In short:

From the movie here are seven lessons Thao learned about what it means to be a man...

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Saying no is ways hard, especially to the one you care about. As a man you have to set up boundaries and live by them. Otherwise you will have people stepping all over you. This is a reflection of your character and morals. Take control of your life and don't let the winds toss you around.

> Manhood | Hmong Men

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Being Hmong you have to shake EVERYONES hand. From personal experience, Hmong people have some of the worst handshakes ever. You would think the culture would have mastered this technique by now.

Unfortunately, first impressions are lasting impressions, and quite a b**** if i don't say so myself. It only takes a couple seconds for another person to evaluate and square you up. That is why the handshake is so important. Your handshake defines who you are.

I am involved with the military and do a lot of advocacy with non-profits. I have shaken hands with the average Joe, to politicians, high ranking officers, and even entrepreneurs and millionaires. So i have had my fair share of handshakes. Are you a "Limp Fish" or are you "Confident". Unfortunately I encounter more of the "Limp Fish" when meeting Hmong people.

There are three keys to a successful handshake

How you do it
Make sure your handshake is firm, not a dead fish grip. However, you don’t want to crush the other person’s hand.

• Make sure you don’t have food or grease on your hands. You want the person to remember you, not what you ate.
• If your hands are sweaty, give them a quick nonchalant wipe on your pants.
• When you offer your hand, look the person in the eye and smile.

When you do it
Handshakes involve timing. Many people avoid offering handshakes because they’re afraid of being left hanging. If you’re not sure if someone will notice your offer, extend the handshake anyways. Most of the time people will notice your handshake offer and quickly grasp your hand.

Be aware of different social customs. Most cultures have different customs for shaking hands. Some find it inappropriate for a man to shake a woman’s hand and some cultures find shaking hands completely unacceptable. Be sensitive to these situations.

*On a personal note, for women, I will either give them either a hand shake or a hug. 

What if you’re left hanging?
Don’t feel embarrassed. The problem isn’t that the other person doesn’t think you’re important, you’re timing was just off.

• Don’t offer a handshake if the other person is in a conversation with someone else.
• Don’t approach someone from the side with your extended hand. It’s hard to see.
• Do audibly greet the person first to get their attention and then offer your hand.

Where to do it
Handshakes are good every where. Make sure to shake plenty of hands when you go to a social gathering. Make sure to shake the hosts’ hand when arriving and leaving the gathering.

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So...for those of you who haven't seen this movie, what the heck are you waiting for? I own part one; it introduces us to four married couples and the annual vacation trip they take each year. On this trip, they ask themselves, "Why Did I Get Married?" In part one, Sheila finds out that her husband Mike is cheating on her with the woman friend he brought along with on the trip. Patricia finds out that her husband Gavin blames her for their son's death. Angela finds out that Marcus had cheated on her with his ex-wife, but then Marcus finds out that Anglea cheated on him with someone else. Then Terry finds out that his wife Diane had her tubes tied. Drama, drama, drama!!!
In part two, we are introduced to the same couples again. This time though, Mike is replaced by Troy, the man who saves Sheila in part one. More dirty secrets are let out, marriages end, and a death is in store. I think part two really gives you an eye opener of about how a marriage can seem perfect on the outside and on the inside it is slowly dying. I watched how a woman can get emotionally attached to another man because he made her smile. And how her husband watched their life drift away. The closeness we all experience with one another is nothing when the heart is not invovled in it. This was a great film and I loved the entire cast. Tyler Perry does a great job directing and Janet Jackson's performance was so raw and unnerving. Rent yours tonight!

Well, here we are facing a new era already: Fall!! Yes, I love Fall! If you can't tell, you probably don't know me very well. I'm a huge fan of fall for its colors and livelyness that brings around the thick leather boots, awesome fall jackets, and scarves. I love scarves! One of these days, I will go to visit Paris and get to wear scarves. I hear it's all they wear there.  And Paris is the city of love!
Well, for starters, I've started a discussion called, "Fashion/Makeup Freaks." I think it should do well considering that inside all of us women are freaks for it, LOL. And if they don't, they just haven't met me, LMAO. Ok, I'm getting corny here, sorry.
Well, I just realized, I've started each new paragraph with the word, "WELL." What will my writing teacher think of me now? LOL. Oh, "well," I guess she'll have to shrink and just cringe. Anyways, have a good night, folks.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-v66xtr7zE&feature=related 400x320]

sample of embed videos

sample of embed videos

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