Family Bonding...

We went to my aunt today since its holiday. We visit my aunt because she was sick a few days ago. It's really nice to be with them. They are really a family. They are very accommodating and warm.

We shared a good dinner together. It was a lot of fun. I am really close to this aunt of mine. She was my nanny when I was still small. I can feel her love for me. I love her too!

It's always nice to visit them when there's time. She's okay now. She has recovered. That's good. I am going to rest now, there's work tomorrow. Good night!

Spiritual Lessons of 'Twilight: New Moon'

I asked an intelligent, professional, and deeply spiritual friend what she thought of the Twilight Saga and she said almost breathlessly, “It’s crack. I can’t get enough of it.”

I’m also a junkie for the Twilight Saga’s completely unrealistic love story. “Who acts like that?”, I ask myself, but I keep coming back. Deep down inside I knew who acted that way. Edward’s inhumanly perfect love and Bella’s passionate attachment to him echoed —don’t laugh—the sacred romance between God and me.

All of us bring our experiences, longings, fears, and hopes to a story. This gallery reflects the parallels I see between the Twilight Saga and my Christian life, but you don’t have to be a Christian to find your own soul’s journey in the books or movies. Go through the slides and let your own insights emerge. That’s one of the best things about good stories. They’re open to multiple, very personal interpretations.

A Facebook group exists whose members declare, “Jesus Christ is my Edward Cullen.” An overstatement I think, but the group’s creator’s ideas resonate with the hundred or so people who’ve joined and, I suspect, many more. “Deep down, deeper than anything,” she says, “we as girls just want to be pursued and to be loved in a way that leaves us feeling chosen and wanted.” To her credit she recognized Edward Cullen is pure fantasy, but he’s the kind of quixotic hero that emerges again and again in chick lit and flicks.

A shy, awkward girl is whisked from her dull life when the most popular boy in the school realizes she’s beautiful. Even sacred literature points to the yearning we common gals have to be wanted by someone extravagantly out of our league. The Shulamite woman in the Song of Songs captures the heart of the king and boldly asserts, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” Verse 7:10. You go, my dark and lovely! The possibilities make a sistah swoon.

Lonely, miserable Isabella Swan—such a revealing fairytale name—leaves sunny Arizona and is forced into exile in dreary Forks, Washington. Her flaky mother and clueless father frequently fail her, and her new friends, including that pestering Mike, don’t really “get” her. No one sees the real Bella, and she’s disconnected from the kind of love that will abolish the existential question, “Is this all there is?” To me, her feelings of alienation recall the human condition.

Christianity teaches we’re all banished from Paradise by the great alienater: sin. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” But once upon a time we walked with God in the cool of the evening. The memory of long-lost glory is in us. I think God keeps it there so we’ll return to Him and be restored to our original fabulousness.

When Bella sees Edward for the first time she’s stunned by his “devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful” looks, but in biology class when she has to sit next to him, he stiffens as if he’s repulsed. At the sound of the bell Edward bolts as if propelled by an ejector seat, leaving Bella staring after him. On the drive back home she fights back tears of humiliation.

As a child I had a picture of the Garden of Eden After The Fall. It depicted Eve shrinking away from a towering, angry God. The ominous image scared me. But the truth is, we can be as wrongheaded about God’s motivation as Bella was about Edward.

What I thought was God’s rejection turned out to be the beginning of a rescue plan driven by love greater than I can comprehend. The Song of Songs, a striking allegory of God and us, confirms His ardor. “

I belong to my beloved,

and his desire is for me

.”(7:10). I wouldn’t go as far as to say we humans are God’s brand of heroin, but He’s pretty crazy about us. That I’m sure of.

The next time Bella sees Edward, she’s irresistibly drawn to his gaze. “I don’t think he likes me,” she tells her friend Jessica. “The Cullens don’t like anybody… But he’s still staring at you.” Score one for the girl with absolutely nothing to offer.

Sure Edward is bizarre, maddening, prettier than Bella, and tenses whenever she gets too close, but she can’t help herself. Literally. She can’t help herself! Bella is a veritable trouble magnet, and later we see she needs Edward to save her from one terrible fate after another.

Questions haunt her. Who is Edward?

What

is he? She burns to know the mystery of why he chose to help

her

. I ask these same questions about the peculiar Man I’m drawn to, the Jewish carpenter slash God’s Son. But I’ve learned to trust Him. Maybe because He paid a high price to save me from my own terrible fate. John 15:13 tells us, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” The

Twilight Saga

gently nudges me explore the wonder of my Savior, although His unmerited love still baffles me.

In good stories archetypes abound. Edward as a type of savior is one, but he’s also a dangerous monster capable of killing Bella. It’s odd how little revulsion Bella has for her beau’s bestial nature once she discovers it. One could surmise that she sees him like an Aslan:

not safe, but good. Or perhaps Bella’s not afraid of Edward because she’s got her own beast within: lust.Bella relies on Edward’s strength to temper the devouring urges he arouses in her. His admirable restraint in all things—he doesn’t

want

to be a monster—tames the beast in her.

In Matthew 6:13, Jesus taught us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Sadly, I’m the evil one sometimes. The Twilight Saga reminds me to make sure I don’t let my inner monster take more than I’m entitled to, devouring those I claim to love.

Once Bella realized Edward is a vampire she told him. “I decided it didn’t matter.” Edward thought she was nuts! But the more he tried to convince her he was a fatal attraction, the more she fell “unconditionally and irrevocably” in love.

It had to suck to be Edward—again, no pun intended. He hated the soulless thing he’d become, but Bella shattered the eternity of despair stretched out before him with her love and acceptance. He’d be damned, literally, without her.

It doesn’t matter

are the grace drenched words of a fearless lover, who sees us at our worst and wants us anyway. Mercy, like the kind Jesus showed the woman found committing adultery, is a powerful incentive. It makes the command “go and sin no more” possible.

“Love covers a multitude of sins,” 1 Peter 4:8 tell us. To cover here means more than “to hide from view.” It denotes restorative action. Love should ultimately restore us to be exactly who God created us to be: protectors, not predators; worthy, not worthless. The Twilight Saga reminds me of these truths.

The novel “New Moon

”

opens with Bella dreaming of her grandmother, only the creased and withered old lady isn’t her Gran at all; she’s Bella. When Bella sees herself in a mirror next to perpetually 17-year-old Edward, it illustrates perfectly how doomed their relationship is. She awakens from the nightmare with a start.

We are not immortal, but we do have immortal souls. This is why the notion of a love that lasts forever is so appealing. No human lover can give us eternity, but an eternal relationship is possible. The Westminster Catechism says the chief end of man is to “love God and enjoy Him forever,” and Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” We were created for a happily-ever-after, so we don’t have to let go of the idea. What we need to release is the fantasy that we can have it with a guy. I don’t care how much he sparkles in the sun!

One criticism of Bella I’ve heard is her single-mindedness when it comes to Edward. She’d gladly ditch her precious humanity to be a vampire, but Edward restrains her. This disturbs many readers and moviegoers, who asked themselves, “What will it profit Bella if she gains Edward but loses her soul?” Good question!

But I wonder if something else might be going on here. If Edward is a type of Immortal Beloved, perhaps Bella’s crazy love is a type of extraordinary faith. John 12:24 talks about a seed falling to the earth and dying to produce many seeds. But the seed doesn’t truly die: it changes form. The verse is about us “dying” to our ambitions, desires, and sins. If we do, we will eventually reap a harvest of virtues many can enjoy.

“Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life,” is a passage I’ll bet Bella could relate to. And maybe that’s what Stephenie Meyer was getting at through several metaphors in the series: true love will cost us, but it’s a force with the power to transform us.

Edward saves Bella from car wrecks, gang rape, his brother, and even herself, all with relative ease. But the one enemy I worried about, a formidable, and certainly more vicious foe, was the group of roaming vampires who were the Cullen family’s nemesis. Those big, bad monsters didn’t share the Cullens’ values. They drank human blood and deceived people, not to blend in, but to lure them as prey and kill them. At first glance they regarded Bella as a snack, not a friend.

Not everyone believes in evil, but most religions acknowledge it, and that evil isn’t always “us.” 1 Peter 5:8 describes a spiritual adversary and gives instructions on how to deal with him that could be ripped from a Cullen family manual. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him.”

This Twilight Saga reminds me that love may offer us remarkable protection, but we can never lose sight of the very real conflicts in our lives, and our sometimes blood-drawing struggles to overcome them.

In a brave attempt at normalcy, the Cullens throw Bella a birthday party. When a paper cut slices her finger, she and Edward realize something so ordinary—a teensy paper cut—in a room full of vampires is life threatening. Edward decides to leave Bella for her own good, and she grieves his loss.

Enter Jacob, Bella’s new best friend, and soon-to-be love interest. He’s an affable "monster" with his own impressive superhero powers. His charisma inspired scores of Edward defectors to embrace “team Jacob.” But I didn’t. Jacob is not Edward. I turned a lot of pages trying to get back to Bella’s main squeeze.

Sometimes the Immortal Beloved hides from His lover. The ancients called this the dark night of the soul. We can’t see or feel an inkling of His love, yet His voice remains inside us. One of my favorite passages of scripture is Matt. 20:28, when Jesus assures His followers, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Fortunately, I don’t have to try keep myself in danger to hear Him. My Bible, Mass, and even teachers keep me hearing His voice. Sheesh, Bella! Nobody has to go out like that.

You may love it, hate it, or feel nothing at all, but you can’t deny the Twilight Saga is a force that has captivated multitudes of devoted fans for a reason. Jesus is not my Edward Cullen, but the series did remind me of aspects of my relationship with Him. Some read or watched and discerned a call for abstinence in a culture where we’re taught to give in to whatever we want, regardless of how bad it is for us. Other zealous souls saw the series as a gateway into the occult. I’d dare say most fans enjoy the Twilight Saga

hoping one day they’ll find someone a bit out of this world who will choose them—wonder of wonders—and love them fiercely.

I’m sorry to say he won’t be an Edward. No mere mortal can compete with him. But what the series can teach us about ourselves, our hungers and weakness—what it demonstrates about loving with passion—those things can be useful. Whether we apply what we learn—loosely—to our mates, or reserve such for our relationships with God, they’re lessons many of us can use.

[source]

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Synopsis:

Just after Bella's (Kristen Stewart) 18th birthday, Edward (Robert Pattinson) decides to leave her behind in an effort to protect her. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year, numb and alone, she discovers she can summon Edward's image whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks, including a new taste for high-speed motorcycle jaunts.

With the help of Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), her childhood friend and a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, Bella refurbishes a motorbike for her adventures. Bella's frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, who has a supernatural secret of his own.

When Bella wanders alone into a meadow, she finds herself face to face with a deadly attacker. Only the intervention of a pack of extraordinarily large wolves saves her from a grisly fate and the encounter makes it frighteningly clear that Bella is still in grave danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the ancient secret of the Quileute tribe and Edward's true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is quite unlike the one she had hoped for.

My Movie Review:

I was not that satisfied with New Moon than with Twilight. I guess I expected so much from it. I really look forward to watching the movie. I even watch it during it's premiere night. But I was quite disappointed. I am hoping to see more of Edward in the movie but he has limited exposure. The story this time was not clearly told. Well, it's about breaking up with the one you love and the hurt and struggle of moving on with your life without him.

The most interesting realization of the movie is that the only person that could hurt us that much is the one we love. Even if someone comes along who could somehow ease the pain but we will always come back to the one we truly love no matter how much he has hurt us. He could still remove the pain in our heart no matter how deep it is.

I still recommend this movie. If you have watched the first part, you still have to watch New Moon for there's still a next episode coming soon...

2012 movie..

Synopsis:

Disaster movie maven Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) crafts this apocalyptic sci-fi thriller following the prophecy stated by the ancient Mayan calendar, which says that the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012. When a global cataclysm thrusts the world into chaos, divorced writer and father Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) joins the race to ensure that humankind is not completely wiped out. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton, and Oliver Platt round out the cast of this end-of-the-world thriller co-scripted by the director and his 10,000 B.C. writer/composer, Harald Kloser. ~ Jason Buchanan


My Movie Review:

The movie is great. It has a lot of thrills. It is a little scary. Nobody really knows when would be the end of the world and who could really save us. We should all be ready for this. The movie also shown how different countries unite for the common goal, that is to save people during time of crisis. No matter what your status in life, everybody would face life's end. We should live our lives to the fullest. Tomorrow may never come. We should love the people near us especially our family. We should not hesitate to say "I love you" before it's too late. We should express and show our love to them.

What's Your Stone?

You know your Sun Sign, but did you know that your sign is associated with a birthstone? Read on to harness the power of your sign's stone!


When you invest in jewelry for yourself or someone else, you often buy what looks the best or the most fetching - or because it is more expensive than attractive (Taurus) or more attractive than expensive (Aries). But did you know each sign has its own birthstone? Here is a guide to birthstones by sign that will help you next time you go shopping for jewelry. Feel free to use this as an excuse to go shopping.

Aries
Diamonds are (apologies for this old joke) an Aries's best friend! Because they are also crystals, diamonds also help to keep your chakras balanced. Diamonds are appropriate for the first sign of the Zodiac because they represent the unlimited potential of an Aries: nothing can stop you. And, you can cut glass with it!

Taurus
Emerald City is your town, baby. Emeralds are crystals, too, the crystal of psychic awareness, positivity, and protection! They're excellent for a sign that tends to dive too much into negative thinking because they will help you see more clearly. Most important, emeralds can help you to have faith that your needs will always be taken care of!

Gemini
Ah, Gemini, you're so classy! Nothing but the best for you, so pearl is your birthstone (guess diamonds are too easy for challenge-craving Gemini)! Pearls help to ground you and keep you centered when you are flitting from here to there. Plus they make you feel real pretty, don't they? You can multitask and look good doing it!

Cancer
Taureans may have Emerald City to themselves, but you have the Ruby Slippers, you lucky Cancer! Rubies are very much a feminine stone and can help you with concerns about fertility, even if you're of the male persuasion. These powerful gems can also balance your kundalini energy. And you thought rubies were only pretty little stones! Turns out they're pretty, little, and powerful!

Leo
Leo, your gemstone is as unique and bold as you are. Peridot is your stone. Beautiful peridot, also called olivine for its deep olive color, is a stone that helps with emotional healing, perfect for takes-things-too-personally Leo - but don't take that personally! With peridot, your normal Leo confidence will be renewed in no time!

Virgo
Virgo, your birthstone is sapphire. What color is a sapphire? The answer is: every color except red. The most prevalent color of a sapphire is blue. This is a stone of understanding, both for yourself and for others, and can help you when you are experience that Virgo no-one-gets-me feeling. Relax, Virgo, all is well with sapphire.

Libra
Libra, meet opal. This stone can carry both Sun and Moon energy, helping you find the perfect balance when you are stuck in Libra Analytical Gehenna. Use this stone when you are having trouble going outside of your comfort zone to see all sides, and clarity will soon follow. And you won't even have time to annoy your friends with your depth of analysis!

Scorpio
Scorpio, your stone is citrine. This stone can help you calm that Scorpio anger by helping you find balance and peace. This will also help your sensitive physical symptoms when you are in need of healing. And yes, Scorpio, citrine is the stone of sexual energy! Is that all you ever think about?

Sagittarius
Sagittarius, have you been up all night partying again? Well, your stone is topaz, which will help you feel rested. Insomniac? Keep your topaz close by during the day so that your energies are balanced at night and you are ready for sleep. Also, cut down on the caffeine because we know you won't cut down on the partying.

Capricorn
Capricorn, we are sorry to say your secret is out. You are not as emotionally strong as you pretend to be. But that's no problem because your stone is garnet. It can help restore strength when you are physically and emotionally challenged. This is also the stone of renewal for those times you wish you could just start over again (you can).

Aquarius
Your stone is amethyst, and your stone, like your Water element, has amazing cleansing qualities. This can stabilize your system when you are feeling off either physically or emotionally. Cleanse and recharge with amethyst, and no one ever has to know you were anything less than calm and flowing! Perish the thought!

Pisces
Pisces, your stone is aquamarine. This is a great stone to keep close by during a Full Moon to protect you from the craziness and harness the power. Aquamarine can also help with healing, especially with the throat and heart chakras. If your psychic sensitivity is out of whack, wear aquamarine to help put it back in tune.
[source]

Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.

- Peter Ustinov

Marketing...

I am happy to join the marketing activity today. It is nice to get out of the campus for a change. To breathe a different air. It's kinda boring to stay always inside the campus. Although we went out of town, I still had a great time.

A good, yummy lunch cover-up our long travel. I was so full. We were able to accomplish our task. A marketing job is not easy. You have to have lots of patience towards the students. It's very tiring but if you're accompanied by a wonderful and caring office-mate then it is a lot better.

We ended our trip with a yummy dinner too. I am still full right now. I am tired so I guess I have to rest now. Good night!

Big Fun in Small Spaces..

Here's a little secret: Very few people feel like they have enough closet space and even fewer think they have the square footage to entertain properly. Don't worry; you don't need a palace to throw a great party. You just need to plan carefully and use the space you have efficiently. Every room and every piece of furniture is fair game for a creative, alternative use.Decide how many people you can safely accommodate, then craft your guest list. Let the number of guests determine the type of party you give. For a full house, think cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, dessert and champagne, or even sliced wraps and microbrews. A slightly smaller crowd can be treated to a brunch or supper buffet. If you simply cannot have a Christmas party without inviting everyone you know, opt for an open house. Stagger start times on your invitations and plan for about four hours of good times with a rotating cast of friends.Create open space in the center of each room. Move your dining table against a wall, push your bed into a corner and remove any obstacles you can. Drape holiday-print tablecloths and runners over the tops of bookcases, chests and occasional tables. These flat surfaces will give guests places to rest glasses and plates while socializing. Smooth a quilt or tailored coverlet over your bed and prop big throw pillows where the bed meets the wall. The bed will become another seating area when friends get tired of mingling. In a pinch, the throw pillows can evolve into floor cushions.Create food and drink stations around the house so you don't wind up with a traffic jam in the kitchen or dining room. Place the bar or tubs of drinks at the farthest corner of the house or on the patio or balcony. That move alone will instantly draw guests away from the front door. Place platters of finger foods throughout the house. Mini-quiches, taquitos, bruschetta, chips and dip or chilled shrimp placed on small tables or draped TV trays will keep guests circulating. Save the dining table for main entrees and side dishes. You'll want a separate area — perhaps in the kitchen or on a hall table — for desserts and coffee.At a really good party, dirty plates and glasses can quickly overtake every surface and make things feel cluttered. Avoid the problem by investing in beautiful, holiday-print disposable plates, glasses and flatware. Make regular sweeps through the house to clear used dishes, and place baskets lined with thick plastic bags in a few strategic spots.Nothing makes a house or apartment feel small faster than stuffy air. Before the party, set the thermostat a few degrees cooler than normal. If you have ceiling fans, turn them on at slow speed. Consider lighting your fireplace with a pretty, low-heat tea light candelabra instead of hot-burning logs. Put a small crack in the bathroom window. Once all your guests have arrived, their movement and body heat will quickly raise the temperature in the house.

[source]

Looking forward...

We are going to watch the premiere of New Moon the movie! Yipeeeeeeee!!! The most awaited event and movie of the year. And it's for free! Wow! Super happy! The movie will be shown this Friday. Can't wait! I've watched "Twilight" the movie. It was super romantic. The lines delivered by the lead stars really marked in my heart. he he I just hope that "New Moon" will also deliver good stuff.

I feel good today. I feel good about myself. I think that this is a good day. I just got a feeling. he he I'm back to my senses.

I have to go back to work now. Have a nice day everyone!

Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) - Pussycat Dolls ft. A.R. Rahman

(Jai Ho)
(Jai Ho) I got (I got) shivers (shivers),
When you touch away,
I’ll make you hot,
Get all you got,
I’ll make you wanna say (Jai Ho)

(Jai Ho)

I got (I got) fever (fever),
Running like a fire,
For you I will go all the way,
I wanna take you higher (Jai Ho)
I keep it steady uh-steady,
That’s how I feel it.
This beat is heavy, so heavy,
You gonna feel it.

(Jai Ho)You are the reason that I breathe, (Jai Ho)
You are the reason that I still believe, (Jai Ho)
You are my destiny,
Jai Ho! Uh-uh-uh-oh!
(Jai Ho) No there is nothing that can stop us (Jai Ho)
Nothing can ever come between us, (Jai Ho)
So come and dance with me,
Jai Ho! (oh)

Catch me, catch me, catch me, c’mon, catch me,
I want you now,
I know you can save me, come and save me,
I need you now.

I am yours forever, yes, forever,
I will follow,
Anywhere in anyway,
Never gonna let go.

Jai Ho

(Jai Ho) Escape (escape) away (away),
I’ll take you to a place,
This fantasy of you and me,
I’ll never lose my chance. (Jai Ho)
Lyrics are provided by Geniusbeauty.com

Yeah

I can (I can) feel you (feel you),
Rushing through my veins,
There’s an notion in my heart,
I will never be the same.

(Jai Ho) Just keep it burnin’, yeah baby,
Just keep it comin’, (Jai Ho)
You’re gonna find out baby,
I’m one in a million.

You are the reason that I breathe, (Jai Ho)
You are the reason that I still believe, (Jai Ho)
You are my destiny,
Jai Oh! Uh-uh-uh-oh!

(Jai Ho) No there is nothing that can stop us (Jai Ho)
Nothing can ever come between us (Jai Ho)
So come and dance with me,
Jai Ho! (Hear me it’s destiny)

Catch me, catch me, catch me, c’mon, catch me,
I want you now,
I know you can save me, come and save me,
I need you now.

I am yours forever, yes, forever,
I will follow,
Anywhere in anyway,
Never gonna let go.

Jai Ho, Jai Ho, Jai Ho

I need you,
Gonna make it, (Jai Ho)
I’m ready,
So take it!

(Jai Ho) You are the reason that I breathe, (Jai Ho)
You are the reason that I still believe, (Jai Ho)
You are my destiny,
Jai Oh! Uh-uh-uh-oh!

(Jai Ho)No there is nothing that can stop us, (Jai Ho)
Nothing can ever come between us, (Jai Ho)
So come and dance with me,
Jai Ho! (oh)

Jai Ho!

Baila baila!

Jai Ho!

[source]

We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.

- The Talmud

The greater part of our happiness depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.

- Martha Washington

Young and Care Free!

The generation of today is more expressive and adventurous. I think one of the reasons is because of the new technology. During my time, I was very shy. Not expressing myself much. Actually up to now I am still shy. But now, I know what I want and expressing it more.

I have seen the pictures of my new young friends. They are very much carefree. I even learn more from them. I still have my inhibitions and they say things that make me feel good about it. I am still young but not a teenager anymore but I still have my time to enjoy life and express myself more. To do the things I really wanted. To follow my heart and just be happy. Life is too short for regrets!

I want to travel more. I don't want to please everybody anymore. I am really a straight girl but now I just want to change my mind as long as I feel like it and if I think that I would benefit from it and makes me happy. I am not in contract to anyone so why should I act like that.

10 Ways To Use Credit Cards Wisely..

It's no secret that the world of consumer credit has changed dramatically over the past year. Banks have gotten more aggressive during the recession, trying to squeeze consumers for more fees and higher interest or closing down accounts entirely. Help is on the way: President Obama recently signed into law the CARD Act of 2009 to stop unfair practices. But until it goes into effect next February, here’s what you need to know to manage your plastic the smart way.

1. Micromanage your accounts
The same banks and card issuers who kept giving you more and more credit only a few years ago are now slashing those limits, raising interest rates smercilessly, and closing active and inactive accounts with abandon. So far, nothing is stopping them. At the moment, they must give you 15 days’ (45 days when the new law goes into effect) written notice of changes to the terms and conditions you agreed to—but those notices can go undetected if they’re hidden in what looks like junk mail.


Action plan
Register at your card issuer’s website so you can check your account online, even if you’ve been receiving paper statements. Then check the site a few times a week. Did you go paperless? Watch your e-mail closely. If you get one of those dreaded notices or are charged a penalty, make your case with customer service, pointing out your long history with the company and record of on-time payments.


2. Keep your balances low
Back in the day, you could max out your credit cards and cause yourself no harm, provided you didn’t go over your limit. Do that now and you’ll end up with a low credit score—which means you’ll pay higher interest when you refinance your home or take out a car loan, and you’ll pay higher insurance premiums, too. To boost your credit score, use no more than 30% of your available credit at any time on individual accounts and collectively, even if you pay your balances in full every month.


Action plan
Compare each card’s balance with its credit limit. Stop adding new purchases; at the same time, pay down your high balances to create a big gap between what you owe and the available credit. Shoot for a credit score of 700—the minimum most lenders consider “good.” Once you’re there, go for 740.

3. Watch when you pay
This is particularly critical if you’ve switched from paper to paperless billing. Credit card computer systems are set up to look for payments between the statement closing date and the due date; if you use paperless billing, you may not be aware of your due date. If you carry a revolving balance and pay early but no payment is recorded during that little window, you’ll be counted as late, and be charged around $39.

Action plan
Card companies can change statement closing and due dates, so verify them each month before you make your payment. (Even if you’re getting paper statements, check the dates.) And if you pay by check, always use the preaddressed bar-coded return envelope to ensure that your payment is processed promptly.

4. Think twice before transferring
your balance If you’ve found a card with a lower interest rate, transferring sounds like a great idea. But first, consider the ratio between the transferred balance and the credit limit on that new card. If you start out using all of your available credit on this new account(and remember, you’ve just added another line of credit to your collection), your credit score may suffer. And don’t forget the 3% to 4% fee charged for transferring.

Is getting a lower interest rate worth taking a hit to your score? I’d say no—unless you have a solid credit score of 700 or higher, you’ll use less than half of the credit limit on the new card, and the interest rate after the introductory period is a lot lower than you’re paying now.

Action plan
Before you make a move, call your current company and ask them to reduce your rate. Tell them you’re considering a balance transfer if they won’t cooperate. If you have a good credit score and a history of on-time payments, they should comply; however, you may need to call back several times and speak to a few supervisors. If they still turn you down, research your transfer options at CardTrak.com and IndexCreditCards.com, and make sure you read all the fine print before you commit.

5. Request a limit increase
If the amount of credit you’re using is way too close to your current credit limit (either on an individual card or all of your accounts collectively), ask for a higher credit limit. You may be able to increase the gap and improve your score. But be aware that this could also trigger the lender to pull your credit report, resulting in an “inquiry” that could affect your score. And don’t even consider a limit increase unless you’re very disciplined and you won’t see it as an excuse to spend.

Action plan
Call customer service and ask for an increase (have an amount in mind). Defend your request with how long you’ve been a customer and your payment history.

6. Don’t apply for credit you don’t need
Although your first few credit card accounts build and improve your credit score, there’s a point when acquiring more will reduce your score. Where that point is, no one knows, but generally, two or three cards are all you need.

Action plan
Say “no, thanks” when the cashier offers 10% off your purchase in exchange for filling out the store’s credit application. And don’t complete an application just to see if you can qualify. In my opinion, store credit cards aren’t necessary (and the interest rates are horrendous) unless there’s some overriding benefit that will offset the ding in your credit— like getting $500 off a $3,000 refrigerator.

7. Keep accounts open
Closing accounts may seem like the obvious way to fix the problem of too many credit cards. But it’s not. Once the accounts are opened, the damage is done. Closing them could actually drag down your score (the loss of available credit narrows the gap between how much you owe and your available credit). If your total amount of credit available declines, as it would when you close accounts, your credit score will go down too.

Action plan
Keep tabs on all of your cards. Know where they are; who, if anyone, is a co-owner or authorized user; how and when the monthly statements arrive; and the specific terms and conditions of each.

8. Keep accounts active
Banks and other credit grantors are on a campaign these days to reduce their exposure to risk by closing inactive credit accounts. No matter who closes the account—you or the credit grantor—it’s not a good thing.

Action plan
Until your debt is paid completely (or until you’re using very little, say, only 10%), keep all of your accounts active. Not using them gives creditors an invitation to close them. Charge something small each month or so, then pay the balance in full immediately. Consider setting up a small payment (such as a phone bill) charged automatically to a particular account, and have the bill paid automatically.

9. Lower your rate
Before you try to lower your credit card interest rate, know how long you’ve had the account, and have a general idea of your payment record and credit score.

Action plan
Call customer service and request a rate reduction based on your longevity, payment history and credit score. As we go to press, the average credit card rate in the U.S. is 14.3%. If you’re paying more than the average, ask why. Tell them this is unacceptable. If you aren’t successful, don’t argue; politely end the conversation. Call back in 15 minutes and speak with a different person. Keep trying every day until you receive a reasonable rate.

10. Get the right rewards card
Rewards cards only work if you’re not paying any interest on the account. If you usually carry balances, avoid them! Cards that earn miles or offer cash back tend to have higher interest rates (some are close to 20%) than no-fee, nofrills cards.

Action plan
When you’re ready for a rewards card, research your options at websites like those already mentioned in item 4, or check out LookupCreditCards.com and CardRatings.com. Match a rewards card with your needs. For example, if you don’t travel, go for cash back instead of air miles.

Before you pick up a rewards card, read all of the terms and conditions and understand the limitations. And a word of caution: It’s easy to justify needless spending in the name of earning points…but boy, will this come back to bite you when you have to pay the balance in full at the end of the month.

[source]

How Will I know lyrics - Keke Palmer

[Verse 1:]
I know there is something that I'm feeling
But I can't quite put it into words
It's got me hopin hopin that you feelin it too
Cause for me it's a first
Does anyone truly understand what real love is about
Don't say I'm too young to know what's real
My heart skips a beat
I can hardly breathe
Every time that he comes near

It's so amazing almost crazy how
I'm thinkin bout you lately
Tell me how in the world did it come to this
It took me by surprise
When you opened my eyes
To hopefully show me what love is

[Chorus:]
How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love

Somebody tell me
Will I ever know
Somebody tell me
Will I ever know

[Verse 2:]
If it aint love
Then tell me why am I always searching for excuses to call
And if it aint love
Then tell me why am I always hopin' to see him in the halls
And if it aint love
Somebody tell me why I lie awake at night starin' at the walls

And if this isn't love
Then I don't really need it cause I'm happy here with no love at all

It's so amazing almost crazy how
I'm thinkin bout you baby
Still I don't really know if this is real
I want you so much more
But I'm unsure if this is true love
That I feel

[Chorus:]
How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop (everyday, all day)
I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love

How will I know (yeah)
How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop (everyday, all day)
I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love (How will I know I'm in love)

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinkin bout you
How will I know I'm in love

[source]

Busy day!

Enrollment is now going on. School is once again so busy. But it was a lot of fun. It is so nice seeing the students once again. I remember when I was still a student, all i think about is school. Being with my classmates. Always together as a group. It was a lot of fun. I just worry about my grades. After graduation, it was totally a different world. Me and my friends slowly part ways to look for a good job. Then, I lost contact to some of them.


I had a boring day a few days ago. Now, there's a lot of work for me. I am not complaining again. I'm happy that I have work. Although, I'm still aiming to have a more stable job. But for now, I just have to do well with what I have.


Tomorrow is another busy day, I think! I'm prepared! =)

Dance like no one is watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like no one is listening, Live like it's heaven on earth.

- William Purkey

Love consists in looking together in the same direction.

- Antoine de Saint

Final Destination 4..

Plot:

On what should have been a fun-filled day at the races, Nick O’Bannon has a horrific premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes multiple race cars to crash, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him. When he comes out of this grisly nightmare Nick panics, persuading his girlfriend, Lori, and their friends, Janet and Hunt, to leave…escaping seconds before Nick’s frightening vision becomes a terrible reality. Thinking they’ve cheated death, the group has a new lease on life, but unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning. As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one–in increasingly gruesome ways–Nick must figure out how to cheat death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination. The film marks the latest in the highly popular “Final Destination” series, and its first 3D installment, giving horror fans an especially visceral thrill ride.

My Movie Review:


The movie is really scary. It gives me goose bumps. The death of people were so gross! I can't imagine it happening in real life and actually experiencing it. Life is too short that we should make the most out of it. We don't know what will happen to us tomorrow. In just a snap of a finger we will all be gone.


I think the story conveys that no matter what we do. How we try to escape death but if it's our time, we will all go. We might prolong or change the events in our lives but the end point of it all is that we are all by passers here on earth. The time will come that we have to go and leave everything behind us. We just have to accept things. So for now that we are alive, we have to enjoy our lives to the fullest. Tomorrow may never come...

Bored and loving it!

It's so boring out here! But I love my alone time. I love it! he he It's my time for my own reflection. I am not complaining. I am super bless!

I am not the only one who feels bored nowadays. I am surprised that a lot of people I know are also bored. I think I am going to eat my lunch alone again today. It's okay.

I can't please everybody. Dumb if I do, dumb if I don't. sigh! Some people are just mean.

I'm going to take my lunch in a while. I'm wondering where I will eat. Hmmm. I'm hungry!

How to Let Go and Forgive

You've been hurt and you've got a grudge. The other person goes on with their life and you are stuck with a big corrosive resentment that's eating you up. Everybody says, "just let go!" But how do you do it? And why should you try?

We know that forgiveness is good for your body, mind and spirit. Studies show that forgiveness reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and reduces chronic pain. Forgiveness lessens symptoms of depression, anxiety and hopelessness. It improves our relationships and gives us a greater sense of wellbeing.

Christians forgive to stretch their soul, to be more like Jesus. In the prayer he taught us we say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Jesus then went on to make it an imperative for Christians, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt 6:15-16

Forgiveness is not forgetting. When people say forgive and forget, they don't mean we get amnesia. In order for the forgiveness to have value we remember what happened but we let go of the pain.

Forgiveness is not giving in. You don't give your power away to the person who hurt you. You don't have to overlook injustice. The perpetrator may have to face the consequences of their actions. Justice is necessary to right wrongs. Forgiveness is necessary to heal.

Forgiveness is not for the coward; it is for the spiritually strong. Forgiveness is a one-way street; it allows you to move on with your life.

Forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. It frees you from negative and destructive emotions, and helps you heal yourself.

Forgiveness is a grace we first receive from God that we then extend to others. It may lead to reconciliation with the other person or, or we may choose not to be in relationship with that person. That's a choice, especially if staying in contact could open you up to further abuse.

We don't want to rehash the past endlessly; we want to come to an understanding of what happened that lets us move on with our lives.

Usually rather than looking deeply we look shallow and wide. The hurt seems to extend to the horizon of our lives. We need to put a fence around it, see that it is only so big.

Review what happened as objectively as you can. Are we making the person who hurt us the villain in our personal drama and ourselves the victim? When we demonize the other person we dehumanize them. When we see ourselves as just a victim we give up our power to change. We want to move from victim of an injury to victory over the hurt.

This is the most important and difficult step. We are called try to find some common humanity with the perpetrator. We ask ourselves, what was going on in their head? Have I ever done anything similar?

Maybe the best we can do is pity. "That poor sick so-and-so." Or, perhaps, we can feel sympathy; "there but for the grace of God go I." Maybe we can even feel compassion; feel what they feel and want to help.

To forgive we have to see the humanity of the other person. They, like us, are fallible and imperfect. They are capable of acting out of fear and anger. Maybe they are mentally ill or truly immoral. If so, that is a tragedy. We are called to be someone who meets sickness and evil with faith and love.

We can tell the story of the hurt done to us over and over again until we are in a rut that looks a lot like a grave. It's time to put down the shovel and get a ladder to climb out of the old story.

It helps to tell the story to a healer -- an insightful friend, a religious counselor, a professional therapist, someone who can help us to reframe the story and come to a new understanding.

We can also bring our story to God in prayer. We invite God in to re-mind us, that is, to give us a renewed mind. We want to see what happened from God's point of view because from God's perspective the story can end with healing.

Our stories shape our souls. A story that ends in bitterness and revenge is a tragedy. A story that ends in forgiveness is a redemption story. We see ourselves as overcoming adversity.

We can decide to forgive, even if we don't feel like it. The person doesn't deserve the gift of forgiveness, but we give it anyway. We make a free will decision to renounce our right to revenge and not to harbor hateful thoughts toward the other person.

The gift of forgiveness is a small miracle, a grace from God. We can do it because we have first have been forgiven by God.

After we make a decision then we can grow into emotional forgiveness. As we let go of our hurt feelings and don't seek revenge then we may find our feelings following our decision. We may start to feel more understanding toward the other person. We move from wanting revenge to hoping that they fare well in life. It helps to pray for the other person.

But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father. Matt 5:44

One helpful way to develop empathy for the other person and to change our feelings about the other person is to pray for him or her. This prayer:

Opens you to God's power to help you.

Invokes God's help for the other person.

Demonstrates your willingness to forgive.

Softens your heart toward the other person.

Moves you from selfishness to generosity.

I've found there are stages of praying for the person I resent.

Admit I would rather curse him than pray for him.
Pray anyway, through gritted teeth.
Pray they get what they deserve.
Pray that God will give them what they need.
Pray God will bless them as God wants to bless them.

I make it a habit that whenever a revenge thought comes in my mind, I pray for the other person. I keep praying until malice turns to charity.

We let go of the hurt and hold onto the healing, but; the hurt may come back, especially when we interact with the perpetrator. When the hurt reasserts itself, we reassert our decision to forgive and pray for the person who hurt us.

Forgiveness is a daily decision and a way of life. Our goal is to become a more spiritual person, that is, someone who is growing into the image and likeness of God. The path of that spiritual growth is the way of forgiveness. Each day we take another step on that path; we develop a discipline of running up and down the five steps. Gradually, we find a way to serenity even in the midst of conflicts and personal tragedies.

[source]

Rest day...

I'm glad today is a holiday. I get enough rest and sleep. I just needed some time off from work to regain my strength and energy.

We went to the cemetery yesterday and we got stuck in the traffic. And it's raining heavy too. The worst thing is that when we are already inside the cemetery it is quite dark already, we were lost. We can't find the tent of my aunt. It is only a one way street and lots of cars are behind us, we have no choice but we go forward. After two hours, we decided to go home since we haven't eaten our dinner yet. The lesson there is, we should ave gone there early.

Today, my mom and me are planning to go shopping. he he Not exactly, it really depends. I am holding on a budget. must not be tempted to buy so many things. I think we will just go window shopping. he he he It really really depends. Good luck to me!