I’m pretty sure that they will attack you if you meet someone with cooties. My little brother has cooties. It scares me to be around him. I think I might die! They are going to get on me and kill me. I don’t want to die so young! I don’t let him hold any of my nieces and nephews in fear that he might give them cooties and kill them. I am also scared that my spouse is going to get them and somehow give it to me. It is a very scary thought. The thought of getting cooties scares the crap out of me every day. I hope one day he can get rid of those cooties.
Angry Dreams
June 26, 2009
Have you ever had a dream where you woke up really mad at your boyfriend or girlfriend? Last night I had a dream they cheated on me. When I woke up I was really mad. I felt so bad about being mad. I didn’t mean to get all angry but sometimes your emotions from your dreams carry into your everyday life. I wish it didn’t work that way but it does. I had to apologize to them. I made dinner and told them how sorry I was for being mad about nothing. It was traumatic but not really important at all. We know we still love each other and that’s all that matters.
My niece is dating
June 26, 2009
My niece went on a date last night with a boy she really liked. They went to a restaurant and got shakes because it was kind of late for dinner. While she was trying to eat her shake, he said something that made her laugh. She accidently spit the shake in his face. The waiters and waitresses all laughed really hard at the situation. This was my niece’s first date with him too. I thought it was a pretty funny story she will remember forever. Luckily, he asked her out on another date. Maybe that means he didn’t mind having shake in his face too much.
I love going dancing
June 26, 2009
I love how there is this big rival between country dancers, ballroom dancers, and country dancers. The Latin dancers don’t really seem to care much. It is pretty funny to see everyone argue about which one is better dancing to do. They think it is a sin to dance any but their own. I personally think that a well rounded dancer dances them all. I think you can’t have someone who dances one of them who says they are a master of dancing. Of course one should specialize in one type of dance; however, one should be able to dance anything.
I bought a new entertainment center yesterday
June 26, 2009
I made a deal with myself that I could buy a new one once I had lost twenty pounds. I had to work really hard to lose the weight and save up the money at the same time. I took time to lose all the weight because I really wanted the new entertainment system. If I could lose thirty pounds I was allowed to get a big screen TV as well. It ended up being a really good goal for me. It motivated me to do the exercise and eat healthier. Now I am healthier overall. It definitely became a good thing for me.
I am highly addicted to The Sims
June 25, 2009
I think my Sims addiction is actually more like an obsession. I really love building houses and little towns for my sims to enjoy. My obsession with the game recently caused me to pick up every expansion pack for The Sims 2. Luckily for me since The Sims 3 just came out I really didn’t have to spend much money on getting all of the expansion packs. My friends make fun of me because I really getting into the building process. I even go as far to go and get the free real estate books from the grocery store to build houses from. I like to play the actual game and make my sims live out their life, but for the most part I just enjoy building.
Sunburn – Aging Of The Skin Cancer And Skin Cancer
June 25, 2009
Skin cancer is one of the most popular cancers. More than 1,000,000 people every year die in the US because of skin cancer. The number of all other cancer such as breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers is less than the total of skin cancer.
The skin cancer is more risky for children because they are more susceptible and they are more exposed to sunlight as their extensive outdoor activities. One in five Americans get skin cancer in their lifetime. And these are mostly caused by sun exposure, though 33% of the adults, adolescents, and children use sun protection.
New advanced techniques of treatment of sun damaged skin have a positive impact of changing the statistics of protection and deaths due to skin cancer. The ultraviolet radiations are responsible signs of aging on the skin of whites. Sunburn results when the amount of sun exposure and other ultraviolet radiation exceeds the ability of the protective pigment which is present in our body to protect the skin.
It also depends on the melanin content which varies from person to person. Darker people have more melanin than lighter skin. People of lighter skin are more prone to sun exposure than darker people. The cells in the outer layer of the skin are destroyed by the sunburn which in turn damage tiny blood vessels underneath which also destroy elastic fibers into the skin.
The damage to skin cells from ultraviolet radiation also damages the DNA. If it is repeated DNA damage which leads to becoming cell cancer. As the skin cancer is increasing in many parts of the world, paying attention to sun exposure should be ignored, if we are serious about preserving our health.
With small sun burns, it causes nothing more than the warm or hot skin or slight redness. With the effects of sunburn can certainly cause discomfort and it may be painful. The overexposure of sun may be potential damage to your long-term health.
The government is working hard to alert about the skin cancer risk. They think that there must be schools to take measures to protect the students from the excessive exposure to the ultraviolet radiation.
The ultraviolet radiation just not exists in only summer or hot days but it also exists in winter or spring season. So don’t take the sunlight lightly. Other than sunlight also tanning facility and sun lumps which emit ultraviolet radiation also pose a serious risk to the skin cancer.
Newspaper Holds Sanford Hostage Over Mistress E-mail
June 25, 2009
Mark Sanford mistress photo not yet available
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is back from Argentina with some big news. He was definitely there to recharge his batteries after all of his struggles with the state legislature. But as all of America now knows, he wasn’t there just to cruise the coastline. He was cruising for Maria Belen Shapur. And based upon Gina Smith’s detective work for South Carolina’s The State newspaper, it appears that Sanford was going to continue to lie about it.
However, Smith greeted the governor at the airport with news that they had copies of surreptitious E-mails he had exchanged with his mistress, and that if he didn’t come forward and confess, they were going to print the messages.
Now he cries contrition, lets people know he’s in Bible study (note to Sanford: I’ve read “Jack and the Beanstalk,” works just as well), etc, etc. We’ve heard it all before. Another Republican spits up on his shirt for all to see. If this man still thinks he’ll be able to run for president in 2012, he’ll need a boatload of payday loans and fast cash, because he won’t be receiving contributions any other way.
Loses presidency, wins booby prize
Tommy Tomlinson of the Charlotte Observer wonders if this man really wants his job. Sanford lied to his staff about his whereabouts, committed one of those acts that tend to bar you from the presidency if you aren’t already in office and tried to be slick about it. Now he’s slipped in his own puddle of 10-40. … click here to read the rest of the article titled "Newspaper Holds Sanford Hostage Over Mistress E-mail"
Be Fit and Frugal with a Folding Bike!
June 25, 2009
The NY Times had a feature on folding bikes today. I bought one about 8 years ago, a Dahon that cost me about $400. It was the perfect bike for me because I was living in a tiny (cheap) studio apartment where I had limited storage space. I wish I could say I was cutting down on my commuting costs and quitting my gym because I was riding the bike to work, but for me, it’s a bit too long of a haul to ride all those miles and go over the Brooklyn Bridge… or perhaps I should say I a m too wimpy to ride all those miles and go over the Brooklyn Bridge. And I’d have to keep my gym membership anyway, so I could take a shower before work– there goes one part of my savings!
Nevertheless, a folding bike is a great option for people who commute in urban areas, especially if you need to use public transportation for part of your trip– many of these bikes can be stowed in the overhead rack on a train. Even if you don’t fold them, they are smaller than other bikes and will annoy other passengers less if you’re going to bring them on the subway. All the more reason I am a wimp. But if I still kept buying Metrocards for the subway, there goes the rest of my savings.
Not all these bikes are as cheap as the Dahons.
Oh well– I will probably continue to let my bike gather dust in the basement in between my occasional recreational rides. But don’t let that stop YOU from becoming a frugal, fit and fabulous bike-folder!
The First Three Steps to Financial Freedom
June 25, 2009
The hardest part of money management is just getting started. Once you have some momentum, it’s easier to make the right choices. Kay has been reading personal finance blogs for almost a year now, and she knows that she needs to make some changes, but she doesn’t know how to begin. She writes:
I want to get serious about being good with my money, but I don’t know where to start. I never developed good financial habits, and now I’m paying for it. I was married to a man who was also bad with money, and I’ve only been on my own for six years, but I continued those same bad habits. I’m 39, have no savings and about $28,000 in debt.
Next May, I will lose half of my child support when my son graduates from high school, and the rest the following May when my daughter graduates. Because of that, I feel like I should focus on getting rid of the debt, so I have less money going out. But if I don’t have emergency savings, then there’s no way to keep from incurring more debt. Of course, I don’t have any money saved for retirement, etc., which is another worry.
Basically, I have a list full of high-priority financial needs, but trying to do everything at once is going to get me exactly nowhere. (I know, because I’ve been trying and failing since last summer!) I did cut up my credit cards, but that’s about as far as I’ve got. Help!
It’s tough to get started because it seems like there’s too many things to do. Which choice is best? Should Kay eliminate debt first? Save for retirement? Build her savings?
Here’s the secret: There’s no one right answer. Some choices are better than others, it’s true, but the best way to take control of your finances is to do something. Action beats inaction. Taking any step in the right direction will help Kay move closer to financial stability.
All the same, some options may be better than others. As important as I think retirement savings is, I wouldn’t start there. Better to get the now under control first and then worry about the future. In Kay’s position, I would focus on three things:
Reduce expenses
Kay doesn’t mention what her expenses are, but if she’s like most people, she’s probably spending more than she needs in a variety of ways. When I was getting out of debt, I found that cutting expenses one at a time helped to create a better cash flow, giving me some breathing room.
I didn’t try to slash everything, but picked one expense after another. I:
- Reduced my cable bill.
- Cut my landline
- Canceled magazine subscriptions.
- Put myself on a budget for books and dining out.
Each of us spends differently. When you decide to get your finances under control, you need to examine your own spending patterns to find the areas you can cut. Focus on one item. Once you’ve trimmed that, look for another. This gets easier with time.
Build savings
As Kay boosts her cash flow by cutting expenses, she should use this extra money to save. Even when you’re struggling with money, it’s vital to set aside for future emergencies. If you can only afford to save $25 per month, then save $25. If you can afford to save $100, then save $100. Just get in the habit.
For many people, the best way to learn to save is by making the process automatic. I also found it necessary to create barriers so that it wasn’t possible to withdraw this money on a whim. In both cases, I recommend opening a savings account at a different bank from where you hold your regular checking account.
In my case, that meant opening a savings account at an online bank. I used ING Direct, but there are many other excellent options. It doesn’t matter which one you choose. Don’t overthink it; you can always change your mind later. Create a link between your existing checking account and your new online savings account. Set the new account to pull $20 or $50 or $100 a month automatically. Treat this like any other bill. Use this money for emergencies only.
Tackle debt
After reducing expenses and building an emergency fund of $500 or $1000, the third step is to make a plan for tackling debt. For me, that meant drafting a spending plan:
My spending plan prioritized my debts and helped me allocate future raises and bonuses. Your plan will be different. It might be more elaborate or less elaborate than mine. The important thing is to establish one.
If you’re struggling with debt, I highly recommend Dave Ramsey’s debt snowball strategy. Here’s how it works:
- Order your debts from lowest balance to highest balance.
- Designate a certain amount of money to pay toward debts each month.
- Pay the minimum payment on all debts except the one with the lowest balance.
- Throw every other penny at the debt with the lowest balance.
- When that debt is gone, do not alter the monthly amount used to pay debts, but throw all you can at the debt with the next-lowest balance.
Because it emphasizes paying down low-balance debt as quickly as possible, the debt snowball provides quick wins. Those who’ve never been in debt frown at this strategy because it costs a little more than starting with high-interest debt. But as somebody who fought debt demons in the past, I’m here to say that the psychological boost from the debt snowball is worth the extra pennies.
Conclusion
If, like Kay, you’re struggling to get started with smart money management, then break the task into smaller pieces. Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed. Reduce expenses, build savings, and tackle debt. Yes, it’s important to save for retirement. But I believe that you need to start with the basics, to staunch the bleeding and heal the wounds before you begin gathering strength to face tomorrow.
In other words, don’t worry about a Roth IRA or a 401(k) at the beginning. Focus on building a strong financial foundation so that you can meet the needs of today — and next year. Once you’ve accomplished this, attack retirement savings with vigor.
What advice can you offer Kay? How did you get things turned around? What were your first steps?
For more on this subject, check out my recent article about where we’re starting from. Photo by Jurassic Jim.
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Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly:
- One Uncle’s Advice About Money
- Use a Freedom Account to Prepare for the Unexpected
- What Motivates You to Pursue Smart Personal Finance?
- Put Yourself on a Debt Diet
- How I Became a Millionaire While Working in My Pajamas
Martin Rogen 