The Origins of the ‘Cinderella’ story.

Cinderella is arguably one of the most popular of all the Classic Fairy Tale narratives. In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a young woman who has not at some point in their girlhood dreamed of being the ‘Cinderella’ figure – the Belle-of-the ball that is swept off her feet by a ‘Handsome Stranger’ and ferreted off to his ‘Castle’ to live ‘happily ever after’.

Most girls today know not only the literary story but own the video-cassette, DVD, Barbie doll, Halloween outfit and a myriad other commodity products. Indeed, how many of us as adult women have not at some point invoked the services of a ‘fairy-godmother’ or held back on committing to a perfectly good relationship because we were waiting for our ‘Handsome Prince’ – our own ‘feel-good-movie’?

As rooted in our childhood memories and cultural make-up as the ‘Cinderella’ narrative is, we do not hold the copyright to the tale. Multiple variations of the tale exist; the earliest recorded version dating as

FULL ARTICLE

The Legend of the Phoenix

The Phoenix; an ancient mythical symbol of resurrection, rejuvenation and immortality has recently received much renewed attention in Western popular culture through its role in J. K. Rowling’s enormously popular book; ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.’ While in the Harry Potter saga, J. K Rowling adds a little artistic license to her Phoenix which disappears mid-air in a flash of blinding light, heals wounds with its tears and bears magical feathers for young wizards’ wands, it nevertheless manages to retain a few of the legendary characteristics that make the Phoenix such an important allegorical and metaphorical literary source.

FULL ARTICLE

How I got an Apple Mac and some sleep.

Struggling to Find a Decent Apple Reseller? Check out this Review for First time and Seasoned Buyers.

Your old trusty PC has finally wheezed its last dusty breath and you decide that perhaps it’s time to throw caution to the wind and cross the threshold of that super-chic, ‘newest generation technology’ emporium: ‘The Apple Store’.

Unless you are an ‘ultra-geek’ and have spent many hours in the company of a small herd of computers, your journey to the Apple Store is likely to be overwhelming. Even just a quick trip to the online store has the regular you or me upside down and inside out. Apple’s product selection is simply astounding! Once you have managed to stop yourself from salivating over the sheer beauty and craftsmanship of so many of the designs and products and begin to focus more seriously on function….

FULL ARTICLE

Working with Your Spouse – Recipe for Success or Distress?

Is it a good idea to work with your spouse?

While I have to agree that working with one’s spouse can be an enormous challenge, I believe that it is simultaneously an extremely fulfilling, wholesome, and rewarding experience.

I have often reflected on the irony of how two people who have chosen to dedicate their lives to each other; to love and cherish one another for all time, promptly spend most of their waking time apart. If you cannot maintain a compatible work relationship with your spouse how do you expect to run a healthy and functional marriage?

Marriage requires an enormous amount of active cultivation and effort. More often than not however, couples become complacent and tend to neglect their marital relationship due to the pressures and stresses concomitant with an overwhelming work load. This is compounded in a relationship where both spouses work or actively participate in a full-time career. How often have you found yourself coming home from work and simply vegetating in front of the television or, even more common, how many perfectly functional marriages eventually deteriorate into a resentful breeding ground for petty bickering over….

FULL ARTICLE

A Brief History of Flag Day in America

US Flag Day Poster 1917

On visiting America for the first time, I was instantly struck by the

unabashed prominence of the American Flag. Driving along the

leafy cul-de-sac’s of Pasadena’s more affluent neighborhoods, traversing treacherous traffic along Sunset Boulevard or even still, roaring along the Interstate, there it was in one form or another; the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ displayed in all its glory.

At first, such a conspicuous display of raw patriotism filled me with unease. The fervid national identity shared by every American citizen had yet to become agreeable to me as such a sentiment was wholly unfamiliar to my own experience. I come from a land torn apart by violence and strife, a place where neighbors murder each other at the slightest provocation and where poverty walks hand in hand with corruption and greed. So you see, it is very seldom that ordinary citizens feel compelled to display their national flag with a sense of pride or patriotism.

It did not take long however, before I too came to approach the American Flag with a degree…

FULL ARTICLE