sugarlo

http://www.surrogatemotherhoodonline.com/content/risks-surrogate-motherhood Be informed! risks of surrogate motherhood For Surrogate Mothers A woman must fully comprehend what it means to be a surrogate mother. She needs to know what her body will go through, what the couple she is working for will expect of her while she is carrying their child and what the risks are in all of this. A woman may enjoy the idea of being pregnant and carrying a child but she must think of the risks of surrogate motherhood before she embarks on such a long journey. One of the risks involved in surrogate motherhood is the pregnancy itself. A natural pregnancy is dangerous; let alone an artificial one. Complications happen that can’t always be avoided. It is simple fate that may lead you to miscarry, or acquire health problems from the pregnancy. Though using a surrogate motherhood agency is the safest way to go, no one can promise you that there will be no complications. Control is one of the psychological risks of surrogate motherhood. This aspect of surrogacy entails the “my body, my baby” struggle that occurs between surrogates and their couples. Couples, having a larger and more permanent stake in the health and well being of both the child and surrogate, tend to want to overstep their bounds of advice and suggestions. After all, they feel that it is their responsibility to make sure the surrogate eats and lives healthy in order for them to receive a healthy child. Surrogates may feel this added attention and advising is too restrictive and, especially if they have had previous pregnancies and childbirth experiences and already know what to expect and do. Also, should medical issues arise during the term of the pregnancy, the question is that of who has the right to decide the route of treatment. When you get into surrogate motherhood, you become business partners with the parents of the child for the duration of the pregnancy. There is no backing out. If the couple that you chose turns out to be mean or irresponsible, you are stuck with them until the baby is born. This is especially dangerous if you are not using a surrogate agency. If the couple skips town, you won’t be taken care of and will be stuck with a baby to raise. People talk about the pure joy of having a baby inside you and going through a pregnancy, does that end when the baby is born? When that baby comes out and you see him or her for the first time, is your heart going to be able to handle it when the baby is taken from you? After going through the pregnancy and bonding with the little being inside of you, can you just let it go? You won’t have a choice. It will be taken from you. Prepare your heart for this. It may be the hardest part of surrogate motherhood. Surrogate motherhood can be a joy and a blessing for some people. Those people should embrace it and enjoy it. Just because someone else likes something and can handle it, doesn’t mean that you can. Research the risks before getting into it.

Hello ICONers, Today my account has been removed from ICON,David (Physical_attraction) and I didn’t get any explanation for that or the opportunity to explain myself. Even if I get a clue: of adding an unreleased song here yesterday or part of great unrealsed show. If this is the point, I’m very sad for ICON…I understand why but “ain’t no big deal”, there are thousands of unreleased photos/videos/songs here. WHY ME? Anyway, I am very disappointed and more than that very sad for not being part anymore of what I call my family. I had so much laugh and great times with all of u. I met great hearts and lovely people that I can call FRIENDS. I am sooooo sad but I do not have any anger, this is out of my principles and beliefs. Je suis désolé but I’ll not create a new account, you’ll understand why. I’m going to miss u all sooo much. I’ll probably meet u again on other forums all around the world and I really hope so. If you want to keep contact with me, please ask my e-mail address to SUGARLO (I love u babe) Madonna I always loved u and I’ll til the end. You are my inspiration…you thrill me…you put me in a trance. Don’t be sad for me there are much more URGENT matters in life than this…watch the Haiti Telethon tonight and help our brothers and sisters who really need our help !!! Love, Light and Power to all of you David (Physical_attraction) I'm posting this on behalf of David who did not have the chance to say goodbye to his friends here on Icon. Sugarlo

bittersweet song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRIJSaKhjx4 BITTERSWEET-MADONNA, LYRICS BY RUMI (PERSIAN POET) Jelaluddin Rumi, the 13th century mystic poet, was truly one of the most passionate and profound poets in history. Now, today his presence still remains strong, due in part to how his words seem to drip of the divine, and startle a profound rememberance that links all back to the Soul-Essence. If you want what visible reality can give, you're an employee. If you want the unseen world, you're not living your truth. Both wishes are foolish, but you'll be forgiven for forgetting that what you really want is love's confusing joy. From Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks There is a way between voice and presence where information flows. In disciplined silence it opens. With wandering talk it closes. Two Kinds of Intelligence There are two kinds of intelligence: one acquired, as a child in school memorizes facts and concepts from books and from what the teacher says, collecting information from the traditional sciences as well as from the new sciences. With such intelligence you rise in the world. You get ranked ahead or behind others in regard to your competence in retaining information. You stroll with this intelligence in and out of fields of knowledge, getting always more marks on your preserving tablets. There is another kind of tablet, one already completed and preserved inside you. A spring overflowing its springbox. A freshness in the center of the chest. This other intelligence does not turn yellow or stagnate. It's fluid, and it doesn't move from outside to inside through conduits of plumbing-learning. This second knowing is a fountainhead from within you, moving out. From Essential Rumi By Coleman Barks Love is from the infinite, and will remain until eternity. The seeker of love escapes the chains of birth and death. Tomorrow, when resurrection comes, The heart that is not in love will fail the test. From Thief of Sleep by Shahram Shiva Some Kiss We Want There is some kiss we want with our whole lives, the touch of spirit on the body. Seawater begs the pearl to break its shell. And the lily, how passionately it needs some wild darling! At night, I open the window and ask the moon to come and press its face against mine. Breathe into me. Close the language- door and open the love window. The moon won't use the door, only the window. From Soul of Rumi by Coleman Barks The Freshness When it's cold and raining, you are more beautiful. And the snow brings me even closer to your lips. The inner secret, that which was never born, you are that freshness, and I am with you now. I can't explain the goings, or the comings. You enter suddenly, and I am nowhere again. Inside the majesty. From Soul of Rumi by Coleman Barks The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere, they're in each other all along. From Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

http://www.florencebiennale.org/indexeng.html For those who already know it, the Florence Biennale has become an established and essential event that continues to surprise audiences edition after edition. Instead, for those new to the Biennale, it will be the pleasant discovery of a festival that makes Florence the center of parallels and connections involving people, cultures, identities and passions: a true celebration of art that brings together distant worlds into one dreamy embrace, in which for once, the public and the artists can mix together, interact and get to know each other , as a sign of love for art.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OSCAR AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL ICONERS IN FLORENCE BIENNALE 2009, PLEASE SEND YOUR REQUESTS TO THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL: geral@oscar-casares.com WRITE YOUR FULL NAME AND USERNAME IN ICON AND THEN THE PHRASE " I WOULD LIKE OSCAR TO REPRESENT ALL ICONERS IN FLORENCE BIENNALE 2009". IF WE ALL ASK FOR IT, IT MAY HAPPEN!!! HE DESERVES IT! HE HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT WORK, WE MUST SHOW HIM THAT WE APPRECIATE THAT!!!! LET'S SEE WHO 'S IN....

Dance therapy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Dance therapy, or dance movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance for emotional, cognitive, social, behavioral and physical conditions[1]. Dance movement therapy strengthens the body/mind connection through body movements to improve both the mental and physical well-being of individuals[2]. As a form of expressive therapy, DMT is founded on the basis that movement and emotion are directly related[3]. The ultimate purpose of DMT is to find a healthy balance and sense of wholeness[4]. Since its birth in the 1940s, DMT has gained much popularity and has been taken to more serious and beneficial levels. Over the years, the practices of DMT have progressed, however, the main principles that founded this form of therapy have remained the same. Influenced by the “main principles” of this therapy, most DMT sessions are configured around four main stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and evaluation[5]. Organizations such as the American Dance Therapy Association and the Association for Dance Movement Therapy, United Kingdom maintain the high standards of profession and education throughout the field. DMT is practiced in places such as mental health rehabilitation centers, medical and educational settings, nursing homes, day care facilities, and other health promotion programs[6].This form of therapy which is taught in a wide array of locations goes farther than just centering the body. Specialized treatments of DMT can help cure and aid many types of diseases and disabilities. Other common names for DMT include: movement psychotherapy and dance therapy Principles The theory of DMT is based upon the idea that “the body and mind are inseparable”[4]. “Dance movement therapy rests on certain theoretical principles. These are: Body and mind interact, so that a change in movement will affect total functioning Movement reflects personality The therapeutic relationship is mediated at least to some extent non-verbally, for example through the therapist mirroring the client’s movement Movement contains a symbolic function and as such can be evidence of unconscious process Movement improvisation allows the client to experiment with new ways of being DMT allows for the recapitulation of early object relationships by virtue of the largely non-verbal mediation of the latter”[11] Through the unity of the body, mind, and spirit, DMT provides a sense of wholeness to all individuals[4]. [edit]The Creative Process The creative process has four stages, which occur during DMT. Each stage contains a smaller set of goals which correlate to the larger purpose of DMT. The stages and goals of DMT vary with each individual. Although the stages are progressive, the stages are usually revisited several times throughout the entire DMT process. The four stages are: Preparation: the warm-up stage, safety is establishedIncubation: relaxed, let go of conscious control, movements become symbolicIllumination: meanings become apparent, can have positive and negative effectsEvaluation: discuss significance of the process, prepare to end therapy[12]

Music and the Brain Although interest in music and the mind dates at least as far back as Plato, the neuroscientific study of music is a young discipline. Our approach reflects the belief that research on music has the potential to illuminate fundamental aspects of human brain function, including language, the active nature of perception, and the processing of complex sequences that unfold in time. Research on music at The Neurosciences Institute falls into three broad areas: The relationship of Music and Language Both music and spoken language feature rich rhythmic and melodic structure. Furthermore, both employ a finite set of basic elements (such as tones or words), which are combined in principled ways to create novel, hierarchically organized sequences. That is, music and language share the crucial feature of being syntactic systems. Given these similarities, are music and language largely independent brain functions, or do they have an important degree of overlap? We have addressed this question in three different areas: the relationship of syntactic processing in music and language, the relationship of music to the melody and rhythm of speech, and the relationship between musical tone deafness and speech intonation perception. Our research has reveled a significant degree of overlap between music and language processing. Using methods that span neuroimaging, neuropsychology (e.g., the study of music processing in aphasia), and behavioral studies, we are exploring this overlap as a novel way to illuminate the cognitive and neural foundations of both domains. Musical Rhythm and the Construction of Perception Perception is not just a passive registering of what is “out there” in the world, but a constructive process involving active interpretation, as well as integration across brain systems. The phenomenon of a musical beat nicely illustrates this fact. Every human culture has some form of music in which listeners perceive a regular beat, and in every culture, people move in synchrony with the beat of music. Musical beat perception and synchronization may seem like simple abilities since they are so widespread, but appearances can be deceptive. Humans are the only species to spontaneously move in synchrony with a musical beat, and can extract a beat from complex rhythmic patterns. This raises the question of what aspects of our brain support this remarkable ability. We have studied musical rhythm perception to examine the coupling between the auditory and motor system, and how this coupling differs from the coupling of visual and motor systems. In addition, we have studied brain mechanisms of beat perception, suggesting a possible role for the motor system in how we hear a beat. Understanding how the auditory and motor systems are coupled in beat perception and synchronization could help in the development of treatments for certain motor disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, in which rhythmic music is known to help people initiate and coordinate movement. Temporal Dynamics of Brain Activity During Auditory Perception We believe that understanding the fine temporal details of brain responses to sound is important for understanding brain mechanisms of auditory processing. We have developed novel methods for tracking stimulus-related brain activity from the auditory cortex as it unfolds in time, using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Using the method of “frequency tagging,” we have studied how brain activity evolves over time as a listener hears a melody, organizes complex incoming auditory information into perceptually distinct sources, or pays selective attention to an auditory stimulus. Our results indicate that ongoing timing patterns of activity are influenced by melodic structure, and are also modulated by cognitive processing. For example, we have found that selective attention to an auditory (vs. simultaneously presented visual) stimulus has a modest effect on the amount of neural activity associated with that stimulus, but a large effect on the timing of brain activity associated with that stimulus. Specifically, when an auditory stimulus is attended, stimulus-related activity in distant brain regions becomes highly temporally correlated. This stands in contrast to earlier work on visual selective attention at NSI, which showed that visual attention strongly modulates the amount, but not the timing, of activity associated with the stimulus. Thus the auditory and visual systems may have fundamentally different mechanisms for selective attention, suggesting that attention disorders in the two domains might need to be treated with different approaches. http://www.nsi.edu/index.php?page=xii_music_and_language_perception

The Top 10 Traits of Creative People Category: Effectiveness Skills, Results (AG70) Originally Submitted on 5/11/97. Hundreds of traits, or characteristics, of creative people have been identified. Thirty-some have been identified as being repeatedly mentioned across the literature. Researchers say that most creative people display at least five of these 30 traits. So just because you don't see traits here that seem to match who you are, doesn't mean you aren't creative. These ten begin to define parameters for creative people in the widest possible terms and are by no means exclusive. 1. Curious 2. Tolerant of ambiguity Creative people are comfortable not having the answer all the time 3. Intuitive but logical, too. Creativity calls for moving easily back and forth between these two broad ways of thinking and processing information. 4. Open to emotions 5. Sense of humor There appears to be a strong connection between humor or playfulness and creativity 6. Risk taker 7. Persistent 8. Self-disciplined The perception that creative people are flighty, dis-organized, absent-minded is simply not true. Some are, many are not, just like any segment of the population. 9. Internal motivation as opposed to being motivated by external factors, like, say, money. 10. Wide ranging interests About the Submitter This piece was originally submitted by Ken Coleman, B.A., B.F.A., M.F.A., Educational Administrator. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, published on July 01, 1996 - last reviewed on October 14, 2008 Of all human activities, creativity comes closest to providing the fulfillment we all hope to get in our lives. Call it full-blast living. Creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives. Most of the things that are interesting, important, and human are the result of creativity. What makes us different from apes—our language, values, artistic expression, scientific understanding, and technology—is the result of individual ingenuity that was recognized, rewarded, and transmitted through learning. When we're creative, we feel we are living more fully than during the rest of life. The excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab comes close to the ideal fulfillment we all hope to get from life, and so rarely do. Perhaps only sex, sports, music, and religious ecstasy—even when these experiences remain fleeting and leave no trace—provide a profound sense of being part of an entity greater than ourselves. But creativity also leaves an outcome that adds to the richness and complexity of the future. SO.... WHAT DO YOU THINK??

Do you think that if you idolize someone enough, you can force yourself to adopt some of their traits? Verb 1. idolize - love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol; "Many teenagers idolized the Beatles" hero-worship, idolise, revere, worship adore - love intensely; "he just adored his wife" drool over, slobber over - envy without restraint http://www.thefreedictionary.com/idolize

Feature: Artists on Madonna Everyone loves Madonna. You can't think of modern pop music without thinking about her. There would be no Britney, no Christina, no Pussycat Dolls and no Lady GaGa without her. From the second that she burst onto the scene in the early '80s, her presence has permeated almost every facet of pop. Her influence is everywhere, and she's not going anywhere either. Tomorrow, Celebration [Warner Bros.], a comprehensive 2-CD retrospective featuring Madonna's biggest and brightest hits, will hit shelves. In order to Celebrate, we talked to various people she's influenced—from Juliette Lewis and Colbie Caillat to Kristinia DeBarge and Asher Book of V Factory. They told ARTISTdirect.com editor Rick Florino why they love Madonna and will continue to do so in this exclusive feature. How did you discover Madonna and what does her music mean to you? Juliette Lewis I was definitely a Madonna fan growing up. I liked "Holiday." I love that first record and other things since. As a kid, I was drawn to dance music and early rap—when it was almost rebellious to be into rap. Now hooks are tied into cell phones and Vitamin Water [Laughs]. Asher Book of V-Factory & Fame I love Madonna! She's on our label, and I remember we got a sneak peek of her last video for "4 Minutes." We felt all special because the label was like, "The public hasn't seen the video yet, but you're getting a first peek at it. We were in one of the big offices, and we saw it. Madonna is incredible, and I've always looked up to her for sure. Honestly, I've never seen her live. Seeing her videos was what did it. There are so many classics like "Like a Virgin." I like how she doesn't hold back. She just goes for it. That's what a lot of people love about her. Her personality is incredible. She's such a superstar in her own mind that she can just go for it. That's what I love about her. I've always been a fan. There was never one moment where I was like, "Oh this is what did it for me!" I've loved pretty much everything she's done. I love her mystique. She always knew what she was going for and she just went for it. She's great in interviews too. I've always liked that about her. Kate Earl I like Madonna a lot. I grew up in Alaska so my true exposure to music beyond my family and the local radio was really MTV. That's where I discovered Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, George Michael, Paula Abdul and Madonna. That's where I found everyone. Madonna's video for "Express Yourself" with the cat, the milk and all of that stuff was amazing. I just loved it. It was so sensual and vivid, and she looked like a '40s starlet. The first thing I was attracted to was just her look the really blown-out white makeup. She was so shocking too especially when I was a little Christian girl. I couldn't help but like it [Laughs]. I haven't seen her live, but I'd love to. Marié Digby I'm a huge Madonna fan. Her Immaculate Collection was the first CD that I ever bought! I probably learned how to sing thanks to Madonna. I just played that CD over and over. I actually thought I was kind of rebellious for buying her CD because she's so sexual. I was like eleven-years-old, and I felt sort of dirty for buying the CD [Laughs]. I've looked up to her for pretty much my whole entire life. No one can really touch her career—the way that she's been a chameleon. People seem to really accept her for everything she does, and that's very unusual. LIGHTS I like the hits, there's something sweet about them! I discovered her on the radio. Songs like "Lucky Star" and the controversial songs like "Like a Virgin" stick out in my mind. Those definitely made me remember her. Jason DeRulo I'm listening to Madonna a lot. My mom was a really big fan of Madonna. My favorite song is actually, "Frozen." You should look it up. It's a really dope old school Madonna song. It's funny because my mom wasn't really a big musical influence. I'm the only musician in my whole entire family [Laughs]. It's really weird. Colbie Caillat I'm definitely a Madonna fan. I love "Holiday!" I really discovered her because of my sister and mom. I loved the music and how the style of production and the songs made me feel. When I think back, it reminds me of growing up in Malibu—always dancing around the house listening to her and having the crazy '80s hairdo and all of her outfits. I love old Madonna. Kristinia DeBarge I love Madonna. I listen to Truth or Dare whenever I feel like it's time for me to stick up for myself or I'm having a hard time taking advice. When I feel like being a strong independent woman, I'll download a snippet from Truth or Dare from YouTube, watch it, go out and be inspired to be a strong individual. She's always inspired me to have a voice and an opinion. I definitely love Madonna! —Rick Florino 09.28.09 http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/feature-artists-on-madonna/6153129

Long awaited darkness falls Casting shadows on the walls In the twilight hour I am alone Sitting near the fireplace Dying embers warm my face In this peaceful solitude All the outside world subdued Everything comes back to me again In the gloom Like an angel passing through my room Half awake and half in dreams Seeing long forgotten scenes So the present runs into the past Now and then become entwined Playing games within my mind Like the embers as they die Love was one prolonged good-bye And it all comes back to me tonight In the gloom Like an angel passing through my room I close my eyes And my twilight images go by All too soon Like an angel passing through my room Everything comes back to me again In the gloom Like an angel passing through my room Wanna hear it??? go there!