The Mountaintop Muse

1% vs 99% ... wrap up

2012-01-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

America’s inequality distorts our society in every conceivable way. There is, for one thing, a well-documented lifestyle effect—people outside the top 1 percent ( US ) increasingly live beyond their means. Trickle-down economics may be a chimera, but trickle-down behaviorism is very real. Inequality massively distorts our foreign policy. The top 1 percent rarely serve in the military—the reality is that the “all-volunteer” army does not pay enough to attract their sons and daughters, and patriotism goes only so far. Plus, the wealthiest class feels no pinch from higher taxes when the nation goes to war: borrowed money will pay for all that. Foreign policy, by definition, is about the balancing of national interests and national resources. With the top 1 percent in charge, and paying no price, the notion of balance and restraint goes out the window. There is no limit to the adventures we can undertake; corporations and contractors stand only to gain. The rules of economic globalization are likewise designed to benefit the rich: they encourage competition among countries for business, which drives down taxes on corporations, weakens health and environmental protections, and undermines what used to be viewed as the “core” labor rights, which include the right to collective bargaining. Imagine what the world might look like if the rules were designed instead to encourage competition among countries for workers. Governments would compete in providing economic security, low taxes on ordinary wage earners, good education, and a clean environment—things workers care about. But the top 1 percent don’t need to care.
Historically, the majority ruled. Politicians and the weathly worked WITH the common person to keep them happy as employees. As the shift began to a true global economy, the employee being happy was no longer a NEED of the 1%. So the shift in "power" started to TILT. Life was changing with Reagan in power. The 1980's changed everything. The wealthy got Wealthier and the poor did not advance at the same rate.

Table 3: Share of wealth held by the Bottom 99% and Top 1% in the United States, 1929-2007.

	99%	1%

1929	55.8%	44.2%
1933	66.7%	33.3%
1939	63.6%	36.4%
1945	70.2%	29.8%
1949	72.9%	27.1%
1953	68.8%	31.2%
1962	68.2%	31.8%
1965	65.6%	34.4%
1969	68.9%	31.1%
1972	70.9%	29.1%
1976	80.1%	19.9%
1979	79.5%	20.5%
1981	75.2%	24.8%
1983	69.1%	30.9%
1986	68.1%	31.9%
1989	64.3%	35.7%
1992	62.8%	37.2%
1995	61.5%	38.5%
1998	61.9%	38.1%
2001	66.6%	33.4%
2004	65.7%	34.3%
2007	65.4%	34.6%

Sources: 1929-1989 data from Wolff (1996).
* 1990 - 1991 unavailable.
1992-2007 data from Wolff (2010).

Of all the costs imposed on our society by the top 1 percent, perhaps the greatest is this: the erosion of our sense of identity, in which fair play, equality of opportunity, and a sense of community are so important.

America has long prided itself on being a fair society, where everyone has an equal chance of getting ahead, but the statistics suggest otherwise: the chances of a poor citizen, or even a middle-class citizen, making it to the top in America are smaller than in many countries of Europe. The cards are stacked against them. It is this sense of an unjust system without opportunity that has given rise to the conflagrations in the Middle East: rising food prices and growing and persistent youth unemployment simply served as kindling. With youth unemployment in America at around 20 percent (and in some locations, and among some socio-demographic groups, at twice that); with one out of six Americans desiring a full-time job not able to get one; with one out of seven Americans on food stamps (and about the same number suffering from “food insecurity”)—given all this, there is ample evidence that something has blocked the vaunted “trickling down” from the top 1 percent to everyone else.We have been starring at 21% unemployment. People have lost hope, and they are lashing out!

The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles.

Something the lowest 99% wish they could have.. a house/apartment/shelter to stay in, an education for themselves and their children, access to medical care and a lifestyle as good as they used to have or that was obtainable.. before they became disposable and replaced.

We are America ! The United States of America, how did we fall so low? Look so bad and let ourselves get this way... We became complacent, content and blind to the fact that we were owned. By the 1%. Manipulated into working just a little harder each decade to stay where we were the decade before. Like the boiling a frog analogy. The fire was increased ever so slightly until we are now COOKED!

DONE!

99% and 1% clash ... what does this mean to you?

2011-11-17T18:21:00.119-07:00

What does this Occupy Wall Street nonsense mean anyway? Why should I care?
I live in Idaho, have a job, a family and granted... am not in the "1%", however I am doing OK.

I am trying to find out the why, who and what's important about this movement ; if anything. I am posting the bullet points I have discovered. Just to keep it all clear and to see how it evolves.

Straight from the organization itself -
OccupyWallSt.org is the unofficial de facto online resource for the growing occupation movement happening on Wall Street and around the world. We're an affinity group committed to doing technical support work for resistance movements. We're not a subcommittee of the NYCGA nor affiliated with Adbusters, anonymous or any other organization.
Occupy Wall Street is a people-powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #ows is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations. The movement is inspired by popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, and aims to expose how the richest 1% of people are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on our future.

What does it take to be the 1 % and or the 99% ?

This is 2012... just to keep our dates straight....

Occupy Wall Street protesters have been railing against the Top 1%, trying to raise anger and awareness of the growing economic gap between the rich and everybody else in America.
But just who are these fortunate folks at the top of the income ladder?

Well, there were just under 1.4 million households that qualified for entry. They earned nearly 17% of the nation's income and paid roughly 37% of its income tax.

Collectively, their adjusted gross income was $1.3 trillion. And while $343,927 was the minimum AGI to be included, on average, Top 1-percenters was $960,000 +

American households right at the 99th percentile (that is, the cut-off for the top 1 percent) will earn about $506,553 in cash income this year, according to a Tax Policy Center analysis. The income curve is very steep at the high end, meaning that people just a few tenths of a percentile point above that make much, much more. A family at the 99.5th percentile, for example, makes $815,868; its neighbor at the 99.9th percentile makes more than double that, at $2,075,574 a year.

The average net worth for the 99th percentile in net worth was $19,167,600 as of 2007, based on this research. The average net worth of the next 9 percent of Americans was $2,371,500.

That means, of course, that the bottom 99 percent of Americans includes an awful lot of millionaires.

By the numbers ....

Percentage change in average CEO pay since 1990:  +300%
Percentage change in "production worker" pay since 1990: +4%

Last year when the purchasing power of U.S. federal minimum wage reached as low as it is today:  1955
Ratio of average worker's income to top CEO salaries in 1970:  1 to 38
Today:  1 to 1,723
Amount of nation's wealth controlled by the top 1% elite in Ancient Rome:  16%
Amount of nation's wealth controlled by the top 1% elite in U.S. today:  40%

Percentage of our nation's wealth owned by the top 1% of earners:  33.8%
Percentage of U.S. wealth owned by the bottom 50% of Americans:  2.5%.
Percentage of investment assets (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) owned by top 1%:  over 50%
Percentage of investment assets owned by the bottom half: 0.5%
Percentage of the nation's personal debt owed by the top 1% in the US:  5%
Percentage of the nation's personal debt owed by the bottom 90% of Americans:  73%
Tax rate for highest income earners in 1944: 94%
Today: 35%

Last decade in U.S. history when the top 1% earned as high or higher a share of the national income as they do today (24%):  1920s

We all know what happened in the 1930's. Don't we?
One big part of the reason we have so much inequality is that the top 1 percent want it that way.

The most obvious example involves tax policy. Lowering tax rates on capital gains, which is how the rich receive a large portion of their income, has given the wealthiest Americans close to a free ride. Monopolies and near monopolies have always been a source of economic power—from John D. Rockefeller at the beginning of the last century to Bill Gates at the end. Lax enforcement of anti-trust laws, especially during Republican administrations, has been a godsend to the top 1 percent. Much of today’s inequality is due to manipulation of the financial system, enabled by changes in the rules that have been bought and paid for by the financial industry itself—one of its best investments ever. The government lent money to financial institutions at close to 0 percent interest and provided generous bailouts on favorable terms when all else failed. Regulators turned a blind eye to a lack of transparency and to conflicts of interest. Who was in charge is not as important as who the puppet master for that administration was.

Percentage of U.S. Congress who are millionaires:  47%
Percentage of U.S. Senators who are millionaires:  66%

Ratio of Americans living below the poverty line:  1 in 7
Rank of U.S. among rich nations in the percentage of children living in poverty:  2nd (21.9%)

In 2010 alone, percentage change in average income among the 24 million poorest families in U.S.: -10 %

Rank of U.S. among developed nations of the world in income inequality: 1st

So what do these figures mean?

US HHS table explains the poverty line :

**2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines**
Persons in Family	48 Contiguous States and D.C.	Alaska	Hawaii
1	$10,890	$13,600	$12,540
2	14,710	18,380	16,930
3	18,530	23,160	21,320
4	22,350	27,940	25,710
5	26,170	32,720	30,100
6	29,990	37,500	34,490
7	33,810	42,280	38,880
8	37,630	47,060	43,270
For each additional person, add	3,820	4,780	4,390

SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 13, January 20, 2011, pp. 3637-3638

In recent years there have been more fundamental challenges to the poverty measure. Concerned that the poverty rate is far too low, community-based organizations around the country have advocated for "living wages." These groups have argued that instead of using "poverty" as the standard to measure people's economic well-being, we should develop a measure of "living wages." Policy and research institutes around the country have developed living wage budgets that take into account the full range of costs required for families of different sizes to maintain a decent standard of living.
The bottom line is that the current system of measurement is out-dated and seriously underestimates the count of the number of poor people in this country. If the government were to acknowledge the true extent of poverty, it would need to dedicate a greater share of its resources to pay the costs of programs to help the poor. It is unfortunately cheaper to use an outdated system of measurement so that fewer people will be in poverty by government standards.
While not accepted in many states, the antiquated system developed in the 60's is in need of updating to better reflect current economics.

The official number of poor in the United States in 2008 is about 39.1 million people, greater in number but not percentage than the officially poor in Indonesia, which has a far lower Human Development Index and the next largest population after the United States.^[17]^[18] The poverty level in the United States, with 12.65% (39.1 million people in poverty, of a total of 309 million) is comparable to the one in France, where 14% of the population live with less than 880 euros per month.^[19]^[20]

Number of poor are hard to compare across countries. Absolute income may be used but does not reflect the actual number of poor, which depend on relative income and cost of living in each country. Among developed countries, each country then has its own definition and threshold of what it means to be poor, but this is not adjusted for cost of living and social benefits. For instance, despite the fact that France and US have about the same threshold in terms of dollars amount for poverty, cost of living and health benefits may differ (with universal health insurance coverage for poor people in France). In general, it might be better to use the Human Poverty Index (HPI), Human Development Index (HDI) or other global measure to compare quality of living in different countries.

The US Census declared that in 2010 15.1% of the general population lived in poverty:
22% of all people under age 18
13.7% of all people 19-64, and
9% of all people ages 65 and older^[29]
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) uses a different measure for poverty and declared in 2008 that child poverty in the US is 20% and poverty among the elderly is 23%.^[31] The non-profit advocacy group Feeding America has released a study (May 2009) based on 2005-2007 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Agriculture Department, which claims that 3.5 million children under the age of 5 are at risk of hunger in the United States. The study claims that in 11 states, Louisiana, which has the highest rate, followed by North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho and Arkansas, more than 20 percent of children under 5 are allegedly at risk of going hungry.The study was paid by ConAgra Foods, a large food company.^[32]

SO, why is there a great divide between the 99% and 1 % ?

Look at the people who are elected to represent us.. the 99%.... Remember, we vote.. but the electoral college ( fellow politicians) elect!

	Name	Party	District	Net Worth	As of
1	Rep. Michael McCaul	R	Texas	$294.21 million^[1]	2011
2	Rep. Darrell Issa	R	California	$220.40 million^[2]	2011
3	Sen. John Kerry	D	Massachusetts	$193.07 million^[3]	2011
4	Sen. Jay Rockefeller	D	West Virginia	$81.63 million^[4]	2011
5	Sen. Mark Warner	D	Virginia	$76.30 million^[5]	2011
6	Rep. Jared Polis	D	Colorado	$65.91 million^[6]	2011
7	Sen. Frank Lautenberg	D	New Jersey	$55.07 million^[7]	2011
8	Sen. Richard Blumenthal	D	Connecticut	$52.93 million^[8]	2011
9	Sen. Dianne Feinstein	D	California	$45.39 million^[9]	2011

It seems from this small list, the people elected do NOT share the same economy that we live in.			We also need to distinguish wealth from income. Income is what people earn from work, but also from dividends, interest, and any rents or royalties that are paid to them on properties they own. In theory, those who own a great deal of wealth may or may not have high incomes, depending on the returns they receive from their wealth, but in reality those at the very top of the wealth distribution usually have the most income.	(But it's important to note that for the rich, most of that income does not come from "working": in 2008, only 19% of the income reported by the 13,480 individuals or families making over $10 million came from wages and salaries. See Norris, 2010, for more details.)	I have to work a year for the money these people who make / receive	10 million	get in....		WAY less than a minute! Are we really THAT different as people? NO!

Feb 2011 - ALREADY!

2011-02-11T22:19:00.001-07:00

Well, all things being equal - time is not one of those things!

When we were kids time went by so slowly as to drive us mad! Now, as we have aged a bit, it flies away from us and into our past... without so much a care!

What's wrong with that! Why is that so?
One theory is that our perception is based on our age and how much of life we experience.
When we are 5, 1/5th our life ( 1 year ) IS a long time in relation to our TIME as a conscious being... conscious being, another relative term..
When we are 40 , 1/40th is a small fraction of actual TIME spent as a conscious person. Thus our perception is much smaller or a quicker fraction of our experiences and is internalized as a smaller portion of time.

Think of it in terms of the fractional pizza from school.
Cut it into 5 pieces, it takes a long time to eat each piece.
Cut it into 40 pieces, however smaller, will take a longer time to eat.. you have to pause more often to reach into get a piece. Each piece shoved into your mouth will be more quickly eaten , faster time... thus each year will pass more quickly!

Ta, Daaaah...
If you get that... Whooo - Hoo!

Make 'em yourself : )

2011-01-10T20:24:00.001-07:00

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/mix_it_yourself_cleaning_kit.htm

Mix it yourself cleaners and household "chemicals"

Supplies

                                                        Spray Bottle #1 - All purpose cleaner
                                                        Spray Bottle #2 - Glass Cleaner
                                                        Shallow container for mixing pastes
                                                        Shaker for baking soda
                                                        Sponges, Cloths, Net Scrubber

Ingredients

                                    Baking Soda                                                    Liquid Detergent
                                    Mineral Oil                                                        White Vinegar
                                    Salt                                                                    Lemon Juice

Useful Items

                                    Pail                                                                    Measuring Cups
                                    Table Knife                                                       Rubber Gloves
                                    Scrub Brush                                                      Newspapers
                                    Toothbrush                                                        Labels & Pen

Save your :

Daily/Sunday papers - Recycle the glossy sheets, they are worthless! SAVE the coupons!
Buy only items when on sale, clip/ get online coupons to further reduce costs.
Buy generics, even with a coupon, sometimes.. they are cheaper.
Buy used items from thrift stores AKA pails, knives, measuring cups... why do you need new?
Spray bottles for your cleaners, use store bought containers left over from the cleaner you bought that you are now making!

All Purpose Cleaner

4 Tablespoons Baking Soda
1 Quart Warm Water

Dissolve baking soda and pour in pump spray bottle. Spray, wipe with sponge. Rinse with clear water. Use to clean and deodorize: kitchen surfaces, bathroom surfaces, chromium plated fixtures and faucets, refrigerator and freezer. Strength can be increased by adding more baking soda to the solution.

Floor Cleaner

                                                                   ¼ Cup White Vinegar
                                                                   ¼ Cup Baking Soda
                                                                   1 Gallon Warm Water

Mop, rinse and dry.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Sprinkle baking soda into bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and scrub with a toilet brush.

Glass Cleaner

Combine 1 quart water with 1/4 cup white vinegar. Spray on and wipe off with newspaper.

Drain Opener

Add ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup vinegar to the drain. Cover tightly and let sit for 15 minutes. Pour 2 quarts boiling water down the drain. If severe clog, follow with a plunger.

More Uses for Baking Soda

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) is a mild crystal that gently lifts dirt off many surfaces. Baking soda does not harm septic tanks, drainage systems or ground water. Its unique pH makes it effective at neutralizing household odors.

Create the right mix for the proper use.

Paste - Mix equal parts baking soda and warm water.

	Polish silverware
	Webbing of lawn furniture
	Fiberglass tubs
	Car trim, bumpers, hub caps

Sprinkling - apply directly onto damp sponge or surface.

	Stainless steel sinks
	Scuff marks on floors
	Crayon marks on walls
	Clothes hamper

More Ideas

	Furniture Polish: mix 3 tablespoons of mineral oil with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a drop of lemon juice.
	Remove Lime and Mineral Deposits: Soak a cloth in vinegar. Apply cloth to lime deposits. Leave for about 1 hour. The deposits will soften and can be removed easily.
	Metal Polish: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 1/2 cup vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste. Apply the paste and let set for 15-30 minutes. Rinse well and dry.
	Sanitizer: 1 part bleach mixed with 100 parts water. Think tablespoons, 1 tablespoon bleach per 100 tablespoons of water; 1:100 ration.. (Google to find out its equal to ... 100 US tablespoons = 6.25 US cups ) See how easy!

LOL...

2010-12-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, Winter is pounding loudly at my door!

2010-11-30T22:14:00.006-07:00

Winter is my favorite season, followed by Spring and Fall... Summer can get lost and I would not miss it :D

The one downside to Winter is I go into hibernation mode! Once the sun drops, I want to drop as well!

So, I am posting a How to on how NOT to drop off as the sun goes down : )

Seasonal changes often affect serotonin levels that have an impact on your mood and overall outlook on life. Lifestyle changes such as more exercise can help reduce stress and help boost your mood by releasing endorphins.

We define endorphins as powerful hormone-like substances produced in the brain that function as the body’s own natural painkillers. During exercise, there is a release of endorphins in the body that are capable of producing feelings of euphoria and a general state of well being. The feelings produced can be so powerful that they can actually mask pain.

It is this relationship between exercise and the release of endorphins that may be responsible for the so-called, "runner's high," that many fitness enthusiasts experience. The good news is, you don't have to run a marathon, or run at all for that matter, to enjoy the feelings of euphoria and general well being. All it takes is moderate amounts of exercise to experience the effects. If you are new to exercise, you may actually experience a particularly strong effect as endorphins are released in the body.

Don't underestimate the effects of the release of endorphins in the body during exercise. In some cases, they can be so powerful that they can mask pain from an injury. You may have experienced this yourself. Have you ever had a sore knee during a jog, for example, that actually went away the longer you jogged? The release of endorphins during your jogging exercise is what caused that pain to go away! The last thing you want is a serious injury.

Now that you have a basic understanding of exercise and the release of endorphins, you'll know why you feel better when you step off that treadmill or exercise bike! *If you have not noticed this before, you are not going long enough to have them kick in. 20 minutes of exercise where you are breaking a sweat or better will release the endorphins mentioned.

Another way to combat the winter blues is to Eat properly for your bodies winter needs!

Surprise! Your body needs different combos (no, not big mac combo's... ) of foods to get through the cold, flu, low light level days of winter.

Eating foods that contain Vitamin D are especially important. Vitamin D is naturally absorbed from the sun, but when your ability to get that much needed sunshine is severely impaired, as it is in Norther States, you'll need to eat foods that contain this necessary vitamin or take a supplement. Fortified foods are the primary source of Vitamin D (think milk w/ Vit. D added) , but there is a significant amount of Vitamin D in cod liver oil, canned sardines, wild caught cooked salmon, and egg yolks. I will skip the cod liver oil due to taste and other health concerns, but all other sources are tasty enough not to be too painful : ) Honest! with a little seasonings and FRESH fish, its good or can be hidden in something tasty enough not to scrunch your nose at :D

Sweets and simple carbs, like white rice and white bread, quickly raise blood sugar, flood you with insulin, and then drop you in a hole.

• Cut out refined sugars such as candy, cakes, cookies, white bread, rice, etc. These foods rapidly increase your blood sugar and in turn cause a quick drop, resulting in an energy crash. These foods also tend to be high in unhealthy fats and calories which ultimately result in weight gain.

Protein is your friend and should be eaten three times a day. Lean proteins that are broiled, baked without added fats (unless it is Olive oil) , no, not fried chicken or a burger - sorry!!

Another good rule is to eat four cups of brightly colored veggies a day. This is enough to fill a 1 quart water pitcher. Vegetables are carbs, but the kind that feed into your system slowly; they are "Complex carbs" and raw vegetables are digested more slowly, feeding you for a longer period of time.

Foods to Have on Hand
If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, you may be too shot to run to the store. This can work for you if you keep fairly healthful commodities in the pantry. Some suggestions:

Popcorn
Oatmeal (original, not desserty)
Nuts, 1/2 cup is a portion
Peanut butter
Prewashed, cut veggies
Fruit, washed , bagged ready to eat. Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice in the bag and shake to prevent browning : )
Whole grain crackers and/or bread
Cottage cheese (vit D)
Milk, with a LIGHT amount of chocolate is OK! Watch the sugar! Lower is better.

Forget the compact florescents!
In winter, after 3pm calls for MAX for your lamp/100 watt bulbs, light is what you lack.... You need about 300 watts of light in a room to HELP you stay tuned up. Or you need to go outside for an hour per day, no sunglasses in a t-shirt... NOT in winter,you say, LOL! .. so, Turn ON all the lights, they cost roughly 2 cents per day, per bulb, save money somewhere else... like not being sick due to being healthier because you are treating your vitamin deficiencies : D

• Eat foods that contain tryptophan such as fish, turkey, chicken, bananas, milk, eggs, nuts, and avocados. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that affects our mood, and when it is low we have feelings of depression. Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, which is why consuming foods that contain it can help increase our serotonin levels and lift our mood!

• Make sure not to skip meals. Keeping a consistent eating schedule will help you refrain from mindless snacking throughout the day.Unless it is from the list above.

Also, make these mealtimes enjoyable! Meet a friend for lunch or bring a sack lunch and eat it at your favorite coffee shop, park or Beach.

If you are still experiencing extreme symptoms of SADDNESS, consult your healthcare provider about light therapy. This is a way to help without the use of depression medication. It takes about 30 minutes out of your day, but has made a difference for a great deal of people. You can buy them at Target or many other discount centers. Wal-mart has a few as well., look for FULL SPECTRUM lamps. We have one on our computer table. It is not perfect, but anything to help is better than ignoring the problem!

P>S : This is dedicated to my Mom and sis !

2010-11-16T18:07:00.002-07:00

Happy

Thanksgiving everyone!

From Idaho with our sincerest well wishes.....

The Mountaintop Muse....

Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the hated other person to die!

2010-10-27T21:23:00.006-06:00

How to let go of grudges and bitterness

When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge or embrace forgiveness and move forward.

Nearly everyone has been hurt by the actions or words of another. Your mother criticized your parenting skills, your choice of friends, your life decisions. ( SOMETIMES JUSTIFIED, SOMETIMES NOT) Your friends gossiped about you. Your partner had an affair, hurt you physically or manipulated your emotions. These wounds can leave you with lasting feelings of anger, bitterness and even vengeance. But when you don’t practice forgiveness, you may be the one who pays most dearly.

By embracing forgiveness, you embrace peace, hope, gratitude and joy; it can lead you to the path of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

What is forgiveness?

There’s no one definition of forgiveness.

Sorry, no simple answers, you should know that by now... But in general, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentments and thoughts of revenge. Forgiveness is the act of untying yourself from thoughts and feelings that bind you to the offense committed against you. However tragic or little it might be. This can reduce the power these feelings otherwise have over you, so that you can a live freer and happier life in the present.

Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you. Forgiveness is CHOOSING to let go of the feelings associated with that moment in time when you were hurt. CHOOSING to change how you remember or not that moment. Why do I capitalize CHOOSING ?
Because if you just SAY I forgive them and don't FEEL AND CHOOSE within yourself to forgive - it is not true forgiveness!

Doesn’t forgiving someone mean you’re forgetting or condoning what happened?

Absolutely not! I am not saying be a doormat or martyr!!

Forgiving isn’t the same as forgetting what happened to you. The act that hurt or offended you may always remain a part of your life. But forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness also doesn’t mean that you deny the other person’s responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn’t minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act.

What are the benefits of forgiving someone?
Psychologists have recently become interested in studying the effects of being unforgiving and being forgiving. Evidence is mounting that holding on to grudges and bitterness results in long-term health problems. Forgiveness, on the other hand, offers numerous benefits, including:

Lower blood pressure
Stress reduction
Less hostility
Better anger management skills
Lower heart rate
Lower risk of alcohol or substance abuse
Fewer depression symptoms
Fewer anxiety symptoms
Reduction in chronic pain
More friendships
Healthier relationships
Greater religious or spiritual well-being
Improved psychological well-being

Why do we hold grudges and become resentful and unforgiving?

The people most likely to hurt us are those closest to us — our partners, friends, siblings and parents. When we’re hurt by someone we love and trust — whether it’s a lie, betrayal, rejection, abuse or insult — it can be extremely difficult to overcome. And even minor offenses can turn into huge conflicts as the grudge grows with more events..

When you experience hurt or harm from someone’s actions or words, whether this is intended or not, you may begin experiencing negative feelings such as anger, confusion or sadness, especially when it’s someone close to you. These feelings may start out small. But if you don’t deal with them quickly, they can grow bigger and more powerful. They may even begin to crowd out positive feelings.

Grudges filled with resentment, vengeance and hostility take root when you dwell on hurtful events or situations, replaying them in your mind many times. Remind yourself by referencing that time or moment ! You solidify that betrayal or hurt EVERY time you mention it. Soon, you may find yourself swallowed up by your own bitterness or sense of injustice. Everyone "knows" someone like that and wonder why they cannot just move on, well this is why. You may feel trapped in that moment or time and may not see a way out. Grudges = Pain. It’s very hard to let go of grudges at this point and instead you may remain resentful and unforgiving.

How do I know it’s time to try to embrace forgiveness?

When we hold on to pain, old grudges, bitterness and even hatred, many areas of our lives can suffer. When we’re unforgiving, it’s we who pay the price over and over. We may bring our anger and bitterness into every relationship and new experience. Our lives may be so wrapped up in the wrong that we can’t enjoy the present. Other signs that it may be time to consider forgiveness include:

Dwelling on the events surrounding the offense
Hearing from others that you have a chip on your shoulder or that you’re wallowing in self-pity
Being avoided by family and friends because they don’t enjoy being around you
Having angry outbursts at the smallest perceived slights
Often feeling misunderstood
Drinking excessively, smoking or using drugs to try to cope with your pain
Having symptoms of depression or anxiety
Being consumed by a desire for revenge or punishment
Automatically thinking the worst about people or situations
Regretting the loss of a valued relationship
Feeling like your life lacks meaning or purpose
Feeling at odds with your religious or spiritual beliefs

The bottom line is that you may often feel miserable in your current life and feel its all your fault, because (*this*) happened..

How do I reach a state of forgiveness?
Forgiveness is a commitment to a process of change. It can be difficult and it can take time. Everyone moves toward forgiveness a little differently.

One step is to recognize the value of forgiveness and its importance in our lives at a given time. Commit to letting go, do not give "it" power, do not give it a name, do not refer back to "it". Let it go.
Another is to reflect on the facts of the situation, how we’ve reacted, and how this combination has affected our lives, our health and our well-being. Who has been hurt by holding on to that self image defined by that moment or time, decision or choice (whatever THAT may be).
Then, as we are ready, we can actively choose to forgive the one who has offended us. In this way, we move away from our role as a victim and release the control and power the offending person and situation have had in our lives.

Forgiveness also means that we change old patterns of beliefs and actions that are driven by our bitterness. As we let go of grudges, we’ll no longer define our lives by how we’ve been hurt, and we may even find compassion and understanding.

What happens if I can’t forgive someone?
Forgiveness can be very challenging. It may be particularly hard to forgive someone who doesn’t admit wrong or doesn’t speak of their sorrow. Keep in mind that the key benefits of forgiveness are for you. If you find yourself stuck, it may be helpful to take some time to talk with a person you’ve found to be wise and compassionate, such as a spiritual leader, a mental health provider or an unbiased family member { : or friend. It may also be helpful to reflect on times you’ve hurt others and on those who have forgiven you. As you recall how you felt, it may help you to understand the position of the person who hurt you. It can also be beneficial to pray, use guided meditation or journal.
In any case, if the intention to forgive is present, forgiveness will come in its time.

Does forgiveness guarantee reconciliation?
Not always. In some cases, reconciliation may be impossible because the offender has died. In other cases, reconciliation may not be appropriate, especially if you were attacked or assaulted. But even in those cases, forgiveness is still possible, even if reconciliation isn’t. On the other hand, if the hurtful event involved a family member or friend whose relationship you otherwise value, forgiveness may lead to reconciliation. This may not happen quickly, as you both may need time to re-establish trust. But in the end, your relationship may very well be one that is rich and fulfilling.

What if I have to interact with the person who hurt me but I don’t want to?
These situations are difficult. If the hurt involves a family member, it may not always be possible to avoid him or her entirely. You may be invited to the same family holiday gatherings, for instance. If you’ve reached a state of forgiveness, you may be able to enjoy these gatherings without bringing up the old hurts. If you haven’t reached forgiveness, these gatherings may be tense and stressful for everyone, particularly if other family members have chosen sides in the conflict.

So how do you handle this? First, remember that you do have a choice whether to stay with, visit with or attend or not attend family get-togethers. Respect yourself and do what seems best. If you choose to go, don’t be surprised by a certain amount of awkwardness and perhaps even more intense feelings. It’s important to keep an eye on those feelings.
You don’t want them to lead you to be unjust or unkind in return for what was done to you. Also, avoid drinking too much alcohol as a way to try to numb your feelings or feel better — it’ll likely backfire. And keep an open heart and mind. People do change, and perhaps the offender will want to apologize or make amends. You also may find that the gathering helps you to move forward with forgiveness.

How do I know when I’ve truly forgiven someone?
Forgiveness may result in sincerely spoken words such as “I forgive you” or tender actions that fit the relationship. But more than this, forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life. The offense is no longer front and center in your thoughts or feelings. Your hostility, resentment and misery have made way for compassion, kindness and peace. Also, remember that forgiveness often isn’t a one-time thing. It begins with a decision, but because memories or another set of words or actions may trigger old feelings, you may need to recommit to forgiveness over and over again.

What if the person I’m forgiving doesn’t change?

Just as they no longer have control over you, YOU now.. do not have control over them! Getting the other person to change their actions, behavior or words isn’t the point of forgiveness. In fact, the other person may never change or apologize for the offense. Think of forgiveness more about how it can change your life — by bringing you more peace, happiness, and emotional and spiritual healing. Forgiveness takes away the power the other person continues to wield in your life. Through forgiveness, you choose to no longer define yourself as a victim. Forgiveness is done primarily for yourself, and less so for the person who wronged you.

What if I’m the one who needs forgiveness?
It may help to spend some time thinking about the offense you’ve committed and trying to determine the effect it has had on others. Unless it may cause more harm or distress, consider admitting the wrong you’ve done to those you’ve harmed, speaking of your sincere sorrow or regret, and specifically asking for forgiveness — without making excuses. But if this seems unwise because it may further harm or distress, don’t do it — it’s not about making yourself feel better by apologizing. You don’t want to add salt to a painful wound. Also, keep in mind that you can’t force someone to forgive you. They will need to move to forgiveness in their own time.
In any case, we have to be willing to forgive ourselves. Holding on to resentment against yourself can be just as toxic as holding on to resentment against someone else. Recognize that poor behavior or mistakes don’t make you worthless or bad. Accept the fact that you — like everyone else — aren’t perfect. Accept yourself despite your faults. Admit your mistakes. Commit to treating others with compassion, empathy and respect. And again, talking with a spiritual leader, mental health provider or trusted friend or relative may be helpful.

Forgiveness of yourself or someone else, though not easy, can transform your life. Instead of dwelling on the injustice and revenge, instead of being angry and bitter, you can move toward a life of peace, compassion, mercy, joy and kindness. Moving away from Pain and on to a life of what YOU create!

Photo to ponder

2010-08-22T13:22:00.004-06:00

( Click photo to view slightly larger)

I like the composition of this photo, the hand has a flame ball set on his hand : )

The silhouette is awesome!

It says so much in a flash.

Wonderful photo, as a photo, not the fact that it is a fire of probably someone's house.

The story behind the photo can be read here....

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/08/22/1310929/winds-spark-fires-in-boise-garden.html

Other , lesser photos can be viewed here...

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/08/22/1311171_a1311332/wind-and-fire-damage-on-pico-street.html

Help others without lifting more than a finger!!!

2010-08-18T11:09:00.002-06:00

Click to give sites that help you feed the poor, sponsor research and facilitate fresh food and water to desperate areas of the country / world.. with your time! Play a game, click on icons.. and people benefit - its that easy : )

http://www.clicktogive.com/Breast-Cancer.aspx

http://www.clicktogive.com/Sponsor-Children.aspx

http://www.clicktogive.com/End-Homelessness.aspx

http://www.clicktogive.com/Stop-Child-Abuse.aspx

http://www.clicktogive.com/Animal-Care.aspx

Click to give , a ad sponsored charity !

You click, the advertisers give : )

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Play a word game, test your vocabulary and feed the poor!!

http://www.freerice.com/
Originally a simple multiple-choice vocabulary quiz, Freerice.com now offers a range of quiz topics to enable players to improve their general knowledge whilst contributing to a worthy cause.

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Another "click to give site" ...... similar to above, but a different group of donations : )

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at The Fund for Animals' renowned animal sanctuaries (including Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Texas and The Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Southern California), pet shelters supported by the Petfinder Foundation, North Shore Animal League, and other worthy animal care facilities supported by the GreaterGood.org foundation.
100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners.
Mailing Address:
The Animal Rescue Site
One Union Square
600 University Street, Suite 1000
Seattle, WA 98101-4107
U.S.A.

You also see tabs to help US kids acquire books! Project literacy has a click tab at the top! Here is an over view from their website.....

" Literacy is of primary importance in today's world. Yet in the United States, the majority of children from low-income families have no age-appropriate books in their homes or classrooms.

While children from middle-class U.S. families have engaged in an average of 1,000 to 1,700 hours of one-on-one reading time, children from low-income families have been exposed to an average of only 25 hours.

And while in middle-income neighborhoods the ratio of books per child is 13 to 1, in low-income neighborhoods the ratio is 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children. *

* Statistics from First Book "

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Free flour ....Freeflour.com
This geography quiz site rewards correct answers with one spoonful of flour. Donations are made to multiple charities to provide food for the hungry and to facilitate getting food supplies to those in need.

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Fresh Water .... Charitii.com
Another new charity puzzle site, Charitii.com tests vocabulary and general knowledge with multiple choice questions.
Charitii.com allows players to choose which charity they would prefer their correct answers to benefit. Four options are given:

Charity: water – donating 10 ounces of drinking water
Care (food) – donating 10 grains of wheat
Oaktree Foundation (education) – 10 minutes of schooling for a child
The Nature Conservancy (Rainforest) – save 10 square inches of rainforest land

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Success? What does that mean??

2010-08-15T21:54:00.000-06:00

What is success?

A lot of money?
A whole flock of friends?
Biggest house on the block?
Being the boss at work?

Well, those are all great things. I would not mind having a few of the above, but..... yes, there is that dangling, hanging on the word... but at the end of that statement.

BUT..... if it means that I cannot spend much time with my family... No thanks!
BUT.... if it means that I have to compromise what makes me comfortable doing? ... a certain NO.
BUT... Someone will be harmed by what I am doing or representing.. NOPE.
BUT.....If I feel somehow wrong with doing it , its just not worth it!

Success with a high price is not really success, its selling yourself... your sole... its whoring yourself out for money... plain and simple.
IF, you are ok with this...
IF, you are just following orders...
IF, you need the job and put up with "it"
IF, you do it to impress someone ELSE, to make someone feel loathsome

Is that success?

I don't think so.

In OUR society, success is defined by:

How much money you have?
Having a big house and an expensive car?
How expensive your clothes are?
Traveling first class on airlines?
How attractive you are?
How attractive your partner is?
How famous you are?
Winning or being the best at something?
How many beautiful people want to have sex with you?
How many friends you have?
How much attention and approval you get?

Unfortunately, the media often supports defining success in many of the above ways.

What if you defined success by how much to you contribute to another or to society?

What if you define success by how kind you are to yourself and to others and by what you contribute to the world?

What if success is not defined by how many widgets you sell, but by how many people you help and how joyful you are?
There are many people who find it easy to make money, or achieve fame but find it very difficult to be kind to themselves and to the people closest to them. There are many people who are outwardly successful yet act out in ways that are harmful to themselves and others. Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods, come to mind of people who achieved everything but never defined success and inner worth by being loving to themselves and to their families. Instead they defined success by getting sex or by whom they possessed.

What if these people had defined their success and their sense of worth by how well they took loving care of themselves, how kind they were to their families, and how much they contributed to society? Would they have chosen to harm themselves and others to fill their emptiness and avoid the pain that they were causing by their own self-abandonment?

Another example is Michael Jackson, who was incredibly unkind to himself, constantly distorting himself rather than learning to be kind and accepting toward himself. If he had learned to fully embrace his true Self and to define his worth and success by his ability to love rather than by his looks or approval, he might be alive today.

The movie industry is riddled with stars who have everything - money, fame, looks, admiration - and who struggle with various addictions, such as alcohol, drugs, food, and sex. We see various stars on TV, constantly losing and gaining weight, or going in and out of rehab. Why are they so unhappy and empty that they keep turning to addictions?

Obviously, everything they have externally does nothing to fill the void INTERNALLY. External success actually does nothing to fill the inner emptiness that leads to substance abuse, sexual addiction, and other forms of addiction, as well as to anger, blame and rage. External success is great for financial security and freedom to do whatever you want, but being a truly joyful person demands a different definition of success.
What if love, kindness, generosity, caring, compassion, empathy, and understanding toward ourselves and others, and helpful contributions to society were lauded as the hallmarks of success? What if our newspapers and news channels devoted their stories to people who had learned how to truly love themselves enough to be able to extend their love out to others and contribute to the good of the planet? What if supporting our own highest good and the highest good of all was valued more than money? What if kindness - to yourself and with others - was your guiding light?

The chances are that you would know, deep within your soul, that you are a huge success - that you are doing what you came to this planet to do!

That is what TRUE success really is!

Eat right and stay in shape! Keeping Hunger in check : )

2010-08-09T11:23:00.002-06:00

You can learn how to control the urge to eat. Just follow these simple tips to keep your appetite under control:

Feed it protein for breakfast. You'll be less hungry later on and end up eating 267 fewer calories during the day. At least that's what happened on days when St. Louis University researchers gave overweight women two scrambled eggs and two slices of jelly-topped toast for breakfast rather than about half that protein.

Make it climb a flight of stairs. At home, store the most tempting foods way out of reach. For instance, keep your favorite soda in a basement fridge. Honestly, half the time you'll be too lazy to run down there to get it, so you will drink the water in the kitchen.
Sleep on it. People who don't get their 8 hours of ZZZs experience hormonal fluctuations that increase appetite, report researchers. Learn more about how sleep affects your diet.

Give it something else to think about. When scientists scanned the brains of people eating different foods, they found that the brain reacts to fat in the mouth in much the same way that it responds to a pleasant aroma. So if you feel a craving coming on, apply your favorite scent.
Never let it see a heaping plate. The more food that's in front of you, the more you'll eat. So at a restaurant, ask your waiter to pack up half of your meal before serving it to you, then eat the extras for lunch the next day. You are a single eater, unless you are pregnant, so eat a single layer of food!
Put it under the lights. You consume fewer calories at a well-lit restaurant table than you do dining in a dark corner. In full light, you're more self-conscious and worry that other people are watching what you eat.

Talk it down. Entertaining friends with a great story doesn't give you much time to eat up, so you'll probably still have food on your plate when they're done. Once they're finished, call it quits, too. This is why eating alone is a sure fire way to eat too much!
Offer it a seat. If you sit down to snack -- and use utensils and a plate -- you'll eat fewer calories at subsequent meals.
Satisfy it with soup. Start lunch with about 130 calories worth of vegetable soup and you'll eat 20% fewer calories overall during lunch, say Penn State experts.

Give it little choice. Packages that contain assorted varieties of cookies, candy, dips, cheese, etc., make you want to try all the flavors. The effect is so powerful, says Wansink, that when people are given 10 colors of M&Ms to munch on, not 7, they eat 30% more!
Slow down! It is not a race to see who eats the most or fastest! If you savor your food, taste and concentrate on picking apart the flavors while it is in your mouth, you will enjoy the experience and give your stomach time to tell your brain it is satisfied! To Stop eating!
Always leave a little on your plate: Plan on putting a portion of something back for a future meal. Even if its a large spoonful of mashed potatoes, put it in a small plastic or glass container for another meal.
If at all possible, buy only a weeks worth of groceries at a time: If you have a lot of food in the fridge you will subconsciously be worried about getting it all eaten before it goes "bad", or will be tempted to load up the sandwich with a little more < > because you have plenty left... If you shop per week, you will conserve the food to make it last, thus eat less so that you do not have to run to the store before the week is out.

Photography...

2010-07-29T18:08:00.002-06:00

Photographs I took while out of town : )

We now offer....

2010-07-13T13:41:00.000-06:00

We now offer print services and T-shirts customized with your pictures!! Buy 1 or more to remember your special / exciting / interesting visit on any day of the week!

Fast shipping offered, on mounted prints, turn around might be as long as 2 weeks, please plan accordingly!
Here is the catalog of print services!

2010-07-01T23:48:00.001-06:00

Miss you!

2010-06-24T11:46:00.002-06:00

While I am away, please click on my monetize links! Amazon links, juice box video... charity links... Please : )

Clothes and Shoes, if this is your obsession, read this!!

2010-06-18T13:38:00.000-06:00

Shoes, clothes, jewelry are all great things to "own"... but how many pairs of shoes do you need?
Are you the person that is dressed to the nines?
-->click this if you do not know what that means or implies<---
If so, you need to accumulate the most versatile pieces, not "outfits" to keep your wardrobe fresh!
Remember, you are dressing for a look, not keeping pieces because you wore it on ... your first date, to that special restaurant, "Sally" likes it on you and you want to impress Sally... Peter complimented you when you wore it and you really like Peter.

You have the clothes you have because YOU like them, YOU want to wear them, You like them, YOU think you look good in them...
Even if someone asks what you were thinking combining those pants with that top... Flush that comment, if you like the combo! You might set a new trend!

A way to choose what stays and what goes..
Lay out all the clothes you have tried on (TODAY) and fit well!

>OK< Organization SPECIFICS!

2010-06-17T23:24:00.003-06:00

So, What do I keep in the manila folders ??? ....

Anything you need that is legal, tax, job benefits, work pay stubs, reimbursement amounts, any summons, letter complaining about ( where you are named ) ... letter saying something is paid off, closed account, letter of a payment arrangement, Any credit card, bank statement of which your name is added... even if you never use it. Contracts for services, insurance payments/statements/renewals, Anything that contains your SSN# , you signed or you are legally responsible of/for... Have a current years envelope for each of the categories...

Have a Banking envelope/credit cards, health insurance/care/bills, car stuff/auto insurance, work stuff...Whatever the MAJOR categories sift to be : ) You do not want a lot of envelopes!! Definitely NOT one for each piece of paper!

Letter from friends you may want to keep,pictures, cards, funny emails are in a separate place. Your desk is the serious spot , your desk is NOT for funny stuff. It is the grown up part of the room! A mirror or back of a door or specific wall spot (not the whole room!) can be your "teen space" ! LOL..
********
Store any prior years information in a manila labeled 2000-whatever, what is in it.. category or all of that years stuff that survived. Put it away! Use that bankers box or similar, safe, secure box to keep it all together.

Remember, if it is something you might need later, use the clasp now.. do NOT lick it unless its taxes from 3 - 5 years ago. You will not need these, but must store them for 5 years from the year they were filed. Write a destroy year on them, shred them when the time comes.

Auto insurance stuff, once renewed, toss last years stuff. Shred it if you can.

Health related bills, once they are paid off, save the payoff statement, where it says zero balance, file in that years envelope. It s the only one you need. Shred the ones you do not need, if you can.

Banking statements a year past are not worth much and can be shredded. Same with Credit Card statements, unless its the last one showing a pay off or closing of account.

If you are responsible for utilities, phone or cable bills, keep that current years statements, shred at the end of the year. Keep any unusual statements from November/December, if all is fine, shred.. They can be replaced easily.

Organization: Part 2

2010-06-17T22:28:00.008-06:00

OK, Part 2 - I have broken it down so it is not so BORING!!!!!!!!!!!

Reminder: Organization!!   I am presenting the idea of what it is to be Organized.. Part 3 is  where the specifics come in... Post 1 and 2 are the get ready steps : D

The next step covers your desk... One rule, This should NOT be your kitchen table! THAT's an eating surface! Yes, you are supposed to relax at the table and eat your food, not scarf it alone in front of the TV in your room...

To stay organized, only certain activities can take place in certain spots. In keeping with the 1 spot for 1 type of item theory : )

Your study papers, syllabus, bill paying, keep important papers for taxes, notes about payments necessary to pay bills, any piece of paper necessary not to forget an assignment, a bill due, tax information, payment history, CURRENT lists of what needs to be done that week!

If your desk is small, you might need to put the stored papers along side the desk on the floor as out of the walkway as possible ! I am throwing out only one way of organizing I used when money for all those organization boxes, buckets, files and whatever was NOT happening...

Reuse Priority mail flat rate (US post office) boxes or a supply of, not all different sized boxes.. All the same size box!

Use those manila envelopes that are 8 1/2 x 11 with the metal splay closure. Do not use the closure until the end of the year and you are storing away this information, NEVER use the lick-it seal. How will you ever get it open again without making a... MESS!

Mark each envelope with the year and what is inside and put that collection in the same box you used , priority mail box or ?

Have a format Year: what is it the box... tax receipts, important papers (list what they are) : if taxes; year to shred( 5 years later).. Be explicit! You want to find these things again!

Somehow make sure the box will not fall over, either by blue taping it to your desk leg, putting it between your desk leg and a bookcase or wall.. nothing is to fall over, get wet, get kicked or disturbed! Your desk should be facing a wall to minimize distractions. No window view, not near the door, not looking at your bed... FACING the wall. Put up a energized picture/poster if you cannot stand a bare wall!

Put a desk lamp on it or a wall sconce up if its not large enough to accommodate a lamp! That light and/or 1 or 2 stand up lights for BRIGHT light over Your desk. A 60 watt bulb at a minimum. That light source will energize your brain, telling it to WAKE up! Get stuff done. Have you ever seen a dark bank, Nope.. They need to be alert!

On your desk should be any item you need to do your... bill paying, school assignments, whatever you are doing at any time.. So, pens, pencils, erasers, protractor, ruler, markers, stamps, envelopes, highlighters, tape, scissors... whatever! Have them all in a drawer, if not available, a plastic- lidded container, a large metal soup can with a taped rim to prevent cuts ... whatever to KEEP ALL THIS TOGETHER. You do not want to waste time hunting for ANYTHING. Time is money, as they say.. well OK, not in this instance, but it might cost you money if you forget to pay something or loose a check!

(1) Have all of your piles of the stuff that was on your desk organized, sorted as you did with your closet, donated, put somewhere else that makes sense on the floor so you can make sense of it all. Put all dishes in the kitchen (or maybe even a waterproof bin, like a self busing restaurant might have and leave it near the closet or under your bed ) and box/laundry basket for the miscellaneous items in the" what to do with these things" later area !

(2) The old information that is there as storage, needs a manila envelope with the ..... year and contents in it. Do not seal it unless you are storing it!! Need it again or as reference? Leave it un-licked! Use the clasp!
In your closet should be a storage spot, an upper shelf or back corner just for your paperwork/tax/papers you cannot loose... stuff. A box with a lid, called a bankers box is a great idea, it is a box with a lid, easy open, easy close.. no dust, no problems. You can use an old computer paper box, if you have access to them.

Way to go!!! 2 areas DONE : ).... ----> STOP here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As with your closet - use the area for a couple days, see what needs to be removed, another envelope created, something moved, more light, etc... Keep your closet and desk organized... any routine wanted is usually kept if maintained and done for at least 2 weeks. You have to be ready for a change!! NEVER say its hard, I hate this, I can't do that... You can do anything you put your energies towards :D
I know you can....

Keep yourself focused, get enough sleep, drink enough water, enough GOOD food, not too much sugar or caffeine, move around, get outside and have faith in yourself..
we can do this : ) *Friend hugs* SISSY HUGS*

Organization: Part 1 ! Redone for you!

2010-05-23T14:27:00.037-06:00

Organization!! I am presenting the idea of what it is to be Organized.. Part 3 is where the specifics come in... Post 1 and 2 are the get ready steps : D

Something we all want to think we do with our stuff is keep it organized, but honestly.. if another person from this planet or another were to look at your piles of STUFF, no one but you could make sense of it!!

Is that really being organized?

NO!
***************************************

STEP (1) Sort through all you closet STUFF... get a donation box, a big one!

Before beginning, eat whatever meal its time for, drink some water, nothing sugary to make you jittery or jumpy and NO alcohol to make you want to quit! Focus! Turn on all the lights in your room / space, open the curtains, the window for some fresh air..if its not too cold....

Tell yourself you can do this and take a deep breath!

Feel the strength of determination enter your every fiber and let's start

this !

YOU are ready!

Make piles of all clothing, books, backpacks, shoes, whatever is in there... Go through the clothes.. Do they all fit NOW! Do you even like that jacket? Pants, they CAN NOT be something you are saving for when you loose 10 pounds!! LOL.. Haven't worn it in over a year, pitch it! Look terrible in Green? Donate it!

If it fits today, it stays! Otherwise, donate it to friends who are that size, Goodwill or whatever organization you favor!

Think of it as your gift and your decision to help someone who needs these items. You are doing someone and yourself a favor by passing things along! Shoes, same thing, do they fit well?! Do they hurt your feet? Do they work with any outfit you still have? Are they in good shape?!? How often do you wear them? Did you even know you had them?!?

PITCH them into the donation box! Old backpacks that are backups, do you really need 3 backups! Purses, same thing as shoes.. Reduce the clutter to help you STAY organized!

In your closet should be a storage spot, an upper shelf or back corner just for your paperwork/tax/papers you cannot loose... stuff. A box with a lid, called a bankers box is a great idea, it is a box with a lid, easy open, easy close.. no dust, no problems. You can use an old computer paper box, if you have access to them.

Consider purchasing organizing hanging "things" to put shoes in, purses in, hang backpacks on... but this is not necessary, just easier! Use what you have or can get at the Goodwill or dollar store ( only get what you need, nothing new!! ) Any kind of bin, laundry basket or plastic box can be used. Wood crates, metal boxes, whatever is sturdy and can hold ALL your whatevers! Do not split them, 1 spot for 1 item type!

CONGRATS ! , you have organized your closet!! Whoo-Hoo! Stop for the day, no matter how gung ho you feel!---> STOP.

Again, Use this area for a few days and see if it needs tweaking... do you really want the drop spot for shoes to be on the right, instead of on the left because its closer to the door? or vice versa ? Do you need a hook for your purse and backpack out of the closet, instead of inside? KEEP IN MIND, you do not want to see all of your STUFF all the time. Your mind will relax in your room / space if it does NOT see your stuff and have it remind you of what you need to do ALL of the time!

That's what your list and visual clues, used sparingly are for! A relaxed mind is an organized mind! Stress creates chemicals in your body that are much like fight / flight responses, it clouds your mind, raises your hear rate and does NOT let you recall details. Remembering details is necessary to remember where things go, what to do and relax in between.

" Are You Aware... "The Wall Street Journal reports, that the average American business person loses six weeks a year searching for lost or misplaced articles from messy desks and files. Six weeks?" That translates into a loss of $3,125 for each $25,000/yr employee, when an hour a day is spent unproductively. Multiply that toward your hourly rate, or by the number of employees in your office. This unproductive time amounts to a significant financial loss for a business. But if turned around, organizing can make you a better profit. " Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

Keep yourself focused, get enough sleep, drink enough water, enough GOOD food, not too much sugar or caffeine, move around, get outside and have faith in yourself..

we can do this : )
*Friend hugs* SISSY HUGS*

Part 2 posted....

Monday, the day that came after yesterday!

2010-05-17T22:36:00.004-06:00

                                                 Yesterday, I wrote about our great BBQ and the brilliant weather we had and how we were having such a nice day .. Well , its a quite different day today!

                                                  We awoke to a dim sky with high clouds, nothing daunting, just cloud cover. It was warmer, just like yesterday. As the day progressed and it became later in the afternoon, to our Southwest dark clouds with that look of a thunderstorm appeared on the horizon.

                                                  By dinner time, the clouds looked quite interesting, almost interesting enough to warrant pictures, but with the darker clouds and no sun, I knew there would be no detail to show up anyway... so it stayed in the bag.

            Around 7PM , I was looking out over the valley from my front porch, I see a slight bit of dust swirling to the south east across the valley, across the freeway (I-84) and know what that is !

A dust storm!

Just like on the prairies and plains of old of pioneer times, dust storms are big winds (40+ MPH, easy) and well, dirt/dust/leaves/pollen flying around!

I head inside and close up the house and prepare to watch it pass over us. Well, as I check the weather statement, it says ( www.weather.com) that we will soon have T-storms, 60+mph winds and yes, the pounding rain and hail often accompanying a spring / early summer storm... OH BOY!

Well, for the next hour, maybe 1.5 hrs we get pelted and jarred by formidable winds and RAIN, but no hail. Lightning going from left to right as far as I can see! and BOOMING thunder! Whoo-hoo!

I had to call my brother, a real weather fanatic (sounds like a great T-shirt) and he listens in on the thundering booms! What a treat : )

Its now later in the evening, the brown outs and near blackouts have stopped, so here I sit still buzzing over the "storm" we had today : ) Getting to share it with Anthony was the best part! No, wait... I mean rubbing it in that he only had rain... HA Ha He Ha Ha !!! We had a storm! !

< Happy Snoopy twirling dance here ! >

<* Here's a link as to why we have spring / early summer storms *> Remember, we had warm air sitting on top of us for 2 days...

It's BBQ time!!! Even up here in the Northern latitude of 43' NORTH!

2010-05-16T19:26:00.005-06:00

Ahhh, the beginning of the warmer temperatures! Not too hot, but warm enough not to have to bundle up : )
White skin be damned, t-shirts and shorts are coming on out of hiding and they feel GOOD!

We welcome the season with a few BBQ ed meats, just to practice before the real scorching temps arrive and you HAVE to cook outdoors to eat meat!

As a quick reference , for myself and your ease of locating... I am posting the USDA internal temperatures for different kinds of meat you might cook. This is not a definitive list, I cook rabbit and game birds which are not listed.. just follow the guide for the type and density of the meat being cooked.

The temperatures listed should be followed to the letter with store purchased meats or from sources unknown to you. If you raise your own meats or know the person who did and have a relationship or know the butcher who processed that animal... use it as a guide not the LAW!

*USDA*		temperature @ thickest spot and in degrees F
	Poultry
	Whole - uncut			165 breast 165-175 thigh
	Parts		165	same as above
	Stuffed		165	taken in stuffing
	Ground			170-75
	Beef and Lamb
	Ground			160
	Steak
	Rare			125 DO not eat unless you know the source!
	Medium rare		145
	Medium		160
	Medium well		165- 170
	Well done		170+
	Pork
	Medium rare			145 DO NOT EAT , unless source is know!
	Medium		160
	Well done		170
	Ground pork		160 See quote below*

Today we BBQ'd some pastured beef steaks we purchased from our beef guy over in Star,ID ... aged 21 days and FULL of flavor! Just a sprinkle of salt and BBQ'd to 155' , pure joy ! The meat has so much flavor on its own, its not necessary to lather on the BBQ sauce, A-1 sauce or other condiments to enjoy this piece of steak!

Last night, we had some small hamburgers grilled again , very simply, from the same beef ! They did not have to be big, we were satisfied with an 1/8 pound burger that fit inside the buns with simple dressings to remind you of what summer tastes like! We tend to eat less in volume when the meat is pastured or poultry free-ranged due to the flavor being so GOOD! We tend to eat slower to savor that rich flavor! So, it may cost more per pound, but with eating less and not missing anything, its a wash at our house!

** QUOTE "...meats inevitably harbor bacteria, and it takes temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to guarantee the rapid destruction of the bacteria that can cause human disease-temperatures at which meat is well-done and has lost much of its moisture. So is eating juicy, pink-red meat risky? Not if the cut is an intact piece of healthy muscle tissue, a steak or chop, and its surface has been thoroughly cooked: bacteria are on the meat surfaces, not inside. "

I include this statement from the USDA site to further strike the point that knowing your source of food is becoming VERY important. Unlike 20 years ago and beforehand.. when "people" balanced food safety with product cost, these days, food is not always what it used to be or seems. The person you could call if you get sick from the meats consumed has been replaces with an 800 number to who knows who and where!

If you have a few extra minutes, look up the source of the ingredients of your foods! Its shocking! when you follow up looking up to see if that ingredient is oncogenic (on·co·gen·ic adj. Tending to cause or give rise to tumors/ cancer) Not something you ever want to think about when eating food! But, you must know that the multinational companies producing and managing our food supplies don't want you to either! Thus the unpronounceable names of the ingredients! They know your eyes will just glaze over and you will say.. whatever that is! ... and put it into your shopping cart.

I know, I know , I sound like a scandal monger , a conspiracy theorist , an anti-establishment type of person! I know how it sounds, but when you really read the labels, read the USDA reports on findings of the conditions of food plants, read the daily paper about food recalls and follow the money back ...it leads to these multinational companies! They lobby and get many changes to FDA allowances!

OK, I am off of my soap box... thanks for listening!

Thrift Stores and second chance stores

2010-05-14T22:06:00.007-06:00

Thrift Stores and second hand stores *CAN* be your friend!

Thrift Stores are not always filled with USED up stuff. Back in the days when everyone saved for a rainy days or reused clothes into blankets or rugs! thrift stores selection was USED up! Barely usable, an alternative to nakedness... The saying, beggars can't be choosers rained true.

These days, we as Americans, move so often ditching perfectly good items in the trash or if the rest of us are lucky , it get's donated to thrift stores or second chance stores. Some city dumps have second chance collection spots so usable, good products and items can be reused. Those items are given or staffed by second chance stores.
These second chance stores vary a little from thrift stores in that they employ or train second chance folks... those minor misdemeanor people who need a job reference or support while cleaning up or performing community service. Thrift stores usually are run as fundraiser stores for a cause or organization staffed by volunteers supporting that cause. End result is the same, people doing it and their reason is different, both help many people !

The general thrift stores most people think of are: click each to visit sites to locate a store in your area.

Some  you might not...

Habitat for Humanity ReStore's Materials are donated to them to use in the homes they build or for them to sell to build the homes !
Stores affiliated with local churches (will vary in your location) .....
Stores affiliated with rehab projects affiliated with local churches .....
Animal rescue organizations have started stores ! It used to have garage sales or raffles, their needs are so great these days that they have stores! WOW...

Think of the above mentioned stores as a lower cost remodel source! Want to change the look of the room economically? Change your faucets, lighting, change the door knobs or repaint an accent wall you are done looking at! It's all there : ) A minimum of 50% off new and adjusted for condition.

Artist's, look to these stores as a source for diverse items to use! All will be less than new. Mosaic makes, they have TONS of tile, no really tons of tile to sift through. Metal yard art or painters, collage folks, ear ring or jewelry makers, unique parts of broken or damaged computers, appliances, even drapery hardware make for some interesting jewelry... Photographers needing frames? Use the molding and other wood trim as a budget solution to your framing needs. Or add/ use other items to accentuate the photo subject or portrait. Paint or stain them to further customize the frame. What a gold mine!

Seamstresses, thrift stores have a lot of useful, unique fabrics to use! New to you Curtains are already made! Cheaper than making yourselves and you can adjust them saving a lot of time! Crochet or knit, yarn by the bags! Thrift stores get a WIDE selection of materials to choose from.

Home schooler's or parents of inquisitive kids... or maybe you are interested in How things work! Buy a used appliance, take it apart and see what's inside! Ask for the broken appliances and they *might* be free. With so many thrift/second chance stores into recycling, it might be a hit or miss on free... Form a relationship with a store or volunteer at your favorite store, your selection will be greatly increased as you will see merchandise 1st!
Recycle it after you are finished and you have reused an item!

Not a crafty, arty person? Donate just about anything to the above stores for US to use : ) Many locations do not take mattresses, but honestly, that is the only item I have ever had turned away at a donation station!

Have fun and share your pics and ideas using the reused items from thrift stores.

I will add them to the frugal living page! (*if G-rated).

New page! Frugal living!

2010-05-14T20:38:00.001-06:00

Living frugally is not a difficult, tiresome, self restricting , sacrificing endeavor!
With all the online coupon codes, online coupons, product webpage promotions , Facebook fan goodies and many others I am sure I don't know!!! Let's help each other and save money while NOT giving up on what is tasty and good for us through these tough times !

I will be posting what I found and find on my frugal living page. Feel free to read through and add your findings as comments!

Mental Dysfunction Muse ... New Page!

2010-05-09T13:39:00.001-06:00

I am the family and for friend, too... Now that I think about it--- doctor and counselor.
I am officially neither!
I do have about 450 credits in many classes and in many discipline's and have done MANY things in my life.. Not that I am bragging, because I do not have any degree from all those hours spent to show for it ... officially... but, I am empowered with the knowledge gained and use it to benefit whoever asks.

So, if you need to hear yet another explanation of commonly asked "what should I do" or "am I ..." questions, read along with my postings. You can ask as many questions as needed, on topic, please.