Everything Under the Sun

The Mentor Role (1 part of 8 Manager)

2010-01-10T21:22:00.001-08:00

A. Understanding Self and Others

Learning
- managers must have an understanding of themselves and others
- one way people differ is in their task-related abilities
- another way is feelings, needs and concerns
- people react to different things in different situations
- emotional intelligence: personal and social competence
- Important to know what motivates your behavior, and what influence how you will react in different situations

Understanding Yourself: Three dimensions of self-awareness
1. Emotional Intelligence: recognizing your emotions and how they affect you and others
2. Self-Assessment: knowing your strengths and limits and being open to feedback
3. Self-Confidence: awareness of self-worth and capabilities

Personality and 2 Approaches to Personality: psychological and behavioral attributes that distinguishes individuals from others
1. Five-Factor Model: 5 basic tendencies of personality (continuum)
a. neuroticism: worry a lot, insecure, anxious and emotional VS. clam, relaxed and self-confident
b. extraversion: urgency and assertiveness, social, talkative, and gergarious VS. reserved, quiet, withdrawn and aloof
c. openness to new experience: curious, imaginative, creative and nontraditional VS. conventional, concrete, and practical
d. agreeableness: good natured, trusting of others, and forgiving of their mistakes VS. cynical, suspicious of others and antagonistic
e. conscientiousness: organized, responsible, and self-disciplined VS. impulsive, careless, and undependable

2. Myers-Briggs Type Inventory
a. introversion-extraversion
b. sensing-intuition
c. thinking-feeling
d. judging-perceiving

Increasing Your Self-Awareness: Johari Window

Open: know your self and others know about you Blind: not known yourself, but known to others
Hidden: known to self, not known to others Unknown: not known to self and others

Guidelines for Asking for Feedback
- Before asking for feedback, make sure you are open to hearing information that may alter your perception. Prepare yourself to hear things that may make you uncomfortable.
- Be aware that the person giving you feedback is describing his or her own perception of the situation, but realize that his or her feelings are real.
- Check your understanding of feedback: Ask questions or give examples and share your reactions. Clarify issues, explain your actions, and correct perceptions people may have of you, but do not defend and debate.
- Express your appreciation for the person who has given you the feedback. It may have been difficult for that person to be honest with you, and it is important that you show clearly and unequivocally that you welcome feedback.

Understanding Other
Empathy: truly putting yourself in the position of others and honestly trying to see the world as they see it
Guideline for practicing empathy
- You must first examine yourself. If you do not truly want to understand others, if you are insincere, empathy will not work.
- Communication is more than words. You must be sensitive to times when expressed thoughts and feelings are not congruent. You must read nonverbal signs as well as verbal ones.
- Do not react too quickly to inaccurate statement of fact; listen carefully for the feelings beneath the statement before rushing in to correct facts.
- You must allow the person to tell the emotional truth, which may include negative feelings about you. You must be ready to explore such negative feedback.
- User reflective listening

B. Communication Effectively

Communication is the exchange of information, facts, ideas and meanings. Can be used to inform, coordinate or motivate people.

A Basic Model of Interpersonal Communication
- Communicator encodes message: translates ideas into systems of symbols, such as words and numbers.
Influences: urgency of message, experience and skills of sender, sender's perception of receiver
- Decoded: interpret the message (same range of influences)
- Feedback: informational: nonevaluative response that simply provides additional facts to the sender
corrective: correction to or challenge of the original message
reinforcing: clear acknowledgement of the message (positive or negative)
- Noise: anything that distorts the message in the communication process

Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication
2 elements
1. Individual must be able to express themselves
2. Individual must be a good listener

List of Barriers
- Inarticulateness: Sender has a problem expressing the concept. If the receiver is not aware of the problem, completely inaccurate images may arise, resulting in misunderstanding.
- Hidden Agenda: Motives that people don't want to reveal. Keeping true purpose hidden due to reaction consequents- results in low trust and cooperation.
- Status: Distortion by perceptions of position. High status vs. Low Status
- Hostility: When the receiver is already angry with the person sending message, the communication will be tend to perceive in a negative way.
- Difference in Communication Style: Loud vs. Soft. Detail vs. Straight to Point. Gender, cultural background.

Rules of Effective Communication
- Be clear on who the receiver is. What is the receiver's state of mind? Assumptions, and feelings and the time of the situation
- Know what your objective is. What do you want to accomplish by sending the message
- Analyze the climate. Will it be necessary to help the receiver relax and open to communication
- Review the message in your head before you say it. Think of the message from the point of the receiver, any need to clarify certain ideas
- Communicate using words and terms familiar to other person. Use examples and illustrations that come from the world of the receiver
- If the receiver seems not to understand, clarify the message. Ask questions
- If the response is seemingly critical, do not react defensively. Try to understand what the receiver is thinking. Clear any misunderstandings.

Reflective Listening
- Listening requires truly understand what the other person is saying
- Reflective listening is a tool based on empathy
- Use open-ended questions
- Not talk, but keep the other person talking

C. Developing Employees

Learning
Delegating Effectively
- Push them to go beyond their current level of functioning
- Excellent opportunities for growth and development
- Develop new skills and abilities, as well as to learn more about the work unit and how it functions
- 3 core elements: responsibility, authority, and accountability

Reasons for not delegating
- associate with negative behavior, such as abdicating responsibility for task or letting someone else do it
- managers feel they will lose control
- managers have lot learned how to delegate effectively

Keys to Effective Delegation
1. Clarify, in your own mind, what is it that you want done.
2. Match the desires task with the most appropriate employee.
3. In assigning the task, be sure you communicate clearly.
4. Make sure the employee has the time to do the assignment.
5. Keep the communications channels open.
6. Allow employees to do the task the way they feel comfortable doing it.
7. Check on the progress of the assignment, but do not rush to the rescue at the first sign of failure.
8. Hold the person responsible for the work and any difficulties that may emerge.
9. Make sure the person has appropriate authority to carry out the task and obtain the resources and cooperation for it's successful completion.
10. Recognize the employees accomplishments.

Guidelines for Giving Feedback
- Before giving feedback, examine your motivation and make sure the receiver is ready and open to hear you. Ask the person whether or not this is a good time to receive feedback.
- Make sure to give the person feedback in a private place that allows for further dialog.
- While giving feedback, use "I" statements rather than "you" statements to indicate there are your perceptions, thoughts and feelings.
- Provide feedback on both positive and negative behaviors. No one is either all good or all bad. Managers who present only one side lose their credibility fro being honest.
- Describe the other person's behavior and your perceptions of it. Present specific examples of behavior that you have observed, rather than generalize statements that describe a demeanor or an attitude.
- Make sure your examples are timely. Giving feedback on a behavior that has long passed is both annoying and difficult to discuss.
- Ask the other person to clarify, explain, change or correct.
- After giving feedback, give the receiver time to respond.

The Evolution of Management Models

2010-01-01T19:56:00.001-08:00

1900-1925: The Emerging of the Rational Goal Model and the Internal Process Model

Theoretical Perspective 1.1: Taylor's 4 Principle of Management (Fredrick Taylor: father of scientific management)

1. Develop a science for every job, which replaces the old rule-of-thumb method.

2. Systematically select workers so that they fit the job, and train them effectively.

3. Offer incentives so that workers behave in accordance with the principles of the sciences that has been developed.

4. Support workers by carefully planning their work and smoothing the way as they do their job.

Rational Goal Model: value of achievement and profit maximization

> symbol: dollar sign

> manager: decisive director and task-oriented producer

Internal Process Model: criteria of effectiveness are stability and continuity; routinization leads to stability

> symbol: pyramid

> manager: technically expert monitor and dependable coordinator

1926-1950: The Emergence of Human Relations Model

Theoretical Perspective 1.2: Faylo's General Principles of Management

1. Division of Work: produce more and better work with same effort. Reduction in number of tasks to which attention and effort must be directed

2. Authority and Responsibility: Right to give orders and essential counterpart. Whenever authority is exercised, responsibility is arised

3. Discipline: obedience and respect for the agreements between the firm and it's employees. Agreements arrived by discussions between each

4. Unity of Command: employee should receive order from one supervisor only

5. Unity of Direction: each group of activities having one objective should be unified by having one plan and one head

6. Subordination of individual interest to general interest: the interest of one employee or group of employees should not prevail over that of that of the company or broader organization

7. Remuneration of personnel:to maintain their loyalty and support, employees must receive a fair wage for services rendered

8. Centralization: natural order of things

9. Scalar Chain: chain of superiority ranging from the ultimate authority to the lowest ranks

10. Order: a place for everything, and everything in place

11. Equity: combination of kindliness and justice

12. Stability of tenure of personnel: high turnover increases inefficiency

13. Initiative: thinking out a plan and ensuring its success

14. Esprit de corps: union is strength, and it comes from the harmony of the personnel

Theoretical Perspective 1.3: Characteristics of Weberian Bureaucracy

Elements of Bureaucracy

1. There is a division of labor with responsibilities that are clearly defined

2. Positions are organized in hierarchy of authority

3. All personnel are objectively selected and promoted based on technical abilities

4. Administrative decisions are recorded in writing, and records are maintained over time

5. There are career mangers working for salary

6. There are standard rules and procedures that are uniformly applied to all

Human Relations Model: commitment, cohesion, and morale. Involvement results in commitment, and the key values are participation, conflict resolution, and consensus building.

> symbol: circle

> manager: empathetic mentor and a process-oriented facilitator

1951-1975: The Emergence of the Open Systems Model

Theoretical Perspective 1.4: Contingency Theory

Appropriateness of Managerial Actions Varies with Key Variables

1. Size. Problems of coordination increases as the size of organization increases. Appropriate coordination procedures for a large organization will not be efficient in a small organization, and vice versa.

2. Technology. The technology used to produce output varies. It may be very routine or very customized. The appropriateness of organizational structures, leadership styles, and control systems will vary with type of technology.

3. Environment. Organizations exist within larger environments. These may be uncertain and turbulent or predictable and unchanging. Organizational structures, leadership styles, and control systems will vary accordingly.

4. Individuals. People are not the same. They have very different needs. Managers must adjust their styles accordingly.

Open Systems Model: organization is faced with a need to compete in an ambiguous as well as competitive environment. Adaptability and external support. Political adaptation, creative problem solving, innovation and the management of change

> symbol: amoeba

> manager: creative innovator and politically astute broker

1976-Today: The Emergence of Both-And Assumptions

	Rational Goal	Internal Process	Human Relations	Open System
Symbol	Dollar Sign	Pyramid	Circle	Amoeba
Criteria of Effectiveness	Productivity, profit	Stability, continuity	Commitment, cohesion, morale	Adaptability, external support
Means-End Theory	Clear direction leads to productive outcomes	Routinizataion leads to stability	Involvement results in commitment	Continual adaptation and innovation lead to acquiring and maintaining external resources
Action Imperatives	Compete	Control	Collaborate	Create
Emphasis	Goal clarification, rational analysis, and action taking	Defining responsibility, measurement, documentation	Participation, conflict resolution, and consensus building	Political adaptation, creative problem solving, innovation, change management
Climate	Rational Economic: bottom line	Hierarchical	Team Oriented	Innovative, flexible
Role of Manager	Director and producer	Monitor and coordinator	Mentor and facilitator	Innovator and broker

Action Imperatives: Collaborate, Control, Compete, Create

The Use of Opposing Models

Behavioral Complexity and the Effectiveness of Managerial Leaders

Becoming a Manager: The Need for New Competencies

- Compete: The Director and Producer Roles

> Director: expected to clarify expectations through processes, such as planning and goal setting, and to be a decisive initiator who define problems, selects alternatives, establishes objectives, defines roles and tasks, generates rules and policies and gives instructions

> Producer: producers are expected to be task oriented and work focused and to have high interest, motivation, energy, and personal drive. They are suppose to accept responsibility, complete assignments, and maintain high personal productivity. Accomplish stated goals.

- Control: Monitor and Coordinator Roles

> Monitor: know what is going on in the unit, to determine whether people are complying with the rules, and to see whether the unit it meeting its quotas. Knows all facts and details, and is good at analysis. Zeal for handling data and forms, reviewing and responding to routine information, conducting inspections and tours, and authoring review of reports and other documents. Care for details, control and analysis. Attention to measures, reports and data.

> Coordinator: maintain a structure and flow of system. Dependable and Reliable. Scheduling, organizing, coordinating staff efforts, handling crisis, and attending to technological, logistical and housekeeping issues.

- Collaborate: The Facilitator and Mentor Roles

> Facilitator: foster collective effort, build cohesion and teamwork, and manage interpersonal conflict. Process Oriented. Problem Solving, conflict resolution, interpersonal dispute.

> Mentor: development of people through caring, empathetic orientation. Helpful, considerate, sensitive, approachable, open and fair. Listens, supports legitimate requests, conveys appreciation, and gives compliment and credits. Skill building, training, individual development.

- Create: The Innovator and Broker Roles

> Innovator: facilitate adaptation and change. Pay attention to changing environments, identifies important trends, conceptualizes and projects needed change, and tolerates uncertainty and risk. Rely on introduction, ideas and intuitive insights. Creative, clever dreamers who see the future, envision innovations, package them in inviting ways, and convince others they are necessary and desirable. People with vision.

> Broker: maintaining external legitimacy and obtaining external resources. Meet people outside of unit to represent, negotiate, and to acquire resources.

The Eight Roles at Different Organization Levels and Identifying the Core Competencies

1. Mentor Role: a. Understanding Self and Others b. Communication Effectively c. Developing Employees

2. Facilitator Role: a. Building Teams b. Using Participative Decision Making c. Managing Conflits

3. Monitor Role: a. Managing Information Overload b. Analyzing Core Processes c. Measuring Performance and Quality d. Measuring Performance and Quality

4. Coordinator Role: a. Managing Projects b. Designing Work c. Managing Across Functions

5. Director Role: a. Developing and communication a vision b. Setting Goals and Objectives c. Designing and Organizing

6. Producer Role: a. Working Productively b. Fostering a Productive Environment c. Managing Time and Stress

7. Innovator Role a. Living with Change b. Thinking Creatively d. Managing Change

8. Broker Role: a. Building and Maintaining Power Base b. Negotiating Agreement and Commitment c. Presenting Ideas

Organizing the Learning Process

Step 1: Assessment. Help you discover your present level of ability in and awareness of competency. Any number of tools, such as questionnaires, role-plays, or group discussions, might be used.

Step 2: Learning. Involves reading and presenting information about topics using traditional tools, such as lectures and printed material. Here we present information from relevant research and suggest guidelines for practice.

Step 3: Analysis. Explores appropriate and inappropriate behaviors by examining how other behave in given situation. We will use cases, role-plays, or other examples of behavior. Examples from popular movies, tv shows, or novels for analysis

Step 4: Practice. Allows you to apply the competency to a work like situation while in classroom. It is an opportunity for experimentation and feedback. Again, exercises, stimulations, and role-plays will be used.

Step 5: Application. Give you the opportunity to transfer process to real-life situations. Usually assignments are made to facilitate short and long term experimentations.

Critical Thinking

Assessment
Part 1: Think of a topic/issue that you find very upsetting and frustrating. Do a little "ranting" on the issue. Write some very strong emotional statements about this issue or situation. 4-5 Sentences.
Part 2: Imagine going to public and convincing someone else to share some intensity you about this issue. Argument- Reasoning.

Learning
Support your claims and proposals in a systematic and concise way.

Thinking about Thinking
- Managers spend a lot of time both presenting evident to support their own ideas and evaluating ideas presented by others.
- Effective manager are effective thinkers
- Approach ideas with openness and healthy skepticism

Management and Sound Reasoning
- Effective managers are good at both framing their own arguments and reacting to argument of others
- Task of critical thinker is to make the best decision with the available information in a particular circumstance

Most Arguments have 3 Elements
1. Claim: conclusion of argument; answers the question- what is the point here?
2. Grounds: facts and evidence that support the claim. The claim can be no stronger than the ground that supports it; answers question- what leads you to say that?
3. Warrants: bridge between claim and grounds; answers question- how does claim connect to the grounds offered

Chapter 1: Becoming a Master Manager: A Competing Values Approach

2010

2010-01-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2009-2010

2009-12-31T18:26:00.001-08:00

It's been a crazy and hectic year! it's done, it's over and time to move on to a brighter year!

I am excite, my health is getting better, my overall life is getting better and everything is good.

Motto: Work hard and play hard.

Cheers,

Honey

The Three-Part Framework for Powepoint Presentations

2009-12-06T18:55:00.001-08:00

Preview, View, Review

Preview (10-15 % of time)

Hook: Opening statement to grab attention
Positioning Statement: Benefits statement selling advantages of listening
Overview: Key points that support positioning statement

View (80-85% of time)

Point 1: Evidence/Illustration
Point 2: Evidence/Illustration
Point 3: Evidence/Illustration

Review (5% of time)

Recap: Summary of positioning statement and key points
Memorable Conclusion: Wrap up story or statement
Call to Action: Request for order/commitment

7 Steps for Powerpoint Presentations

2009-12-06T18:27:00.003-08:00

Step 1: Define your purpose. The first question every presenter has to determine is, Why am I presenting? Is it to inform, entertain or persuade?

Step 2: Profile your audience. You should always analyze your audience’s need and motivations.

Step 3: Map your structure. Presenting is essentially story telling. And all good stories need structure.

Step 4: Add drama and impact. Even the most boring factual presentations needs livening up with anecdotes, stories or captivating visuals.

Step 5: Rehearse until perfect. The more you rehearse, the better you get.

Step 6: Deliver with style. The way you deliver is as, if not more important than your content.

Step 7: Review and Revise. The best presenter learn from their mistakes by continually evaluating their performance.

Thus, the journey begins.

2009-11-23T11:13:00.003-08:00

After a long time, my stomach pain has decreased a little bit. Before, I would get sharp and strong pain attacks and now its more of a burning pain. My body is responding better to it than the sharp pain. I usually have a fever and my body is a bit weird in a manner that sometimes I am unable to breath and I feel suffocated. My doctor says that if my ulcers get better than all the other stomach related issues (infection, bleeding, etc.) will decrease, thus my overall body will get better. The foundation of all my health problems is the ulcers, so I have to cure that in order in indirectly cure all the other problems.

So Mr. Ulcers, here I come, I am going to tackle you down. My whole body (specially my mind) is stronger than you. I keep telling myself that my body is my own enemy, but I don’t take any action against it, which I think it’s time to do. I need to make my body my friend (my best friend) and be at peace physically and mentally.

I am past the phase of loosing it and not doing anything about my pain and health. I took off work and just didn’t do anything but sit and cry about my pain. That went for a while, and that definitely didn’t help. I cut off connection and started slacking on my work and school and that also doesn’t help. One quality that has always been part of me is that no matter what condition I am in mentally and physically, I have got myself up, have had a strong head and kept moving.

I still recall, I was doing a dance performance and my knees were really hurt and I was in tears a minute before the dancer performance, but a minute later, I got on stage, I put a smile on my face and it must have been one of my best dance performances. It was at the festival of trees in Boise, ID. I didn’t let my commitment to dance team down (meridian dance art academy) and I didn’t let my dance team down.

I need to revisit that and bring my mental strength back of dealing properly with pain, but not loosing what I have, or my aspirations and dreams.

Plus, if I distract my mind and do things for myself that are good than maybe with my mind, my health will also get better. For a while I had lost all my ambition, motivation, inspirations, and goals and I was not doing anything to make any part of my life improve. Instead of digging myself a deeper a hole, I am going to get out of this hole.

I do need to bear in my mind that my health is yet utmost important and needs more of my attention than anything else. I have developed a eating schedule, a rest schedule, and meditation schedule. Also, I will continue having my special brown bag which has fruit, nuts and other healthy food that is always on me, so in any instance, I can eat no matter where I am.

I have lost of a bit of strength in my body, so I need to gain that back up. I have developed a set of exercises, stretches, and yoga poses that are good for overall body and stomach that will improve my strength.

No one else and nothing else except me can improve my health, and I need to do it well and soon, so things don’t get worse even later in life.

I need peace and sanity and I am going to provide that to myself.

And, people who have made my health worse or have anything to say against me or my health specially when I have helped you in any way shape or form; I curse you and I hope that you go through 50% of what I have been through. Only 50% because that will be enough to teach them a lesson and I don't think they can deal with half of what I have dealt with, let alone whole.

My goal of simplifying my life is close to accomplished, everything I don’t need or use has been trashed, the important things are neatly organized and placed.

I am back on my feet and strong brain and need to get work done, projects done and catch up to the speed of everything.

School

1. I have two weeks to do 4 projects of the semester. The whole class has done 4 projects in 4-5 months, and I need to do those projects in 2 weeks, in fact by the end of this week to be able to do the 5^th project of the semester.

a. Project 1: Sketch, Refine and Finalize design for the german poster with placement, scale, color and in style of piet zwart, max huber and theo van doesburg. Final 6 posters (11x14)

b. Project 2: Text, graphic element and photo choices for Vision, put it together and apply in 4 environments. Final 4 posters (billboard size)

c. Refine book sale sign 6-10 times and create a system branding from book design. Final 6 designs (book bag, gift card, book mark, calendar)

d. Time and measurement design with dance. Final 4 cd cased of dance timeline

2. Crossing borders journal. Just for few hours before 11/30/09 I need to sit at create a collage for 15 different words to form a book of collage of 15 terminologies. This shouldn’t be that difficult, just grab images related to term and paste it on page (text is fine too)

3. Type forms branding to recreate stationary of Post-It Notes Company. (Logo, letter head, business card, envelop and notepad)

4. Final portfolio for type forms

5. Final portfolio for visual literacy

Work

1. 50-100 web channel research to benchmark (50 completed)

2. 50-100 events/tradeshows/conferences to research and benchmark for 2010

3. Competitive analysis projects (completed, but need to be updated)

4. Analyzer vendor list?

5. APAC business development- country focus India (benchmark 10-15 from a list of 50)

6. EMEA business development- country focus Russia (done!)

7. 3 Presentation creations from concept to execution (Reseller, End User, Analyzer)

a. Outline done, basis and concept done; work on creation and execution

I need to finish all this work before I go to Boise, ID. Forgot to mention that I have booked a ticket to go to Boise because I really miss my mom and I am going to surprise her by showing up at home. My goal is to get all this done before I go, otherwise I won’t go. 2^nd week of December!

After that, I will have an entire month of school and nothing for school to worry about! I want to thank my professors, lian, teddy and Michael for giving me a lot of flexibility this semester. Lian has done it for two semesters now. Thank you guys for understanding and reiterating to me that health is more important and I should worry about that more than school.

Those are all my short term goals.

To keep in mind my long term goals.

Education

B.S Communication and Psychology (completed)

M.F.A. in Graphic Design (in progress)

M.B.A. in International Marketing/Business (future) I have selected a school, Golden Gate University, and will apply there in about a 1.5 years. I have my mind set to the curriculum, and the requirements for application and slowly I will start working on that once a lot of other stress in my life is decreased.

I am still working on the book I want to publish, it’s getting harder and harder. When I thought things were coming along, they are actually diminishing a bit, but it’s ok, I can put that aside to focus on more important things (health) for now and come back to it at a better time.

I need to get CCNA to go higher in my industry (IT) and I just emailed a community college that offers CCNA training courses for 2-3 months that apparently guarantees passing the CCNA exam, which my company pays for. If all works well, that can get rolling when I am off school for a while.

I have always been a steady and committed volunteer for an organization in each city I have lived in. Ever since I came to bay area, I haven’t done any volunteer work. My only reason for doing volunteer work is that it makes me happy. I need to research an organization here where I can be a committed volunteer. I have made a decision to volunteer in what makes me happy and is less stressful. No more marketing related volunteering, etc, I am going to do mentor volunteering of helping kids and people with life and career skills and just spending time with them. Instead of lending my skills to people who back stab me, I should lend it to people who would appreciate it and will truly play a piece in making this world a better place. Life coaching would also be something part of this, but it might be a bit stressful.

I still want to paint, draw, have my paint brushes, canvases, and other materials.

I have always wanted to be an educator and have always seen myself as a part time professor. Teaching is not something I want to do as a full time career, but something on side because I love it so much. I have come up with a strategy of tutoring as a starting point. If time and health allows, I would like to do that. In my spare time, I did come up with a resume for it, but didn’t do anything else. Let’s see how I am in a couple months and then I can think more about this.

Last, but not least, DANCE! I love dancing and I always have. I want to be dancer, do performances, have a team, and spend few hours in a week to dance. But my body doesn’t allow me to complete dance. I can do a little bit, but not much, not completely dance. I have not come up with any strategy to be able to fully dance. There has always been a problem in this, whether my knee, my stomach or my whole body. I think once I spend some time taking care of health fully, then I can come back to this and re-think it.

J I have so much going for myself and my life with all these goals, motivations and dreams and most importantly my ambition! Instead of focusing on all this, I was paying attention to and wasting energy dealing with useless things. This just reminds me once again that I need to work hard, and achieve these things. They are worth dealing with stomach pain and fighting to make my health better to do these things. Thus, the journey begins.

Natural Cure for Ulcers

2009-11-18T12:16:00.001-08:00

Natural Cures for Ulcers

It is important to treat the symptoms of an ulcer when they first arise. Untreated ulcers have the potential to grow larger, creating a host of additional medical issues. Ignoring an ulcer can lead to bleeding in the digestive system or the formation of holes in the wall of the stomach or duodenum. Before seeking a prescription medication to solve the problem, you might want to try a natural approach, such as:

a) Licorice:

Licorice root acts as an anti-inflammatory and produces a substance that aids in the protection of the stomach wall. When incorporating licorice as part of a natural cure, the production of acid is also reduced. Some individuals make a decoction, while others simply suck the juice from licorice sticks. Tinctures also make effective remedies. If you have high blood pressure, you may want to refrain from this type of natural treatment.

b) Manuka:

Studies conducted in New Zealand reveal that the bark, pollen, flowers, and leaves of manuka honey destroy the bacterium associated with ulcer development [4]. One may take 1 to 2 teaspoons of manuka honey twice per day or use the flowers and leaves to create infusions. The bark is also used to form decoctions. To add an anti-bacterial component to a manuka infusion, consider using thyme or echinecea.

c) Banana:

Peptic ulcers react quite well when using bananas to neutralize the extra acidity found in gastric juices. The banana also lessens the irritation associated with an ulcer by coating the stomach lining. Some individuals with an advanced peptic ulcer have found great results by following a strict diet of two bananas with a glass of milk (3 to 4 times per day).

d) Lime:

The citric acid of limes works with mineral salts to aid digestion.

e) Cabbage:

It is believed that the juice extracted from raw cabbage is a helpful remedy for a peptic ulcer. Add 250 grams of cabbage to 500 ml of water and bring to a boil until the quantity is reduced to half of its original amount. After cooling the water, the natural cure can be taken twice daily. Usually, the juice is too strong and some people have lessened its potency with carrot juice. Additional raw vegetable juices that aid in remedying ulcers include spinach, beets, and cucumber.

f) Milk:

A natural approach towards curing an ulcer includes almond milk and goat’s milk. Almond milk is created when adding blanched almonds to a blender. The remedy is known to bind excess acid in the stomach. Goat’s milk has been known to heal peptic ulcers and receives a better response from the body when taken in its raw form. Goat’s milk should be taken three times per day.

Herbal Remedies & Natural Cures

If you have already been diagnosed with H. pylori then you may want to try these options. Sometimes big claims and promises are made. A word of advice - always ask for clinical tests and a money back guarantee BEFORE you decide to part with your money!

Herbs - Without doubt, the best natural treatment we have found for stomach ulcers and H. pylori is one now being used by Doctors and other Health Care professionals around the world. Clinically tested and proven to be the best herbal treatment for stomach ulcers, it is proven to eradicate all strains H. pylori completely, and without any negative side effects. This 100% natural treatment is an easy treatment to take, as opposed to the difficult treatment regime of Triple Therapy with it's nasty side effects.Click here to get a FREE eReport on H. pylori and find out how you can overcome this bacteria naturally.
Ayurvedic medicine - widely practiced Holistic treatment in modern India and now steadily gaining popularity in the West. Ayurvedic medicine works on your diet, detoxification and purification techniques, herbal remedies, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and massage therapy.
Acupuncture - tests on patients who have undergone acupuncture treatment for stomach ulcers show that acupuncture procedures can normalize certain processes of the gastro intestinal tract. There is not much evidence available to show exactly how effective acupuncture is as a treatment for stomach ulcers. Acupuncture is a painless treatment and involves the placing very thin metal needles into the skin at specific acupuncture points. The needles are usually left inserted for 15 - 30 minutes. Treatment normally involves multiple sessions over a period of weeks or months.
Vitamins and Minerals - Zinc, vitamin A and beta-carotene will boost your stomach lining's ability to repair and regenerate itself. See more about vitamins in my recommended ulcer diet.
Homeopathy - for a homeopath, the symptoms of the disease are much more important than the ulcer itself. A homeopath not only tries to heal the ulcer but also tries to remove the cause of the ulcer as well as the tendency for a relapse. Examples of homeopathic medicines used for stomach ulcers are argentum-nit, arsenic-alb, hydrastis, kali-bichrom, phosphorus, uranium-nit, terebintha, atropine, geranium, natrum-phos, medorrhinum, merc-cor, ornithogalum, lycopodium, pulsatilla and graphites.

· ---Fresh cabbage juice is an excellent ulcer treatment. It produces an amino acid that increases blood flow to the lining of the stomach and helps to strengthen it. For those who prefer eating cabbage, only raw cabbage should be used to be effective.

· ---Active Manuka honey is another effective treatment for ulcers. This raw honey may be purchased in health food stores. Honey has been used for hundreds of years as a topical preparation to promote the healing of wounds. Ingested, it heals and strengthens the stomach lining

· and kills harmful bacteria.

· ---Unripe plantains promote strong stomach linings by producing a mucoid substance that coats the stomach lining, giving it protection against acids. Bananas offer protection in the same manner.

· ---Eating a diet that is fiber-rich is an added ulcer protection. Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains produce substance which help to protect the stomach lining.

2 Stories- Misfortune/Bleesing and Dreams

2009-11-08T17:56:00.004-08:00

It's weird how things happen-

I am fighting my body and health and trying to live a happy life.

In last update post I introduced my idea of dreams.

All my life, I have always thought about others and what I should do to benefit them, even selecting a major like psychology, was about how I can serve people to make them happy.

Few experiences-

1. I went to madir and I was sitting there upset and my health, and it was at a odd time, so the pandit was just mingling around. At this sunnyvale mandir, it's a big hall with different gods in different areas. I usually sit my Hanuman and recite Hanuman Chalisa- I was just sitting there, upset, red eyes, in pain and just looking weak. This pandit comes to talk to me, and I tell him what is going on with my health a few relationship issues, and he tells me, "This is for your own good, god has seen you neglecting yourself over others and so the only way he can teach you to forget about everyone and focus on yourself and take care of yourself if to put you in this position where you have no choice, but to take care of yourself, otherwise you will loose your life." Basically, this is a lesson for me to stop worrying about others and take care of myself.

I am learning slowly.

2. After this, one day I am reading a book by my favorite author, Paulo Cohelo, Warrior of Light and I come across a wonderful story about blessings and misfortune.

The lost horse

Many years ago in a poor Chinese village, there lived a peasant with his

son. His only material possession, apart from some land and a small

straw hut, was a horse he had inherited from his father.

One day, the horse ran off, leaving the man with no animal with which

to till the land. His neighbors - who respected him greatly for his honesty

and diligence - came to his house to say how much they regretted what

had happened. He thanked them for their visit, but asked:

- How can you know that what has happened has been a misfortune in

my life?

Someone mumbled to a friend: “he can’t accept reality; let him think

what he wants, as long as he isn’t saddened by what happened.”

And the neighbors went off, pretending to agree with what they had

heard.

A week later, the horse returned to the stable, but it was not alone; it

brought with it a fine mare for company. Upon hearing this, the villagers

- who were flustered since they now understood the answer the man had

given them - returned to the peasant’s house, in order to congratulate

him on his good fortune.

- Before you had only one horse, and now you have two. Congratulations!

- they said.

- Many thanks for your visit and for all your concern - answered the

peasant. - But how can you know that what has happened has been a

blessing in my life?

Disconcerted, and thinking he must be going mad, the neighbors went

off, and on the way commented: “does he really not understand that

God has sent him a gift?”

A month later, the peasant’s son decided to tame the mare. But the animal

unexpectedly reared up and the boy fell and broke his leg.

The neighbors returned to the peasant’s house - bringing gifts for the

wounded boy. The mayor of the village offered his condolences to the

father, saying that all were very sad at what had happened.

The man thanked them for their visit and their concern, but asked:

- How can you know that what has happened has been a misfortune in

my life?

They were all astonished to hear this, since no one could be in any

doubt that the accident of a son was a real tragedy. As they left the peasant’s

house, some said to others: “he really has gone mad; his only son

might limp forever, and he is still in doubt about whether what

happened is a misfortune.”

Some months passed, and Japan declared war on China. The Emperor’s

envoys traveled throughout the land in search for healthy young

men to be sent to the battle front. Upon arrival in the village, they recruited

all the young men except the peasant’s son, whose leg was

broken.

None of the young men returned alive. The son recovered, the two animals

bred and their offspring were sold at a good price. The peasant

began visiting his neighbors to console and help them, - since they had at

all times been so caring. Whenever one of them complained, the peasant

said: “how do you know it is a misfortune?” If anyone becomes overjoyed,

he asked: “how do you know it is a blessing?” And the men in

that village understood that beyond appearances, life has other

meanings.

Moral lesson: No matter what happens, I should always ask myself, How can you know that what has happened has been a misfortune or a blessing in my life?

3. Today, after being home all day and studying all day I decided to go to starbucks and drink something cold to make my stomach feel better, get out and just relax a little bit. I always have my favorite book on my: Chicken Soup for Unsinkable Soul. I just randomly open stories to read them when I get few minutes. I open up a page with a poem on it and I read:

You Can Beat the Odds and Be a Winner, Too

Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington.

Raise him in abject poverty and you have an Abraham Lincoln.

Subject him to bitter religious prejudice, and you have a Disraeli.

Label him, "too stupid to learn" and you have a Thomas Edison.

Tell her she's too old to start painting at eighty, and you have a Grandma Moses.

Have him or her born black in society filled with racial discrimination, and you have Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Marian Anderson, George Washington Carver or Martin Luther King Jr.

Make him the first child to survive in a poor Italian family of eighteen children, and you have a Enrico Caruso.

Afflict him with period of depression so severe that he cut off his ow ear, and you have a Vincent van Gogh.

Tell her in the late 1800s and early 1900s that only men can be scientists, and you have a Madame Curie, who eventually won two Nobel Prizes- one for physics and another for chemistry.

Tell a young boy who loved to sketch and draw that he has no talent, and you have Walt Disney.

Take a cripple child whose only home he ever knew was an orphanage, and you have James E. West, who became the first chief executive of the Boy Scouts of America.

Make him a second fiddle in an obscure South American Orchestra and you have a Toscanini

- Abigail Van Buren

I was so inspired reading this poem and it's under the Courage and Determination section!

I have been rejuvenated for the week, now I can be stronger, work harder and be happy...

Update

2009-11-08T17:38:00.004-08:00

Time flies-

Have been really sick and busy with life.

Taking care of health, eating good food, resting and not worrying about anyone or anything!

Had a crazy stomach infection when my stomach was loosing waste- I couldn't take medicine for it and so for a week I took a halt at everything and just rested and took care of health.

My ulcers is permanent- I got rid of waste through so much pain and suffering, and then was impacted by infection- throat, stomach were killing me and my body was so tired and weak. Slowly after resting a lot and eating only kichadi, that got better.

My body is own enemy- when one thing gets solved another happens and everything is built on top of my nasty ulcers.

I am proud of myself though, I went through days and days of being in bed sick, and the whole time I thought, I can't get through this, I can't get through this, but I got through that phase and am walking, talking again...

7-8 times throughout the day I have to stop what I am doing and relax for 20 mins (not think, worry) because I would be living my normal life and I would get random pain attacks.

I have noticed changes in me, I have stopped caring about people so much, I am paying a lot more attention to my life and my needs, desires. I have simplified my life so much- got rid of all unnecessary things and stuff and re did my hair, got new bag, wallet, clothes, and cleaned and organized everything- I renovated everything in my life- gifted myself a brand new leather black bag and leather red wallet.

I am able to focus on myself, my work, my studies a lot more now that I have stopped caring about others.

I have to take care of myself and follow my dreams (yes, I have dreams for myself, which I think about every night before I sleep and in daytime I write down strategic plans and deliverables to achieve my dreams, and if my health allows, I work hard for my dreams)

Also, my friend gifted me a iTouch Ipod, really like it- it has built in wifi and all cool features.

Life is what I make it-

Update

2009-10-23T11:38:00.001-07:00

It’s been a while since I have updated my blog. My life has been crazy!

I was doing a dance performance for diwali- short, sweet and simple (jai ho, twist and daga laga remixed) and so I spent an entire week in downtown San Francisco, work from 8-5, school and assignments/taking care of health from 6-10 an dance practice from 10-12. It was crazy, but the event turned out well, dance, dinner and just socializing. Saturday, we had a party at the house I live, I wore a saree, and again dinner, diwali pooja, fireworks and just relaxed. I have a had a lot more time to myself in last week because I wasn’t attending class, took almost 2 days of work and had finished most of hw, but my health is not better. This week I have been in so much pain, all week has been crazy, I went to hospital few times and just like before, no cure for my pain. Now my stomach and shoulders are also hurting like hell. I can’t sit- I wish all this pain would just go away. My life is much away from stressful people and environment, why am I still getting this pain and mental loss of hope.

I sleep a lot, but my body still feels tired, and I don’t have an appetite for food, and if I eat I either get full really fast or keep getting the urge to throw up.

I just want my health to get better. I am getting rid of everything related to stressful past, changing my life style, health habits, and everything so much and constructing new goals and opportunities for better future. I wish my body would just support me. I give it so much rest, food and sleep and still it doesn’t allow me to just sit comfortably and work. Before my stomach was my sole enemy, now shoulders and back have also become my enemy.

Let me revisit my goals, life and plans-

1. Book proposal- I want to publish a book, almost all my content is ready, I need to figure out copyright laws for photograph and find a list of publishers for sending in manuscript.

a. Date: December 31, 2009

b. Deliverable: organize, list of publishers and manuscript

2. Certificate CCNA-

a. Date: December 31, 2009

b. Deliverables: 1 chapter each week will get me through all chapters by mid December

3. Dance

a. Commitment to world dance and ballet (Monday and Wednesday)

b. Fusion team?

4. Work and School

a. Commitment to school and work

b. Tutor

5. Overall

a. Simplify/minimize everything (delete and get rid of unnecessary things)

b. Organize

c. Eat and sleep well

d. Work hard, play hard

e. Beauty and health

Once again Honey, you are living in the city you always desired to live in, you have an outstanding job with many opportunities and you are doing a Master’s in Graphic Design (what you always wanted to do)- enjoy it all. Better your health and succeed with these opportunities you have. Make best out of it and move on to better future. You have forgotten most of your past, forget about recent Boise past too, stop caring about immature, selfish, useless and careless people and move on with your life and live for yourself. Keep up with your work hard, play hard motto and forget about the rest of the world.

Reflection

2009-09-30T16:26:00.001-07:00

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"
-- Unknown Author

Simplify

2009-09-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

For a long time I have bought books on simplifying life and done many things to simplify life, but there has always been this feeling of clutter in my mind and body that I need to take care of in order to move on and improve my life. My life is much more simplified then it was before, but now I am going to go under construction and really clean out the clutter. My post before this one is a little reference guide I am using to rinse things out. Its going to be few weeks worth of journey/process, but little steps at a time will get me there.

4-5 most important things in life (these are not in a ranked order)

1. Overall (Maslow): healthy, body, cleaning, organizing, food, sleep, exercise, sanity

2. Career: work [vss]

3. Education: school [aau mfa]

4. Family and friends

5. Goals and Hobbies [short term and long term: CCNA certificate, book publishing, dance commitment, painting)

Few to do’s

1. Clean out wardrobe

2. Clean out jewlry/make up etc.

3. Clean out papers/electronis etc.

4. Clean out, delete and organize computer files, emails, etc.

These are the first to do’s to get rid of clutter, then will focus. These things alone will simplify and clear my life so much!

Simplicity

2009-09-29T15:26:00.002-07:00

A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person. For me, it means eliminating all but the essential, eschewing chaos for peace, and spending your time doing what’s important to you.

It means getting rid of many of the things you do so you can spend time with people you love and do the things you love. It means getting rid of the clutter so you are left with only that which gives you value.

However, getting to simplicity isn’t always a simple process. It’s a journey, not a destination, and it can often be a journey of two steps forward, and one backward.

The Short List
For the cynics who say that the list below is too long, there are really only two steps to simplifying:

1. Identify what’s most important to you.

2. Eliminate everything else.

The Long List

One important note: this list will be criticized for being too complicated, especially as it provides a bunch of links. Don’t stress out about all of that. Just choose one at a time, and focus on that. When you’re done with that, focus on the next thing.

1. Make a list of your top 4-5 important things. What’s most important to you? What do you value most? What 4-5 things do you most want to do in your life? Simplifying starts with these priorities, as you are trying to make room in your life so you have more time for these things.

2. Evaluate your commitments. Look at everything you’ve got going on in your life. Everything, from work to home to civic to kids’ activities to hobbies to side businesses to other projects. Think about which of these really gives you value, which ones you love doing. Which of these are in line with the 4-5 most important things you listed above? Drop those that aren’t in line with those things

3. Evaluate your time. How do you spend your day? What things do you do, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep? Make a list, and evaluate whether they’re in line with your priorities. If not, eliminate the things that aren’t, and focus on what’s important. Redesign your day.

4. Simplify work tasks. Our work day is made up of an endless list of work tasks. If you simply try to knock off all the tasks on your to-do list, you’ll never get everything done, and worse yet, you’ll never get the important stuff done. Focus on the essential tasks and eliminate the rest.

5. Simplify home tasks. In that vein, think about all the stuff you do at home. Sometimes our home task list is just as long as our work list. And we’ll never get that done either. So focus on the most important, and try to find ways to eliminate the other tasks (automate, eliminate, delegate, or hire help).

6. Learn to say no. This is actually one of the key habits for those trying to simplify their lives. If you can’t say no, you will take on too much.

7. Limit your communications. Our lives these days are filled with a vast flow of communications: email, IM, cell phones, paper mail, Skype, Twitter, forums, and more. It can take up your whole day if you let it. Instead, put a limit on your communications: only do email at certain times of the day, for a certain number of minutes (I recommend twice a day, but do what works for you). Only do IM once a day, for a limited amount of time. Limit phone calls to certain times too. Same with any other communications. Set a schedule and stick to it.

8. Limit your media consumption. This tip won’t be for everyone, so if media consumption is important to you, please skip it (as with any of the other tips). However, I believe that the media in our lives — TV, radio, Internet, magazines, etc. — can come to dominate our lives. Don’t let it. Simplify your life and your information consumption by limiting it

9. Purge your stuff. If you can devote a weekend to purging the stuff you don’t want, it feels seriously terrific. Get boxes and trash bags for the stuff you want to donate or toss. Here’s my guide on decluttering. Here’s a post on starting small. More on purging below.

10. Get rid of the big items. There’s tons of little clutter in our lives, but if you start with the big items, you’ll simplify your life quickly and in a big way.

11. Edit your rooms. One room at a time, go around the room and eliminate the unnecessary. Act as a newspaper editor, trying to leave only the minimum, and deleting everything else.

12. Edit closets and drawers. Once you’ve gone through the main parts of your rooms, tackle the closets and drawers, one drawer or shelf at a time.

13. Simplify your wardrobe. Is your closet bursting full? Are your drawers so stuffed they can’t close (I’m talking about dresser drawers here, not underwear). Simplify your wardrobe by getting rid of anything you don’t actually wear. Try creating a minimal wardrobe by focusing on simple styles and a few solid colors that all match each other.

14. Simplify your computing life. If you have trouble with too many files and too much disorganization, consider online computing. It can simplify things greatly.

15. Declutter your digital packrattery. If you are a digital packrat, and cannot seem to control your digital clutter, there is still hope for you. Read this guide to curing yourself of this clutter.

16. Create a simplicity statement. What do you want your simple life to look like? Write it out.

17. Limit your buying habits. If you are a slave to materialism and consumerism, there are ways to escape it. I was there, and although I haven’t escaped these things entirely, I feel much freer of it all. If you can escape materialism, you can get into the habit of buying less. And that will mean less stuff, less spending, less freneticism.

18. Free up time. Find ways to free up time for the important stuff. That means eliminating the stuff you don’t like, cutting back on time wasters, and making room for what you want to do.

19. Do what you love. Once you’ve freed up some time, be sure to spend that extra time doing things you love. Go back to your list of 4-5 important things. Do those, and nothing else.

20. Spend time with people you love. Again, the list of 4-5 important things probably contains some of the people you love (if not, you may want to re-evaluate). Whether those people are a spouse, a partner, children, parents, other family, best friends, or whoever, find time to do things with them, talk to them, be intimate with them (not necessarily in sexual ways).

21. Spend time alone. See this list of ways to free up time for yourself — to spend in solitude. Alone time is good for you, although some people aren’t comfortable with it. It could take practice getting used to the quiet, and making room for your inner voice. It sounds new-agey, I know, but it’s extremely calming. And this quiet is necessary for finding out what’s important to you.

22. Eat slowly. If you cram your food down your throat, you are not only missing out on the great taste of the food, you are not eating healthy. Slow down to lose weight, improve digestion, and enjoy life more.

23. Drive slowly. Most people rush through traffic, honking and getting angry and frustrated and stressed out. And endangering themselves and others in the meantime. Driving slower is not only safer, but it is better on your fuel bill, and can be incredibly peaceful. Give it a try.

24. Be present. These two words can make a huge difference in simplifying your life. Living here and now, in the moment, keeps you aware of life, of what is going on around you and within you. It does wonders for your sanity.

25. Streamline your life. Many times we live with unplanned, complex systems in our lives because we haven’t given them much thought. Instead, focus on one system at a time (your laundry system, your errands system, your paperwork system, your email system, etc.) and try to make it simplified, efficient, and written. Then stick to it.

26. Create a simple mail & paperwork system. If you don’t have a system, this stuff will pile up. But a simple system will keep everything in order.

27. Create a simple system for house work. Another example of a simple system is clean-as-you-go with a burst.

28. Clear your desk. If you have a cluttered desk, it can be distracting and disorganized and stressful. A clear desk, however, is only a couple of simple habits away.

29. Establish routines. The key to keeping your life simple is to create simple routines.

30. Keep your email inbox empty. Is your email inbox overflowing with new and read messages? Do the messages just keep piling up? If so, you’re normal — but you could be more efficient and your email life could be simplified with a few simple steps.

31. Learn to live frugally. Living frugally means buying less, wanting less, and leaving less of a footprint on the earth. It’s directly related to simplicity.

32. Make your house minimalist. A minimalist house has what is necessary, and not much else. It’s also extremely peaceful (not to mention easy to clean).

33. Find other ways to be minimalist. There are tons. You can find ways to be minimalist in every area of your life.

34. Consider a smaller home. If you rid your home of stuff, you might find you don’t need so much space. I’m not saying you should live on a boat (although I know some people who happily do so), but if you can be comfortable in a smaller home, it will not only be less expensive, but easier to maintain, and greatly simplify your life.

35. Consider a smaller car. This is a big move, but if you have a large car or SUV, you may not really need something that big. It’s more expensive, uses more gas, harder to maintain, harder to park. Simplify your life with less car. You don’t need to go tiny, especially if you have a family, but try to find as small a car as can fit you or your family comfortably. Maybe not something you’re going to do today, but something to think about over the long term.

36. Learn what “enough” is. Our materialistic society today is about getting more and more, with no end in sight. Sure, you can get the latest gadget, and more clothes and shoes. More stuff. But when will you have enough? Most people don’t know, and thus they keep buying more. It’s a neverending cycle. Get off the cycle by figuring out how much is enough. And then stop when you get there.

37. Create a simple weekly dinner menu. If figuring out what’s for dinner is a nightly stressor for you or your family, consider creating a weekly menu. Decide on a week’s worth of simple dinners, set a specific dinner for each night of the week, go grocery shopping for the ingredients. Now you know what’s for dinner each night, and you have all the ingredients necessary. No need for difficult recipes — find ones that can be done in 10-15 minutes (or less).

38. Eat healthy. It might not be obvious how eating healthy relates to simplicity, but think about the opposite: if you eat fatty, greasy, salty, sugary, fried foods all the time, you are sure to have higher medical needs over the long term. We could be talking years from now, but imagine frequent doctor visits, hospitalization, going to the pharmacist, getting therapy, having surgery, taking insulin shots … you get the idea. Being unhealthy is complicated. Eating healthy simplifies all of that greatly, over the long term..

39. Exercise. This goes along the same lines as eating healthy, as it simplifies your life in the long run, but it goes even further: exercise helps burn off stress and makes you feel better. It’s great.

40. Declutter before organizing. Many people make the mistake of taking a cluttered desk or filing cabinet or closet or drawer, and trying to organize it. Unfortunately, that’s not only hard to do, it keeps things complicated. Simplify the process by getting rid of as much of the junk as possible, and then organizing. If you declutter enough, you won’t need to organize at all.

41. Have a place for everything. Age-old advice, but it’s the best advice on keeping things organized. After you declutter. Find inner simplicity. I’m not much of a spiritual person, but I have found that spending a little time with my inner self creates a peaceful simplicity rather than a chaotic confusion. This could be time praying or communing with God, or time spent meditating or journaling or getting to know yourself, or time spent in nature. However you do it, working on your inner self is worth the time.

42. Learn to decompress from stress. Every life is filled with stress — no matter how much you simplify your life, you’ll still have stress (except in the case of the ultimate simplifier, death). So after you go through stress, find ways to decompress.

43. Try living without a car. OK, this isn’t something I’ve done, but many others have. It’s something I would do if I didn’t have kids. Walk, bike, or take public transportation. It reduces expenses and gives you time to think. A car is also very complicating, needing not only car payments, but insurance, registration, safety inspections, maintenance, repairs, gas and more.

44. Find a creative outlet for self-expression. Whether that’s writing, poetry, painting, drawing, creating movies, designing websites, dance, skateboarding, whatever. We have a need for self-expression, and finding a way to do that makes your life much more fulfilling. Allow this to replace much of the busy-work you’re eliminating from your life.

45. Simplify your goals. Instead of having half a dozen goals or more, simplify it to one goal. Not only will this make you less stressed, it will make you more successful. You’ll be able to focus on that One Goal, and give it all of your energy. That gives you much better chances for success.

46. Single-task. Multi-tasking is more complicated, more stressful, and generally less productive. Instead, do one task at a time.

47. Simplify your filing system. Stacking a bunch of papers just doesn’t work. But a filing system doesn’t have to be complicated to be useful.

48. Develop equanimity. If every little thing that happens to you sends you into anger or stress, your life might never be simple. Learn to detach yourself, and be more at peace.

49. Reduce your consumption of advertising. Advertising makes us want things. That’s what it’s designed to do, and it works. Find ways to reduce your exposure of advertising, whether that’s in print, online, broadcast, or elsewhere. You’ll want much less.

50. Live life more deliberately. Do every task slowly, with ease, paying full attention to what you’re doing

51. Make a Most Important Tasks (MITs) list each day. Set just 3 very important things you want to accomplish each day. Don’t start with a long list of things you probably won’t get done by the end of the day. A simple list of 3 things, ones that would make you feel like you accomplished something.

52. Create morning and evening routines. A great way to simplify your life is to create routines at the start and end of your day.

53. Create a morning writing ritual. If you enjoy writing, like I do, make it a peaceful, productive ritual.

54. Learn to do nothing. Doing nothing can be an art form, and it should be a part of every life.

55. Read Walden, by Thoreau. The quintessential text on simplifying.

56. Go for quality, not quantity. Try not to have a ton of stuff in your life … instead, have just a few possessions, but ones that you really love, and that will last for a long time.

57. Read Simplify Your Life, by Elaine St. James. One of my favorite all-time authors on simplicity.

58. Fill your day with simple pleasures. Make a list of your favorite simple pleasures, and sprinkle them throughout your day. Simplify your RSS feeds. If you’ve got dozens of feeds, or more than a hundred (as I once did), you probably have a lot of stress in trying to keep up with them all. Simplify your feed reading.

59. But subscribe to Unclutterer. Probably the best blog on simplifying your stuff and routines (along with Zen Habits, of course!).

60. Create an easy-to-maintain yard. If you spend too much time on your yard, here are some good tips.

61. Carry less stuff. Are your pockets bulging. Consider carrying only the essentials.

62. Simplify your online life. If you have too much going on online, here are a few ways to simplify it all.

63. Strive to automate your income. This isn’t the easiest task, but it can (and has) been done. I’ve been working towards it myself.

64. Simplify your budget. Many people skip budgeting (which is very important) because it’s too hard or too complicated.

65. Simplify your financial life. Article from a financial planning expert here.

66. Learn to pack light. Who wants to lug a bunch of luggage around on a trip? Here’s an article on using just one carry-on.

67. Use a minimalist productivity system. The minimal Zen To Done is all you need. Everything else is icing.

68. Leave space around things in your day. Whether they’re appointments, or things you need to do, don’t stack them back-to-back. Leave a little space between things you need to do, so you will have room for contingencies, and you’ll go through your day much more relaxed.

69. Live closer to work. This might mean getting a job closer to your home, or moving to a home closer to your work. Either will do much to simplify your life.

70. Always ask: Will this simplify my life? If the answer is no, reconsider.

Sport Balls

2009-09-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

1. The sport of choice for the urban poor is BASKETBALL

2. The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is BOWLING.

3. The sport of choice for front-line workers is FOOTBALL.

4. The sport of choice for supervisors is BASEBALL.

5. The sport of choice for middle management is TENNIS.

6. The sport of choice for corporate officers is GOLF.

Conclusion:
The higher you are in the corporate structure, the smaller your balls become.

Strong Woman vs. Woman of Strenght (Theme of my life)

2009-09-22T11:52:00.001-07:00

A strong woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape…
But a woman of strength builds relationships to keep her soul in shape
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything…
But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.
A strong woman won't let anyone get the better of her…
But a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…
But a woman of strength realises life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings, and capitalises on them
A strong woman wears a look of confidence on her face…
But a woman of strength wears grace.
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…
But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

Update

2009-09-22T11:49:00.001-07:00

The rough rocky, hilly roads are straightening up.

Health: Things are better because I am doing baba ramdev yoga- sleep, yoga and eating is the only thing that is making it better.. continuing to do that. I get some stress attacks causing intense stomach pains, but I am able to drop everything and just focus on myself, and it gets better.

School: last week I had an overload of work with school and it stressed me out, causing my health to get bad, but it is smoothening away now. I am actually getting things done efficiently. Sometimes I have the tendency to procrastinate, but I laid out a schedule to get things done early and on time, so I don’t have to worry.
Crossing Borders: finished both visual assignments, will work on two writing assignments (5-10 page) and then in leisure time, do the journal project (creative work of art scrapbook) Then throughout the semester I just have to focus on weekly quizzes which are easy to do and discussions, again simple things.
Visual Literacy: 4 projects. For each project, I have to brainstorm, do pencil sketches, then create computer roughs and finally refine for a final presentation. Project 1 is done, and now one by one will be doing other projects.
Type Forms/Type Composition: God knows what is going to happen- this now is a new dilemma on the schedule.

Work: I have a lot of research to do for business development (VARs, Distributors, System Integrators and Distributors. I have a lot of research down, just need to rank and organize each company.

Miscellaneous: All my legal errands, Boise unfinished things, etc are done. No more ppl, golds gym, Comcast and document proof errands.
Few things to do: Mail Lumina title paper, and CEN Video. I have been working on that, and now that Robert has done what I have been asking from the team for 2-3 weeks, its not frustrating and I am enjoying the time to create the video. The event is Saturday and so before Saturday that stress will be off my stomach. I am almost done with it, just few things to clean it up. After that, no more commitment to this extra stuff when I am dealing with so much already.
Have to figure out Motel thing.
I need to get back in the routine of going to class in SF downtown Monday and Wednesday evening. Since it is a choice, I tend to not attend dance and classes because I don’t want to drive in traffic. But starting tomorrow I need to commit to it.

More soon.

Crossing Borders Visual Assignment.

2009-09-22T11:11:00.005-07:00

This semester, I have class called, Crossing Borders: Arts and Culture. Basically, we learn cross cultural art. There are 2 writing assignments, 2 visual assignments and 1 final project for the class, which is taking 15 or more terms from our terminology list and creating a book of collages- 1 term per page and expressing ourselves in realtion to that term.

Visual assignments:

1.Make a passoport of yourself using any tool to show your identity.

2. Make a map type visual using any tool to show connection, or identity consutruction or specific event/enviornment in life, etc. (Broad range of topics)

I finished both assignments and below are each.

My passport is few of many things that construct my identity.
My map is each geographical location I lived in and what was my life chapter at that place.

These images are not clear and some colors are messed.

Two mottos

2009-09-18T10:51:00.002-07:00

A motto (from the Italian for pledge, sentence; plural mottos or mottoes) is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention. (Wiki)

I have came up with 2 life long motto's for myself.
1. Work hard, play hard.
2. If I can't eat and sleep peacefully, there is no point of all the hard work/stress, etc.

Work hard and play hard.
This is pretty obvious. Everyone needs balance in their life, and I realize that I have failed to balance at time. I worked hard, but didn't play hard enough. I worried, stressed, worked hard, and constantly let myself fall into working and not giving myself (my mind, my body) enough rest, thus neglecting my overall well being. Here is the new vow: work hard, very hard, but don't forget to rest, play, enjoy and just realx and enjoy life. Both of them will go well if I balance each out.

If I can't eat and sleep peacefully, there is no point of all the hard work/stress, etc.
Again, realted to oveall well being. I didn't eat proper food because I was worried about job, school, phd, family, friends, people, things, ideas and I didn't sleep/rest well over the same things. There is no point to life and all the hard work if I can't eat proper food, eat properly and sleep well. No point of loosing out on food and sleep after working so hard.
From now, eat good meals, eat well, and don't work on homework, or work or other stressful things and talk to people about serious things etc when eating. Just relax and enjoy food.
Same with sleeping, go to bed early, get good quality of sleep and rest without worrying before sleep, and worrying as soon as I wake up- its useless.
Eat well, get good sleep, work hard and play hard- its a secret to overall well being of an individual.

Lessons Learned

2009-09-11T15:46:00.001-07:00

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”
“It was great, Dad.”
“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.
“Oh yeah,” said the son.
“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.
The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”
The boy’s father was speechless.
Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Journal Project

2009-09-11T14:23:00.003-07:00

I am suppose to make a collage journal using more than 15 words from the following list. I love these kinds of projects, and I have done them before for lesiure, not school work. I will take a journal book, decorate it (Crossing Borders {name of class}) and each page will have one word and on that page, I can write, draw, color, paste pictures, information, poems, research, basically anything related to that word. I got into a graphic design because of projects like this that I use to do on my own, where all different tools and mediums are used to present a message.

Choose at least 15 words from the list below for your Crossing Borders Terminology Project Journal for the semester. Explore the terms you choose and interpret them personally. How do they refer to YOUR life experience? Find a way to visualize your interpretations of the terms you choose. You may draw, paint, collage, montage, frottage, collect, glue, write, and, if you would like, use the computer and operate within programs like Photoshop. In the end (on the day it is due) you will need to hand in your pieces in a "book" form. The book can be handmade, a notebook, a purchased journal or a 3-ring binder, whatever you want to put your "collection" in that is some kind of a book form, a box could even operation as a "book.".

Alterity - the concept of "otherness" - this word is required to be your first word in your "journal" books. The rest of the words are your choice. You must have at least 15 words in your book. You can have more . . . but not less.
Agency - the ability to act or perform an action. This concept is tied to the idea of an empowered individual who has the freedom and ability to initiate action - specifically in post-colonial theory to "resist" the dominating culture.
Ambivalence - a continual fluctuation between wanting one thing and wanting its opposite. In colonial discourse it generally refers to the simultaneous attraction of the colonized toward the dominating culture (Western Culture) and the repulsion or "resistance" against the dominating culture.
Apartheid - Afrikaans term meaning "separation" - and generally refers to the segregation or separation of races within a culture.
Appropriation - A term used to describe the ways in which post-colonial societies take over those aspects of the imperial culture - language, forms of writing, film, theatre, even modes of thought and argument such as rationalism, logic and analysis - that may be of use to them in articulating their own social and cultural identities. Post-Colonial theory focuses on an exploration of the ways in which the dominated or colonized culture can use tools of the dominant discourse to resist its political or cultural control.
Binarism - literally a combination of two things, but this concept in colonial discourse is usually about binary opposition. That is, black/white, man/woman, birth/death - each of these oppositions refer to a binary system. There are many uses and abuses of binarism.
Cannibal - this is a specific form of resistance to the dominating culture in which the participants "devour" the dominating culture and transform it through that process into something original.
Cartography (maps and mapping) - Both literally and metaphorically, maps and mapping are dominant practices of colonial and post-colonial cutures. The very practice of Colonialization itself is most often a result of a voyage of "discovery," a bringing into being of "undiscovered" lands. The process of discovery is reinforced bythe construction of maps, whose existence is a means of textualizing the spatial reality of the "other," naming, or in almost all cases renaming spaces in a symbolic and literal act of mastery and control. In all cases the lands so colonized are literally reinscribed, written over, as the names and languages of the indigenous people of the so called "discovered" land are replaced by new names, or are corrupted into new and Europeanized forms by the cartographer and explorer.
Catalysis - the process of racial change and racial mixing in New World societies. This is an idea that opposes that of racial purity often connected with Old World cultures and societies.
Center/Margin (periphery) - the center is the position of power while those who are not in power are pushed to the "margin" or the "periphery" - there can be questions regarding the power of being in the margin. The thinker Foucault, for instance, says that being on the outside of traditional culture can offer certain freedoms that cannot be allowed within the traditional or "center" culture. There is also the idea of "de-centering" the traditional culture - this is for the marginalized other to claim the position of power at the center of discourse.
Chromatism - having to do with color. In colonial theory it refers to the act of distinguishing between people on the basis of color. This is comparable to the term "genitalism" which refers to the difference between men and women based on obvious biological distinctions. The simplification and stereotyping of Chromatism belies the complexity of cultural identity. For example, for the entire Asian cultural diversity both original and diasporic to be reduced to yellow people, or the vast complex of African cultures both original and diasporic to be reduced to black people.
Civil Rights - Rights belonging to a person by reason of U.S. citizenship including especially the fundamental freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the 13 th and 14 th amendments to the U.S. Constitution and subsequent acts of Congress including the right to legal and social and economic equality.
Colonial Discourse - Thisis a term brought into currency by Edward Said who saw Foucault's notion of a discourse as valuable for describing that system within which that range of practices termed "colonial" come into being. Said's Orientalism, which examined the ways in which colonial discourse operated as an instrument of power, initiated what came to be known as colonial discourse theory. Discourse, as Foucault theorizes it, is a system of statement within which the world can be known. It is the system by which dominant groups in society constitute the field of truth by imposing specific knowledge, disciplines and values upon dominated groups. Colonial discourse tends to exclude statements about the exploitation of the resources of the colonized, the political status accruing to colonizing powers, the importance to domestic politics of the development of an empire, all of which may be compelling reasons for maintaining colonial ties.
Colonialism - A specific form of expansion that occurred over the last 400 years.
Context - The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning. The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.
Creolization - The process of intermixing and cultural change that produced a Creole society. While the creolization processes might be argued to be going on throughout the world, the term has usually been applied to "new world" societies (particularly the Caribbean and South America) and more loosely to those post-colonial societies whose present ethnically or racially mixed populations are a product of European colonization.
Cultural Diversity/Cultural Difference - the mixing of various cultures or a reference to the variety of cultures in a given situation. As in a class at the Academy of Art College being culturally diverse, in that there are a variety of cultures represented by the students present.
Culture - A very contested word, indeed. But for now we can think of it as the behaviors, relationships, arts, beliefs, institutions and all other products of human thought and work, which are a result and expression of a particular group, community, or population.
Dependency Theory - this concept references the relationship between the dominating culture and the colonized people in which the "Third World" peoples are kept at a low level of subsistence so that they will always be "dependent" upon the dominant culture. This idea opposed the notion that these poor countries are at a low stage in their development and suggests that the dominant culture "requires" these Third World states to remain at low levels of development because "First World" culture is actually "dependent" upon Third World labor and resources for its survival.
Diaspora - literally "scattering" - this term refers to the geographic dispersion of a people from their place of origin, as in the Jewish Diaspora in which the Jewish homeland of Israel was taken from then and they were "scattered" - that is they fled to other nations. Or consider the African Diaspora in which African peoples were sold into slavery throughout the West and therefore "scattered" from their homelands.
Discourse - any kind of speaking, talk, or conversation - in the arena of social theory or in the sense of "post-colonial discourse" - it references the complex of signs and practices which organized social existence and social reproduction.
Dislocation - the occasion of displacement that occurs as a result of imperial occupation and the experiences associated with this event. The phenomenon may be a result of transportation from one country to another by slavery or imprisonment, by invasion and settlement, a consequence of willing or unwilling movement from a known to an unknown location. An example of this would be that many of you may have left "Home" to be here in a new and strange, unknown place and are experiencing a sense of "dislocation." The feeling of dislocation is tied to feelings of being lost, uncomfortable, uneasy - like finding yourself in a strange place without a MAP).
Ecological Imperialism - a term to describe the ways in which the environments of colonized societies have been physically transformed by the experience of colonial occupation. According to this thesis, imperialism not only altered the cultural, political and social structures of colonized societies, but also devastated colonial ecologies and traditional subsistence patterns.
Essentialism - The assumption that groups, categories or classes of objects have one or several defining features exclusive to all members of that category. When this term is used in feminist discourse, it refers to the potentiality of confining women to their biological identity.
Ethnicity - Used to describe or to account for human variation in terms of culture, tradition, language, social patterns and ancestry, rather than the discredited generalizations of "race" with its assumption of a humanity divided into fixed, genetically determined biological types. Ethnicity refers to the fusion of many traits that belong to the nature of any ethnic group: a composite of shared values, beliefs, norms tastes, behaviors, experiences, consciousness of kind, memories and loyalties.
Ethnography - The field of anthropological research based on direct observation of and reporting on a people's way of life. The basic methodology employed by cultural anthropologists, it consists of two stages: fieldwork, which is the term used for the process of observing and recording data; and reportage, the production of a written description and analysis of the subject under study. This discipline has been useful to colonial discourse in constructing a hierarchy of cultures.
Euro-centrism - The conscious or unconscious process by which Europe and European cultural assumptions are constructed as, or assumed to be, the normal, the natural or the universal.
Exile - An idea of a separation and distancing from either a literal homeland or from a cultural and ethnic origin. Note the difference between the terms "exile" - which implies involuntary constraint, and that of "expatriation" - which implies a voluntary act or state.
Fecundity - fertility. For more information on "the cult of fecundity" see Wendy Slatkin's "Maternity and Sexuality in the 1890's," Woman's Art Journal, vol. 1, Spring/Summer, 1980, pp 13-19.
Feminism - the active belief in equal rights and opportunities for women.
Frontier - the idea of a frontier, a boundary or a limiting zone to distinguish one space or people from another. Colonial frontiers were created as imperial discourse sought to define and invent the entities it shaped from its conquests. The boundary that limited the space so defined was a crucial feature in imaging the imperial self, and in creating and defining (othering) those others by which that "Self" could achieve definition and value.
Globalization - the process whereby individual lives and local communities a4e affected by economic and cultural forces that operate world-wide. In effect it is the process of the world becoming a single place. Globalism is the perception of the world as a function or result of the processes of globalization upon local communities.
Hegemony - initially a term referring to the dominance of one state within a confederation, it is now generally understood to mean domination by consent. Fundamentally, hegemony is the power of the ruling class to convince other classes that their interests are the interests of all. Domination is thus exerted not by force, nor even necessarily by active persuasion, but by a more subtle and inclusive power over the economy, and over state apparatuses such as education and the media, by which the ruling class's interest and thus comes to be taken for granted.
Hybridity - One of the most widely employed and most disputed terms in post-colonial theory, hybridity commonly refers to the creation of new "transcultural" forms within the contact zone produced by colonization. It is the "in-between" space that carries the burden and meaning of culture and this is what makes the notion of hybridity so important. It is the potential of hybridity to reverse the structures of domination in the colonial situation which is important thus depriving the imposed dominant culture not only of the authority that it has for so long imposed politically, but even of its own claims to authenticity.
Identity Politics - The struggle to oppose cultural domination on the basis of constructed identities that are based on racism, sexism, homophobia and a host of other "isms." The politics of group-based movements claiming to represent the interests and identity of a particular group, rather than policy issues relating to all members of the community. Identity politics can be a form of victim politics where a group identifies themselves as oppressed and seek either to end that oppression, or to use that oppression to justify their actions in other spheres.
Ideology - The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, a group, class, or culture.
Imperialism - in its most general sense, imperialism refers tot he formation of an empire, and, as such, has been an aspect of all periods of history in which one nation has extended its domination over one or several neighboring nations. The practice, theory, and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan center ruling a distant territory.
Interstitial - A space or opening between things.
Liminality - Describes an "in-between" space. The transcultural space in which strategies for personal or communal self-hood may be elaborated, a region in which there is a continual process of movement and interchange between different states.
Marginality - being on the margin is the perception of existing on the peripheries of the dominating culture and therefore unable to access power and agency.
Metaphor - Figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote (to have meaning) in order to suggest a similarity.
Mestizo/métisse - These terms (Spanish and French in origin) semantically register the idea of a mixing of races and/or cultures. They emerged from a colonial discourse that privileged the idea of racial purity and justified racial discrimination by employing the quasi-scientific precursors of physical anthropology to create a complex and largely fictional taxonomy of racial admixtures (mulatto, quadroon, octaroon, etc.)
Mimicry - to copy. When colonial discourse encourages the colonized subject to "mimic" the colonizer, by adopting the colonizer's cultural habits, assumptions, institutions and values, the result is never a simple reproduction of those traits, rather, the result is a "blurred copy" of the colonizer that can be quite threatening. This is because mimicry is never very far from mockery, since it can appear to parody whatever it mimics.
Miscegenation - the sexual union of different races
Nativism - the desire to return to indigenous practices and cultural forms as they existed in pre-colonial society.
Négritude - A theory of the distinctiveness of African personality and culture that was developed immediately before and after the second World War. The concept of "negritude" implied that all people of Negro descent shared certain inalienable essential characteristics. What made the negritude movement distinct was its attempt to extend perceptions of the Negro as possessing a distinctive "personality" into all spheres of life, intellectual, emotional and physical.
Occident - Refers to the West -- Europe and America.
Odalisque - Female slave.
Orientalism - processes by which the "orient" was, and continues to be, constructed in European thinking.
Othering - the process by which imperial discourse creates its "others." In this discourse it is important to remember that the "other" is the excluded or "mastered" subject created by the discourse of power. Othering describes the various ways in which colonial discourse produces its subjects.
Palimpsest - a term for a parchment on which several inscriptions had been made after earlier ones had been erased. The characteristic of the palimpsest is that, despite such erasures, there are always traces of previous inscriptions that have been "overwritten." Hence the term has become valuable for suggesting the ways in which the traces of earlier "inscriptions" remain as a continual feature of the "text" of culture, giving it its particular density and character.
Place - emphasizes the importance of space and location in the process of identity formation.
Post-colonialism - anything dealing with the effects of colonialization on cultures and societies. To be compared with the Empirical perspective.
Race - the classification of human beings, into physically, biologically, and genetically distinct groups. The notion of race assumes, firstly, that humanity is divided into unchanging natural types, recognizable by physical features that are transmitted "through the blood" and permit distinctions to be made between "pure" and "mixed" races.
Racism - The prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races, discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race.
Rhizome - Botanical term for a root system that spreads across the ground as in Bamboo, rather than downward, and grows from several points rather than a single tap-root. Used to counter the binary system of thinking.
Savage/Civilized - terminology used to divide the societies with an anthropological high/low ratio. The West is taken as "Norm" and define the rest as inferior, different, deviant, subordinate, and subordinate able.
Sexism - Discriminatory or abusive behavior toward members of the opposite sex especially, but not exclusively, women.
Slave - the capture, imprisonment, and maintenance of a person for the use of forced non-voluntary labor.
Subaltern - of inferior rank. Often refers to those who are subject to the hegemonic ruling classes. Subaltern classes may include peasants, workers and other groups denied access to hegemonic power.
Surveillance - one of the most powerful strategies of imperial dominance is that of observation because it implies a viewer with an elevated vantage point.
Syncretism - A term sometimes used to avoid the problems some critics have associated with the idea of hybridity in identifying the fusion of two distinct traditions to produce a new and distinctive whole (see synergy)
Synergy - refers to the product of two or more forces that are reducible to neither. It is a way to emphasize that post-colonial cultures are the product of a number of forces variously contributing to the new and complex cultural formation.
Testimonio - a narrative (usually of novel or novella length) told in the first person by a narrator who is also the actual protagonist or witness of the events she recounts.
Third World (first, Second, Fourth) - Economic division of the world cultures. First World referring to the West (generally Europe and America), the Second World was a "cold-war" designation of Russia, the Third World refers to the economically challenged and developing nations, while the Fourth World refers to extremely poor economies.
Transculturation - Refers to the reciprocal influences of modes of representation and cultural practices of various kinds in colonies and metropoles. Used by ethnographers to describe how subordinated or marginal groups select and invent from materials transmitted to them by a dominant or metropolitan culture.
Universalism - the assumption that there are irreducible features of human life and experience that exist beyond the constitutive effects of local cultural conditions.
Worlding - a way of describing the processes by which the colonized space is brought into the "world," that is, made to exist as part of a world essentially constructed by Eurocentrism.
Xenophobia - a fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners.

Parable Of The Pencil

2009-09-11T13:45:00.002-07:00

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. "There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."
"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."
"Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."
"Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."
"And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.
"The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.Now replacing the place of the pencil with you.
Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.

The Rose Within

2009-09-11T13:45:00.001-07:00

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.
He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom... it died.
So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.
We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.
Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.
This is one of the characteristic of love... to look at a person, know their true faults and accepting that person into your life... all the while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.

Building Your House

2009-09-11T13:44:00.001-07:00

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house... my gift to you."The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, Build wisely!

Two Frogs

2009-09-11T13:42:00.001-07:00

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.This story teaches two lessons:1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

The World’s Funniest Real Ads

2009-09-11T10:36:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, these ads actually found their way into newspapers all over the world:
Braille dictionary for sale. Must see to appreciate.
FOR SALE BY OWNER: Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica. 45 volumes. Excellent condition. $1,000.00 or best offer. No longer needed. Got married last weekend. Wife knows everything.
Help wanted, singer for rock band. Must be female or male.
For sale, Hope Chest, brand new, half off, long story.
Help wanted, adult or mature teenager to baby-sit. One dollar an hour.
Lost: small brown poodle. Reward. Neutered. Like one of the family.
For sale: a quilted high chair that can be made into a table, potty chair, rocking horse, refrigerator, spring coat, size 8 and fur collar.
Four-posted bed, 101 years old. Perfect for antique lover.
Wanted: Part-time married girls for soda fountain in sandwich shop.
Man wanted to work in dynamite factory. Must be willing to travel.
Christmas sale. Handmade gifts for the hard-to- find person.
Wanted, man to take care of cows that does not smoke or drink.
Three-year old teacher needed for pre-school. Experience preferred.
Wanted. Widower with school-age children requires person to assume general housekeeping duties. Must be capable of contributing to growth of family.
Tired of working for only $9.75 per hour? We offer profit sharing and flexible hours. Starting pay: $7 -- $9 per hour.
Our sofa seats the whole mob and it’s made of 100% Italian leather.
Full sized mattress. 20 year warranty. Like New. Slight urine smell.
Nordic Track $300 hardly used, call Chubby.
Joining nudist colony! Must sell washer and dryer $300.
Open house body shapers toning salon free coffee and donuts
Found: dirty white dog. Looks like a rat... been out while. Better be reward.
Exercise equipment: Queen Size Mattress & Box Springs - $175.
ALZHEIMER'S CENTER PREPARES FOR AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER.
Free Yorkshire Terrier: 8 years old. Hateful little dog.
Free puppies: ½ cocker spaniel, ½ sneaky neighbor’s dog.
Free puppies: part German Shepherd, part stupid dog.
German Shepherd, 85 lbs. Neutered. Speaks German. Free.
Snow Blower for sale…only used on snowy days.
Bill’s Septic Cleaning: “We Haul American-Made Products."
Cows, calves never bred…also 1 gay bull for sale.
Nice Parachute – Never opened. Used once.
Hummels – Largest selection ever. "If it’s in stock, then we have it!"
1 man, 7 women hot tub. $850/offer.
Shakespeare’s Pizza. Free chopsticks.
Harrisburg Postal Employee Gun Club.
Tickle-Me-Elmo, still in box, comes with its own 1988 Ford Mustang, 5L, Auto, Excellent condition $6800.

In Control.

2009-09-10T11:29:00.002-07:00

I have been on the worst emotional roller coaster for a while now. It gets better and it gets worse. Now, if I stick to my decision and stay strong about it, it will get better. First things first are the uncompleted and deadline driven errands which I have to finish, and then finish up cleaning/organizing and get into the routine for properly finishing school work, focusing on work and enjoying/relaxing and taking care of health by cooking and doing meditations/yoga.

PPL, Comcast, AAU application, Lumina Title, CEN video, loan documents, Type Forms completion, organizing, school work, Reiki center thank you card.

My sleep patterns are messed up, I need to figure out to get good sleep and be well rested to execute a hectic days and to enjoy the beauty of them.

Growing Good Corn

2009-09-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors."How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked."Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.

It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.

To do List!

2009-09-09T11:52:00.002-07:00

To Do list ASAP!

1. PPL (sign lawyers papers and fax)
2. Comcast (call, cancel and refund form kenny)
3. AAU application- send thesis application
4. Reapply for C. Lumina title from Boise DMV
5. CEN video
6. Buy Books
7. S Corportaion and aggrement forms for loan financing
8. Type forms completion

Back to SF

2009-09-08T15:53:00.005-07:00

I woke up this morning to catch my flight to SF thinking oh, am I going to hate today, but turns out it's not that bad. I got good sleep on the flight with help of my teddy bear. I came out and I was stressing about carrying two 50 lb bags to car, but this nice black guy carried it for me and got me a free trolly so I didn't have to manage two handbags and two 50 lbs bags all by myself with my two skinny hands.

I thought that I was going to have a hectic day at work, but I came here and everything was under control and going well, I got a chance to go home, realx a little, let the fresh and strong bay area air refresh my body and mind. I went home, relaxed for few mins, ate lunch, and unpacked everything (yeah, all the food and clothes!) and soundly drive to work. The website designer had all the work done for the new website mock ups I had created so that made my day less stressful and everything is flowing well at work. After so much crying yesterday, I feel I have the ability to start new life today and I am already feeling better. Work is not stressful, school schedule is getting figured out, errands are being completed, and I feel better about the future. Also feel I have officially moved to Bay Area, which is a nice feeling!

I can go on about how much I hate Boise, but I don't want to think about negative things.
I came up with a diary to fill N's void space, and pouring my heart out makes me feel so much lighter and better, so that is also not bothering me.

I love being here, I love people I am around and I am so excited for all the opportunites I have for better future. :)

Farewell Boise and the past and Here I come Bay Area future!
Everything is only going to get better from here.

Do your things Honey! Be strong, work hard and play hard!

Time will heal your wounds.....

Here is a story to make all this better that I posted earlier:

Helpless Love.

Love looked around with hope.Just then Prosperity passed by in a luxurious boat. Love shouted, “Prosperity, could you please take me in your boat?”“No,” replied Prosperity, “my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you.”

A little later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, “Could you help me, Vanity? I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you.”Vanity responded haughtily, “No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet.”

Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail. “No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.”

When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone.

Love was growing restless and dejected. Just then somebody called out, “Come Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place.

On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, “Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?”Knowledge smiled, “Oh, that was Time.”“

And why would Time stop to pick me and take me to safety?” Love wondered.Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, “Because only Time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world.” “The important message is that when we are prosperous, we overlook love. When we feel important, we forget love. Even in happiness and sorrow we forget love. Only with time do we realize the importance of love. Why wait that long? Why not make love a part of your life today?”

If A Dog Were Your Teacher

2009-09-02T16:44:00.001-07:00

If a dog were your teacherThese are some of the lessons you might learn...When loved ones come home, always run to greet themNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyrideAllow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your faceto be pure ecstasyWhen it's in your best interestpractice obedienceLet others know when they've invaded your territoryTake naps and stretch before risingRun romp and play dailyThrive on attention and let people touch youAvoid biting, when a simple growl will doOn warm days stop to lie on your back on the grassOn hot days drink lots of water and lay under a shady treeWhen you're happy dance around and wag your entire bodyNo matter how often you're scoldeddon't buy into the guilt thing and poutrun right back and make friendsDelight in the simple joy of a long walkEat with gusto and enthusiasmStop when you have had enoughBe loyalNever pretend to be something you're notIf what you want lies burieddig until you find itWhen someone is having a bad daybe silent ........sit close by....and nuzzle them gently.

It’s not the end of the world; it’s a begging of a new life.

2009-09-02T14:03:00.002-07:00

Sometimes loosing something (job, relationship) makes it seem like it’s the end of the world. I am loosing many things right now, but for past 2 days I have been feeling that “it’s end of the world.” I am unable to focus, being very emotional, giving someone else the steering wheel of my happiness and my health, and just loosing it. I kept thinking, why?, but obviously there is no answer for that. I took a step back, and put myself in a different perspective, other than the current dilemma perspective. And this voice in my head goes, “Honey, why are you doing this to yourself, you’ve got through so many other problems, why making this difficult for you, when history shows that time has healed you. You made it through so many other issues (more or less intense) then why do you think you can’t get through this and want to make a stupid mistake. There have been 2-3 phrases that have came across my eyes from facebook postings, email messages and random readings. Time heals and it’s not the end of the world, it’s a new beginning. I was running after the end, instead of seeing this as a new beginning. There are so many things I want in life, and instead of stopping right here, I need to continue going after that. A friend always told me, “Honey, go after what you want in life, if someone interferes, let them go and continue towards what you want.” Instead of seeing this as the end, I am inspired to see this as a new chapter. It’s the attitude that makes a difference. I smiled through so many issues, why am I sitting and crying about this one? I just need to do what I usually do: smile, face it, and conquer it.
I have always had this idea of an identity that I want. Set goals for myself, and characteristics I want to have, and what I want to be known for (Previous Blog Entry: Identity). I have the resources, experiences and opportunities to get closer and closer to that, and it’s my responsibility and duty to myself to achieve it and not back out.
Goal: Make best of the opportunities that are set in front of you: job, dance, graphic design, volunteering… Don’t lose out on your dreams and aspirations because of people or things that make you an option when you make them a priority.
AAU: School starts September 3th (tonight!) 3 classes: Type Composition, Visual Literacy, Type forms for 2 weeks and Crossing Borders)
Dance with school starts next week: Chance to take dance classes for free for fall semester and teach for spring semester. (Wednesday: Yoga and Ballet) (Tuesdays: World Dance)
Adobe Expert Certification: Certification exam for graphic design
CCNA: VSS Cisco Certified Network Associate exam
MFA Excellence, MBA Excellence and so many small things I enjoy in life (hiking, friends, reading, music, art, community involvement)
All this together will make my health better and it will all depend on me and not anyone else.
Carpe Diem- Seize the day.. Enjoy every moment.

A rose.

2009-09-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

Relationship with Self

2009-09-02T10:35:00.001-07:00

At the core of all relationships is the most important relationship of all: the relationship to self. The more we know ourselves, give to ourselves and love ourselves, the more we can truly know and connect to others. If we can not give love, attention and caring to ourselves, how can we truly share these with others?
In order to heal our relationships with others, with god, or anything else we deem important, we need to nurture our relationship with our self. When we are filled with an abundance of self-affinity and self-esteem we see the world and others in it in a new light; one that supports us to create rewarding and fulfilling relationships.
Insights

* How would you rate the quality of your relationships to significant others (including the god of your heart) right now?
- I think I am constantly fighting with myself and others to make things better or perfect. I spoil people I love (family, friends) to an extent that they turn around and hurt me. Nothing in this world is worse than giving all you have to people you love and being blamed, abused, used, and neglected by them, whether it’s a family member, friend, or boyfriend. This impacts self-esteem and the personal mental and emotional being of an individual.

* What are the most important qualities and aspects that you enjoy in your relationships?
- Care (concern/attention), support, sharing, and enjoyment of company. This could be a long list idealized by society expectations. I on the other hand don’t believe there should be a list, care, support, love come naturally from the heart, so it’s pointless to give a list someone as if it was a grocery list and have them fulfill needs according to a checklist.

* How would you rate the quality of your relationship to yourself? What gets in the way of you having an even better relationship with yourself? What about with others?
- I think the quality of my relationship is poor. I never give myself the love, support, care and enjoyment that I give to others. It’s always other people I care about coming in the way of my relationship with myself. I already neglect myself for people I love, on top of that, they neglect me more.

Inspiration
* Tune into the pure essence of love and what that feels like. Turn up the volume and let this energy flow throughout your whole body down to a cellular level. Set your intention to release anything that gets in the way of you having this for yourself.

The Story of a Blind Girl

2009-08-31T16:45:00.001-07:00

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she’s blind.
She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He’s always there for her.
She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she can see everything, including her boyfriend.
Her boyfriend asked her, “now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”
The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend is blind too, and refused to marry him.
Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying. “Just take care of my eyes dear.”
This is how human brain changes when the status changed.
Only few remember what life was before, and who’s always been there even in the most painful situations.
Life is A Gift.
Today before you think of saying an unkind word – Think of someone who can’t speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food – Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife – Think of someone ho’s crying out for a companion.
Today before you complain about life – Think of someone who went too early to heaven/hell.
Before you complain about your children – Think of someone who desires children but they’re barren.
Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn’t clean or sweep – Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive – Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job – Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another – Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down – Put a smile on your face and thank — you’re alive and still around
Life is a gift – Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it, And Fulfill it.

4 Wives

2009-08-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

The 4 Wives

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.
One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.
Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament

Richness, Success and Love

2009-08-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat." "Is the man of the house home?", they asked."No", she said "He's out." "Then we cannot come in," they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in. "We do not go into a House together" they replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and then pointed to another one,"He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!," he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us hear our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be ourguest." The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"

Prison Help

2009-08-28T16:45:00.001-07:00

An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation:
Dear Son,I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden because your mother always loved planting time. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren’t in prison.Love,Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram: ‘For Heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up the garden!! That’s where I buried the GUNS!!’
At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what had happened, and asked him what to do next.
His son’s reply was: ‘Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. It’s the best I could do for you, from here.’
MORAL: NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS, NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS.

Enjoy Life at Every Moment

2009-08-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking his beedi. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.
Hearing this the rich man got angry and said: Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fishes?Businessman: You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me.Fisherman: What would I do then?Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully.Fisherman: What do you think I’m doing right now?
MORAL – You don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. You don’t even need to be more rich, more powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it fully.
As some great men have said “My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants”.

Remember those who serve

2009-08-28T16:35:00.001-07:00

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “50¢,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. “35¢!” she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Juggle Balls: Life

2009-08-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?
Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us each together.
Don’t be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going.
Don’t forget that a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
Don’t be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

Help others win

2009-08-28T16:31:00.001-07:00

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy. They slowed down and looked back. They all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said,”This will make it better.” All nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know one thing. What matters most in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What truly matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

Helpless Love

2009-08-28T16:25:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time all feelings and emotions went to a coastal island for a vacation. According to their nature, each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of an impending storm was announced and everyone was advised to evacuate the island.
The announcement caused sudden panic. All rushed to their boats. Even damaged boats were quickly repaired and commissioned for duty.
Yet, Love did not wish to flee quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realised it was time to leave. Alas, there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope.
Just then Prosperity passed by in a luxurious boat. Love shouted, “Prosperity, could you please take me in your boat?”
“No,” replied Prosperity, “my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you.”
A little later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, “Could you help me, Vanity? I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you.”
Vanity responded haughtily, “No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet.”
Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail. “No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.”
When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone.
Love was growing restless and dejected. Just then somebody called out, “Come Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place.
On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, “Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?”
Knowledge smiled, “Oh, that was Time.”
“And why would Time stop to pick me and take me to safety?” Love wondered.
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, “Because only Time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world.”
“The important message is that when we are prosperous, we overlook love. When we feel important, we forget love. Even in happiness and sorrow we forget love. Only with time do we realize the importance of love. Why wait that long? Why not make love a part of your life today?”

Short Funny Stories with Morals

2009-08-28T16:19:00.001-07:00

Short stories with moral lessons.
google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
A little bird was flying south for the Winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.
While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.
The dung was actually thawing him out!He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.
Morals of the story:(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.(3) And when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep your mouth shut!
**********************************
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, “Can I also sit like you and do nothing?”
The eagle answered, “Sure , why not.”
So the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested.All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
**********************************A turkey was chatting with a bull. “I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the turkey, “but I haven’t got the energy.”
“Well, why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull.“They’re packed with nutrients.”
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.
Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.
Moral of the story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there.

Type Forms Stationary Set Visual Research

2009-08-28T09:40:00.001-07:00

Honey Patel
Product & Marketing Manager
VSS Monitoring
vssmonitoring.com
(208) 703-8321

You must be the change you wish to see in the world -- Mohandas Gandhi

Anger

2009-08-24T10:01:00.001-07:00

Something I hate most in this world is when people say things in anger that they don’t mean. When someone is angry, they don’t realize that things that they say can truly hurt someone. I know few people very well and close to me who have done this. First of all, this is just a relationship breaker. If someone does it once and spits out unnecessary things in anger, it’s fine. But, after seeing the person hurt and doing it over and over again is another story. There are two sides of this argument, and believe in one more than the other. One is used commonly by the people who have the tendency to spit things in anger they don’t mean. The first is the usual “I didn’t mean that, I just said it because I was angry.” According to that, what people say in anger is pure bullshit because they don’t mean it, it was just a reactive phase and they blabber all these things out. Second which I believe in more is that there is an ounce or a grain of truth in what comes out when a person is angry. They thought that, have just been keeping it inside themselves to not hurt, or be mean, but when angry, they can’t control their words, so they say everything that has been buried, hidden, or purposefully suppressed, comes out in anger. I truly believe this when the same things have been said in anger over and over again. Those thoughts, ideas, information, feelings have developed more and more and so when angry that consistency of statements occur.
I have a lot of buried and suppressed words that don’t come out, even in anger. I get angry, upset, hurt all the time, so how come I don’t have that capability to shout out all those things to remove them from my system. I have so many feelings, statements, truths! That need to be out of my system and be heard by those particular people. I have never said mean, unrealistic, cruel, disgusting, unnecessary, false, and betrayal things to people I love or don’t love out of anger.
Psychologically speaking, it’s a defense mechanism that people use to control the force in their psyche.
I want you and you to know that I am very hurt by things you have said in anger. I believe that there is an ounce or a grain of truth in it and after all that, I am just hurt by those words. This will never change. My views on the relationship, expectations, and you as a person have changed dramatically and I will never be able to provide you with that genuine care and love like before. I don’t owe anyone anything, and I have no reason (after doing everything I have as a person to you) to be feeling disappointed, hurt, unworthy and low. I have been a good person. I did everything I could for the relationship; I admitted my mistakes, improved my mistakes and never, ever said anything or even thought anything that could be so hurtful. My view of your world, you as a person and our relationship are very different now.

State of Mind

2009-08-19T14:25:00.001-07:00

The month of July and August has been crazy for me. My health, new place, new job, new people, relationships changing, and everything just revolving. It’s very difficult to adjust into a new environment with lots of other forces against you. It does give me a good opportunity to change and start a new chapter of life. The gradual change and the sudden change… I started a new job in end of August, I am dealing with health issues, and the sudden transition has had an impacting effect on me. On top of that, I had a serious apartment issue (harassment and suing landlords), gold’s gym and T-Mobile screwing up my accounts and then lot of other small errands. Life has just been on a roller coaster. Now those errands, transition, etc is getting better and smoothening out a little bit, but then relationship issues start. I can conquer one thing at a time, but not everything at once. I know when it rains, its pours, but I am just going through a never ending thunderstorm, with temporary sunshine (temporary meaning few hours). Once my overall issues are solved (mostly errands) then I can focus on my mental well being. First take care of all errands, one at a time, then focus on long term things. ….
To be continued…

Current Status

2009-08-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

Some good news:
- Apartment problem is solved. They decided to waive all termination fees, I don’t owe them anything, and it’s all good to go.
- T mobile removed the extra charges from my account.
- Golds Gym finally cancelled my membership, and is refunding me money.
All this happened yesterday afternoon (August 18, 2009)

Few short term things to take care of:
- Pay target bill
- Mail
- CEN video
- Cancel legal aid
- Comcast
- Fafsa
- CCNA
- Contact lenses

Speed Read

2009-08-15T13:01:00.001-07:00

Have your eyes checked. Many people who read particularly slowly do so because they have an undiagnosed vision problem. Even if you think you have perfect vision, if you haven't had an eye exam recently, there's no time like the present.
Time your current reading speed. It is important to find out how fast you read now so that you can track your improvement through subsequent timings. Not only will timing help you to tell if you're improving, but it will also keep you motivated.
- You can break out a book and a stopwatch and either time how long it takes you to read a certain number of words on a page or find out how many words you read in a given amount of time.
- An easier way to time yourself is to take an online reading speed test. There are a plethora of these available: just enter "reading speed test" in your search engine. Many of these have reading comprehension tests, as well, so you can see how well you're understanding what you're reading.
- Regardless of how you decide to time yourself, be sure to read at your normal speed during the timing, and time yourself on a few different pages - the average of your times should approximate your average reading speed.
Get rid of distractions. Even if you think you read better when you have music playing or when you're in a crowded coffee house, you can probably increase your speed if you reduce distractions to a bare minimum. Try to find a solitary place to read, and turn off the TV, radio and cell phone. Even being in a room of people talking is distracting. If no solitary place is available, try using earplugs to block out any distractions around you. In order to maximize comprehension while reading quickly, you will need to focus on the material at hand as closely as possible.
Adjust reading speed depending on the material. Often, we must trade off comprehension for speed, so an important part of increasing reading speed is deciding how thoroughly you need to comprehend a particular piece of writing. So before you even start reading, decide how fast you intend to go. If you're reading a newspaper article, chances are you just want to get the main ideas, and you can skim through the passages quite rapidly. If, however, you're reading a mathematics textbook or a demanding philosophical treatise - and you need to fully understand the material - you do not want to rush.
Learn to separate the wheat from the chaff with pre-reading. No matter what you are reading, there is frequently a lot of "filler" that you can read quickly through or even skim over. With practice, you will be able to identify the most important parts of a book as you skim through it. When you get to such a passage, slow down. Before you begin a chapter or book, look over the entire piece very quickly. Try to find patterns of repeated words, key ideas, bold print and other indicators of important concepts. Then, when you actually do your reading you may be able to skim over large portions of the text, slowing only when you come to something you know is important.
Train yourself not to reread. Most people frequently stop and skip back to words or sentences they just read to try to make sure they understood the meaning. This is usually unnecessary, but it can easily become a habit, and many times you will not even notice you're doing it. One exercise to help you avoid rereading is to take a sheet of paper or index card and drag it down the page as you read, covering each line once you've read it. Try to drag the card in a steady motion; start slowly, and increase your speed as you feel more comfortable.
Stop reading to yourself. As you read you probably subvocalise, or pronounce the words to yourself. Almost everybody does it, although to different degrees: some people actually move their lips or say the words under their breath, while others simply say each word in their heads. Regardless of how you subvocalise, it slows you down. (You are concerned with speed reading here, not reading to practice communicating the material verbally, which can be done later if you find it necessary.) To break the habit, try to be conscious of it. When you notice yourself pronouncing words to yourself, try to stop doing it. It may help to focus on key words and skip over others, or you may want to try humming to yourself or counting "1,2,3,4" repeatedly in order to prevent subvocalising. One exercise to stop your lips from moving is to put a finger on your mouth and keep it there while you read.
Read with your hand. Smooth, consistent eye motion is essential to speed reading. You can maximize your eyes' efficiency by using your hand to guide them. One such method is to simply draw your hand down each page as you read. You can also brush your hand under each line you read, as if you are brushing dust off the lines. Your eyes instinctively follow motion, and the movement of your hand serves to keep your eyes moving constantly forward. Note, however, that many speed reading instruction books warn off using a tracking member in speed reading as it inhibits the process.
Practice reading blocks of words. Nearly everyone learned to read word-by-word or even letter-by-letter, but once you know the language, that's not the most efficient method of reading. Not every word is important, and in order to read quickly, you'll need to read groups of words - or even whole sentences or short paragraphs - instantaneously. The good news is you probably already do this to some extent: most people read three or four words at a time. Once you make an effort to be aware of your reading style, you'll discover how many words you read at a time. Now you just need to increase that number. Using your hand as a guide may help, as may holding the book a little further from your eyes than you usually do.
Practice and push yourself. While you may see some gains in speed the moment you start using these tips, speed reading is a skill that requires a lot of practice. Always push yourself to your comfort level and beyond - if you end up having to reread a section, it's not a big deal. Keep practicing regularly.
Time yourself regularly. After a week or so of practice, time yourself as in step two. Do this regularly thereafter, and keep track of your improvement. Don't forget to pat yourself on the back every time your reading speed increases!

Letter to myself.

2009-08-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

Goals
- Improve health
- Get mentally strong
- Do outstanding in school
- Excellent work performance

You are very strong. You’ve been through so much, why are you beating yourself up? Your own body and mine are your enemies than other people. Be you’re self’s best friend and give yourself lots of attention. One, take care of your health as best as you can. At the end of the day how your body is will depend on how your mental health is, your work is and your school is. Eat healthy meals, stay healthy. Take care of your needs and what you want. In spare time there are lots of things you like to do, read, paint, listen to music, watch movies, go to parks, working out, enjoying life. Do all those things. You have a job that you wanted. In Silicon Valley, you are making good money for someone your age, outstanding respect and position in company. You love working hard and being ambitious. Put that in action at work. Be successful, learn more, gain real world experience and grow. It’s something you’ve always wanted- corporate world real and consistent job. You have it, so make best out of it. Go to work in morning, greet everyone nicely, put all your effort into doing best work and dealing with people well. Allow yourself to learn. School: you’ve always been so successful at school, and right now you are doing what you love: graphic design. Put all your effort in that, learn, and get an outstanding portfolio. Marketing and graphic design go hand in hand, so learn marketing from work and graphic design at school and integrate them both together. Get good grades like you always have and be the best like you have always did. Right now life is tough because you just moved, got a new job, dealing with health issues and you weren’t prepared for all this. There is a lot on your plate. Eat one thing at a time. Keep it simple and one thing at a time. Enjoy while you’re at it. By August 31, get all the clutter done in your life- the unfinished errands that keep piling up, finish the last things from spring (school work, etc.) and prepare yourself for a new chapter of life filled with happiness, success and opportunities to learn and grow. You are a very lucky and a brave woman, utilize that as much as you can. Today is August 7, 2009, you have about 27 days to get things figure out. Get it all done and start a new life. For right now work on getting those errands done, settling in Bay area, taking care of health and finishing up unfinished work and commitments. Once all this is taken care of, take some rest and then start a new beginning. In two weeks you have a big work commitment coming up also, so you want to be prepared for that. You are in a whirlpool right now and it’s completely up to you to get yourself out of it. After August 31st, slowly we can work on mentally well being. First clear up your mind with all the ordeals than slowing it’ll get better. You’ll be fine. You’re headed in a good direction- got a job, living independently in a city you’ve always wanted to live in and you’re doing your Masters. Put things in perspective: you’re good work in school and at work is leading to more experience and better future. Stay focused on those things. Another big thing you need to work on is making some friends. While you are settling down this month and clearing your head make some good friends. It takes time to do that, so give some time during this month to also be making friends. Be strong and stay strong and you’ll see how all your hard work and pain pays off one at a time. Good luck and take care of yourself. At the end of the day, you have to love yourself more than anyone, take care of yourself more than anyone and be happy for yourself.

Sincerely,
Honey

Life Transition

2009-08-04T13:33:00.001-07:00

Life is a process of beginnings and endings. In both life and nature, there are times when things move slowly and don't seem to change very much. Then, suddenly, things change quickly. Moving from August to September, the weather changes gradually at first, and then it seems that suddenly summer is over. It is the same in our lives; transitions are as natural as the changing seasons.
Life transitions are challenging because they force us to let go of the familiar and face the future with a feeling of vulnerability. Most life transitions begin with a string of losses:
• The loss of a role
• The loss of a person
• The loss of a place
• The loss of your sense of where you fit in the world
Any significant loss makes most people feel fearful and anxious. Since your future may now be filled with questions, it is normal to feel afraid. We live in a culture that has taught us to be very uncomfortable with uncertainty, so we are anxious when our lives are disrupted. On the positive side, these transitions give us a chance to learn about our strengths and to explore what we really want out of life. This time of reflection can result in a sense of renewal, stability, and a new equilibrium.
A life transition can be positive or negative, planned or unexpected. Some transitions happen without warning, and they may be quite dramatic, as in cases of accidents, death, divorce, job loss, or serious illness. Other life transitions come from positive experiences such as getting married, going away to college, starting a new job, moving to a new city, or giving birth to a child. Even though events like these are usually planned and anticipated, they can be just as life-altering as the unexpected events. Whether positive or negative, life transitions cause us to leave behind the familiar and force us to adjust to new ways of living, at least temporarily. They can leave us feeling completely unprepared and we may be thrown into a personal crisis, feeling shocked, angry, sad, and withdrawn.
Examples of Life Transitions
Life transitions can include any of the following:
• Accidents
• Buying a house
• Changing jobs
• Divorce
• Getting married
• Having a baby
• Leaving for college
• Relocation
• Retirement
• Selling a house
• Serious illness
• Significant loss (of a person, job, pet, or anything important)
• Starting a career
Stages of Life Transitions
Successfully moving through a life transition usually means experiencing the following stages:
1. Experience a range of negative feelings (anger, anxiety, confusion, numbness, self-doubt).
2. Feel a loss of self-esteem.
3. Begin to accept the change.
4. Acknowledge that you need to let go of the past and accept the future.
5. Begin to feel hopeful about the future.
6. Feel increased self-esteem.
7. Develop an optimistic view of the future.
The process of moving through a transition does not always proceed in order, in these nice, predictable stages. People usually move through the process in different ways, often cycling back and forth among the stages.
Coping Skills
Life transitions are often difficult, but they have a positive side, too. They provide us with an opportunity to assess the direction our lives are taking. They are a chance to grow and learn. Here are some ideas that may help make the process rewarding.
Accept that change is a normal part of life. People who have this attitude seem to have the easiest time getting through life transitions. Seeing changes as negative or as experiences that must be avoided makes them more difficult to navigate and less personally productive.
Identify your values and life goals. If a person knows who they are and what they want from life, they may see the change as just another life challenge. These people are willing to take responsibility for their actions and do not blame others for the changes that come along without warning.
Learn to identify and express your feelings. While it's normal to try to push away feelings of fear and anxiety, you will move through them more quickly if you acknowledge them. Make them real by writing them down and talking about them with trusted friends and family members. These feelings will have less power over you if you face them and express them.
Focus on the payoffs. Think about what you have learned from other life transitions. Recall the stages you went through, and identify what you gained and learned from each experience. Such transitions can provide a productive time to do some important self-exploration. They can be a chance to overcome fears and to learn to deal with uncertainty. These can be the gifts of the transition process: to learn more about yourself and what makes you happy and fulfilled.
Don't be in a rush. When your life is disrupted, it takes time to adjust to the new reality. Expect to feel uncomfortable during a transition as you let go of old ways of doing things. Try to avoid starting new activities too soon, before you have had a chance to reflect and think about what is really best for you.
Expect to feel uncomfortable. A time of transition is confusing and disorienting. It is normal to feel insecure and anxious. These feelings are part of the process, and they will pass.
Stay sober. Using alcohol or drugs during this confusing time is not a good idea. It can only make the process more difficult.
Take good care of yourself. Transitions are very stressful, even if they are supposed to be happy times. You may not feel well enough to participate in your normal activities. Find something fun to do for yourself each day. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat well.
Build your support system. Seek the support of friends and family members, especially those who accept you without judging you and encourage you to express your true feelings. A time of transition is also an excellent time to seek the support of a mental health professional. He or she can guide you through the transition process in a safe and supportive environment.
Acknowledge what you are leaving behind. This is the first step to accepting the new. Think about how you respond to endings in your life: Do you generally avoid them, like the person who ducks out early on her last day on the job because she can't bear to say good-bye? Or do you drag them out because you have such a hard time letting go? Perhaps you make light of endings, refusing to let yourself feel sad. Before you can welcome the new, you must acknowledge and let go of the old.
Keep some things consistent. When you are experiencing a significant life change, it helps to keep as much of your daily routine consistent as you can.
Accept that you may never completely understand what has happened to you. You are likely to spend a lot of time feeling confused and afraid. This makes most of us very uncomfortable. The discomfort and confusion will pass, and clarity will return.
Take one step at a time. It's understandable to feel like your life has become unmanageable. To regain a sense of power, find one small thing you can control right now. Then break it down into small, specific, concrete steps. Write them down and post them on your computer monitor or mirror. Cross off each step as you accomplish it.
Times of life transitions offer you the chance to explore what your ideal life would look like. When things are in disarray, you can reflect on the hopes and dreams you once had but perhaps forgot about. Take this time to write about them in a journal or talk about them with a trusted friend or therapist. Now is a good time to take advantage of the fork in the road.

Let Go

2009-08-04T13:23:00.001-07:00

Lately, I have been trying to follow a motto about letting things go, for some reason I have been having a very tough time because I am afraid to get hurt or step out of my comfort zone.

Some inspirational for letting go:
To 'let go' does not mean to stop caring;it means I can't do it for someone else.
To 'let go' is not to cut myself off;it is the realization that I must not control another.
To 'let go' is not to fix;but to be supportive.
To 'let go' is not to be in the middlearranging all the outcomes;but to allow others to effect their destinies.
To 'let go' is not to be protective;it is to permit another to face reality.
To 'let go' is not to regret the past;but to grow and live for the future.
To 'let go' is to fear less and love more.
---------

You cannot erase the past; you must let it go.
You cannot change yesterday; you must accept the lessons learned.
You cannot stop time or stand still in a world racing around in circles;
you must dance with the wind and sing with the songs that are playing.
Let whatever mistakes you have made remain in the shadows of times gone by,
and let love be the answer to the mysteries of life.
---------
Letting go is one of the hardest lessons in life, Yet over changing seasons and passing time,You will have to learn to let go of certainPeople, relationships, situations and things,That fall way beyond your control.
Tenacity and the attitude of not giving up,Work wonders on many occasions but not all,As some things just are not meant to be,No matter how hard you fight and cling to them,And forcing your will upon things just repel them further.
There will always be people,Who will turn out in ways you never expected,And it dawns on you that you have to let them go,So that they can fulfill their destinies,While you go on to fulfill your own life path.
As life likes to dish out surprises and challenges,Sometimes it is only through letting go,When your heart cries in anguish,That in the agonizing process that you realize,What is truly worth holding onto.
Letting go does not signify weakness,As it might take more courage to let go than holding on,Like the big, inflexible tree that snaps in the storm,While tiny blades of grasses yield and live on,Revealing the strength of letting go.
-----
There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go. And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person, it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that youdon't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!! If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to ...LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ...LET IT GO!!! If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...LET IT GO!!! If someone has angered you ... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge .. LET IT GO!!! If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction ... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ...LET IT GO!!! If you have a bad attitude...LET IT GO!!! If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!! If you're stuck in the past and Life is trying to take you to a new level... LET IT GO!!! If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship....LET IT GO!!! If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves... LET IT GO!!! If you're feeling depressed and stressed... LET IT GO!!! If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to... LET IT GO!!! Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2006 !!! LET IT GO!!! Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then LET IT GO!!! For the next 60 seconds, stop whatever you are doing, and take a moment to reflect: Absorb this message into your life. Feel it become part of your thinking and your power. By letting go you are claiming BACK all the power/energy you spent on this other person or obstacle. Now, when you're feeling a bit clearer, ask yourself a simple question (and ask it often in future):What is it I have that makes life worth living for?

Short Story- Skills and Practice

2009-08-04T09:00:00.001-07:00

When I was a child, I loved basketball. Almost all my relatives played. My favorite unclewas the all-time leading scorer at the local high school, and my first recollections about mychildhood involve a basketball. I loved to play, but I also loved to practice. So I practiced. A lot.(Of course, I am not a well-known NBA star; so you know how good I really was.) Anyway, Ialways practiced with my left hand a lot more because I was right-handed. I hoped to overcomemy weakness in the left hand and gain an advantage over others. Ironically, by the time Ireached college, I had lost some of my skills using my right hand, and players would anticipatethat I would go to the left!

Search Engine Optimization

2009-08-04T08:59:00.001-07:00

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art and science of publishing and marketing information that ranks well for valuable keywords in search engines like Google, Yahoo! Search, and Microsoft Live Search. If you run into any new jargon while reading this Knol consider looking up their definitions using the Search Engine Marketing Glossary.

Search engines only show 10 results on the first page, and most searchers tend to click on the top few results. If you rank at the top business is good, but if you are on the second or third page you might only get 1% of the search traffic that the top ranked site gets.

The 2 most powerful aspects of search engine marketing are
users type what they want to find into search boxes, making search engines the most precisely targeted marketing medium in the history of the world
once you gain traction in the search results the incremental costs of gaining additional exposure are negligible when compared with the potential rewards, allowing individuals and small businesses to compete with (and perhaps eventually become) large corporations

While many people consider SEO to be complicated, I believe that SEO is nothing but an extension of traditional marketing. Search engine optimization consists of 9 main steps
market research
keyword research
on page optimization
site structure
link building
brand building
viral marketing
adjusting
staying up to date
Market Research
The first step is to search the major search engines to see what types of websites are ranking for words which you deem to be important. For example, if mostly colleges, media, and government institutions are ranking for your most important terms it may be difficult to rank for those types of queries. If, on the other hand, the market is dominated by fairly average websites which are not strongly established brands it may be a market worth persuing.You can extend out the research you get from the search results by using the SEO for Firefox extension with the Firefox browser. This places many marketing data points right in the search results, and thus lets you see things like
site age
Google PageRank
inbound link count
if any governmental or educational sites link at their site
if they are listed in major directories
if bloggers link at their sites
Keyword ResearchUse the SEO Book Keyword research tool to search for popular and Long Tail keywords related to your industry. This tool cross references the Google Keyword Tool, Wordtracker, and other popular keyword research tools. Notice how our keyword tool provides daily search estimates and cross references other useful keyword research tools.

Keyword research tools are better at providing a qualitative measure than a quantitative measure, so don't be surprised if actual traffic volumes vary greatly from the numbers suggested by these tools. When in doubt you can also set up a Google AdWords account to test the potential size of a market.In addition to looking up search volumes for what keywords you think are important also take the time to ask past customers how they found you, why they chose you, and what issues were important to them in chosing you.You can also get keyword ideas by doing things like
checking your web analytics or server logs
looking at page contents of competing websites
looking through topical forums and community sites to see what issues people frequently discuss
Site StructureBefore drafting content consider what keywords are your most important and map out how to create pages to fit each important group of keywords within your site theme and navigational structure based on
market value
logical breaks in market segmentation
importance of ranking in building credibility / improving conversion rates
You may want to use an Excel spreadsheet or some other program to help you visualize your site structure. This mini-screenshot from an Excel spreadsheet shows example data for how you might align keywords for a section of a site focused on home based businesses, start ups, and franchise opportunities.

Make sure
your most important categories or pages are linked to sitewide
you link to every page on your site from at least one other page on your site
you use consistant anchor text in your navigation
you link to other content pages (and expeically to action items) from within the content area of your website
If you are uncertain how deep to make a portion of the site start by creating a few high quality pages on the topic. Based on market feedback create more pages in the sections that are most valuable to your business.

On Page Optimization
It is hard to rank for keywords that do not appear in your page content, so each page should be organized around the goal of ranking for a specific keyword phrase, with some related phrases and related keywords mixed into the page copy.

Unique descriptive page titles play a crucial role in a successful search engine optimization campaigns. Page titles appear in the search results, and many people link to pages using the page title as their link anchor text.If possible create hand crafted meta description tags which compliment the page title by reinforcing your offer. If the relevant keywords for a page have multiple formats it may make sense to help focus the meta description on versions you did not use in the page title. As far as page content goes, make sure you write for humans, and use heading tags to help break up the content into logical sections which will improve the scanability and help structure the document. When possible, make sure your page content uses descriptive modifiers as well.Each page also needs to be sufficiently unique from other pages on your site. Do not let search engines index printer friendly versions of your content, or other pages where content is duplicate or nearly duplicate.
Link Building
Search engines view links at votes, with some votes counting more than others. To get high quality links (that help your site rank better) you need to participate in the social aspects of your community and give away valuable unique content that people talk about and share with others. The below Google TouchGraph image shows a small graphic representation of sites in the search field that are related to SeoBook.com based on linking patterns.

Link building tips
try to link to your most relevant page when getting links (don't point all the links at your home page)
mix your anchor text
use Yahoo! Site Explorer and other tools to analyze top competing backlinks
don't be afraid to link out to relevant high quality resources

Link building strategies
submit your site to general directories like DMOZ, the Yahoo! Directory, and Business.com
submit your site to relevant niche directories
here is more background on directories and SEO
if you have a local site submit to relevant local sites (like the local chamber of commerce)
join trade organizations
get links from industry hub sites
create content people would want to link at
here is a list of 101 useful link building strategies
Brand Building
Brand related search queries tend to be some of the most targeted, best converting, and most valuable keywords. As you gain mindshare people will be more likely to search for your brand or keywords related to your brand. A high volume of brand related search traffic may also be seen as a sign of quality by major search engines. If you build a strong brand when people search for more information about your brand and other websites have good things to say about your brand, these interactions help reinforcing your brand image and improving your lead quality and conversion rates.Things like advertising and community activity are easy ways to help improve your brand exposure, but obviously branding is a lot more complicated than that. One of my favorite books about branding is Rob Frankel's The Revenge of Brand X.
Viral Marketing
Link building is probably the single hardest and most time consuming part of an effective SEO campaign, largely because it requires influencing other people. But links are nothing but a remark or citation.

The beautiful thing about viral marketing is that creating one popular compelling idea can lead to thousands of free quality links. If your competitor is building one link at a time and you have thousands of people spreading your ideas for you for free then you are typically going to end up ranking better.

In SEO many people create content based around linking opportunities. Many of us refer to this as Link Baiting. You can learn link baiting tips from

SEO Book
Stuntdubl
Performancing
Copyblogger
Wolf Howl

You can search social news or social bookmarking sites like Digg or Del.icio.us to see what stories related to your topic became popular.
Measuring Results
Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.- John Wanamaker
How can I tell if my SEO campaign is effective? The bottom line is what counts. Is your site generating more leads, higher quality leads, or more sales? What keywords are working? You can look at your server logs and an analytics program to track traffic trends and what keywords lead to conversion.

Outside of traffic another good sign that you are on the right track is if you see more websites asking questions or talking about you. If you start picking up high quality unrequested links you might be near a Tipping Point to where your marketing starts to build on itself.Search engines follow people, but lag actual market conditions. It may take search engines a while to find all the links poiting at your site and analyze how well your site should rank. Depending on how competitive your marketplace is it may take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple years to establish a strong market position. Rankings can be a moving target as at any point in time

you are marketing your business
competitors are marketing their businesses and reinvesting profits into building out their SEO strategy
search engines may change their relevancy algorithms

Current Status

2009-08-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

My summer school ends tomorrow and then I will have a month to just relax, get settled in and worry about nothing but work and health. My professors have been very nice for three weeks and trying to do their best to work things out for me, but they are also on constrain and can’t do much about it. Everything ends August 5th, so I have to get it all done today (August 4th), along with dealing with apartment people, health and efficiently doing my work.
Work that needs to be done for school
- Stationary Set project
o Concept Sketches/Research (45 pdf pages)
o Computer Roughs
o Color Computer Roughs
o Final design
- Exploration 1
- Exploration 2
- Exploration 3
- Exploration 4
- Exploration 5
- Final Portfolio with all explorations, and 2 projects (typography poster design and stationary set design)
- Typography Final Exam
- Favorites from semester discussion
- Online director review
- A&I Final Project
Errands/Other work that need to be taken care of
- Fafsa
- Golds Gym
- Contact Lenses
- Identity theft
- Apartment issue
o Write letter
o Get police report
- Transfer money in mom’s bank account
- Emerald group
- CEN Video
- CCNA
Life is on a roller coaster without the ups. I just want to get everything done, not worry about anything and give myself a break for a while. It’s the worst right now because of environment and routine change.
You can do it Honey. One piece at a time.

Current Status

2009-07-29T11:06:00.001-07:00

I just moved to Bay Area. Life is crazy right now. Without expected, I got a really good job in Burlingame, CA (10 mins from SFO Airport) and now I am part of the fancy corporate world running from 8-5 and sometimes more than that with lots of work, reporting, managing, conference calls, meeting, presentations, etc.. Trying to settle in Bay area is my main issue right now. I am living at a relative’s apartment which is a 1.5 hour drive to work and 1.5 hour drive from work to home. 8 hours I am working and almost 3 hours I am traveling. The other hours I am overwhelmed by the unfinished work in Boise, getting settled in Bay area, health, relationships, school work and other activities/affairs. Unfinished work and settling in BA kind of goes together. I need to make a smooth transition.
- Get an apartment- Move all my stuff hereThese two are oversimplified here. They are much complicated then they sound. Getting an apartment is something I can do here and figure that out within a few weeks. Moving all my stuff here is a big problem. I have to rely on other people to go through my stuff, organize, pack and send it properly here. I want to go to Boise once and bring all my necessities here.

My health is a big concern. I have neglected my health before. I need to make sure I don’t do that again. Minimize stress. Eat good food and stay happy. I have a good job; I will be learning and achieving lots of career growth. Also, pursuing my Master’s degree is part of that. I want my own apartment where I can have my own kitchen to cook, spend time in MY home and comfortable environment. Right now I am going through a huge environment change and I feel uncomfortable. I want to have MY place. Once, I have MY place, I can focus on my self, my stuff, my needs and desires here, and I will be better settled in Bay Area.
Relationships. I miss my friends family relationships from Boise. But I guess I have to keep them in back of mind and move on to new friends and association in Bay Area. This will take some time to happen, but I make friends easily so I can do it once I am in my comfort zone in the environment perspective.
I have to finish up a CEN Video. By August end, I need to finish up a project I took responsibility of. So, even though I don’t have time or the mental environment, I want to finish that project up.
My school. My job started July 27, 2009 and my summer school ends August 5th, 2009. I have a week to complete half a semester of exams, assignments, projects. Fortunately, my professors are giving me flexible deadline. I can turn in my work anytime before August 5th, 2009. I need to spend week nights and weekends finishing up lots of lots of school work. They also gave me an offer to have until September 3rd,
which is when my fall semester begins. That option looks nice, but I don’t want to stress all this work and have no break in between. I would rather take the stress these two weeks finish up the work and have nothing to worry about for a month and focus on settling in Bay Area.
Another big thing I need to work on is my job is providing me with a bonus and wavier of a CCNA exam which certifies me with Cisco Certified Network Associate. I need to work on that and take that exam.
At the end of all this, I have small errands to run, phone calls to make. Gold’s gym, identity theft, contact lenses, emerald group completion, school loans, etc.
Right now, I am swamped with many things to get done and completely get settled in Bay Area. This is a little difficult right now with changes and differences, but slowly, one by one; I am going to get it all together.

Life- Reduce Stress

2009-07-15T21:46:00.002-07:00

1. Speak and honor your truth. One of the biggest problems, especially for women, is knowing when and how to say no. Many women are born with the need to please and deal with societal pressures to be superwoman. We must learn to say no when we mean no and yes when we truly mean yes. Our truth is a gift that we must honor. We all know when we are not honoring our truth because we feel it in our spirit. Live your life so that everything is a reflection of your truth.

2. Stop feeling obligated. So many times we maintain friendships and relationships out of obligation. We feel that we must remain part of a person’s life because of the length of time we have known them or what we have experienced together in the past. However, people change and you must acknowledge when a friendship is no longer beneficial and enriching. You can feel when someone is draining your life and energy. Then you must remove yourself from the equation. You must remember that you are allowing yourself to feel obligated and you are choosing to be obligated. You can also choose whom you give your time and energy too.

3. Use your faith. Understand that you need God and your faith to deal with the issues and problems that will arise in life. Then use your faith to help you endure. Our faith is like the fuel that keeps our spirits working efficiently. So everyday, read a bible verse and an inspirational message to keep your spirit replenished.

4. Get disciplined. We must lead by example. If we truly want to love our lives and keep depression and bad decisions at bay then we must become disciplined in all areas of our life. Discipline will help us have control over our life and our decisions.

5. Make a commitment. In my life I made a commitment to live a life I loved. That commitment requires me to look at life and people differently. In order to love my life, every decision I make, every friendship and relationship I have, and every opportunity I pursue must keep me on the path of loving my life. You must make a commitment to have your life stand and mean something. People should be able to see the God in you and want to know more about your joy and your life.

6. This too shall pass. We must understand that everything in life has a time, a season and a reason. Life itself is a process and people are a part of that process. When you understand life in these simple terms it gives you the ability to deal with life. No matter what you are dealing with in life, from an annoying coworker to a life-changing event, there is a simple truth that will prevail - this too shall pass.

7. No woe-is-me parties and no excuses. As a human being you will have moments in your life when you feel like saying, why me? There are also times when you will sit down with others and talk about the struggles and hardships of life. We must refuse to partake in the misery moments. You must refuse to give that negative energy power. And then you must stop blocking your own blessing and progress. Most likely if you are not receiving what you want out of life it is because you are blocking yourself in some way. The only person that can stop you from living your purpose and doing what God sent you here to do is you. In order to feel fulfilled in life, you must refuse to make excuses in your life and you must be an active participant in your life. You must do everything you can to keep your life progressing in a positive way.

8. Create a life plan. Make sure it has a time line and a deadline. Plan your life. This simple act will help you when obstacles and opportunities present themselves.

9. Take and make time for yourself. We must incorporate time for ourselves into our lives. Many times we become stressed and overworked because we are in a state of constantly giving. As spiritual people it is easy to understand why we want to be so giving. Yet we all must learn how to replenish and how to get restored. There are twenty-four hours provided in a day. Saying that you do not have time for yourself is an excuse. Not making time for yourself is a choice. So you must simply choose differently. Choose to give time to yourself and decide when and how you will take time for yourself.

10. Love your life. In the lowest moment of my life I adopted the slogan, Live a life you love! It was more than an affirmation. It was a goal I wanted to accomplish. I understood that this goal would alter my life, and it has in an amazing way. Once I committed to living a life I loved my decision-making changed. Suddenly I had to question whether I would look back on an opportunity and say I would have, I could have or I should have. I had to examine whether a decision would leave me with feelings of regret or accomplishment. I became more aware of my choices and my friendships.

Tips on Writing a Short-Short Story

2009-06-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

The short-short story has been likened by some as being closer to writing a poem than a story. And that makes sense—every word has to be packed with power; every line has to move the story along.

Here are some tips to help you make every word count.

The opening paragraph is the most important one in a short story. Use it to hook your readers and draw them into the ongoing drama of your story.
In the opening lines, you have to do the following:
- Set the scene
- Introduce the main character
- Reveal the main character’s mood, approximate age, his/her goal or problem
- Show that something interesting is about to happen
Begin with a character and let this person take you where they want to go—then when the story is written, edit, shape and tighten your prose.
Decide whose story this is. Choose one viewpoint and stick to it.
Don’t force your characters to speak words that sound out of character or engage in actions that don’t suit their personality.
Avoid detailed descriptions of setting—give the reader a quick ‘snapshot’. A few powerful words or phrases can do a lot of work.
Use the same approach to describe the character’s appearance. Use words that trigger the reader’s imagination and let him/her fill in the gaps—e.g. “She had a loose-limbed, healthy outdoor look about her”.
Try to avoid plots that hinge on a coincidence or a misunderstanding that could be cleared up if the characters would just talk to each other. (You have to be a very good writer to pull this off so the reader is satisfied.)
Very short stories are a bit like jokes: they build up to a twist or a punchline. The difficult part is playing fair with the reader in having all the clues there, without making the outcome too obvious.
Show that your character has grown or changed in some way—she has a new understanding of people or of herself; she has learned a lesson; she has changed her attitude. NOTE: If your character ‘comes to realise’ something important, make sure she comes to this realization through a strong piece of action or a powerful lesson—not through a weak, “Oh, my goodness, I never thought of it that way before—silly me!”
Appeal to your reader’s emotions. We all identify with loss, sorrow, disappointment, frustration—make sure that emotions are powerful elements in your story.
Make every word of dialogue count—avoid aimless ‘how are you today?’ type exchanges; let actions take the place of words on occasions. And remember there’s no need to TELL as well as SHOW—for example, if you write “Marcia was really angry at his words. Her face grew scarlet with rage as she yelled, “I can’t believe you said that! Get out of here!’ then you’ve wasted ten words. You could simply have said: Marcia’s face grew scarlet with rage. “I can’t believe you said that! Get out of here!”
When it’s time to edit, remember that every word has to move the story forward. Yes, I know I’ve already said that—but it’s worth saying a hundred times, because one of the hardest things a writer can do is cut words. You have to be tough. Cut out whatever is unnecessary; poorly expressed; overly detailed. In a very short story, it’s more likely to be what you’ve cut out that sells your work than what you’ve left in.
STUDY YOUR MARKET. This seems painfully obvious, but so many writers just can’t be bothered. If the finalists in the competition are being judged by the editor of a magazine, thenstudy that magazine. There are other magazines that also publish short stories of around 900 words —read as many as you can!
SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS: Read entry conditions carefully!

Informational Interviweing

2009-06-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

What is it?

It is not an interview for a position. The purpose of an informational interview is to help you define your career options. It is also useful in researching companies where you may want to work. It is a meeting of usually 15 to 30 minutes with a person who has hands-on experience in the area you want to know more about.

Objectives:

To gain solid information that will help you evaluate how your skills and interests dovetail with a particular career or business.
To learn what the industry or company values in its employees.
To increase your network by leaving a positive impression with someone who could provide encouragement, support, and future access to job leads.
To find out whether jobs are available in the field or business you want to enter.

Whom to contact:

Everyone you know. Ask, "Do you know anyone who works for General Mills?" "Do you know anyone in a nonprofit organization?" "Do you know anyone who does freelance writing?" Then once you have a name . . .

"Mrs. Smith, Brad Johnson suggested I speak with you. My name is Steven Olson and I am interested in the accounting field. I could use some advice from someone who is in this field. Do you have any time this week when I could meet with you? I only need about 15 minutes of your time. It would really help me in my decision making process."

You may also want to explain a little about your employment background and why this area is appealing to you.

Be sure they do not get the impression you are asking them for a job! Don't misrepresent yourself either. Be honest.

Preparing for the interview:

Select questions relating to the occupation or business you are considering. Research key areas of potential discussion. Take an active role in the interview. Encourage suggestions. Ask questions that provide the information you want. Show your interest and knowledge.

What do I ask?

What is a day on this job really like?
How did you get into this field?
What do you like about your job? Dislike?
What's the best way to find out about jobs in this field?
What kind of experience or training is required?
What is the potential for advancement?
May I have a copy of a job description?
What are employers looking for? (Skills, education, experience)
How important is the resume and what makes one impressive?
What do you look for in employees?
How do you stay current in your knowledge?
What's the corporate culture like here? (Hours, salary, titles)
Are there related fields I might want to look into if few jobs are available in my primary career goal?
What are current job prospects like?
Is your job typical of others in this field?
Which firms do you think are your toughest competitors, and how do they differ from your company?
Can you refer me to someone else in this field?

Keep in mind that you can also ask about other things. Get a sense for whether they enjoy their work. Try to decide what they actually do, how they spend their day, what their short and long term responsibilities are. Look for the answers behind the answers.

It is important to gauge just how friendly your contacts really are. If they're sympathetic, you can ask hard questions and reveal doubts about the field. If they are stand-offish or judgmental, be cautious. You should not be afraid to ask technical questions - especially if it shows what you already know about the field.

When you go:

This is an opportunity to meet a person in the profession you are hoping to enter. Dress professionally, take paper for writing notes, and an extra resume in case there is an opportunity to have it critiqued or to leave it with the employer. Avoid anything that might jeopardize your interviewer's desire to refer you to other people. One important objective is getting additional leads and referrals, one of which may eventually lead you to a job.

When it is over:

You should have names of people to contact. You should follow up on the advice the employer gives you. You should have a good idea if this is where you would want to work or could work.

Don't forget to send a thank-you note to the person for being so generous with their time.

Feature on a person

2009-06-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

Feature on a Person

1. Describe the lead of the article. How are most readers likely to react to this introduction to the article? What, if any, curiosities will this lead help to arose?

2. A lead in a feature article of this type can help provide focus (or angle) on a particular aspect of a person's life. Does this lead accomplish this?

3. A feature on a person often serves to highlight and explain the specialness or uniqueness of a particular person's life. What special or unique aspects of the subject is featured.

4. Feature article about people generally incorporate many direct quotes from featured persons themselves. As a result, the reader has a sense of having spoken with the person him or herself. The quotes generally serve to reveal the person's specific thoughts or feelings, often kind of thoughts of feelings that people may not reveal to strangers in casual conversation. The quotes help to know person on deeper level.

5. This type of feature often includes description or concrete details to help the reader reach his own conclusion about the featured person and his or her life. For example, the writer may choose to describe the physical appearance of the person or their environment.

6. Personal profiles features are usually less objective than news stories, but more objective than opinion piece on an editorial page. Find one passage in the article (not a quote) that you think is completely objective- just facts.

7. The conclusion of this type of article may serve to leave the reader with some final impression of the person featured. Find atechnique to do that. If it doesn't have a final impression, than what does it do?

Wild Geese

2009-06-25T07:19:00.002-07:00

You do no have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.

Tell me about your despair, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wildgeese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting-

over and over announcing your place

in the family of thing.

Dreamwork

By Mary Oliver

Open: know your self and others know about you	Blind: not known yourself, but known to others
Hidden: known to self, not known to others	Unknown: not known to self and others