Living Life

Blank Slate

2012-11-20T18:56:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you, but I wish I could get a blank slate. I've messed up so many times. Although I do not regret getting my Bachelor's in English, I do regret taking so long to get it and letting myself become dependent on my dysfunctional family. I lost a lot this year and while my birthday is only 6 days away, it doesn't feel like a birthday. I don't want to celebrate it. I don't even want to make a wish. You know when you were a kid and you thought if you wished hard enough, all your dreams will come true? Well I wished all the time and none of my dreams came true. If by some chance they ever did, it was through blood, sweat, and tears, not some magical fairy with blue wings.

Elmo is puppet-ed by a gay, black man, who although seems nice enough, is not a red, happy alien from outer space. He is just a regular man living his life and apparently getting accused of statutory rape? Ahh Elmo you have fallen down and kept get up eh? I'm sure he could use a blank slate right about now. We all could. America isn't exactly a place of sunshine and happy drops. The only happy drops seem to come from crappy fast food, weed, and $14 movie tickets. sorry guys, the drugs from the move "Looper" aren't out yet. All that's out is my regret and my shame and pretty much all the fun stuff that comes from growing up and realizing the world is a hard and tough place.

Sometimes I wish I could just run. Like Forest Gump I would run day in and day out and just keep running until I don't feel like it anymore. Too bad I have a bum knee. Too bad I have no science or math degree to calculate how far I could run. Too bad I forgot what exactly I was going to write about. I wish I could see you blonde haired boy with a pretty smile. You are my sole reason for existence. Tom, I know how you feel buddy, we are but a wisp of hot air in a sea of glaciers. Air can't move much when it's just a breath.

Why am I so negative? Maybe the blank slate would help. Maybe it'll just delay the inevitable. Maybe I'm just a broken record waiting til someone pulls the plug. I miss you already. I'll miss you forever.

Labor Story 2011 3rd place

2012-11-05T06:48:00.002-08:00

Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Bullet Through the Brain”

“Those leaves sure look bright today” I thought to myself as I finished collecting my garden tools. The way the image reflected on the metal handle of the rake seemed dream like. I couldn’t remember the last time I paid attention to something like that, but I did. Soon after my shift ended I went up to the owner of the house and asked for my daily payment. It was off books, always, since I didn’t have a green card. “There you go Paco, ten dollars.” the brown haired, 6 foot 2 inch bastard with a bald spot in the middle of his forehead said as he paid me 10 dollars for 5 hours. (That means 2 dollars per 1 hour. Yeah I know my math.) And to make things worse, “My name is not Paco, it’s Roberto Ponce Gonzalez.” I said under my breath. To make things even more worse, if that’s even correct English, I kept coming back for those 10 dollars for 5 hours for about 60 days. Why? Because I had to.

Every day at 3am I woke up, drank my 4 Coronas and went to the bodega around the corner to buy some more. I knew it wasn’t good for me, but that’s how I was able to get through the day without putting a bullet through my brain. Ha, it was only yesterday I went with my wife and kid through the desert to cross the border. To think I thought America was a way to get out of the hell I went through in Mexico. I lost my job in Cancun as a bartender in one of the American owned resorts. My family was barely getting by with the money I earned there. but at least I was in an environment that was familiar to me, even if the rich, white people kept getting drunk, passing out in front of me. I can’t count how many times I had to wipe the floor clean after some dumb college student threw up. The one mess I’ll never forget is the 18 year old Harvard university student who lost her top and threw up some sort of neon paste that resembled cereal and glow stick juice. Didn’t want to know what she ate to get that going. After a couple of years of that, and a child from my wife, who I only married a year before my job, I got fired from that resort. Turns out there were a lot of bartenders that could replace me, and all I had to do was spill a drink on a customer’s lap to get fired. I didn’t get any benefits, any unemployment, all I got was a goodbye and that’s what led me to here.

And I can remember, I can remember the night we decided to travel to the border. My wife was struggling to keep our daughter quiet while the border patrol drove around with their flashlights trying to pin down any of us scared mice. It was horrible. After a week of being thirsty, so thirsty we could drink seawater from a dirty glass, we made it to the guide who took us straight through the path that led to America, and my 2 dollar an hour job. Boy was he fast that guide. But he wasn’t fast enough when they spotted him in the darkness and shot him point blank in the head. The spilled brain goo made my daughter soil herself when it landed close to her right leg. We couldn’t do anything. We couldn’t scream, we couldn’t breathe. We just lay there in that bush and waited until they left. And when they did go, we ran. I picked up my child and we ran. Until that night I didn’t really think much of life, still don’t, but it kept me going. It kept me going to the spot behind Home Depot where the other day laborers stood to wait for jobs. It kept me going to somehow scrounge up enough money to pay for my little girl’s graduation dress for 5th grade, a pretty Robin's egg blue color. “And now it’ll help me with the long day I have ahead, along with my Coronas of course.” I said taking a sip of my first beer of the day.

I used to not always be a drinker. When we first got to American soil, the first thing we did was get in contact with one of the guides from the other side. He gave us some starting money and we bought ourselves some hamburgers and sodas in one of the fast food chains nearby. It was funny because even though I hate fast food, that burger tasted like heaven knowing earlier I had survived on crackers that had dirt encrusted on top.

“Roberto we have to get out of Texas. We can’t raise our child here. They’ll deport us if they catch us.” said my wife when we had been in Austin for 2 months. “I know, but we need enough money to move.” I don’t really know how we managed to save, but we made enough, both my wife and I; me by working 120 hrs a week and her by cooking and cleaning for the blancos nearby. It took us a year to save up $4,000, but we did it. I know it wasn’t much, but it was enough to buy a bus ticket to NYC and pay for a couple of months rent. “Why move?” my daughter asked me before we left. She was only seven at the time. I told her because mommy and daddy are always scared we’ll be sent back. “But why can’t we go back?” she would ask. “Because daddy has nothing there. I want you to have a chance at a better life, even if that means moving.”

It was scary. It was scary all the time. Anytime we saw a cop car we turned off the lights to the rented, run down house we lived in. If we were outside and we saw a police officer, we would walk the other way. “But that was then,and this is now. It’s better right?” I thought to myself. I picked up my six pack and heading to the door. As I heard the bells above move and jingle, a robber came in and tried to hold the store up. He had on a black ski mask but I could tell he was white. He pushed me to the ground and told me “Get the fuck down you fucking beaner, get the fuck down now.” I said softly, “I don’t want any trouble, please I have a family.” and laid down on the floor. The man hurried the store clerk to empty the cash into his plastic bag. His glasses and straight black hair had beads of sweat dripping down. I tilted my head up to see if the robber was going to leave when the store clerk took out a rifle to shoot the robber. “Bang!” was all I heard as the robber shot the clerk in the head and ran away with the money. All I could think was: “Thank God that wasn’t me.” The funny thing was that when the robbery was shown in the news, they described the assailant as black. Were they just describing his ski mask?

After that day things seemed to go down hill from there. Jobs kept getting scarcer and the few jobs I did have were demeaning. A 10 year old, not much younger than my daughter paid me 5 dollars to pick up some dog poop in the backyard of her parents brownstone in Brooklyn. I did it. Whay did I do it for? I did it for my little girl, the one thing in my life that I loved the most. She was the reason I took those god awful jobs. She was the one I lived for.

When my little girl, Gabrielle turned 11, she asked me to take her ice skating in Manhattan. I knew we couldn’t afford it, but I just couldn’t bare to make her sad. So I took her and when we got there she was the happiest little girl. She skated for hours, sometimes falling, sometimes flying. I was so happy, I didn’t think anything of it when she started coughing and sniffling. “It's just a simple cold.” I said to myself. “She'll be fine. But it ended with her getting pneumonia. We don’t have any health care so I tried to work extra jobs to pay for her medicine. “Just 2 more hours, just 2 more days, just 2 more jobs, just 2 hundred more dollars” is what I thought each time some faceless man handed me a 10 dollar bill or 20 if I got lucky. But just 2 weeks later my girl didn’t make it. And 2 minutes later I realized what all my hard work had amounted to.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror. My wife’s cries deafened my own in the bedroom. I grabbed a gun I managed to get off some kid behind a liquor store near my block for 30 dollars and emptied it into my head, 1 shot. And for 1 second I saw my daughter, the beach, my family, even the dog I had when I was little. For the briefest moment, I was happy, and then the bullet went through my brain.

How Pretty Little Liars Season 3 and 4 will end (POTENTIAL SPOILERS)

2012-08-21T09:43:00.002-07:00

(None of the pictures shown here I own.)

Hi there,

I would like to start this off by saying that I do not know for sure how production will go about doing this, in the end they could completely change it up, but if they follow the books like they did with season 1 and 2 with respects to who the killer is, I'm pretty sure I know what will happen.

First of all Maya's killer is...

The real Allison Delaurentis! Courtney, her twin sister was the one killed not Allison. She is the new A, she is the one that dug up the body and took Maya's phone, etc.

How do I guess this to be what will happen?

In the books Maya never gets killed, instead Jenna gets murdered. It is later revealed Allison kills Jenna. So I'm guessing they switched Maya for Jenn but kept the same killer.

This is how I see the scenario of how Maya died.

Maya gets grabbed by Allison's older brother, Jason, right outside Noel Kahn's cabin. Because they know each other, she gets into the car with him and they talk and she mentions that she knows something about the Delaurenti's family, like the fact that Allison had a twin. The family tried to keep that a secret and will later reveal it probably in the latter seasons. She gets out of Jason's car and plants the note at Hanna's house under the potted plant. She then later goes to her old house to, I dunno pick up something? It could also be that Jason drops her off near there and she put the note in there before Jason picked her up. Anyway, she sees something at Emily's house and thinks it's either the fake Allison or I dunno.

Either Allison hits her as she turns to face her or she hits her from behind. She hits her trachea and slams her to the ground and strangles her for good measure. Allison was stalking Maya and when Maya, like Ian, knew too much about the Twin thing, she killed them.

This is how I'm guessing season 3 will end with the revelation that Allison is the real killer at least to the audience. Season 4 might end with the "Twin thing" being exposed and the Allison taking her place as the Allison the others knew. In the books that's what she does and she convinces them she was Courtney, switched, and Courtney was the "crazy" one who escaped. Although they are both crazy... There were two initial switches. Courtney took Allison's place. Then Allison "pretend" switched by faking being the Allison that the girls knew...the girls knew Courtney.

Season 5 might be Allison attempting to kill the liars in the Poconos in a fire, who knows. But I do know this Jenn and the first A spoke to Allison in the show. She was the one that told Jenn about what Courtney had done to her.

So I hope that helps any. Please if you like what you read, read more of my articles and even check out my book.

Click Here for my book about a girl who wants to save the world from an apocalypse.

“Family: My Grandmother”

2012-07-17T14:32:00.002-07:00

“Family: My Grandmother”

By: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

My grandmother was born Rosa Maria Henriquez. She was a strong woman with an easy temperament who was a bit bossy, but always took care of her family and friends. July 7^th 2012 at 2pm EST, she passed away. Not only was this a huge blow to my family, it was an especially huge blow to me. It made me change my way of thinking.

It has been a full week since she has passed and I cannot get rid of the image of her death. I found her, blue in the lips and fingertips, July 5^th at 7:30am in her bedroom. I performed CPR and the paramedics came five minutes later to resuscitate her and take her to the ER. For two and a half days, I prayed with my mother, sister, and aunt that she would somehow miraculously make it. I even blamed myself for not noticing sooner that something happened to her. It was as if my heart died when she did. There was nothing I could do to make it better.

A few days passed, my eyes swollen from crying, I could not sleep. I remember waking up every two hours and barely ate. I was so distraught and stressed, even more so because I had to go to the medical examiner’s office to identify her and had to make funeral arrangements. I wanted to give up. I just wanted it to all end, but then I remembered something my granma always told me. “Think positive and keep on going.”

My granma always took care of me and always kept going even with her leg ulcers, her chronic asthma, and her chronic pain. She would wake up 6am in the morning each single day to take a bath, brush her teeth, get dressed, put her makeup on and say good morning to me. She never complained. She always smiled. She never let her illness affect her.

She taught me a lot my granma. She taught me to be independent and do what I have to, to live. If it were not for her, I would not be here. It is the least I can do to honor her memory to keep going, even if it feels hopeless. I can say from first hand experience, it does get better. Even though her death is still fresh in my memory, I have accepted the loss and am beginning to move on. I still have a long way to go, but I know that if I take even just one-step a day, a tiny or big step, to making my life better and meeting my life goals, that is one day not wasted, one day well spent.

I want to make my life better not just for myself, but for my family. I want to pursue my passions and go for what I want and desire. I know now what death is like and what is left behind and I want to make sure I leave something that lasts. I want to make the memory of her last. I want to give my children, if I ever have any, a life worth living by instilling in them the same values my granma instilled in me. She was a second mother to a friend, a confidant, my savior, and most of all she was my light. Even though that light has faded, it will never leave me. It will brighten my darkest of moments.

I love you granma, always and forever. I will remember your dyed, jet-black short hair, your big brown eyes, and your warm smile. “Viva Mexico” she would say at the Mexican festival in the nursing home. “Be a realist, but be open and positive”. “Nunca déjà de pensar en ti misma.” Abuela I love you.

“The Best Five Herbs to Relieve Stress”

2012-06-15T10:27:00.001-07:00

This is a simple and quick guide on the five best herbs to relieve stress. There are even places mentioned where these “Zen” herbs can be purchased. Sit back and relax and let the “Zen” sink in. Don’t forget to get permission from the doctor before trying out any alternative medicine.

1. Licorice Root contains a natural hormone alternative to Cortisone. No it’s not the pill Cortisol. It’s actually the natural equivalent to it! It can help normalize blood sugar which is a big plus if one has periods of insane energy and then after a while wants to take a nap. This herb helps with those pesky fluctuations. It even calms the mind, or so it is said.

2. Passion Flower is a mild sedative. It is said to help one go to sleep with its analgesic properties. If one is looking to relieve anxiety, then that is the ticket. It also treats depression, insomnia, and nervousness in some, not all people. Stress after all is a myriad of things that go bump in the brain. The herb is available in tincture, juices, and pills.

3. Kava Kava is an herb from the South Pacific. This is a strong muscle relaxant that can be used for depression and menopause. It can also be used to treat stress. Nothing like some Kava at night right before one goes to bed. Then, in the morning, one can have some Java.

4. Lavender is a great herb for de-stressing after a long hard day at work. Ever heard of the benefits of aroma therapy? Well if one likes the smell of Lavender than try it, if not stick to what is palatable to the senses. Lavender is also edible and quite tasty. Ever heard of Lavender candies/mints? It tastes pretty good. Plus Lavender is an antibacterial agent and works to balance hormones. Hormones are what make the body round and get round if there’s an imbalance.

5. St John’s Wort, as old as time, old Hippocrates, the original doctor used it to treat patients feeling blue. It certainly helps glum people feel a whole sum of good feelings, well some people, not everyone. After all, not all herbs will work for every person. It is good to try some out, with permission from the doctor of course. No one wants any unnecessary “accidents”.

Don’t try to be a guinea pig when testing out these herbs. Moderation in anything is best. Now to discuss the availability and potency for the five herbs; the best way to get some potency from the herb Passion flower is in tincture form. A few drops in a cup of tea or juice mellow one out for the night. It tends to be sweet and slightly bitter due to the alcohol in some of the tinctures. It can be purchased, like with most of the herbs in Vitamin shop, GNC, and in some pharmacies. The Kava tends to be found on Amazon.com in pill form. Lavender is readily available in supermarkets and health food stores also in pill form or food, or tincture. St. John’s Wort can be found in big supermarkets, and just about every pharmacy. Licorice root is a bit hazardous when taken in excess, so it is not advisable to take too much. One can find it online at Amazon.com, endorsements anyone?

How to Not Kill Yourself

2012-04-07T11:20:00.001-07:00

Hi, my name is Rosemary. Sometimes you may feel as though there is no way out. That's how I felt. I tried to kill myself twice. I'm not saying my words will keep you from committing suicide, but it might help. After all, life is about learning and growing, so read on and hopefully my methods will keep you off the deep end.

Step 1:

Admit to yourself just how messed up life is. Grab a pen and paper, even a laptop and just write down every major/minor mistake you've made that has gotten you to a point where you want to kill yourself. It could be not losing weight, not going out with the "nice boy/girl", missing your payments for your bills, even something as small as not brushing your teeth every night before bed. List any and every choice YOU have made and then read through them carefully.

Step 2:

Once you've gone through step 1, write down all of the unforeseen, random circumstances that have led you to where you are now. It could be an unexpected death, an illness, an accident, or even just a simple bump into someone you know. Jot down all these seemingly random occurrences and try to remember what was happening as you were experiencing those things.

Step 3:

Accept responsibility for your actions, your choices and accept that the consequences of those actions are what led you to a path of regret and hopelessness. Then realize that those actions can also be changed to lead you away from that dark path. An example would be weight loss. You chose to not be healthy and active. You can also choose to stop your bad habits and start fresh. In the end it's not what you've done that really makes an impact, it's what you've done lately. Sure some mistakes will take a while to go away, but if you keep thinking or acting in a way where those mistakes have a longer shelf life, you will just keep suffering needlessly. Being proactive and making the good decisions that will lead to better outcomes will make those errors in judgment, even the colossal ones fade away.

Step 4:

After analyzing and seeing what you did and didn't do, know that some things are out of your control. If you completed step 2, you'll notice that perhaps you were making right choices for yourself, but something unexpected happened that slowed down your progress. It's not your fault, you couldn't help it. It's life's speed bumps that, according to your lot life, may happen often, or hardly at all. Sure it's unfair some people are lucky and barely have to deal with any truly negative situations, but that's just part of the whole universal game. "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger.": To a certain extent that old saying is true. Still, it's important in this step to just take a step back, pause and let go of the worry and fear. You could go outside, talk to a friend, have some fun, forget what happened for just a night, even a week. Take this time to really understand what you want to do in life and how you want to do it. Explore, plan and think ahead.

Step 5:

This is the single most important step of all. Once you take a pause from life, from your mistakes, get right back into making the right choices for yourself. I won't lie and say it's easy. It's friggin hard, especially if you think you're just too old, too sick, too stupid, too everything. If you just start, push yourself through the initial moves, it'll get easier, you'll feel better; you might even have a new perspective, a new desire. Go out and get it! It might take a while, you might even get a dozen or more speed bumps, but trust me, if you keep going, repeating the steps, it'll go by quicker and you'll eventually breeze through the "tough times". It's not going to fix things immediately, it's not a certain fix, but it's something I used to get myself out of dying. Hopefully it will help you.

Good Luck,
Rosemary

Hi, if you liked my article, feel free to check out more on a variety of subjects such as How-To, Humor, Entertainment, and Health at http://RosemaryJasmineRivera.blogspot.com

If you want to purchase my book on how I was able to last through my depression and attempted suicide, check out this link at Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/Can-Your-Passions-Save-ebook/dp/B006ACBBJG

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6974612

To All The Agents Out There

2012-03-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

To all the agents and the bullshit platform,

Thanks to this economy a writer like me needs to have a platform (large fanbase) in order to get an agent, let alone get published. In a world where everyone with a computer feels as though they can be pulitzer prize winning novelists (with only attending one writing workshop, I actually earned a degree in Creative Writing) and a query wait time of 6 months, it's no wonder I'm going insane with anger and disappointment. I don't have the money or the linguistic talent to garner fans. A part of me doesn't want to. I don't want fans for the sake of getting my work out there. I want my work out there so people can understand and perhaps relate to my point of view. I am a writer, born and raised in hell and I have a lot to say. My stutter, my lovely disorder that is most annoying when looking for employment, hinders and creates barriers where most people don't have any. And I swear, if I see one more agent that requires solicited material only, I will shoot myself with my water gun, right in the mouth. Oh yeah, I still have a water gun; they're friggin awesome. If you didn't know, you need an agent to have solicited material,or at least someone who knows the person you're querying personally. That's fucking retarded. Why on earth would I need to do that if the agent is supposed to be the person who presents the solicited material to the publisher? What the fuck, so I need an agent to get an agent? Let me guess I need to pay an agent, ot even better, suck their big agent cock, well no, no thanks. If I can't raise the revenue to publish my work professionally and I can't get commercially published, then screw it, I'm just going to make my work available regardless. I don't care if no one buys it, (because at the end of the day I have to survive, so no duh I'm charging) I just want it out there.

There was one person who decided to read my nonfiction book, Can your Passions Save You?. He actually liked it and wanted to contact me to let me know. That meant a lot to me. To know someone could read my story and get something out of it was worth more than getting a yes from an agent. Which by the way, I did get a yes for a query, five months later. I didn't even know she had responded. Who does that? Why would someone wait so long to say yes? Then I sent my book proposal, this time for a different book, and I was waiting and decided to email her, letting her know I won't wait 5 more months to get a yes or a no. She emailed me back the next day, and low and behold she said no. I am so sick of the whole spiel too. “Don't give up.” “Writing is subjective”. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Just say no and be done with it. Say the truth, say you didn't read it past the title because you were drinking coffee and got a phone call from one of your clients asking for an extension on whatever. We all know most agents don't read hardly any of the stuff that is sent to them, they only accept people that have networked with them, establish a platform, or paid them. So it's a joke to me when this agent lady sends me a copy and paste sample email saying the same thing she says to everyone. I know she didn't read my work, but she got upset at what I said so she replied quickly. I believe in my work, but I don't have the money or the resources to get it out there. I don't have any help, no fairy god mother or father to wave their magicks over my head into a protective halo or good luck horse shoe, or even better, an ever-expanding safety net. I only have me, myself, and I; A broken and sad person with at least one person who's liked and read my work. At least I can say I tried, and continue to try, just not as enthusiastically. Oh and by the way, the agent had the nerve to plug her stupid blog. Perhaps I should too.

P.S. All you agents out there, keep doing what you're doing, you're obviously not creating classics.

Toodles,

Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Can Your Passions Save You? Series 2: What do Passions Bring You?”

2011-11-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

Are you sick to death of your job? Are you one of the many Americans who just hate getting up in the morning and having to deal with whatever day you think you might have ahead? I used to be like you, dreading even waking up. I used to think there was no hope and I could barely go outside to find it. I’m here to tell you there is hope.
Hope is energy. Hope is an unlimited supply of force that propels you forward when nothing was there before. How I got my hope, wasn’t from a pill or my favorite pastry, it was from my passion for writing. My passions are what gave me hope when I thought I had none. Even writing this to you now I feel scared. I’m scared of tomorrow and of what will happen. My hope is the light that pushes that fear away, my hope is fueled by my passions.
Writing is not my only passion. Health, beauty, and the environment are also things in life I feel inspire and motivate me. I try to use them in conjunction with my main passion, writing, to get the most out of my talents. Everyone has talents. You, reading this, may have a talent no one else has. Perhaps you’re the best at this one thing, or good at many things. In my book, Can Your Passions Save You?, I guide you through, step by step, what it takes to identify and harness your passions.
The world is meant to be full of meaning and purpose. When you’ve lost your purpose you feel frustrated, in darkness. Let me help you, through my story, learn to help yourself, push yourself through the tough times. Some things are meant to only be healed through time, the trick is lasting until you reach that point. Your passions will help you last. I can guide you in your search for your passions to truly know what you’re meant to do and how you’re meant to do it. The ride of course, is unknown. You don’t know how you’ll get there, or even when, but with determination and your passions showing you the way, you’ll be able to withstand all the trials and tribulations. All you have to do is spend $5.
I know what you must be thinking, this is a tough economy. Why should you waste $5 on a book when you spend that on food? It’s because food will only nourish your body, my book can help nourish your soul. I don’t sugar coat anything in my story, I tell you the facts, what really happened, and how my passions truly saved me. I wrote Can Your Passions Save You? because I saw so many people out there confused about what to do in life and feeling bored. I wanted to contribute something to this world that could actually benefit people in the long run.
So don’t spend those $5 on a game you’re only going to play for a couple of days, a ringtone you like, or your morning coffee, spend it on something that will work for a lifetime. Ten years from now you can look back at my book, your own life, and see how you’ve grown and changed. You can do anything you set your mind to. I’m living proof. I was a suicidal college dropout. Now, in just three years, I have my Bachelor’s in English, and I wrote three books, all with no help from anyone, just relying on my passions. Believe in your power, believe in the world, and most of all believe there is hope.

Bless you,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

If you wish to purchase my book, please go here.

“Can Your Passions Save You? Series 8: You Say What Now?”

2011-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you, but I used to not be very assertive. I was the quiet one who kept saying sorry even when someone bumped into me. I was the good girl who always did what she was told and never questioned anything. Now I speak my mind and let it be known how I feel. How do you think I was able to do that?
Life is pretty simple if you think about it. You live in some sort of shelter, you “hunt” for food, you go to the bathroom, find a possible mate, and maybe reproduce. The problem is we, the human race, aren’t simple. We aren’t like tigers who just live by themselves or monkeys who fight for territory. We are domesticated, social beings who have to talk our way into not only getting what we want, but also helping and connecting with others.That’s where the whole being assertive comes into play.
Being assertive means being clear with your intentions, wants, and needs. There’s no round about way when you’re assertive. You say it like it is without putting behind it, any strong emotions. Some people confuse being assertive with being angry or standing up for one’s self. That’s something different. The key to successfully showing what you want is owning up to the responsibility you have of interacting with another person who has the same goal as you of expressing wants and needs and being able to state without being overly emotional or critical, how you’re going to go about doing it. I’ll give you an example.
Lady A goes to Mr. B at a cafe and asks him for some coffee. She explains she find him attractive and wants to talk. Mr. B doesn’t want to, but also doesn’t want to hurt her feelings. He tries to play it nice and just nods. Lady A takes it as a yes and continues to flirt with him. This gets him upset and he forces himself to realize he has to state clearly what he wants from her.
Mr. B explains to her that although she is a nice, young woman, he does not feel the same way and doesn’t want to talk to her anymore. Even if the woman is offended, she sees his face and body language and understands there’s no point in continuing and leaves. Real life isn’t going to be this easy all the time, but you’ll be surprised how easy it is to get what you want when you clearly state it with tact and honesty.
In my book, Can Your Passions Save You?, I show you how you can learn to be assertive by developing a stronger sense of self. How can you tell people what you want, when you don’t know what you want? Your passions are your fingerprint, they’ll guide you to your true desires and in turn help you have a deeper understanding of self. Tell the world what you want, you’ll be surprised with the outcome.

Bless you,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

Click here to buy the book

“Can Your Passions Save You? Series 7: Don’t Believe in Luck”

2011-11-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

Funny how when you least expect it, something lucky happens. Yep, you get a package in the mail of a duplicate order of your favorite shirt you just bought online and you weren’t charged twice for it. I’m here to tell you that kind of stuff will never happen if you wish for it. Probability is the name of the game when it comes to certain things, and that is much more helpful to you then expecting some random occurrence. That’s why it’s random, randomness can’t be expected.
Why am I bringing this up? It’s because a lot of people, me included, rely on luck to help us through certain things in life without realizing luck has nothing to do with it. If it’s a test you hope you didn’t flunk even though you didn’t study for, or a chance meeting with Mr. Right at a club full of dirt bags, you just can’t count on luck for bupkiss. I never knew what bupkiss meant. Is that even a word? Luck would have it I don’t have my phone with me to check. See what I’m getting at?
Probability is what some people (like me) mistake for luck. If you know all about probability, you’ll know the trick to getting a desired income with probability is setting yourself up to have the best chances. That means understanding the rules of the game, following them, and acquiring as many resources as needed. A good instance would be, being a chef.
Let’s say you want to be a world famous chef. You see a flier that says win a chance to work for a famous chef, just enter the contest. You sit there and hope that someday you’ll make it, maybe even wish for Wolfgang Puck to show up to your door and say work for his kitchen. Some time passes and nothing happens. You don’t win. Now you’re short $10 and no where close to being a world famous chef.
You’ve had enough of daydreaming and decide to apply for culinary school. You get in and even get financial aid. You work hard and sure enough get a local gig at a new restaurant and become a chef. Then you decide to master a signature dish and ask a famous blogger to feature it. You butter him up, wow him with your skill and he grants your request. Now everyone sees what an amazing chef you are. But that didn’t happen with luck. It happened with probability, it happened with passion.
Can Your Passions Save You is my book that shows you how you can use your passions to never rely on dumb luck again. It’s funny, the minute you stop relying on luck, it just comes to you in the most wonderful ways. Your passions can put you back into the driver seat of your journey and will allow to have those wonderful, dumb luck moments. Rely on yourself and believe in creating your own “luck”.

Remember, life is about dealing with what comes to you. Stop trying to guess what will happen and do it.

Bless You,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera
Click here for book

“Can Your Passions Save You? Series 6: Return of the Bulge”

2011-11-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

Obesity sucks, especially because when people look at an obese person they think, “Man she let herself go.” You don’t want to be like that, no one does. The problem is more and more women are turning to purging and fasting to keep slim. Is it worth that number on the scale? Do you feel like you just can’t control it? I’m here to tell you, you can.
I myself have dealt with Bulimia. It used to get worse the more stressed out I got. Even though I’m still recovering, I learned to be happy with my body regardless of how “big” or “small” I am. Let me tell you, it’s worked. Without being so obsessed with being a certain weight, I managed to keep my weight stable for the past 2 years. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t go back to old habits every now and then, but it’s not as bad as it was before.
One of the ways I was able to curb my disorder was my passions for health and writing. I researched what a healthy diet consists of and I wrote down a lot of the anxieties and worries that were plaguing me. It gave me peace of mind to know I could still get better even though I was so obsessed with the whole binge, purge cycle. When I finally expressed how I felt through writing, it made me have a sense of relief and understanding. I wrote down my thoughts on being thin and how I planned to do it. I even vowed never to be Bulimic again. I realized it’s not realistic to tell yourself you will never binge or purge.
Life is a constant flow of randomness and uncertainty. You never know what will or can happen. What you can do is set realistic goals so when you regress, it will not be so damaging to you. I remember I used to set insane goals for weight loss. I told myself I would lose 30 lbs in 30 days. I was setting myself up for failure. When the pressure got to me, I snapped and GAINED 5 lbs. Now I tell myself, today I’m just going to be active and eat healthy, who cares if I lose. Guess what, I actually ended up losing a few pounds.
Let me show you how you can identify your passions to at least get you started on developing a stronger sense of self to combat that twisted self image you may have. My book, Can Your Passions Save You?, consists of ten chapters interwoven with my true story to show you how to deal with obstacles, set backs, and self esteem. Have faith you have the power to change your life, because at the end of the day, you’re the one who holds the key. You can be the beautiful person that you already are on the inside, by being kind to yourself on the outside. Show the world you’re a force of light.

Open the door to a better tomorrow by helping yourself today.
Bless You,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera
Click here for the book

“Can Your Passions Save You? Series 5: Learning When to Let Go”

2011-11-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

You just cheated on your diet or skipped class, or even worse, are stuck in a troubled relationship. You’re pulling your hair attempting to comprehend why you’re doing this and you can’t think of anything to explain it. You’re anxious and nervous and worrying about tomorrow. How do you fix it? How can you learn to let go?
I’m not a magician. I can’t instantly relieve your fears or bad habits. I can however assist you in becoming aware of what it is that’s going on. I was there in the same place you are in now, holding on for dear life. I’m here to tell you that when I finally began to let go, it was the proudest moment of my life; it can be the same for you.
The first step to letting go is knowing what it is that kept you hanging on in the first place.
How can you achieve that? Easy, I’ll walk you through it. Imagine the one instant in your life that makes your stomach turn. Each time you even think about it, it creates this heaviness inside you, where you feel tired and apathetic. Pull that memory out and into a box. Now imagine the happiest dream you’ve ever had. One where you felt complete and connected. Take that box holding the bad memory and open it inside the happy dream. When you open it, picture the box containing absolutely nothing.
Why would the box holding your worst feelings about something, contain nothing? It’s because that memory is in the past. It can’t exist anywhere else. If you stay in the past, that memory will be alive as ever and will grow and consume you. But if you put it in a box and move on, it can’t exist anymore. It’ll be confined to that box. What’s so powerful about a box?
Picture the box as your passions. The key that holds the power to confining those dark memories. In my book, Can Your Passions Save You?, I’ll show you through my own experience how to let go of your past and finally move on. It’s going to take a while for that box to have nothing inside, but the first step is the most important. Let me offer you that first step. Change is never easy, but when you get there, it’s the most amazing feeling.
Lastly, don’t be ashamed if you think about your past every now and then. We all look back and wonder, what if? You just have to snap out of it and keep going, no matter what. Let your passions get you there.

So quit holding on to things that are bad for you, and embrace your passions.
Bless You,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera
Click here for the book.

"Can Your Passions Save You? Series 4: Accepting Responsibility"

2011-11-15T10:23:00.000-08:00

You are the captain in the boat that is your life. You command in which direction your mast will be pointed towards. (Don’t start thinking perverted.) You control which crew mates can come on board and how fast you want your ship to go. So what happens when you stop being the captain of your ship?
From my personal experience, when I stopped taking control of my life, I stopped caring about it. I didn’t care how I dressed, how I looked, how I ate. All I cared about was being numb. All I cared about was how to get numb. Nothing else mattered to me.
That was a large chunk of my life. If you’re like me and feel that way right now, you have to look in the mirror and accept what is and take back control. Be responsible for your actions today. It doesn’t matter if you falter and stumble. As long as you claim what you’ve done and to whom you’ve done it to, even if it’s just yourself at first, that’s enough to move you forward. Really, progress isn’t based on achievement, but rather the courage to move past all that was.
You’re past could have been full of pain and despair. You could have been born with a rusted knife in your mouth instead of a silver spoon. That doesn’t mean it has to dictate how you’re going to be for the rest of your life. I’ll admit, when you have a bad start, it’s really difficult getting your bearings. You can’t give up. You can’t lose control of what makes you, you. Hard lives must be lived through patience.
The best way to learn patience is by being able to harness and focus on what you can do and let go of what’s out of your control. You can’t dictate the status of the weather or how a person will receive you. Don’t worry about that because at the end of the day, that’s out of your zone of ability. What you can do is put on a raincoat, wear your favorite outfit, and smile at whoever you’re facing. That is the key to accepting responsibility and moving on with your life.
My book, Can Your Passions Save You? deals with owning up to your actions and finding ways to continue. Passions can and will give you back your steering wheel to life because they are your deepest desires. They are the road maps to who you truly are. Let me just say, deep down, you’re an amazing person. We all are.

Let go of the past, move forward to your destiny.
Bless You,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

Click here for the Book

“Can Your Passions Save You? Series 3: Getting up When You’ve Fallen Down”

2011-11-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

I can’t tell you how many times people have told me they’ve had it, they’ve made one too many mistakes and are done with it all. I get it, I make mistakes all the time. I make a fool of myself from never understanding advice given to me or never reading the instructions. I’m sure you have flubbed often yourself with a project for work or school or asking a person you like out on a date. The world it seems, is chock full of mistakes.
So what if it’s a world of mistakes? I love mistakes; you want to know why? It’s because mistakes help a person grow and learn. You can’t learn from a mistake unless you understand what happened to make it and how to not repeat it again. If you’re stuck in the mistake and refuse to move on, you’ll be stagnant and still. In life that is the WORST thing you can do.
Imagine you’re on your couch or bed, and you’re sitting there not moving. People walk past you, a bird flies on your head, and nothing causes you to move. You just stay there motionless for hours. Eventually you stay there for so long your body has decayed. You haven’t eaten, you haven’t bathed, you haven’t even gone to the bathroom. It’s as if you’re a statue. The only thing is, you’re not a statue and this staying still business is killing you.
That’s what you’re doing when you stay stuck on a mistake. The more you ruminate, you focus on that tiny mistake, it becomes the anchor, the root, to an even bigger mistake. Because before, you were just sitting on that bed or sofa, completely fine. Now, after some time has past, you’re almost dead. The question then becomes, what can you do to stop hovering over this mistake and those mistakes in the past? The answer for me was clear.
My passions helped me get over the failures I deemed insurmountable. I used to be a perfectionist, so much so, that I wouldn’t do something in fear of doing it wrong. I was stuck, but my passions forced me to say, “You know what, it doesn’t hurt to try.” You have to try! You’ll never know what’s out there unless you move. Yes you can make more mistakes in the future, and you most likely will because let’s face it, we’re human. But if you keep moving, keep going, no matter what life throws at you, you’ll be okay. Can Your Passions Save You? is my book that I wrote to help you learn to do just that.

So please, let go of staying still and get moving, because the saddest thing about falling down is never getting back up. Get back up, never give up, never give in, not even an inch. When you keep on getting back up, each time will be easier.

Bless you,
Rosemary Jasmine Rivera
Click here for the book

“Pearls of Wisdom Series 8: The Importance of Organic”

2011-11-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my series known as: Pearls of Wisdom. This series focuses on a wide variety of topics that will guide you to a better state of being. Sometimes I discuss, in a step by step process, how to do something. Other times I will simply give information about an important topic. Feel free to check the remaining articles from this series in my blog.

I cannot stress how important it is to eat organic in America. In this day and age there are so many foods out there available to the American public that are ladened with chemicals and preservatives. The worst part is, the stuff you'd think is healthy could actually be dangerous to your health. From genetically modified corn and soy to pesticide ridden produce, how are we supposed to stay healthy? The answer is by eating better.

It's not just food that should be organic, it's beauty products as well. The harmful chemicals you're putting on your skin and hair do just as much damage as consuming them. You should always be aware and do your research concerning products you buy. Ironically even the most high end of beauty products can contain petrochemicals and preservatives that do more harm than good.

Let's start with the meaning or organic. I know a lot of food labels out there, including beauty products state their products are organic. It can be very misleading. First, see the percentage of organic items in the ingredients list or on the labels. If it says 100% certified organic, than it's a purely organic product. If that's the case, all the ingredients should have organic before each one. Second, even if it's not 100% organic, and it's just 10% organic, check which ingredients are used. Sulfates due damage to the skin and hair and any emulsifier that is not plant derived tend to come from toxic sources.

Not everyone cares if they have organic beauty products. If that's the case, then please check out the organic section of your supermarket and look for any thin skinned fruits and veggies. Thick skinned fruits like bananas or cantaloupe don't have to be organic because the skin is so thick, most of the pesticides will reside there, not in the pulp. Thin skinned fruits like apples and peaches should be picked organic whenever possible. Two food items that must always be organic is corn and soy. This is because corn and soy are being genetically modified to result in large volume yields. Not only are there pesticides on these two products, but they're not even natural anymore. (Make sure to check food labels to see if it contains corn syrup or soy product. These are used as fillers and are not good for your health.)

Eat Well and Be Healthy! If you liked what you read, be sure to check out my blog.

“Can Your Passions Save You?” Series 1: The Beginning

2011-11-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

So here you are browsing the Inter-webs looking for something to keep you busy. Maybe you’re at work or in school, or at home. You have about 15 min to 2 hours worth of free time and figured why not look at some stuff to read. You come across this article and are reading this sentence right now. So, what’s supposed to happen? I’m asking the same question.

Let’s look at it this way. We are here today because our parents made love and decided to have us. Their passion to be with each other conceived and brought to the world a life, ours. So what are we supposed to do now? What are you supposed to do? Some people have that figured out already. They have their passions and their goals aligned and they’re good to go. Others may not be that lucky. Others may have really wanted to be a celebrity or a lady’s man and because of their less than stellar gene pool, have been forced to relinquish their dreams and work a minimum wage job. Or maybe they have an academic goal that seems too far away because there’s no money to pay for it. It could be a disability or even just an innate shyness that prevents them from going for what they truly desire in life. How then, are they supposed to find their way?

I’m not here to tell you I have the answers. I myself am figuring it all out. Like you, I don’t have a road map of where I’m supposed to be in the next year, heck in the next month, so I’m just winging it. There is however something that’s guiding me, albeit I’m still too blind to really see anything. What’s guiding me are my passions. My passions are the beacons of hope and joy that keep the fear at bay long enough to reach out and touch the world. It hasn’t gotten me wealth and power, or even a lot of success, but it has brought me to a point in my life where I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.

Passions are after all our fingerprint in the world. They are what we leave behind when our life has passed. It’s up to you choose whether to leave a deep, longlasting print, or one that fades in the wind. Sure life hasn’t exactly been easy, but we survived it, we left something behind, even if it’s just our name. Now we should leave more. We’re alive you know. We’re breathing, we’re conscious, and we have a chance to really help the world, the people we love, and ourselves. I come to ask the question again. What’s supposed to happen now? The answer is, anything you want. Just make sure to choose with your passions in mind. They are what define you, what stays behind after all the chaos, all the pain.

Good luck!

Article by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

For more on this series, be sure to check out my blog or buy the book of the same name on Kindle.
Click here

“How to Not Approach a Guy”

2011-11-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

To start it off, let me just say I’ve had plenty of awkward moments come my way when I tried to talk to a guy that I liked. I was there, looking like a fool, while the guy tried to practically sign me to death that he wasn’t interested. Did I pay attention, get the hint? Obviously not or I wouldn’t be here writing this to you. I’d be sitting in a cottage somewhere with a hunk of a man with a good set of pipes, getting back rubs, if you know what I mean. So from me to you, here’s my Do nots on how to approach a guy.

Do not tell the guy your background until at least 3 dates in. Why? Easy my dear, because most guys just want to get it in or get out on the first date. They’re trying to size you up. If they see you’re blabbing off on how many boyfriends you cheated on or how lonely you were last week, or that you haven’t had sex in 5 years, they’re going to think you’re a nutcase or worse yet, a one night stand. If they do end up liking you’ll they’ll want to get to know you, but in a slow manner. It’ll be them asking the questions and you wisely answering them.

Do not lie your as$ off to impress or seem interesting. Eventually the truth will come out and you’ll end up looking like a pathological jerk with “issues”. Besides, even if you pull off the charade, it’ll get to you, knowing you can’t be your true self with the guy you’re dating. If a guy really loves you, he’ll love you for you. (The normal you, not the I’m strung up on caffeine and vodka you) As cheesy as that sounds, it is so true.

Do not be a doormat with your guy. He already has a mother, he doesn’t need two. Remember those suburban 50‘s housewives who dress all spiffy and wait for their man to come home and take off his shoes and prepare his meals? Well it’s 2011 and I’m pretty sure the word “spiffy” isn’t used anymore. So take off that apron and grab him by the horns, or horn.

Do not go into a relationship with low self esteem. This is probably the single biggest Don’t in the history of all Dont’s evar! Men love confident women who know what they want and where they want to do it. Obviously you can’t be too self absorbed or too egotistic, but if your man of interest sees you love yourself and carry yourself with grace and integrity, he’ll think twice before being a jerk to you. You can set limits as to how people treat you. You are the master of you’re life.

Thanks for reading and hopefully you learned a little on how to not approach a guy

Written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Oh Hunger Games, where for art thou, are you the new Twilight?”

2011-11-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

Remember when Harry Potter used to be the Fantasy movie we went to go see. We would read onward in the books or wait til the films release to watch Hermione and Ron’s countdown til they kissed? Perhaps you recall the first time Lord Voldemort appeared on screen, all bald, ugly, and in dire need of a spray tan? Well that time has passed and now we’re moving forward. This year brought the end of the 8 movie epic-Ness that was the Harry Potter saga to a close. Before we could blink, looks like Twilight’s twinkle twinkle is ending soon as well. So what do we have to look forward too? I don’t know, maybe a death match televised where 24 kids aged 12-18 fight to the death?

From the bestselling novels of Suzanne Collins comes The Hunger Games saga. A trilogy of books that became so popular it’s following the Fantasy trilogy suit and jumping on to the big screen. Looks like it carries the makings of being a blockbuster hit with a movie sequel already anticipated November 22, 2013. It’s certainly peeked the interest of critics who think of it as an almost “perfect adventure novel”. Even Stephen King, who hated Twilight, liked what Suzanne had to offer. It’s amazing to think she created it by merging the idea of a reality TV show with raw footage from Iraq.

The Hunger Games is all about violence, love, and entertainment as audience members choose favorites and aide them during the ordeal by sending them gifts such as food and medicine. Katniss, a fatherless girl from district 12 begins a romantically pandering love affair with her fellow district 12 player, Peeta. Will they make it? Will they not have to kill one another? Well obviously most of you reading this know because the book is so popular. Let’s just say (no worries, no spoilers here) they have a chance at making babies in the end.

I’ve personally read it and, even though I’m not a big reader, I quite enjoyed the story. My favorite Oscar nominated actress from “Winter’s Bone”, Jennifer Lawrence, is starring as Katniss. Ever since I saw her skin a squirrel in her hit movie, I knew she’d get picked for the role. So there you have it, a micro retelling in just a few paragraphs of the soon to be massive hit known as “The Hunger Games”. (the movie)

Written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“How to make an eBook using Mobipocket Creator and OpenOffice.org writer, Part 2“

2011-11-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi there, my name is Rosemary and I write books. For the longest time I didn't know how to make my own eBook and now with a little “trial and error" I've managed to learn to create my own interactive eBooks. I haven’t the money to purchase Microsoft word so I use the free OpenOffice.org writer. Here is my tutorial to show you how to do it.

(If you haven’t seen Part 1, I strongly encourage you to check it out. You’ll be very lost if you’re just attempting an eBook without having an interactive table of contents. The steps it takes to create it involve Hyper-linking the chapters and using an outline. This is achieved by applying headings to the titles of each chapter. This is a basic demonstration involving the standard style and function in creating an eBook.)

Step 1: Now that you have an HTML file saved of your book with a Hyper-linked table of contents, you have to turn it into an eBook. The first step is downloading and opening Mobipocket Creator. (No worries it’s free) Open Mobipocket Creator.

Step2: Look at the Mobipocket Creator application home page and see “Import from existing file" and go down to “HTML document". Import your saved HTML document containing your eBook and make sure the destination folder is different from the location you kept your original HTML file. You do not want to use your original in case something goes wrong. Use the copy created in the new folder.

Step 3: Go to the menu option, “View” and scroll down to “Guide”. Click “new guide item” and select under ”Type” the word “toc”. Then hit browse and use the copy of the HTML you made. Then at the end of the file name type #toc

(It should look like this: example.html#toc )

Click “new guide item" Do the same thing again except this time under “Type” choose the word “start”.

(It should look like this: example.html#start )

Step 4: Click Update

Step 5: Go to the menu option on the left hand side: Cover Image. Click “Add a cover Image”, browse, choose your image file then click Update.

Please note: This is just for a simple eBook. If you want to get fancier with it, I suggest you fiddle around with the styles and see what you like.

Step 6: Click on the menu option: “Build”. If you want to encrypt it, it’s up to you. For the purposes of this example, click “standard compression” and “no encryption”. Then hit “Build”.

Congratulations, you now have an eBook with an interactive table of contents.

So long!:D

Click here for part 1!

Article by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“How to make an eBook using Mobipocket Creator and OpenOffice.org writer, Part 1”

2011-11-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Write your book, this is an important one. You have to proof it and line edit before you convert your .doc file into a .html. Do not number your pages because eBooks don’t require it, especially on kindle.

Step 2: Use Heading styles for your chapters and title. You can do this by going to “Formatting” then scrolling down to “Style and Formatting”. A small window will appear and the list of headings will be shown. From here you can pick “Heading 1-Heading 10“. For all intensive purposes, let’s just put Heading 1 for the title of the book and Heading 2 for the introduction and chapter titles. You can modify the style of each Heading by simply right clicking modify in the Style and Formatting window.

Step 3: Once you have the chapters and title properly formatted, then proceed to pick out an empty space before your chapter and/or introduction. Go to “insert”. Scroll down to “indexes and tables” then go across to “indexes and tables” and click on it. Choose “Table of Contents” and go to the bar near “Index/Table” and check out “Entries”. (Note. For any eBook you want there to be hyper-links for each chapter so the option of having a table of contents is crucial in creating a successful eBook.)

Step 4: Now that you’re in the “Entries” section of the window box, mouse over the little letter boxes near the word “structure” above the button “chapter no.” Mouse over the buttons to reveal what they are for. It should be “Chapter #”, “Entry”, “Tab Stop”, and “Page #”. You do not want “Page #” , instead you want “Hyperlink”. Click on the “#” button and click on the “Hyperlink” button below. Now the "#” button should be replaced with the “LS”. Next, click on the empty space before “E#” and click “Hyperlink” button again. An “LE” button should appear before the “E#”. Repeat this step for “level” 2 by going to the left side where “structure” is and clicking 2 beneath the “level”. If you used more headings repeat for each additional heading style you used. (ie. level 3, level 4)

Step 5: Go back to “Index/Table” bar and move to “Evaluate up to” level section. Put it to 2 or whichever Heading you stopped at. If you stopped at Heading 3, then put it to 3. Click okay.

Step 6: Right, so now you have a Hyper-linked table of contents. You need to put bookmarks in order for Mobi creator to know where the table of contents are and where the start of your chapters is. So simply go to the start of your table of contents and click a space right before. Go to “insert” and scroll down to “bookmark”. Then input “toc” hit okay. Go to the start of your chapter 1 and click the space right before it. Go back to “insert”, then scroll down to “bookmark”, select and type in “start”. There you go, now save as a .html file.

For part 2 click here.

Article by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Pearls of Wisdom Series 4: How to cram for a test”

2011-10-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

“I’m so screwed, I don’t know how I’m going to remember any of this with just two days until the test!” If you’re like this and are scratching your head, please continue reading to see if my tips help. Be aware that this doesn’t work for things you have to learn. (ie Math and Science) This only works for memorization and analysis. I’ve used these steps many times to pass my exams. (Disclaimer: I am not promising you will get an excellent grade on your test. I am merely showing you a way you can remember a large amount of information in a short period of time. This method doesn’t work if you don’t dedicate at least 2 days to study and 6 hours or more of free time. Preferably, you should take notes and study each chapter or read the book if you want to do well in class.)

Step 1: Make a list of things you’ll need to study for. You can get this by either talking to the teacher or asking someone from class who pays attention. If you don’t have an accurate list of what to study for, it’ll make cramming much more difficult!

Step2: Gather all the study material you’ll need as well as food and drink. Remember you’re going to be here for an extended period of time. You need to dedicate most of that time to cramming. If you don’t have a high-lighter or colored tabs, buy those.

Step 3: Plan your meal ahead of time and stay hydrated. A simple protein, complex carb, and fiber meal should suffice. It can’t be too rich or filling. If it is, you could risk getting sleepy. It takes an incredible amount of energy to remember and analyze all that stuff, so please eat right. A good example of a meal would be a cut banana with a slice of whole wheat bread smeared with peanut butter and a yogurt. A bottle of green tea is a good choice for beverage. It has a suitable amount of caffeine and is a healthier option than soda.

Step 4: With your high-lighter, mark any and all important dates or facts in the chapter.

A. If it’s for history, look for numbers and read the first, middle, and last two to three sentences of each page.

B.Where ever you see anything in bold write it down. Collect all the information by either handwriting it or typing it. This method also works well for literature. You don’t have to read the whole page to get the gist of something.

C. The only difference for literature is you have to pick a specific part of the book or story and analyze that. You do this by generating a topic sentence from the scene or instant and providing evidence statements through quotes and page references.

Step 5: Now that you have everything labeled, typed up and listed, get to remembering them by using music. Yep you guessed it, generate a simple verse of song to help with retaining the information. Studies have suggested that songs activate a section of the brain in charge of memory. If you aren’t into this method or if you want to try more, go on to Step 6.

Step 6: Draw pictures of the information. If it’s a story draw a story panel. Sometimes drawing things out can help you with understanding something. If you understand what you’re reading, you’ll remember it better.

Step 7: Associate facts with everyday items or colors. Close your eyes and think of the fact and then imagine a color or an object. “Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. 16th is blue.”

Step 8: Clean up and go to sleep. You need to have at least 6 hours of continuous sleep or else you’ll forget things due to fatigue.

Good luck! Hope that helps you. If you want to read more tips and trick, feel free to visit my blog.

Article written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Pearls of Wisdom Series 3: How to achieve a g-spot orgasm”

2011-10-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

So you’re looking to spice up your love life. Maybe you’re single and want to know a better way to masturbate. If you’re like the many women out there who feel the need to “O”, but can’t achieve it, here are some easy steps to follow to achieve sexual pleasure. Keep in mind every woman is unique and time will vary depending on your anatomy and health status.

Step 1: Get comfortable.

This might take a while so you need to have your back and head supported and enough room to spread open your legs.

Step 2: Get aroused.

You can watch your favorite adult movie or create a fantasy in your head; even eat your favorite aphrodisiac, whatever it takes to get you in the mood.

Step 3: Lay down and spread open your legs.

They can be up in the air, on the bed, or limp.

Step 4: Stimulate your clitoris.

This perhaps is the most important step. Your clitoris is that little bulb of flesh above you urethra. It is located in the top part of your external genitalia. Make sure to keep from climaxing when stimulating the clitoris so you can stay aroused. You can achieve this by rubbing it indirectly through the sides and beneath. Rubbing the vaginal opening also helps. The reason you’ll need to do this step is because the more stimulated the clitoris is, the more raised the g-spot in the vagina will be. Once raised, the g-spot will be easier to find and stimulate.

Step 5: After about 5 minutes of self petting, stick your right index and middle finger into your vagina. Keep your hand in a “come hither” posture so your fingers are right on the g-spot. Keep moving the fingers on the g-spot for a good 10 minutes. You can place your thumb or other hand on your clitoris to help with the continual arousal. In no time you should feel a sort of heat inside your body and a tensing of the muscles. Soon you’ll reach climax and just maybe squirt a little. Don’t be alarmed, squirting is natural and comes from the urethra. You’ll feel an urge to urinate and that’s normal. The liquid that comes out is not urine.

Step 6: Congratulations, you got a g-spot orgasm. Feel proud of yourself and rejoice in knowing you can take care of your sexual needs. Now go to sleep or go about your day. Don’t forget to spread the word so other women can feel the joy of climax.

For more tips and tricks, check out my blog.

Article written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Pearls of Wisdom Series 2: Getting better sleep Part 4”

2011-10-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

You’ve made it to the last part of the sleep series. You either really can’t sleep, or you’re curious to find out more tips and tricks. Either way I welcome you to my article. This part of the sleep series is for people who can’t sleep due to snoring. It’s either you or your loved one who can’t seem to stop the problem no matter what you or they’ve tried. I can’t promise this will help you, but it won’t hurt to try.

Perhaps you’re snoring because you have nasal congestion. If that’s the case then this simple remedy can give you some relief.

Step 1: First and foremost stay hydrated. Phlegm will thicken if there’s not enough water present in the body. Thick phlegm makes the congestion worse.

Step 2: Grab about 4 cups of water and 2-3 Eucalyptus leaves or 3 drops of Eucalyptus oil. Bring that to a roaring boil and turn off the burner. Stand over it with a towel on your head and breathe in the steam. Keep your eyes closed if you feel uncomfortable and be careful to not tip over the hot pot of water. (If you are under the age of 18 or are physically impaired, have someone either watch or assist you.) Breathe through your nose or chest. You can switch methods of breathing back and forth if you want. After about 10-15 minutes stop. The steam and vapors from the leaf should help loosen any phlegm.

Step 3: Expel any excess phlegm and try to sleep.

If you’re the kind of person who has something physically wrong (Sleep Apnea) that makes you snore this might help.

Step 1: Go to a sleep specialist and figure out if your snoring is because of a restricted airway or a misaligned jaw or both. If it’s restricted airway only you might have Asthma and you’ll need treatment. If it’s your jaw that’s causing you to drop your tongue and restrict your breathing, then continue to step 2.

Step 2: Buy a jaw supporter. There are various kinds in the market. Pick one you’ll feel will work best. Jaw supporters have been shown to help people with Sleep Apnea by keeping the jaw aligned when sleeping. It keeps the airway free of obstruction allowing for limited to no snoring. Jaw supporters are also a lot less expensive and cumbersome then CPAP masks. (If you’ve already tried it and it won’t work, then get a CPAP mask if you can afford it.)

Step 3: Now that you spent the time and money figuring out what’s wrong, enjoy a snore free night.

I hope this helped you get some rest. For more tips on better sleep, make sure to visit my blog.

Article written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Pearls of Wisdom Series 2: Getting better sleep Part 3”

2011-10-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

Still can’t close your eyes even though it’s 2 in the morning? Do you have some big thing the next day and you need to get to sleep quickly? Maybe you take naps sporadically throughout the day and stay up at night?Continue reading this article to see ways you can get a better sleep fast. I know, this sounds pretty cool eh?

If you’re the type who needs sleep now and doesn’t care what it takes, do these simple steps to get to sleep fast. (By fast I mean 15-30 min. I can’t just knock you out, you know. WARNING THIS COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH)

Step 1: Go to the kitchen or if you don’t have food in the fridge because you don’t cook, go to your nearest fast food place. (Some people may find it unsafe to go outside late at night, so just plan ahead and buy the necessary foods.)

Step 2: Pick out the most greasy, rich food you can find. (I would prefer you only do this in emergencies. If you did this everyday you’ll become extremely unhealthy.)

Step 3: Eat the gnarly food.

Step 4: Wait it out.

In about 15-30 minutes your body will start to feel the “itis”. The “itis” is when you’ve eaten a lot of rich food and start to feel tired and sleepy. The richer the food the stronger the “itis”.

Step 5: Go to sleep. If you’re not knocked out by the “itis”, then you must be an immortal.

If you’re the type who can’t sleep for more than 1-2 hours at time, this could help you.

Step 1: Set a place and time where you’ll sleep. I know this is a hard habit to get used to, but you have to control where and when you sleep. If you’re supposed to sleep in bed and end up sleeping at work, that’s not good. So choose a set place and time to snooze.

Step 2: Keep your place of slumber free of light, distractions, or temperature changes. If you can, try to keep things at a normal temperature. The more comfortable you’ll feel the easier it’ll be to sleep. If you live in the city and can’t escape the noise, simply buy or download some background sounds to mute out all the other noise. You can use headphones or a radio. Sometimes just listening to someone speak on a station can lull you to bed.

Step 3: Turn off your cell phone. If you want to keep it on in case of an emergency, simply set your phone to vibrate. If you really need the phone on with sound, then skip this step.

Step 4: Take the train to sleepville.

I hope this helped you get some rest. For more tips on better sleep, make sure to visit my blog.

Article written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera

“Pearls of Wisdom Series 2: Getting better sleep Part 2”

2011-10-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

I bet you a penny you are having trouble sleeping. Maybe you’ve become reliant on allergy pills or cough syrup, worse yet, sleeping pills to get you some rest. Well if that’s the case, I’m here to tell you there is hope. You can get to sleep if you’re willing to make an effort. It’s better to learn these habits now than never learn them later. So without further ado, here’s my guide on how to get better sleep.

If you’re the type who moves too much in bed because of chronic pain, here’s what you can do to help alleviate the problem.

Step 1: Gentle exercise is known to benefit people in a lot of ways.

Did you know it can help with chronic pain? Things like Yoga and Tai chi have been proven to help people with stiff joins and back problems find relief through proper stretching and adequate blood flow. If you can’t really stretch or care to move slowly, you can do a simple 20 minute walk to get your body warm and relaxed. Sometimes just moving a bit makes a world of difference.

Step 2: Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet.

If you eat the foods described in this kind of diet, (soy foods, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and even some red wine and dark chocolate) you’ll relieve a lot of the pain you experience, especially if it’s arthritis. Your blood sugar will be leveled and you’ll be able to respond to stress in an easier way. Not only will your body reap the benefits of a good diet (You might even lose weight), but your mind will too.

Step 3: Lose some weight and gain muscle!

This is perhaps the biggest tip I can give you. If you are a bit heavy, you’ll realize some of your pudge is getting in the way of sleeping comfortably. Your weight can also attribute to chronic pain because it’s difficult for your body to carry such a heavy load. If you gain muscle, not only will your metabolism speed up, you’ll have strength in your core and back. This is where a lot of people experience body aches. A strong core alleviates any pain experienced in those areas.

Step 4: Take supplements

Sometimes you just can’t afford the raw diet or you don’t have the time to exercise everyday. Well here is where supplementation can help. Just taking one high quality multi-vitamin/multi-mineral a day can truly help you feel and look better. There are plenty of anti-inflammatory supplements out in the market as well as Glucosamine Chondroitin supplements which can help lubricate and strengthen your joints.

Step 5: After a long stretch of learning good habits, get to the sack and drift away into slumber land.

I hope this helped you get some rest. For more tips on better sleep, make sure to visit my blog.

Article written by: Rosemary Jasmine Rivera