[Monty]

To one and all.
Hope you all had a Happy New Year, And have a great 2006.
Regards Monty & Staff

P.S. Dont forget our next Aussie Day Bash. 26 th Jan.

[baziel]

To one and first on this forum Happy new year, XXX Chris

[TrickyRich]

My very best wishes for you all in 2006.

2005 was a shit year for me.......

I hope for much better things in 2006.......

My love and care to each and every one of you,

Richard XXX

[Rainwalker99]

The Japanese have a wonderful concept that plays out at year end and that's the idea of writing a haiku and, perhaps, sharing it with friends in their New Year's cards. (More than 4 billion nengajo, New Year's greeting cards, are delivered on Jan. 1.)

This time of year, the traditional haiku includes kigo (season words) that celebrate many of the "firsts" of the New Year,

The poems might mention "hatsudayori" - meaning the first exchange of letters, "kakizome" (first calligraphy), and "fude hajime" (first brush).

My favourites include "hatsuhi " (first sun or first sunrise) or hatsuyume (the first dream).

But above all, the most delightful kigo is "waraizome", the first smile or the first laughter of the year.

I hope that your first laugh and your first smile in 2006 were deep, wide, and heartfelt.

Rainwalker

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Expert Advice for New Year's resolutions

Experts offer these tips to help you reach your goals:

Avoid perfectionist thinking. While we certainly always want to better ourselves, it is healthier to think in positive terms than it is to focus on how much we fall short of our aspirations. In other words, students should view the grade of an A- as better than a B, rather than not as good as an A.

View setbacks as lessons for growth. Mistakes can be and usually are opportunities for learning. If you fall short of your goals, ask yourself what kept you from achieving them and then try to make corrections. People who like to sail understand this navigational concept. You almost never go directly from point A to point B. You set a course and periodically take readings of your position then make adjustments as you go along.

Don't make absolute resolutions. Keep them realistic. For example, instead of saying you won't yell at your kids anymore, resolve to yell at them less often.

Don't keep your resolutions to yourself. Tell someone you trust about your resolutions. It helps to share your goals with friends, who can gently nudge you in the right direction when you veer off course.

Give them some meaning. People sometimes make goals that aren't necessarily meaningful to them. Your goal should be something you really desire to change or achieve, not something that society says is good for you to do or your family members would like to see you do. If you don't have strong, internal motivation within yourself, you won't be successful.

Take baby steps. Set realistic goals that are attainable and then take small steps that are likely to be met with success toward those goals. Don't try to lose 10 pounds in a week or quitting smoking cold turkey with no preparation. Instead, try joining a weight loss program and try to lose a pound a week, or join a smoking cessation group.

Fine-tune your spirituality. It is important to add a spiritual dimension to your goals. For example, if one of your goals is to get fit, you may also resolve to get outdoors more often instead of going to the gym. Time outside will help you get in balance with nature, and will honour both the physical and spiritual sides of yourself.

[Dick]

Having just returned from a very nice New Year Party, and feeling warmth and joy, many loving hugs and all, may I wish health, Happiness, and prosperity to everyone on this forum..... except Hedda!
(Well, there has to be an exception, we all know that!)

[Bob]

Sawatdee bpee mai :!:

[Boxer]

My best wishes for 2006 also

A crowded Boyz Town watching the fireworks over town more pics below.

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