He paints to express

Please check out this young and promising Omani artist: Usama at The Studio

Wonderful Middle Eastern Art!

My heart always goes out to our soldiers..........

VFW National News: At Last, GI Bill for the 21st Century is Law The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is celebrating the recently signed into law GI Bill for the 21st Century, after an intense ten-year lobbying effort for educational benefits comparable to those the original GI Bill of 1944 offered. The new GI Bill will pay the highest in-state public tuition rate, and also provide for books, fees and a living stipend. "This is why the VFW is just as relevant today as we were 109 years ago when we were founded. We make a difference," says VFW Commander-in-Chief, George Lisicki. Read More

Report from Landstuhl: Recovering Soldiers 'Kicked Butt' "Although it was emotionally difficult for them to talk, their spirit and morale was amazing. In their words, even though they were outnumbered four-to-one, they 'took it to the enemy, and kicked butt," said VFW National Commander, George Lisicki. Mr. Lisicki traveled to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany to pay visit to soldiers recovering from a recent battle on a remote outpost in Afghanistan's Kunar Province. During the heavily armed insurgent attack, nine members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade lost their lives. Read More

Catholic Singles Alumni Club

Interested in learning more about what the CSAC does? Had a question about the CSAC? Looking for free food this Sunday evening?

The Catholic Singles Alumni Club invites you to our General Meeting! We will have the General Meeting this Sunday, August 3rd from 5-7 PM at the Aquinas Institute of Theology (23 S Spring Ave; 63108 http://www.ai.edu ).

If you have any questions for the CSAC; please, bring them with you or email them in advance to Steve Valko at: valksr@yahoo.com

Learn more about the World Vision

Confessions of a Jellyfish: Self-criticism is often erroneous.

O Holy Ocean, Womb of Life,
God of the Bounding Main,
Hear this confession of my faults
And take away my stain.
You'll never put me on your list
Of saints and heroines,
Of creatures tough and
firm and sure --
Not me, I'm full of sins.
A Jellyfish! All gush and squish,
No sense of wrong or right,
First, one inch wide, then, with the tide
I grow huge overnight.
I have no backbone, and no guts,
No vigor of the will,
I vacillate with every wave,
Un-firm and volatile.
What's that? YOU LOVE ME AS I AM?
"A great transparent wonder?"
"Your tentacles all spark with strength?"
No, God! I'm just a blunder!
A gutless freak! A floating joke!
Not fish! Not made of Jelly!
YOU LOVE ME STILL?
Don't hate my shape?
Don't find me gross and smelly?
PRAISE GOD, ye ocean freaks and flukes,
Ye frightening creations!
The Love who made us loves us still,
Despite our reputations!
By: William Cleary, How the Wild Things Pray

http://www.archstl.org/laityandfamilylife

The CSAC is an organization dedicated to creating and maintaining an environment for its members that is conductive to the Development of productive social, cultural, civic and spiritual relationships in a Catholic setting.

Full membership is open to Catholics between the ages of 21 and 45 years of age who are eligible to marry in the Catholic Church. Friend of the CSAC memberships are available to anyone who doesn’t qualify for full membership. Dues for all members are $25 per year. The CSAC does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, creed or nationality. For those events where space is limited, preference will be given to members.

Work etiquette

For the life of me I will never understand why some people act the way they do here. Case in point....I left my locker unlocked yesterday by accident. Come in this morning and someone had gone in there..TORE the box open and stole 5 of my 11 granola bars I keep for breakfast. I eat light in the morning for various reasons. But this really ticked me off because the person did it once before...why I bought the lock. Other employees choose to either keep a lock or not. I chose to after I had a thief take my things.

One other time an idiot, not on my floor, stole the lunch of a pregnant lady...and yet another time someone's drink, later...all the cheese from this person's lunch...we even have a sign in the breakroom stating that whoever is stealing from the breakroom needs to stop.

What in the world possesses a person to behave in such a trashy manner??????????

Passion verses Love verses Lust

Love - is the unconditional acceptance of all things as they are. To alter or expand them by contributing to them in a loving way creates blessings. To alter, judge or limit them by force or fear creates burdens which you must carry, experience or learn from. Lust - is wanting something that you can't have, taking something that isn't yours, (through acquisition, force, coercion or manipulation), and believing in something that isn't loving, (like domination, control)

I think people sometimes confuse lust with love. These are two separate emotions though when combined can create a lifetime of memories.

Love is when you trust and respect the person, you are not jealous of their outside interests....you trust them to do the right thing because they respect and value who and what you are....they would not do anything selfish to jeopardize the relationship.

Lust however is more of a primal intensity. It consumes the body and brain...may be mistaken for love but I feel they are two different entities. Though when in love I think lust can go a long way in keeping the relationship alive. It adds spice to the heart..emboldens the person to capture something from the other and stakes a claim. It becomes a passion...something that can be celebrated through a lifetime. Passion, love, lust...combines themselves into an enduring symbol of emotional achievement.

Lust is chemical reactions....a basic need...a genetic predisposition to perpetuate the human species. Love seems to be more of a higher cerebral function...

Love is transcendental, exalted and celebrated in poems, epics, and have caused great men to fall.

Lust appears to be the driving force behind the love between a man and a woman...propels the relationship forward...yet as we age....when lust wains does love? I say no...not when it's real. That is why I feel love is of a higher emotion in the hierarchy of all emotions. Lust may culminate into love. Love into lust. A symbiotic relationship which can co-exist in harmony with the right person.


Love means accepting that person as they are despite their faults...you work together to compromise when you don't see eye to eye. If it's lust the attraction of that person may fade. For lust is fickle and insecure. Love is constant and enduring.

I look at marriages today...many fail and wonder if people marry when in stages of lust...in a hurry to "get hitched" seemingly desperate to create their own inner sense of a fairytale only to find out later when times get tough that their partner does not measure up to what they think love should be.

For love always hopes.

For love always perseveres.

It rejoices in the truth and turns away evil....silly? I don't think so. Seems to me love is a trillion dollar industry with movies, books, candy, cards, weddings etc. and etc.

When I see an elderly couple walking hand in hand, content....for me that is lust/love----passion which has endured decades of hardships and causes me to yearn for a simple formula for this thing we call life.

Military Report is the most comprehensive military benefits and quality-of-life newsletter for military personnel and retirees. Make sure that you and your colleagues subscribe for this free update publication.
-------------------------------- 28 JULY 2008-------------------------------------------
Officials Release Facts on New GI Bill
Deal of the Week: Nationwide Auto Transport Military Discount
Discount Airfares Through 2008
Test Your Singing Voice
Increase Your GI Bill by $5,400
Must Read Online Defense Journal for Defense Industry

Join SpouseBUZZ Live in Norfolk, VA
Featured Job: Security Guard
Funniest Military Stories Earn Cash
Navy Seeks Enlisted Applicants
VA Announces Online Claims
'Concurrent' Pays Expand

Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recalled
The Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon
Troops' Pets Need Homes
Free Naval Institute Membership
Troops to Teachers Seeks Applicants
Memorial Race Car Team Fundraiser

From War Zone to Work Zone
Chiropractors Offering Free Services
New Program for Illinois Veterans
AF Announces Captain Selections
Army Launches New Website
Marathon Fees to Increase

AF Updates Personnel Website
Health Conference Registration Open
New Army Deployment Deferment Policy
AF Offers Incentive Pay
Army Science Conference
Remembering the Tuskegee Airmen

Hire A Hero to Thank Troops
Print and Post This Week's Military Report
Headline Military News

Zoey Update

Hi everyone.. Thank you so very much for your outpouring of love regarding my story. It makes me feel so special inside. Since my mom's last entry I have made several significant baby steps. She is completely overwhelmed with pride for my bravery. For the first time this week I started giving my foster mommy kisses. I have to admit, I'm so cute exposing my belly for that extra loving attention...what dog doesn't want her tummy rubbed? My foster mom showers me with kisses around my face so I thought it would be nice to give her a couple of my own wet kisses to show my appreciation. This weekend we took a significant step forward in my emotional development. All of us piled into a car and headed off on a mini-vacation to Michigan City. I was such a good little girl. You see, my foster dad has an extended truck so I would lay in the back cab on a pillow during the entire trip sleeping and dreaming about my future. I have also begun demonstrating more affection to humans. When my foster mom comes home I get so excited that I run in a circle while wagging my tail. Who would have thought that I could come from being scared of my shadow to now wagging my tail everyday? Another significant milestone is that I took my first walk on a leash a few weeks ago and have made amazing progress. Though I have to admit I do walk with my tail in between my legs my foster mom knows I am headed in the right direction. Baby steps are critical.

Mommy takes me at night so there is less distractions and fears to interfere with learning how to walk on the leash. With all this great progress there are still some things that I'm working on. Unfortunately I continue to bite at my foster dad. It has decreased some, but not entirely. I don't know why I'm so scared of him. I know patience is the key. He is so sweet to me, giving me belly rubs, scratching the back of my ear but for some reason I'm still scared and me trying to bite him scares him too. Such a big guy to be scared by little ol' me but when I'm scared I do bite, that is something that you need to know.

Right now my foster mom thinks that I would not be the best dog for people with children. Who knows - years from now - I could be great with kids but as of stated it would most likely take a year or so of socialization. I'm better off with adults that know how to handle me. I'm still not potty trained and my vet states I need some time for this but moving forward. I don't mind going potty where I sleep so the crate training doesn't work on me. Hey, if you went potty where you slept for 5 years, you too would have a hard time understanding why all of a sudden it isn't allowed. Whoever adopts me must expect that I will make accidents and that there is a possibility that I may never be completely potty trained. No human knows what the future has in store for me. One day I could be completely potty trained or I may never be but my foster mom says that she owes it to my future forever home to give the warning.

I did have a pretty bad ear infection last week but thankfully it's all gone now. My vet said that I have a luxating patella which is a knee cap that moves out of its normal location. She said that it is a common knee problem in Yorkies but that whoever adopts me needs to know that in my later years I could acquire arthritis. She said there are supplemental vitamins called Synovi G3 that promotes healthy joint function and assists with any future problems. I don't have any problems currently but you need to know that a vitamin will help me secure a future with less joint problems.

Aside from all of this I'm so happy to be where I'm at. I have started playing with the other dogs and show no aggression toward any of the animals. I have the most confidence that one day you will see that I'm as normal as any other dog. I can't believe how lucky I am to get a 3rd chance at life after almost being put down twice. I love life more then I ever have and you can see it now that my tail is finally wagging.

Please check out United Yorkie Rescue

National Archives in the news

This video clip is currently discussing the claim of discrimination at my workplace. I included it here because it also shows what we do as an archives.

Financial Education & Survival Strategies - "Reaching the American Dream in these turbulent economic times"

SPEAKER(s):
Jorge Soriano, HLG Board Member &VP Bank of America along with other Community Leaders Representing Financial Organizations serving the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.

R.S.V.P. & help us "spread the word" ...

HLG Members & Visitors - welcome!
Membership is open to any established Hispanic group and other groups and individuals who are supportive of the mission and goals of the organization.

TIME: 6:00 p.m. NETWORKING 6:30 p.m. MEETING
PLACE: Wachovia Securities Corporate Building (formerly A.G. Edwards)
#1 North Jefferson (at Beaumont & Market Street ),
St. Louis, MO 63103

Mrs. Miriam Evans or Mr. John Galatoire
HLG Membership Services HLG Director
evansm@stlarchs.org johng@hdcstl.org

Learn to laugh

Sometimes life can overwhelm you to the point where your entire world, your whole being narrows down to a specific problem and you forget how to live....how to enjoy oneself.

Take time to laugh....it separates us from the rest of God's creatures.

One of my fav Omani artists

Check out additional combos from Riv here

Marital advice

I was reading my Prevention Mag regarding heart healing and marital discord.

According to Dr. Arthur Agatson, his article Married to Heart Health:

Spouses who reported a lot of negative encounters with their partner had blood pressure that was on average 5 points higher than that of single people. The emotional stress of a difficult marriage typically causes adrenaline levels in the blood to spike, raising blood pressure; it can also cause blood vessels to spasm. Worse, women who keep their feelings to themselves during arguments with their husband have a four times greater risk of dying than women who do not, according to findings reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

So obviously, the quality of your marriage is a key factor in determining whether your heart will benefit from it.

He discusses the benefits of couples being able to freely argue with one another without storing all their pent up emotions for fear of causing marital rift.

Talk therapy
Good communication is key to a vital, healthful marriage. John Gottman, PhD, executive director of the Relationship Research Institute in Seattle, recommends these strategies for managing conflict:

State your needs If you don't, you will end up blaming your partner (who is not a mind reader) for not meeting them.

Listen to your partner's concerns Get his perspective--empathy is essential to fostering greater intimacy.

Solve problems as they arise Stonewalling or avoiding conflict leads to simmering resentment, bitterness, and anger.

Learn to negotiate People's needs are always changing; good relationships require constant give-and-take.

___________________________________________________________________

Good advice for anyone really and especially for couples who are having problems and communication has become a forgotten tool. They should face their problems instead of letting it all stew until either one or both individuals explode. I have seen couples bicker for the most insane issue(s)....for me it is a sign of a larger problem. The partner will nag over something so benign as taking the trash out when really the person is upset because the spouse is not fulfilling his or her full share in household chores/came in late/etc. and etc.

Being single has its benefits but for me at least if you find that individual you want to share your life with better to have a brightly lit road ahead of you than all these obstacles that make you want to simply give up.

Sicko

Watched an interesting documentary today from Michael Moore. Sometimes it made me angry other times completely shocked. And it brought me to tears.

Forty-seven million Americans, including more than 9 million children, are living without health care coverage.

Each year, more and more hard-working families are joining the ranks of the uninsured.

I think about my father who chooses to turn down Medicare at 65 years of age because it is cheaper for him to receive health care benefits from the VA...not like they are the best but at least it's something.

Dad is on several medications and it truly saddens me that he struggles at times to budget his medication to make it last while in other countries the same meds cost much much less--and at times free.

And it's not getting any easier.

My heart was in turmoil watching this documentary unfold. I listened and watched the various stories unfold of 9/11 workers not receiving proper healthcare....patients unabled to pay their hospital bill being dumped off in hospital gowns in Skid Row.

I wonder and my heart cries out for Americans who struggle each and every day to make ends meet and with the economy spiraling ever downward as it has this past couple of years....trying to remain healthy and pay for one's health care seems to become an ever present battle among US citizens.

What is going on?

Who benefits?

Certainly not the average American struggling to meet their basic necessities.

Warped.

Where is our sense of priority for our elderly?

Our sick?

For the millions of uninsured--and these include people with one or more jobs. Treating the sick is a business not a divine calling.

Tell me please....for I beg to try and understand...................for health care is not a privilege but a right.

The Last Lecture

Another must read on my list is The Last Lecture written by Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon computer scientist, along with Jeffrey Zaslow. Pausch passed away today from pancreatic cancer.

On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The university's president, Jared Cohon, described Pausch as "a brilliant researcher and gifted teacher."

"His love of teaching, his sense of fun and his brilliance came together in the Alice project, which teaches students computer programming while enabling them to do something fun -- making animated movies and games," Cohon added. "Carnegie Mellon -- and the world -- are better places for having had Randy Pausch in them."

_________________________________________________________________

The book is about embracing life....of following your dreams.............of seizing the moment.

Pausch was a brave soul facing the unknown, appreciating the life he was given and leaving behind an eternal legacy of inspiration.

Beauty at 40

A mature woman at 40 is attractive in so many ways because her quality of life has been established. Her confidence in herself is surmountable and she is comfortable within her own skin.

I see a beautiful woman who takes pride in her looks as someone quite striking.

One might even view her as a butterfly emerging from her coccoon...a woman who through life's trials and tribulations found herself whether it is because of being a mother, mentor, lover, wife, partner, creator, career woman....she has encompassed everything that life was meant to stand for. She emerges from her sanctuary as a vivacious individual driven to excel life's challenges.

Beauty at 40, or at any age is more than the sum of physical perfection. Each line on her face, gray hair....speaks of countless experiences---experiences spanning 4 decades of mirth, tears, learning to dare, to dream, to overcome surmountable odds whatever they may be for her.

Beauty at 40 is a glorious wonderment of humanity.

Ayna's Recipes

"Smoked Meat Kebsa"

Ingredients:
Sliced Meat. (Preferably Goat, but beef can do as well.)
2 Onions cut into small cubes
2 Tomatoes cut into small cubes
3 Glasses of Basmati rice
Vegetable oilWater (Preferably 7-8 glasses)
Rough spices (Sun-dried lemons, cinnamon sticks, rough salt, black pepper)

Stuffing:
Onions cut into small cubes
Capsicum (Green, red, yellow) all cut up into small cubes
Sliced Cabbage
Shredded carrots
fried almonds

Method:
Wash rice and soak in water.
Set aside.
Stir fry onion until golden brown, add meat and stir until a little dry.
Add tomatoes and resume stirring until soft, add rough spices.
Add Water and cover pot. Let it cook for 20 minutes.
(Note: I usually leave it for 20 mins, but it all depends on the type of meat you use.)
After 20 minutes, add Rice.
While the rice and meat cooks on the fire, prepare the stuffing.

To make stuffing:
Stir fry onion until golden brown than add capsicum, carrots and cabbage, gradually.
Add fried Almonds. (You can add salt and pepper to the stuffing if desired.)
Check rice, the water should have soaked up by the time you had finished the stuffing. If not wait until water soaks up.

Add the stuffing to the rice and stir everything together. Leave on the stove for another 5 minutes.

To create a barbeque-like smoked taste to the rice:
Heat ONE charcoal until Red.
Place an oil filled, large serving spatula on top of the already finished Kebsa and slowly & carefully, drop the hot charcoal inside the oil, making sure NO oil splashes into the rice. The charcoal will sizzle and steam, that's perfect. Quickly, trap the steam by covering the rice.Leave for a few minutes until charcoal settles down.
Remove spatula from rice (oil and charcoal)The rice will have soaked up the steam, which will give it a barbeque like taste.

For additional recipes please visit here

ENJOY!

Getting a haircut

Now it really shouldn't be an ordeal but sometimes it is when you cannot locate a beautician who will actually listen to what you have to say.

I don't like short hair...never have...tried it--simply didn't suit me. But sissors can be a deadly weapon.

I went to a salon a few months ago and informed the man who was about to cut my precious locks what I wanted and didn't want....now did he listen?

No........

So flash forward several months later and here I am agonizing over what to do...a woman's hair is her crowning glory and I will not trust it to just anyone.

My heart pounds just thinking about getting this mop cut. I have very thick hair which needs tender loving care...no one knows it quite like I do.

God help the next person who touches it.

The Middle Class Squeeze

According to Tami Luhby, in CNN's Money article, Middle Class On The Edge, the average family is spending $4,655 more on basic expenses, such as gas, housing, food and health insurance.

In Saint Louis I am seeing the reprocussions of the failing economy.....almost every day my co-workers discuss the rising costs of goods and service, of how they are cutting corners just to put more of their hard earned dollar$ in the tank...and to buy basic necessities like food.

Thankfully my daughter is grown and I don't have to worry about child care expenses (which is soaring also).

Americans are turning more and more to their credit cards to pay on simple services. (When I think about the interests they pay for these services it breaks my heart).

According to Elizabeth Warren, professor at Harvard Law School, nearly 10% of total disposable income in the United States goes to paying off such debt.

America's middle class is feeling the pinch.

I fail to see how a moderate inflation (it's the economy stupid) promotes employment, (think about the total jobs lost this year alone)....8.5 million Americans are unemployed.

???

Obama: "Our economy has now shed 438,000 jobs over the past six months, while workers’ wages fail to keep pace with the skyrocketing cost of gas, groceries and healthcare. The American people are paying the price for the failed economic policies of the past eight years, and we can’t afford four more years of more of the same. That is the essential issue of this campaign because Senator McCain has fully embraced the Bush economic agenda. I believe it has to change."

In the end a long term solution needs to be developed and initiatives created to re-established our wonderful nation back to its original glory.

Election year 2008 has many concerns on the table and not just the war in Iraq (which is a very dire and important issue) but to also pump some life back into the anemic American economy.

Remember Us...

"Remember us." As simple an order as a king can give. "Remember why we died." For he did not wish tribute, nor song, nor monuments nor poems of war and valor. His wish was simple. "Remember us," he said to me. That was his hope, should any free soul come across that place, in all the countless centuries yet to be. May all our voices whisper to you from the ageless stones, "Go tell the Spartans, passerby, that here by Spartan law, we lie."

Amazing talent on the Sabla

Just have to rave about the beautiful artists on the forum:

Also check out Pen It Black, Nabhan, Miss. Me and many other wonderful Omani artists.

Passion

Tasting life with an essence of splendor.

Giving your heart to someone you love--desire...craving a kiss, touch...a simple look.

What is passion?

You want to breathe in their scent--taste the sweetness of lips--body craving a glimpse of a smile, to hear their laughter--seek the joy.

Passion can fill you--each fiber of your being making you yearn--pressing deeply inside of it--to the point you feel as if your mind, heart, the pulsing of your very blood is consumed by this person.....a sweet torture of senses.

Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author Unknown...

Useful "homey" websites

Kraft Foods




Clean Home Journal




Coupons

Choices

On English Sabla we are currently having a discussion/argument regarding nursing homes in Oman.

I completely understand the cultures and mindset of people out there who frown upon such institutions because of what it secretly entails.....not being able to personally care for your parent at home.

Puerto Rico is similar in attitude. I had an aunt who passed away at the ripe age of 90. She suffered from dementia and her daughter cared for her at home. I can just imagine the stress and trauma placed upon the daughter to watch her mother deteriorate.

I find such places as nursing homes and the most recent development of adult day care centers as becoming essential for societies like the United States.

For myself, both options are a godsend and I do not see anything wrong with placing a loved one in a reputable home if it is the best thing for that family member....especially if certain medical needs must be met and the child cannot provide this at home.

Culture plays allot on how it influences elderly care.

I do understand why Hispanics and Arabs prefer to care for their parents at home. There is obligation, compassion, love and respect for this human being. My own mother never quite understood the concept of nursing homes....even to this day. God bless her....at 69 she is one feisty lady and I could not imagine placing her into one. She is vibrant, colorful, simply passionate about life and being a mother to us three children.

The forum posting caused me to pause and seriously think about my own aging parents and it begs the question of "what if."

Food for thought.

Paying more at the pump

And I'm not talking about ga$ either but the transaction fees if you use your credit card. I always use my debit to pay for gas (more convenient) and makes me wonder after reading this CNN article what other hidden costs are generated when we try to make our lives easier at the pump:

Gas stations across the country are increasingly offering discounts for fuel purchases made with cash as high oil prices eat into their profits.

The difference of 10 cents a gallon or more has some customers used to paying with a credit card irate, but station owners say they have to do something to turn a profit.
"If we pay 3 percent or even a little less than that at $4 a gallon in a credit card fee and I'm making 12 cents a gallon, that's my entire profit," said Paul Kelly, who owns a Sunoco station in New Jersey.

Customer Jim Coogan hadn't read the signs and didn't realize he would be paying 10 cents a gallon more at Kelly's Sunoco when he swiped his credit card.
"I don't think that's fair," he said when a reporter pointed out the difference.

Charles Langley, who has tracked Southern California gas prices for the Utility Consumers' Action Network for 10 years, says drivers who charge their gas can actually end up paying substantially more than the 32 cents in the Carlsbad comparison "....More people are financing gas," he said, incurring interest payments along with the cost of the fuel. And he said credit card users need to be more aware and just check posted prices to save money.

"Credit card buyers are notorious for not looking at the price of gas," he said, staying loyal to either their brand of gasoline or credit card they've used for a long time.

Langley says he personally stopped paying for gas with plastic, and now drives by the motto, "More gas for less cash."

_______________________________________________________________

I don't know about you but I have an issue of already paying close to $4.00 a gallon and to have additional costs piled on is really aggravating me. Cutting corners is something Americans have become a pro at...but how much more of this price gouging do we have to put up with before we have total anarchy? BTW one really shouldn't pay for ga$ with their credit card. If you only make the minimum payment on your bill that ga$ is going to end up costing you more than what it's really worth.

Ok--ok...not total anarchy but let's face it we cannot continue on this same course of action without our economy taking a worse hit than it already has.

Capturing the Moment

I originally posted this on my other blog on March 22, 2008 which bears the same name as this one and wanted to re-post since it means so much to me:

Live life in the moment.

What does it mean to you?

It means a lot of different things such as venturing outside your comfort zone….and people have varying levels of that comfort I know.

What I might consider an adventure others might regard as unsafe…and yet some will take it a step further and feel that I am being far too conservative.

ME? Conservative? Maybe in some issues. not in all.

Living in the moment is capturing what it—LIFE–means to you…unique to each and every individual.

My life…..ahhhhh my life—–has been chalked full of many such moments…frozen in time as if laid upon a piece of faded Kodak paper.

I can still visualize the years slipping away taking me back to a time maybe forgotten once but somehow…something keeps bringing it all back.

Could be as simple as a song, as devine as a smell, perhaps a word or phrase someone passes along my way.

Anything…

And I think………….

I think…………………………

Why did I do that?

What was it for?

Did it change me?

Did it move me—-

---move me to the point where my chosen path in life changed because of that one captured moment?

Yes….yes God to so many things…….sometimes it feels like a rush of images, experiences, emotions…almost like watching an old 8mm movie reel of: “This is YOUR Life.”

And you bear witness to your triumphs, mistakes, glories, tears, love, laughter, pain, color, sounds, voices, regret, friendships, travels, sickness, creativity—deaths, goals met….goals lost——advice given and……not taken.

This is your life. Yours…to capture in your hands, heart, soul—to seek in doubt, faith, love-and in the end having the strength to sift through it all and claim what is yours, to acknowledge all that is there—capture all of it…all of it and realize….this is your life.

Grace

One must learn to appreciate this world we live in and all its beauty in whatever time we are allotted.

One thing I learned from watching the movie, The Fountain, is how finite our lifes are as when we grace this earth....how precious each moment which ticks by fills us with a myraid of emotions...makes me wonder what Heaven must be like.

A measure of grace............

Ok I broke down and bought a new hard drive

Am spoiled............ ;^)

Why men love bitches

Okay........

Why do men love bitches?

(It was interesting reading but made me wonder also)

Now that I have your attention I decided to discuss a book I came across and read out of sheer curiosity.

I always am interested in hearing the opinion of the opposite gender when it comes to relationship issues.

In college there is a class called: The Psychology of Women...I didn't take it but heard it was always full. I digress but had to mention it....men are just as hard to figure out at times also fair is fair in love and war! ;^)

I always thought men prefered the girl next door type....this author discusses how women can have their cake and eat it too (and not share any unless they want to).

Good

Bad?

Depends on your point of view and what you consider a "bitch" to be.

Is she a confident woman or a pain in the the royal ass?

The author discusses some key points regarding how men and women interact in the dating scene and how women who are too nice tend to be used as doormats while women who are more assertive attract their errr prey.

From Publishers Weekly

Contending that some women are "too nice," comedian and radio show host Sherry Argov has written Why Men Love Bitches: From Doormat to Dreamgirl-A Woman's Guide to Holding Her Own in a Relationship. "I'm not recommending that a woman have an abrasive disposition," Argov writes, "The woman I'm describing is kind yet strong. She doesn't give up her life, and she won't chase a man." Her sassy book is filled with scenarios and advice aimed at making women subtly stronger and self-empowered. Argov's principles, which range from the farfetched to the downright absurd, include "If you give him a feeling of power, he'll want to protect you and he'll want to give you the world" and "A little distance combined with the appearance of self-control makes him nervous that he may be losing you." The book, which has already been featured on The View and The O'Reilly Factor, should make waves with its controversial view of relationships. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Personally, I feel that there is no one true guide as to how to behave in a relationship...you go with your gut instinct always respect your partner as you should be respected in return...have common interests...laugh, laugh, and laugh...enjoy being together---it shouldn't be so hard.

BTW....don't miss out on reading Why Men Marry Bitches

Links (FYI)

I have decided to use the hyperlink and highlight them in blue so that you just have to click on the word or phrase in order to get to a page I have referenced or found of interest in a post.

Targeting "those abs"

One of the most frustraing parts of the body are the abs.....

No one has to tell me this.

If genetically you are NOT predisposed to rock hard abs from little effort people like me who are of Hispanic descent seem to have a more difficult (and laborious time) in getting their muscles to obey.

I have wracked my poor mind trying to think up innovative ways of getting to my set goals.

Perseverance does pay off and am not one about to give up:

Beating The Odds

When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, many Americans are called but few are successful. Yet, individuals who have "beaten the odds" in weight management share some commonalities in how they've achieved success.

Based on more than 20 years of working with overweight clients, John Foreyt, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Research Clinic at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine, offers the following recommendations for successful weight management:

Regular physical activity. Exercise not only increases caloric expenditure, it increases feelings of well-being and perceived energy level. Studies also suggest exercise can be effective in regulating appetite. However, the challenge is to incorporate exercise into other life-long habits.

Social support. Long-term weight regulation is easier when individuals are supported in their goals by family, friends, colleagues and treatment support groups.

Internal motivation. Those who demonstrate internal motivation such as "I'm doing this to be in charge of my life," are more successful in weight management than those who focus on external reasons like "fitting into a new pair of jeans."

Positive health benefits. Focusing on positive health benefits such as an ability to walk further without being winded, increases the chances of successful long-term weight management.

Smaller, more frequent meals. Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day helps maintain blood sugar levels and avoids feelings of starvation, which can lead to binging.

Gradual changes. Those who make gradual changes in diet and exercise are more likely to successfully manage their weight in the long run, than those who make dramatic changes at once.

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It all makes sense.....you have to take this one step at a time...don't bite off more than you can chew as the old saying goes...(because if you do it'll just go to your hips).

Seriously though, when I lost all the weight I did (50 pounds total) it took time and yes effort but it did happen. I had to break down my ideal weight loss in manageable steps and it seems like I need to do the same with getting my muscle right where I want them to be.

Update on Zoey

Spoke to my sister this past weekend and Zoey is making amazing progress....she now allows herself to be picked up and even has her stomach scratched.

When you think about where this dog came from and the trauma she faced these small gains are simply a miracle!

Death of a Dino

Well, my home computer (a Compaq Presario) finally died on me in glorious fashion late yesterday evening....after almost 10 years of loyal service it said its sad goodbyes last night and now I have to buy a new computer.

Having to be a savvy consumer am now looking for a reasonably priced PC. May just buy my next one at Best Buy or Circuit City.

I would love a laptop however I don't like some of the issues which comes with them such as overheating and making sure you protect your ac/dc adaptor connection with the fierce protection of a mother bear. (My Toshiba connection broke off one fine evening when someone who shall remain nameless was a little careless and it wasn't me.)

Debating whether or not to get a Mac or stick with Microsoft products though for me at least Vista leaves a LOT to be desired. WHY did they have to mess with perfection???

I loved XP.

Sigh.........time for a change.

Motivantion+Energy=Happy Woman

Self motivation is an important factor in anyone's life, especially mine.

I look back at the pivotal moments which influenced the person I am today and these were accomplished with a driving will to get what I desired.

Motivating yourself will keep you moving forward.

Finding what motivates you is the real question and should be answered.

Energy to reach such a level of motivation can stem from either positive or negative influences within your life....the key is that it takes some overpowering factor to push a person forward.

Unless you are born with the inert passion sustaining you 24/7----for most people it seems (at least to me) have to have some kind of catalyst to spur them into action.

Motivation can cause self-awareness to accept and deal with life's challenges.

Having that all consuming inner fire to do well, (trust me) will push that person into wanting to be in a better place than they were before. And who wouldn't want to?

Who wants to live in misery?

Does success bring us happiness or is it the other way around?

According to, Galina Pembroke, research conducted by Sonja Lyubomirsky and colleagues at the University of California (who reviewed 225 studies with a collective 275,000 participants) has revealed that happy people are more successful in marriage and work and enjoy better mental and physical health.

People who report feeling satisfied before they get a job are more likely to get interviews. Happily, once they got the job, their performance was rated higher than the performances of their gloomy peers.


Not only that but people who retain positive attitudes in life are healthier physically and mentally.

Makes sense doesn't it?

As I return to the gym and into my routine perhaps I shouldn't see it as some evil chore which I must accomplished but as a beginning to something greater---a new outlook on life, on myself, my health, the way I look and where I am heading.........of course this overview rather simplifies things but all in all I feel that people who are emotionally healthy....happy--are bound to succeed in life on so many many levels.

Shemagh Scarves

Ayna on English Sabla posted some tantalizing pictures of this new fashion and have fallen in love:

The new garment can add a little bit of "Arabian" flavor to both men and women wearing "Western" clothing.

No where can this accessory be found worn with such elegant style than in John Galliano's Spring/Summer '08 collection (Christian Dior), which paid tribute to this ancient head piece. You can easily find them also on such sites as E-Bay or TiesPlanet.com.

In this picture I really am drawn to the color and beautiful brooch which this particular lady is wearing...would be flattering to those of us with olive skin tone.

What is spirituality

Is it believing in a higher power...in oneself? Nature? Humanity?

I feel that I am quite spiritual without mentioning it every day....so really what do I mean?

I suppose it means I have an intrinsic appreciation of life, of my neighbor.

I don't take life for granted. Not anymore..........

I realize how precious each day is irregardless if things will go my way or not.

Spirituality seems to take on varying forms....suppose it has different meanings for different people.

I always like to think that humanity has more good dwelling within their hearts than bad.

Maybe I am being naive but much rather believe in the positive of mankind--it gives me inner peace.

Life of a scholar

All my life I was mesmerized by books...any book. Growing up my parents owned a collection of various medical and children encyclopedias. I made good use out of them (more so than my siblings). It was not uncommon to catch my nose in a book with a far away look on my young face.

Perhaps this is why college intrigued me so. As far back as I can remember I wanted to attend university. My grandest goal was to obtain a decent education. I joined the Army and receive a scholarship. Used it for my undergrad. I felt at peace, at home in academia.

When I entered grad school I could easily be found at the ISU library. The librarians were wonderful and knew me by first name. I could easily spend countless hours pouring over books and gleaning all sorts of delectable information. The life of an academic nerd. ;^)

I do miss the Ivory Tower. I wish I had followed my initial dreams of becoming a professor. Well, I had two dreams one was to become a foreign service officer and the other a professor. I enjoyed being with students and learning new things. I became quite adept at writing research papers on all sorts of subjects albeit they focused more on international politics and public administration.

Today though I work with the federal government a part of me yearns for academia....yearns to be the student....yearns to teach young minds old thoughts----and new ones.

Loyalty of a cat

I was never a cat person growing up. All my life I was surrounded by dogs. When I moved into an apartment I craved a pet. I wanted that unconditional love an animal would bring. They are also wonderful stress relievers.

My daughter picked out a black cat and she was your typical domestic. I played with her some but she tied herself to my daughter more so than to myself.

A few years later I decided to buy a Himalayan because I adore their personality and markings. One day at work I read the St. Louis Post Dispatch and discovered Himmie kittens for sale. Eager for such a companion, I drove and picked up Simba (or rather he chose me). He was a mere 2 months old and just learning how to eat solids.

We bonded very quickly.

Raising a 2 month old was difficult at first. His meowing was insistent due to unfamiliar surroundings. However, the eternal mother in me took over and with patience he adjusted. Simba became my ever present little shadow and for the next 3 years continues to be so.

(As I type this post he is cuddled next to my chair. Simba loves to follow me from room to room and at times will catch him staring at me with his gorgeous blue eyes.)

Cats do have allot of positive qualities for one they do not smell. And yes I give him a bath roughly once a month. I don't have to worry about taking him out on walks to go "potty" and he doesn't bark though he does show his emotions through variations of meows....I have become an expert to his moods and sounds.

Some research shows that this breed tend to be loyal to one person and one person only....this figures out precisely as to why Simba is always by my side.