So even though I'm not a homeowner I am interested in the state of what is going on in the market right now. So in an effort to see what my credit looks like to those that would look at it, and because one day I hope to be a home owner, I registered with myFico.com and bought Suze Ormans financial planner, because I had already gotten my free credit report for the year and I figured the $50 bucks was worth it in light of how it can help me for the future. I noticed some things that need to be taken care of, as far as Lens Crafters not closing my account and that type of thing, but what I'm super stoked about is refinancing the APR on my VISA. With the good FICO scores that I did get I was informed that I'm paying to much in interest for my cedit card! I'm gonna call my bank this week and try and get that taken care of. Suze gives a whole "How to" within her program. It may only be a couple percentage points, but those add up over the long haul and that's what can hold people back. This is going to be paramount in helping me out with #17 on my list, which is to pay off my VISA. It's not going to happen by my deadline for my list, but it has been greatly reduced since I started my list at the beginning of the year. Anyway, I put the link up for myFico for those that are interested in finding out what they need to do to have a safe and productive financial future.
Also, as I stated earlier, you are eligable to receive a free credit report once a year. If you're interested in that too here is the link for your annnual credit report.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Vanity run amuck
OK, you know it's going to be a really "awesome" week when your Monday starts with a thumbnail breaking off at the quick of your finger. Yes, that's right it's a big "OUCH"!!! Need I say that I'll soon be adding a healthy dose of Biotin to my diet so that this doesn't happen again. I knew that as soon as I woke up that I should go back to bed. This should be a lesson to all, listen to your gut instinct. Or beware of the nail breakage that the future holds for you:P The irony is that just last night I was admiring how nicely my nails were looking. Now I have to trim them all so that it won't look aweful! Give it up for vanity running amuck!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Clean Freak
A clean freak I'm not, but I'm always on the look out for new ways to clean things and who would guess that WD-40 would be the miracle all in one! Watch out Martha Stewart, Carolyn's in the hiz-ous!!! LOL.
A neighbor bought a new pickup & someone spray painted it red all around the sides of his beige truck He was told to get WD-40 to clean the paint off w/it. . It removed the unwanted paint and did not harm his new car's finish
WD-40: Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation; thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you...'It is made from fish oil.that can clean that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. Also try it on your stovetop. It iwill be shinier than it has ever been before.
44 ways to use WD-40
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that "just-waxed" sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows!
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car.
Remove them quickly with WD-40!
20) Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift on lawn mowers.
22) Rids kids' rocking chair sand swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easier handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain .
37) Florida 's favorite use: 'cleans and removes Love Bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38) Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big ne in no time.
40) Fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) If you've washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you spray WD-40 on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
44) Keep a can of WD-40 in your kitchen cabinet over the stove. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn. It takes the burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring.
A neighbor bought a new pickup & someone spray painted it red all around the sides of his beige truck He was told to get WD-40 to clean the paint off w/it. . It removed the unwanted paint and did not harm his new car's finish
WD-40: Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation; thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you...'It is made from fish oil.that can clean that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. Also try it on your stovetop. It iwill be shinier than it has ever been before.
44 ways to use WD-40
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that "just-waxed" sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows!
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car.
Remove them quickly with WD-40!
20) Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift on lawn mowers.
22) Rids kids' rocking chair sand swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easier handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain .
37) Florida 's favorite use: 'cleans and removes Love Bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38) Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big ne in no time.
40) Fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) If you've washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you spray WD-40 on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
44) Keep a can of WD-40 in your kitchen cabinet over the stove. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn. It takes the burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
#19 on my list, Read 15 new books (#5)
I just finished my 5th book on my list. Gluten Free Girl by Shauna James Ahern. It's just after midnight, but I had to start writing before I forgot what I wanted to say about this book.Originally when I was reading this book I started to feel like the author was a bit preachy with her specialty shops and organic oratories, for I too know the benefits of living in the majestic North West, but what I was really reacting to was the knowledge that I, and I alone, have not been taking the necessary steps to take care of my own self with celiacs disease. I do the best that I can with what I have, but knowing that there are other things that I should, or at least could, be doing to take better care of myself left me feeling irritated and frustrated with myself over the facts that I wasn't aware of, and should have been. Like root beer. I love root beer. Brown cows (root beer floats to the rest of you) are one of my favorites, and yet until tonight, while reading the very end of the book, I had no idea that the malt used to make the root beer contained gluten. How many times have I had root beer since being diagnosed 2 years ago? I don't even know. You see I don't have health insurance right now and so all of the research that I've done has been on my own, and nothing that I've read up until this point has ever mentioned anything like that!
Restaurants have been another on going issue for me. I'm always wary when going out with friends. My friends are great though (shout out for the girls), but as careful as I try to be, also because they watch me like hawks, I always feel apprehensive about the fork full of food that I put in my mouth, not knowing what it has been near. Even this past summer at the chain restaurant that my friends and I ate at, and even though the waitress we had did understand the disease and did her best to accommodate me, I still had to wonder about that first bite since I don't know what was going on in the kitchen. However, thanks to the authors husband, who cooks gluten free, I now have a new restaurant that I'll have to try, which, if I go, will probably be the only one that I'll attend for awhile. I say it like that since the menu looks a little pricey. So why do I got restaurants if I'm afraid to eat? Because I refuse to let that fear captivate me and take me away from spending time with those that I care about. All that I can do is the best I can with salads and meat filled meals (no fettuccine Alfredo for me). I simply refuse to let the hesitation I have about those places hinder me from a good time. Now I have even more tools take with me the next time I walk inside a restaurant.
But as well crafted as Shauna's tale is, it is not simply a story of someone with celiacs disease. It is, in my opinion, a love story. A story of someones love for food, love for themselves, love of life, and finding love when no one wants to deal with obstacles such as this one. Celiacs disease can be imposing for most people to deal with, for it's always in the forefront of the mind when traveling or going out. But somehow amidst the losers who couldn't see past the static she found someone who not only was willing to look past it, but could accommodate her needs as well. For you see only God could put together something as charming as someone who loves food, as well as being challenged by it, to someone who can cook it. For as I stated earlier she got to marry a chef! Life is full of irony. However, my favorite part of the book was the end. Not only does Shauna's tale come to a happy conclusion, but she talks about the lengths that he goes to in order to keep her safe, which were things that I never thought of. None the less I was touched by the chivalry and care that he took to make sure her system is not tainted. Like, he will brush his teeth before kissing her after eating something with gluten in it just to make sure there is nothing left on his breath that could contaminate her. Now it's been a long time since I was kissed like that, but I can fully appreciate the gesture and tenderness that he must feel for her in order to put her well being before his libido. I mean who would think that something as delicious as a kiss could harm the one you love. Are there anymore of those out there? A girl can hope, right?
I highly recommend this book. Not just for those that have this disease, but for those that love those with it as well. Though Sahuna's story is unique to her, you can get a sense of what the average person goes through and the anxiety they face, in certain situations, with this disease. Shauna embraced her disease with fervor, which honestly I've had trouble with. I miss my breads, and now I know I'll miss root beer too, but knowledge is power and it's good to know that I can continue learning how to make myself better and heal my body so that one day I can take care of not just myself, but my family as well (whenever I get one).
But as well crafted as Shauna's tale is, it is not simply a story of someone with celiacs disease. It is, in my opinion, a love story. A story of someones love for food, love for themselves, love of life, and finding love when no one wants to deal with obstacles such as this one. Celiacs disease can be imposing for most people to deal with, for it's always in the forefront of the mind when traveling or going out. But somehow amidst the losers who couldn't see past the static she found someone who not only was willing to look past it, but could accommodate her needs as well. For you see only God could put together something as charming as someone who loves food, as well as being challenged by it, to someone who can cook it. For as I stated earlier she got to marry a chef! Life is full of irony. However, my favorite part of the book was the end. Not only does Shauna's tale come to a happy conclusion, but she talks about the lengths that he goes to in order to keep her safe, which were things that I never thought of. None the less I was touched by the chivalry and care that he took to make sure her system is not tainted. Like, he will brush his teeth before kissing her after eating something with gluten in it just to make sure there is nothing left on his breath that could contaminate her. Now it's been a long time since I was kissed like that, but I can fully appreciate the gesture and tenderness that he must feel for her in order to put her well being before his libido. I mean who would think that something as delicious as a kiss could harm the one you love. Are there anymore of those out there? A girl can hope, right?
I highly recommend this book. Not just for those that have this disease, but for those that love those with it as well. Though Sahuna's story is unique to her, you can get a sense of what the average person goes through and the anxiety they face, in certain situations, with this disease. Shauna embraced her disease with fervor, which honestly I've had trouble with. I miss my breads, and now I know I'll miss root beer too, but knowledge is power and it's good to know that I can continue learning how to make myself better and heal my body so that one day I can take care of not just myself, but my family as well (whenever I get one).
Friday, September 12, 2008
#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#6)
The evolution of a conversation between two females is something of a wonder. When two women are talking we can start off in one subject (like loosing weight) and end up on a completely different one (like home decorating). Such was the girls night that I shared with my dear friend Shannon. It was nothing momentous. There was no personal angst for me to disect through my analytical brain, and the was nothing for me to seek council about, it was just two friends hanging out and talking while her little one was napping. AWE!!! Anyway, it was a few hours well spent between friends, albeit a short one, considering that time always flys when you're having fun! I hope that y'all have friends that you too can share special times with. We need those from time to time:)
Politics
I usually stay out of this arena, in general, as a topic of conversation. Not really because I'm affraid of offending anyone (my conversations with my step mom do tend to get interesting). It's mostly due to the fact that I just don't have any time to keep up with the issues actively. I know where I stand on certain things, and so I try to get as close to that with a candidate as I can (even if they're not generally part of "my team"). That being said the campaign ads in the hotly contested states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida will probably be seeing ads like the one that I'm posting up here. I post it so that those that don't live in those states can still get a better view of what our candidates stand for. I'm pretty sure it's not an actual campaign ad, just something that a friend, of a friend, of a friend wanted to create for they're own personal say and post it on You Tube. It's very powerful and you have to watch it the whole time in order to get it's full effect.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
#19 on my list, Read 15 new books (#4)
This was book number four for me. I'm a nut for reading true stories about peoples lives. I've always had a fascination with knowing what makes people tick and how they get by in this life with the decisions that are put before them. It started when I was little.One summer my mom took us to the library almost weekly, there was a contest at the time for the people who could read the most books by the end of the summer. Me being the driven and competative person that I am I was determined to win. I forget what the grand prize was, but that's a mute point since I did win something awesome anyway, 4 tickets to and Oakland A's baseball game!!! It was a fun family outing. Anyway, most of what I read that summer were biographys about historical heros like George Washington, Betsy Ross, Helen Keller and Benjamin Franklin (yes, even at 7 I was a dork).
This book, however, was way beyond that but no less heroic in the sense that an ordinary woman met extrodinary cirumstances head on in order to keep her sanity as well as her family together.
Carolyn Jessop was born into the FLDS and was at 18 married into an abusive family (I'll spare any details). I'm not going to lie, this book was hard to read at times. Carolyn not only talks about the abuse that was leveled against her, but against her sister wives, as well as her children (These were especially hard passages to read in one sitting. More than once I had to put the book down and come back to it at a later time.), and there are a few curse words that are in it as well. However, if you can get through it, by the end of the book, you are cheering for Carolyn and her family as they over come their challenges and learn to live in a world that they were raised to believe as evil, and find not only love in stable relationships, but within themselves as well.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#5)
An impromptu girls night happened last night after dinner at the Waldrons.
I spent the day over there since my place is pretty boring, and watching paint dry seemed to be way more fun, or maybe that was the fumes from the paint. In any case a day spent with the Waldrons is always fun. We talked and tried to go to the local thrift store except that it was a holiday and it seemed like every local business, that was not a grocery store, was closed. I made my plum chicken for dinner since they were all busy painting and it just seemed like I could help somewhere so I did. Everyone really liked the chicken, I love this recipe and am totally keeping it, and it made such a difference finally using the boneless chicken thighs instead of the bone in. Anyway, after dinner all the girls watched Anne of Avonlea. Sigh, I love that movie (sniff, sniff)! I couldn't believe that they ahd never seen it before, since I have been watching it since I was about 6, so it was fun to watch it with new people. I was so bad wen I was younger that I used to try and bargain with my dad so that I could stay home, at certain times, and watch it. My argument "But it's my favorite part." My dad's reply "Every part is your favorite part." Obviously my dad was not easy manipulated. We shared in some high humor involving the periodic table of elements, you had to be there, and Mags and I put together the Waldrons new hower curtain, ummm backwards. I blame it on the paint fumes;) LOL, anyway I hope to be able to share in more updates from my list since I'm out of school for the next few weeks.
Peace out!
I spent the day over there since my place is pretty boring, and watching paint dry seemed to be way more fun, or maybe that was the fumes from the paint. In any case a day spent with the Waldrons is always fun. We talked and tried to go to the local thrift store except that it was a holiday and it seemed like every local business, that was not a grocery store, was closed. I made my plum chicken for dinner since they were all busy painting and it just seemed like I could help somewhere so I did. Everyone really liked the chicken, I love this recipe and am totally keeping it, and it made such a difference finally using the boneless chicken thighs instead of the bone in. Anyway, after dinner all the girls watched Anne of Avonlea. Sigh, I love that movie (sniff, sniff)! I couldn't believe that they ahd never seen it before, since I have been watching it since I was about 6, so it was fun to watch it with new people. I was so bad wen I was younger that I used to try and bargain with my dad so that I could stay home, at certain times, and watch it. My argument "But it's my favorite part." My dad's reply "Every part is your favorite part." Obviously my dad was not easy manipulated. We shared in some high humor involving the periodic table of elements, you had to be there, and Mags and I put together the Waldrons new hower curtain, ummm backwards. I blame it on the paint fumes;) LOL, anyway I hope to be able to share in more updates from my list since I'm out of school for the next few weeks.
Peace out!
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