Navy Yard Shooting Rampage

As I was at work on my very first day this is the news that broke. I was stunned. Needless to say in my mind  I wondered where will a individual or several people strike next? It can be anyone, anywhere. Could it be in the hospital where I work, on mass transit, and to think I just left the area where this killer stuck. I was in Baltimore, but I know exactly where this went down. There is so much madness in the world today, I pray God please let it stop. I know this news is coming a little late for me since I have been working, but please pray for the families of the deceased and the survivors.  

A defense-industry employee used his pass to get into the Washington Navy Yard and went on a deadly shooting rampage Monday, spraying bullets in the hallway and firing from a balcony on workers in an atrium below. Thirteen people were killed, including the gunman.

The motive for the assault — the deadliest shooting on a military installation in the U.S. since the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 — was a mystery, investigators said.

Mayor Vincent Gray said there was no indication it was a terrorist attack, but he added that the possibility had not been ruled out.

"This is a horrific tragedy," he said.

The onslaught at a single building at the highly secure Navy Yard unfolded about 8:20 a.m. in the heart of the nation's capital, less than four miles from the White House and two miles from the Capitol.

It put all of Washington on edge and raised the specter of another well-coordinated terrorist strike — or another attack from within, like Fort Hood.

The gunman, Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old information technology employee and former Navy reservist whose last known address was in Fort Worth, Texas, died after a running gunbattle inside the building with police, investigators said.

He carried three weapons: an AR-15 assault rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun that he took from a police officer at the scene, according to two federal law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation.

For much of the day, authorities said they were looking for a possible second attacker who may have been disguised in an olive-drab military-style uniform.

But by late Monday night, they said they were convinced the shooting was the work of a lone gunman, and the lockdown around the area was eased.

"We do now feel comfortable that we have the single and sole person responsible for the loss of life inside the base today," Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said.

President Barack Obama lamented yet another mass shooting in the U.S. that he said took the lives of American "patriots." He promised to make sure "whoever carried out this cowardly act is held responsible."

The FBI took charge of the investigation.

The attack came four years after Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan killed 13 people at Fort Hood in what he said was an effort to save the lives of Muslims overseas. He was convicted last month and sentenced to death.

In addition to those killed at the Navy Yard, eight people were hurt, including three who were shot and wounded, according to the mayor. Those three were a police officer and two female civilians, authorities said. They were all expected to survive.

The dead ranged in age from 46 to 73, according to the mayor. A number of the victims were civilian employees and contractors, rather than active-duty military personnel, the police chief said.

At the time of the rampage, Alexis was an employee with The Experts, a company that was a Defense Department subcontractor on a Navy-Marine Corps computer project, authorities said.

Valerie Parlave, head of the FBI's field office in Washington, said Alexis had access to the Navy Yard as a defense contractor and used a valid pass.

Alexis had been a full-time Navy reservist from 2007 to early 2011, leaving as a petty officer third class, the Navy said. It did not say why he left. He had been an aviation electrician's mate with a unit in Fort Worth.

A convert to Buddhism who grew up in New York City, Alexis had had run-ins with the law over shooting incidents in 2004 and 2010 in Fort Worth and Seattle and was portrayed in police reports as seething with anger.

The Washington Navy Yard is a sprawling, 41-acre labyrinth of buildings and streets protected by armed guards and metal detectors, and employees have to show their IDs at doors and gates. More than 18,000 people work there.

The rampage took place at Building 197, the headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command, which buys, builds and maintains ships and submarines. About 3,000 people work at headquarters, many of them civilians.

Witnesses on Monday described a gunman opening fire from a fourth-floor overlook, aiming down on people on the main floor, which includes a glass-walled cafeteria. Others said a gunman fired at them in a third-floor hallway.

Patricia Ward, a logistics-management specialist, said she was in the cafeteria getting breakfast.

"It was three gunshots straight in a row — pop, pop, pop. Three seconds later, it was pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, so it was like about a total of seven gunshots, and we just started running," Ward said.

Todd Brundidge, an executive assistant with Navy Sea Systems Command, said he and co-workers encountered a gunman in a long hallway on the third floor. The gunman was wearing all blue, he said.

"He just turned and started firing," Brundidge said.

Terrie Durham, an executive assistant with the same agency, said the gunman fired toward her and Brundidge.

"He aimed high and missed," she said. "He said nothing. As soon as I realized he was shooting, we just said, 'Get out of the building.'"

As emergency vehicles and law enforcement officers flooded the streets, a helicopter hovered, nearby schools were locked down and airplanes at Reagan National Airport were grounded so they would not interfere with law-enforcement choppers.

Security was tightened at other federal buildings. Senate officials shut down their side of the Capitol. The House remained open.

In the confusion, police said around midday that they were searching for two accomplices who may have taken part in the attack — one carrying a handgun and wearing a tan Navy-style uniform and a beret, the other armed with a long gun and wearing an olive-green uniform. Police said it was unclear if the men were members of the military.

But as the day wore, police dropped one person and then the other as suspects. As tensions eased, Navy Yard employees were gradually released from the complex, and children were let out of their locked-down schools.

Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, was at the base at the time the shooting began but was moved unharmed to a nearby military installation.

Anxious relatives and friends of those who work at the complex waited to hear from loved ones.

Tech Sgt. David Reyes, who works at Andrews Air Force Base, said he was waiting to pick up his wife, Dina, who was under lockdown in a building next to where the shooting happened. She sent him a text message.

"They are under lockdown because they just don't know," Reyes said. "They have to check every building in there, and they have to check every room and just, of course, a lot of rooms and a lot of buildings."


Navy Yard shooting suspect Aaron Alexis suffered a host of mental health issues, including paranoia, a sleep disorder and hearing voices in his head.

Aaron Alexis seems a study in contradictions: a former Navy reservist, a Defense Department contractor, a convert to Buddhism who was taking an online course in aeronautics. But he also had flashes of temper that led to run-ins with police over shootings in Seattle and Fort Worth, Texas.

A profile began to emerge Monday of the man authorities identified as the gunman in a mass shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., that left 13 people dead, including the 34-year-old man. While some neighbors and acquaintances described him as "nice," his father once told detectives in Seattle that his son had anger management problems related to post-traumatic stress brought on by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He also complained about the Navy and being a victim of discrimination.

FBI: Navy Yard shooter had shotgun, handguns
FBI: Navy Yard shooter had shotgun, handguns
10 hr ago 0:56 Views: 2k AP Online Video
U.S. law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that Alexis had been suffering a host of serious mental issues, including paranoia and a sleep disorder. He also had been hearing voices in his head, the officials said. Alexis had been treated since August by the Veterans Administration for his mental problems, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the criminal investigation in the case was continuing.

The officials also said there has been no connection to international or domestic terrorism, and investigators have found no manifesto or other writings suggesting a political or religious motivation.

The Navy had not declared him mentally unfit, which would have rescinded a security clearance Alexis had from his earlier time in the Navy Reserves.

U.S. officials say Alexis had a string of misconduct problems during his nearly three years in the military, but he received an honorable discharge.

The officials say he had incidents of insubordination and disorderly conduct and was sometimes absent from work without authorization. The offenses occurred mainly when he was serving in Texas from 2008 to 2011 and were enough to prompt Navy officials to grant him an early discharge through a special program for enlisted personnel.

Officials said the bad conduct was enough to make it clear Alexis would not be a good sailor, but not enough to warrant a general or less-than-honorable discharge.

Family members told investigators that Alexis was being treated for his mental health issues.

Washington Navy Yard shooting: Link button to Washington Navy Yard shooting galleryReuters: Jason Reed
Click image to see: Washington Navy Yard shooting gallery
At the time of the shootings, he worked for The Experts, a subcontractor on an HP Enterprise Services contract to refresh equipment used on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet network.

His life over the past decade has been checkered.

Alexis lived in Seattle in 2004 and 2005, according to public documents. In 2004, Seattle police said Alexis was arrested for shooting out the tires of another man's vehicle in what he later described to detectives as an anger-fueled "blackout." According to an account on the department's website, two construction workers had parked their Honda Accord in the driveway of their worksite, next to a home where Alexis was staying. The workers reported seeing a man, later identified by police as Alexis, walk out of the home next to their worksite, pull a gun from his waistband and fire three shots into the rear tires of their Honda before he walked slowly back to his home.

When detectives interviewed workers at the construction site, they told police Alexis had stared at construction workers at the job site daily for several weeks prior to the shooting. The owner of the construction business told police he believed Alexis was angry over the parking situation around the site.

Police eventually arrested Alexis, searched his home, found a gun and ammunition in his room, and booked him into the King County Jail for malicious mischief.

According to the police account, Alexis told detectives he perceived he had been "mocked" by construction workers the morning of the incident. Alexis also claimed he had an anger-fueled "blackout," and could not remember firing his gun at the Honda until an hour after the incident.

Alexis also told police he was present during "the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001" and described "how those events had disturbed him."

Then, on May 5, 2007, he enlisted in the Navy reserves, serving through 2011, according to Navy spokeswoman Lt. Megan Shutka.

Shutka said he received the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal during his stint in the reserves. Both are medals issued to large numbers of service members who served abroad and in the United States since the 9/11 attacks. Alexis' last assignment was as aviation electricians mate 3rd class at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Shutka said.

Navy yard shooting: Everything we know so far
Navy yard shooting: Everything we know so far
1 day ago 1:17 Views: 3k NowThis News
It was while he was still in the reserves that a neighbor in Fort Worth reported she had been nearly struck by a bullet shot from his downstairs apartment.

In September 2010, Fort Worth police questioned Alexis about the neighbor's report. He admitted to firing his weapon but said he was cleaning his gun when it accidentally discharged. He said he did not call the police because he didn't think the bullet went through to the other apartment. The neighbor told police she was scared of Alexis and felt he fired intentionally because he had complained about her making too much noise.

Alexis was arrested on suspicion of discharging a firearm within city limits but Tarrant County district attorney's spokeswoman Melody McDonald Lanier said the case was not pursued after it was determined the gun discharged accidentally.

After leaving the reserves, Alexis worked as a waiter and delivery driver at the Happy Bowl Thai restaurant in White Settlement, a suburb of Fort Worth, according to Afton Bradley, a former co-worker. The two overlapped for about eight months before Alexis left in May, Bradley said.

Having traveled to Thailand, Alexis learned some Thai and could speak to Thai customers in their native language.

"He was a very nice person," Bradley said in a phone interview. "It kind of blows my mind away. I wouldn't think anything bad at all."

A former acquaintance, Oui Suthametewakul, said Alexis lived with him and his wife from August 2012 to May 2013 in Fort Worth, but that they had to part ways because he wasn't paying his bills. Alexis was a "nice guy," Suthametewakul said, though he sometimes carried a gun and would frequently complain about being the victim of discrimination.

Suthametewakul said Alexis had converted to Buddhism and prayed at a local Buddhist temple.

"We are all shocked. We are nonviolent. Aaron was a very good practitioner of Buddhism. He could chant better than even some of the Thai congregants," said Ty Thairintr, a congregant at Wat Budsaya, a Buddhist temple in Fort Worth.

Thairintr said Alexis told him he was upset with the Navy because "he thought he never got a promotion because of the color of his skin. He hated his commander."

As Thairintr and others at the temple understood, Alexis took a job as a contractor and he indicated to them he was going to go to Virginia. He last saw him five weeks ago.

"He was a very devoted Buddhist. There was no tell-tale sign of this behavior," Thairintr said.

In the early 2000s, before he moved to Seattle, Alexis lived with his mother in an apartment in Queens, N.Y., said Gene Demby, of Philadelphia, who said he dated one of Alexis' younger sisters at the time. He said Alexis and his two younger sisters had a difficult relationship with their father, who divorced their mother in the mid-1990s.

"I wouldn't call him nice, but he seemed harmless, if really awkward," said Demby, the lead writer for NPR's Code Switch blog about race and culture. "He was insecure. He was like a barbershop conspiracy theorist, the kind of guy who believes he's smarter than everyone else. He also was kind of like perpetually aggrieved, but not megalomaniacal or delusional."

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which offers online courses in aviation and aerospace, confirmed that Alexis was enrolled as an online student via its Fort Worth campus, started classes in July 2012 and was pursuing a bachelor's of science in aeronautics.

Blue - If You Come Back Lyrics

for all this time 

i've been lovin' you girl, oh yeas i have 

ever since the day you left me here alone 

i've been trying to find oh the reason why 

so if i did something wrong please tell me, 

i want to understand 

'cause i don't want this love ever end 

chorus 

and i swear... 

if you come back in my life 

i'll be there till the end of time 

oh yeah (back to me, back to me, back into my life) 

and i swear 

i'll keep you right by my side 

'cause baby you're the one i want 

oh yes you are (back to me, back to me, back into my life) 

i watched you go 

takin' my heart with you, oh yes you did 

every time i try to reach you on the phone 

baby you're never there, girl you never home 

so if i did something wrong please tell me 

i want to understand 

'cause i don't want this love to ever end 

chorus 

maybe i didn't know how to show it 

maybe i didn't know what to say 

this time i won't disguise 

than we can build our lives and we can be as one 

chorus

Falling in Love

Falling in love maybe one of the greatest feelings ever. There is an actual chemical process that happens to a person who is falling in love. All of the senses have a greater intensity. Colors

seem brighter, sounds more resonant and smells more powerful when
you are in love. When you are with your lover there is no greater feeling in the world, and when you're not you spend all your time thinking of each other. Falling in love is truly an awesome feeling.


Whenever I'm around you,
I feel like life's complete.
I don't know what to say,
But you make my heart beat.

I'm scared to say hello,
But it hurts to say good-bye.
Whenever I'm around you,
I feel like life's complete.
I don't know what to say,
But you make my heart beat.

Why is it when I look in your eyes,I see the love burning inside me.
why is it when you hug me,
the world melts with us.

I'm not scared to love you.

I'm okay when your around.
You've given my heart a soundtrack.
I happen to like the sound.

To you I might just be a little girl,
but give me the one chance.
I could show you a whole new world.
So take my hand and let me lead this dance.
Sometimes I wonder how I feel about you,

Scared of these feelings because it’s still new
I catch myself thinking of the best way to share,
Hoping you’ll return my confession showing you

10 ways to become an optimist

While some people are born optimists, it is possible to change your mindset to start thinking more positively whatever your natural inclination. Positive thinking brings with it a whole host of benefits including improved well-being, lowered stress levels, better relationships and improved quality of life.


Create some positive mantras

While many of us believe our happiness – or lack thereof – is based on external things, we’re often the ones holding ourselves back. Many of us go through our days feeding ourselves negative messages we may not even be aware of, convincing ourselves we’re “not good enough”, “not clever enough” or “not attractive enough”. To start thinking more positively, you need to change these messages. Try to look out for negative thoughts that pop into your head and replace them with positive messages. Write down these positive mantras and repeat them on a daily basis.

Focus on your success

Most of us are happy to acknowledge other people’s successes and accomplishments; however, when it comes to our own, we frequently play them down or ignore them entirely. To start thinking more positively about yourself, you need to regularly remind yourself of what you have – and can – achieve. Stop listening to your inner critic, reflect on your past achievements, and start to really appreciate your success and what you have to offer.


Get a role model

If you want to become an optimist, it can help to find yourself a positive role model. Whether it is a colleague, close friend or even a celebrity, think of the most unflappable, cheerful person you can. For the next few weeks, do an experiment and try to take a walk in their shoes. Whenever negativity starts creeping in or you find yourself in a difficult situation, think: “what would (insert name of chosen optimist) do?” Answer honestly, then try to follow suit.


Focus on the positives

It’s important to remember that it isn't events themselves that make us unhappy, it is our interpretation and reaction to them, and while you can’t always change events, you can change your response. When negative situations occur, try to re frame them by focusing on the positives or what you can learn from the situation. Maybe you have gained inner strength and resilience, grown closer to a friend through sharing your heartbreak or learned something about yourself. Try your best to focus on what you have learned and gained from your experience rather on than what you have lost.


Don’t try to predict the future

When things don’t go right in life, optimists tend to view each incident as an isolated event, while pessimists often look out for patterns of bad luck and think “if it happened once, it’ll happen again”. However, it is important not to try to predict the future based on what has happened before. Remember that a plan or relationship failing doesn't make you a failure and just because something disappointing has happened once (or more) it doesn't mean it will happen again.


Surround yourself with Positivity

Spending time with negative people who continually see the bad in every situation is a sure-fire way to ensure you continue to feel negative too. To help you stay feeling optimistic, you need to surround yourself with positive people who help you to appreciate the good in situations and in life in general. This also applies to other influence in your life such as music, literature and movies – surround yourself with positive influences and see the effect it has on your state of mind.


Keep a gratitude diary
When something negative happens, it never fails to escape our attention. The alarm clock doesn’t go off, your toast burns, your car doesn't start... and you are in a foul mood for the rest of the day. However, how often do you stop and notice all those times your alarm clock did go off, your toast didn’t burn or your car did start? To change your focus and thinking, make a conscious effort to start reflecting on all the things that go right and that you have to be happy about by keeping a gratitude journal each morning or night, listing all the things you have to be grateful for that day.


Challenge negative thoughts
Often our negative thoughts are based on little more than our own fears, doubts and low self-esteem. To help you overcome them, you need to constantly challenge your negative thoughts. Next time you start to feel negative, write down what your feelings are then write down your arguments for and against these thoughts. Ask yourself what’s the evidence that these thoughts are true? What’s the evidence that they are not? You could even try purposely acting the opposite of how you feel and seeing what happens. You may find that your negative predictions don’t come true after all.


Focus on the solution rather than the problem
Pessimists tend to focus on problems while optimists look for solutions. While it is tempting to dwell on your problems or disappointments, remember that this will not change your situation. The situation may not feel great and it may not seem fair, but what has happened has happened, whether you like it or not. Rather than reflecting on what could have been, let go of regrets and negative thoughts, get proactive and start planning where you can go from here.


Fake it
Optimism isn't something that comes naturally to all of us, and you may find that it takes time to change your mindset. In the meantime, try putting the action before the feeling and faking a more positive outlook. Studies have found that it is possible to trick yourself into feeling happier by going through the physical motions. So, rather than going with your natural instinct, try smiling and laughing more and speaking in a more positive tone. Acting the way you want to feel will help you on your way to becoming an optimist.

How to change your life in a day

While many instantly life-changing experiences – such as meeting the love of your life or winning the lottery – may seem like a symptom of fate and not something we can control, there are many things you can do in a day to help change the course of your life forever.


Discover your passion
Fed up of drifting through your days with a lack of purpose and sense of fulfillment? Jazz up your routine by taking some time to consider what it is that would make you feel happy and fulfilled. What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning? What makes you feel really alive? Think about the activities that have made you feel this way – even if you have to reflect back to things you haven’t done since you were child – and make a plan to incorporate these into your life.

Take a first step
As stated by the Lao Tzu, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. No matter how overwhelming your ambitions may seem, you will never achieve anything unless you take that first step and get started. Whether you want to write a novel, run a marathon or learn a new language, make today a day to remember by making it the day you start pursuing your dream.


Sign up
Due to lack of time, energy or motivation, we often end up putting off our dreams and goals for “another day” which may never actually arrive. To help boost your motivation, make a commitment to doing something life-changing today, such as signing up for voluntary work abroad, entering a challenging fitness event or even signing up to an online dating site. By signing up and committing yourself in writing you will feel more obliged to go through with your plans.


Chat to someone new
Our relationships and the people we surround ourselves with have a huge impact on our happiness and quality of life. Therefore, it is important to take every opportunity you can to expand your circle of friends and make room for someone new. Whether they could be your new best friend, introduce you to the love of your life or become a great new career contact, you never know the impact someone could have on your life. Make today a potentially life-changing day by making time to chat to someone new – be it a colleague you have never spoken to or that friendly girl in your yoga class.


Make a decision
If you’ve been putting off a big decision for a while, make today the day you take control of your future and decide. Give yourself a deadline of the end of the day and spend some time seriously pondering your choices. Consider the implications of each outcome, weigh up the pros and cons and seek a second opinion to help you make the right decision. Then, once your deadline is up, go with your gut instinct and start planning for the path you have chosen.


Clear out the clutter
Our lives tend to be filled with clutter, both of the metaphorical and literal variety. To help make room for the positive new things in your life, try clearing out the junk that’s weighing you down. Firstly, have a spring clean of your home and get rid of all the stuff you no longer need.  Not only will this give you space for more useful things, but it can also boost your mental health. Secondly, think about all the happiness drains in your life you may need to think about getting rid of – such as unhappy relationships or an unfulfilling job. Thirdly, try decluttering your mind by starting to let go of all the negative emotions you may be harboring.


Change your mindset
To give your mind that essential spring clean, you need to make a conscious decision to let go of negative emotions such as anger or regret or any grudges you have been holding on to. It’s not easy but it’s important to remember that holding on to these will not change the past; it will only ruin your present. Maybe consider talking to a counsellor if you think this is something you will struggle with. Also, make a decision that from today onwards you will start to adopt a more positive outlook. Try creating a “happiness diary” to help you, where you jot down the positive things that have occurred each day, no matter how little they may be.


Break a bad habit
While it will take more than one day to break a bad habit, often getting started is the most difficult thing. If you’ve been promising yourself that you’re going to ditch a bad habit for a while, make today the day you take the plunge. Set yourself a specific and measurable goal and write down how you can achieve it, breaking it down into small steps. Next, think about telling somebody about your goal. Sharing your intentions can make them seem more ‘real’ and make you more motivated to see them through.


Write it down
Once you have decided on your plan of action for changing your life and made your first steps to achieving this change, it is important to write it down. Having vague plans in your head is all well and good, but getting it down on paper will help to give you a clear plan to follow and help you feel like you are already on the way to achieving something. Write down what you have down today, what you can build on going forwards and how you can ultimately bring about the life you want.


Learn to enjoy being you
One of the biggest mistakes we too often make is relying on external things to make us happy, which means putting our happiness in the hands of fate or other people. Make a life-changing decision today to take control of your happiness by learning to be happy with who you are, regardless of the situations you are in. Make a list of all the good qualities you have to offer and all the reasons you are completely loveable, then keep this list somewhere handy to look at every time you need a boost.

Can laughter therapy boost your health?

How laughter therapy could improve your lifestyle
Laughter has long been associated with happiness and emotional release, but now researchers are suggesting that watching a side-splitting film or comedy show could also do wonders for your health. With the rise of ‘laughter therapy’ classes and even laughter-inspired yoga, is it really possible that a good chuckle (or three) could boost your mental and physical health?
What is laughter therapy?

Depression may not seem like such a laughing matter, but certain therapists believe they have struck upon the perfect solution to banish society’s malaise. Pioneered by the Indian physician Dr Madan Kataria, ‘laughter therapy’ has become a surprise hit amongst those looking to beat credit crunch stress through enjoyable yet strenuous exercise.
Laughter therapy groups are a growing trend in the western world, with people seeking to banish their everyday concerns and fears through a variety of hearty chuckles, light giggles and rumbling belly-laughs. Though certainly not for the faint of heart, this form of therapy aims to promote a number of laughter-inspired health benefits. Developing group camaraderie through jokes, funny memories and, yes, chortling contests, laughter therapy is both fun and friendly, emphasizing that laughter needn't be restricted to happy moments but can even boost the mind when it’s forced.
Can laughter therapy really develop your health and fitness?

We’re not having a laugh with you here ... Studies by American researchers have found that laughter therapy is a viable form of cardiovascular (CV) exercise, powerfully working out the body’s heart and lungs in the same way that a rowing or bike machine session might. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that laughter boasts a wide range of health and fitness benefits, aiding everything from stress relief through to blood flow. The following points describe just some of the many key areas that laughter exercise can improve.
Emotional release through laughter — If you’re the kind of person who stores up all emotion, becoming more and more anxious simply to keep a brave face, laughter could really help you release all your pent-up feelings. In the same way that primal scream therapy gets rid of inner demons, loud and lengthy laughter offers a fine way of venting your spleen. You’ll be feeling smiles better in no time!
Beating stress, fear and anger through laughter — This is no joke ... laughter really can elevate your mood away from the everyday fears and worries that make life less enjoyable. Scientists have suggested that the body can’t actually tell the difference between real and fake laughter so even if you’re feeling down in the dumps, a strenuous fake chuckle could still trigger happiness hormones in your brain.
Burning calories through laughter — As well as relieving stress and cooped-up emotions, laughter therapy offers an even better physical punch-line. By working out a number of key muscles, a hearty belly-laugh can really cut down your calories. Some studies have indicated that a strenuous, one-minute laugh could burn as many calories as 10 minutes spent on a rowing or bike machine. What a wheeze, eh?
Boosting blood flow through laughter — Studies have found that laughing exercise can raise the flow of blood in the body by as much as 22 per cent, as the heart and lungs work harder to supply oxygen to key muscles. As well as boosting blood flow, relaxed arteries also help regulate blood pressure at normal levels. So why not give laughter therapy a try? You’ll soon feel a ho-ho-whole lot better!
Boosting the immune system through laughter — Even if you’re immune to the concept of smiling, you certainly won’t be when it comes to preventing certain illnesses. Thankfully though, help is at hand ... if you’re just willing to lighten up a bit! A quick dose of laughter could seriously boost the immune system of even the most purse-lipped prude. Research has found that the body’s level of killer cells — essential in attacking viruses and cancers —are significantly increased after a laughing session. In contrast, these killer cells are reduced during lengthy periods of stress. So if you want to stay healthy and free of disease, it might be time you enjoyed a good laugh ...
Whilst it may not be for everyone, laughter therapy has clearly helped a number of people to combat mental and physical pressures through heart-warming and expressive chuckling. Even if you don’t fancy bursting into giggles amongst a group of strangers, it’s just as easy to enjoy laughter therapy at home, simply by watching a funny film or TV show. So don’t be a clown... why not try laughter therapy today? You’ll be a laughing stock if you don’t!

How to Lose Her in One Week

Once you overcome a few nerves, getting past the first date hurdle isn't too hard – it's maintaining a constant attraction and moving into the relationship zone afterwards that many guys find that they start to lose the girl. What are you doing wrong?

Be predictable

If you really like someone, chances are you've set the bar really high to impress them in the first few dates: You've gone to romantic dinner places, came up with mysterious date ideas, and acted like the kind of guy every girl wants: the creative and unpredictable romantic.

The problem with that schtick, however, is that you're acting like the guy every girl wants. Sooner or later, the act's going to get blown and you'll soon revert to the standard-fare dinner-movie date ideas. So while you may be interested in her, she, however, will take the back-peddling to “regular” dates as a sign that you're uninterested and giving up the chase.

Solution: Don't go all out to impress her all the time – as we've said before, it's not your job to entertain her by playing the role of her ideal date. There's nothing wrong with the regular date – if she likes you, enjoying your company should be what matters – as long as you mix it up occasionally with something special once every two or three dates.

Call or text her all the time

No one likes to be a pest; the guy or girl who constantly bugs their date for attention, and gets insulted when there's no reply. A person who does that says two things about themselves: (1) They're insecure about themselves and need constant validation that someone likes them; and (2) they can't respect a person's time and space.

The bottom line is this: if she likes you, she'll text back soon. And if she doesn't pick up the phone? Don't call again and again as if you're having a heart attack – leave her a polite text about what you wanted to say.

Solution: If she doesn't reply to your messages immediately a few times, it doesn't mean she's brushing you off. But, if she does it most of the time, and her answers are curt and non-committal, chances are she's not interested. And so what? Pick yourself up again and move on. Remember: Attraction's a two-way street, and you won't change her mind by pestering her.

Don't take charge

“I'll do anything you want to, dear” is the last thing you'd want to say to a girl. It speaks of an indecisive character. Be proactive; make suggestions about where to go or what to do, and nudge her if she's undecided about something out of her comfort zone. This isn't to say that your decisions are final and not up to negotiation – that's just being inconsiderate and chauvinistic.

Solution: Always take the initiative to ask her out, plan the night out, and when the time comes, know when to make the first move. If you want to lose her within a week, be passive and do nothing.

Second guess what she feels

It's normal in wanting to have a sense of control over the relationship. You want to be the guy who anticipates what she feels, knows what to say at the right time, is so connected to her that you can finish her sentence before she does.

The truth is, there's nothing more annoying than a guy who wants to get into her head and anticipate her thoughts before she can speak them. These wants may be well-intentioned, but carry on and she'll soon be pleading for some “space”, with a break up inevitable.

Solution: Don't try too hard, son. There are some thoughts that women choose to reveal to other people besides you. Don't pester her with constant questions of “What are you feeling/thinking right now?”. More importantly, don't assume the reasons for her annoyed emotions and tell her your theory. You'll always be wrong.

Playing too hard to get

You may think waiting a week or two before sending a text will make her want you more, but by that point any girl will have moved on to the next guy that comes along. Screw playing games here: make your move or else she’ll make hers—on someone else.

Solution: After a date, just send a text message saying that you had a nice time, and look forward to the next time when you meet again. That way, the ball's in her court, and it's up to her to make the next move.

Crazy About Her? Send Her the Right Signals

You can be straight up but where’s the fun in that? Be sure you send out the right signals...
Be yourself. Nothing is sexier than a man who’s comfortable in his own skin, be it a wild child or a nerd.
Treat service staff with respect. How you treat them is a sneak preview into your attitude towards other people, especially her. She’ll be paying attention. She always does.
Switch off the phone or put it on silent and put it away. Make sure she’s the object of your attention for the entire night, not your shiny new smartphone.