a suggestion, don’t be afraid to give your opinion. Don’t be indecisive.
9. Don’t lend money unless you’re willing to write it off.
10. Get haircuts often.
11. Know how to do a few hairstyles.
12. You don’t need to pout your lips like a duck to pose for a picture. Never do it. There is never a right time to do it. It never looks good.
13. Know when to ignore the camera.
14. Have conversations with children.
15. Be subtle. He noticed you.
16. Understand your life. Where you’ve come from, what lessons you’ve learned, and why you are who you are today. It’s your job, and not someone elses to figure out.
17. Play an instrument.
18. Have a talent that you can surprise people with.
19. Take photographs and make an album.
20. Keep a garden.
21. Make your husband’s lunch. Leave a love note inside.
22. Learn to dance.
23. You don’t need a “Pictures of Me” album on facebook.
24. Bake.
25. Trust until you are given a reason not to.
26. Once you’ve made your point, stop talking.
27. When you can, pick you own vegetables and fruit.
28. Do things with your children.
29. Always offer guests something to eat or drink.
30. Write down your goals.
31. Read before bed.
32. Make friends with everyone you meet on a weekly basis (grocery store cashiers, coffee shop baristas, people you meet on your morning run).
33. Know how to drive.
34. Don’t boast about projects in progress. Celebrate their completion.
35. Never boo.
36. Be comfortable on your own.
37. Pay back loans quickly. It’s your responsibility to return money you owe before someone has to remind you.
38. Know how to speak in public.
39. Be a great listener.
40. Sit at the front of the classroom.
41. You cannot control your feelings but you can control your behaviour.
42. Listen to the feeling that says “this isn’t quite right”.
43. Circulate at parties.
44. Learn how to pack light.
45. Take care of your skin.
46. Don’t argue with your husband in front of friends.
47. When going on a date, have enough money to pay for at least your meal.
48. Be easily pleased.
49. Leggings are not pants.
50. Don’t air your dirty laundry.
51. Photograph those you love.

RARE VIRTUES LADIES SHOULD LEARN 1

1. Don’t worry about a woman who is more beautiful than you, worry about the one who is more interesting than you.
2. It’s better to be right, than first. It’s best to be both.
3. Match your underwear as often as you can.
4. Stand up to greet someone.
5. Always greet guests at the door, and see them to the door.
6. Always leave your husband at the door.
7. Make the first few minutes with your husband positive. Don’t nag.
8. Learn how to make your loved ones favourite dishes.
9. Try it without sarcasm.
10. Know when your husband likes to have his coffee.
11. Keep your home clean. It is your responsibility.
12. Accept compliments with a smile.
13. Never brag.
14. You’re rarely too busy to welcome your husband home with a kiss and a hug.
15. Every day, no matter how you feel, get up and get dressed.
16. Be optimistic. It’s attractive.
17. If you need to cancel plans, do it by phone.
18. Remember important dates.
19. Save sentimental momentos.
20. Love the one you’re with.
21. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
22. Don’t gossip.
23. Stretch. Be flexible.
24. Wear heels.
25. Read.
26. Know what’s happening in the world.
27. Maintain friendships.
28. Whenever you visit someone, bring a gift.
29. Invest in a great handbag.
30. If you aren’t hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re not hungry enough.
31. If you have to ask yourself if you’re hungry or not at the fridge, you’re not.
32. Use your high thread count sheets.
33. Take care of your things.
34. When a man buys you flowers, take the time to smell them.
35. After writing an angry e-mail, read it over carefully, and then delete it.
36. Welcome new neighbours.
37. Don’t make a scene.
38. Don’t yell.
39. Don’t cuss.
40. Have a schedule.
41. Dress modestly.
42. Greet others warmly.
43. Be polite, refined and well spoken.
44. You can’t be friends with everyone.
45. Don’t talk about your exes.

LESSONS FROM THE PENCIL

A pencil maker taught his pencil 5 important lessons.

 1. In everything you do, always live a mark.

 2. You can always correct the mistakes you made.

 3. What is important is what is inside of you, not your size.

 4. In life, you will undergo some painful sharpenings, which will make you a better pencil.

 5. To be the best pencil you can be, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.

... Remember! We are like pencil in the hands of our Creator.

TRIBUTE TO MUMMY @ 53

All the promises. All the hopes we had. Are all but gone and faded away.

I never taught thought you would be gone too soon.

Many months after you are gone,our hearts are still heavy.

We still wish it is all a dream.

Oh! Who will awaken me from this nightmare?

I still hear your sweet voice in my ears and I wish I could talk to you again.

I never regretted any moment spent with you because you made them worthwhile.

I see you in every good thing I do.

I know I should be strong just like you taught me,but I lack the strength to be strong.

You taught me that when my strength fails me, I should just wait on The Lord,and that is what I am doing.

We miss you so much and wish you could visit.

Mum,I still think about you everyday.

I am grateful for the life you lived and that is why it is almost unbearable to think of how it is without you.

Indeed,nothing is comparable with the love of my mother.

You have made me who I am,your humility,selfless sacrifices,meekness,faithfulness,determination,hardwork and intelligence are legacies I am still trying to inculcate.

I miss so much Mum. You are irreplaceable to us.

Love you forever.

FREE YOURSELF

One day not too long ago the employees of a large company returned from their lunch break and were greeted   with a sign on the front door. The sign said: "Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this   company passed away.  We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the   gym."

At first everyone was sad to hear that one of their colleagues had died, but after a while they started getting        curious about who this person might be. The excitement grew as the employees arrived at the gym to pay their    last  respects. Everyone  wondered: "Who is this person who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he or she is no longer here!"

One by one the employees got closer to the coffin and when  they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in      silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself. There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth: Is YOU

TIPS FOR GENTLEMEN

 

 

v  Being a gentleman revolves around one word: respect. It’s respect for yourself, those you care about, and those you want to care about. It is your personality and not something you switch on and off at will.

 

v  Chivalry and honour aren't dead, but they're not thriving either. Conduct yourself like a gentlemen and you'll gain a woman's respect. Plus, you'll feel better about yourself.

 

v  Good hygiene is a must. Make sure to bathe and groom yourself regularly. When applying deodorant or cologne, don't use a lot. Pay attention to how you look.

 

v  A true gentleman is polite to everyone, in action and words.

 

v  Don't swear. Ever. Don't speak of vulgar matter In public, don't: fart, belch, speak too loudly, be overly demanding/offensive, or drink heavily. A gentleman is always in control of himself, body and mind.

 

v  When walking her across the street, hold her hand. It gives the woman a sense of feeling protected.

 

v  Don't talk about yourself much.

 

v  When walking on the sidewalk or on the side of the road, gentlemen should walk on the outside(closer to the road), whereas the lady should be on the inside, protected from oncoming traffic.

 

v  Do not talk down to women ever. It's okay to tease but being cruel is not the way to go.

 

v  Pay attention to the fact that the world is more threatening for girls: they're automatically targets at night or in bad neighbourhoods. Walk her to her door (or car) if at all possible. It doesn't matter how strong she actually is, if you're a girl people will go at you first, whereas by virtue of being male you're safer.

 

v  Remember to keep doing nice things for your girlfriend when you're around her.

 

v  Avoid fighting, as it isn't the best way to solve problems.

 

v  Treat them with respect and the way you would want to be treated.

 

v  Always smile and maintain eye contact with whoever you're talking to. This creates an emotional bond between the both of you.

 

v  Don't ever honk when coming to pick up a girl for a date, always walk up to the door and knock or ring the doorbell.

 

v  Wait for others to get their food before you start eating.

 

v  When a gentleman wants to use a toilet that is used by both male and female, he puts down the inner cover of the toilet.

 

v  Clean the Toilet seat. Ideally, you shouldn’t leave any splatter behind, but if you do it’s essential to wipe down the toilet seat for the next occupant. After all, the cleanliness of the seat reflects directly upon you.

 

working shorter hours

According to the Mail Online “working shorter hours could make you more stressed and doesn't improve job satisfaction”.
The headlines follow publication of research in the Journal of Happiness Studies. The study makes use of South Korean survey data on working hours and life satisfaction, collected from married or cohabiting couples.
In 2004, a Five-Day Working Policy was introduced in South Korea in order to reduce the long working hours. Working hours gradually fell from 56 hours per week in 1998 to less than 51 hours in 2008. Contrary to the headlines, there was a consistent rise in satisfaction with working hours, life satisfaction and job satisfaction over the same period.
Both men and women seemed to be most satisfied when working ‘non-overtime’ full-time jobs of 31–50 hours per week. Men had less satisfaction with working part-time jobs (less than 30 hours) – possibly due to reduced income. Women appeared to like part-time jobs, but they do not seem to be readily available in South Korea.
However, because of the many cultural, historical and social differences between the UK and South Korea, this study is unlikely to have a great deal of relevance here.

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by a single author from the Division of International Studies, Korea University. No sources of funding are reported. The study was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Happiness Studies.
The media has over-interpreted the findings of these South Korean survey reports, which may have very limited relevance in the UK.

What kind of research was this?

Several prior research studies have observed that employment is an important driver of individual happiness, in part because it is a driver of social participation and engagement. Downsides can, of course, include stress and fatigue from long working hours and loss of time with family. Several studies have tried to examine whether long working hours have positive or negative effects on wellbeing, with mixed results.
The current study focuses on Korea – said to have some of the longest working hours in the developed world (during the 1990s, a third of men worked an average of 60 hours a week).
However, since the introduction of the Five-Day Working Policy in 2004, the country has seen a decline in average working hours by around 10% or five hours per worker per week. The research looked at the working hours of married and cohabiting couples and their subjective wellbeing as reported in surveys conducted over the period 1998 to 2008.
South Korea also continues to have a large gender gap when it comes to working, compared with other countries, with women often working fewer hours or being in lower positions.

What did the research involve?

The study uses data collected as part of the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS) during the years 1998–2008. KLIPS is said to be a nationally representative longitudinal survey of urban Korean households that started in 1998, covering 5,000 households and 13,783 individuals over 15 years old.
A wide range of information was collected, including earnings, education, family and employment backgrounds, and other sociodemographic factors. KLIPS reportedly included a broad range of information on measures of subjective wellbeing and working hours.
The sample used in this family is restricted to married and cohabiting couples, including a total 25,461 person-year observations for females and 25,214 person-year observations for males.
Questions on job satisfaction and overall satisfaction with life were rated on a five-point scale from 1 (very satisfied) to 5 (very dissatisfied) and included questions such as:

• “Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your life?”
• “Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your main job?”
• “How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with regard to your main job on the following aspects?”

Subsequent questions covered regular weekly working hours (according to contract) and average actual weekly working hours (actual time spent in work).

The author looked at working hours, work and life satisfaction by gender pooled over the years 1998-2008. The author also constructed a statistical model to look at the associations between working hours, work and life satisfaction.

What were the basic results?

Average life and job satisfaction of wives/women and husbands/men were comparable, around 3.2 and 3.1, respectively, on the scale from 1 to 5. Satisfaction with working hours was slightly lower, with men being less satisfied than women: around 3.04 for women and 2.99 for men. In all cases, reports on the extremes of 1 (very satisfied) or 5 (very dissatisfied) were rare.
The researcher says this could in part be explained by social and cultural norms in South Korea, which normally includes more modest use of language; expressions of intense emotions are also frowned upon.
Overall, average working hours in Korea over the period 1998 to 2008 were long, with men and women spending around 40 to 60 hours a week at work, excluding commuting and lunch hours. More women than men worked in jobs where hours were lower than 40 hours per week, while more men worked extremely long hours (60+).
About a third of men and a quarter of women with family duties still worked on average more than 60 hours a week. Less than a third of women with family ties were able to secure a job working less than 40 hours, suggesting the absence or lack of part-time working opportunities in Korea.
For women, hours satisfaction was relatively high when working one to 50 hours a week, though the preferred category would be 31 to 40 hours a week, which many women are not able to do. Similar patterns were preferred for men, though men didn’t like working one to 30 hours a week (part-time).
Overall job satisfaction was higher for both men and women when working ‘non-overtime’ full-time jobs (31–50 hours).
Before the law was introduced in 2004, statutory working time was 44 hours and six days a week for most employees. In mid-2004, this had reduced to 40 hours and five days a week. Average weekly working hours were consistently more than 10 hours above this, although there was a decrease from 56 hours in 1998 to less than 51 hours in 2008.
A graph presented in the study suggests that while working hours dropped from 1998 to 2008, satisfaction with working hours, life satisfaction and job satisfaction have been continually rising. The association between the introduction of the Five-Day Working Policy and hours, job and life satisfaction was also examined in a statistical model.
The researcher found that there was a significant negative association between working hours and satisfaction with working hours (that is, as working hours decreased, satisfaction with working hours increased). However, the association between reduced working hours and job or life satisfaction was not significant when examined in the model.

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The author concludes that, “the introduction of the Five-Day Working Policy in Korea had only limited well-being effects on married workers and their families. Average reductions of more than four hours of work time did not have a significant impact on full-time workers’ overall job and life satisfaction. It did, however, significantly increase workers’ satisfaction with their working hours. The latter increase was stronger for women with larger reductions, indicating higher work-family conflict for Korean women.”

Conclusion

This study draws on a wealth of survey data collected for Korean married or cohabiting men and women between 1998 and 2008. It demonstrated trends in decreased working hours since the introduction of the Five-Day Working Policy in 2004.
Despite the headlines, the findings do show a promising overall trend towards general increases in satisfaction with work, working hours and life over the 10 year period. It also makes some observations around the gender difference, and the possibility that Korean women may prefer the opportunity for part-time work but this is less readily available.
This study provides an interesting look at the effects of working hours upon satisfaction with life and work among married or cohabiting couples in Korea. However, due to social, cultural and economic differences between the UK and Korea, the findings have limited relevance to this country.