5 Great Ways to Relax (a list post)

Aaaaaahhh ... wonderful!

Tense? Nervous? Headache? Feeling stressed out? Life can seem tough from time to time. A
boss at work that just won't leave you in peace. Too many college assignments to complete and not enough time. Too much noise and not enough peace in your life. Maybe it is time to slow down a little, before you tackle all those tasks you have to do in your life. Taking the time to relax is vital if you want to live a balanced life. Here are five ways to spend a relaxing time that will surely help to recharge your batteries.

1. Climb a mountain and surround yourself with peace

Mitaki is the place for you. You climb a gentle path through the temple grounds. Stop and ring the bell. Listen to the echo and feel some of the stress of daily life wash away. Sit and look at the faces of the Buddha statues - make your face as peaceful as theirs! Go and sit by the glorious waterfall. Then sit a bit more. Listen to the soothing sound of the water on rock. Finally, go and look at the bamboo forest, the trees swaying gently in the breeze with shafts of sunlight bathing your face.

2. Spend an hour in the bath

The key to this is preparation. Find your favorite music and get it ready in the bathroom. Make yourself a drink - some like green tea, others something icy cold. Don't use the bathroom lights - prepare some candles. Run the bath. Watch (and listen to) the water fill the tub. Enjoy the expectation of a relaxing time. Then when the water is ready, add some bath salts. Then just sit in the bath for an hour, enjoying the warmth and the flicker of light from the candles. Perfect!

3. Ice cold drinks overlooking the city

Everybody enjoys looking at the neon lights of a city, and there's no better way to do it than looking down on them from on high. Get a group of close friends together, find a cafe or restaurant with a view of the city, and sip your ice cold drinks while having a relaxing chat. You can relax while everyone in the city below you is rushing around like mad. Heaven!

4. Massage

Have your strains and tension squeezed out of your body with a wonderful massage. Japan is a great country for many kinds of massage. Treat yourself by spending some money on being pampered. A foot massage (reflexology) is one of the best ways to relax and refresh your body, making you feel like a new person for the next day.

5. At a cafe - spend a lazy Sunday morning

Picture the scene. You are sitting in a wonderfully comfortable chair. You have a great book in your hands, unbeatable coffee on your table. The decor is chic. The other customers are chatting happily. You look up from your book from time to time, just to watch the people walking past the cafe. You guess what kind of people they are, what kind of lives they lead. The answers don't matter. For this kind of relaxation you need a great book, a great cafe, some time, and nothing else.

One of these ways to relax should be perfect for you. Some require money, but others don't. Some require friends, others don't. For some you need a little exercise, for others none at all. However, all of them require a little time, and a little time that you spend on yourself. Take some time to relax!

"Midnight Run" - A Review Post

Friends or foes? This is the question that faces both an ex-cop and a criminal as they make their troubled way across America. Midnight Run is one of those movies that makes you feel good about life. It's a fun film that mixes the genres of comedy and action. It was made in 1988 and directed by Martin Brest, and the cast is full of famous names - Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Dennis Farina to name a few. I really recommend this movie because despite one or two weak points, it's a great movie due to the acting, the story, and the music.

Perhaps the strongest point of this movie is the acting. Everybody knows the name of Robert De Niro and he doesn't disappoint in this movie. He is perfect for the part of the ex-cop with his mixture of cool good looks and inner strength, and he combines wonderful action and comedy acting. Charles Grodin, as the lovable criminal, is superb. His facial expressions and the way he delivers his lines is a lesson for all young actors. The other minor characters in the movie such as Marvin, the police captain, and the Mafia boss all add to a wonderful cast, and wonderful acting performances.

The story is a typical good guy/bad guy story. However, in this movie the traditional "good guys" are not always the good guys. Midnight Run can be called a feel-good movie as it has a wonderful ending, after an action-packed journey across the USA. The story of this journey allows us to see just how varied and beautiful the United States is - the scenery is spectacular!

In addition to the acting and the story, another strong point of this movie is the music. The use of a soundtrack in movies has become extremely important and the wonderful music here adds to the tension in each scene. Each musical piece has been carefully picked to match the part of the USA in which the scene takes place. This greatly adds to the mood of the movie.

Midnight Run is not one of De Niro's most famous movies and there are a few weak points in this movie. The plot is not very complex and some people may dislike the bad language in the movie. However, the combination of wonderful acting, feel-good story and excellent soundtrack makes Midnight Run one of De Niro's most watchable movies. Watching this movie is time well-spent, and I guarantee you'll end up feeling good about life.