chiclifestylemakeover: Back to NYC!

Tomorrow I'll be making the trek back to NYC...just when it started to get sunny and warm out here. A jet setter can never get too comfortable, huh? :)

I CHING

The book of Ching, also known as the "book of changes", is one of the 5 classic fundamental books of Confucianism. It is more than 3000 years old and its symbols are even older, going back to 5000 years ago. These characteristics make it one of the oldest "superstitious" books in the World; Ching is also one of the most ancient forms of divination. For a very long time, it's been the main Oracle and the first

spiritual resource of the Asiatic nation. Moreover it has had growing p opularity in Europe and America thanks to its mysterious potential to be able to give very detailed intuition to anyone w ho wanted to study this carefully.
I Ching doesn't actually forecast the future but provides a clear vision of the present and gives advice on how to face the situation. "It goes beyond" the questions asked, exposing the deepest truths of Nature and our subconscious; naturally, by interrogating the I Ching, we also get the forecast of a certain event, but will also depend on our free will. estudiarlos con atención.

· The Consultation:

According to tradition, I Ching is consulted by using the 50 yarrow stalks. This long process is based on the use of 3 coins or 3 small sticks.

The 3 coins are cast 6 times whilst the question is formulated. There are 4 possible combinations:

Yang coin

All coins land on Heads: 3+3+3=9;
All coins land on Tails: 2+2+2=6;
One coin lands on Heads and the other 2 on Tails: 3+2+2=7;
2 coins land on Heads and one on Tails: 3+3+2=8.

Yin coin

6 = the broken changing Yin line, 7 is the fixed unbroken Yang, 8 = fixed, broken Yin and 9 = solid changing Yang. The Hexagram is formed from top to bottom so the first line is at the bottom and the sixth line is at the top.
The solid lines are unchangeable whereas the broken lines can form a second hexagram. The broken line and the solid line and the solid line and the broken line therefore form a second hexagram.
It's also possible to let I Ching comment on the current situation without even asking the question!

· The Interpretation:

If an answer has been given by throwing coins, the hexagram obtained represents the answer in the context of the current situation. The most important aspects are the Image, the Sentence and the Lines, especially those that are mobile.

The Image introduces the hexagram as a combination of 2 trigrams and shows the situation at the same time as the question was asked.

The Sentence "focuses on" the subject and gives an indication depending on the possible choices which need to be made to do the right thing or avoid disgrace. The circumstances can be good or bad but it's important to keep in mind an excellent strategy to deal with them.

One of the most surprising characteristics of I Ching is that it often manages to succinctly describe the situation in which we are in, even in modern times. The Oracle can give us courage and makes things clearer. Consulting I Ching therefore is a way of better understanding the contingent situation and alleviates our worries for the future by making the right choices. The I Ching helps us to be the author of our own destiny, guaranteeing us being in harmony with the world around us.

TIPPING ETIQUETTE

A tip should always be earned. Reward good service generously and reduce the tip proportionately for indifferent or rude service. A good rule of thumb is ten percent if the service is mediocre and eight percent if it’s really poor. That way, you help to raise the standard of service. Leaving no tip does not correct the problem of poor service.

Treat servers with respect. Leaving a generous tip doesn’t make up for ordering someone around or treating them dismissively. While tipping augments servers’ incomes and rewards them for a job well done, treating them kindly is just as important.

When in doubt about whether to tip, ask in advance. If a department store is scheduled to deliver a new sofa, call and ask someone in the furniture department whether tipping is customary; in a hair salon, ask the receptionist. In some situations, leaving a tip could be seen as demeaning. Taking the time to find out what’s expected can spare you an embarrassing moment.

Tip on the pre-tax amount of the bill, not on the total.

Tip discreetly. Tipping is a private matter. Don’t act like a “big spender” and flash a lot of bills.

Money is the tip of choice. Sometimes a small gift, usually given during the holidays, can be substituted for cash. In the case of a hairdresser, for example, this gift can “top off” the cash tips you’ve given over the year.

-Peggy Post

1O TIPS FOR BUYING WINE

1. Don't be afraid to ask for help when making a wine selection, either at a retail store or in a restaurant. There are many professionals that are eager to help.
2. Pay attention to the wine's appellation, the area where the wine was grown. Better wines come from better vineyards. If it says Napa or Sonoma, you may pay more, but it may be worth it.
3. Try something new. We all have favorites, but the glory of drinking wine is finding new and exciting ones to experience.
4. Pay attention to vintage, the wine's "born on date." Most wineries are making wines that can and should be experienced fresh. Many of these are very good and inexpensive. Don't worry about storing them; drink them.
5. Do not store wines in the refrigerator. Cold refrigeration can have a negative impact on wines. Put your white wines in an ice bucket 30 minutes prior to service.
6. At a restaurant; smelling the cork is not necessary, unless you like the smell of cork. The cork smell will tell you nothing about how the wine will taste. The cork will either be wet or dry, which helps determine if the wine was properly stored.
7. Do smell the wine, which should smell pleasant, fresh and not have any "off" aromas. It should smell alive, like fresh fruit, fresh flowers or fresh spice. If the wine smells stale (like wet cardboard), it is probably not suitable for drinking.
8. Do not let a waiter pour a full glass of wine, please! Small pours of wine can be swirled, allowing the wine to breathe and open up. Also, wine should be drunk in sips and enjoyed a little at a time. Ask the waiter to let you pour your own wine.
9. Except for Champagne, do not chill a cold wine in an ice bucket. "Cellar" temperature (about 55°) is ideal for tasting a wine's true flavors.
10. When you go to a restaurant, realize that you are paying for a service. In the cost of doing business, it is necessary and standard to markup wine 2 - 3 times the price you will see in a retail store, just like a steak or soft drink.

RULES FOR APPLYING LIPSTICK AT THE TABLE

It’s okay to quickly apply lipstick at the table if you’re with close friends or relatives in a non-business situation, and at a non-deluxe restaurant. In general, personal grooming should be done in private for the simple reason that it can be annoying and it’s tacky. But putting on lipstick without using a mirror and without fanfare is one grooming ritual that can sometimes be performed in front of others. Still, think first! When in doubt, don’t do it, such as when you’re at a business meal or with people you don’t know very well.
-Peggy Post

chiclifestylemakeover

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Back to NYC!

Green Word a Day

I CHING

random tidbit of the day...RUBE GOLDBERG

TIPPING ETIQUETTE

1O TIPS FOR BUYING WINE

Vive la Jambe!

RULES FOR APPLYING LIPSTICK AT THE TABLE

How many days in a row has it been raining in Los Angeles?

paris jeune fille

Blog Archive

Friends

Support the Haiti Disaster Relief Effort

Hooray for...

chiclifestylemakeover

chiclifestylemakeover

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Back to NYC!

Green Word a Day

Subscribe To

I CHING

random tidbit of the day...RUBE GOLDBERG

TIPPING ETIQUETTE

1O TIPS FOR BUYING WINE

Vive la Jambe!

RULES FOR APPLYING LIPSTICK AT THE TABLE

How many days in a row has it been raining in Los Angeles?

paris jeune fille

Blog Archive

Friends

Support the Haiti Disaster Relief Effort

Hooray for...

chiclifestylemakeover