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Monday, December 1, 2008

Happy December 1st.

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Well, Happy December 1st! It has been a month since I've blogged, dropped entrecards or really did anything for my blog. The truth is I have been awfully busy with work and getting life in "order" that I lacked the time to write daily. The good news is that I have a lot to write about, and lots of interesting information to share of my various experiences while away.

Keep posted! I realized life is a juggling act, and this blog is one of the many things I am trying to manage. :)

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Friday, October 24, 2008

Just an update

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No, I'm not dead. I have just been very busy, and unable to write daily on this blog. I know, I know, shame, shame on me. I still have not forgotten the Friday blog awards, I figured I would do it every two weeks.

I have some pretty great news! I got a job as an office manager. I am totally new to the job, but I worked with the office as an assistant event coordinator, so I guess it helps that I know the ins and outs of the office.

I am also currently going through a little battle with financial aid to be filed as an independent so I can continue with school next semester.

A lot of stuff has been going on, but I promise, I will start posting a little of this, and a little of that very, very, very soon.

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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Friday's Fantastic Blog Award

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Welcome to my very own Friday's Fantastic 4 Blog award. I hope that this award will be used and passed on.

If you get this award:










then you must pass it onto 4 other bloggers. Please try to do this on a Friday. There are so many great blogs out there, please take the time once a week or so, to recognize those sites. Try to avoid generic statements such as "Cool site with neat graphics"

Here are the rules. You must post the award on a post. Then list the blogger, name, site, and why you enjoyed the blog.

Next, post a comment on that recipient's blog saying they have won an award, and ask them to pick it up.




The following award goes to the following blogs. Please visit them and see what they can offer you.

The Porridge Line: Although this blog was born just a few days ago, the content is phenomenal. Read his first post, and you'll see that he represents the average Joe. It is a blog dedicated to the tough financial times and the effects it has on our personal life. Take a look, you'll probably find yourself saying "Please sir, I want some more."

Slightly Drunk: If you like your booze, funny stories with a buzz, then why aren't you on Slightly Drunk.com? A well written blog that has a unique theme to it.

E Novels: If you're into reading E-books on line, or are looking for various E-books for free or to purchase, take a look at this blog. He may have something you like.

My Problem's Life:

I enjoyed reading this blog, and his posts. "Ive been through more than you can probably imagine so before you start to judge me, wait until you try to understand me. i have a reason behind every action/word i do or speak"

Those are the 4 awards for this Friday, keep in touch for next Friday's blog awards, you might be next :)


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How unique is your name

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I found this pretty fun site which tell you how unique your name is. If you ever wonder that, www.pokemyname.com will be more than happy to tell you.

Here were my results

post yours :)


KAVITA is the most popular 1514.th name in USA (... 1512.farah , 1513.lenore , 1514.kavita , 1515.marwan , 1516.mari ...). One in every 11,512 Americans are named as KAVITA and popularity of name KAVITA is 86.87 people per million.

If we compare the popularity statistics of KAVITA to USA's population statistics, we can estimate that as of October.14.2008 13:05 there are 26,510 people named as KAVITA in the United States and the number of KAVITA's are increasing by 228 people every year.

Usage of kavita as a first name is extremely more common than its usage as a middle name. The sum of alphabetical order of letters in KAVITA is 64 and this makes KAVITA arithmetic buddies with words like Elegant, Bright, Bubbly, Dreamer, Engaging, Helper, Reliable, Select, True, Vital. Add "Courtesy of PokeMyName.com' tag and feel free to distribute, copy, republish this interesting, accurate and also useless report about name KAVITA.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The inconsistently consistent threads are becoming inconsistently inconstant

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Yikes that title sure is a mouthful! I owe the quote "Its inconsistently consistent" to Me and the Blue Skies, a blog worth reading if you expect the unexpected Anyway, I noticed that I am getting a bit too carried away by political humbug that has been in the news, so to give you a break from the consistent bore of my supposedly inconsistent site, I will post more about random things :) I want to surprise my readers, and not blog about the same niche everyday.

Also, because there are so many blogs out there, I wanted to take the time to appreciate them each week. My plan so far, is on every Friday, dedicate a post to a few amazing blogs. I have my own name for the award, I plan on designing the award myself, and distributing it to several blogs each week. More details will be announced about this award. I hope I can have it done by this Friday, but because I went back to work, chances are I will be more tied up at the office. I'm really excited to start with this project, and it'll give me a chance to work on my computer art skills :) Hopefully I have those skills! Anyway, we'll just have to wait and see.

I know there's something else I wanted to post, but as usual, I'm always thinking about a thousand things at the same time. If I think of anything else, I'll post it up today!

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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Richard Mayor Daley calls for action during tough ecnomic times

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In order to reduce the size of the budget hole, Mayor Daley has called for a temporary, partial shut down for city services. Most city services, except emergency services, will be shut down for 6 days. These days include the day after Thanks Giving, Christmas Eve, New Years eve, and 3 other days in the year of 2009. If you think workers will be getting paid for their time off, think again, these 6 free days, will be just that, free. By shutting down services and not paying workers on those days, it is estimated that it will save 20 million dollars for the next two years. Richard Mayor Daley may even consider doing it again. Hopefully the Aldermen are included under those that will have to take a free day. In an economy that is already suffering, we need the money more than ever. First things first, cut back on expenses that do NOTHING for the people.

To make matters worse, the new budget of 2009 will reveal a layoff of 1,080 workers. With this partial shut down, the state of Illinois going through numerous layoffs because of hiring freezes, and an unbalanced/undecided budget, its a wonder that these "leaders" are actually trusted to lead our governments. It seems as if corrupt leaders are common at all levels of government, at least for Illinois that is. Instead of closing off services, why not do something that should have been done long ago: Budget wisely, STOP spending money on useless projects, and let go of projects that are a waste of time and do NOT protect the tax payer. In addition, I have mixed feelings about Chicago being the Host for Olympics. I don't feel its right to deny city workers pay so the budget can allow our town to get ready for the Olympics, however I also wonder if this will bring a profit to our city? Is it really worth it to shut down services for a week, lay off thousands of workers to fund projects like these? There are luxuries then there are necessities, the Olympics, are a luxury. Again, first things first, take care of the people!

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A must read for Election time. -Howard Zinn

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If you like what you read below and want the first ten chapters of the book VIA online text, please subscribe to my blog. Once you have, leave a comment, and I will send an email with the text on Ms word. If you like what you read, chances are you will buy the book, like I did, twice! To make reading easier, I will post each chapter as a separate word document. I feel more people should read this book. Please note that credit to the book is given on the text itself. These should not be used for any commercial purposes.

Howard's book is a remarkable non fiction text that tells the story of America's untold heros, the workers, immigrants, activists and the oppressed. Perhaps now more than ever it is important for us to reexamine history. It tells us how government has shunned and even limited those that demanded their rights for their (governments, the elite, business , the big dogs) own selfish interests. What makes this author special is he has been actively involved in the struggles, and movements that have shaped a part of our history. I am not telling you to side against America, what I am telling you however, is to give this book a chance, and decide for yourself.

Normally people would say that I take these things way too seriously. Some may say that I bash the government and authority without out even looking at the whole story. One of my room mates made a comment "Boy, you're really against this whole America thing?" I told her that I am not Anti American, I am Anti-Totalitarian government.

I believe that a nation's history (especially ours) is not only one sided. There are multi sides that interrelate, interconnect as well as work against each other.

All during elementary and high school years, many of us were fed the lies that USA was great and was a marvelous land of opportunities. I was told as a little girl by my first grade teacher that we became friends with the Indians and had a wonderful "thanksgiving meal" Ok, so who wants to tell a first grader, that the hero that she's supposed to admire, was really a mass murderer of many Indians. What is really hard to digest is how we continue to celebrate a holiday in the name of a person who didn’t even discover America, and how we hold parades for a man that was responsible for the demise of a many Indians, and the destruction of those that did nothing to harm Colombous and his men. My Professor expressed the point that those that control, control history. As kids, have we been learning the sugar coated version of our American History? No nation is perfect, but having people only learn about one side of the spectrum is unacceptable. Yes, as a country we should teach patriotism, but not at the expense of disregarding the side of history that is hidden .

It did not matter that I got older, and was wise enough to handle the truth, no high school teacher told me. Not even history books that we were assigned to read ever gave out this gruesome info. This just does not apply to this explorer, but also to almost every authoritative figure in our government and also to those that had ties with the government. Studying a history of a nation, you realize that a stock market just doesn't "crash" and that the News Media and other sources of media will hide what they don't want the public to hear.

I would also try to convince everyone to read this book, simply because of the vast amount information and text that has been regulated and censored by our government. As Zinn mentioned in his book, "...because the mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction - so tremblingly respectful, by inattention, to people's movements--that we need some counterforce to avoid being crushed into submission"(Zinn, 631) How can one say our country is great, when one does not know the other side. Watching the news everyday does not make one an informed citizen, and neither does only reading this book make you one too. Zinn points that out in his book, but he is not at all ashamed that his book may be a biased account. Then again, what history account is not? History is not a set book of facts, its personal events and memories from people. History is passed down from words and written documents, but the validity of that history is not always accurate. Zinn points out in one of his talks on justice talking.org, that his book is not about bashing American government, but it is about people learning objectively about their nation’s history. He brought up an excellent point when he explained that one cannot understand what is happening in today’s world, without having a look at that past. The book points out evidence, that what Bush is doing is nothing new, and that presidents in the past, have misused their power.

One year of intense reading on and off, and analyzing everything this book threw at me, I was, and still am left with a lot of questions. As our nation is doomed by Bush's administration, I finally begin to understand the dirty ties of military, government, economy and the corporate world. I strongly believe that American Government has used and still does, the term Democracy to disguise their desires of an empire. I now know to question twice what I am told. No this book has not made me loathe government , but it has made me realize that you cannot always trust what government says or does.

For those that may attack this post and say this book may be nothing more than a way to attack the conservatives that have caused misfortunes for the under privileged, here is an editorial of the book., " Consistently lauded for its lively, readable prose, this revised and updated edition of A People's History of the United States turns traditional textbook history on its head. Howard Zinn infuses the often-submerged voices of blacks, women, American Indians, war resisters, and poor laborers of all nationalities into this thorough narrative that spans American history from Christopher Columbus's arrival to an afterward on the Clinton presidency.

Addressing his trademark reversals of perspective, Zinn--a teacher, historian, and social activist for more than 20 years--explains, "My point is not that we must, in telling history, accuse, judge, condemn Columbus in absentia. It is too late for that; it would be a useless scholarly exercise in morality. But the easy acceptance of atrocities as a deplorable but necessary price to pay for progress (Hiroshima and Vietnam, to save Western civilization; Kronstadt and Hungary, to save socialism; nuclear proliferation, to save us all)--that is still with us. One reason these atrocities are still with us is that we have learned to bury them in a mass of other facts, as radioactive wastes are buried in containers in the earth."
If your last experience of American history was brought to you by junior high school textbooks--or even if you're a specialist--get ready for the other side of stories you may not even have heard. With its vivid descriptions of rarely noted events, A People's History of the United States is required reading for anyone who wants to take a fresh look at the rich, rocky history of America." (Amazon Editorial)


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Monday, October 13, 2008

Happy Anniversary

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Today marks the 25th anniversary of the first commercial cell phone call. On October 13th, 1983,Bob Barnett used the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X to call the grandson of Alexander Grahm Bell. Interestingly enough, the first call took place in my home town, Chicago! The cell phone which is owned by almost everyone has a long and interesting history. Click here for a cell phone time line

Do you remember a time when you were living without a cell phone? I do, I got my first cell phone when I was 19 years old. Living at home, I never needed one because my parents had a land line. Since then, I have moved around a lot, and have found that a cell phone was actually cheaper than installing a land line every time I moved.

Ever wonder how our life would be without cell phones? I remember my dad always lecturing me when I wanted a cell phone. He would say "You had managed just fine before you had one, and you'll manage just fine after."

Well, I can't imagine my life without one. Happy Anniversary!

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Sunday, October 5, 2008

I'll be gone, but here are somethings to read until I come back on.

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Hello readers, subscribed and unsubscribed viewers! I will be taking a week vacation so I will not be posting for a week or so. I will be in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, so yes, that means no cable, and no internet. Please keep on dropping, I will resume dropping once I come back :)

Meanwhile, I have found some interesting articles, I think are worth reading. They range from Politics, science, to careers, and maybe some health. I will give a brief description of the article. You will be able to click on the title and be directly taken to the article. I hope it keeps you somewhat busy while I am away. Happy reading :) Oh! and remember to leave your opinions on any of the articles! Either opinions, agreements, disagreements, etc. Love to hear from you!

Pass this bailout or else! In desperate attempts to pass the bill, Representatives were threatened with Martial Law if they did not pass this piece of legislation. Martial law dates back to the Lincoln Administration.

Why guys dump girls they dig. Even when a guy is into a girl, there are 5 reasons why he may call the relationship quits.

Bailout provides equal coverage for mental and physical alignments

7 anti-aging foods: Some of these you may already have included in your diet.

Microwave chicken isn't actually cooked chicken: 32 people in 12 states fell ill due to Saminola poisoning.

Google and Yahoo ad delayed: Justice department needs more time to review the process of these 2 top web companies merging together.

Astronaut's diary goes on display in Jerusalem.

Dow Joe plunges below 10,000 points. And this is despite the desperate attempts of the bail out.

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You said it Ron Paul!

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Saturday, October 4, 2008

And the winners are!!!

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About a week or less ago, I got the pleasant surprise of a blog award. Imagine that, someone actually LIKED my blog! My day suddenly got brighter, and I was smiling from ear to ear. Thanks Pam! Visit her Consummate Life blog, you will surely enjoy your visit. Then I figured there are millions of other blogs out there who need a little love and attention. So here is how it shall go. I submit an award to seven blogs, if you receive an award, you do the same, and send that reward to at least 7 other bloggers. So go ahead, spread the love, and make somebody smile. :)

1. Daisy the Curly Cat. This blog features the one and only adorable cat Daisy. Join Daisy as she ventures onto mischievous adventures, painting, dressing for the circus and much more. This blog is filled with her day to day events and pictures. If you are a cat lover like I am, Daisy will surely melt your heart.

2. Poetic Architecture. Sanjay an excellent poet, displays his written talent in a well put together poetry blog. Labeling himself as an optimist, his talent shines through his words. Take a peak, you won't leave once you do!

3. Robin's Nest. I find this blog very dear to my heart because it serves as a reminder when my heart needed time to heal. Poetry was something that helped me get through a broken heart. Robin's nest displays poetry that will touch you and get under your skin.

4. Subjective Soup. What are the ingredients to make a nice bowlful of subjective soup? Why its daily events, thoughts, and feeling. Don't forget to sprinkle on some attitude. When you read Subjective Soup, you will always want more than one serving.

5. Emila's Illustrated Blog: A blog with giveaways, pictures, and artistic work, Emila's blog is something that I took notice of very quickly. If you want a RSS Dolly, she's the girl to go to!

6. Caught in the Stream: This blogger definitely knows how to draw. If I could draw a perfect circle I would be perfectly content! Visit this artist's blog, the drawings are phenomenal.

7. Lily's licorice. This is a tasty blog with stories, politics, and thoughts. My favorite post is of her silly husband burning down the house. Psssh Men! Don't ask me how it happened, if you want to find out, you'll just have to read her post.

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Friday, October 3, 2008

How do you feel about this?

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I decided I would make a question post to start a discussion on the bailout. Well we know that the Bill has been passed, and is effectively signed as a law. With so much resistance to the bill, despite the revisions, debates of why it would not fix the root cause of the problem, and so much opposition to bail out, we have added another 700 billion dollars to our national debt.

My question for you is, how do you feel about this. Was it a good choice, bad choice? What do you think is in store for the country now.

I would like to gain some perspective.

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Thursday, October 2, 2008

Insurance: Are you and your teeth covered?

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If you're like 46 million Americans (give or take a few million) then you probably are without dental insurance, or have opted NOT to take insurance because of costs.If you're like another 40 million, then you probably don't have enough to pay for a dentist even with coverage. Source For a nation that obsesses so much about health and health coverage, oral care is in most cases, at the bottom of the priority list.

Today, it seems common that a lot of health insurances provided at work don't offer dental insurance, and even with insurance, dental care is still unaffordable. However, remember fixing a problem when it starts to get worse will be much cheaper than waiting till it gets out of hand. Avoiding to see a dentist because of lack of coverage will in the long run, eat away at your teeth, and your pocket. Let's not forget that taking care of your teeth thoroughly is extremely crucial to your help, and will cut costs on future treatment.

In some cases, people let their teeth go bad, and they they feel that they are not in a position to receive insurance or see a dentist. The fact is that there is a solution. Letting your teeth go bad can lead to tooth decay which can lead to a cavity, and in worst cases a root canal and extracting a teeth. Letting a tooth problem go too far can lead to heart disease, diabetes, even death.

If you are currently without insurance, there is an alternative especially for emergencies. One alternative is Denta Choice

Denta choice is NOT insurance, rather it is a reduced fee for service program that can save you a substantial amount of money, similar to insurance. It is one of the largest national dental networks in America. 15% to 50% can be saved on almost any procedure. Costs are determined by area/location. An individual plan is 8 dollars a month, a house hold plan is 18 dollars a month. Members pay month by month and are free to cancel any time.

Your teeth are important to your health, as well as your physical experience. Don't avoid oral hygiene or care. You will end up paying a lot more than money if you do.


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Woman purchases a house cheaper than a Big Mac

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Well its not everyday you can buy a house on Ebay, furthermore, its not everyday you can buy a house for pennies. However, a Chicago woman took advantage of the bid, and won the house for 1.75. Yes, that's right. Pick your mouths up from the floor please. There is a cost though, in order to keep it from facing foreclosure, she must pay 850 in back taxes, not to mention clean-up costs. Lets also not forget how much she would have to spend to fix up the house. Overall, it is a really smart buy. Perhaps I can find an abandoned mansion through Ebay once I graduate.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Economy nonsense mix-up

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I have recently read blog posts where there are some uncertainties about this bailout. It really is funny how the administration thinks that renaming a bail out as a rescue plan will change the bill for what it really is. I always thought a "rescue" plan should be reserved for those who are worthy of rescue, not crooks, greedy CEOs, and definitely not people from the incompetent Bush Administration.

Today I witnessed a real live example of how a bill works and how it is passed. This would have been a wonderful example to my third graders last year of how a bill is made and passed . Anyway, congress favored the bill, and it is now going to the house. Do I hope it will pass? I don't know. Do I think it will pass? Who knows.

I am still against the bill somewhat, but now I have mixed feelings. I see to much of blaming, pointing fingers at others, and complaining that the bail out makes me unhappy. It makes me enraged, and I am skeptical about its workings. However, something needs to be done to fix this. Will the bail out fix it? Maybe it will temporarily, but if these greedy people responsible for this mess do not devise a strategy to keep this from happening again, the back lash will be much worse than protesters shouting "You broke it, you bought it" on Wall Street

What bothers me the most is how reckless these companies were, and how reckless Paulson and the administration were in putting the bill together. If you have a financial crisis, and a bill asking for several billion dollars, you better have a book's worth explaining your plan. I belieive whole heartily that these people cared nothing about the American people when they made bill. If they cared, that would have reflected in the first draft of their bill. Instead it was 2 pages and contained no oversights. What does that tell you about the original intentions of these people?

If the bill passes, let us pray it will work. I do not want to have to be put in a position where I have to introduce my kids into a country where the economy is in complete turmoil. My parents came here from India, because the life here was so much better, and there were so many opportunities for them and my brother and sister. Will the bail out bring positive change that intentionally attracted my parents to come here?

How do you feel about this?

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The top ten entrecard droppers

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I decided I would dedicate this post to my famous top ten entrecard droppers, and to those that have visited my site whenever they could. I have been with Entrecard for about a month, and I am very happy with the progress I made. So with further ado, here are the top ten droppers, with their links. Thank you Sanjay for the idea. Its about time I recognized my droppers. By the way, if you like poetry, I highly suggest his site

Dropper # of drops
The Truth About Lies 15
Breeni Books 15
Wedding Cake Hints 13
Blog Fiction 12
the Social Arrow 11
WTF Do You Blog About!? 9
Where the Walls are Soft 9
The Writing Nag 9
PoeARTica 9
READING LOUNGE 8

Again thank you to those who visited my site. I'm learning a lot from visiting your blogs :)

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Perfection and changes: my weakness or my strength?

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Well, I've made a few changes to my blogger layout. O.K., well A LOT of changes. I really was not happy with my previous template. The Indian Bride picture was too big, clashed with my background, and I had way too many widgets cluttered onto one side. The blog just did not seem to flow right, sort of like an outfit that was trying too hard.

Being the type person I am, I took no breaks (eating or stretching) and ventured online to perhaps a dozen sites to find a new template that would display what I thought was important in a sufficient way. I found that sites with 3 columns were a lot better since I could spread out my links, favorite blogs, and the other tid bits I want to display on my blog. It also let me organize everything more efficiently.

I know a few days later, I will still want to change something about my blog, and that I won't take a break until I have everything perfected. I'm not only like this with blogging, I'm like this with everything. My theory is, if you're going to change, at least do it right. Mind you, I still have a lot to add to my new template lay out, and I probably won't give myself a break till I am happy with its look and performance. I have a long way to go before I can attain the status I want with this blog.

As I was saying, I'm like this with everything. When I student taught in a third grade classroom, I over-worked myself when forming my lessons, hardly took a break, because I wanted it to be perfect, whatever that was. If I'm cleaning, which is not a lot, I tend to go overboard and I don't give myself a break. My best friend always tells me that I need to step out of my apartment and breathe some oxygen once in a while. I realize I get this need for attaining perfection from my father. Although I hated his lectures, his speech "Just don't get something partially done" has resonated with me now.

Not only do I overwork myself, but I have a habit of changing things a lot. I am known to change outfits twice a day by a few, and I just can't listen to a full song on the radio or on my mp3 player. Once I've heard half of the song, I get bored and switch off to another song, and repeat that process at least a few times. I find that now I can't stay focused on one book. I find myself changing books after a few chapters. I have 2 book shelves of books that I've never read, and the only way I will be able to finish a book is if I chain myself to a chair, and then chain the book to my hands.

Anyway, that's me, the girl that is always changing her clothes, her music, and overworking even over sleep.

On a brighter note, happy first of October! Only 30 more days till Halloween!


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Monday, September 29, 2008

A smart shopper's guide to purchasing text books.

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If you’re like me, then you know what its like to fork over hundreds of dollars just for text books. Although financial aid might be covering some of your book expenses, there is no reason why you should pay so much for books you will have only for a semester. Buying books at book store price and selling them back for flea market price is something that disappoints college students. In order to get a good deal on your text book, as well as sell them back for more than store book price, you have to shop smart.


The first tip is to do your homework early. What I mean by this is find out what textbook you will have to buy.


The next tip is to search for your textbooks. What I suggest doing first is going to your university book store and writing down the ISBN numbers of your book. This is the bar code number on the back of your book. Sometimes the bookstore will cover it up. You can also find the bar code on inside of the first page. Write down the list of isbn numbers and the cost of the books. You will need your isbn numbers when searching for books and comparing prices. This number identifies the exact book. Most numbers have 8 or 10 numbers.


Once you have your barcode, you will need to find the best deals on textbooks. There are several ways to do this.


  • Look for textbooks on ebay or half.com. Make a wish list if you have to
  • See if other people at your university have the books you need. Many of them will offer a fairer price than the book store. If you’re part of a social networking site, such as facebook and myspace, you can join groups where people are selling their textbooks at your school.
  • Contact your professor and ask whether the textbooks are needed. You will be very surprised that you will buy textbooks only to use them a few times during the semester. If that is the case, it might help to borrow from a friend or make a copy of certain pages when needed.
  • You might also want to contact your professor and ask if using the previous version of a textbook is o.k. I’ve used previous versions of textbooks for a few classes, and there is no difference between the new version and the old version.

  • I highly recommend buying the international editions of your text. International editions are significantly cheaper than the U.S. editions. The abe textbook website has a way to search for textbooks. For general courses like math or science, you'd probably have better luck finding an international edition.


Using these tips will help you immensely. Conversely, selling books through other methods will make you more money. Many times, if you sell your books back at the book store, you’ll make far less than what you paid. I recommend selling books online and with your friends. The following links are a just a few places where you can start your textbook search.

Book Finder

Campus Books

Cheap Text Books (Valore)

Abe Books

Campus Books for Less



'Create

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It's peanut butter jelly time!

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As I was surfing through blogs on entrecard, an interesting gadget caught my eye. The VAN VACTOR PBJ bagel knife. This was found on the very famous The Peanut Butter Blog. According to the blogger who was skeptical of the product, "
After just one use I was hooked. This knife is amazing! Its wavy blade makes it the perfect tool with runny peanut butter--no more drips all over the outside of the jar or on my plate. It works great with cold, stiff peanut butter from the fridge, too. No need for jelly spoons--it holds the jelly just as well as it holds the runny peanut butter."

Now, this blogger is being given the chance of giving away this amazing PBJ knife for free :) All you have to do is read here

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Winners and Losers (BREAKING NEWS!)

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In breaking news, the House has rejected the bill!


The 110 page revised bill issuing a 700 billion dollar bill bail out in three installments will come out with winners, and of course, losers,


Wall Street, financial institutions, CEO’s, Bernakne and Paulson could all benefit from this massive bailout. CEO's of failing companies will be allowed to keep their jobs. If the bailout works as intended, it will enable Americans to get loans for cars, student loans, and the opportunity to open a credit card account. However the confidence that the bill work as hoped is very slim from those on Main Street.


The losers, unfortunately, include those that are facing foreclosure, loosing their homes, or whose homes are less than what they owe. This bill will do little, if anything at all to assist them. According to an article I read on Yahoo, it will also do little to halt the slide in home values. This is said to be one of the root causes of the economic slow down.


This bill will also affect tax payers that will foot the bill. The congress made it clear during their discussions of this bail out those tax payers MUST be protected. The bill will add 700 billion to the national debt. One of the tax payer protections includes that if the bailout fails, tax payers will be compensated in full.

Proponents of the bill claim that the bill could even make the tax payers money. The reality is that very few people believe that the provisions will fix the market. The main criticism is that the bill still does not address or even solve the fundamental problems of why the financial crisis came about in the first place.


The bailout, as mentioned previously, will include 3 installments. The government will be allowed to buy billion of dollars of devalued assets. 250 billion will be available immediately once the bill is passed. The next installment will be released at the authority of the president, and the last installment may be requested by the president if the congress does not act against it.


My thoughts: I hope this bill does not pass because all it does is protect Wall Street and the Bush Administration. If our Founding Fathers were to see the mess we were in, they would be ashamed of us, and all their efforts would have gone in vain. As many protesters have been shouting on Wall Street: "You broke it, you bought it!" It's time these irresponsible companies take responsibility for their actions. Let us hope this bill does NOT pass.

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Sunday, September 28, 2008

Guide to finding a legit GPT site.

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If you’re like most people, the thought of filling out surveys may seem time consuming and not worth the effort. The fact is, while there are many sites out there that tend to scam its users, there are also those that will value their members’ effort. A lot of skeptics may question the purpose of GPT (Get Paid To) sites. Simply put, marketers are looking to get exposure for their products. In return for that exposure, they pay the GPT website and you get part of that profit. Online marketing has become a major tool in promoting virtually every type of product. Usually you will answer questions on a survey with valid information. They can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.


Before you click “join” on any GPT site, make sure you do your research first. Often times, we are referred by someone who wants to make commission off of what we will make. While there is nothing wrong with this, it’s always important to look into the legality of the site before you join.

One thing to do is to look for payment proof. A site can boast and brag about how they pay so much survey, but it won’t mean anything unless its members get paid, and they are sharing that proof with others who are skeptical. In addition to that, you need to look into how often you get paid. Some survey sites require you to accumulate a few thousand points or a certain dollar amount, while the few good ones don’t require you to build up so much money or points in order to get paid. Payout is something to take into consideration. If you want to make some extra money fast, then it is best to pick out surveys where the min. payout is very low would be the best choice.

Whenever I look to join a GPT site, I look at thesed three things: Proof of payment, the positive things people say, and the criticism they have. If the good outweighs the bad, and I see proof, I am assured that my time is not going to be wasted.


The next thing to look out for is responsiveness of the administrators on the sites. I believe that the GPT sites that are legit are the ones that have established members forums. Often times, whenever a member is experiencing problems in offers crediting, or payment delay, they will ask for help on the forum. The sites which I am a part of all have a membership forum where the administrators are attentive to members’ concerns. If you do decide to join a GPT site, visit the forums first. This will prove to be your best friend during your time on the site.


The next thing you should do is check if the site you want to join is on the GPT boycott list. This is a very helpful tool and its purpose is to inform internet users of possible scams out there.

Once you have found your GPT site, make sure you read the guidelines. Often, if you do not follow the guidelines of a site, your account will be suspended. It will be in your best interest to find out how to fill out offers correctly and what actions will get you banned.


My next post will address tips on how to fill out surveys. Keep on reading!

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Oh my Goodness, I got paid!

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I got paid from a gpt site. I'm usually a very skeptical person about almost anything. I got involved with these sites in order to make some extra cash. One thing I ALWAYS do is research a site before I join. It doesn't matter if I hear it from word of mouth, online, or through written word, I am the type of person that needs to SEE the proof. I always make it a habit of looking for real payment proof. If I see over a dozen picture proofs, I feel more confident in joining.

The check that I got from a gpt site is Cashcrate When I joined, the min payout was 10 dollars in order to get a check. I easily made over 20 dollars within the first few weeks just with free offers. Lately the rules have changed and members have to make 20 dollars for payout. It really is not that complicated, especially if you already have experience in filling out surveys.

Anyway, here is my own proof of my paymentnt. I blocked my personal info because I think stalkers are creepy.

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Saturday, September 27, 2008

Do you think it would hurt the U.S. economy if we let the financial banks fail

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I was just skimming through an article on yahoo, and it looks like congress came up with a plan of action for this bailout. They call it a rescue, but I still call it a bail. In the end, it seems as if Ol' King Henry has gotten his wish after all... that is of course, with a few restrictions.

Yes, the bailout IS going to be passed. Instead of posting a long droning article on the goods, I'll list the key points and then link you to the article. Overall, I am very disappointed at this agreement.

  • The plan calls for the Treasury Department to buy deeply distressed mortgage-backed securities and other bad debts held by banks and other investors. The money should help troubled lenders make new loans and keep credit lines open. The government would later try to sell the discounted loan packages at the best possible price

  • At the insistence of House Republicans, some money would be devoted to a program that would encourage holders of distressed mortgage-backed securities to keep them and buy government insurance to cover defaults

  • To help struggling homeowners, the plan requires the government to try renegotiating the bad mortgages it acquires with the aim of lowering borrowers' monthly payments so they can keep their homes.

  • Also, the government would receive stock warrants in return for the bailout relief, giving taxpayers a chance to share in financial companies' future profits.

Here is something that caught my eye from the article which had my stomach in knots. (below)

"Money for the rescue plan would be phased in, he said. The first $350 billion would be available as soon as the president requested it. Congress could try to block later amounts if it believed the program was not working. The president could veto such a move, however, requiring extra large margins in the House and Senate to override.
"

So that basically means that Congress has the authority to stop payments if the rescue plan proved to be faulty. Even still, the President can stop that from happening. So even if this plan is a total disaster, the Executive branch still has the upper hand. So much for checks and balances.

Seriously, I want to know what you think. Do you think these institutions should deserve a bailout. Do you really think that if we let these banks fail, we let the economy fail. Can't we just let them fail? Why take on a risk of risky business. I'd love to hear your comments. It will help me gain some perspective on this matter.

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I could not resist

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...but I had to share this HILARIOUS video. As many of you might guess, I'm Indian. Although I am Indian, I really cannot speak my native language fluently. My native tounge is Hindi and Gujatri. As you know, India has over a thousand dialects. If you've watched in Indian movie, then you're pretty aware that its common that in the middle of the movie, the actors break out into song and dance in the middle of a poppy field.

This video is from a South Indian Movie. This is what us English Speakers hear, and trust me, it is too funny to keep to myself :)

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Remembering Paul Newman

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"I'd like to be remembered as a guy who tried - who tried to be part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being. Someone who isn't complacent, who doesn't cop out." Paul Newman


When a legendary actor passes away, a small part of Hollywood dies too. On September 27th, 2008, Paul Newman passed away at the age of 83 from cancer. Considered to be perhaps one of the greatest actor of the 20th century, Newman has acted in over 65 movies for more than 5o years. Even as he grew older, he still carried his presence with energy, charm, and confidence.

Newman was more than just an actor, he was one of the most important actors that defined his generation. He was an actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and an auto racing enthusiast.

Today is certainly a sad day for Hollywood and Newman Fans alike.

To read an in depth article here

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Friday, September 26, 2008

Sansi, a better alternative to oven mits

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Today, as I was pouring hot water over my ramen noodles with my fat oven mit, I poured some scalping hot water onto my other hand. Hah! What good is an oven mit if your hand is going to get boiled?

Then I thought back to that handy dandy utensil my mom had in her kitchen. You won't find it in the aisles of WalMart, nor will you get it in a kitchen department store in America. This helpful utensil is only sold in India and over the internet through several online stores.

What on earth am I talking about here? The utensil that would have saved my hand from becoming cooked is a Sansi. That's what my mom always called it. A sansi is a stainless steel picker upper, if you will, of hot items. Now how is this better than oven mits? Well the grip on a pot or pan is much better, especially for those pots and pans that are without handles. Sure oven mits are great for pulling cakes and cookies out of the oven, but a sansi ensures that contents of a hot pot will not be dumped on you.

If you are interested in obtaining one, just visit this site. Don't worry, they are not overly expensive. The most you will ever pay for one is 15 dollars (and I think that's an extreme scenario)



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Train with me online

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Folks, its that time, summer has ended, and fall is here. However, just because swimsuit season is over, does not mean our work out regimens have to be. A good, balanced work out not only tones your body, and helps you reduce weight, but it also improves your mood. Studies show that people who regularly exercise show a boost in moods and lower rates of depression. The benefits of exercise are just endless, but to sum it up, you'll be a lot healthier. Sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn't it?

Train with me online is an excellent support site dedicated in helping you meet your weight loss goals. Thousands of members have access to fitness tips, exercise video demonstrations, healthy recepies and even a members forum. Getting into shape may be difficult, but you don't have to do it alone. Think of this website as your own private personal trainer. Members are allowed to save exercises to their profile, thus enabling them to compile a work-out series. The exercises are conveniently organized according to emphasis on body part.

The best part of it all, is, it's FREE! Yes that is right, you do not need to pay a single dime to reap the benefits of this. Sorry if I sound like an ad, but it has helped me figure out what exercises to do. If you're like me, then you want to know if an exercise you're doing is correct. It is a life saver for those who are at loss on which exercises to do, what exercises benefit which body part, and what is healthy in terms of diet. Although it is free, there are a few things you may want to invest in if you don't have them already

  • Free weights (for your toning exercises)
  • A good pair of gym shoes
  • A exercise ball
  • A yoga mat
Just because you no longer have to look good in a beach dress, does not mean you should stray from your health goals. After all, you have the holidays to look stunning, confident, and most of all, healthy.

Happy fitness!

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Wamu goes down under

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Considered to be the biggest bank failure in American history, WaMu (Washington Mutual Bank) the FDIC claimed WaMu's assets and then sold most of the companies to JP Morgan, now the second largest bank in America. The fall of the bank is due to several factors. After the fall of The Leham Brothers, WaMu customers withdrew earnings approximating 16.7 billion dollars in a ten day period. The panic and uncertainty which caused this massive money withdrawal, left Wamu unable to liquidity their assets.

In the long run, WaMu's failure was due to the mismanagement and misinformed bets on the mortgage market. Due to their risky debts and tumbling mortgages, JP Morgan has dropped the loan portfolio to 31 billion. This however can change if the company decides to take advantage of the bailout IF it goes through.

For current WaMu customers, you are still able to resume regular banking. According to Shelia Bair, (FDIC chairman) what this means for customers is the combination of two banks.

For an in depth article on WaMu's fall, read article

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Thursday, September 25, 2008

R.I.P. checks and balances

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R.I.P. checks and balances

If you're unsure whether or not checks and balances are still alive, say your prayers. It seems as if the system which prevents branches of government from taking unprecented powers has finally been put to rest. The approximately 2-3 page bailout bill grants unlimited power to our Ol’ King Henry

In a recent posting I posted uncertainties about the 700 dollar billion bail out, but the more I read about this bill, the more uneasy and skeptical that a bailout will change anything. I am convinced that this is simply trickery and robbery of my hard earned tax dollars. It is infuriating to see the government hand over a blank check to these companies (mind you, that’s OUR money on that blank check) and then not give its tax payers squat in return. Paulsen voices sympathy towards tax payers, but that simply isn't enough, not after asking us to give up money we need so the fat cats of Wall Street can feed their wallets. Where was the bailout when over a million of us got laid off? Where was the bailout for parents who lost their health insurance and couldn't take their kids to the doctor? Where was the bailout when millions of Americans slipped from the middle class into the slums of poverty? Why on earth didn't Paulsen run to congress asking for a blank bail out check to save us? Apparently the American people aren't worth saving, but companies like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG deserve unwarranted money. I have read and reread through the draft, and I see nothing about compensating tax payers.

So let me get this straight Paulsen, you are asking me, an average person, sinking in this economy, to give up approx 2,000 – 3,000 of my money so that irresponsible companies can continue on with their business. I don’t think so. If its one thing I was taught, its taking responsibility for actions. If you f’d up, then YOU pay the price, not somebody else. It is insulting to sit in front of congress, ask for a huge sum of money, and then have a poor bill to back it up. If these companies fail, let them fail. As Sen. Bernie Sanders stated in his excellent speech to congress, “If companies are too big to fail, then they are too big to exist.”

What is even more frustrating for an average American is the unlimited powers this bill grants to Paulsen. View text draft of the bill. If this were a college paper, I would give it an F for poor preparation and complete lack of plan. The bill is vague, fuzzy, and has no indications how tax payers will get compensated for this Armageddon of a bill. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/business/21draftcnd.html

The bill states that courts or other agencies will NOT be allowed to review this act. "Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency." So that basically means if the government wants to use that money in a fraudulent way, it can go ahead and do that. Checks and balances cannot bother to interfere with the fat cats of Washington and the actions of this faulty administration. First it was called a bailout, now they are referring it to a rescue plan. Perhaps the word bail was unsettling to Americans. However, renaming it something else is no different. A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf.

By asking congress (ultimately THE PEOPLE) to have courts NOT review the bill, the administration looses their credibility to the American People. Their supposed claims are that they want to fix the economy, and the only way to do that is to pass the bill. If that is the case, why keep everything hush hush? What possibly could Paulsen do that would allow him execute this bill behind closed doors. If he wants to fix this mess, at least have the decency to do it in the open. Doing the opposite only proves you have something to hide.

Case in point, the administration is openly stealing money. As I said before, you fuk up, then you pay up. Perhaps we need to go through a quick recap in the Great Depression, because that is exactly where we will end up of our careless government is not careful.

Sen. Ron Paul said it best when he wrote “The only thing we learned from history, I am afraid, is that we don’t learn from history.”

It’s time Bush and his hazardous buddies get knocked off their high horse. Contact your state reps and say no, no, no, a million times no to this bill!

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Start off your laughs with The Office Gang

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Yes! It is FINALLY here, New Office Season Premiere Tomorrow!

I remember a few years ago when a friend was so adamant about me watching OFFICE, I would dismiss it, and go back to whatever I was doing. I’ve glanced at it a few times here and there, and I just didn’t get the humor. It took at least 5 or 6 shows to get into it and now…

And now… I am a huge fan of this show. The humor is a bit dry, but the dialogue is phenomenal! I’ve gone from hating Dwight to adoring him and his almost always loyalty to Michael Scott. Jim and his hilarious jokes have won me over to this show. If you have not seen a few shows, and watch an episode now! (www.hulu.com ) It takes a while to get into it, but you’ll be doubling over with laughter, especially when you see the episode where Jim hides Andy Bernard’s cell phone within the ceiling tiles.

I am impatiently awaiting the season premiere, and although it is one day away, I have never been so excited for anything in my life.

How will Jim ever propose to Pam when Andy stole the lime light?

Will Michael and the new HR lady be more than working aqunatinces, and how will that rub off on Jan?

Will Michael be introduced into the baby's life?

What will poor farmboy Dwight Schrute do, will his already broken heart mend now that his ex might get married to another man.

oh the questions, the questions. And I will finally start to get some of these answers tomorrow!

If you're an Office Fan, say hi!

Don't forget to watch the Season 5 premiere tomorrow on NBC.

and now, I leave you with one of my all time favorite clips from The Office ;)

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An average American's take and undecided view on the 700 billion dollar bail.

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If the Bush Administration couldn’t make any more mouth dropping, eye popping decisions, this one definitely takes the cake.

I don’t know about the rest of you, and I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I can speak for myself. Quite frankly, I am immensely angry at Paulsen’s effort to convince congress to accept the 700 billion dollar bailout. Doesn’t that cost more than the total cost of the IRAQ war? Let’s see, a 700 billion dollar bail out means that’s 3,000 dollars per taxpayer. It is in fact, the largest bailout since the Great Depression. You need more than 3 pages to validate that much of a bailout. What exactly are tax payers getting from this bailout? Money is already tight for a lot of Americans, and the last thing we is to see our hard earned money pull failing financial companies out of the hole. Why should tax payers have to take financial responsibility for the irresponsibility’s of these companies? If they want a bailout, then they need to provide an immediate incentive or something to tax payers. If we’re footing this bill, we need something in return.

I understand that the economy is in peril, and I do realize the intended purpose of the bailout is to save the falling economy, but in reality, will it really work? The Bush Administration does not display a promising track record, and its decisions have cost us unjustified tax dollars. Is this bailout any different? I, including many Americans, want to know if the bailout is really a good idea, and if it will actually help in the long run. Do these companies have any plans so that it doesn’t happen again, and if so, what will they do to convince tax payers that the bailout is worth it? The administration’s quick, 2 year plan bailout seems to lack a strategic game plan. Either that or I must be blind and am not able to understand the sheer brilliance of it. I am not that economically savvy, but something stinks about this plan. This is a matter needs to be looked over carefully, and I believe other alternatives should be considered.

I am a bit unsure of how I feel about this bailout. I feel really skeptical that this is the right thing for the administration to do. Hopefully some of you can shed some light, how do you feel about the bailout?

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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

A mixed bag of random postings.

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Well, this post is somewhat of a mixed bag of a post. I wanted to let my readers (yes if you’re reading this… you’re a reader) know about some changes coming up.

One change, I have not decided if I want to implement yet. I guess I’ll ask you guys. I want to change the title of my blog to my original one. Does God want you to believe in Him?” I got the idea when I read one of Lenoard Cohen’s poems, and it just stuck in my head. Or… do you think I should stick with the blog header (title) I have now.


Yay or Nay?


The next change is that I have started another blog. It is not a personal blog, but more of a blog for parents and teachers, or anyone that loves books. I was an education major, and many of my college courses taught me just how wonderful books are with stimulating learning. I started this blog today, so it is a working process. The main gist of the blog is to summarize the book, give out my 2 cents, and a possible extension activity from the book. If you’re a parent, some of these might be fun activities to do with your kids. My goal is to add 1-2 entries a day whenever I have computer access. I will not post up the blog link just yet, however, if you are a entrecard user, I believe I have linked my blog. I will make my blog “official” on here, once I’ve hit a certain number of entries.


The other change deals with me not being able to blog as much as I would like to. When I am home, I tend to blog a lot. However, I have been traveling a lot between the northern part of Illinois and the Southern Part of Illinois. My boyfriend is doing his internship in order to become a funeral director, so he basically gets called when somebody dies. I stay with him in Tower Hill in his mother’s log cabin in the middle of nowhere because there really is nothing for me to do at my apartment. I will return to blogging in a week or two, and then I might be gone again for some time. Just wanted to let my entrecard droppers know, that if I did not drop on your blog, and you dropped on mine, don’t worry, I’ll get to it eventually.

Anyway, that’s about it.


Thanks for reading folks!

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Kavita (luvikavi)
I am a 25 year old loud mouth by my words yet soft spoken at heart. I have love affairs with new thoughts, ideas, controversies, movies, news,helping those in need and politics. If something tickles my fancy, I will blog profusely about it. The world is filled with nonsense, and writing helps me grasp the reality, whatever that may be.
I graduated from Northern with a Bachelors in Health and Human Sciences, with an emphasis in family and individual development. I hope to GOD my thousand and thousand dollars in loans has prepared me enough for Grad school which I will be venturing off into this Fall of '10. YIKES!
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