Least Costly Road

Happy 2019!

2019-02-04T18:50:00.002-08:00

I have grown spiritually and financially in the last 4.5 years that I have been away. I have been very busy not only saving money but generating extra income. So, I have neglected my blogspot account, my AdSense account, and my Hubpage account. However, I am very at peace in life.

So much has changed in 4.5 years. I also have a different appreciation for blogging and would like to share knowledge that I have learned over the course of these years, especially as a parent with now a child in college and one who is an upperclassman.

If you are reading this, thank you!

The ABCs To Solar Energy Ownership

2014-07-27T04:46:00.000-07:00

Whenever you choose a solar power system, you will be slowing down the search for coal, which is causing the needless destruction of the Appalachian Mountains. You will be making this planet a better place to live in and you will be stabilizing your electric bill. However, few homeowners, even those living in sunny Southern California, consider this home improvement project. Why? It's just a monumental task.

Factors to consider: INSTALLING COMPANY

There are many different ways to approach the process. I want to share my way. The reason why I chose this factor first is that a good installer will consider the customer's thinking process. By interviewing a few installing companies, I can immediately tell how professional a company is. I learned from our cousins that one leading solar panel manufacturer is Sunpower. By signing up with Sunpower, it will refer you to a local installing company. We used Perma City in Los Angeles.

The other method is to check out www.1bog.com and learn to bargain collectively for a lower price. It's catching on in San Francisco, but I wouldn't know if solar energy would ever become trendy in Los Angeles, despite its reputation for sunshine.

What We Learned At the Home Visit/Interview

In addition to the basic information about the licensing and bonding of an installing company, it is important to find a patient salesman who can answer all of your questions. We learned that unlike its competitors, Sunpower considered the disposal of the cells after they are spent. They are non- toxic to dispose. Also, the salesman showed how the panel was manufactured to reduce physical inefficiency, such as thickness of the seams between the cells, etc. Our salesman went to the roof and measured it, telling us that there would be fewer solar panels than we had imagined because the installer must adhere to fire regulations. Finally and most importantly, the installer must explain all of the financial incentives to cushion the cost of the project. These incentives can come from varying levels-- federal, state, and city.

How To Determine The Number Of Panels You Need

First, the salesman asked us for a summary of a year's electricity usage before measuring the roof. A good salesman will sell you enough panels that will product as much electricity as you may need so that it can be affordable. We received a letter with the technically information, offering both Sunpower and non-Sunpower systems:

The first solar system we've designed for you consists 20 powerful SunPower 215 modules, offsetting 72% of your daily energy usage based on the bill you provided of 1,515 kilowatt hours over a two month period. The second system is composed of 16 of those same SunPower 215 modules, providing you with a more affordable alternative and offsetting 53% of your energy consumption. Finally we have provided an alternative system composed of Sharp 175 modules, which offsets 52% of your power usage and provides with the most cost efficient way to power your home. We ended up choosing the maximum that our roof can bear to offset the extra electricity we were planning to use because we were in the process of adding a second air conditioning system.

The Financial Factors

We heard about the rental option from another company where for only a saving of $10 per month, you would be using solar power. However, that's not the way to go since you never own the system. By owning the system, after the break even point, you just save the electricity portion of your utility bill and would only have to pay for the connection fee (currently $22 per bi-monthly billing). We were skeptical how the rebates and energy tax refunds work in Los Angeles.

Factor #1: Most solar installing companies offer some type of financing. At one point, recently, Sunpower was offering one year no-interest financing. We were able to obtain the 6-month interest-free financing through its financial partner, Enerbank. After the 6 months, the interest starts to accrue from the first day of the loan. The lender issued 2 payments to the installer, one at the beginning, and the other later on.

Factor #2: How does one get the federal tax portion on time. Since we had only a 6-month interest-free window, we decided that we would contract with Perma City in December. Once you have a contract with a company, you are eligible for the tax refund for that year. So, immediately in January, we completed the tax return forms. Before the change in the energy tax refund, there was a cap of merely $2000, which is nothing. During the year, we contracted to install a system, the incentive was 1/3 of the cost of the project. Right there was $12,000.

Factor #3: How to obtain the rebate portion of the incentive? In Los Angeles, it took longer than we expected, 2-3 months after the utility engineer swaps out the old meter for one that can access solar power and turn back the dials. We received a check for $13,000 from the Department of Water and Power just in time to repay the loan

We still owed about $11,000, but we were expecting $8,000 for all of the interests we paid on the house. In our mind, we had to come up with $3000, rather than $36,000 project price. Further, it's important to find a company that is flexible enough to have the utility rebate go straight to the customer, and we were truly lucky to find one so willing to work with us

Was It What We Expected?

Our utility company was late in crediting solar power customers in its billing; however, it has improved recently. The electric company has no reason to pay you for the amount you generate but don't use. And we noticed that in the winter, your system will not generate a whole lot of energy. However, it will only take 5 years for the system to pay for itself (the cost of we had to pay out of pocket). Since Sun Power's promise is a 25 year warranty, we hope that we'll enjoy the saving for quite some time. One can look at this as a diversified socially responsible investment.

2014-07-27T04:41:00.000-07:00

15 Different Printable Christmas and Holiday Gift Tags and Labels

Have you ever noticed when a gift does not come with a gift tab or label? The person either writes your name on the wrapping paper with a Sharpie or she apologizes that in a last minute rush, she could not find a tag. You can go buy tags, but with great printer technology, you can just print them out yourself and save money while giving your present that final touch. Further, because I am a visual person, I have laid out the tags so that you can see every tag presented. Therefore, there will be no surprise links that you find end up not being cute because we all have different definition of "cute." Most of the tags I had to either enlarge or shrink so that they would be viewable. I also tested them to make sure that they are useable tags where you only have to print. Hopefully, this will save you time.

Click here to download the tags.

Cute and Silly Reindeer Holiday Tags

Click Here to view full version and to print.

Image Credit

Milliande Art Community for Women

Image Credit. Click on the photo to see a full page and click again for the actual size.

Amy Cluck Christmas Tags

Image Credit

Right click on a PC or double finger click on a MacBook to find the menu allowing you to save this jpeg file and then save it to your computer so that you can then print them out.

Wrapping Supplies

Martha Stewart Gift Tags

Click here to download these tags.

Credit to Blog storing this sheet of Martha Stewart tags.

More Martha Stewart Tags

Click here to download a sheet of these tags.

Flower Snowflake Tags

Click here to download tags.

Wrapping Paper Storage Solution

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Rubbermaid 3F19 Configurations XL 42-Inch Three-Handle Low-Profile Box with Cedar Inserts, Natural

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Cute Animation Christmas Tags

Click here for these Gift Tags From CraftJr.com to open under a separate tab, where you can print.

Retro Animation Gift Tags

Click here for these Gift Tags From CraftJr.com to open under a separate tab, where you can print.

Disney Gift Tags

Just "Save Image As" onto your computer and print.

Christmas Stickers

Roll of 100 SPARKLY SNOWFLAKE Prism Stickers/SHINY HOLIDAY Decorations for CHRISTMAS CARD

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500 Fabulous Foam CHRISTMAS Sticker/SELF ADHESIVE Shapes/SCRAP Booking/ARTS & Crafts/HOLIDAY/Candy Cane/TREE/SANTA/SNOWMAN

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Decorate a Christmas Tree with 40 Stickers (Dover Little Activity Books Stickers)

by Cathy Beylon

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ALEX® Toys - Craft It's A Christmas Banner 188X

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Cute Christmas Tags from a UK Children's Site

Image Credit

Click here to download tags.

A Set of Christmas Tags

Image Credit

Click here to download Christmas tags.

Free Cute Hand-Drawn Tags

These Christmas Tags have such a warm personality to them.

Click here to download.

Image Credit

Christmas Ribbons and Bows

24 Pull String Bows - Instant Bow Ribbon, Gift Wrap Packing, 4 Different Sizes & Colors

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12 Assorted Christmas Wire Edge Ribbon Rolls 2.5"

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Large 16" x 19" Red Indoor / Outdoor Velveteen 4 Loop Christmas Bow

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Free Christmas Tags from Fotoshow.com

Fotoshow.com offers these free cute Christmas tags.

Click here to download to your PC.

Cute Angelic Gift Tags

Click here for tags to save to your PC. These tags are very good quality.

The Secret to Happiness and Overcoming Depression and Anxiety Through Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism

2014-01-30T17:58:00.003-08:00

Modern Method of Coping With Depression Through The Power of Chanting

Depression, anxiety, self-doubt, and emptiness are just a few feelings when one is facing financial hardship during a tight economy. Any of these feelings can arise from life events such as death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job, grave illness of loved ones, etc. It always seems that after overcoming one hurdle, another major hurdle pops up. Many families, even ours, are fairing much worse economically than a few years ago. How did I overcome the stress and anxiety during hard times? Although I am a voracious reader of self-help books, I have kept close to my religion Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism for strength and confidence to overcome my hardships. The core philosophy behind Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is that each person already possesses unlimited potential within us. By chanting, each of us brings out and elevate our life condition. Easing the suffering of depression cannot be more timely during October, National Depression Awareness Month.

Nichiren Daishonin Discovered Unlocking One's Potential...

Through Chanting "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo."

Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo polishes our lives at the deepest level.

I also recommend watching a 20-minute full length movie called "Our Shared Humanity"

Optimistic Thinking Through Chanting "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo"

Depression has a wide spectrum. Lee Wolfson, a psychologist at Western Psychiatric Clinic and Institute (WPIC), a division of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. and a practitioner of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism with SGI since 1972 wrote a World Tribune article which was published on February 9, 2001. In his article, Lee reviewed a book by Martin Seligman, Ph.D., called "What You Can Change and What You Can't whose compelling argument is that mild depression is caused by pessimistic habits of thinking. Pessimists falsely believe that the causes of failure and rejections are permanent and pervasive while an optimistic person's thinking is a powerful antidote to pessimism and depression. A power method of optimistic thinking can be found in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and chanting "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo."

Background of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama, known more popularly as Shakyamuni Buddha, lived twenty-five hundred years ago in India where he was awakened to a path of enlightment or Buddhahood. He believed and taught that all people have the ability to attain this state of enlightment through his teaching in Lotus Sutra. A 13th Century Buddhist reformed monk in the 13th Century found that path to enlightment is everywhere through the practice of chanting "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo" confidently , awakening the Buddha nature innate in all of us, dispelling delusion and moving forth everyone's inherent strength, wisdom, and compassion. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, an educator, founded Soka Gakkai in 1930, as he was searching for a humane system of education. He and his disciple Josei Todai were imprisoned for refusing to compromise their religious beliefs in the face of pressure from Japan's militarist government. Now under the third president of Soka Gakkai, President Ikeda, Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is now in 192 countries and territories with 12 million practitoners.

Daisaku Ikeda

Soka Gakkai's Third President

In 1975, President Ikeda established Soka Gakka International and took Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism globally. Under his leadership, Soka Gakkai International is now in 192 countries and terrorities, with Nichiren Buddhism being practiced by more than 12 million people.

Experiencing Both The Positive And Negative Experiences In Our Lives

Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism teaches us how to make the best of everything-positive and negative-and take control of our lives. The way we react to external situations and circumstances is a reflection of our inner state of life. If we are in a state of anger, for example, we will form angry thoughts, emotions, appearances, and influence. An angry person see the world and believes that there are reasons to be angry. However, each person experiences moment to moment, day to day, differently, even when going through the same situation. The way we relate to our environment depends on how we have lived our lives, thus coloring how we react, either positively or negatively. Therefore, the best way to deal with external situations, however, unexpected or however seemingly uncontrollable, is through an elevation of our life conditions.

Elevating Our Life Condition

The way to elevate our life condition is to chant "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo" and unleash our inner strength, thereby allowing one to find wisdom, courage, and energy to find the right action and improve our interaction with the world around us. By chanting, one can break thorough darkness and bring forth our Buddhahood. This struggle with our fundamental darkness or ignorance is why we chant "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo." To learn more about Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, go to http://www.sgi-usa.org or contact me directly. As a educated person who kept my mind open and kept questioning the practice, I have embraced this SGI Buddhism whole-heartedly, and in return, it has completely changed my life.

Nam

Nam means devotion and respect. So, the whole phrase has the simple meaning of 'devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra'.

Myoho

Myoho relates to Mystic Law, the essential Universal Law and its manifestations.There are two main relationships: one between life and death, and the other between our most enlightened, or Buddha, state and all our other nine conditions or states of life.

Renge

Renge literally means "lotus flower." The reason why the lotus is such an important symbol of Buddhism is that it blooms and seeds at the same time. 'Renge' signifies the process of cause and effect at work deep within the life of each person.

Kyo

Kyo means sutra or teachings. It is the vibration of our voice which is so important in our Buddhist practice. 'Kyo' is the interconnectedness of all phenomena; and how our prayer or the sound of our chanting can affect people and situations out of our immediate sphere. This is why we do not chant in silence.

Peace

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Nichiren Daishonin Buddhsim Slow Gongyo Chant With Words

How To Start the New Year with Iherb.com

2014-01-18T08:49:00.001-08:00

Use promo code 'cewoo' and you will receive $10 off $40 or more purchase or $5 if purchase is under $40. Free shipping for purchase of $20 or more. Choose a full size free sample with purchase and also a lot of full size samples at trial prices.

Iberb.com is a great find for me. I have always shopped at different drugstores for my vitamins, but I end up coming back to Iherb.com. Well, this one is well worth your time. I can practically find everything at iherb.com for 1/3 of the price or more off as compared to my Co-op, including organic free trade teas. Recently, I bought niacin at the coop for $5.99. It's only $3.46 at iherb.com. Plus, free shipping for purchase of $20 or more. And I am always getting an organic lip balm for free or some other greatly reduced trial items just for the heck of it. For your first purchase at iherb.com, please use the promotional code "cew288" to receive $10 off $40; or $5 off less than $40.

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The Price of Credit Cards

2013-12-27T18:16:00.001-08:00

I have been an advocate of using credit cards as a means to earn a little back. However, upon returning from holiday travel, I opened up a credit card statement online only to discover that someone charged $1020 on my credit card to purchase airfare on American Airline and an additional $7 charge using Expedia. Having just started my staycation, I am on the phone together with my husband to combat credit card fraud. It was bad enough that Target's database had been breached, and I was not sure whether we had made any visits to Target during that period of time. Now, part of my vacation is wasted on making sure that we are not responsible for this latest credit card fraud. In fact, just a few months ago, we fought three online purchases from a high-end bicycle shop with Discover Card, and this even threw off someone auto-payments using the old number. There have been times when the credit card company automatically shuts our card down as a preventative measure. So, I am starting to wonder whether this whole game is worth playing. On the other hand, nobody buys a TV online without a credit card; that seems foolish. Well, there is a great price to pay with credit card. And I pay in full every month. The question to myself is at what point will I be fed up.

If You Are Going To Shop Online, Then Please Read About Ebates

2013-12-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

How many of us are too lazy to shop at a store after a long day of work. Instead, you want to watch your favorite television program and see what is out there. You have a list of recipients and now the shopping begins. Well, you can do it better online. I learned from my Black Friday sales through Ebates that I saved even more than the people those people who skipped Thanksgiving hoping for a doorbuster deal.What I received was doorbuster sale prices + Ebates (that would vest at a certain day in the future, for me February 15, 2014) + coupon code discount. I also learned that even with the coupon code used, I am earning a rebate on the original price rather than the sale's price. So, an item at Origin which was $38 before the $10 off and free shipping deal became the base to calculate my 12% rebate on Cyber-Monday. So, I saved $10, and I was informed that the rebate would be $4.56. On Cyber-Monday, I purchase 2 Entertainment Books, the first for $20 and the second one for $15. This was already a great deal, but then the rebate was a whopping 45 percent. So, although I paid $35 for these two books, they would just cost me $19.25 after my rebate. This is a great deal, since eating out a couple of times with my family and I will have recouped my investment in the Entertainment Books. I have a sense that the same deals will be available after Christmas.

I also picked up a $5 referral bonus for recruiting someone to sign up and make a first purchase.

There is a promotion right now that if you sign up 2 individuals who then make purchases through Ebates, you will be eligible for a $50 referral bonus. As a blogger, I can make additional bonuses. So, if you have never used Ebates, there is no harm signing up to start your savings. I urge you to use my referral code (http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=pAs%2F2bGlRETQkLFE1DExpg%3D%3D) before December 31, 2013. Soon, you want to make your own referrals. Well, Happy Shopping.

Don't Be Fooled By Omaha Steaks

2013-11-29T18:54:00.001-08:00

I am not a big steak eater like my husband. However, in any loving relationship, there is compromise, and so, I look for good Omaha Steak deals. Recently, I spent $29.99 and received two additional piece of top sirloin. I didn't expect it to break apart like extremely tender steak. However, I was appalled by the immensely sinewy pieces that I received for free. In other word, they were willing to sacrifice their good name by offering customers with poor quality lost leaders, which is a term in the sales industry to lure customers into buying their product. We were so disappointed that we will no longer buy Omaha Steak. Typically as a smart consumer, I would try to write to the corporate office and ask for replacement. However, I will not do this because I will not patronize this business any longer. I have not been disappointed with poor cuts of meat at Ralph's, yet I am thoroughly disappointed with Omaha Steak, which I thought was trying to set itself as a cut above the rest. Now, I am looking into eating better quality of beef like grass-fed kind.

No Web Browser Searches Should Be Unpaid

2013-11-29T18:43:00.002-08:00

So everyone likes Google searches. I took the comparison test between Google and Bing and found them to be similar. The one difference is that Bing pays for your searches. Little by little, your points accrue and you have enough for a $5 Amazon gift certificate. If you have made 150 searches per month on Bing, you elevate yourself to a Gold Status, which gives you a bit of discount on your reward.
Swagbucks also pays for your searches. From my observation, you can search on Swagbucks which incidentally is powered by Bing, and as soon as you are rewarded, then your next searches should then be on Bing. If you take a break and return to your searches, then use Swagbucks. Why? I have never seen frequent rewarding in a short period of time, but you can assure yourself that you can max out your 15 credits per day on Bing by earning 1 credit for every 2 searches. Occasionally Bing will lower its rate of search per credit. Happy searching and earning Amazon gift certificates, which isn't too difficult to do.

Good Auto Loan Interest Rate Equals Money Earned

2013-11-29T18:09:00.000-08:00

At any social gathering, whether a person is buying a Tesla or a used Jetta sedan, people will often gravitate their conversation to auto loans. I recall using Pen Fed's auto buying service which is comparable to a fleet service and obtaining an oral approval for 0.49 percent in September 2012. I checked the rates recently and it was up to a whopping 0.99. I recall that if the PenFed auto loan failed for any reason, Power Toyota had the car guaranteed under its own loan of 4.99 percent. I calculated that the financial charge on my used Sports Trac was only $25 per year. That's less than 2 value meals from McDonald's or Wendy's, and it was great to have a backup car to a car that broken down twice in 6 months prior to buying our second vehicle. If you are not convinced that PenFed offers the best auto loan interest rate, this is my last passing comment, a comparison to USAA Auto Loan. In September 2012, I asked a colleague about USAA Auto loans, which are supposed to be the best since they offer these loans only to military personnels and their families. At that time, the rate was 2.99 percent while mine was 0.49. Granted mine was the military, too, I did notice that Pen Fed Federal Credit Union is member-owned whereas nothing was said about member ownership of USAA Auto loan. And there you have it. If you are not convinced yet, just make sure that you compare the rate of your loan with Pen Fed as a due diligence before closing any auto loan transaction.

PenFed's auto loan also covers refinancing. So, if your existing car loan is terrible, you don't have to feel trapped. It may not be as good as the loan through the auto buying service, but it may still be better than your existing loan. A little homework may save you a bundle of money and that's money you earned for yourself.

Save Money, Improve Health By Leaving Eggplant Skin In Bhurtha

2013-08-11T17:35:00.002-07:00

Bhurtha

In most eggplant recipes, you are told to broil or bake the eggplant and remove the skin. Alternatively, you are told to peel the skin off. However, there is a health beneficial element called nasunin, an anthocyanin, that is found in eggplant peels as shown in the purple colorization of the peels. According to a 2000 UC Berkeley study, the peels prevent lipid peroxidation, which is a type of premature damage to cells.

Eggplants are already super food, unless you have joint issues or arthritis. They promote the circulation of blood by relaxing the blood vessels and serve as an iron chelator, which takes away iron when you have too much of it. Eggplants are also high in fiber and is a good source of manganese and potassium. Manganese helps reduce inflammation, and potassium is good to prevent hypertension.

Here is an easy and delicious eggplant recipe called Bhurtha where I have left the skin on the dish.

Bhurtha
1 medium size eggplant
1 large tomato or 3 small tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon tumeric or Indian curry powder
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili powder
1/4 c fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
salt to taste

Chopped the eggplants into thin bite-size pieces. You can take out or leave in as much of the seeds. In a skillet, cook the eggplant pieces in the oil until it is soft. Remove the eggplants and place in a bowl. Chop the tomato into pieces, and combine the rest of the ingredients (except the optional cilantro) in the same skillet that cooked the eggplants. Cook until the tomato pieces have softened, and then add the eggplants back into the skillet. Combine well, and then salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Popular Asian Noodles: Knowing What They Are Can Save You Some Money and Headache.

2013-08-05T15:51:00.001-07:00

Asian Noodles Have Become Very Popular Lately.

Asians love noodles as much as rice. The most popular ones are somen, soba, udon, ramen, mung noodles, and rice noodles.

Somen noodles are thin Japanese wheat noodles that are typically eaten cold to increase one's appetite during the hot seasons. If somen noodles are colored green, they are typically colored with green tea and called cha somen. Typically it is seasoned with a soy sauce based sauce called tsuyu sauce.

Simple Cold Somen Recipe

Bring a large pot of water to a roiling boil. Prepare the noodles (each bundle is one serving), according to the package directions. Somen water is not used, so you can dump out the water into a colander and immediately run the somen under cool running water, tossing until cool.
Fill 4 large bowls with cold water, and place a few ice cubes in each. Place a quarter of the somen in each bowl and serve with tyusu sauce on the side.

Somen Noodles Are Great For Small Children! These are very thin noodles like angel hair. Because they are very soft, they are great noodles for small children. You can break them into smaller lengths. I can remember growing up eating warm somen noodles instead of spaghetti noodles because they are so easy to chew.

Soba (Buckwheat) Noodles

Soba noodles are very healthful and are made from soba or buckwheat mixed with wheat flour because buckwheat alone does not have enough gluten to hold it together. When the noodles are green, again they are made with green tea. Soba can be eaten hot, in soup, or cold, with dipping sauce, which is called Zaru Soba.

Preparation for Somen Noodles

Tsuyu Sauce: The Sauce Used With Somen Noodles

It's a quick way to make Japanese noodle dipping sauce. It can be served with various boiled and chilled noodles, such as somen and soba.

Ingredients:

2 cups kombu and katsuobushi dashi
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin

Preparation:

Put mirin in a medium pan and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce and dashi soup stock in the pan and bring to a boil again. Stop the heat. Cool the sauce.

Tsukimi Soba Recipe

Cook soba with ample water. It is usually cooked to "al dente" but without any hard center.
Combine the ingredients for the soup stock and heat until barely a simmer. Warm soup bowls with hot water for a few minutes before filling each bowl with noodles. Then, pour the broth until 1 inch below the rim. Top each bowl with a raw egg.

Why Not Try Making Your Own Soba Noodles?

Soba Noodle Ingredients:
800 grams of buckwheat flour & 200 grams of wheat flour, and 500 ml of water.

Udon Noodles (Thick Japanese Wheat Noodles)

Udon Noodle Recipes

Japanese Udon Miso Noodle Soup

Only 15 minutes to prepare.

Beef Udon Soup

Recipe from MasterCook

Simple Shitake Udon Soup

Completely vegetarian.

Simple Udon Soup with Chicken and Leek

20 minutes to prepare.

How To Make Udon Noodles

Ramen Noodles

Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish using Chinese style wheat noodles served with meat in broth. Originally, the noodles are made from flour, salt, water, and kansui,which is a type of mineral water giving it the yellow hue. Nowadays, it may contain eggs for the same yellow color. Japanese sauteed ramen noodles are called yakisoba.

Ramen Noodles From Scratch

How to Make Ramen From Scratch

Ingredients:
3/4 Cups Flour (see below)
1 egg
~3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
~1 tbsp water (depending on flour and humidity)

Cellophane Noodles

The Noodles with Many Names

Cellophane noodles may also be called Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, bean thread noodles, crystal noodles, mung noodles, or glass noodles. They could also be made from potatoes. Different countries have names for them. For example, in Indonesia, cellophane noodles are called called soun or suun.

Jap Chae--Korean Noodle Salad

A Chinese Dish Using Cellophane Noodles Called Ants Climbing Trees

Rice Noodles

Rice Noodles Dishes

Rice Noodles are very popular from Thailand and Vietnam to Taiwan. The three famous Thai rice noodle dishes are Pad Se Ew, Pad Thai, and Pad Ran.

Pad Thai For Beginners

Pad Thai is the most popular Thai rice noodle dish.

Pad-See-Ew

Another very popular Thai rice noodle dish, this one from Thai Table.

Pad-Kee-Mao

Another popular Thai rice noodle dish.

Tyler Florence's Version of Pad Thai

Highly recommended and easy.

Singapore Noodle from About.com

Singapore Noodles are fried rice noodles flavored with curry. It is also a very popular dish from Taiwan.

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup from Steamy Kitchen

Pho is the name for the popular Vietnamese rice noodle soup.

Chicken Pad Thai By Divine Chef

Reversing Gifted Underachievement

2013-08-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Inside the Mind of A Gifted Underachiever

If your gifted child hates school, parents and teachers may be quick to label you as "trouble" or "defiant" or diagnose you with a number of disorders. This is far from the truth. There is nothing wrong with hating school. Oftentime the overlooked gifted child is a non-producer (low test scores/grades), exhibiting behavior problems, such as "cockiness" or "bulling." They may be introverted and quiet, even absent-minded.

Who Is The Gifted/Able Underachievers?

GENERAL GIFTED UNDERACHIEVERS' CHARACTERS:

Low self-esteem; feelings of inferiority

Consistently negative attitude toward school and learning; apathetic and unmotivated

Poor attention span/daydreaming where bored

Low tolerance for completing tasks that seem irrelevant/uninteresting

Reluctance to take risks or exhibits inappropriate risk-taking

Discomfort with competition; highly sensitive to criticism

Lack of perseverance

Lack of goal-directed behavior

Social isolation

Low/inconsistent academic performance

Lack of organizational skills; loses or forgets assignments

Disruptiveness in class and resistance to class activities

Power struggles with authorities; questions rules and customs

Common Factors Of Underachievers At School and Home

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNDERACHIEVER AT SCHOOL:

Negative relationship or lack of student-teacher connection

Lack of supportive classroom climate

Low teacher expectations

School culture perpetuating low expectations or mediocrity; anti-intellectual peer atmosphere

Cultural mismatch between teaching and learning style

Lack of teacher training in culturally relevant or gifted education

Lack of differentiated, motivating instruction with flexibility/choice

Excessive use of competition or measured comparison

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNDERACHIEVER AT HOME:

Lack of optimism

Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness

Less assertive about child's education

Less assertive about child's education

Unrealistic and unclear expectations

Effective Strategy: Setting "Motivation Traps"

If teachers have not learned the effective strategy of motivation traps, they ought to know that this is a way to "bait" or "trap" students with high interest content into using and developing standards-based skills. It's a win-win strategy for both students and teachers. Students are given the opportunity to interact with high-interest topics during the instructional day (rather than being deliberately cut off from these topics), and teachers are able to hook students into interacting and comprehending academic standards.

What Are the Different Motivational Traps?

Some Categories:

Hero Traps-- Children all have heroes, famous athletes, movie stars, musicians, authors, etc. Teachers can find ways to incorporate students' heroes as bait in most disciplines. Examples: Letter writing to heroes, hero biographies, mock interviews of heroes, writing a movie script starring the hero, calculating and creating a statistics report for athletes, creating a budget using a hero's salary, timeline/geneaology chart of a hero's life, direct a music video of a hero's music or write our own music in the same style.

Intense-Interest Traps-- The intense interest can be dinosaurs, cars, video games, fashion, music, basketball, etc. and can be incorporated into classroom lessons or pursued by students through independent study. Examples: Independent study/research in an interest area, draw/label diagrams of interest to create a book, classify and categorize items of interest, measure/compute statistics (weight, price, speed, etc.), historical study of interest area.

Classroom Club Traps-- Promoting high-interest classroom clubs can help students with social and academic growth, combining high-interest "bait" and new peer relationship, thus encouraging leadership opportunities and problem-solving skills. Examples: Cooking Club (create recipes, public and sell cookbooks), Garden Club (study in past, present and future of agriculture), Classroom Journalism Club (interviews, book and movie reviews, editorials, photographs)

Social and Emotional Needs Traps-- Underachievers may grave acceptance and attention, which may be satisfied by this "trap." Examples: Note Passing to peers (involving pen-pal program) and positive notes about peers to report out to the class at a scheduled time.

Top 10 Children's Activities In Los Angeles

2013-08-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Worthwhile Free Activities For Children in Los Angeles

NEXTGEN Program At the Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA)

Add creative activities to your children's life. There has been this wonderful arts program at the LACMA that is completely free for children and teens under the age of 17. You can find the NextGen Application for here . The best part about the NextGen program is that when a child is a NextGen member, he or she can bring an adult into the museum for free.

The most popular program at LACMA is Andell Family Day on Sundays from 12:30 to 3:30 P.M. You can find the schedule here . It's a hand-on method of learning different techniques on different arts topics. My children have made color African mask drawings masked by blocking inks, Japanese potteries, collages, Greek mosaic art, and many other projects. Further, the kids have been on family tours with curators who know how to engage the children. You don't have to be a NextGen member to enjoy this program because this is usually outside. You can always complete a NextGen application on site, so don't worry if you did not send in a NextGen application.

There are a number of free events at LACMA such as gallery conversations .

Homepage of LACMA is here.

Hours
LACMA is open every day except Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Regular Hours:

Monday 12 noon-8 pm
Tuesday 12 noon-8 pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 12 noon-8 pm
Friday 12 noon-9 pm
Saturday 11 am-8 pm
Sunday 11 am-8 pm
EARLY CLOSURE
Saturday, September 24 | All levels of the Ahmanson Building will close at 5 pm

Griffith Observatory--The Building and Grounds Are Always Free

Griffith Observatory is one of the most popular attractions in Los Angeles. The Observatory is located in Griffith Park, just above the Los Feliz neighborhood, and is 1,134 feet above sea level, visible from many parts of the Los Angeles basin.

Griffith Observatory
2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(213) 473-0800

This address can be entered into GPS or mapping programs to get to the Observatory.

From the calendar page of the website, you will find upcoming free parties and special events.

Hours

Weekdays (Wednesday-Friday)
Open Noon - 10:00 p.m.

Weekends (Saturday-Sunday)
Open 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Mondays and Tuesdays
Closed

California Science Museum in Exposition Park

The California Science Museum is one of my favorite museums. The most exciting new is that on April 12, 2011, NASA Administrator General Charles Bolden announced that the California Science Center is one of four institutions chosen to receive a Space Shuttle Orbiter. The Museum is now the home of the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

700 Exposition Park Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90037
Neighborhood: South Los Angeles
(323) 724-3623

Official website:
californiasciencecenter.org

Hours of Admission

The California Science Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

There are Monthly Free Museum Days

Use This Handy Chart To Plan Your Visit To Los Angeles

Getty Center/Getty Villa

One of the newer landmarks in Los Angeles is the Getty Center, the newer of the two Getty Museum. The Getty Villa had been recently renovated. Both Museum are free, but the Getty Villa requires online reservation of tickets, which can be found on this page,
www.getty.edu/visit/groups/families.html.

Hours for the GETTY CENTER site and galleries:

Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Wednesday 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Thursday 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Friday 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Closed Mondays and on January 1, July 4 (Independence Day), Thanksgiving, and December 25 (Christmas Day).

Hours for the GETTY VILLA site and galleries:

Monday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tuesday CLOSED
Wednesday Varies; see below
Thursday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Friday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Closed Tuesdays and on January 1, July 4 (Independence Day), Thanksgiving, and December 25 (Christmas Day).

A list of current family programs can be found at http://www.getty.edu/visit/groups/families.html

For other visiting information, please click here.

The event calendar is here.

Shakespeare By The Sea

Shakespeare By The Sea's core program is its free summer festivals at various parks. SBTS now present a repertory season that runs for 9 weeks - 5 weeks in San Pedro and 4 weeks in other venues throughout LA and Orange County.

Here is a list of park locations.

For more information, click here. Keep checking back for the next season's calendar.

Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier is a great place for children to visit. In addition to the beach, they can watch the street performers and artists entertain. And while the rides and games at Pacific Park will require money, admission to this amusement park on the pier is free. Finally, there are numerous fishermen waiting for the fish to pull their lines. The sunset is absolutely beautiful.

During the summer, the Pier hosts a dance series. Here is a look at the lineup.

Los Angeles Central Library Events for Children

The Los Angeles Central Library has a beautiful children's department. The best kept secret is that this library generally has the best collection of children's book series because it's not frequented by parents or children. Instead of putting a book on hold, why not drop by and browse their collection. Plus, it also has a variety of children's programs, including storytelling and puppet

It also has a great collection of DVD, books on tape, and music CDs.

Swimming At Los Angeles Park and Recreation

Swimming at any one of the swimming pools run by the Los Angeles Park and Recreation is free for children 17 and under. There are many indoor swimming facilities that are open year round, whereas the outdoor ones tend to be open only during the summer season.

Here is a list of swimming pools in the City of Los Angeles. On the left, there is a link to year round swimming facilities.

Farmer's Market/The Grove

One might wonder why this farmer's market and mall would make the list of free children's activities in Los Angeles. Not only is this one of the oldest farmer's markets, but the new mall that is attached to it has a beautiful fountain where the water dances to music. My kids just love the watch the waterwork. The mall also has a list of activities for children.

Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Box with Flap--Review and Modification

2013-08-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

I owe the Sizzix BigKick (the periwinkle machine) and so far think it has proven to be quite useful. I bought a few box die templates because I wanted a box options for gift giving and donations. However, when I received the Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Box w/Flap (2 5/8" x 3 3/4" x 7/8"), I realized that it looked too much like a crayon box. Further, I tried it with regular cardboard and it did not crease. The only explanation is that my cardboard must not be thick enough. So, I decided to make it work anyways, my way. I was so pleased that I decided to share it.

Tools and Material You Will Need

6 inch ribbon
a bead
12" x 6" cardboard
12" x 12" gift wrap
scissors
small hole puncher
glue
tape
stapler
Sizzix BigKick or BigShot Machine
"Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die, Box with Flap" die cut

Instructions
1. Measure the front side and crease it at 2 3/8".
2. Since my cut-out did not score, I divided the size into thirds and creased it.
3. Trim off the sides to 2 3/8".
4. I eyeballed where the creases to the flap and fold.
5. At the 2 3/8" mark from the back side, cut across.
6. Slide the flap to fit and then staple on both sides; also staple the sides to close the box.
7. Fold the bottom flap, tuck in, and tape.
8. Trace decorative wrapping paper, cut, and glue.
9. For the bottom, just tape it closed like gift wrap.
10. Punch a hole on the flap and also on the corresponding front side.
11. Cut a ribbon and loop a bead into it.
12. Pull the two ends of the ribbon through the hole on the front side.
13. Wrap a small gift such as earrings and tuck inside the box.
14. Pull the two ends of the ribbon through the flap and then tie a bow. Voila!

Last Words
The box now reminds me of a gum box, but the new gum boxes have not been around as long as the crayon boxes. The crayon box is still useful for longer objects, but if you want a smaller box, this is how you can do it.

Point Lobos State Park Is The Best $10 Spent!

2013-08-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Point Lobos State Park is located at 62 State 1, Carmel, CA 93923-9753, USA.

Report a map error

Map of Point Lobos State Reserve

You can see the small rocks north of "the Slot."

Along the Cyprus Grove Trail

Near Cypress Cove

Harbor Seals Resting

Source: Formosangirl's Personal Collection

Whaler's Cove

Along Granite Point Trail

View from Coal Chute Point

View Toward Moss Cove

Granite Point

Granite Point Trail

One of the Footbridges

As the title suggests, I find Point Lobos State Reserve to be one of the most fascinating parks that I have ever visited. The trails are mostly along the cliffs, where you could tell that many hundred of years before, there were parts that fell into the ocean. Then, there are parts that are sandy and others where they are rocky. Then, you have tidal pools formed nears slabs of rocks.

Even though we return frequently to Point Lobos State Reserve, a couple of times per year, we noticed numerous changes to the park in April 2012. This time around, China Cove was closed. This was fine for us because we wanted to venture to a different part of the park. In the past we explored from China Cove to the Whalers' Cabin. We decided this time around to go farther west. However, since we couldn't find parking, we parked at Piney Woods and walked along the shores near Sand Hill Cove. We noticed one thing different, the stairs to the penisula near Sea Lion Cove was completely closed off. Apparently, there was landslide so that the natural stairs to the rocky penisula were just to dangerous to navigate. I spoke to a park ranger who said that it will be repaired. Interestingly, another ranger said that to increase revenue, the park is planning on opening the park for weddings. Although the park attracts over 300,000 visitors, the State Park System is not doing too well. I think that the $10 admission is not too much to ask to maintain the park. Unlike national parks such as Yosemite, state parks do spend a lot of money on convenient restrooms with flushing toilets.

Then, finally, during early afternoon, we saw a few parking spaces opening up. We moved our car closer to the Sea Lion Point Trail and walked leisurely on Cypress Grove Trail. This was a leisurely and shady walk with mild change in topography. Insteading of hiking to Whalers' Cove, we drove there and skipped the entire Whalers Knoll. The highlight of the trip was seeing 13 seals basking near Whaler's Cove. Why that particular area? I do not know. One volunteer said that last year, there were 28. This year, at least 2 were pregnant. In Spring, the rangers anticipate pups.

The adventure began when we started along Granite Point Trail. The walk was peaceful, and there was a stretch where even wheelchair individuals could enjoy the trail. The only complaint was the stench from a lot of seaweed along the water and shore. At Coal Chute Point, we saw an otter in the waters. It was interesting to see how flat Carmelo Meadow is and then how rocky and steep the areas were near Coal Chute Point and Granite Point. One can see that beyond the Moss Cove Trail to a totally different terrain, sandy beach. I can vouch that Point Lobos State Reserve is a must-see park in California, if not in the United States.

Useful Links

Point Lobos State Park Website

How To Improve One's Luck with the Four Principles Explained in Dr. Wiseman's Book Called Luck Factor

2013-08-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

A lot of people just complain about bad luck. Anyone who wishes self improvement should start with improving one's luck. Because as I always have said, "it is better to be lucky than smart." I saved a lot of money because I was lucky to buy a fixer-upper at a great location. Or was that luck?

amazon

My Analysis of The Four Principles

Everyone wants more luck in his or her life. Like the common saying goes, it’s better to be lucky than smart. Dr. Richard Wiseman pointed out four fundamental principals to increasing your luck factor in his book called the Luck Factor. The first principle is make your own luck by exposing yourself to a large number of people and to create more opportunities. They also don’t mind being flexible and having a relaxed attitude. Along the way, they also enjoy their new experiences. In hindsight, I had created my luck as a young person. I met a friend who told me that he liked going to live shows. And I replied that I didn’t have such an experience and want to be exposed to such an experience. So, I told him as well as others that I am willing to drop all non-essential plans to be their “plus one” at concerts. One time, a friend asked me if I could get changed and meet him at a distant subway station in 30 minutes. I said that I could try, and that’s when I was able to go see Rod Stewart last minute. The other friend had friends who would cancel so often that I went to a couple dozen of symphonies and concerts one year, and this continued until I left D.C. When it came to seeing lots of concerts and broadway shows, I was pretty lucky.

I met a low-ranking government employee who was departing from the department but I did not know it. But I jovially engaged in a banter where he asked me which slice of pizza to buy at the government cafeteria. I replied that he should choose the largest slice with the most amount of topping for his $1.25. This conversation led to the agency in the department creating a position for me.

Chance favors the prepared mind. Lucky people listen to their gut feelings and boost their intuition through meditation. I see this second principle to be tangent to the first principle because you cannot be too rigid. For example, I personally think it’s foolish to have certain goals in order. I know some people who will not have a family until they buy a house. What if you do not make enough money and cannot buy a house. If you follow a rigid order, you will find that you may not reach any of your goals because you are stuck behind an unattainable goal.

I can see why Dr. Wiseman recommends meditation, which enables the clarity of the mind and the control your mind. Also your spiritual awareness increase, increasing your perception, curiosity, patience and peace of mind. One chant is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo; (Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism – The Lotus Sutra). In 1994, I converted to Nirchiren Daishonin’s Buddhism (Soka Gakkai International) because the Buddhist principles gave me confidence and determination. I chanted to buy a house. But it wasn’t long that we received a call from our realtor that one abandoned house dropped by $35,000. Despite the fact that the house sat vacant for 9 months and the last person to sign the visitor’s roster signed as “Joe Homeless” and it was sold “as is,” we jumped at an opportunity to own in a great location in October 1996. It was not obvious that we follow one of the most basic principles in real estate, “Location, Location, and Location” despite a feeling that the improvement may be overwhelming. Only in hindsight did we learn that it was an auspicious deicision. We were able to lift Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) in 18 months when the property tripled in value.

Dr. Wiseman’s third principle is to expect the good. And I guess that we were not weighed down by the negative aspect of the home….a back wall of the property stood precariously; the carpet was dirty and stunk of pet urine; the paint was dingy; and the entire property was overgrown with vegetation such as large vines that looked like trees.

Similarly, when dating, too many single persons find the wrong reason not to continue a relationship. Why should the other person have a great job or own a house? Jobs and homeownership come and go. Isn’t it more important to have similar core values? I know too many couple find out only after they are married that they are not financially compatible. They find out that one is a spender and the other is a saver. This relationship will not work out. I know couples who did not know what each other's position on raising a family. Someone who does not want children will not stay together with someone who wants children. If you have the clarity of mind, you can push out the garbage thoughts and have see the right opportunity.

Dr. Wiseman’s third principle is to expect fortune. Unlucky people already presume that they will fail whereas the lucky ones will keep trying. When I was young, I happened to win as vice president of my elementary school. I watched earlier candidates the year before giving speeches to the kindergarten class, and so, I did the same. I couldn’t believe that I, as a foreigner and outcast, won the position over a popular football player. This gave me confidence for the rest of my life, where I won a national essay contest representing my state (this story is told in my hub How I Have Accepted Premontions As A Foundation In My Life). I also believed that poor grades was not the end-all and worked to gain confidence, money, and solid foundation for my resume. You fail only when you give up. Just like the only concrete loss in the stock market is when you cash out your stocks during a down cycle.

The final principal of Dr. Wiseman’s book is to fix your luck. He believes that one should see the positive. As I grow older, now I understand how some acquaintances have stated that they wanted full days of nothing but positive thoughts. Don’t even think that an injustice may not right itself. I knew someone who was very lucky. He did very little (from my point of view) and yet he was promoted. He rewarded a bonus to at least one of his friends as far as I could see because she helped his daughter find a cheap wedding place. But then he was attacked by a homeless person and was hospitalized and then despite a 4-6 month travel to different offices, he was demoted and retired quickly. He rose so quickly but he fell so hard. I was in total disbelief that this was ever going to happen, but again, I was not seeing the positive. And I dwelled on it, pitying myself. However, I soon learned that we cannot compare ourselves to others’ lives. I knew a person who was very popular and was promoted quickly, yet she died at a young age with breast cancer.

So what can one do to fix the luck. In my opinion, be proactive. Brainstorm. Network. When I was in a rut with my career, a woman who spent a few years at my college told me to join a professional association and attend the lectures and meet people. That did eventually lead to my current position. In terms of finding a mate, I always remember that a smile is free and inviting. And unless it is really necessary, always go out on a date if asked because it is hard being the person who has to ask you. Finally, everything you do is about learning about yourself, no matter how bored you are or how redundant the task is.

In short, I am not the luckiest person on Earth, but I could see that I have lived with similar principles expounded by Dr. Wiseman in his book called The Luck Factor.

Maki Sushi: So Easy That A Child Can Make It and Your Pocketbook Will Love

2013-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

So Easy A Child Can Make Sushi

An Accidental Discovery

Two years ago I went to the Oxnard Strawberry Festival which has a great Arts and Crafts show. In addition to the great displays of handcrafted jewelery and art, there was a booth demonstrating easy sushi making. I had to stop and watch because I am always interested in making any food dishes faster and easier.

What Is Different About A Maki Sushi Maker?

A traditional sushi maker is made out of bamboo skewers and strings. You layer the rice and ingredients onto your nori (dried seaweed sheet), and then you roll. However, you have to balance putting enough pressure on the rice and the other ingredients and rolling the nori. My mother has a great roll and pull technique, which I have not mastered.
The maki sushi maker takes the nori equation out.

Here are the steps to making your sushi:

1. Put maki sushi maker on top of your nori.

2. Put a layer of rice in the maki maker.

3. Take the top of the maki maker with the indentation pointing toward the rice and press so that there is a place to put your ingredients.

4. Add your ingredients: avocado, cucumbers, eggs, imitation crab, etc. (You don't need to use raw fish)

5. Cover with more rice.

6. Using the flat park of the top of the maki maker and push the rice mixture through while lifting the maker off the rice.

7. Roll the nori around the rice. The nori is actually for ease to pick up the rice. It does not keep the rice together because the maki maker already shaped the rice already. If it does not close, add a little bit of water, and then place the crease side on the bottom so that the moisture from the rice also seals it.

Cooking Rice
5 cups short grain rice
5-1/3 cup water
First clean the rice by adding water and turning the rice in the water. Pour the water out and look for any discolored pieces that may look like pebbles. Clean the rice another two times, washing away the murky water that is full of starch from the milling process. Then, add the water and then use a rice cooker.

Vinegar Mixture
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c sugar
3 tsp salt
In a small pan, heat the vinegar, sugar and salt mixture. Pour onto the rice and mix with a big spoon or a rice paddle. Keep stirring the rice. Wait until the rice is cool before making sushi.

So next time you have a party or your office is having a potluck, why not try making sushi with a maki sushi maker?You will easily impress your guests or coworkers. It is so easy to use that even a child can make it. Can you imagine what fun it is to make sushi with your children? My kids and I have fun making maki sushi, and it makes a great meal.

How To Stretch Your Dollar With Discover Card Cashback Reward

2013-08-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

Super Combinations for Savings

I went for a decade not using my Discover Card. One of the reasons is a common joke that most stores do not take the Discover Card. Even the animated show Futurama made fun of the Discover Card. Then, when another credit card was giving one percent on everything, five percent on gas, and two percent on grocery store and then I abandoned the Discover Card for several years. Then, I noticed that there were ways to combine Discover Card reward with the available promotional deals. I skirted back to Discover Card.

Terms You Need To Know

First $3000, you earn only .25 percent. Afterward, you earn 1 percent on your purchase until your anniversary month is reached. Then, you repeat the requirement to purchase $3000 before earing 1 percent again. Purchases earning 5% do not count in the first $3000. During the year, certain types of purchases are eligible for 5% cashback; however, one needs to sign up before a purchase can qualify for 5%. You can also earn bonus dollars from shopping through Discover, earning 5% to 20%. Very few places will give you cashback for the Apple Store but you can receive 4-5% cashback through ShopDiscover.
Although there are a lot of participating partners, I am highlighting some of my favorite stores:

Buca Di Beppo

In my opinion, the two best pizzas money can buy are Johnnies' New York Pizza and Buca di Beppo. However, one could get great deals at Buca. At Discover, you can use $20 of your cashback to buy a $25 gift card. If you have an Entertainment book, there are typically two $10 off $20 purchase coupons. (I purchased two Entertainment books for $40 but Fatwallet happened to have a rebate amounting to $7; within one month of purchasing my Entertainment books, they have paid for themselves). So if you get a take-away Supreme pizza for $25, you'll paid around $16.5 after tax, and save $8.5 for another day. If you sign up for the special offers on the site, you can receive regular offers. I don't really consider using my cashback as really spending money because I am not taking money out of the bank or charging money on a credit card, and even if I do have to pay a portion, overall, it is still a great deal.

Footlocker

Have you noticed that shoes for men are very expensive at Payless? My pre-teen son is wearing men's 6-1/2. Our family favors Adidas, and recently we noticed that our purchases with Discover cashback and the birthday offer was better than the savings that I would have received at Citadel's Adidas outlet. You can use $20 cashback to buy a $25 Footlocker gift certificate. So, for $60 cashback, you can buy three $25 gift certificates. Then, if you are signed up for the frequent purchase program at Footlocker, you will receive a coupon good for $25 off $100 purchase. The final step is to shop for Adidas shoes on sale. What's left is charging the tax on my Discover Card. Who would not want to parlay $60 cashback into $100 to buy durable athletic shoes for the family, and just pay for tax?

Brookstone

Have you been to Brookstone and want to buy everything at the store? You can turn $20 cashback into $30. This will come in handy especially around the holiday time when you can pick up a coupon for $20-25 off $100 from the store because it is encouraging holiday purchasing.

Old Navy

In my family, back-to-school purchase is at Old Navy after Christmas. You can use $20 cashback to buy a $25 gift certificate. The perfect time to use this certificate or multiple certificates is after Christmas when Old Navy moves out a lot of that year's merchandise that it wants to clear. The deals especially around New Year's Day can be 40% off the lowest discounted price. If you have ever purchased at Old Navy, you will generally receive a receipt with a survey. Complete that survey and you receive a code for an additional 10% off.

Enterprise

You can use $20 casback to purchase a $40 gift certificate. I don't have a combination for super savings, but I think this one is worthy of mention. This gift certificate is a bit tricky because you have to reserve your rental car through the 1-800 number on the certificate. What is amazing is that once we needed to rent a car for a day, using our gift certificate, we ended up paying $9 out of pocket. Then, we left extra gas in tank, and they ended up writing on a business card that they will give us a 1/4 tank at our next rental.

How To Hem Pants Like A Professional

2013-08-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Summary

What if someone told you that anyone can hem like a professional? What if someone does not even have to find matching thread? What if someone said that you won't lose the original cuff or manufacturer's hem? Would you be interested to learn how?

Two pair of hemmed pants

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photo 9

It is a great feeling to know that you can go buy any pants and be able to hem them to look professional, costing you just some time and effort. Can you believe that anybody, from beginner to advance, can hem a pair of paints professionally?

The theory behind the style of hemming for pants that I am about to explain has numerous benefits. First of all, the alteration appears minimum since you are keeping the manufacturer's hem. Second, you do not even have to match your thread to the thread used on the pants because your thread won't even show. The basic theory is to cut a portion of the pants above the original hems. What so great about this technique is that if you can sew one line near the original hem and a second line, a zig zag, and can tuck away some fabric, you can do a professional hem.

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Take a 31/2" x 5" and have the bottom edge correspond with the hem line that you desire. (Photo 1)

2. Bring the edge of the card that marks the pant's new edge to the edge of the original hem and then pin. (Photo 2)

3. Put another pin close to inner sewn fold. (Photo 3)

4. Undo the pins and straighten out the pant fold so that you see the inside of the pants. (Photo 4)

5. You can fold the cardboard to show the length of the fold (Photo 4) or you can mark it with a color pencil. (Photo 5)

6. Regardless of the thread color, sew close to the old hem. (Photo 6)

7. Parallel to the sewing done in Step 6, sew a line of zig zag. (Photo 7)

8. If the fold is too thick, then you can cut some of the fabric between the fold and the two sewn lines. (Photo 7)

9. Tuck the flap toward the edge of the pants, fold, and hand stitch for slacks (Photo 8) or straight stitch at the very edge of the pants.

The result is shown in Photo 9 and the top Hub photo.

Although up close, you see the fold that I put in above the original stitch, you really cannot see it when looking at someone wearing the pants. You will be surprised how professional your hemming will look.

Mac Users Can Be More Organized With Growly Notes, A Free Solution to Microsoft's Onenote

2013-08-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

Paperless Organization

Everyone says he or she wants to be more organized or more productive or less forgetful. Students want to take better notes and study more efficiently. At work, we want to use the business hours wisely, hoping for less stress. At work, I use Microsoft's One Note 2010, which is a note-taking program which has a number of tags that you can use with your notes. I relied upon it immediately after my office upgraded to Window and Office 8, most notably the sections and pages for the various topics that I choose to include and the inclusion of information directly on the page, or attached files and pictures. Coming home to a MacBook Pro, I found that I missed the organization, until I found Growly Notes.

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The Basics

Cost: Growly Notes is the solution for Mac users who like Microsoft's OneNote and is completely free to download because it is open source software. Who doesn't like free. In fact, a lot of PC users wish that there is Growly Notes for PC, but this will not happen.
Sections and Pages: You can organize pretty much any information that comes before you so that you don't have to remember the information and the information can be at your fingertip when you need it.
Here are some suggestion sections:
1. Completion List/To Do List: I keep both a list of things to do as well as a list of things that I have done. I keep a running list of both so that I can just keep adding to either list. I insert a date and time and then each entry of what I have accomplished plus a tag, which is a symbol next to an entry. I prefer seeing what I have done, even though it may be a little tedious at times. But it keeps me motivated when I feel sluggish and wish to procrastinate.
2. Financial Information/Online Accounts and Passwords. I used to keep this information in Excel but I found that the Excel program takes too long to open. The beauty of Growly Notes is that you can password protect your sensitive files. This is great to keep a snapshot of your finances in each account in an easily created table, and I like to copy the information from credit card statement regarding monthly balance and due date and add the word "paid" when I have done it. Opening the scratchpad and also a calculator program, I can make informal number crunching notes. As for the online accounts and passwords, this is easier to keep in one place instead of asking for each site to send my password.
3. Recipes. I have a page for each type of food that I am collecting. For example, I have a all of my kimchi recipes on one page and muffin recipes on another page. I also copy links of the recipe including videos, photo of the food and the actual recipe for easy access. I have essentially made a recipebook of what I typically use. If I don't want them anymore, I can just delete the page or delete the recipes that I do not want.
4. Reading Log. I created a table to show what books each family member is reading or has read. As a mother on top of their reading, I can determine what books have been read and can be returned to the library. I can look back and gauge what books the younger child can read.
5. Travel Planning/Price Comparisons/Itinerary. I am a careful travel planner because my resources are limited. I like to collect different activities for each trip and also compare hotel prices. Keeping the research digitally allows easy access and also reduces redundancy in research.
6. Coincidence Journal. I started a coincidence journal to memorialize wishes that have come true that have made our lives better. It also relieves stress because it can show how powerful our subconscious mind can be in getting through unexpected obstacles. This has helped me become more open to good things in life as suggested Rhonda Bryne's "The Secret" as well as be more open-minded in my thought process.

Overall Review

Growly Notes is a primitive program. I found it difficult to copy sections of my notes if I wanted to copy it into a Word document. It is a more cumbersome program than Microsoft's OneNote. I really like to insert a blank box in front of my to-do list entry whereas Growly Notes allows you to insert a checked box once your task has been completed. Further, I have not figured out when a page can be locked. It is not intuitive. However, for the price of free, it is worth putting up with all of its flaws.

How To Recycle A Cylinder Container Into A Beautiful Gift Box

2013-08-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Recycling Is Beautiful Goal!

I am glad to hear that the students in school learn about the three basic concepts to a better tomorrow "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle." Around Christmas time, I think twice about throwing away containers that can easily turn into Christmas present boxes. Here is a project involving Laughing Cow cheese boxes. Don't worry about it being a cylindrical box. This article will show you how to decorate this box into a presentable jewelry box or gift box for a small, flat item.

Here are the Supplies You Need: Scissors
Glue or Glue Stick
Wrapping Paper
Tissue Paper
Pencil
Ribbon

Here are the Steps To Making A Decorated Gift Box With An Ordinary Cylindrical Box:

Step #1: Remove as much of the label as possible. This step is required if you are going to cover the container with thin wrapping paper or tissue paper. If your wrapping paper is thick, then skip this step. (Photo #3)

Laughing Cow Cheese Containers

Step #2. Place your the bottom of your container onto your wrapping paper, and have an idea to cut and leave enough paper so that it could be glued up the side. The reason why I am not so precise with the measurement is that sometimes when you try to cut it apart from the container, you may measure incorrectly and waste time and paper. What you end up is a piece of wrapping paper that can fit your bottom and has a bit of excess around it, even beyond the exposed side of the container when the box is closed. The excess will be trimmed off.

Photo #3

Step #3: Glue the paper onto the lid and smooth the liquid throughout the box surface. You can also use a gluestick. Do the same for the bottom.

Step #4: Start cutting the paper to the length of the side, but if it is a little over the side, that's fine.

Step #5: Cut into the wrapping paper circle up to the point where the paper is already glued to the top surface. Then, spread glue on the side and individually glue each flap of paper. (Photo #7)

Step #6: You can see if the edge of the wrapping paper exceeds the exterior part of the box. If so, put a crease delineating the edge of the exterior

Step #7: Do the same for the top, except the wrapping paper for the lid should be longer than the side so that the paper can wrap onto side and the interior side, and trim accordingly. Then glue the wrapping paper onto the inside of the box lid. (Photo #9)


Photo #4

Step #8: To make it more festive, using the same technique, glue the tissue paper inside the lid

Step #9: Place tissue paper on the bottom. This does not have to be glued down.

And voila, you have a beautiful box for your Christmas present. This box is especially nice for necklaces, and other flat gifts, such as gift cards. Plus, it is a box that can be recycled again if you don't write on it. The recipient of your gift can possibly use it for another present giving occasion. So, next time, you need a gift box, look in your kitchen and see if you can recycle a box.

Photo #6

Photo #5

Photo #7

Photo #8

Photo #9

Photo #10

Pearl, Crystal, and Seed Bead Necklace with All Sterling Silver Findings

How Discover Card Reward Can Save You Money During Last Minute Emergency

2013-08-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

It is July 2012, and our 2002 Jetta broke down for the second time. The first time, was right before 5 P.M., after Spring Break, and my husband did not pick up the kids until 7:30 P.M. Thank goodness the after-school program instructors don't encounter this very often from us, and we were embarrassed to have inconvenienced everyone. On the plus side, this was the first time during this academic year. This time, the kids are at their day camp of a nearby public school, and I just woke up during a 2-3 hour nap during the day because I called in sick and am suffering from one of those chest colds. Despite, inhaling my asthma medication for the second time, I then took an uphill trek about a mile between Century City to their camp near Westwood Village. I told myself that if I returned with the kids before 6 P.M., I was going to make this car emergency situation better. So, here I was at 4:45 P.M., using my home phone to call Enterprise Online and my cellphone to call my local Enterprise. Here is what I did and how much I saved last minute.
As a background, one ought to know that nowadays, it is much better to save money by getting money back from a credit or debit card. I have written a hub on how this works with the Discover Card. One of the cash back deals is to double your $20 reward dollar at Enterprise. I didn't know how much a last minute economy car would cost to rent, but I was told $59. So, the way I did it at 5:00 P.M. (and the Enterprise office closes at 6 P.M.) was to order an instant e-certificate with a code on it, and with one phone with the person at Enterprise online and my cellphone with the local Enterprise office, I managed to book online with the Discover Card e-certificate, have the online representative contact the local representative to work out the inconsistent status on the availability of a less expensive car at the nearby location, and then have the online office confirm a reservation under my husband's name. The only task left was to locate my husband who was somewhere between the car dealership and home, and then call Enterprise for pick up. Meanwhile, I planned to stay with the kids. By 5:15 P.M., we were waiting for a phone call from Enterprise telling us that someone was outside.
Although we do not rent a car very often, we have always relied on Enterprise's model of picking up its customers to facilitate any plans of ours involving a rental car. Without having to dig and call around for discounts, this emergency cost us $20 in reward dollar and $19 in cash plus tax. However, it is nice to know that the emergency took place before the online and local offices closed, and it ends up being a solution with a built-in savings. Typically aren't we all used to paying full price during an emergency? We learned that the problems were a loose starter sensor and a worn fuel pump, the latter of which does not last beyond 100,000 miles. Ours was at 95,000 miles, and the cost to replace it was $628. So, the bottomline is that it is so important to save money during an emergency when you can because you might be paying a lot of money for other expenses.

Switching Satellite Network Saves Money And Updates Household Technology

2013-08-05T06:51:00.005-07:00

No Such Thing As Loyalty

It is common knowledge that there is absolutely no loyalty to any one brand. Unlike family, you are not obligated to continue with any relationship that you feel is now overpriced. However, most of us have the tendency to switch products that are much easier such as going from Charmin toilet paper to Kirkland brand toilet paper. I stopped using the cheaper Costco gas because this year not only did my first car stop working for absolutely no reason, but it started working when we put additive that cleaned the gas tank. Further as we asked around, numerous friends and family members told me that their mechanics told them to stop using Costco gas for that very same reason. So, when we saw in our recent DirecTv added a $2 sports fee, after not having any Viacom channels such as Nickelodeon and Disney Channel for quite some time due to the re-negotiations and the only sports programming we watch was the Olympics on NBC, we decide to look at the competition and rethink our loyalty.

text

What The Satellite Network War Is About

With all businesses, the theory is to start to sell cheap and slowly increase the prices. This is a common theory as one could see with $19 per month for Vonage and, now it has crept up to $32 per month for absolutely the same coverage. Incidentally, we decided to cancel Vonage recently, too, saving a good portion of the $385 per year fee. The same goes with satellite coverage. Both major satellite companies entice you with incredibly low month costs such as $19 or $25 per month for the first year. However, when you add tax and additional regularly fees, you are looking at $10 or more on top of the advertised cost. Then, it rockets to its regular price for another year until the end of the two-year commitment. However, there is no hard feeling because DirecTv told us that it would welcome us back, probably at regular price.

The Perks Of Being A New Customer

The one thing I learned from this whole decision process is that change is not a bad thing. There are numerous perks for being a new customer. We didn't want to pay for additional television sets that we do not watch, so we started with 2 DVR units, one HD capable and the second one a standard DVR. What Dish advertisement does not tell you outright is a $50 installation fee and it runs your credit. Considering that I am receiving these new devices for $7 per unit lease, I didn't think it was a bad deal. It is not better than owning it outright, but look at the Tivo box that I owe. It is now outdated and useless, and DirecTv was more concerned about receiving the communication cards than its DVR.
It was hard to nail down the price. All customer service representatives gave different prices. I could even tell that one was trying to keep our information for himself and failed to enter our data into the central database. When he took too long to answer questions, I decided to call the central number again, and he was exposed because the second representative couldn't find our inquiry. However, it turns out that it would be roughly $42, including all fees and taxes and a French channel. The latter was something we wanted but DirecTv did not offer it. When I called to cancel, the DirecTv told me that it added a Filipino channel, a Brazilian channel, and a cricket channel. There was absolutely no response on my part. Plus, the $10 discount per month for a year was also not enticing.
We were thrilled that in the first year, there was a $36 per month savings for going with Dish Network, even with the additional French channel, and a $16 per month savings thereafter. Gaining the opportunity to practice French is priceless since my children are half French-American and we are walk-distance to the French Consulate.

TV5Monde through my iPhone

Sling Adapter for Dish Network

Being Caught Up to 2012 Technology

The disadvantage of using an old device that I owned and staying with DirecTv is that we were not keeping up with technology. Who knew that there was a disadvantage with ownership until our Tivo (in addition to our purchase of a lifetime subscription to the information service) became inconvenient. The old remote control was not reliable anymore. Since hooking it up to the second television after the first one broke, we no longer could control the television through the Tivo remote control. There was no remote control from our mobile devices with DirecTv.
However, with Dish Network, it was the total opposite. We learned that it is possible to tape shows away from home. Not only did we have two brand new state of the art remote control devices, but any smartphone can be turned into a remote control.
Plus, with anything new, I am more likelihood to form a close relationship with customer service. With the added bonus of three months of Showtime, HBO, Cinemax, Blockbuster Home, I was on the phone trying to learn about how to watch premium channels online as well as order DVDs from Blockbuster Home. This was definitely a perk compared to 15 years with DirecTv and receiving only one month of one premium channel after I complained that I was unable to use the one free video on demand per year for the last five years because I am an auto-pay customer.
I was also more interested with Dish's website. As I was on browsing DishOnline, I discovered Dish's discussion regarding Sling Adapter. Not only can I control the programming from a smartphone, but with the Sling Adapter, I am able to watch the second television programming on my iPhone as well as watch taped shows that are on the DVR. The only limitation is the low bandwidth that can be frustrating as well as not being able to select television shows because the second television is taping a show. Overall, when the internet feed is regular, I am watching local new on the bus and at work, keeping up with the latest disaster weather in Louisiana where my in-laws reside. If I cannot telecommute on my terms, this is the next best thing. I found myself listening to live shows on the French channel, trying to create a French-speaking environment somewhere other than home. The next time I am at a motel, I will be streaming my premium channels through my computer using Sling Adapter when the shows on television are limiting. I find the television programming in a motel or a hotel to be dismal. I can also watch my shows on the iPhone while the kids watch their Disney program on television, and the family continues to spend quality time together.

Final Word

We spent more time trying to nail down the cost over the phone than the time it took for installation, and one of the two Dish installers had to crawl underneath our house to complete the hookup from the old section of the house to the new section of the house, connecting the two DVRs. This saved my husband a lot of time because he was planning to do this himself. The switch was totally worth it, and I can watch TV anywhere and anytime. What freedom! What a saving!

Every Family Needs To Know About The Reciprocity Program for Science Centers

2013-08-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Exploring Structures

When we joined the family membership at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego, we receive 8 free IMAX theater tickets and a year of fun at other participating science center. The IMAX theater is in a dome. So, after seeing our 2 movies, one of which was the amazing Hubble movie, we no longer attend IMAX movies at local theaters any more. We only want true IMAX experience at a science center.

Renewable Energy

The best thing about a science center is that it is a hands-on learning experience. As a member of one science center, you have a passport to nearly 250 science centers as part of the Association of Science-Technology Center reciprocity program. Some science centers have distance restrictions that won't allow you to participate in the local science centers that are within 90 miles. Fortunately, the California Science Center which is home of the Shuttle Endeavor is always free, although you might have to print out your reservation to see the shuttle.

We were truly impressed with the Tech Museum in San Jose and Exploratorium in San Francisco, the latter of which is no longer a participating Science Center. Here is the link to the participating science centers: http://www.astc.org/members/pdf/PassPubMay_2013.pdf.

Bubbles Not Popping On This Surface

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The Secret to Happiness and Overcoming Depression and Anxiety Through Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism

Modern Method of Coping With Depression Through The Power of Chanting

Nichiren Daishonin Discovered Unlocking One's Potential...

Through Chanting "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo."

Optimistic Thinking Through Chanting "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo"

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Daisaku Ikeda

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Experiencing Both The Positive And Negative Experiences In Our Lives

Elevating Our Life Condition

Nam

Myoho

Renge

Kyo

Peace

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Bhurtha

Popular Asian Noodles: Knowing What They Are Can Save You Some Money and Headache.

Asian Noodles Have Become Very Popular Lately.

Soba (Buckwheat) Noodles

Preparation for Somen Noodles

Tsuyu Sauce: The Sauce Used With Somen Noodles

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Tsukimi Soba Recipe

Why Not Try Making Your Own Soba Noodles?

Udon Noodles (Thick Japanese Wheat Noodles)

Udon Noodle Recipes

Only 15 minutes to prepare.

Recipe from MasterCook

Completely vegetarian.

20 minutes to prepare.

How To Make Udon Noodles

Ramen Noodles

Ramen Noodles From Scratch

Ingredients: 3/4 Cups Flour (see below) 1 egg ~3/4 tsp salt (or to taste) ~1 tbsp water (depending on flour and humidity)

Cellophane Noodles

The Noodles with Many Names

Jap Chae--Korean Noodle Salad

A Chinese Dish Using Cellophane Noodles Called Ants Climbing Trees

Rice Noodles

Rice Noodles Dishes

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Who Is The Gifted/Able Underachievers?

Common Factors Of Underachievers At School and Home

Effective Strategy: Setting "Motivation Traps"

What Are the Different Motivational Traps?

Ingredients:
3/4 Cups Flour (see below)
1 egg
~3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
~1 tbsp water (depending on flour and humidity)