You can find love at your workplace

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, online jobs site CareerBuilder.in’s annual survey on office romance found that 36 percent of Indian workers have dated someone who worked for the same company, and 37 percent said they went on to marry the person.

The national survey was conducted online in January 2015 and included a representative sample of 1,000 full-time workers across industries and company sizes.

While 56 percent of the workers said they were attracted to people who work in similar jobs as them, for some, office romances can be potentially career risky. Of those who have had an office romance, 55 percent have dated their boss, and around 68 per cent workers have admitted to dating someone in a higher position than them.

Also, 34 percent of those surveyed have had an affair with a co-worker where one person involved was married at the time.

Secrecy is an issue.

In days when social media networking is on a high, 71 percent of the workers said they have had to keep their office romance a secret, although 72 per cent have accidentally run into co-workers while out on a date with their office sweetheart.

Tips for handling a workplace romance:
* Check the company handbook: Some companies have strict policies around office romances. Acquaint yourself with the rules before turning a professional relationship into a personal one.

* Proceed with caution: Some romances lead to marriage, but others can lead to disaster. Seven percent of workers reported having to leave their jobs because of an office romance that soured. Take the time to get to know someone first and carefully weigh risks and benefits.

* Compartmentalise: Keep your work life separate from your home life. Avoid public display of affection in the office and don’t involve co-workers in personal disagreements.

* Think before you post: Be careful what you post on social media. You can end up spilling the beans on your relationship before you’re ready to discuss it.

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How to make office your mini-gym

Be it the Metro, car, bike or workplace, most office-goers tend to sit at one spot at a stretch every day at the cost of their health. So how about taking a little time out to exercise at your workplace every now and then?

A survey done by Qi Spine Clinic in 2014 shows that 57 per cent of professionals in office jobs are affected by visible symptoms of sedentary workplace behaviour. Experts agree and suggest that by taking breaks to stretch or to run on the spot, people can work towards a healthier lifestyle.
“Desk work puts a huge mental and physical stress on our bodies, especially on our lower back, leading to low back pain,” Garima Anandani, chief spine specialist at Qi Spine Clinic, told IANS.

“The combination of high stress at jobs (which puts people at greater risk for habits such as smoking), sitting for long periods (sitting for over two hours at a stretch is considered a long period) at the desk in poor posture, and lack of physical activity, puts us at greater risk for low back pain,” she added.
Stressing the importance of an active lifestyle, Ibrahim Khan, master trainer at Talwalkars gym, said: “A sitting job would lead to lower back pain and spondylosis. A side effect of not working out would be slowing down of Basal Metabolic Rate (the rate at which we burn our calories), and weight gain.”
Leading holistic health guru Mickey Mehta has some easy-to-follow solutions.

“Use the staircase at least three times a day. Walk from your house or office to the bus stand. After every two hours, get up from the chair and take a deep breath and stretch backwards. Then breathe out and come and touch your toes,” he said.

“Twisting will also help. Hip rotation clockwise and anticlockwise is good too,” he added.

Another simple way to workout in office is to run on the spot, suggests Neeraj Mehta, director of Growth For Fitness Instructors Fitness Academy.
“You can do that for 30 seconds or a minute. Then do a little bit of stretching,” he said.
Anandani is also in favour of stretching.

“For the benefit of the back and neck, stretch from head to toe, beginning with the neck. Slowly tilt your head towards your shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds. Do alternate sides. Next loosen up your shoulders. Roll both shoulders forward in a circular motion then backward. Repeat 10 times,” she said.
Tightening stomach muscles at work is also possible!

“To work your abdominal muscles, hold your stomach for a few seconds when breathing in, then release when breathing out.
“If possible, get some fresh air in your lungs by taking a walk outside,” master trainer Aminder Singh at Anytime Fitness, told IANS.
For your hips, try kicking…in the air!

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India Art Fair: Investing today for a better tomorrow

The global economic slowdown did restrict “impulsive buyers” from splurging at the four-day India Art Fair (IAF) but it didn’t defuse the enthusiasm of the national and international galleries from participating in the annual event, despite not generating enough sales. For the majority, participation is a way of educating people in contemporary arts and building a pool of future collectors.

The seventh edition of the IAF concluded Sunday at which about 3,500 artworks from 85 galleries in a total of 90 booths were exhibited at the spacious NSIC Grounds, Okhla. And this time, the organisers had focussed on employing a rich diversity of mediums, different avenues like curatorial walks and art talks to educate the people on the subject itself.

Continua, which has galleries in Italy, France and China, has been participating at the IAF for the past four years, and not every time does it go back with good sales report. Nevertheless, this hasn’t deterred it from coming come back every year.

“Sales do matter… but they are not everything. We are here to promote culture and show the people what could possibly be art and where the global art is heading to,” gallery director Mylene Ferrand told IANS.

“We have many conceptual art works and we know that they will not sell here. But they would be noticed and people would see a different kind of art. This is will help us in building a base for future collectors,” she added.

The Indian art market is slowly regaining its momentum after facing a deep slump post-recession. According to London-based independent art market researcher ArtTactic, “The Indian art market’s confidence indicator rose a slight six percent from the last reading in May 2014, now standing at 79 percent and is the highest reading since November 2007.”

This renewed energy in the art market does attract international galleries to test new waters in India which is still not a lucrative market like China.

Bert-van Zetten, director of Spain’s del Villa Arte galleries, calls India a good market for the kind of art they sell. Sales were “excellent” last year and many queries have already been registered in their log book for this year.

“Fairs like these help the audience here to look from artworks beyond India. This awareness is extremely important because it will educate them about different forms of art. One just needs to be a bit persistent to encourage their buying,” Zetten told IANS.

Similarly, Israel-based Bruno Art Group’s artworks have resonated with the taste of Indian audience, who seemed to have loved the pop-flush of their objects.
“Art has to have a universal appeal and this is the philosophy that drives us,” owner and CEO Motti Abramovitz told IANS.

“It is also important to offer best prices that are genuinely saleable,” he added.
“The best way I can describe the Indian art market is that it is flat. People don’t understand contemporary art. When someone gets wealthy, only then they start buying art. So that sensibility and vision are missing among the people,” Luciano Donatini, owner of Italy-based MK Search Art, told IANS.

“People have to change their mindsets and start investing in contemporary art because someone they are buying today would be a star tomorrow. There definitely is a huge market in India, but no education,” he added.

To fill this gap is why the Delhi Art Gallery took a brave move by capturing the development of Indian modern art from the 19th century at the fair to educate the people about how this genre developed in the country and how various prominent artists contributed to the making of Indian art history.

“It was important to chronicle this journey because art is not taught in schools in India and hence people don’t know how to appreciate art,” Kishore Singh, head, publications and exhibitions, Delhi Arts Gallery, told IANS.

“Even people who know about art, don’t know about major developments. So, in the absence of state patronage, private institutions have to do their bit to support art,” he added.

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Why it is red rose for Valentine’s week

Red roses play a significant role in your love life. It’s the ultimate gift and on Valentine’s Day there’s no better way than a bouquet of red roses to express your feelings.

Every year ‘Rose Day’ marks the start of Valentine’s day celebration across the world. The fragrance of roses envelops the atmosphere on this day as youngsters give roses to propose or express love for their partners. The demand and price of red rose shoots up during the Valentine’s week and specially on Rose Day.

In the 18th century, a special rose language evolved as a means of communication between lovers who were compelled to keep their feelings a secret due to social bondage.
Bright red roses are interpreted as the ultimate expression of romantic and abiding love. Their bright red shade expresses these emotions perfectly. Pink roses are the classic symbol of grace and elegance, white roses are for marriages and new beginnings whereas yellow roses are a traditional symbol of friendship.

Just as there are many shades of love, the red rose also has many hues. So this Valentine, gift your beloved with a beautiful red rose. Whether you give your loved one a single red rose or five dozen red roses, they will definitely add some new shades to your love life.

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HOW TO THROW THE PERFECT DINNER PARTY

A new flat equals a plethora of opportunities for friends to come over for dinner. The entirety of February is now booked up with friends and family visits, travelling from Wigan, Manchester, Nottingham and everywhere else it would seem. I feel very lucky that I have people in my life that would travel that far to spend some time with me and Alex, and enjoy our new home with us for a night or two. That's why when there comes a time to entertain, I revel in the opportunity. 

This weekend we were joined by two close friends, so I decided it was time to get domestic. We spent hours cleaning and tweaking the flat. Hanging frames we were yet to hang, tidying away paper and loose items we were yet to store and making the house a home. I even put my Dyson Animal together for the first time to hoover the carpets and bring them back to life. My goodness, it might be my best investment ever. I've never seen carpets so clean.

One of the funnest parts of the day was baking a batch of malted chocolate wedges for dinner. Well, I say baked, but there actually wasn't any baking involved. More mixing, constructing and refrigerating, but I felt like a little baker none the less. The recipe for the wedges will be posted really soon, don't worry! And in fact it will mark the first in a serious of posts I will be calling Inthekitchen, where I will be sharing my favourite recipes and love of cooking. I told you Inthefrow would share more lifestyle this year, didn't I!? 

Anyway, after all of the preparation had been done, and the Jamie Oliver Filo Feta and spinach pastry pie was put together and placed in the oven, it was time to doll myself up for our guests. This black backless Missguided leotard had been on my radar to wear for a week or so, and I was just waiting for the perfect piece to wear it with. That's when I found this pink jersey pencil skirt from River island, and my dinner party outfit was conceived. I also wore a new pair of heels, which you can't see in the photos, but they're my newest purchase from Pour Le Victoire and I'm so smitten with them. 

If you were to ask me for some dinner party tips, I guess these would be my pointers:

1. Start early and leave yourself enough time to get everything prepped, washed, put away and cleaned before you shower and prep yourself. You don't want to be doing much more than entertaining after your hair, makeup and beautiful dress have been applied.

2. Make sure you choose a menu that everyone will be interested in eating. Whilst you may love Chicken Madras, your guests may not be fans of spices or chili. And of course, are your guests vegetarian or do they have any allergies?

3. Make sure you have bought in enough alcohol for just in case your guests forget to bring a bottle. And for those that don't drink, have you bought a soft drink alternative?

4. Choose a playlist that is neutral and relaxing for your evening. The sort of playlist you will not need to touch all evening, it will just continue to play atmospheric artists that makes you look like you know your music pretty darn well.

5. When you're all dressed and ready, be sure that any last minute stirring of sauces or moving of pots in the oven are done with an apron firmly covering you. 

6. I think that most dinner parties should absolutely include dessert, but that might just be me. Whilst you can potentially skip a starter and go straight into the mail meal, I think most guests will be expecting a finishing plate of something sweet. It could be sorbet, or a double chocolate gateaux, but at least make sure there is something in the fridge just in case. I think that making your own can really show you have gone all out. I would personally always go for a full three courses for the most special dinner party. All homemade. 

7. Make sure to continue your hostess skills throughout the evening. Your guests shouldn't have to help themselves to more alcohol, just keep the drinks pouring. 

8. Try to share the workload with your partner. Whilst he may prefer to spend the day sat playing Fifa, it's far more fun when you both get involved and cook, clean and prep together. I'm finding that happy and long-lasting relationships really are all about teamwork. That's something my Grandad has taught me and I'll never forget.

9. It's best to be overdressed than underdressed. If your guests do not ask what the dress code may be, I feel it's better for you to have made an effort, than for it to be the opposite way around. 

10. Plan your meals through and have everything ready for the removal of one course to the laying of the next. You don't want to be gone for hours making the next course and missing out on your partner's best jokes in the other room. Have everything plated and easily accessible so you can come and go and look like a total pro in the interim. 

11. Just make more effort than you feel you need to. I find that more effort is always congratulated and enjoyed more than if you do something by half. Set your table beautifully, use the special plates and napkins, bring out your crystal glasses and make use of all of your best household products. 

12. Fresh flowers will always be a beautiful centrepiece. As will candles.

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VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFTS & GIFTS

And just like that, we're already in February!  Did y'all watch the game last night?  I caught bits and pieces but always watch the half-time show and thought it was great!  Love Missy Elliott- her songs take me back to the 90s, even though those songs she sang were from early 2000s. And they're still on my iPod!

So, this month we celebrate l-o-v-e and it also happens to be the month I turn 40!!  That must be why I remember the 90s like they were only 10 years ago. ;) Valentine's day comes first (in less than 2 weeks!), so let me share some Valentine's crafts and gifts I played around with over the weekend.  Dang, I hope 40 isn't too old to still be playing with crafts because I don't have any plans to slow down.

valentine's day love tree

My philosophy for Valentine's day is to make it special for everyone, not necessarily only a romantic holiday.  I like to shower my son and girlfriends with affection too.  This year, we made a 'love tree' to recognize some of the important people in our life.  We wrote their names on a foam heart, and hung them from the branches of this display in our dining room.

I'm crazy for the flowering branches and vases at World Market (they are the prettiest and best priced  I've seen) and grabbed the red velvet plum blossoms to decorate our dining room.  I wanted these at Christmas, but Valentine's day will do, then I can pull them back out next December when red is hot again. 

You could also make a tree for just one person and, using bigger hearts, write things you love and appreciate about that person.  Would be so cute for a teacher gift too.  Each child puts their name on one heart, then, on the flip side, tells their favorite thing about the teacher.  I've got teacher gifts on my brain because we just celebrated James' teacher last Friday.  

valentine's day rose ball 

I'm kinda crazy over this next DIY idea.  Using the scented rose soap petal set, I made a decorative ball that smells so good, but in a gentle way, not too overpowering. I used light pink, but they come in other colors too- the multicolored set is especially pretty!

You'd probably want to use a foam ball as your base, but I didn't have one on hand, so I improved with a ball-shaped vase filler.  I used a sewing pin to affix each rose to the ball and left the bottom empty so the ball could sit flat.  This ball below was made with 20 roses, exactly one box. 

As for the actual day, we don't have any plans yet, but maybe we'll do a Valentine's/Birthday celebration combo and go out to a nice dinner. Since we've been on a pretty strict meal plan lately, a good meal out is always a treat.  How do you like to celebrate?  A small acknowledgement of love is all we really want, right?!  

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GIFT IDEAS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!

valentine’s day is around the corner and this holiday has really grown on me over the years. even if you’re not a sappy romantic, it’s always nice to have a day to acknowledge the people who matter in your life, and let them know they mean something to you. we’ve rounded up a few favorite things, from fun gifts to homemade treats or DIY cards and other ideas that i hope are helpful below!

FOR HER

1. this back-up charger from shop ban.do is a lot of fun! i own one and whenever i’m out and about and charging my phone on the go, someone comes up to me to compliment it.  it really is adorable!

2/3. on of my very favorite lipstick colors and this blush is another favorite of mine, too.

4. a pretty pink dress!

5. and a canvas pouch that you could use as a fun little clutch, too.

6. a striped weekender bag!

FOR ANYONE

7. i love the look of this backpack by ben minkoff. even though it’s a men’s backpack, i’m really into backpacks as diaper bags these days and i love the look of this one.

8. this memory foam neck pillow is supposed to be the best one out there! i want to try it.

9. and i adore this DIY pop-up card joy made a few weeks ago! homemade cards are always a good idea.

10. his & hers pillowcases!

11. these pretty homemade marshmallows.

12/13. hand-dipped pretzels are an easy treat to make and also these pretzel matches are genius!

14. or send someone you love some darling ombre cherries…

FOR HIM

15. guys are hard to shop for, but you can’t go wrong with cedar shoe trees. josh swears by them and they make all his dress shoes last so much longer.

16. maybe it’s just my husband, but he’s really into tie bars. ;)

17. gloves he can text in!

18/19. steal like an artist by austin kleon and also think like a freak by steven d. levitt and stephen j. dubner, two books josh’s friend recommended to him.

happy valentine’s day!

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6 Reasons Why Love at First Sight is a Dangerous Thing

We’ve become a fast-paced culture. We rush to work. We run through the drive-through for fast food. We race from one activity to the next. And we hardly stop to breathe.

Unfortunately, with such a fast pace, we’ve also become an impatient culture. We want everything to happen right away. We want overnight shipping. We want instant video streaming. And we demand the highest speed internet.

Can it also be said we expect love should come as quickly and easily? Do too many of us, who have been born and bred in this fast-paced world, think love at first sight is the new norm?

Perhaps it’s time for us to evaluate why love at first sight can be a dangerous thing:

1. We don’t have time to test character.

When we rush into a relationship, we may not take the time to really get to know the person, especially their inner qualities. It’s easy for anyone to put up a facade for a short while, but it’s only after time and trials that a person’s true colors shine through. If we don’t take the time to test another’s character, we may get into difficult or even dangerous situations.

2. We get caught up in feelings.

Everyone enjoys the physical rush of a new relationship, and it’s all too easy to get caught up in those tingling, wonderful emotions and let them dictate our actions instead of operating with sound logic and thinking. That magical quality of love, while nice, can lead to rash and sometimes foolish decisions.

3. We neglect a solid foundation of friendship.

When a couple jumps into a relationship based on feelings and physical attraction, that often comes at the detriment of forming a friendship first. Without a friendship to glue a relationship together, we’re left with a shallow relationship when the feelings and physical attraction fades.

4. We let infatuation dictate our commonalities.


It’s all too easy to put aside our own dreams and values during our giddy in-love phase. But when the reality of life takes over, we don’t want to find ourselves with someone who doesn’t respect our desires or values, or someone who doesn’t enjoy the same activities that we do.

5. We overlook potential problems.


Every couple will have challenges at some point, disagreements, conflicts that need addressing. But when we fall fast and furiously in love, we’re more prone to overlook problems, to minimize differences, or to make excuses for behavior. We gloss over issues or let them pile up until eventually they seem insurmountable.

6. We have a false euphoria.


The love-at-first-sight mentality makes us think our relationship is special and different than others. That then leads us to believe that our love is invincible, that it’s meant to be, and that it will last forever without much effort. Such euphoria ignores the hard work that it takes to make a relationship last for the long haul.

Jody Hedlund knows matters of the heart. She’s a bestselling author, and her new young adult inspirational romance, “An Uncertain Choice,” is far more than a story; it’s a catalyst to help readers begin to think wisely about choosing their forever mate.

This article originally appeared on Fox News Magazine.

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Nails art...

Girls would love nails art.
here are some beautiful nail arts design.

Beautiful dark and light pink combination.

Beautiful dotted pink and white combination.

Awesome nail art... beautifully created sunset on your nails.

Really nice yellow and blue moods on your nails with square shape.

Transparent base with black white and purple combination.

silver with black flower.

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People who love spending time alone

You think living alone is good, it can be good as well as bed.
My whole life I've been told that teamwork is golden. Two heads are better than one. The more the merrier. There is no "I" in "team." I grew up to view being in the company of others as the de facto ideal state. And for many years, it was true: my senior year of college, I lived with seven of my closest girlfriends in one house. Just as I predicted, it was one of the best years of my life. No matter what time of day or night there was always a friend to bounce an idea off of, a shoulder to cry on or a late-night snack buddy. It was domestic bliss for a 22-year-old.
The main thing about living alone is you cannot have it both ways. 
Consider the supposedly best things about living single as offered up by the lightweights from places such as

1. "You can use the bathroom without closing the door."
2. "You can stay up as long as you want. Without keeping it down for other people. Blast that episode of Frasier!"
3. "Nobody will steal your food."
4. "You can leave your clothes on the floor…"
5. "You can do all the embarrassing and gross things you want without fear of judgment."
6. "…you don't ever have to wear pants."
7. "You don't have to worry about a roommate hearing you have sex, or vice versa."
8. "You never have to wait for anyone to get out of the bathroom to pee or shower."
9. "You can use all the hot water in the shower."
10. "You don't have to share the TV…

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