The Romance Channel

It's a Love Thing....

     The purest form of love comes from within your own heart. Each of us expresses love differently. Below are some famous quotes about love. Hope you enjoy them. If you have any favorites you would like us to include, please let us know!

Love wins when everything else will fail.
-Fanny Jackson Coppin

Love stretches your heart and makes you big inside.
  -Margaret Walker

Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.
-C.H. Spurgeon

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.                          -Ghandi

There is no remedy to love, but to love more.    
      -Henry David Thoreau

Love and desire are the spirit’s wings to great deeds.                                    -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

Tis Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.
                              -Lord Alfred Tennyson

Love cures people, both the ones who give it, and the ones who receive it.                                                                                                                    -Dr. Karl Menninger

Never close your lips to those whom you have opened your heart. Charles Dickens

Please submit your favorite romantic quote to us and we'll post it.

Mission

At Romance Channel^® ("RC"), we are dedicated to being the world's richest and most reliable resource for reclaiming, restoring, and rejoicing in what's right with Romance.

The Romance Channel^® ("RC") advocates all healthy ideas of romance, including love, sensuality, sexuality, and fantasy. Our goal is to reclaim romance in its entirety; restore qualities of love and emotional intimacy, and rejoice in the emotional depths romance brings. Whether brief and intense, and/or enduring and passionate, RC seeks to elucidate romance as wholesome, loving, and multifaceted, throughout all developmental stages of life, love, and relationships. The RC includes all those qualities, people, events, activities, and artistic endeavors that support the idea of true healthy romances. Focused on the components of joy, love, and intimacy, RC shows loving wholesome romantic relationships do exist, wherein people feel happy, loved, and fulfilled, and know that sex is but a part of such relationships, but by no means encapsulate them.

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        The Romance Channel Staff

Puberty

Brilliant Disguise

    Changes in Girls

    Physical changes in girls typically occur first, and are more easily seen than the physical changes that occur in guys (just the beginning of one of many differences among the sexes). In most girls, puberty starts with breast growth. When your breasts start to develop, you may notice small, tender lumps under one or both nipples that will get bigger over the next few years.

    Soft hair will start to grow in the pubic area (the area between your legs). This hair will eventually become thick and very curly. You may also notice hair under your arms and on your legs. Many women shave or wax this hair. There is no medical reason to shave or wax, it is simply a personal choice. If you decide to shave, be sure to use a lot of soap and water and a clean razor made for women. In terms of your body shape, your hips get wider and your waist will get smaller. Your body will also begin to build up fat in the stomach, buttocks, and legs. This is normal and gives your body the curvier shape of a woman.

    Your menstrual cycle, or "period," begins between 9 and 16 years of age. Typically, it is around the time your mother/older sister had their period, but it does not have to happen that way. Menstruation is a monthly process; The process begins when your ovaries begin to release eggs. To prepare for the release of the egg, a thick layer of tissue and blood cells build up on the lining of your uterus. If the egg does not meet with a sperm, these tissues and cells are not needed by the body. They turn into a blood-like fluid and flow out of the vagina. The bleeding usually lasts 3-7days. This cycle continues every month throughout your life until you reach menopause. Menopause is the time when your body changes hormonally again, and stops menstruating.

Changes in Guys

     With guys, puberty usually begins with a growth spurt between 10 to 16 years of age. You may notice that you grow out of your clothes or shoes much faster than you normally do. Don't worry, just as with girls, your hormones will balance out and your body will catch up. You will also get taller and your shoulders may get broader. You will gain weight. During this time, many boys experience swelling under their nipples. This may cause them to worry that they are growing breasts. If you experience this, don't worry. It is common among boys your age and is a temporary condition. If you are worried about it, talk to your pediatrician. During puberty, your muscles will also get bigger.

The shape of your body isn't the only change that will occur. Your voice will get deeper as well. This may start with your voice cracking. As you continue to grow, the cracking will stop and your voice will stay at a lower range. Just as with girls, hair will appear under your arms, on your legs and face, and above your penis. Chest hair may appear during puberty or years after, although not all men have chest hair. Some men shave the hair on their faces. There is no medical reason to shave, it is simply a personal choice. If you decide to shave, be sure to use shaving cream and a clean razor made for men.  Your penis and testes will  also grow. You may have erections more often due to an increase in sex hormones. Erections occur when the penis gets stiff and hard - sometimes for no reason. This is normal. Even though you may feel embarrassed, try to remember that most people will not even notice your erection unless you draw attention to it. Many boys become concerned about their penis size; a boy may compare his own penis size with that of his friends. It is important to remember that the size of a man's penis has nothing to do with his manliness or sexual functioning. Your body will also begin to produce sperm during puberty. This means that during an erection, you may also experience ejaculation. This occurs when semen (made up of sperm and other fluids) is released through the penis. This could happen while you are sleeping. You might wake up to find your sheets or pajamas are wet. This is called a nocturnal emission or "wet dream." This is normal so don't worry about it.

       

The Romance Channel...

                                         A Whole New World

      It is with great pleasure and much excitement that I welcome you to the first Ask Dr. Amy column.  The column is for you, the readers, to answer questions about love, life, and relationships. Ask me whatever your heart compels. I can’t promise that everything I say you’ll like. I can’t promise that every suggestion I make will work. I can promise that I will do my best to answer your questions in an honest, caring manner. I’m not an expert at anything except imperfection. I am a clinical psychologist and have spent the majority of my career helping people live healthier lives. Most were adults, who experienced both physical and emotional pain. It gives me special pleasure to write a column focused on happiness, joy, and love.

This is a ‘whole new world’ for me, so to speak. After spending years working with people face to face, I relish this opportunity to communicate with all of you. It also gives me a chance to focus on the positive-what’s right about romance and love. And yes, I believe whole heartedly in the mission statement and am going to do my best to ensure its realization. Sharing our thoughts about love, life, and relationships with one another, please give feedback wherever you can. We really want to hear from you! Speaking of happiness, joy, and love, the holidays are just around the corner. Check out our holiday information and be sure to send in your stories of romance so we can share them with others!

Amy B. Trachter, Psy.D.,Ph.D. is the Director of Development and Operations for Romance Channel, a subsidiary of Metroguide.com. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Florida and New York; her California licensure is pending. She is also an Adjunctive Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Miller School of Medicine University of Miami. She can be reached at amythinker@aol.com.

SEASONS OF LOVE

SEASONS OF LOVE

              Tips for the Holidays

The months of November and December seem to fly with so much to do and so little time. Making holiday party preparations, spending time with family, and getting the kids/family presents can be overwhelming on top of your daily routine. Now is the time of year to make sure you are taking care of yourself—just so that you can get everything else you need accomplished. It’s difficult for romance to flow easy when we are stressed and overwhelmed.

Here are 5 quick tips to getting it done in time for the holidays:

1-Take it a day a time. Don’t think about all 753 things that require completion before December 15; just focus on today, and what must be done today.

2- Make lists of what needs to get done today. Lists help you organize your time and remember “everything”. It is a way not to forget the pickles in the supermarket or the dry cleaning on the way home.

3-Exercise. It won’t help getting your list completed, but it will put you in a better mood. Exercise is good for you, and it will make it easier for you to deal with what comes your way. Daily exercise assists the body in releasing hormones that effect your mood (which is one of the reasons why exercising in the morning is good for you).

4-Delegate responsibility where possible. The more hands you have assisting you with your list the quicker you accomplish your goals.

5-Realize that eventually, it will all get done. Things may not get accomplished exactly as you’d like, or in the time frame you anticipated, but it all gets done.

Again, we invite you to write questions about anything you wish. If you send an email, and wish to remain anonymous, just let us know. We look forward to hearing from you.

                                      With love and romance we wish you

                                          Happy Holidays!

                                                                - The Romance Channel Staff

 

Romance Reading Corner

Feeling Loved

Feeling love

What does it mean?

Going to eat after the night out,

Laughing till it hurts foolishly,

Experiencing joy and bliss in the moment,

Dependability, responsibility, and respect,

Overlooking flaws and excusing error,

Knowing physical presence remains irrelevant,

Asking for and providing the helpful ear,

Speaking the unspoken words you need to hear,

Unconditional acceptance.

To be loved by a friend.

Feeling love

What does it mean?

Exchanging meaningless words,

Genuinely meaningful words,

Getting affection and tenderness,

Touching with passion and adornment,

Boundless caring and trust,

Understanding and empathy for the other,

Sharing intimate secrets and wildest dreams,

Bringing togetherness to its greatest extreme,

Unconditional acceptance.

To be loved by partners.

Feeling love

What does it mean?

To be in the presence of another,

Receiving phone calls,

Paying attention to one’s needs,

To speak and be truly heard,

To demonstrate sensitivity and kindness,

To feel loyalty and attachment,

To be forgiven easily without reproach,

To know limitless freedom of thought, action, and voice,

To those around us not by choice,

Unconditional acceptance.

To be loved by family.

Be it family, partner, or friend,

True feelings of love are without end.

Transported across time and place,

Feeling loved remains in just one space,

Depth of emotion is just the start,

Of true feelings of love within one’s heart.

During times when love lacks and you’re unglued,

Know all the love you need, lies within you.
-Amy from Miami, Florida

The Romance Channel invites you to submit original poetry about love and romance. You submit it, and we'll post it!

A Dozen Fast Facts

The Rose

12 Romantic Facts About Roses (adopted from Rose Kennedy, special to HGTV.com )

While flowers are typically considered a loving and romantic gesture, roses are definitely the flower of love. Hardly anyone can remember the precise amount of the national debt, but at least 90 percent of women can remember the last time they received flowers, and over half of those sent would be roses.

Below are a dozen fast facts about the most famous romantic flower:

1) Valentine’s Day 2005 the floral industry produced approximately 180 million roses.

2) Of all fresh roses purchased, 64% red, 11% pink, 10% mixed, 5% peach/salmon, 4% yellow, 3% are white, and 3% other.

3) 74% of Roses are bought by men.

4) Of rose purchases made by women, 32% sent to their mothers.

5) Of rose purchases made by women, 24% sent to husband or significant other, 22% sent to themselves, 16% to their daughters, and 14% to their friends.

6) For 20 years, Joe DiMaggio sent 6 red roses to the crypt of his deceased former wife, Marilyn Monroe, three times a week.

7) Three to five blooms are sacrificed in a rose bush to allow a single long stem rose to grow.

8) Infatuation is symbolized by 6 roses in a bouquet.

9) A traditional one month anniversary gift for a couple celebrating their shared love is 3 roses in a bouquet.

10) It takes 20-60 minutes to submerge whole droopy roses underwater (after trimming about an inch from the stems) in the hopes of reviving them.

11) The highest temperature roses should be displayed at is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, lasting longest at a cooler temperature.

12) Greenaway's Language of Flowers was first published in 1885, 122 years ago, specifying the following meanings:

a. Deep Red Roses  “bashful shame”

b. White Roses “I am worthy of you”

c. Red Rosebuds “Pure and lovely”

d. Yellow “Decrease of love” or “jealousy”…today the yellow rose indicates friendship, joy, and caring.

Today, the red rose is a universal symbol of passionate love.

Links For RC Juniors

    All of the links below are targeted to teens and tweens. Some are better than others. The website address and a brief description are provided, for those of you eager beavers wanting to know as much as possible right now.

http://novi.lib.mi.us/youth/YARomance.htm List of romantic books for teenagers

http://espressostories.com/genre.php?genre=38 Stories of teen romance

http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p2076.htm          'Dear Dish It" dating site for teens

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=teenromance.htm

List of top teen movies and how much money they made

http://www.imdb.com/keyword/teen-romance/

Another list of 49 top movies for teens

www.teenromance.org            

A more comprehensive website organized for teens but really geared towards single adults; basically a website of links to other websites.

http://www.genreflecting.com/TeenRomance.html            teen romance novel website

http://teenadvice.about.com/     This is not really an advice for teens column—a page linking teens
                                                   to other websites.

 www.teenhelp.org                               A good website for teens who want anonymous help/advice.       

www.espinthebottle.com                        Online dating site for teenagers.

 

www.teenpuberty.com                          A comprehensive description of puberty for teenagers.