We’ve all had to start conversations that we dread having—everything from asking for a raise to asking for a divorce to asking for help with the laundry. These strategies will help the conversation go more smoothly—at least, that’s the hope. sunglasses replica, 1. Don’t stall. sunglasses replica Let’s say you need to call an acquaintance that you haven’t seen in a few years to ask for a favor. Don’t chat and chat, then casually mention the favor at the end. You’re not going to fool him about why you called. It’s better to say something like, “It’s so great to talk to you. I really want to catch up and hear everything that’s been going on for the last few years, but first, I have to tell you the reason I called.” Otherwise, the person on the other end tends to feel wary and distracted. 2. Don’t start off angry. If you have to make some sort of charge—of dishonesty, bad service, or a screw-up—work yourself into a mild state of mind. Anger inspires anger; accusations inspire defensiveness. Explain the situation in a straightforward way. Joke around. Show that you’re a reasonable person. Designer Glasses, 3. This is obvious, Designer Glasses but pick your moment. The Big Girl chooses to pester me with her pleas to get her ear pierced just before school, just before bed, or when I’m rifling in the refrigerator with a wolfish look. She couldn’t pick worse times. Look for a moment of calm, lack of interruption, and physical comfort. Also, if the conversation will be particularly painful to the other person, choose circumstances that are the most comfortable for him or her, not for you. Sometimes, when you’re dreading saying something, you just want to blurt it out and get it over with—but by waiting, you might get a better result. (See number eight on this, too.) 4. Think about why the subject is difficult for you. Do you hate to talk about money? Do you shrink from doing anything that smacks of self-promotion? Do you dislike confrontation? Are you afraid of someone? Are you concerned about damaging a relationship? One of the most helpful of my Twelve Commandments is “Identify the problem.” If you examine why you’re dreading a particular conversation, you might be able to tackle it in a different way, or reframe the issue in a way that’s less upsetting. age of conan power leveling, 5. Are you certain you need to discuss the difficult subject at all? age of conan power leveling Often, you do. Sometimes, you don’t. Will it really serve a purpose to have the conversation? 6. Don’t ruminate about worst-case scenarios. It’s tempting to imagine every possible way a conversation could go—each worse than the last. But this usually isn’t helpful. I have a strong tendency to do this, and never once in my experience has the conversation unfolded with any resemblance to what I imagined. It sometimes goes just as poorly as I’d feared, but never in a way that I’d predicted. So unless you’re doing constructive strategizing, don’t allow yourself to indulge in negative fantasies. replica sunglasses, 7. In direct conflict with the above tip—it can nevertheless be useful to ask yourself, replica sunglasses “What’s the very worst that could happen?” Someone could tell you “No,” or laugh in your face, or cry, or yell, or talk about you behind your back. Are these outcomes really so dreadful? Often, bluntly considering the worst-case scenario is actually reassuring. But do this in a focused, realistic, limited way. Don’t spend hours playing out horrible scenes in your mind. 8. Can it wait? If you’re reacting to something that has just happened, can you postpone the confrontation for a day or two? You might well feel calmer after some time has passed, and even if you still need to have the conversation, you might be able to broach it more productively. aoc power leveling, 9. Use notes. aoc power leveling When you’re emotionally overwrought, it can be hard to remember exactly what was said. If your boss made criticisms of your work, what exactly did he or she say? If you’re at the doctor’s office, what exactly did the doctor say? In some cases, like going to the doctor, you may even want to bring another person with you to help process information. You might also want to bring notes to have a list of the points to cover. You might be so eager to end the conversation that you’d rush out of the room too soon, or you might forget everything you wanted to say or ask in the heat of the conversation. Health Top Tips Nutrition Love Lifestyle Happiness Weight Loss Final Fantasy XI GIL, 10. Write a note instead of having a conversation. Fantasy XI GIL When writing, you can pick your words exactly, and by communicating that way, you allow the other person to react privately, with time for reflection. Or you can write a note alerting the person to the fact that a painful conversation is necessary. 11. It sounds simplistic, Final but if you know you’re going to broach a difficult subject on a particular day, get plenty of sleep and exercise in the period before. Feeling energetic, well rested, and calm in body will put you in better spirits. aion kinah, Obviously, aion kinah the tips aren’t universally applicable. You wouldn’t take notes when confronting your teenager and you wouldn’t bring your spouse to your performance review. But by thinking constructively about how to broach a difficult subject, you might make it less painful and more productive, for everyone.

"Results of this national study indicate that the vast majority of parents are choosing not to spank or paddle their kids," says Matthew Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., associate professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases in the CHEAR Unit at the U-M Medical School. cheap aion kinah, "While physical discipline is an option for some parents, cheap aion kinah the majority of parents are opting for verbal ways to get their points across." maple story mesos, "Especially in light of recent research that points out how spanking can have negative affects on children, maple story mesos it's important to know that spanking and paddling are not the national norm among parents today," Davis adds. Results of this poll show that 22 percent of parents report that they are very likely to spank their children, while 10 percent paddle their children. Parents of preschool children are more likely to spank than parents of older children. world of warcraft power leveling, Researchers also found differences in choices of discipline by region. world of warcraft power leveling Parents who live in the West (31 percent) and South (20 percent) are more likely to spank their children compared to parents in the Midwest (16 percent) and Northeast (6 percent). "These regional differences are a reminder that parents' choices of discipline are rooted in strong cultural traditions," Davis says. "Even as national trends have shifted away from physical to verbal discipline, there are likely community cues and informal networks of parents and grandparents that influence how parents discipline their kids." Davis adds, "These intergenerational factors can affect how discipline strategies change over time." World of Warcraft power leveling, To understand parents' discipline strategies, World of Warcraft power leveling the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health presented 1,532 parents from across the U.S. with a series of situations that they might face with their own children. Parents were asked to select from a list of discipline choices, and could indicate as many choices as they wished. Parents were asked to report how likely they were to use a given discipline strategy. last chaos gold, "We found lower rates of spanking than reported by some other researchers in the past," last chaos gold says Davis, who is also associate professor of internal medicine and associate professor of public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. "That is likely because we asked parents to answer questions about what they might do, rather than what they have actually done. Because spanking is more common at younger ages, it is likely that other studies that have asked parents about ever spanking their children would find higher rates." aoc power leveling, Davis went on to say, aoc power leveling "I think one of the most important results from this poll is that we learned that most parents consider more than one strategy when figuring out what discipline to use for their kids. Now, the research community needs to help parents understand what discipline strategies can be the most effective for children and parents, and in which situations."

BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- The counter-revolution is underway. The G-20 calls for members to slash their budget deficits. The U.S. Senate ices further aid for the unemployed. The head of the Business Roundtable slams President Obama for undermining American capitalism. Wall Street succeeds in watering down reform. Depending on your politics, you'll love this or hate it. But there's just one problem. wow power leveling, We're still living in a fantasyland. wow power leveling Most people have no idea what's really going on in the economy. They're living on spin, myths and downright lies. And if we don't know the facts, how can we make intelligent decisions? Here are the three biggest economic myths -- the things everything thinks they know about the economy that just ain't so. Myth 1: Unemployment is below 10% But they're not. It's that simple. cheap aion kinah, If they were, cheap aion kinah the interest rate on government bonds would be skyrocketing. That's what happens with risky debt: Lenders demand higher and higher interest payments to compensate them for the dangers. They aren't seeing inflation either. On the contrary, they're saying it will average just 2.3% a year over the next three decades. That's the gap between the interest rates on inflation-protected Treasury bonds and the rates on the regular bonds. By any modern standard the forecast is low. Instead of worrying about inflation, some are starting to worry about something even more dangerous: deflation, or falling prices. flyff penya, If that takes hold, flyff penya cutting spending and raising taxes would be a bad move. It's certainly possible the lenders buying these bonds are being foolish. And it's worth noting that the Treasury market is also subject to political distortions, because foreign are among the heavy buyers of bonds. So it's worth treating its apparent verdicts with some caution. Nonetheless, the burden of proof, as usual, is on those who argue the market is wrong. Health Top Tips Nutrition Love Lifestyle Happiness Weight Loss maple story mesos, Myth 3: maple story mesos The U.S. is sliding into "socialism" Numbers published by the Federal Reserve a few weeks ago show that corporate profit margins have just hit record levels. Indeed. Andrew Smithers, the well-regarded financial consultant and author of "Wall Street Revalued," calculates from the Fed's latest Flow of Funds report that corporate profit margins rocketed to 36% in the first quarter. Since records began in 1947 they have never been this high. The highest they got under Ronald Reagan was 30%. aoc gold, The picture is also similar when you exclude financials. aoc gold Meanwhile, federal spending, about 25% of the economy this year, is expected to fall to about 23% by 2013. In 1983, under Ronald Reagan, it hit 23.5%. In the early 1990s it was around 22%. Some socialism. maple story mesos, These days, maple story mesos three-fifths of the entire budget goes on just three things: Insurance for our old age (through Social Security and Medicare), defense, and debt interest. Conservatives don't want to cut the $700 billion-plus we spend on defense. We can't cut debt interest payments. And while Social Security and Medicare certainly need reform, the main "problems" are simply rising life expectancy and health care demands. If we didn't provide for the insurance through our taxes we'd have to do it individually. What about the rest of the budget? It's jumped from around 7% of GDP a few years ago to about 10% now. Out of control? It's been in the 6% to 9% range for decades. It's forecast to fall to about 8% again in a few years. So much for a revolution. But here comes the counter-revolution just the same.

I get a lot of questions from people who read my articles or visit my site asking me if I can give them some specific steps to follow to get started making changes in their lives. flyff penya, Unfortunately, flyff penya I don’t really have a step-by-step program for self improvement, so as much as I’d love to help, I can’t really tell them much other than to just get started. But I’m also happy to give that very simple piece of advice, because getting started is the hardest part of… well, anything. And it’s the most intimidating. There’s a fear of the unknown that likes to creep its way in and it often leads to another overwhelming fear: failure. And that will often stop us right in our tracks. I’ve seen it absolutely paralyze some people. last chaos gold, And that’last chaos gold a shame because it’s really a pretty irrational fear, if you think about it. Failure should actually be something we embrace, because failure, believe it or not, is the best teacher. Think about it. When have you learned and progressed the most during your life? I’m going to go right ahead and guess that it was after making a mistake and realizing that that was the wrong way to do it. rappelz rupees, If you’re like most people, rappelz rupees then that’s how it’s done. And then if you’re smart about it, then you’ve taken what you’ve learned and made the necessary course corrections, and continued on, never to make that same mistake again. Congratulations. I really only view failure as failure if someone insists on doing things the wrong way over and over again without really caring or paying much attention to what’s going on. But most people don’t do that. Most people learn from their mistakes. So you might as well go ahead and make them. But that means getting over your fears and finally getting started. maple story power leveling, All you really need is a little bit of confidence. maple story power leveling But true confidence doesn’t just come out of nowhere for no reason. Confidence comes with experience. Most people build their confidence by achieving small gains along the way. Once they see that they can do it, then they become confident enough to move onto the next step in their development. Then they complete that one, build a little more confidence, and start working towards the next step. And so on. I like to call it the upward spiral. Atlantica gold, Stop and think about the things you’ve already done, Atlantica gold like learning to ride a bicycle, or drive a car, or any job you’ve ever had. At first, you didn’t know how to do them, and you were probably pretty nervous, but little by little, you got it, and eventually it became almost second nature – almost like you could do it in your sleep – and any nerves you may have had about it disappeared. So if you really want to get things done, and really change your life for the better, then at some point you’re going to have to risk falling off your bicycle, so to speak. To add a little color, I’ve included this quote from Teddy Roosevelt: “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” world of warcraft gold, Well said, Mr. President. world of warcraft gold Here’s another example: When I first started learning kung fu way back when, I was extremely nervous. My only goal that first day was to not fall on my face and make a fool of myself. Luckily, I didn’t, and I survived, and I kept going to class. The more I went, the more comfortable I got with it. And eventually I came to realize that it was silly of me to have been so concerned. Of course, it certainly helped that it was a good environment to learn in. You see, success is not an all or nothing proposition. Your only choices are not to be a colossal failure or a colossal success. It doesn’t work that way. OK, I’m repeating myself here, but real success is made up of smaller successes and achievements that build confidence and slowly get rid of that fear of the unknown. Which kind of means that you need to let yourself ride the wave, rather than looking only at the end goal. You’re never done growing, so you might as well let yourself enjoy the journey, rather than looking at everything as a fight for you to win or lose. Have you ever heard the expression, “Slow and steady wins the race”? Well, when it comes to personal growth, it’s absolutely true.

You want to be healthier and have more energy. You want to take good care of yourself. The problem is, life is hectic. However nice it’d be to have time for long strolls in the countryside, afternoon naps and relaxing baths … you’ve got a few little matters like work, family, friends, chores and hobbies to fit into your day. Perhaps you’ve made a few attempts at trying to live a healthier lifestyle, and they’ve never worked out. You start a new diet every Monday. You try to quit caffeine, sugar and all at once. You take up exercising – and your muscles are protesting after a day. Sometimes, though, it’s the little changes which make a big difference. You don’t need to follow a huge time-consuming plan for the perfect body – you just need the energy and enthusiasm to tackle life every day. wow cd keys, Here are five simple steps, wow cd keys all of which combined will take just twenty minutes each day. (If you have a few extra minutes to spare, I’ve also suggested some bonus activities.) Bonus: Do the same thing with one regular soda – switch to a diet version, or flavored water. It might take your taste buds a week or two to adapt, but stick with it! Bonus: Keep a bottle of water on your desk so that it’s within easy reach. You’ll find yourself sipping more and staying hydrated during the day – reducing the urge to snack. (Many of us mistake mild thirst for hunger.) maple story power leveling, Health Top Tips Nutrition Love Lifestyle Happiness Weight Loss maple story power leveling Brush your teeth (properly) – 4 minutes 2moons dil, Hopefully, 2moons dil you already brush your teeth twice a day. If you’re being totally honest, though, there are probably times when you don’t manage that – or when “brushing” is just a quick swipe round your mouth with the tooth brush. Bonus: Don’t forget to floss daily too. archlord money, Meditate – 5 minutes archlord money In recent years, meditation has become much more mainstream. Proven health benefits – like decreased stress – are pretty attractive to most of us! But because we’re busy, we often don’t take the time to sit and quieten our minds. wedding dresses, If you’wedding dresses uncertain about what meditation involves, and want an easy introduction, try 6 Tips for People Who Don’t Have Time to Meditate. Meditation really isn’t a “woo-woo” new agey activity. It’s just a way to get some space and perspective in your life through a few minutes of precious calm. Bonus: Many people – not just those who follow a particular religion – find it helpful to read a little from a spiritual or inspirational text each day. maple story mesos, Take a brisk walk – 10 maple story mesos Let’s face it, most of us should do more exercise. The trouble is, just the thought of the gym can be stressful. Perhaps you don’t have time after work, or you don’t want to follow a vigorous routine. One of the best things you can do for your health is to walk. Walking won’t put as much stress on your joints as other cardio activities, you can do it in your normal clothes, and you can easily go faster or slower depending on your fitness level. Just ten minutes is enough to see physical and mental benefits. Bonus: Find ways to incorporate walking into your daily routine, so that it doesn’t take up extra time. (Get off the bus a stop earlier, or walk to the local store instead of driving, for instance.)

They say you can never go home again. 　　Well, you can. Only you might find yourself staying at a Trave Lodge, driving a rented Ford Contour and staking out your childhood home like some noir private eye just trying to catch a glimpse of the Johnny-come-latelys that are now living in YOUR HOUSE. World of Warcraft power leveling, 　　It's a familiar story. World of Warcraft power leveling Kids grow up, parents sell the family home and move to some sunnier climate, some condo somewhere, some smaller abode. We grown up kids box up all the junk from our childhoods—dusty ballet shoes, high school text books, rolled up posters of Adam Ant—and wonder where home went. 　　I'm not a sentimental person, I told myself. I don't need to see old 3922 26th Street before we sell the place. I even skipped the part where I return home to salvage my mementos from the garage. I let my parents box up the stuff which arrived from San Francisco like the little package you get when released from jail. You know, here's your watch, the outfit you wore in here, some cash. Here's the person you once were. 　　After a year, San Francisco called me home again. I missed it. High rents had driven all my friends out of the city to the suburbs so I made myself a reservation at a motel and drove there in a rented car. world of warcraft power leveling, 　　The next day, world of warcraft power leveling I cruised over to my old neighborhood. There was the little corner store my mom used to send me to for milk, the familiar fire station, the Laundromat. 　　I walked up and touched the doorknob like it was the cheek of a lover just home from war. I noticed the darker paint where our old mezuzah used to be. I sat on our scratchy brick stoop, dangling my legs off the edge, feeling as rootless as I've ever felt. 2moons dil, 　　You can't go home in a lot of ways, 2moons dil I discovered that night, when I met up with an ex-boyfriend. 　　What am I, the LensCrafters of social engagements? RuneScape Gold, 　　As it happens, RuneScape Gold his new girlfriend wasn't too keen on my homecoming. We had a quick drink and he dropped me back off at my motel where I scrounged up my change to buy some Whoppers from the vending machine for dinner. I settled in for the evening to watch "Three to Tango" on HBO. 　　My brother and I met up at our old house, like homing pigeons. We walked down the street for some coffee and I 19)filled him in on my trip. He convinced me to stay my last night at his new place in San Bruno, just outside the city. I'll gladly pay $98 a night just for the privilege of not inconveniencing anyone, but he actually seemed to want me. archlord gold, 　　"I love having guests," archlord gold he insisted. So I went. 　　It's surprising how late in life you still get that "I can't believe I'm a grown-up feeling," like when your big brother, the guy who used to force you to watch "Gomer Pyle" reruns, owns his own place. It was small and sparse and he had just moved in but it was his. The refrigerator had nothing but mustard, a few cheese slices and fourteen cans of Diet 7-Up. 　　Insomniacs rarely fall asleep on people's couches, I assure you. I don't know why I slept so well after agonizing all weekend over the question of home, if I had one anymore, where it was. I only know that curled up under an old sleeping bag, the sound of some second-rate guy movie playing in the background, my brother in a chair next to me, I felt safe and comfortable and maybe that's part of what home is. last chaos gold But it's not the whole story. last chaos gold As much as I'd like to buy the cliches about home being where the heart is, or as Robert Frost put it, "The place where when you have to go there, they have to take you in," a part of me thinks the truth is somewhere between the loftiness of all those platitudes and the concreteness of that wooden door on 26th street. 　　I'll probably be casing that joint from time to time for the rest of my life. I'll sit outside, like a child watching someone take away a favorite toy, and silently scream, "MINE!"

If you’ve been trying to improve your life with the help of ‘self improvement information’ and have gotten little to no results, you’re not alone… In fact, most people who try self improvement resources fail to get the promised results. I’m going to give you one important step and a few simple rules to follow, in order to finally use self help resources to greatly improve your life. Eve isk, But first – why does this happen…Eve isk You read a book that promises to improve your life in some way (or transform it altogether). In the best case you get excited for a few days, but then everything goes back to normal… Nothing’s changed and you either give up on ‘self improvement’, or move on to the next thing – another book, another recording or another seminar. ffxi gil, Let’s face it, ffxi gil sometimes you don’t even read the whole book, or listen to that recorded seminar or that “self hypnosis audio” that you got. I’m talking about either lack of motivation and self discipline or lack of clarity and focus (or a combination of those). Think about it… wow power leveling, Who needs “productivity tips” more than a ‘chronic procrastinator’? wow power leveling Bottom line – self improvement hasn’t worked for you because you just weren’t ready for it. But that’s about to change… wow power leveling, First, wow power leveling you must take this crucial step… Create the Habit of Self Improvement Decide on a time (and maybe a place) for daily ‘self improvement sessions’. Start with something you can commit to, even just 15 minutes a day. luna gold, In those sessions you can write and read you goals, luna gold, listen to hypnosis audios or even do some Yoga exercises. It doesn’t really matter… At least at first what matters most is not what you do in your sessions, but that you actually do them on a daily basis, so they become part of your life – a strong habit. Do it for at least 30 days and you’re on the right track. Then you can raise the bar a little – either increase the length of your sessions, ad another daily session, or decide on new things that you’d do in your sessions. wow cd keys, NOTE: wow cd keys If you already spend a lot of time reading or listening to self help material, don’t waste your “self sessions” doing the same thing. Instead – focus on taking action on the information you learn from all those resources. The Rules for Getting the Most Out of Self Improvement Programs My personal experience shows that good self improvement resources can really help you change your life for the better… if you follow these ‘rules’… Self Improvement: Programs to Make Your Life Better

Is it Good to Live in a Large Modern City? Text I Hate to Live in a Large Modern City "Avoid the rush-hour" must be the slogan of large cities the world over. If it is, it's a slogan no one takes the least notice of. Twice a day, with predictable regularity, the pot boils over. Wherever you look it's people, people, people. The trains which leave or 'arrive every few minutes are packed: an endless procession of human sardine tins. The streets are so crowded, there is hardly room to move on the pavements. The queues for buses reach staggering proportions. It takes a bus to get to you because the traffic on the roads has virtually come to a standstill. Even when a bus does at last arrive, it's so f ull, it can ' t take any more passengers. This whole crazy system of commuting stretches man's resources to the utmost. The smallest unforeseen event can bring about conditions of utter chaos. A powercut, for instance, an exceptionally heavy snowfall or a minor derailment must always make city-dwellers realize how precarious the balance is. The extraordinary thing is not that people put up with these conditions, but that they actually choose them in preference to anything else. Large modern cities are xoo big to control.They impose their own living conditions on the people who inhabit them CIty-dwellers are obliged by their environment to adopt a wholly unnatural way of life. They Iose touch witla the land and rhythm of nature. It is possible to live such an airconditioned existence in a large city that you are barely conscious of the seasons. A few flowers in a public park (if you have the time to visit it) may remind you that it is spring or summer. A few leaves clinging to the pavement may remind you that it is autumn. Beyond that, what is going on in nature seems totally irrelevant. All the simple, good things of life like sunshine and fresh air are at a premium. Tall buildings hlot out the sun. Traffic fumes pollute the atmosphere. Even the distinction between day and night is lost. The flow of traffic goes on unceasingly and the noise never stops. The funny thing about it all is that you pay dearly for the "privilege" of living in a city. The demand for accommodation is so great that it is often impossible for ordinary people to buy a house of their own. Exorbitant rents must be paid for tiny flats which even country hens would disdain to live in. Accommodation apart, the cost of living is very high. Just about everything you buy is likely to be more expensive than it would be in the country. In addition. to all this, city-dwellers live under constant threat. The crime rate in most cities is very high. Houses are burgled with alarming frequency. Cities breed crime and violence and are full of places you would be afraid to visit at night. If you think about it, they are not really fit to live in at all. Can anyone really doubt that the country is what man was born for and where he truly belongs? II. Read Read the following passages. Underline the important viewpoints while reading. 1. Tokyo I don't live in Tokyo. I don't even know whether I would like to live there. I love it and hate it-it is one of those places that you can love and hate at the same time. The first "fact" about Tokyo, for me, is that there are too many people. I don't mean the fact that more than twelve million people live there. A number like 12,000,000 doesn't mean anything to me. In Tokyo there are always too many people in the places where I want to be. That is the important fact for me. Of course there are too many cars. The Japanese drive very fast when they can, but in Tokyo they often spend a long time in traffic jams. Tokyo is not different from London, Paris and New York in.that. It is different .when-one wants to. walk. At certain times of the day there are a lot of people on foot in London's Oxford Street or near the big shops and stores in other great cities. But the streets near the Ginza in Tokyo always have a lot of people on foot, and sometimes it is really difficult to walk. People are very polite; there are just too many of them. The worst time to be in the street is at 11.30 at night. That is when the night-clubs are closing and everybody wants to go home. There are 35, 000 night-clubs in Tokyo, and you do not often see one that is empty. Between ll and 12 everybcdy is looking for a taxi. Usually the taxis are shared by four or five people who live in the same part of the city. During the day, people use the trains. Perhaps the first thing you notice in Tokyo is the number of trains. Most people travel to and from work by train, and there is a station at almost every street corner. Tokyo people buy six mi1lion train tickets every day. One station--Shinjuku-has two million passengers each day. At most stations, trains arrive every two or three minutes, but at certain hours there do not seem eo he enough trains. At 8 o,clock in the morning you can see students pushing passeng.ers into the trains. Usually the trains are nearly full when they arrive at the station, so the students have to push very hard. Sometimes the pushers are also pushed in by mistake, and they have to get out at the next station. Some people who are pushed into the train lose their shoes. They, too, get out at the next station, and go back to look for them. Although they are usually crowded, Japanese trains are very good. They always leave and arrive on time. On a I.ondon train you would see everybody reading a newspaper. In Tokyo trains everybody in a seat seems to be asleep. Some Japanese make a irain journey of two hours to go to work, so they do their sleeping on the train. But if a train journey lasis only five minutes, and if they have a seat, thcy will also go to sleep. They always wake when they arrive at their station. The last time I went to Tokyo, I went there from Osaka in great comfort. The blue-and-white trains which run evcrv?half-hour between the two cities are not only very fast but very comfortable. There are no pushers; only those who have reserved seats can travel on the train. It was not possible to run more trains on the old lines, so the Japanese built a special linc for the new fast trains. It is a very good line indeed. You can eat and drink without difficulty at 220 kilometres an hour-you know the speed because there is a speedometer inside the carriage. In Tokyo, I stood outside the station for five minutes. Three fireengines-the very latest kind with every moclern fitting -raced past on the way to one of the many fires that Tokyo has every day. The peopie who passed on foot included some of the loveliest girls in the world in the latest European dresses or the finest Japanese kimonos. Businessmen passed in big new cars, and. among them, in a small Honda, there was a geisha in the clothes and hair arrangement of hundreds of years ago. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now. Instead, I am surprised at myself: I must go there next week on business, and I know that I shall hate the city and its twelve million people. But I feel like a man who is returning to his long-lost love. 2. What Kind of City Should Beijing Be? The C. P. C. Central Committee Secretariat has proposed that Beijing should become: (1) a model in public security, social order and moral standards for the whole country and one of the best in the world; (2) a first-rate modern city with a fine environment, high standards of cleanliness and good sanitation; (3) the nation's most developed city in culture, science and technology, with the highest educational standard in the country; and (4) a city with a thriving economy, providing its residents wit.h stability in life and all kinds of conveniences. 3. Duo Duo Bar, Where Many Meet A small coffee shop on Xidan Street, barely wider than a hallway, has become a haunt for many young people in downtown Beijing. The Duo Duo Coffee Bar has a charm of its own. Its red walls adorned with reed and bamboo hats and a spider web hanging from its dark ceiling remind one of the sunsets, perhaps at lakeside in a light drizzle. This is the atmosphere in which people sip a cup of coffee, tea or wine while chatting with their friends. Duo Duo (Chinese for many) is owned by two yotrng men, Zhang Keyu, a technician, and Lu Wei, an artist. "We started this coffee bar not only for making money," said Zhang, 27, in a soft voice. "We want to offer our young friends a place for social contact. If what we earn is enough for paying the tax, we are satisfied. "Before opening this bar, we often heId weekend parties at home in which we chatted, sang and danced. Then an idea occurred ta us to open a coffee shop so that we could know more people and more about the society. "Without wasting any time, Lu Wei and I took out all our savings to refurnish this room. Our friends did what they could to help us. Lu Wei did the decoration himseif, using a lot of reed, which is what his name means. Within a month, this mini-coffee room opened its door to the public." The atmosphere appealed mostly to young people. A university graduate, for instance, needed a place to hold a farewll party. The young owners offered the bar to him free of charge and suspended their business for the night. The young man invited 20 friends. And the party was a great success. "Making friends is more important than making money," Zhang observed. Being a full-time technician, Zhang has to work in his company by day and work in his coffee bar by night. He hires no employees. His friends volunteer to serve in this shop. A fashion designer whose nickname is also Duo Duo came in one day. "I'm glad my name is the same as this lovely bar's. I wish I had as many friends as it has,?she said. Pierre was a French student on a study tour in Beijing. He enjoyed himself in the bar so much that he could not heip dancing like Charlie Chaplain and blowing on the suona, a Chinese wind instrument. "Business has been good since the bar opened last year, but there were minor troubles when two or three rascals said they could not pay for their drinks. All we could do was ask them to write down their names on our credit list. Sometimes a rude fellow would drop in and talk too loudly. But the quiet atmosphere here would soon make him feel out of place and he would leave. I wish I could write a novel about society based on what I've seen and heard in this bar," Zhang said. It was already midnight. Xidan Street was asleep and empty. But the lights in Duo Duo still beckoned lonely walkers. Inside the room,customers were still chatting or humming. 　 4. Night Life Thrives in northern China people are asieep by midnight, but in Guangzhou most of the city's residents are still awake at that hour, living it up. Television and radio blast and blare away until two in the morning. Cinemas are multi-purpose. Besides showing films, they present video shows, dances and they have a bar. "I love the rich and coloarful night life in this southern city," a young Beijinger said when he came to Guangzhou for a business trip. "Sometimes when I come to the city, ,I visit the night bazaars.there." "I usually go shopping in the evening because I work during tbe day," a middle-aged woman said. "Furthermore, after supper,I like visiting the night bazaars. It's a.knid of entertainment." As most people in Guangzhou don't go to bed until far into the night, they usually eat a midnight snack. After shopping or leaving a concert, people often get a snack on the way home. "I would like to spend 5 yuan ( $1.35) to sit down and relax and eat something in the evening," Xiao Zheng, a taxi driver said. "Meanwhile, I might .spend another five yuan to have my car washed, ?he added. In Guangzhou, there are car washing services near some of the big bazaars which are popular with the drivers. A lot of Guangzhou residenis take a second job at night to earn extra money. College teachers have part-time jobs lecturing at night schools. Engineers sometimes work on a project for another corporation. College students act as tutors. Problems also exist in the South China city. Prostitution is a bigger problem in Guangzhou than elsewhere in the country. And smuggling has increased recently. 5. Problem for Beijingers Improving public toilets has long been a .erious problem in Beijing, as well as the rest of China. There is a wry saying among Chinese people, "Follow the smell if vou want to find a toilet." "About 80 per cent of Beijing's public toilets fit the saying," admitted Xue Baoyi, an official from Beiiing Sanita tion Bureau in 1989. But at the we:tern gate of the chinese History Museum near Tian'anmen. Square, there is an unusual "luxury" toilet of ahout 300 square metrea, in wltich there are rockeries, fountains, fresh flowers, a sofa and piped music. The standard of cleanliness is extremely high. But visitors have to pay 0.3 yuan. Some say the clean toilet is worth the price, but others complain that they can not afford it. In Beijing there are now 40 such toilets at tourist sites. On the opposite side of the museum, by the southern gate of Zhongshan Park, is situated another fairly clean pay toilet. Since last March, Liu Zhaomin, a retired sanitation worker from the West City District Cleaning Team, and his wife have contracted to keep the facility clean, and the once dirty and foul-smelling toilet has become one of the cleanest in Beijing. The old couple charge 0.03 yuan per person, but disabled people and students are admitted free. Outside the toilet they also provide water and help people take care of their belongings-all for free. Their service not only earns the old couple about 800 yuan monthly, but it also saves the government money. The toilet fees pay for maintenance There are no public toitets in some areas of the city. About 200 WCs in downtown area have to have soil carried away manually, mostly by old workers who are near retirement, and it is now very difficult to recruit young people to do this job. Because of a shortage of manpower, tools and disinfectant, it's very hard to keep those public toilets clean. "WC service in Beijing has four key problems," said Xue. "There are no places and money for building public toilets. And most of them are in a very poor condition, and are badly managed." Xue also said that the users should take care of public toilets. Many newly- painted walls in WCs are already dirty. 　 6. The Countryside in Spring We need never feel dull in the country. No matter how often we walk down the same road, over the same fields, or through the same woodland paths, there is always something new, somthing fresh to see.It may be a little plant that has come up since last we visited the place: a hedge that was just a lot of brown sticks may now be covered with flowers. We may find a bird's nest deep in a bush, and, if we are careful not to frighten the birds, as the days pass, see first the little eggs, and then the baby birds. We never know what we may see, or find, when we start out for a country walk. But we must learn to use our eyes, keep them wide open, or we shall pass by many a pretty or interesting plant, or miss the sight of some little wild animal, who sees us well enough, and will keep perfectly still and quiet so that we should not notice him, until we are quite out of sight. The wild children of the woods and fields are easily frightened, and if we want to get to know them, we must do as they do, and learn to be quiet and keep very still when watching them at work or play. All the year round, from the first warm breath of Spring till the last icy wind of Winter, we shall always find something to please and interest us in the country.