New Era

Bringing back a Bygone music genre

2010-04-07T01:11:00.000-07:00

Maft Sai's love of traditional Thai music has led him on a path to dig up the past and offer it to music lovers in modern society

In the sea of the fast moving musical world, most young deejays and music lovers opt to scout for the latest trends across the globe. And they tend to hang on to the ''next big thing'' rather than dig back to the past and appreciate the rich extended music connections. Of course, there are musicologists, ethnomusicologists, music anthropologists and academically inclined individuals who care enough to build careers around it.

And then there's a rare breed of collectors, especially in Thailand, who treasure the Thai branch of music, namely luk thung, mor lum and Thai funk.

But Maft Sai isn't just another obsessed record digger or Thai roots music pundit. He's doing his part to promote and create a wider, and perhaps younger, audience of luk thung, mor lum and Thai funk fans, as well as give them an up to date ''music botox'' through his Zudrangma Records. Suddenly, grass roots music has never been more hip and happening.

Founded in late-2007 by Maft Sai, Zudrangma has put out three compilations, worked with major international music labels and deejayed in and outside of Thailand. Zudrangma also organises parties, like Paradise Bangkok, with regular fans at different venues as well as hosts an internet radio show with his partner Chris Mentis every first and third Sunday of each month, from 6 to 8pm. The label is in collaboration with the Museum of Siam in the ''Luk Thung: The Phenomenon of Thai Country Music'' exhibition until June 20.

''Luk thung and mor lum are the basic elements of life for Thais. These genres contain a lot of basic knowledge. In my search of Thai luk thung and mor lum, I've found many treasures along the way,'' said Maft Sai.

Maft Sai's love for collecting records began over a decade ago. As a huge fan of music, he started out buying old school hip hop vinyls, and he hasn't stopped ever since.

''During the first year, I didn't even have a turntable. I would have to go to a friend's place and listen to them [vinyls] there,'' he said.

While attending school in London, Maft Sai landed a stint working at a record shop, where he expanded his musical interests to broken beat, nu jazz and disco records; Ethiopian jazz, Brizillian and African roots quickly followed. With his own turntable and a large collection of vinyls, Maft Sai began to learn the art of mixing and deejaying. And soon after, deejaying gigs and residency slots came knocking on his door, which helped him to further finance his record finding habits.

Having completed a degree in fashion promotion from Britain, Maft Sai returned home and worked with a couple of British brands as creative director and coordinator, however, not long after he realised that he wasn't cut out to be in that field.

''I just couldn't handle the fashion work any more. With fashion, sometimes it's more about presentation rather than core ideas. So I became a bit fed up with it all. When you work with music, you are behind your equipment, and when you deejay, you are behind a console. So you don't really have to interact with people verbally,'' said Maft Sai.

Maft Sai's interest in Thai music began with obscure Thai funk, which he defined as: ''Thai takes on funk music or familiar funk tunes and melodies including cover and reworked versions''. As an ardent fan of Ethiopian jazz, Maft Sai one day read up on the legendary Mulatu Astatke, who mentioned the Thai luk thung artist Panom Nopporn and his track Sao Ban Pop Pap, and how similar the music from both countries were. This piqued his interest and he began unearthing the long forgotten records of luk thung _ the antecedent of Thai funk.

''I discovered that luk thung music could easily be classified as 'world music' due to the similarities of sounds and its production. It isn't just limited to Thailand. It has this universal relevance. Before I didn't pay much attention to Thai grass roots music, even when it was right under my nose. But once I stumbled upon all these gems, I just wanted everyone to appreciate them, too! I love the old school productions. I love the sounds,'' he said.

His selection and passion for Thai old school, however, limits itself to the '50s up until the early-1980s because of the arrival of cassette tapes in the mid-'80s.

''The sounds changed as production technology advanced. Live recordings were gone, and it wasn't the same. It wasn't about quality selections any more. Having said that, I'm speaking from my own preference and not anyone else's,'' he said.

''Back in the day, for one luk thung or mor lum artist to be able to release a record on vinyl, it was a massive amount of work. They needed to get all their teams together amd make rounds. They needed to work their way into Bangkok, which wasn't easy. But these days, I feel that it's all too commercialised. A lot of it has to do with looks. Some of the more famous ones are like comedic troupes, rather. I'm not looking down on anyone or anything, but it's just the way I feel,'' he said.

But maybe luk thung and mor lum are the kinds of music that change with the times, signifying the progression of cultural trends among the country folks. With repeated melodic patterns fashioned after the Thai classical music scheme, luk thung and mor lum have always competed with lyrics and singing capability. Granted that the musical technicalities and production innovation have taken a back-seat for many years now, luk thung and mor lum are possibly living and breathing legacies rather than preserved memories of a bygone era.

''I really don't know, and I can't comment on that. I just prefer the old school ones. I only listen to what I want to listen to, and I put music that I like on,'' he said, listing Plern Promdan, Doa Bandon, Waipoj Petchsuphan, Dum Dan-isan, Rungfah Phuping and Sroeng Santi, among others as his favourites.

Maft Sai's criteria for song selection are based more on production quality and musicality rather than lyrics and song meanings. He goes through every track on the record and picks out the best sounding ones, regardless of their hit or flop status, resulting in mostly obscure tunes being played. Some might wonder how he is able to source vinyls of all these past Thai tunes. Maft Sai reckons that people often misconceive that vinyl stores are long gone in Bangkok.

''It's not that difficult to find, really. The [vinyl] shops are all still there. Take the one in Saphan Lek. It's been there for over 50 years, but the world around it has changed so much, and so the shop has been forgotten. I hunt down records everywhere in Thailand. Sometimes, I even go to people' houses and see what they have. Trust me, it's not really hard,'' he said.

What's harder is actually the copyright laws. The rural artists don't hold the rights to their own music. The record companies are the owners, and some of them put up quite a resistance when asked to grant legal approvals to feature the songs in his compilations.

''This is a very sensitive and complicated issue. Some labels with the new generation of decision-makers are very understanding and collaborative, while some think we are competing against them, and they don't see the need to promote luk thung outside of Thailand. There are quite a bit of murky and shady stories here which I shouldn't discuss,'' he said.

But the artists and the masters of the glorious luk thung and mor lum tunes are more understanding. In his interviews and talks with the likes of Plern Promdan and Waipoj Petchsuphan, Maft Sai has found some approvals.

''These [musical] legends are open-minded. They think it's a good thing, but they also think that what we're doing is not for the real luk thung people, but for another target group's demands. They are really okay with it,'' he said.

Maft Sai is currently working on a re-editing project and collaborating with international world music labels by selecting certain tracks, which, he stressed, are 100 percent copyrighted, for their release.

''I think Zudrangma came up at the right time in the world of world music. I think they've exhausted all of their sources in other parts of the world, so now they're looking towards Southeast Asia. It's good timing, I guess,'' he said.

''We're more concentrated on the international market right now. The promotional effort here in Thailand is very slow _ just how I want it to be. For our Bangkok Paradise series, I try not to overhype it because it will begin to attract the wrong crowd who only come and gather just to be seen. And then the real fans will stop coming. So we're trying to take it slowly,'' said Maft Sai.

source

Top 7 must-have accessories for your wardrobe this summer

2010-04-07T00:52:00.000-07:00

The winter is over and it’s time to take a look at the latest fashion trends in accessories for spring-summer season.

Not everybody will be able to get all the elements in fashion for this season, that’s why we offer you the basic accents and accessories, which are must have if you want to keep up with the latest fashion trends.

1. Scarves – Nowadays, in cold and warm months, the scarf is present as an integral part of the outfit of the modern woman.

The variety of models allows this accessory to be worn not only at the neck, but on the waist, hips, shoulders or head. The fabrics are viscose, cotton, chiffon, silk.

2. Belts – This season in fashion are the wide and emphasizing the waist belts. Or you can choose a small, thin ones if you don’t like wide belts.

3. Bags – For spring-summer 2010 hit will be the large, soft and rounded bags, and the small, clutch bags. The large bags are excellent for daily use and on the beach, while clutch bags are great accessory for formal wear.

The accents here are fringes, buckles, caps, tassels and lace.

4. Hats – Big, wide hat is also one of the best accessories for the summer. It is a classic and never aging.

5. Sunglasses – This year the sunglasses will be just an optional accessory. The most fashionable are massive and large glasses that conceal nearly half of the face. The forms are different – round, square, oval.

As for colors, the season focuses on black, gray, beige, brown and dark shades of red.

6. Shoes – High heeled shoes, shoes on platform, sock and gladiator type sandals will be in fashion this season.

Multiple straps, caps, springs, buckles, tassels and fringes will be the highlights in the shoes.

7. Jewelry – in this season the most fashionable will be large, statement jewelry. Bracelets, pendants, brooches, earrings and necklaces will add brilliance and eccentricity both daily and on official occasions.

source

Finding My Way Back...

2010-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I got on here. Cant say that I was lost it was just a detour on my part. Now, I'm finding my way back, back to where I belong - to write my stories and more! I hope I can be able to stay focus on this track..I want to and I should! So I will be!

More posts coming soon...

2009-07-17T23:07:00.001-07:00

Using this new super tool!

So happy, I can be log in to my different social network in one site! amazing!

Online Love Story (the phenomenon)

2009-06-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

Is there really a Happy Ending? Or is it all just in a fairytale books?

I was reflecting on these issues quite awhile now. And these questions are kept on coming back to me. I have many friends who got married through online dating, some were starting late than me but they got a husband now, some were early than me and well, they got there baby now. This thing bothers me for sometime, because I questioned on how they get a good husband online. Other say, its just fate, some say, its just techniques, and most of them says, it’s because of some dating sites: www.filipinaheart.com www.asianeuro.com www.cherryblossom.com

Before I don’t understand why Filipinas go after white guys, but while I was also infected on this online relationship (where I won’t be embarrassed to admit). I understand why girls are crazy over them…Ehem, yes they are sweet and they know how to make you feel head over heals for them. But as what we all know, that we don’t have the same qualities, some are just playing games and looking for fun but there are really some who also look for a serious commitment relationship online and I think this is were some of my friends to be categorized.

I’m not against about Online Dating, but the risk of getting hurt is very high (all relationship is risky, it’s on how you handle it, I think) what I meant is the intention of both parties. Just a little precaution to those who is about to go on this phenomenon….know his heart and I think it is also to your best interest if you leave something in you,don’t hope too much and have some reservation. Some people pretended to be free when the truth is they are already committed to someone else, some pretended to be your Prince Charming but the truth is he is just a frog. Some pretended to be there for you, when the truth is…it is just on the tip of his fingers. But of course I wont generalized all people online, there are also who have a great, beautiful heart and that’s what you have to really know. It’s not bad to be cautious but it is also not bad to take the risk. Because it’s when you risk your heart that you will come to know what love, pain, joy, happiness and thrill all about (Just be balance).

I just want to say for those who are on this for a game…please, don’t play the heart of a person, because you don’t know….it might happen to you also. "Do not no unto others, If you do not want others do unto YOU" when you start thinking bad towards other, please try to be in someone else shoes and feel what he/she might be feeling.

Love is not measured on what circumstances you are in weather its personal or online relationship you have, but its on how you open your heart to others, its how you let someone in.. in your life, its on how you are not afraid to take risks, its on how sincere you are and its on how you work on it. Relationship is not all about fate, destiny or mere good luck… you also have to work hard, persevere, hope, love, accept, and of course pray for it to work out. Every relationship is a blessing, I hope we will all know how to take care of our blessing and look forward for the completion of our love stories a happy ever after.

LOVE CANNOT BE BOX as what my sister says.
LOVE IS WHAT KEEPS US GOING as what I just reflect now.

NOW, WHAT IS LOVE FOR YOU? ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK OF WORKING IT OUT?

Happy Love Day everyone...

A Note to God (Lyrics)

2009-06-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

Once again, a very heartwarming, explosive, awesome (if there are still words to describe, help me name it) performance of our very own Charize Pempengco.
You undoubtedly deserve to sing this song!

A Note to God
Sung by: Charize Pempengco

If I wrote a note to God
I would speak what’s in my soul
I’d ask for all the hate to be swept away,
For love to overflow

If I wrote a note to God
I’d pour my heart out on each page
I’d ask for war to end and for peace to mend this world
I’d say, I’d say, I’d say

Chorus1:
Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love ‘cause love is overdue
And it seems like so much is goin’ wrong
On this road we’re on

If I wrote a note to God
I would say please help us find our way
End all the bitterness
Put some tenderness in our hearts
I’d say, I’d say, I’d say

Chorus2:
Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love ‘cause love is overdue
And it looks like we haven’t got a clue
Need some help from You
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
‘cause it seems like so much is goin’ wrong
On this road we’re on

Bridge:
No..no..no..no..
We can’t do this on our own
So….so…..

*Repeat Chorus2*

If I wrote a note to God

Arnel Pineda Goin' Wild

2009-02-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

Arnel Pineda the hottest voice of the "Journey" reveals his wild side with Moymoy Palaboy.

Check out this video:

Bisaya - Tagalog - English Basic Translation

2009-02-07T03:51:00.000-08:00

Just inspired to share some basic words translation.

Bisaya is a dialect from native Visayas Region most known places are Cebu, Leyte, Bohol..
Tagalog is a dialect from Manila the Capital of the Philippines and also our National Language
English the Universal language.

Basic Translation:

Bisaya - Tagalog - English

Ako - Ako - Me
Ikaw - Ikaw - You
Sila - Sila - Them
Tungod - Dahil - Becuase
Bati - Masama - Bad
Maayo - Mabuti - Good
Buntag - Umaga - Morning
Udto - Tanghali - Afternoon
Gabii - Gabi - Evening
Gihigugma - Mahal - Love

Some tagalog words are the same with Bisaya. But it matters on the sentence you will make.
Want some more? hit me up! :)

Honest Relationship Advice About SEX and DATING!

2009-02-03T23:17:00.000-08:00

NOTE: Today, when I opened my inbox. I come across this message from my very close friend in Christ. I thought these are very interesting facts about SEX and DATING issues nowadays. I was very blessed in reading this, so I want to share it with you guys... I hope you will also be blessed the way I did.

GODBLESS...

One guy gives honest relationship advice about sex and dating.

By Anonymous

Email article to a friend
Download PDF version

There's a saying that goes, "The best plan is to profit by the folly of others." That's what this article is about. I want to share with you a few things I've learnt -- the hard way -- concerning girls and relationships. Specifically, I've jotted down ten reasons why I'm now waiting until marriage to have sex.

Dating Advice #1:
I now know that sex isn't all it's cracked up to be.

When I was in university, I remember having an experience that I referred to as a "love hangover." After being with a girl, the next morning I always felt an emptiness. That's something you won't see on TV or in films, but it happens a lot. There was emptiness, even regret, afterwards.

The "love hangover" was a strange occurrence for me. Mainly because when I was in university, sex was my "god." As a male, it's what I thought about morning, noon and night. So you would imagine that having sex would have been completely fulfilling-- the crowning achievement in the worship of my "god." And yet, there was often a lack of fulfilment afterwards.

Has that been your experience, too? Have you ever had a "love hangover"? If you have, you should stop and consider, "Why is that? Why is it that sex, if it's so important to me, leaves me with an empty feeling?"

I remember being confused by this emptiness. I then concluded: "I just need more [sex], that's all." (We often think this way about stuff we hope will fulfil us, then doesn't. For example, we get the car we've always wanted, but then it's just "okay" after awhile. Instead of realizing that a car can't really satisfy us, we usually make the error of thinking, "Well, I guess that wasn't the right car. A different one will give me lasting fulfilment.")

But the emptiness continued. So, finally, I came to the conclusion that premarital sex wasn't all it's cracked up to be. It gets too much hype. It's not what films make it out to be. If it were, it would be completely fulfiling. There wouldn't be any "emptiness."

Dating Advice #2:
I now want to be more honourable toward women.

I've found that girls often don't fully understand what's going on when it comes to sex. That is, their perspective on the whole thing is very different from a guy's. Often a girl will justify sex by saying, "But I love him," even if she doesn't really want to go through with it. Why does that happen? It's been said that, "Girls use sex to get love; guys use love to get sex."

This is how it works: the girl is picturing marrying the guy some day; the guy is picturing everything he wants to do with the girl before he goes back to tell his buddies about it. And while something inside her is telling her it's the right thing to do, something inside the guy is telling him just the opposite, yet he proceeds. Why? For the physical pleasure no doubt, but also, I think, for another reason: it makes him feel like a man. But there is a great irony in that, for what is manly about deceiving a woman?

Something I've discovered is that, when you honour a woman, you are honouring yourself. Why? Because someday you will have regret, and the regret will last much longer than the pleasure. In the film Rob Roy, the main character says, "Honour is a gift a man gives himself." When you honour a woman by doing what you know to be right in your heart (that is, what's in her best interest), you honour yourself and insure that you will have no long-lasting regrets to live with.

Dating Advice #3:
That's somebody else's wife.

Here's what I mean: most of the girls I've been with are now married to other men. When I put myself in the shoes of those men, I wish that I hadn't done what I've done. In fact, I might even like to punch myself in the nose for it.

And so it goes without saying that when I get married, I'm not going to like the idea that someone else has had his way with my wife. What about you? Do you like the idea of someone else being with your wife? If you have a girlfriend now and feel that way, think of how much stronger that feeling will be with your wife someday.

You can even take it a step further. That girl is someone's daughter. What if she were my daughter? Or what if she were my sister? Would I want some guy like me taking advantage of her? I now see girls from a different perspective. They're someone else's future wife, someone else's daughter, sister, etc.

Dating Advice #4:
Sex has killed my best relationships.

For example, I had a university sweetheart, the girl of my dreams. With her, there was never a dull moment. We totally "clicked." We waited for awhile, then, through my initiation, we started having sex.

Sex soon became the focus of our relationship. I stopped wanting to get to know her on any other level. And so, instead of growing closer together, we actually started drifting apart. That's what I mean by "sex killed my best relationships." People can relate on many different levels -- emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually. But when my girlfriend and I started relating mostly physically, it short-circuited the other parts of our relationship. As a result, the relationship as a whole started to go south. We might still be together today if we (I) had waited.

I've seen this happen with countless relationships, not just others of my own, but those of many other people. And I think there's a reason for this, which I'll explain next.

Dating Advice #5:
Sex before marriage ruins the other parts of the relationship.

For me, two things happened once I had sex with a girl. As I look back on it, I can say that they happened literally every time, although I was unaware of these dynamics at the time. The two things were this: 1) I lost respect for the girl (even though I didn't want to); and 2) she began to mistrust me (even though she didn't want to).

I don't know why this happened, I just know that it did. Maybe it's just built into "the system." But one thing's for sure: I'm not alone. I've seen it happen over and over again. I know many people having marital problems because they engaged in premarital sex. They go into the marriage with lack of respect and lack of trust, two absolute necessities for the health of any marriage.

I know a newlywed couple who have sex less than once a month because of this--he doesn't respect her, she knows it, and she doesn't trust him, so she doesn't want to give herself to him. It's very sad, and more common than you might think. But nobody talks about this kind of thing in public. And the film and TV portrayals of couples having sex before marriage never present it either. It's like no one wants to acknowledge that it's happening, even though it is.

Dating Advice #6:
Waiting to have sex with my wife will mean better sex in my marriage.

Why? Because we'll go into the marriage with me having more respect for her and her having more trust in me. One thing I've learnt: if a girl doesn't trust a guy, she doesn't want to give herself wholly to him. Deep down, she doesn't really enjoy being with him.

This is how it works. Since "girls use sex to get love, and guys use love to get sex," a couple will have sex before marriage. The girl does this to hold on to the relationship. The guy does it because he wants it even more than the relationship itself. Then, after the marriage, the woman has what she wants: a commitment from the man. So she doesn't need to use sex to get him anymore. And, because she may be harboring resentment because he had sex with her before they were married, she is now not interested in sex. And the guy -- who doesn't treasure his wife because of the sex before marriage -- still wants sex but not as a total bonding experience with his wife. It's just sex, which she figures out. So, there is a lousy sex life in the marriage.

I'm not making this stuff up. Now that I'm out of university and many people around me are getting married, I'm seeing it happen all the time. The antidote: waiting for marriage to have sex will give the man a greater respect for his wife and the woman a greater respect for her husband. And consequently they'll have better and more frequent sex because they respect each other more and love each other more deeply.

Dating Advice #7:
Not having sex with other women will mean better sex in my marriage.

Sex is a mysterious thing that causes a deep bond between people, even if we call it "casual." The problem is this: the more I bond with other girls, the less I'll be able to bond with my future wife. It's like a piece of scotch tape -- the more you use it on different surfaces, the less it sticks to things. After awhile, it won't stick to anything.

If I bond with other girls before I get married, I won't be able to bond as well with my wife someday. I won't cherish her as much as I could have, and consequently I won't love her as much as I could have. Each day that passes that I've remained faithful to my future wife means that my relationship with her will be better.

It's a funny thing: our culture decries adultery, yet it freely condones premarital sex, even with multiple partners. That's ironic. Because, if you take the element of time out of the equation, premarital sex is adultery. We can imagine how adultery would greatly injure a marriage relationship, maybe premarital sex actually has nearly the same result. It injures the potential bond between a man and a woman.

Dating Advice #8:
I don't have to sleep with a woman to know if we're "sexually compatible."

Sex is meant to compliment a relationship, not be the most important aspect of it. That's what I've found out. It's supposed to be the icing on the cake when all the other aspects of your relationship are working well. I've come to understand that the sex will be good if the rest of the relationship is good. That's why I know I don't have to sleep with my wife to find out if we're sexually compatible. If we get along in every other area, the sex will be fine.

Something else needs to be said here. Another thing I think I've "discovered" is this: when you place sex as the determining factor of the relationship, it will probably result in poor sex. Think about it. If you put your sexual relationship under a microscope, always judging it and judging the relationship by it, it's doomed to fail. It's like being in prison. You're locked in to something that is supposed to be freeing, not incapacitating.

But, when you focus on the other parts of the relationship, and the sex isn't the focus, then you're freed up to have a more enjoyable sex life, with no pressure of having to make it always spectacular. (Because it won't be.) And yet, I don't think that as a university-age adult I was capable of not focusing on sex, that is, unless it wasn't present at all. That's why I think it's best to wait altogether.

Dating Advice #9:
I have found something more satisfying than sex.

I know what you're thinking: "Yeh, right." But it's true. And in fact, in a way sex helped me to discover the something that outdoes it. And that something is not really a something, it's a someone. It's God.

Just hear me out on this one, I know it sounds far-fetched, but the whole thing makes sense. God has created us in such a way that we can't be ultimately satisfied by anything except Him. He built that into the human system, and into each one of our individual systems. As one man put it, "Inside every person is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill."

That's why we see people change careers, mates, fashions, and more -- because in our search for ultimate fulfilment, we get frustrated with the things (and people) that have not achieved it for us. So we discard them and move on to something (or someone) else, hoping that in them we will find the kind of fulfilment we are all really looking for. But the problem is, we never find it unless we come to God for it, because only He can provide it.

God loves us too much to see us truly satisfied by anything other than Himself. He wants the best for us, and that means Himself. Nothing or no one is more important than God. I know that's true because I found it out for myself. The emptiness I had -- after buying this and buying that, after sexual escapades, after all my efforts to be fulfiled in life -- the emptiness came to an end when I asked God into my life. More specifically, when I asked Jesus Christ into my life. Jesus Christ said, "He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35). Those words came true in my life. When I entered into a relationship with God, the God-shaped vacuum inside me was finally filled. I didn't feel empty anymore. Consequently, knowing God has given me a deeper satisfaction than sex ever did.

Dating Advice #10:
God has given me the strength to wait.

It's been years since I've had sex. I wish I could say that I totally waited for marriage, but I can't. I do have regrets (and, as I said before, they have lasted much longer than any momentary pleasures). I have regrets about the way I've treated girls. I have concerns about the stability of my future marriage (if and when I get married). But God has helped me to deal with my past acts and with my concerns for the future. He is in the process of changing me, and has changed me a lot already.

Also, God has given me the ability to wait for marriage to have sex again. Sure, it's been a struggle at times, but God has been big enough to get me through it. All things are possible with Him. And each day, week, year that goes by, I know I'll have a better and stronger marriage someday because I've waited. Too, I have a stronger relationship with God, today, as a result of depending on Him in this vital area of my life as a man.

Where to Start

If you want to be successful in relationships someday -- as a husband and a father -- the best place to start is with yourself. The trick is not in finding the right wife, or having the right children. The key is to start with you. And the most important relationship you can have -- one that will make you a better husband and father -- is a relationship with God.

God is the author of sex, love and relationships in general. He created these things for us to enjoy. And we can enjoy them fully if we follow His design for them. I've come to discover that God is not a "moralizer." He doesn't say, "Do this" or "Don't do this" for no reason. When He says, "Don't do this" (for example, wait for marriage to have sex), He's not saying that to show me who's boss, He's saying it because it's in my best interest. He's saying it because He knows how He's built me as a man, what is best for me, and what will bring me the most fulfilment.

Knowing God Personally

The Bible says that Jesus Christ was God who became man -- "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us." He was "the exact representation of His [God's] being." In short, Jesus Christ revealed exactly what God is like. So how do we begin a relationship with Him?

God has a genuine love for us and wants us to know Him...but there is a problem. Currently, what stands in the way of us connecting with God is our sin (our failure to love God and others perfectly).

So Jesus Christ ("God in the flesh") took all of our sin on His shoulders while He willingly died on a cross. He did this so we could be completely forgiven, completely acceptable to Him. He made the great sacrifice of being beaten, humiliated, whipped and crucified on our behalf. Then, after three days, He rose from the dead. He now asks us to respond to His sacrifice by inviting Him into our lives.

Jesus Christ was the most masculine man who ever lived. People don't often give Him much credit for that, but it's true. So, when you ask Him to come into your life, you are asking the one Person who knows more about being a man than any other man. He will help you to become a real man -- not the Hollywood version -- but someone far more fulfiled in life and far more valuable to the lives of others.

What does that real man look like? He doesn't look like a wolf (someone who looks out only for himself). Instead, he looks more like a shepherd -- someone who looks out for the well-being of others. As you grow in your relationship with Christ, you will discover more and more what it means to be a real man. And Christ will change the way you think about women and consequently the way you treat them.

You can begin a relationship with Christ that lasts forever. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that those who believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Belief means trust. When you trust or rely on Christ's sacrifice on your behalf, you can receive eternal life -- a relationship with God that begins now, that you maintain for the rest of your life. If this is now the desire of your heart, the following is a guideline for the kinds of things you might want to say to God in sincerity:

Dear God, I confess that I have sinned against You. Thank You for taking all of my sin upon Yourself on the cross. I want to receive Your forgiveness. I want to enter into a relationship with You. I ask You to come into my life as my Saviour and Lord. Please make me into the man You want me to be.

To gain helpful dating advice and to grow in your knowledge of God, read the sections Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible.

(and many more great articles at: http://www.everystudent.com/africa/features/wolves.html)

Why New Era?

2009-01-24T00:45:00.000-08:00

New Era is all about the things and events that are happening to us which are somewhat unusual when we tried to look back 10 years ago but the very usual and normal way of living and thinking of our time at this very moment. The New Era of visions, way of living, social gathering, social networking, gossiping, online shopping, online networking, dating even having a love relationship is all happening online nowadays and that is a very good example of the New Era (the new age of technology which brought a great impact to our lives).

Online also give us a lot of opportunities, career enhancements, advertisement, earning while staying at home, research what else? How about leisure? Oh yes! How about? Interacting with different people, exploring cultures and news updates? Absolutely! And a lot more!

I believe that technology industry will remain strong no matter how worst our economy will get. And will always get advance as time goes.

Blogging Society

2009-01-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

As time passed by, our environment change, the society change, criteria’s and expectations are getting higher in all aspects (schools, economy, social status, careers and even our beliefs).
In this New Era (I called it new era) because I noticed that everything that is happening to us is all new. A tremendous new things happened to the world..ohhh and not to mention to our planet (the global warming). The new president of America Pres. Barack Obama is a very good example of New Era. A very unusual love stories are happening and I call it the New Era of LOVE (falling in love over the monitor) hmmm the new long distance love relationship that is phenomenal nowadays. The new shopping addiction of most people (shopping online). And the most talked of the town "The Blogging" where I think the coolest of all in our "New Era" because it is a place where you can explore the world, exploring that you can’t just see pictures, hear simple remarks...etc but it is about the opinion and ideas of different races across the globe, the insights of the youth where sometimes left unheard in the real community that we are at, the cry for attention and understanding where sometimes parents forget to give to their children and political issues that are left unspoken in our respective society. But here online, here on this coolest place the New Era of speaking our opinions, ideas, thoughts, dreams, hopes, feelings, can I say gossip? :) and alot more...are being given a chance to blurt it out and that is what it’s all about on this "BLOG SOCIETY"
Enjoy posting some cool new stuff guys! Let’s make our voice being heard!...

God Bless Us All!!!