Changes are Coming...

I'm working offline on my site and there are some special graphics that I want made for it so I'm going to have to get them done. In fact, I'm also expanding the site to include some more content and to include various other interests that I have developed over the years. I may have to expand this blog to cover some of those interests as well. I'm not sure how to do it yet, but when I do it will make things a lot easier to update.

Besides the design information and the writing section, which is one of those to be expanded; I'm also adding an artist area, a gaming area and I'm going to get that cooking area finally finished.  I'm going to be including some of my own recipes in the cooking area and offer some great free cookbooks too. I'm going to be including some great reviews and recommendations on a lot of stuff that I've found useful over the years too. I think my site and this journal are going to get fat with information. But that's what I love to do, share what I've discovered and offer others a chance to put it to good use.

If I do offer items on here, it will because I use them, liked them and think that they may be useful to someone else. I will also mention things that I do not like or that have disappointed me when I was excited about the claims that were made. I don't want anyone spending good money on something that doesn't deliver like it says either. If I link to a product it may or may not be an affiliate link, mostly I will put a link to either my son or daughter's account as it helps them to earn a bit of income and moves them closer to their goals.

(I don't really do affiliate marketing anymore, not for some time due to promises that never went anywhere and being banned by Google Adsense, back when it was young and I was a newbie. I think that a life ban is a bit extreme and harsh, especially when it was not done on purpose and I never was paid a dime. But that is why I don't participate. But I will help my kids out if I can by sending someone to one of their links.)

Anyway, I believe that things are steadily coming together even though this site may not appear to be doing much changing. The new background is a bit tricky to put together so I'm making sure that it's done right the first time... at least, I hope it is. I'll have to wait till it's done to see if it works and that the effect is the one I want. Yes, I'm dabbling in flash again... hopefully this time it will not disappoint me.

So, Till we meet again my friends,

Carpe Diem!

Rebooting for the New Year!

Well, it's been ages since I've come around here, but that's about to change...
It's a new year, 2013 and I'm going to be revamping not only this journal, but my website as well. Things are slowly getting better in some areas, while others are not going anywhere. So I'm about to do a little early Spring cleaning to start getting rid of the clutter and chaos in my life. Not only will that be a small boost to my energy level, but I should improve my daughter's income as well. I'm giving her the marketable items to put online to sell, so that should allow her to reach some of her own goals.

There's been so many things that have changed this year, some have been a lot of fun too. Like our mini-vacation to Savannah, Georgia at the end of Oct. It was a bit chilly and it was only a few days, but it was a really nice adventure for us. We definitely want to do it again this year, though when it's a bit warmer.

I'm thinking of finally putting that YouTube account of mine to use by posting some videos of our adventures, projects and plans as they come together. It will be a lot of fun to look back on all that we've accomplished later on.
In fact, I'm also going to be hitting a life milestone this Jan. so I'm going to be making some big changes to my website to reflect that fact. It's time for a bit more color and a lot more life to infuse my online presence. Although I'll keep my online avatar of course, I like the idea of being a work of art that doesn't age - a bit of ink and paint, so unlike the fate of my flesh and blood real body. Time can be cruel and unkind as easily as it can be kind and generous... unfortunately, I got the former treatment rather than the latter. But I've hope that technology will once again come to my rescue and defeat the inevitable!

So be prepared to see some amazing changes and a lot more activity on here in the coming months. I'm going to be wrapped in a whirlwind of creative energy as I revamp the entire theme of my pages!

Till we meet again...

Carpe Diem!

Writer's block or There's a Monkey on my Back

What's writer's block?

Well, some people have this idea that there's no such thing as writer's block. They claim that it proves that you've nothing to say, that's why you can't put the words onto the page.

Others find that it's very real, it's the demon of the white blank page - be it paper or a computer screen. It's very, very real to them.

You might think you know EXACTLY what you want to write, but as soon as that evil white screen appears, your mind suddenly goes completely blank. And I'm not talking about Zen meditation  stare-at-the-wall-enlightenment-hits kind of blank.

I'm talking about sweat trickling down the back of your neck, anguish, panic and suffering kind of blank. The tighter the deadline, the worse it's going to be and writer's block has you paralysed.

Now, can you figure out what might possibly be causing this horrible spell of paralyzing speechlessness?

The answer is in it's symptoms: FEAR!

You're terrified of that blank page. You are terrified you have absolutely nothing of value to say. You are frightened of looking a fool. You're afraid of the fear, that is writer's block itself!

It doesn't matter if you've done a decade of research. That all you've left to do is string sentences, which you can repeat in your sleep, together into coherent paragraphs. Writer's block can strike anyone at any time. Based in fear, it raises our doubts about our own self-worth, but it's sneaky.

It's writer's block, after all, so it doesn't just come and let you know what it is. No, it makes you feel like an idiot who just had your frontal lobes removed. If you dare to put words onto a page or offer them to the greater world, you're certain they would come out as complete gibberish!

Let's try and be rational with this irrational demon. Let's make a list of what might possibly be beneath this frustrating and terrifying condition.

1. Perfectionism. You must absolutely produce a masterpiece of literature straight off in the first draft. Otherwise, you qualify as a complete failure.

2. Editing instead of composing. There's your editor monkey sitting on your back, looking over your shoulder. Soon as you type anything it's yelling "No, not that, that's wrong! That's stupid!"

Correct correct correct correct - right?

3. Self-consciousness. How can you think, let alone write, when all you can manage to do is pry the fingers of fear away from your throat, so you can get a few shallow breaths?

You're not focused on what you need to write, your focusing on trying to get air!

4. Can't get started. It's always the first sentence that's the hardest. As writers, we all know how EXTREMELY important the first sentence is. It must be brilliant! It must be unique! It must hook your reader's from the start! There's no way we can get into writing the piece until we get past this impossible first sentence.

5. Shattered concentration.

You're cat is sick. Your young children are hungry and need a snack. Your phone won't stop ringing. Your electricity could be turned off any second. Your waiting for the mail, but it's late. You have a dinner party to plan for your in-laws, this weekend! You . . .

Need I say more?

How can you possibly concentrate with all this mental clutter?

6. Procrastination. It's your favorite hobby. It's your soul mate. It's the reason you've knitted 60 different sweaters or made 30 bookcases in your garage workshop. It's the reason you never run out of Brie.

FACE IT!  IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE WRITER'S BLOCK!

Overcome Writer's Block or How to Cage that Monkey!

Okay. There's a  herd of you running away from this article as fast as you can. I can hear you. "Absurd!" you huff. "Never in a million years!" you fume. Writer's block is absolutely, undeniably, scientifically proven to be impossible to overcome.

Oh, just get over it! Well, I guess it's not that easy. So try to sit down for just a few minutes and listen. Just listen. Think you can stick around for that? You don't have to actually write a single word.

Ah, there now. That cloud of dust is starting to settle. Now, stay seated and don't get spooked again. Now, I'm telling you that Write's Block or the fear, can be overcome. Stay with me now. Don't listen to all those whiners that don't want to fix this problem. Writer's Block has been their crutch for so long, their excuse for not being a writer, it's why they don't write!

Now pay attention, there are ways to trick this nasty demon. You just have to pick one or

pick several  Give them a try. Soon, before you even have a chance for your heartbeat to accelerate, guess what? You're writing.

Here are some tried and true methods of overcoming writer's block:

1. Be prepared. The only thing to fear is fear itself. (I know, that's a cliche, but as soon as you start writing, feel free to improve on it.)

If you spend some time mulling over your project before you, thinking of it's structure, what needs to be done and how first. When you actually sit down to write, you may be able to circumvent the worst of the crippling panic.

2. Forget perfectionism. No one ever writes a masterpiece in the first draft. Don't put any

expectations on your writing at all! In fact, tell yourself you're going to write absolute garbage, and then give yourself permission to happily stink up your writing room.

3. Compose instead of editing. Never, never write your first draft with your editor monkey allowed to sit on your back looking over your shoulder, making snide editorial comments. Composing is a magical process. It surpasses the conscious mind by galaxies.

It's even incomprehensible to the conscious, editorial, monkey.

So prepare an ambush.

Sit down at your computer or your desk. Take a deep breath and blow out all your thoughts. Let your finger hover over your keyboard or pick up your pen.

And then pull a fake: appear to be about to begin to write, but instead, using your thumb and index finger of your dominant hand, flick that little annoying ugly monkey back into it's barrel of nitpicking where it came from.

Then jump in quickly! Write, scribble, scream, howl, let everything loose, as long as you do it with a pen or your computer keyboard.

4. Forget the first sentence. You can sweat over that all-important one-liner when you've finished your piece. Skip it!

Go for the middle or even the end. Start wherever you can. Chances are, when you read it

over, the first line will be blinking its little neon lights right at you from the depths of your composition.

5. Concentration. This is a hard one. Life throws us so many curve balls. How about thinking about your writing time as a little vacation from all those annoying worries.

Banish them!

Create a space, perhaps even a physical one, where nothing exists except the single present moment. If one of those irritating worries starts to get by you, stomp on it like you would an

ugly bug!

(Having a place, even a walk-in closet or a spare room with a lock, can offer you some distance. Have someone take the duties of watching young ones, answering the phone and dealing with all that for a half hour or an hour. Ask a teen if you've got a reliable, mature one that can handle the job. Then negotiate a trade for the service. Every little bit helps.)

6. Stop procrastinating. Write an outline. Keep your research notes within sight. Use someone else's writing to get going. Babble incoherently on paper or on the computer if you have to. Put a desktop image on your computer to urge you to start writing. Whatever it takes!

Just do it! (I know, I stole that line from somewhere?).

Tack up anything that could possibly help you to get going: notes, outlines, pictures of your

grandmother. Put the cookie you will be allowed to eat when you finish your first draft within sight. But make sure it's out of reach.

Then pick up the same type of writing that you need to write, and read it. Then read it again. Soon, trust me, the fear will slowly fade away. As soon as it does, grab your keyboard and get

writing!

So now you've some tools on hand, take a deep breath and get going! There's writing to be done and YOU can do it!

Take care and Carpe Diem!

Time to Get Moving Forward

Time to check things off my To-do list

Things are still really hectic around here - but I've got to start getting my To-do list shortened. It's gotten so long, it's got to be virtually down the steps and out the door now!

So I've got to start getting organized.

Rats, I hate getting organized! I despise Spring Cleaning! Why does everything start with getting things in order. I know that it's easier to find things and all that after all that work. It's just that I'm really not into doing it. Yes, I'm a procrastinator!

But I also found out I work pretty good under pressure too. Don't like it, but I can really get stuff done! Just don't want to get penned into that kind of situation often. I do have to admit that when I've got things set up, it all does go faster and smoother.

Okay, I'll do it! If I don't, that nagging little voice will drive me crazy till I do. I'd rather just get it over with.

So, first thing I need to start with is getting all the little things out of the way. Stuff that won't take too long and that will be done in a snap. That should take care of quite a few of those nasty little tasks on my list. Of course, those pests tend to be reoccurring types, which means I'll have to do them again later too.

Well, gotta start someplace, right?

Now, what's next... Some medium tasks, that will cut down of a good handful or two. But they are a bit more to deal with. Let's see, maybe some of them can be combined or can be put aside for later. I know, I'm not supposed to be kicking the can down the road... but some things may just have to wait.

Now, one thing that should be easy enough is blogging on this site. I don't see why I can't do that more than I have been. A few posts a few times a week shouldn't be too hard. I'll just have to give it a try. Of course, I need to also start working on the other pages on my site. Now that won't take too long IF I get things organized. Dang it, I have to admit, that it would make things a lot easier if I did.

Well, if I take each task, get everything planned and set up, then finish it off, I'll be able to get it off the list. If I just focus on one step at a time and carry it out till the end, that should make it all go faster. I really need to stop hopping online to look something up and get distracted by all the other things I would like to do online. That really cuts into the time I have to finish up things.

Boy, that's going to be hard. I'm such a news hound! I love checking out all the current happenings. Oh, that might be where all my time is going. So, how can I keep current and still stay on task? Maybe I should set a day that I go and catch up on all the news in a chunk and then that will free up the time for other things  I need to do. Well, it would be worth a try, I really need to get a lot of things done. Guess I'll give that a chance so I can get more things finished.

Time for me to get things started. You know, it's not so bad really. I'm starting to look forward to getting things straightened up and make things easier to plan out. I really like the feeling of being in control more of all this stuff I have to do. If I take it one step at a time, it doesn't look so impossible anymore.

Hope that everyone out there has a great weekend coming up and that you're moving forward towards all your goals.

Take care and Carpe Diem!

Wow! It's been a while... my bad.

Okay, haven't been in here posting much - why? Life.

Simple and direct, but the most messy and busy place that we deal with every day.

So here's a little bit that's been going on that's been keeping me rather busy, stressed and frustrated.

First is the fact my income has been falling, it's been going down since 2009 when my web business went down. I've been trying to recoup the funds I lost due to children growing up and yet I still need that money to keep the bills paid. So I've done freelance work, online marketing and metal scrapping, everything we could do to get up the money.

Funny thing about earning the same money that I was given as a benefit, it seems that this money is counted against me. The disability I get was reduced because I was now earning that $350 a month, though I didn't always make that much, I now lost a portion of my deposit. This was upsetting and frustrating, because I now had to make more money to replace the funds that I was now losing from disability. That was making things even more difficult than before.

Now some years back I tried to get a modification done on my mortgage. I spent almost a year sending documents back and forth with the servicing company. It was a stressful, frustrating and upsetting situation. Finally, I got a response, but it was disappointing. They told me that they didn't have permission to do a modification on my loan. Well, that seemed simple enough to fix - get permission.

Well, they tried and later told me that the holders of my mortgage had chosen to not participate in the "Make Homes Affordable" program. These people decided to not help me to make it easier to pay my mortgage. Now I'm not underwater on my note, if fact, I've been lucky that way since there isn't that great a neighborhood to keep my home assessment up. The reason that my mortgage is so difficult to keep up is that I'm dealing with a 10.84% APR - which is nuts, considering the current rates.

I mentioned this because I was contacted just a few weeks ago. It seems that my escrow has a shortage, so my payment is going to be increased to cover the higher taxes and insurance on my account. So now I'm having to pay even more, while I'm losing more monthly income. This has not been something easy to deal with and I've been very busy trying to find a fix for this problem. So far I'm not finding a lot of answers or options to help.

The last thing that's been keeping me busy and taking up my time is the fact that I'm writing again. I've been working on a few projects that I'm in the middle of getting published. I've a mystery that is in the end stages, a fantasy that I've just started & I'm taking some online classes. I've been checking out software, trying to find some tools to help me out and keep things on track. I've also a poetry book that still needs a few illustrations before it's done. Researching the various options that are available for publishing and of course there's my main website that I need to put together also. I'm finding that branding and marketing are part of the publishing end - something I'm not too good at right now. But I do know some people that are great at this sort of thing, which I'll be calling on them to help me.

So this is the larger areas in life that have been causing some hiccups and speed bumps on my road. But these are far from the only things that have been keeping me tangled up and unable to get moving. Health issues, transportation, being able to get things done when dealing with pain isn't easy. Not having transportation is a big issue - can't get out shopping, get to doctor appointments, can't get to therapy. It stinks. There's nothing worse than being home bound - it's like being in a kind of prison because you can't go whenever you want. Especially if your disabled and mobility is an issue. That is something that can make life a real nightmare - I deal with all this daily.

Well, I will be trying to get in here more and more to keep this updated. I will have to do it tricky, which means I'm going to write posts whenever I can and send it to my blog. Then it will update my blog with those posts. I've found a nice little program that will do that for me and it's going to be a great way for me to start keeping things updated easier.

So until I get the next post done - take care and grab hold of life and try to make it what you want it to be.

Keep moving forward!

Carpe Diem!

A Time of Seemingly Endless Crossroads

I'm going to be a bit thoughtful for this post. Thus for those who've got a short attention span, I don't know if they'll make it to the end.

I've been rather vocal on several social sites, article comments and about any place that I get the itch to sound off. It's been happening with alarming regularity the last few months.

Now some would say that's good, that I've been letting my voice be heard and staying aware of current events.

Others would say I've too much time on my hands and should do something else. Then again there are still others who couldn't care one way or another what I do or say, but then they're that way with everything and everyone, so it's nothing new for them. It's just their frame of mind.

But there's something brewing, you can almost feel it in the air.

There's this feeling of something growing too big, that it's going to over boil soon if the tensions don't settle down. And yet there's no end to the shouts being heard in the media.

One group cries out "Revolution!" and another group yells "Don't Tread on Me!". Mostly cause they are just mad at everyone and everything but they don't know who to aim at. So they just scream at everyone. The tensions, the anger and the pure negative energies seem to know no restrictions or limits.

We continually see the media, like a flock of vultures, descend upon events of mind numbing, heart breaking displays of this vitriol 24/7.

This constant bombardment of fear, pain, suffering and insanity is slowly creating a storm that is taking on a life of it's own.

Those that are profiting off the results of this whole nightmare make me ill. It's crazy to put profits over people, but that's how big business plays the game today.

Unfortunately for many, we've become so desensitized by all this mess, that it's hard to even bother chastising the "I don't care" crowd...because we're so tired of it all. It never seems to end, it's depressing and disheartening.

I have to ask an important question:

What side are the media outlets choosing to cover and why?

Why is it that they cover all the hot button issues filled with violence, hatred and negativity? They cover the murders, horrible accidents and tragic happenings globally.

Yet, the Clinton Foundation Benefit, any number of positive, uplifting, helping organizations that are trying to make a difference - nothing much is reported.

Our mainstream media headlines look like those posted in the Tabloids in the 1980's! The current daily news stories would have been seen as ludicrous and outrageous back then. No politician would even dare to make some of the outlandish claims that are made today. They'd be out of a job and totally discredited.

Yet today, there are few that comment or seem shocked by the bizarre events that are happening everywhere.

But lately, I'm feeling a tremor starting to grow. It's in the comments, in the social networks and even in the small news outlets. There is a breaking point to everything. The govt. of old knew and understood this well. They'd seen many a country's citizens voice their outrage in large numbers. So they built in programs, the same ones that are being attacked as socialism. These safety nets would help to avoid the chaos and outcry that they understood could happen.

But those safety nets are in danger of disappearing, the entire country has seen their voice silenced time and time again. Too much corruption has been allowed to thrive in almost all branches of the govt. The campaign to divide, disillusion, manipulate and dumb down the population has had some success. But now the voice and heart of those that resisted this propaganda is not beginning to be heard. So much rhetoric was bound to eventually demand an equally loud response.

It's coming, we will hopefully hear about it when it arrives. This country, this world is headed for a moment that is not in the too distant future. It's going to be a very crucial moment as it will be the Crossroads of Everything.

The point in time where our destiny will be decided. It's going to be the last choice - cause if we make the wrong one, it's going to be countdown to the end of the game. We lose.

If we chose the right path, we get a 2nd chance at evolving as a species and maybe hanging around a bit longer.

Over the last 20-30 years, especially in the last decade, we've piled up a lot of "what if's" and have debated over a bunch of topics that most of us thought were done being debated. We've had a lot of "white noise" about important topics. Women's rights, social welfare, unions, civil rights, big business vs people on the status of citizenship and health care. A lot of people get confused by all the noise, it becomes too confusing to figure out for many.

We've lost the town hall and square where we could voice our opinions and complaints with out governing body and our community could discuss things in a peaceful manner. We've become global, which has made us both bigger and yet smaller. Talk about confusing...

What is coming is going to be massive, it will effect us not only individually, but as a people - the human race.

It's not only about where our world is going globally or which direction our countries are going. Because from what I've seen on the news, not many people are happy about where and what their countries are doing. That includes the U.S. Something is going to snap eventually, it has too if the pressure becomes too much to bear.

The good and bad part is that there's an unlimited number of ways that this can go. It will, I think, come down to the shear number of people that stand up to change the path we're on now. If we keep going like we are there's no telling what the consequences will be. But they certainly don't look good when run on a computer program to simulate results of actions. This planet has had a delicate balance a synchronized dance that has had some rather serious missteps in it's course. But it's always recovered that balance before. Life relies on those very sensitive scales to remain balanced.

Trouble is that sometimes not every species survived the planets reset phase. I'm not just talking about climate changes, wars and greed. I'm talking about a whole mindset change, something that may have to happen if we're going to survive in the future. Can we do it? We've shown that we can, that we are able to in the past. But today?

I don't know for sure. At one time I'd have said of course, without a doubt or pause. But not anymore. Not with all the negativity, the division and the mindless nonsense that has taken over center stage. I worry about what's coming, if we'll be able to survive it and what will happen after if we do...

I wish I could say that I'm hopeful...I was hopeful and proud after a long time of being afraid and tense...but now, I don't know. I want to say it will be alright. I want to believe it. But more and more I see that video in my head and wonder if that is what it's going to take to wake the world up. I really hope not.

Here's wishing all to be safe. May you find strength and love in your life during this difficult time.

The 4th is gone & I'm still looking...

Once more the uninformed, clueless & just plain aggravating have decided to make life difficult. But then I guess that is their function in life, if only they would somehow choose instead to learn & educate themselves about things they're unfamiliar with, but maybe it's too much to ask. Common sense has been uncommon in the world the last few years, why would I think that it would apply now.

I've a welfare worker that wants proof that my daughter is being home schooled. Fine, I've already sent in the papers that show she's enrolled for the school year - not once, but twice. Now she's wanting to know when my daughter will graduate - so they can take her off medicaid. This woman doesn't seem to realize that with a home school correspondence course, you finish when the course work is done. There is no one that will be able to tell her when my daughter will graduate. She's over 50% done with the course work, with a 95% average. But how am I supposed to provide proof that my daughter is enrolled when the new school year hasn't even started yet? This is only the latest bump in the road to get ahead...

Those that have followed, know me or know of me, understand that I'm not one to give up. Weary of the none ending battle, sure. But not the sort that will just toss in the towel, I may get knocked down, but I'm not the type  to stay there. Over the years I've been kicked to the curb, abused, manipulated & conned. Even though I may have sat there collecting myself, not getting back up to try again wasn't an option. Sure, I've been sick and tired of being, sick and tired. But things don't change if you do nothing, so I have to at least try. But getting sick last month didn't help things move forward very far though...

Unfortunately, my score of a big web site design gig fell flat once more. I had been working on a site for a transportation group and put in a lot of work since they stated they needed things running for the business. I figured that if they were making money, then I'd make the money for creating the site they wanted. Well, it sorta didn't happen that way. The site is stuck were it is, I'm not working on it any more. Why? Because for a $1,125.00 site with all the flash, graphics, forms, everything - I've only been paid $350.00. The second site that they asked to be set up, while I was working on the first one, surprised me, most clients wait for one site at a time to be completed. But there had also been a promise of even more sites to be made so I decided to stop work on the one site to quickly set it up as per their requirements the second site. Once again, another transportation site with graphics, flash, forms and more for $450.00. So far, I've only received $50 for this site's work.

Now I can understand how tight money is, after all, I'm living in the same situation as most others that are struggling to pay their bills, feed their families and just keep things going. But one would think that a business would have set aside funds to do these projects. Well, so far there's been no more payments and I'm not working on any paying projects. I'm doing some freelance work, but only to keep my skills up and continue to improve them. But I'm not getting any money, which unfortunately is in short supply, though the need for it is great.

Personally, I wish that I could get the things I need for my family without the transfer of currency. Paper isn't what's valued, it's what it can get for my family that makes it have value. I've been needing a twin size bunk bed for my son's room. We gave away the toddler bed and baby things to a young mother that needed them. He's sharing the bunk in his brother's room now, but he misses his own room.

We still don't have a working oven, this will be the third fall in a row that we don't have Thanksgiving Turkey or my pumpkin pies, if I don't find one soon. I miss being able to bake for the holidays, let alone the rest of the year.

Since my cousin had to come stay with us due to being out of work and having no where to go things are difficult. My grown son's here too due to not being able to afford a place when companies started laying people off. Plus my daughter's eighteen now and still trying to find work, plus she's due to lose her medical benefits soon too. Trouble is, with no transportation no one can really get anywhere.

My cousin has two cars that he's trying to fix, his own and a friend's car. But his car's engine is toast & he can't figure out what's making the fuses ground out on the other car. So he rides a bike to and from the part time job he's been able to get. My older kids still go out to collect scrap metal, cans & dead car batteries so we can get a little money from that. Sometimes we luck out and get a good haul, other times it's best to just horde it till we have a good amount.

I'm not giving up, but there has to be a better way to earn money than struggling and fighting for jobs like wild dogs over scraps. There has to be a way for myself to get some freelance work that pays. I need to get my portfolio set up on my homepage - since moving my site, I need to set up all the things that I had on the old one - but without the widgets that make it so easy to do. Maybe then I might get a nibble, but till then I'm still looking...

What other choice have I, than to keep trying to make things better for my family?

Carpe Diem!

Having technical difficulties...

Unfortunately, due to the economic melt down & the rising costs of nearly everything, my finances aren't in the greatest shape. So when my monster of a 19" CRT monitor started dying, I did my best to keep it going. It's been over a year now and things haven't been easy.

In the last month it's gotten a whole lot worse. The screen fades out till it's so blurry that nothing can be seen. I don't know what is causing it. I've been told it's my GeForce graphics card that is messing it up (I have an adapter on it to use this monitor.) I've been told that the CRT is just too old and giving out. I've gotten lots of advice...but nothing is working and I need to have a monitor.

I may be getting one since a friend of the family is being very sweet and picking one up to send out.

But till it gets here I'm still going to have to fight with this one. It's difficult to do much of anything on it and I'm thinking I may just find another computer to do my writing on and mail it to myself so I can get it later onto my computer. Monitors are so often taken for granted until they stop working. Can't do much if you can't see what you're doing - right?

It's bad enough that my vision is slowly fading, I don't need my window to the world going the same way. I have been struggling to make some extra money online. To find a way to bring in a steady income flow to supplement my SSI so that when my sight finally does go out, like I've been told it will eventually, there will be money to keep things going here at home. I've been doing every little freelance job I could handle and try to earn enough each year to get my points for Social Security.

That way maybe I'll be able to qualify for both and be able to get enough money to keep my family going after my vision goes dark.

I'm going to miss the visual world, as well as the virtual ones I love to play in. As an artist I love to see all the wonderful graphics and elements that go into the mmo & rpg style games. But I will have to find some way to be productive after I lose my sight, I just don't know what I will be able to do. So being able to have a working monitor so that I can somehow find a way to make some money online, that's important to me. I don't know any other way that I can physically make money right now. Not with my disabilities keeping me grounded and visually limited...

But I am not one to give up...I will find something, some how to bring in some income for my family. Where there is a mind, there is a way to find the answers...

Hope everyone enjoys the extra day weekend - and have fun grilling for those that are able to do it.

Carpe Diem!

Great Information for Free

I came across a site that offers publications for free or almost free. (Some were a bit costly if you wanted a printed version. But they also allowed you on many to be able to access the information online.)

Now I could probably have make a dozen posts for each and every one of these helpful topics, but frankly I believe in being efficient and to do so would waste time.

So I'm giving you the link to all the available publications and letting you pick the ones you want to order or view online where available. There is a wide selection so take a few minutes to check it out.

Federal Citizen Information Center

I hope that you get some use out of it - let others know if you find it informative and pass on the link.

Carpe Diem!

History is Happening Today

"This is not a budget. This is a cause."

This is how Paul Ryan, Tea Party-backed GOP budget plan author describes their proposal.

Tuesday, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (WI-01) announced the Republican’s budget proposal. It is unbelievably bad - literally. The GOP budget not only repeals the new health care law, it also eliminates Medicare and Medicaid as we know it.

The Republican’s proposal gives millionaires huge tax breaks, but seniors and hard-working families pay more for health care and get less coverage. Paul Ryan’s plan would radically undermine the economic security of America’s middle class. Yet it helps Wall Street-run health insurance companies make record-breaking profits! While the CEOs are paid outrageous sums to deny people the care they paid for and need.

As part of this radical ideological crusade, seniors will be force to clip coupons if they want to see a doctor. It includes huge tax breaks for the ultra wealthy and giveaways to Big Oil companies that are making record profits.

Nowhere in the Republican plan is there any shared sacrifice. There’s no fairness. The big corporations and super-rich are not asked to pitch in. Instead they get even richer while most families are struggling just to make it month to month. This budget would eviscerated programs that everyone in this country depend on. Republicans are attacking the people while pretending to be fiscally responsible!

This budget changes the rules and reshapes this country in a dangerous way. The Republicans and Tea Party backers think they can use the budget as cover to pursue their radical agenda to end Medicare and put seniors’ health care in the hands of Big Insurance CEOs.

But they aren't done with their outrageous demands. They want to do even more to hurt the people!
In this case women specificly - Thursday, April 7, thousands of Americans will descend on Washington, DC, to defend women's health from the extremists in Congress that are determined to roll back access to reproductive health care.

This assault is unprecedented and covers multiple areas. Several amendments have been added to what was already voted on weeks ago in an attempt to push these changes through the Senate. An ammendment that would eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood offers cancer screenings to protect women's health. They offer education, contraceptives and seek to prevent unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. They help those that have been victims or are in hard situations by getting them professional help. Cutting these programs will put more women at risk.

But not one has mentioned how much it costs to raise a child that is placed into the system. No one talks about the many children that wait sometimes without hope for a family to adopt them. Why defund a program that keeps many unplanned pregnancies from happening?

They want to pass legislation that would impose an abortion tax on small businesses who want to provide abortion coverage in health plans. They have bills that would prevent elected officials from using local funds to pay for abortion care for low income and at risk women. This attack on women's rights must stop! Across the nation, people will be standing up for women's health.

Hidden in the budget is more cuts on funding to the Enviromental Protection Agency. This is our one defense against more BP disasters. It's the agency that protects the people by enforcing safety regulations. Protects the environment, the people and our ecology from the "profits before people" greed of these big Corporations. In Pensylvania the water resources are being contaminated due to the coal companies fracking to get at gas reserves. This is causing water to become flamable and not fit to drink. This practice needs to stop!

Already the big Oil Corps are pushing to drill for oil again. Why? With the technology we have right now - technology we've had since 2006 - we could have been using hydrogen for power. We've had the technology to use solar power, wind power and water power! Yet the greed and profit of "black gold" pushes the Corporations - Deep Water drilling has already been given the green light. The guy in charge of the energy commission in D.C. is an Oil Company shareholder. We need the EPA has the funds to function!

Congress MUST hear our voices and know that enough is enough!

Democrats have already ruled out defunding the year-old health care overhaul or to deny Planned Parenthood all federal money. And Reid has said he will not agree to any of the curbs Republicans want to place on the Environmental Protection Agency. Democrats will not just roll over without a fight.

In D.C. this week, hundreds of Tea Party demonstrators rallied outside the Capitol calling for budget cuts and to shutdown if necessary to get their way.

"Shut the sucker down," one yelled, and the crowd repeatedly chanted, "Shut it down."

Is this the America we want to live in? We need to stand up to the bullies on the Hill and take back our rights and our freedoms!

Check out these links:

1. http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/ryan_budget_preview.html

2. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-06/ryan-s-budget-proposal-would-aid-insurers-a-top-source-of-campaign-cash.html

3. http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/billofright/patient_bill_of_rights.html

4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ethan-rome/republican-budget-plan-de_b_845256.html

5. https://dccc.org/page/contribute/shutdown3?source=040611_si,alld,med

6. https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3056&s_subsrc=110406_rally&JServSessionIdr004=rudkaoryj1.app217a

7. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/efficiencity/index.html

8. http://video.pbs.org/program/1305364341/
(especially this one: Hydrogen Hopes) http://video.pbs.org/video/1335040144 

Be a part of history - get involved and make sure the changes that are happening are the ones that you want.

Carpe Diem!

Information on Revenue Sharing

Revenue sharing sites allow you to earn money due to Google advertising that is placed on the site. The site then shares it's revenues with those that post on the site. At some sites, you can also earn additional money by referring friends - If they become members of the site and post good content also.

I've decided to offer a listing of other revenue sharing sites that I've researched. I've picked out those I think are the best, but you can look for more sites if you like. This is just a list to get you started.

Bukisa.com
Bukisa allows you to earn money on the articles you write, but also allows you to earn money on those that you refer to them as well. Bukisa has a two tiered system where you can make money from the articles that the people you refer write. Plus you making money on the articles from all the people that they refer too!

All writers are paid the same amount. All writers on Bukisa are paid according to an index. If the index is 3.95 each writer will get $3.95 for every 1000 views. But you don't need to get that many views on an article to be paid. You can make a little bit from each article you write. You are paid through Paypal when your earnings reach $50.

Currently, as of today, the index is at 4 - but you'll have to check the site. The index changes as the ranking of the site increases.

Bukisa is going to be adding a category for photos soon. This will offer the same opportunity for revenue as articles. It will give two opportunities to earn some money. To get more information and become a member at Bukisa.


Xomba
Xomba is another excellent revenue sharing site with a referral program. You earn ten percent of the revenue from any writer that you refer. You both still get the same amount, which is 50% earned revenue from Google Adsense ads on the site.

You need to have an Adsense account so you can enter your code on the Xomba site. If you don't have one, you can sign up for Adsense right on the Xomba site.

Xomba has only two types of submissions - articles of substance called Xombytes and smaller ones which describe a web page or site, called Xomblurbs. You can earn the same off either one. For those that you refer, you earn an extra ten percent off of whatever they post.

The Home page displays the higher ranking articles, which in turn tends to earn them more money since they are often viewed more. They share 60% of advertising revenue with users. To find out more check out the Xomba website.


Hubpages
Hubpages is one of the top ten Adsense revenue sharing sites. It's currently one of the top 250 most visited sites on the web. The site has a good page rank and an active community of members that rate and comment on each others articles.

In addition to sharing Adsense revenue they share Amazon Associates, Ebay and Kontera income from the articles you write. This multi pronged approach makes the site a real winner with writers seeking to build a stream on income from articles. They share 60% of advertising revenue with users.

Because it is a hub and not a blog, you can write a hub on any topic without worrying if it relates to anything you’ve written previously or anything that you plan to write in the future.  Write just one hub or write hundreds of hubs.  It’s up to you.To find out more go to the sites home page.


The Info Mine
In addition to 80% revenue from your articles you can place your own Amazon Associates links in the text of your article, as long as the article does not read like an advertisement.

If you just want to participate, they share 100% of Amazon Associates revenue sharing you don't even have to have an Adsense account. You can write about almost any subject, such as how - to articles, stories, travel blogs, etc. There's more information on their website to check out.


eHow
For those that love to write how-to articles this is the best choice to make some money. Cook, decorate, fix, plan, garden, budget or update your wardrobe…that’s just the beginning of the kind of advice and inspiration you can find at eHow.

The more articles you write, the more your income will grow. They pay you monthly, directly to your PayPal account after you make $10. Your payments are directly linked to how much traffic your article receives, as well as the quality of the content. To find out more and become a member, visit the eHow website.


Squidoo 
Squidoo is all about lenses. What's a lens? Lenses are pages, kind of like flyers or signposts or overview articles, that gather everything you know about your topic of interest--and snap it all into focus. Like the lens of a camera, it's your perspective on something.

You could make a Me lens about yourself! Or a lens about your blog, website or social network homepage to help get more traffic to it. How about a lens for your eBay store or CafePress shop. Have a Hobby? Make a lens about it! Whatever you are interested in or have a passion for, you can make a Lens for!

Squidoo puts ads on lenses, plus you have the ability to recommend products via affiliate programs with Amazon, eBay, CafePress and others. The revenue that the company receives is split 50/50 - which you can have paid out in cash via PayPal or donate to charity.

Many earn more than $1,000 a year from Squidoo. Some have made $10,000. Others are just as happy with $40 or $4. It's your choice how you get your money for your contributions to the site. To find out more about Squidoo, go to their website.


Helium
Helium is a good place to start writing. They have a good community with articles covering many different topics. Other members also rate your articles and the community is fairly large. You can even publish your article on other sites, like Bukisa.

You get paid and keep the copyright of your article. But there is an option to sell your articles directly to Helium for exclusive rights. They pay $2-$15 depending on topic.

On the Marketplace you can directly sell articles for magazine publishers who can pay from $20-$200 per article.

Helium also has writing contests. There are usually around 10 active contests running for 2 weeks each. The top 3 ranked authors win $50, $30 and $10 respectively. If you want to check out more on Helium, visit the website.

There are many more out sites out there and many different ways to share revenue with a website. Try to join more than one so that you can get multiple income streams to guard against one not earning as much or maybe not being there anymore. Here are a few others to look at:

http://www.oondi.com/
Why should anyone else reap the benefits of your labor? When you submit your work to oondi, you get 100% of the advertisement profits.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/
Join one of the most active news sites on the Internet! Share your thoughts, vote on newsworthy articles, engage in debates and even get paid to report news as a citizen journalist.

http://www.mytripbook.com/
Share your experiences from your own travel diary- reviews, blogs, photos and videos- and map your past and future trips. Members who sign up as a travel guide can share in the advertising revenues generated from their guide page.

http://www.newsvine.com/
The Newsvine community loves investigative reporting, opinion pieces, and just about everything else considered newsworthy and in good taste. Newsvine also sells advertising around all content on the site and returns 90% of the advertising revenue from your content right back to you.

http://www.senserely.com/
As soon as you register, this basically becomes your website, with your AdSense blocks displayed next to your content, and you'll be able to write articles, reviews, and stories about your knowledge and experience on any topic you feel comfortable with, as well as read, ask questions, and exchange information with others.

I hope that this information is of use and I wish everyone luck with any new venture they begin. Keep moving forward...

Carpe Diem!

Can't find work? Then Hire yourself!

Everyone has something that they can offer someone else. From helping someone learn to read, to teaching someone how to do something. (like play piano, make a cake or how to knit) We all have life experience that we've got stored up inside. We all have hobbies, interests and things we're passionate or energized about. All of that that is inside can be put to work to bring in not only money, but it can make you feel really good about what your doing too.

But how do you get what you know, out of you and available to someone else? That takes some thinking and planning. But then looking for work takes some time and work too. The difference here is that you're doing it to make income for yourself not someone else.

Maybe you're good at teaching things, then you could find a way to share this with people that want to learn the skills you have to offer.

Not a people person, that's okay too. You can still teach things without ever even seeing a student. With so many easy to use programs and a digital camera you can make a video of yourself or someone doing step by step what you are teaching. Writing a how to book is also a great way to teach as you can have images to show how to do things. If you combine the two and make an ebook - you can offer it online and make it interactive with video and links to more resources.

Now besides teaching what you know, there are other things that are wide open. Services and information are the most profitable thing right now. So many people need information of a ton of topics to help them with their problems or situations. We are a society that is addicted to information. Services are also a great revenue creator. Think of all the services you've used over the years. Services that others use around you and then think if you can provide any services that people are needing.

Like Bigwell's motto "Find a need - Fill a need"

But don't jump ahead of yourself, I also try to remember what my uncle told me when I was younger. He gave two bits of advice that I try to keep in mind.

"KISS - Keep it safe and simple" and "Work smarter, not harder"

Often we make things a lot more complicated than they need to be. We also don't think about sticking to the areas that are safe - both money wise, legal wise & health wise. Another thing that many have to relearn is that working yourself into the ground isn't going to pay off in a big way like it did a century ago. Besides, it didn't rally pay off all that big back then either. Putting the biggest muscle to work - your mind is a step in the right direction.

People say we can think, it's what makes us both good and bad. We don't run solely on instincts - but not listening to that "little voice" can sometimes cost you everything. So try to find a balance between what you "feel is right" and if your head agrees with it. There is no reason to reinvent something that's already been invented - unless you can make it better. Try to think in ways that are not only out of the box, but from completely different perspectives. Brainstorming can be a lot of fun and offer a pay off in more than just cash.

If you've spend month trying to find work...don't you think you can spend some time evaluating what you could be offering or sharing in a business of your own...Plus you don't have to fly solo - maybe you've got one half and someone else has one half of a great idea. Bring the two together and you've got something really great!

The number one thing that you can do for yourself is to educate that brain of yours. Searching for a job won't expand your opportunities or broaden the possibilities ahead. But learning, that can open a huge range of nearly unlimited options that you can go after. Even if you decide to find work or a job rather than start your own business - new knowledge will make you more likely to find something that will be a great match as well as more rewarding.

Wherever you do don't create limits that you don't need. You should already know what your abilities are, what your strengths are and what you are good at. There's no need to stuff yourself into a small box when there are enough things trying to block you or put you down. Don't limit yourself more - don't deny yourself the chance to really find something you love to do...something that will give you more than just a paycheck or income.

Plus there is something that many don't realize. An online business at home is a way to level the playing field. You can be from any background, culture, age, or ability. You can be a parent, senior or even a group of teens. What your clients or customers see is a business. If you are professional, offer good services or products & have a positive attitude. Those that find you the first time will come back again if they are satisfied. To them, it's the business - not the business owner that's important. So don't thnk you're too old, young or whatever. This is an open door...walk in & see where it goes.

The best way to work is to find something we love to do and get paid doing it. Then it's no longer work - it just becomes a part of having a better life. Part of something you really enjoy. What could be better than that? Good luck!

Keep dreaming, keep moving forward and never lose hope...

Carpe Diem!

Another birthday gone

This last Sat. was my birthday...just another day as things went. But I was a bit depressed by it's arrival and subsequent departure. It seems that the day just keeps counting the years till the end of my given time. The closer I get to the proverbial "hill" the more I dread the ticking of the yearly clock that pushes me ever closer.

I've looked behind me, at the descent of my health, the damage of stress and the deterioration of my physical abilities. Even my memory and sharpness mentally have been effected over the last few years.

I fight the inevitable, but I'm not some celebrity with truckloads of cash to go to some fancy "body shop" spa and get the wrinkles ironed out, the flab tucked or the assets lifted. The years of struggle, to carve out a niche and support my family have left telltale signs.

I used to dye my hair as blond as I could, seeking to recapture the sun bleached style of younger days. But also because I could hide the multiplying white hairs that began to appear...in blond hair I could call them highlights.

But the blond of my youth turned to the natural golden brown and at times I'd give in and let it take over. And with money tight I've had little choice. Now the snow and silver are slowly taking over and the darker chestnut and golden browns are often intertwined with snowy white and silver threads.

I know that I need to try and get myself healthier, but despite the countless visits to the doctor and test after test there is nothing solid to diagnose. A random number of things are wrong, but nothing to link it all together...though I believe that the high stress I've been under for several years may be a large part of the problem.

It is easier said that done to remove the stress from ones life. I've tried my best to keep my center, but financial issues and shortages are far too frequent now. With the lost income from my cousin and the rise in expenses, there's a huge gap in the going out and coming in columns. No matter how hard I try, I have to admit that I'm still floundering as I try to establish some way to make some extra income streams.

I'm hoping that I can keep my focus, reinvent myself and find a way to get ahead this year. I need to make changes; I need to increase my income and find a way to make the changes I want happen. I don't know how, but I need to find a way to move forward.

If I could find the things I need without the cash, I'd do so, but somehow in a world run on paper currency, I am stuck having to amass as much as I'm able to get things moving.

For those that has passed that mid-life marker, I salute your strength and dedication to press on to find a way to reach your goals and dreams. So many have found the path to reinvent themselves in the later half that proves, there's no decline in life after 50, if you choose to rededicate yourself to the journey.

I've some years left to try and recapture that passion and lust for the time ahead, to enjoy the experience and not dwell on the eventual end that lays on the horizon. There's a million memories, thousands of tears and tons of laughter still ahead. I just need to focus on the gift of the day and find the joy to look forward to the surprises of tomorrow.

Warm, Bright Blessings to all...

My son's birthday

Time sure does slip away, it seems like only a short time ago he was just a little boy that was always hungry, even right after we ate!
I finally figured out where all that food was going...he shot up to 6' after his 14th birthday! He's been holding steady at 6' 4" since he turned 20, so I think he's done.

But seeing him sometimes makes me wonder where all the time went...
It feels like we have forever, running in the fields chasing butterflies, wading in the shallows to find tadpoles, and then as I turn, the moment's gone, it's over. And there's a young man who towers above me, he smiles that lost little boy's crooked smile, as he head's out again to look for work.

Has it really been so many years? I look at my daughter, my little tech artist takes after her grandmother and at 18 isn't quite as tall as myself. Yet, I tend to forget that she's a young woman now who's due to get engaged this summer, if all goes according to their plans. And I wonder at how quickly my nest is growing less crowded.

My little one is still here with his endless singing, humming and sound effects. He sings about whatever he's doing; nonsense sing songs that are equally out of tune and in. He talks for his toys in a dozen different voices. He puts them through adventures with a barrage of sound effects that seeks to join the current cacophony of my daughter's pounding music and the blaring noise from the television too.

It is a small comfort, because it keeps at bay the deafening silence that will someday descend when they have all gone. I do not relish that moment, so for now...I join in the symphony of dueling sounds and turn my own music up just a little. Perhaps I seek to drive that day of silence farther away into the future...or at least, believe that I can, even though I know that nothing I do will really stop it.

Time goes on no matter if we pay attention or let it slip away...but if we try to make as many memories as we can in the time we have...maybe it won't be so bad when there are no more memories to make...and we'll have left a treasured legacy behind, within those that shared them with us.

Thinking outside the box

Sometimes the overwhelming obstacle to finding new opportunities is ourselves. We just can't climb out of the box we've built around ourselves. So maybe it might help if we ask ourselves some good questions and see where they take us.
Now don't just read this, actually take the time to write down the questions (or copy paste in wordpad) and answer them for yourself. Pass them on to someone that's having a hard time finding work. You may be surprised by what you discover about yourself.

What skills, talents or abilities do you have?
Now, take it a bit farther than the usual list of things. Think about going farther. Go through the list and ask yourself if you'd be comfortable doing each thing a lot.

Say your good at cooking, everyone raves about your festive foods. You enjoy it as well, but could you deal with cooking that way every day? Could you handle it as a job or as a career position? Would you be able to create a business around it, like catering and be excited and happy with it?

We all have hobbies and interests that we love to do. We may even be really good at doing them. But once you cross the line between hobby and work, something changes. If you do pick something that you love to do, what is it that you love.

It's like listening to a favorite song or  having a favorite food - eventually, you get sick of it and want something different. If you pick something like photography, cooking, accounting, marketing or other; how would you feel doing it every day. Would you be okay with it as your career or business?

Are you a people person, a lone worker or a combination?
This is another important area, because it's vital to the sort of work environment you'd choose. Some people are not at ease dealing with people all the time. Weither it's customers or coworkers, they just aren't into the social mix when it comes to being productive at work.

Others can't work without the interaction and are not comfortable being alone in a small cubical for hours every day. Then there's workers that like having a little bit of both to make the day go by in a productive and efficient manner. Figuring out how much people traffic you can deal with and still be able to focus on tasks is important to the kind of businesses you would want to approach for work or consider for a career.

Do you want an inside job, an outside job or a balance of the two?
People are very different in their lifestyles, so why would we believe that we are any different when it comes to the kind of work we'd feel most at ease with. There are many people that lead active social lives outside work, but are in office jobs or in careers that keep them indoors. Why not look for work that will give you the option to work outside?

For those that like the comfort of working indoors, try to find a way that will still keep you a bit active. Sitting for hours behind a desk isn't good for your health. Take the stairs, go out instead of eating at the office. Make sure that you take a 5 min. moving break every 30-45 min.

Having the flexibility to work inside and outside allows for a nice balance. It can also reduce stress, help with boredom and increase activity. Having a flexible schedule, varied tasks and interesting work can offer greater satisfaction no matter what business you choose to work in.

What is your internal clock setting?
We all have times when we are alert, active and productive. Then there are the times that we are slow, sleepy and drained. Our regular levels are between those times. We function on that plateau most of the time, but often not by choice.

We are made to deal with the so-called "business hours" of the daily grind. It's the traditional 9-5 deal and we're stuck having to be awake to deal with it. Many people fit into this daytime clock setting. But it isn't the only option for business or work.

The night shift in many towns, cities offers many work or career opportunity. When the day jobs are over, this group of workers is off to work. Restaurants, all night diners, night clubs they all need cooks, waitstaff and more. Truckers, pilots, delivery services and other transportation jobs continue on through the night. Stores restock shelves, unload trucks and tend to late night shoppers. Cleaning crews take care of office buildings, parking lots, hotel/motels and more. While security officers and police patrols make sure everything stays safe and secure. So there's plenty of  opportunities available at any time. All you have to do is find one to best fit your own internal clock.

How much money do you want to make?
With the economy slowly creeping forward and unemployment still high, this is a reasonable question. But finding work that's low stress, fits you personally and makes use of your abilities should be considered first.

Plus with some creative thinking, you may be able to work two different jobs at different times. Don't be afraid to try something different. Some jobs can be done online, keep an eye out for telecommuting positions. A part time day and a part time night job could bring in full time pay. Mix it up and see how you can make money and also enjoy the work you do too.

So when looking for different jobs, think of how they fit you. You can open up a whole new area that you never thought of if you broaden your perspective. Some people have taken a class, gone to a museum, learned something new and along the way discovered a new career that rewarded them in a thousand different ways.

Good luck and I hope that this has been useful to you. And if you'd like to be inspired, visit Second Act videos on Yahoo News.

Second Act Videos

After Doug Gowin, watch Mandy Aftel, Paul Giannone and Kathryn Joosten, as they really prove that there is no age limit. There's nothing we can't achieve if we really want to. Bravo!

Carpe Diem!

Sometimes it's a bit Depressing

With the way things are going financially and with so many people in trouble...I had to try to find a way to keep from drowning in depression.

The news tends to focus on all the negative and hardship, rarely do you see a positive story that lifts the spirits and heart. I know stuff like that is happening, that there are people that are trying to make things better...we just don't hear much about it.

Like the editor says,"Bad news sells papers!"

Wouldn't it be great if good news sold more papers?
Like what happened after the last election...with papers worldwide covering that single event... I began to hope again last year...to not feel afraid...and no matter how difficult things get, I'm not going to lose that hope again...

I have to make changes, but they will be my changes...I will move forward and reach for my dreams again...

This way, I can show my kids that it's more than just surviving...life's more than that...it's about really getting your hands dirty and being active in life. It's about truly living one's life to the fullest. Life's messy, dangerous & scary - but it's also exciting, wonderful & amazing.

The journey belongs to the one living it - to choose to drift along and ride the ebb and flow letting it carry us along to where ever it goes. Or we can make the decision instead to live life as one extremely awesome and memorable time!

What do you want to leave behind? There is so much to do that can create a legacy, something to offer others not yet born. The choice for all of us is how we decide what to do. Drift along or steer for your own guiding star...

As I glide along, choosing my path ahead, I wish you well on your own journey. Carpe Diem!

Looking Back at This Time of Year.

As I have browsed the many postings, I see so many asking for Christmas help, help to get toys/gifts for children. Yes, I can understand how this mindset has been adopted over so many years. But sometimes I wonder if we aren't setting up our children in a very hurtful way. That no matter what, there will magically be toys under the tree for them.

I've seen it all over online, videos of kids getting gifts and then having a royal fit because it isn't what they want, they don't think clothes, books or such is a real gift and tons more. Like complaining that the car you just got sucks because you don't like the color. Like getting mad that you didn't get a top tech toy and a friend did. We are setting up the entitlement mentality that's such an issue in the world today.

I know that there are folks out there that still believe in the same traditions that were popular when I was a kid...several decades ago.

I was taught that any gift was something to be thankful for and that giving a gift meant so much more.

So I'm giving thanks to those I have around me at home. I'm thankful that we're still in our house, the utility bills are paid till the end of this year. That we have food in the house, enough to last as long as we ration it out wisely. That aside from allergies or tummy, head and body aches, we're in fair health for now. (Not counting pre-existing conditions) That so far the heaters, blankets, sweatshirts, gloves, socks and hats are keeping us all warm inside, during this cold snap we're going through. I'm thankful for the simple fact that each morning that I wake up, I wake up. It gives me another day to be grateful for all that I do have right now. It also gives me another chance to keep things going, so that we can keep all these things we have right now.

My daughter has hinted that she'd like an MP3 player, but I've also over heard her telling her siblings that as long as the utilities are paid, the mortgage is paid and we're all okay...it will be an okay holiday. My older son agreed and stated that all he wanted was a job so that he could help out.

The youngest one said he wanted Noble, the sugar fairy from the Thumbelina video. Trouble is there is no such toy or figure that I can find anywhere. He got the video for his birthday in Nov. and has watched it dozens of times already. He has really become charmed by that little fairy. The only thing else he's wanted is Thomas, the train engine play set - he's asked for it every year since he was 4yrs old. He'd gotten a big play set one year, his older brother got it for a little over $50 on sale. Unfortunately, it was stolen a few days later by a guest who was staying with us at the time. Someone my cousin had felt badly for since he had no place to go for the Holiday.

My cousin was a truck driver back then and came to drop by for Christmas. He ran into a guy he had met before some time back. The guy had lost his apt. and had no place to go. He said that he could sleep in the bottom bunk of the truck's cab. He ate with us for Christmas, we treated him well and he seemed alright, pleasant enough. But two days after Christmas, he was gone. The train set was gone, a blender and my daughter's new Mr Coffee was gone. He might have tried to get more, but the only accessible rooms were the living room, kitchen and bathroom. All other doors were locked. But I leave the front door open for my cousin when he's visiting so he can get to those rooms. My cousin locks up his tools, so they were fine. The guy didn't get much, but what he took hurt us.

We never saw him again. My cousin looked for him, but had no luck either. So it's been something that we've wanted to fix ever since. But those Thomas toys are very costly even when on sale. It's not possible to do this yet. I'm hoping that maybe a Carebear will fill in for Noble. Maybe...lol - if I could get the material I'd love to try and make him that sugar fairy. I'm sure that he'd be very surprised. But for now, I just want to make sure he has what he needs. Later I will do what I can to make things nicer.

But as I've said before, I'm hoping that we all remember to be thankful and grateful for all those things that we DO have already. I also hope that those that are needing the very basic things will be able to find help to get them.

A very warm and loving Holiday to all of you and may it be a brighter and better New Year's ahead for us all.

Carpe Diem!