Archive for interests
January 19, 2010 at 12:28 am · Filed under interests
It is just about time to start planning for our yearly family summer get-away. And by “family,” I mean the extended family from Dave’s side. Every summer, give or take a few summers, we’ve made the effort to get away somewhere for a week or two as a family. Traditionally, it was to Gabriola Island off of Vancouver Island, but that has been long gone now for a couple of years when Gran could no longer make it there due to her health. It’s not the same without her there. So last year, we went to Southern California, for the sole purpose of Disneyland with the kids. This summer, we’re looking at other places, one of which could be Hawai’i or even a cruise up to Alaska. Maybe eventually, we’ll make it to the other side of the continent, like, say, one of those myrtle beach vacations, eh? I’ve heard great things about Myrtle Beach. But for now, we have our eyes set on Hawai’i or a cruise!
September 29, 2009 at 8:45 pm · Filed under daily, heart, interests
I’ve been toying with the idea of possibly starting my own business. Actually, I’ve been toying with this for a long time. Years, even. I sometimes get the vast urge to do something really creative with my artistic endeavors, like open up a greeting card store, or try my hand at a web design business again, or making photography as a full time job, or.. or.. well, you get the idea. But, I never really get around to actually taking the next step after “thinking about it.” I’ve never consulted with business plan consultants, and I’ve never really mapped out any sort of concrete plan. Maybe one day, as a retirement gig, I can do it. But for now, I’m really happy being a mental health therapist. For now, I really enjoy being able to help my community stay mentally happy. Happiness is a great business to be in.
December 4, 2008 at 11:56 pm · Filed under interests
I’ve heard of this neat new software called Dragon Naturally Speaking. When it first came out a few years ago, Dave told me about it and we both got really excited. We didn’t get the chance to try it out, but now I’m hearing about it again and it’s just as exciting as when I first learned about it. Not only does it subscribe your recordings, it is also easy to use and has become very dependable.Nowadays, with Dragon Naturally Speaking, it would be so easy to make blogging that much more simple. My top ten wish list for making blogging simpler is (but are not limited to): updating wordpress, widgets that make my website more noticeable and easier to maintain (such as my flickr widgets), Dragon Naturally Speaking (of course), an eye-catching design for all of my blogs (I need to make more web layouts; it’s been a while!), perhaps a new logo for all of my blogs, more time on my hands to blog, more memory for the laptop so that my sites will load faster and more efficiently, advertisement tools to get my blogs out there, and of course, eye-catching and memorable blog posts.
With Dragon Naturally Speaking, hands off blogging would be made that much simpler, and since I can talk faster than I type (which is already pretty fast!), it would make blogging that much faster too. I recommend getting it too. Here are some coupon codes for it if you need them.
November 30, 2008 at 1:38 pm · Filed under interests, thoughts
I read this in the waiting room at my doc’s office last month. It really puts everything in perspective.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in this world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in this world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare, even in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.
Have a good day, and count your blessings!
November 29, 2008 at 11:10 am · Filed under interests
Well, I do have to admit that if ever there is a time to shop, Black Friday weekend is it. I’ve been coveting a few things that I haven’t been able to get since money is tight these days. Like a new digital camera. Though I would also love having some kick-ass binoculars. Nikon Promo is having a Nikon Black Friday Promo, and you can get a pair of really awesome binoculars there for cheaper than the usual price. Dave and I want to go camping a lot when Beaner is a little older, so we would love to have binoculars to look at the wildlife that we see. Bird watching is made much more awesome with cool Nikon binoculars!
November 10, 2008 at 11:48 pm · Filed under daily, interests, thoughts
This is interesting. I was doing some research to compare the U.S.’s capitalistic/market economy versus other developed countries’ socialistic governments, and I came across this. Doesn’t it make you want to move to a socialist country? I’m so glad I live in Canada now. Vancouver, BC, Canada, by the way, was voted #3 best place in the world to live. Woo!!
Why Socialism Works
Lets compare the neocons favorite target country France and the U.S.
Population :France 63,000,000
U.S. 300,000,000
GDP (official exchange rate):France $2.154 trillion
U.S. $13.22 trillion (2006 est.)
Growth rate:France 2.4%
U.S. 2.1% (2007 1RST QUTR.)
Budget:revenues:France $1.15 trillion
expenditures: $1.211 trillion
(This means the French government has $1.15
trillion to spend on only 63 million people.
We have only twice that much to spend on 300
million people.Almost 5 times as many people.
This explains why they have no potholes,can
afford universal health care and a 350+ mph train system.)
revenues:U.S. $2.409 trillion
expenditures: $2.66 trillion
Currency reserves:France $74,360,000,000
U.S. $86,940,000,000
Public debt:France 64.7% of GDP
$3,461,000,000,000 Trillion
U.S.64.7% of GDP
$8,825,000,000,000 Trillion
Deficit:France $58.8 billion
(By law Soc.Sec. funds can’t be spent
for anything but Soc.Sec.)
U.S. $760 billion (SOC.SEC. and Iraq funding
money spent but not counted in deficit.
350 billion +)
Military spending:France $46 Billion (3RD)
U.S. $276 Billion (1RST)
Gross National Income
(per capita):France $30,693.70
U.S. $43,144.30
(This doesn’t take into account Americans work an
extra 400 Hrs.per year for the extra income.)
Unemployment Rate:France 8%
(This is a bit misleading since most young
adults in France 16-26 don’t work but go
to school full-time)
U.S. 4.8%
Unemployment pay:France 57% For 22 Months
(75% For low Income)
U.S. 48% For 6 Months
Worker Productivity per hr:France $35 Per Hour (#2)
U.S. $32 Per Hour (#4)
(This blows away the myth that
socialism makes workers lazy.)
Population below
poverty line:France 6.2%
(Lowest for industrial countries)
U.S. 14%
Population below
median Income:France 8%
U.S. 17%
Inflation rate:France 1.5%
U.S. 2.5%
Average Work Week:France 35 Hours
U.S. 46 Hours
Minimum Wage:France $9.50
U.S. $5.15
Comparative price
levels by country:France 94
U.S. 109
(OECD AVE.=100, LESS THAN 100=Cheaper cost of living)
Vacation :France 7 weeks average
(5 Weeks minimum paid, by law)
U.S. 13 days average (source Infoplease)
Health Care:France Ranked #1
U.S. Ranked #37 (W.H.O. 2001)
Population gov.covered:France 99%
U.S. 40% (15% have no coverage.)
source (U.S. CENSUS BUREAU)
gov. cost per person :France $3,048
U.S. $5,711
yearly gov. cost growth:France 2.3%
U.S. 3.2%
Life expectancy:France 72 years
U.S. 69 years
Infant mortality rate:France 4.31 per 1,000
U.S. 10.4 per 1,000
Paid Maturnity leave:France 1 Year up to 3 for 3 children
U.S. none
GOV. pay for children:France 2 $480, 3 $960 Per month
(%40 Discount on publicTransit,Pools,etc.)
U.S. $0
Daycare:France 1-3 Free 3+ School
U.S. $400+ Per month,Per Child
Education:France free Preschool through College
U.S. Free Kindergarten-Through 12th Grade
Retirement age:France Average 59 Yrs old
U.S average 67 yrs old
Total crimes 2006:France 3,771,850
U.S. 23,677,800
Teen Pregnancy:France 17,985 births (2006)
U.S. 494,357 births (2006)
SIDE NOTES:
In France almost all workers get Saturday off and
Even more get Sunday off.
Additional
—-sources:
—–CIA world fact book
—–Nation Master
—–WIKIPEDIA
—–http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article
—–/2006/10/17/AR2006101701652.html
—–http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4856992.stm
—–http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/chcm010307oth.cfm
—–http://www.easyexpat.com/paris_en/work_unemployment-benefits.htm
—–World Health Organisation
—–Personal Information
November 5, 2008 at 4:02 pm · Filed under interests, thoughts
So yes, Obama won. I was on a huge high yesterday. I, among so many Americans out there, was desperate for change, and I was also cynical that this change was going to come. Hopeful, but cynical. This is the first time in my voting history that I am actually excited for a presidential candidate, and I am excited that he got elected. In fact, he won by a landslide. A landslide, people!! It wasn’t even “close.” It wasn’t as close as the last two elections, which were stolen by the Republican right-wing. This one was won fair and square, and I couldn’t be more proud.
I was one of those people who threatened to move to Canada after Bush got elected the last time around. I am one of them who actually made the move. Yesterday not only marked the official day of this election, it also marked the official day I made my move legal. I’m officially a Canadian resident. I still have the right to vote in the U.S., and I vote I did. But, as I took seriously what so many hateful Americans told me to do four years ago when I complained about Bush being in office for another 4 years, I simply “left.” However, from a distance, I am still promoting change in America, and I couldn’t be more proud.
The last eight years confirmed my final progression to Canada. It also confirmed, without a shadow of a doubt, that Dave and I would be bringing our children into this world on Canadian soil instead of U.S. soil. The last eight years changed me a lot. It changed the way I identified myself and it changed the way I looked at America. Now, hopefully, the next four years and so forth will help mend this view.
Since Obama’s victory, I have seen and read and heard a lot of weird things from the right-wingers and those who voted for McCain. While I can’t understand (and probably never will, no matter how hard I may try) their reason to vote for McCain, I respect their votes nonetheless. What remains strange, though, is the reasoning some of them give for voting for McCain. I hear that Obama only won because he is “black.”
Seriously? We’re pulling the race card? While watching McCain’s defeat speech last night, the camera showed two people in his fan audience who appeared to be a father-and-son team of skinheads. The father was pissed off, and he was holding his toddler son in his arms. Of course, I cannot confirm that these two were in fact skinheads and rioting for hate crimes against ethnic minorities. However, the thought of this scares me. Having an African American for president is a big deal because I didn’t think we were ready to have anyone other than an old white dude. In all our progression, we haven’t progressed that far yet. But, as important as it is, it is not as important as his policies, and I respect this man and his policies way more than I respect the color of his skin. After all, he is just as “white” as he is “black,” having his mother being white and his father being black. So no, race is not an issue in this election for me. It is an issue in America because we’re still much more backwards than we would like to believe. I mean, 45 years ago, black people couldn’t even vote, and now we have a black president. Of course it is important. But more than anything else, he is a genuine man, a man of the people, a man who remembers that just because you’re “rich” doesn’t mean the poor deserves to be poor.
And then there are the others who say that “non-Christian values” got elected into office this term. First feeling: anger. Second feeling: “What the HELL does that mean??” At the risk of getting too political, really, people, explain this to me. Other than the fact that I am not a Christian, I would have thought that I too have “Christian values,” except well, I call them simply “morals.” What are these “Christian” values that Christians have that I don’t? I don’t get it.
Thou art not kill?
Thou art not commit adultery?
Thou art not be stupid and hurt other people?
Thou art be kind to thy neighbor?
Thou art help people as much as thou can?
I think I am a good person, with good values, with good morals. The fact that I am not religious doesn’t take away this fact at all, in my belief. These “Christian” values normal people call simply “morals.” I do not need the fear of God in me to lead me to be a good person, with good morals and values, albeit Christian or Olympian or Buddhist.
But if you will, please explain to me what these “Christian values” are that I may be lacking merely because I’m not a Christian. I just don’t get it. Maybe I’m ignorant or something?
And correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Obama announce that he IS a religious man, that he does believe in God and that he is a Christian? How, then, are Christian values not elected in this time? Is it because he’s a Democrat? Or left-wing? Or that he helps the poor and believes in small business? Or that he has “socialist values,” heaven forbid? That he wants to help everyone and not just people who are willing to be capitalists? What is it about these these “Christian values” that are so sought after?
Thirdly, wait a minute, isn’t there a specific thing in the American legislation that states “separation of church and state”? If so, what does it matter that the president is religious or not? Christian or Muslim? Atheist, even? *gasp*
Fourth, seeing as how Bush was such a “Christian” man and what a crappy job he did in 8 years (count the innocent civilian lives he helped murder in the Middle East, the thousands of American soldiers who were killed by enemy AND friendly fire, the vast economic deficit accumulated over the last 8 years, and the list goes on), isn’t it time for a change, then? Isn’t it safe to say, by logical deduction, that perhaps we don’t need more “Christian values” in the White House?
I am set to remember over the next four years that it will take longer than four years to fix all the crap that Bush did to this country. The separation, the polarization, the enemies we’ve made overseas, the terrorists we helped create, the wars we’ve created, the laws that have vastly excluded the down trodden (but hey, they don’t deserve any of our love or sympathy because they’re all a bunch of lazy Democrats who want free handouts anyway!), etc. etc. Here’s hoping Obama can make even a slither of change that we need. And perhaps we can vote him in for another round of change.
October 23, 2008 at 9:39 am · Filed under heart, interests, thoughts
So yesterday, I turned in my absentee ballot for the federal and state elections this year. I was almost surprised to find out that there are actually 9 people running for president, 7 of whom never got any air-time in any of the nation’s media. They were skipped out of the “presidential” debates entirely. I give them all kudos for having the nerve to even run for president, knowing that they would never win, or even get represented as a presidential candidate in America’s history. I would have voted for Nader, or even the Green Party’s representative (whose name I have already forgotten, giving valid proof that they almost don’t matter), but this isn’t Canada, or the UK, or any other country that allows their candidates to be represented fully. This is the “United” States of America, where only two people can run for president. Not “everyone” can be president because after all, the last two presidential candidates four years ago happened to be cousins to one another.
It makes me angry, really, to see these candidates on the ballot and feeling like my hands are tied that I cannot vote for the person I think would be better at the job because I know I would be throwing my vote away. In Canada, a percentage of the votes for every party gets represented in “seats” in the government. In the U.S., good luck in hell when that happens. In Canada, even minority parties get represented, depending on how many votes they get. In the U.S., there are only two parties worth mentioning: democratic and republican. In Canada, when there is a prime minister debate, there are all the parties up there, debating with one another, sometimes as many as 5 people talking seriously about the issues. In the U.S., presidential candidates who are not from the Democratic or Republican party get arrested for even showing up at the debates. In Canada, I wouldn’t be throwing my vote away if I didn’t vote for one of the top two representatives. I would know that at least my vote counted for a percentage and therefore my party would have a “seat.” In the U.S., a vote not for the Democratic party is a vote for the Republican party. Oh, what a “free” country we live in.
It seems counterproductive when people get angry that Ralph Nader has again run for president. People accuse him of allowing votes to be thrown away, thereby essentially “handing” votes to the Republican candidate because after all, what chance in hell does he have of winning? And yet, I keep going back to the lesson that my 1st grade teacher kept telling us: “Anyone can run for president.” Sure, anyone can run, but not anyone can win. Sure, anyone can run, but you can’t just vote for “anyone” and make it count. Sure, anyone can run, but who is Mr. Anyone going to get corporate endorsements if that Anyone doesn’t promise corporations and sleazy CEOs a percentage of their wealth and fame once president? Sure, “anyone” can run, but how many impoverished, blue collar middle class black women who are raising ten fatherless children do you know have run for president in this country’s history?
That’s right. None.
So, with every election that passes, I feel a sense of duty and a sense of loss. I voted for the least of two evils (though I have to admit, during this election, I am more excited about Obama than I have been with any candidate running for president in the past; even Clinton). With every vote where I’m not voting for my heart, I feel like I’m selling just a tiny bit of my soul away, and condoning this country’s fake democracy.
But there you have it. Not enough of us are angry enough to do anything about it. Most of us are too busy looking for top rated diet pills to shove down our throats so we can look like Paris Hilton or Nicole Richie. *shudder*
October 9, 2008 at 7:50 pm · Filed under interests
When I was car shopping about a month ago, I SO had the itch to buy a Volkswagon. I would LOVE to have an Audi. Granted, they’re not as family-friendly right now, but the kind I want is so darn cute. I’d get it all turbo charged up and have it pimped up to the max. This is odd of me (of all people) to say that, since I’m not really into cars or rides. But, one of my favorite models has always been the VW. If I ever get a VW, which I hope to one day, I am going to check out Turbo Charger Pros and surf through all of their awesome merchandise to pimp my ride. They have so many different upgrades that can make your car not only look better, but perform better and faster too. Check it out!
October 7, 2008 at 9:31 am · Filed under interests
With everyone starting school after the summer, and people getting out of their summer vacations, it got me remembering back to last year around this time, when we were making plans to go on our honeymoon in Mexico. We stayed there for a week. We were already a few weeks along pregnant with Baby Beaner, but we were talking about toying with the idea of having a yearly getaway retreat. It’s not very likely right now, since finances are rather tight, but the thought of it is nice. I was looking into going to Branson, where the options for entertainment are abundant. They’ve got shows and even a theme park of their own. Of course, if we ever do decide to go, we’d go with Lily Bean. Can’t imagine leaving her behind anywhere!
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