Futures Broker

Years ago, in an effort to manage my 401K, I did some investing. It was quite simple. Buying and selling stocks, as prices went up and down, didn't require much more knowledge than keeping an eye on the market. Since I had a serious aversion to risk, most of my investments didn't exactly yo-yo.

A much more, potentially, volatile market is futures. I recently did some serious reading on the topic, including what a futures broker actually does, how to invest in futures, and the financial risks involved. Given my income situation, I don't think that this is something with which I would be comfortable. However, if things change, I now know exactly where to get in-depth information and reliable investment assistance.

It's nice to have options.




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God Bless!

Jules

National Donate Life Month

Obviously, this is a subject near and dear to our hearts.

Tell someone: The need is great and growing.

* More than 95,000 people are in need of an organ for transplant.
* Each day, about 77 people get the organ transplant that gives them a second chance, but 17 to 19 others die because they did not receive an organ transplant.
* More than half the people on the waiting list for a donated organ are racial or ethnic minorities. Chances of getting a transplant increase if donor and recipient share the same racial/ethnic background.
OrganDonor.gov "April is National Donate Life Month"

Since 2003, April has been designated as Donate Life Month. There are 30 days in which you, your company, and your school can make a difference in the lives of people who need organ transplants. Programs exist for a myriad of applications.

Decision Donate is an instructional program for high schools, that helps students make informed decisions about becoming an organ donor.

The Workplace Partnership provides information about businesses that make donation information available to their employees. Find out how to get your company/employer involved.

Participate in National Donate Life Month events sponsored by an organization in your area. Help them spread the word!

As harsh as it may sound - when you're dead, you're dead. How incredible is it that from one death, the life of at least eight (8) people can be improved/saved? Don't think about death, think about life. Commit to Donation

What if You were on The List?

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Jules

Drug Treatment

Some of the more effective drug treatment programs go far beyond managed withdrawal and the simplistic, Reagan-era "Just Say No" concept. They teach about the nature of addiction; that it's not a product of an immoral nature, weakness, or even personal choice. Addiction is a disease, with physical and psychological roots.

One doesn't tell someone with Muscular Dystrophy or Diabetes that if they tried harder or if they were a better person, they wouldn't be sick. (Religious cuckoos, notwithstanding.) It's critical to understand a disease, before attempting treatment. Doctors don't put band-aids on compound fractures or give aspirin to patients with ulcers, because they understand broken bones and bleeding stomachs.

Successful drug rehab requires that patients and clinicians understand - and appropriately treat - all of the underlying causes and triggers. It takes time for bones to mend and ulcers to heal, and it takes time and support to overcome addiction.




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Jules

Colon Cleanse

Getting older brings some interesting changes. There are new health risks and problems, and a slew of new 'regular' tests that men and women need to start thinking about. When Mark was sick with end-stage liver disease, we went through some of the tests, like a colonoscopy. And I've had repeated mammogram recommendations. (I even managed to get a couple of them.)

Now, I've been reading about some interesting ideas to keep the digestive system healthy. A colon cleanse is actually a fascinating concept. It involves a combination of herbs that stimulate the colon, increase muscle activity, and help clear parasites and toxins from the system.

As bad as my diet is and as sluggish as my system has become, it's something I could probably use. I'll definitely be doing a lot more research.




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God Bless!

Jules

Nanny 911

I have seen commercials for this series, but never actually watched it - until today. CMT is rerunning the show, starting with season one, so I managed to catch about an episode and a half. Quite an interesting experience.

If you've never seen it, the concept is pretty simple. Parents having difficulty raising their children - and that's putting it mildly, from what I saw - call 'Nanny 911'. An experienced nanny, chosen for her expertise, then spends a week with the family, teaching them parenting, coping, and communication skills.

Like the last family I watched, I was quite skeptical that one person in one week could make sufficient impact to undo years of problems. It took a lot of work by the families involved, including the kids, but it was incredible how much the family dynamic improved in just 7 days.

There are some great ideas offered by the nannies. If you're interested in seeing how it works - check out CMT's schedule.






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Jules

Top Diet Pills

My daughter is getting married at the end of May and I am trying to find something great to wear. It's not easy. The wedding takes place in the afternoon and isn't seriously formal. Everything I've found is either too formal or too not-my-body-shape.

Over the last year or so, I've put on some extra weight. Yes, I love my pasta and it has to be drowning in real butter. So, you can see I'm not a lo-cal person.

I've been looking at some of the top diet pills, in an attempt to take off a few inches. So far, they scare the daylights out of me, so I may just be doing the low-carb, more-exercise thing. One helpful aspect - I'm not really into bread.




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Jules

Artificial Sweeteners and Weight Gain

Did you happen to see this, in the news, a couple of days ago? Artificial sweeteners, it seems, actually alter the ability to regulate sweet intake by interfering with the natural link between sweetness and calories. Of course, these results are from rats, not humans. But there is emerging evidence that people who consume large amounts of no-calorie sweeteners may be at higher risk for obesity, abdominal fat, and diabetes, among other weight-related health problems.

Apparently, when you eat dessert or a candy bar, your body associates the sweetness with an impending influx of calories. It responds by increasing your metabolism and, generally, signals a need to cut back on other excess calories and/or increase exercise. When the sweetness comes from saccharin and the body doesn't receive the extra calories that it expected, it gets confused. So, the urge to cut consumption elsewhere or become more active isn't triggered.

Luckily, I can't use artificial / no-calorie sweeteners; they upset my digestive system. Not to mention, I've never found one with a taste that I could tolerate.






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Jules

Downer Cows Fed to Our Kids at School

I was absolutely shocked by this video and this story. Did you know that 'downer' cows, cows that are too ill / weak to stand on their own, are being forced to get up and walk to their death. Then, the meat from these sad, slaughtered animals is sold to school systems throughout this country - and fed to our kids as school lunches.

Please watch the video and ask your Congressperson to stop this insanity - for the good of the animals, and the good of our kids. It just MUST stop!






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Jules

Ivy Ridge Academy

No one ever said raising kids was easy. First there's the terrible-twos and then, just when you start to like them again, they become teenagers. Rebellion is a natural part of these years. But, there are different levels of acting out and some teens are determined to ignore the rules to the point where they put their futures at risk.

We are at that point with our teen; trying to determine if we need to place him in a more structured, tightly supervised school program. The Ivy Ridge Academy in New York, for example, offers such an environment. A specialty school that helps adolescents develop insight into their own behaviors, it provides a controlled environment that requires students to maintain high standards, including a strong code of conduct.

Tight supervision, a vigorous daily schedule, and firm rules help the staff address inappropriate attitudes and behaviors. The merit-based system requires that each student earn their status and privileges through personal performance, and change past negative behaviors. Adolescents begin to understand the need for rules, limits, and boundaries, and to appreciate parents and other authority figures.

If you have a teen whose behavior is putting their future at risk, Ivy Ridge Academy may be just what you both need.




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God Bless!

Jules

Youth Violence

Sadly, we've experienced another violence-laden story of a young person, gone over the edge. Are kids more depressed and more tormented these days? Are these incidents of over-the-top behavior more prevalent than they used to be? Good questions, aren't they? This article explores some of the reasons for and solutions to the spate of youth violence we've experienced in the last decade or so.

I don't believe that kids are any kinder to each other now than they were when I was in high school. Kids went in and out of foster homes; they experienced abuse by some of the adults in their lives. But, somehow, we didn't feel that grabbing an Uzi and shooting up the local mall would make up for our problems.

The information in this article is interesting. I'm not certain that I agree with all of it, but it did give me a great deal to think about.






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Jules

Toy Tips.com

We've all been listening, with horror, to the growing list of China-made toy recalls. Keeping up with the list of items that are dangerous for our kids is virtually impossible. There isn't just one manufacturer to monitor; there isn't just one type of toy to monitor. What is a parent to do?

Well today, while watching Rachel Ray, I found a great resource - ToyTips.com. The owner of this site is maintaining a list of recalled toys, so you have only one site to visit for all of the information you need. Plus, they offer product reviews and top picks to help during this crazy shopping season.

Give them a look. I think you'll be happy with the information they provide. I know I was.






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Jules

Kids!

There's an old axiom - "We spend the first 2 years of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk, and the next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut up." I would offer a small modification to that axiom stating that we spend 16 years trying to teach them when to "sit down and shut up." This is something I mention, because I went through it today - with a vengeance.

For three years, we have taught the boys that interrupting, while another person is speaking, is rude and unacceptable. We had company this afternoon, with whom Mark and I were trying to talk. Whatever random thought went through Michael's head, flew unabated out of his mouth. It didn't matter how many times I reminded him of what is acceptable behavior; he just couldn't be still. In fact, we nearly had to move him out of the desk chair because he couldn't sit quietly either.

Guess I'll be reminding Michael and the school that he is not allowed to have sugar.






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Jules

Language Usage

Among other things, James J. Kilpatrick addresses usage issues, making him one of my favorite Universal Press Syndicate columnists. A recent column discusses whether ravel or unravel is the correct term for something that is coming apart. It's a question that has always fascinated me, because every recognized authority indicates that the words are interchangeable.

There are other instances. Did you know that flammable and inflammable both mean capable of burning; combustible? What about irregardless? Did you know that there is no such word - in proper usage?

Makes me want to get a better dictionary. How about you?






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Jules

Business Greeting Cards

This is the time of the year when families and businesses start thinking about holiday cards. If you usually order special cards, this is the time to get busy picking your 2007 Christmas card. The Gallery Collection has hundreds of styles to help you.

This year, in the spirit of the season, The Gallery Collection is sponsoring a Christmas cards scholarship contest for high school and college students. Simply use your creativity - original photos, artwork, or computer graphics are all welcome - and design a corporate Christmas card. The prize? A $10,000 scholarship!

Personally, I think that the Christmas Photo Cards are just beautiful. There is a huge selection of options, from elegant to whimsical, that serve as the perfect frame for a special holiday picture. Why not have a look and create a new card that evokes your idea of the spirit of the holidays?




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Jules

Mortgages

I think I have mortgages on the brain. Lately, I've been doing a lot of research, because the market around here is changing monthly. While there have been some defaults on sub-prime mortgages, there are a large number of contractors, with homes on their hands, who are eager to sell. I've even seen companies who are still willing to help people with poor credit remortgages.

When I started to compare mortgages, even though our credit isn't the best, I found that we have some interesting options. Here in Arizona, there are lenders who are still working in the sub-prime arena. Not to mention, there are FHA mortgages, where the government insures the mortgage, that are still very attractive to most lending institutions.

Of course, with the financial problems that have been plaguing the housing industry, you can't just walk in and say, "Hi, I wanna buy a house," and necessarily strike gold the first time. It's important to research what the lender / mortgage company is offering, naturally. But it's also critical to research the company itself.

I can't be the only one in the world who's heard about finance companies cheating people by dramatically increasing their mortgage payment with hidden fees and points.




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Jules

Plastic and Food - Handy Tips

We've all read about the risk of microwaving food in plastic containers. I've never really done that, preferring glass containers for the microwave. But I do have a couple of containers in which, admittedly, I have 'nuked' food. It's just easier to go from fridge to micro in the same dish.

Today I was reading my latest Green Living email, the Care2 newsletter about healthy living ideas, and found an article about food and plastic. Not good news, my friends. But a lot of really helpful tips that I just have to share:

Many of these tips don’t exclude the use of plastic, but rather offer the safest options.

1. Know your plastics. Plastic items are marked with a resin identification coding system (the number surrounded by arrows), which stand for:
1 - polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2 - high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3 - vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4 - low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5 - polypropylene (PP)
6 - polystyrene (PS)
7 - other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)

2. When you need to use plastic, these are the safer choices to use with food: 1, 2, 4 and 5.

3. Learn to recognize, and then avoid, polycarbonate (number 7) for food usage. Polycarbonate plastics are hard and clear. Common items made from this BPA-containing plastic are food storage containers, baby bottles, water bottles, bowls and tableware. (And the lining inside food and drink cans, by the way.)

4. If you don’t get rid of all of your plastic, at least retire old plastic containers, especially those that are heavily worn or scratched. Older plastics tend to leach increasing amounts of toxins as they age. Use them to organize and store non-food items.

5. Be careful of serving and storing hot foods or foods made with fats or oils in plastic containers. These foods more readily facilitate the transfer of plastic toxins.

6. Never microwave foods in plastic containers. “Microwave safe” means the container won’t melt or warp, but doesn’t mean it won’t leach. Heating plastics increases the potential for leaching of chemicals into your food.

7. Never microwave food in yogurt tubs, take-out bowls, or other one-time use containers. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.

8. Avoid using plastic sandwich bags or plastic wrap products.

9. If you must use plastic wrap, make sure it is a brand free of both BPA and PVC. Ziploc, Glad and Saran are promoted as being free of BPA and PVC—but remember that these plastics live for 1,000 years…in our landfills.

10. Avoid deli-wrap and similar generic packaging since you can’t ascertain the plastic type used. When sliced cheese and meats are sold in plastic bags and/or plastic deli wrap, transfer them as soon as possible to unbleached wax paper or a safe container.

11. Remember that if you are pregnant or nursing, BPA chemicals are passed through your bloodstream directly to your baby.

12. Instead of mixing petroleum (i.e. plastic) with your food, use inert alternatives such as glass and ceramic rather than plastic food storage containers. Reusing jars is a win-win—and you can often find glass storage containers at flea markets and thrift shops. Or simply store food in bowls covered with a plate.

I'm going to go check all of my bowls, storage containers, and that gallon-size pitcher that we keep in the fridge for tea. Wish me luck - I have a feeling I'm in for some serious surprises.






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Jules

Professional Web Development

Anyone can create a website, trust me on that one. Whether you use a free template from your web hosting company or take the time to learn how to code it yourself, it really isn't difficult to put pages on the Internet. And, if your goal is to share vacation pictures or photos of the new puppy with Aunt Gladys, a free website and design template are all you really need.

But, what if your website is an adjunct to your business or, as in my case, your entire business? In that case, it is critical that anyone and everyone can find your site and understand what you are offering. To be successful, you have to create and market an effective online identity that provides an efficient way for potential customers to find you and purchase your products or services.

There are dozens of development tools available to Internet site-owners. From web or flash design to e-commerce to content management to customized programming, most development companies can advise you and help you adjust your website. Not to mention, you can learn to do a lot of these things yourself. But when you need your Web site to be more than a glorified online brochure, you want highly skilled Web programmers by your side.

Take, for example, the Seattle web design company that Microsoft, American Express Travel, and Outback Steakhouse trust - 352 Media Group. Ten years experience and more than 40 ADDY® awards prove that their team-based, client-centric approach skillfully combines outstanding graphic design, dynamic Web programming, and effective online marketing for businesses of all sizes. With offices from Atlanta to Seattle and New York to Los Angeles, 352 Media Group serves clients in every region of the country.

Not all development companies offer assistance in all phases of design, production, and marketing. The Internet is an ever-changing "lifeform", as it were, that requires flexibility and creative thinking to succeed. It's not that the old ideas don't work at all; it's more that they don't work as well.

If you need to develop an online identity that reflects the vision, character, and goals of your business, take a look at what 352 Media Group.com has to offer. They have the proven ability to help you establish and enhance your presence in the Internet marketplace.




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God Bless!

Jules

Citizen Advocacy Academy

I just received confirmation from Defenders of Wildlife that I have been accepted to attend the Citizen Advocacy Academy at the Phoenix Zoo on November 4th. Not only will I be meeting other advocates for wildlife and the environment, I'll be developing skills to help me work with my community, the media, and elected officials. Needless to say, I am really excited.

As you know, many of my posts here are about saving wildlife, ecosystems, and the environment in general. This is something that is very important to me and, since I can't support these causes with cash, I compensate by writing and speaking to as many people as I can. Won't you join me?

It's really very easy. Just go to the Defenders of Wildlife's Wildlife Action Center and find the activity that appeals to your interest and available time. There are many, many ways that you can get involved. Please help.






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God Bless!

Jules

Maryland Attacks Domestic Violence

I just saw this story on HNN and must say, it's a tremendous idea. The state of Maryland, in conjunction with a professor at Johns Hopkins University, has developed a screening form for first responders. That means that the police and EMTs who respond to domestic violence calls, have a tool to determine whether it is necessary to immediately remove the victim in order to save her life.

There are a number of articles about this Lethality Assessment Program, supported by a Violence Against Women grant from the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. The Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence offers extensive, thorough information about this program and violence against women. Although the website is directed at residents of Maryland, the MNADV Lethality Assessment Project provides valuable tips and workable protocols for first responders anywhere and everywhere.

I believe that this information needs to be presented to all agencies which support victims of domestic violence - in all communities.

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Jules

'15 Cent' Law Degree

I was just reading this story about Justice Clarence Thomas. You remember? The man whose Supreme Court nomination was challenged after allegations of sexual harrassment from Anita Hill? Well, in his autobiography, "My Grandfather's Son," Justice Thomas claims that the law degree he earned at Yale is worth about 15 cents, because he was admitted to Yale under affirmative action and suffered because of it.

After graduating in 1974, it apparently took many interviews before he was offered a position, unlike - he claims - white graduates from the same era. If you read the comments from some of Justice Thomas' fellow students, you'll see that some had trouble getting positions and some didn't. Frankly, any degree is only worth the effort put into getting it and if he feels his law degree is valueless, I have to ask whether Clarence Thomas also devalues himself.

Thirty-three years later, students of all races and academic accomplishments still have to prove that they are worthy of a position. My daughter recently finished her education and is now a board-certified veterinarian. She, too, had to interview and convince potential employers that she was qualified and a good fit for their practices. It's what happens after one graduates - whether from high school or college.

Over the years, I've known hundreds of high school and college graduates. Whatever piece of paper they've received from an institute of higher learning doesn't actually matter much, that I've seen. So many BA and BS degree holders expect the world to bend over backwards to give them a job. Why? All that piece of paper shows is that they stuck with school for 4 (or more) years.

Honestly, a diploma, of any sort, doesn't explain whether the holder took 6 years (or 3 years) to get a 4 year degree or if their GPA was in the bottom 2% (or top 5%) of their graduating class or if they were a stellar student. Nonetheless, the universe is supposed to be thrilled. Justice Thomas, just what did you expect from people after you flashed that law degree in their face? Unwavering joy? Prostrate adoration? An immediate partnership? Get real.

To me, a degree is only as valuable as the quality of the holder. If one worked hard and is willing to continue to do so, then having a degree is worth something. Sadly, if one didn't put in the effort and shows no intention of altering that behavior, the degree still carries clout. It may not guarantee a position, but it will get your foot in the door.

Justice Thomas is sitting on the Supreme Court. Sounds like that degree was worth more than 15 cents, doesn't it?

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God Bless!

Jules

How Big is Your Carbon Footprint?

Today, October 15th, is Blog Action Day, a day when thousands of bloggers, reaching millions of readers, all post about one cause - the Environment. There is no agenda, no required viewpoint. Each writer will post about what is important to them.

There are calculators (BPs is one of my favorites) for determining your personal or household carbon footprint, based on household energy habits and usage, energy-rated appliances, recycling habits, and miles traveled per year. While that is a pretty good indication of how much carbon dioxide you're releasing into the environment, such calculations leave some interesting items out of the equation.

• How much meat do you eat?
  • The meat industry creates 18% of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in methane from cattle and nitrous oxide from manure. We still eat meat, but much less than we used to and the amount lessens every year.
    
    
• What types of light bulbs do you use?
  • Compact fluorescents (CFLs) use one-fourth the electricity and generate 70% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs. Even as renters, we were able to replace every bulb, but one, with CFLs. Because these bulbs generate more light, I can easily read any size print from the comfort of my recliner, with only the light from one fixture across the room.
    
  • I would also recommend putting lights on dimmer switches whenever possible. For most activities, it may not be necessary to have a lamp turned all the way up, allowing a further reduction in energy usage.
    
    
• Do you mail your bill payments?
  • By paying bills online or through automatic deductions, fewer trees have to die for checks, envelopes, and postage, and less fuel is needed to deliver mail. We don't receive any bills by mail; all of the information is available online. This further reduces the need to fell trees for paper or fuel mail trucks to bring us statements.
    
    
• Where does your food come from?
  • Buying locally grown and produced goods decreases the use of fuels to transport these items from other parts of your country or the world. Additionally, supporting neighborhood farmers and artisans strengthens local economies and offers fresher, healthier products.

Many thanks to Jay and Julie Online.com for many of these ideas. It's nice to know that Mark and I had already adopted many of these ideas for reducing our carbon footprint.

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God Bless!

Jules

$10,000 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

This is an interesting and fun scholarship contest, open to high school, college, and university students enrolled in the last half of 2007. All the entrants have to do is submit an original design, between October 1, 2007 and January 15, 2008, that's appropriate for personalized birthday, all-occasion, holiday, or business christmas cards. The design can be a photo, artwork, or a graphic, as long as it's an original work. As with many contests, only one entry per person is allowed.

Sponsored by Prudent Publishing, Inc., for their Gallery Collection of business cards, the judging criteria are very simple:

• Overall aesthetic appeal
• Quality of execution
• Creativity and Originality
• Successful incorporation of design elements
• Appropriateness for use as a greeting card
• Attractiveness to The Gallery Collection's corporate and consumer customers
• Suitability as a design in Prudent's Gallery Collection greeting card line

If you're not sure what design would be appropriate, start by looking at the Gallery Collection's current portfolio of Christmas Cards or All Occasion Cards. You'll notice, first, that all of the cards are horizontal; secondly, they are all a 5 1/2" x 7 7/8" standard size. Keeping those basics in mind, the rest is up to the designer. Some designs take up most of the card face; others are smaller and centered or framed to maximize the effect.

I have to admit, one of the things that immediately appealed to me about this line of cards was the variety. Whether you are looking for something formal, muted, and sedate or casual, amusing, and colorful, you can find an appropriate card for any occasion. How much fun would it be to see your design added to this amazing collection?

Why not enter today and find out?

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God Bless!

Jules

Numerology

If you've never had a numerology reading, you should give it a try. I recently completed an online form and, although the results were good, decided that this was something I could learn to do myself. So, I went searching for a website that explained what I needed to learn and gave me the tools to create my own reading.

I landed on, and bookmarked, Michael McClain's site because he explains what Numerology is, the basics of this discipline, and a history of numerology. The worksheets are fantastic. They take you through each of the tasks required to prepare a complete reading. You aren't going to become an expert overnight, but you can put together a pretty thorough assessment of how your name and birth date affect your life.

For example, my Life Path number, based on the digits in my birthdate, is a 7.

The Life Path 7 suggests that you entered this plane with a gift for investigation, analysis, and keen observation. You are a thinker of the first order. You evaluate situations very quickly, and with amazing accuracy. As a result, you are thorough and complete in your work, the perfectionist who expects everyone else to meet a high standard of performance, too.

Sounds great, huh? But there is a balance:

Indeed, operating on the negative side of the 7 can produce a very selfish and spoiled individual and living with one can be a challenge. This may be why some 7s actually prefer living alone. If you have any of the negative traits they are very difficult to get rid of because you tend to feel that the world really does owe you a living or that in some way you are not being fairly treated.

I'm going back to working on my reading. There's a lot left to look at and, hopefully, I'll find I'm not too bad a person, in the end.

Give it a try! It's really a lot of fun.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

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We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

My Mother Always Wanted Me To Be A Nurse

It's really quite funny, after all these years. When I was growing up, I (as all children do) had many ideas about what I wanted to be. No matter what future career I showed an interest in, my mother found a way to discourage me. It wasn't until I was married, with children of my own, that I learned why.

Mom had always wanted to be a nurse, but wasn't able to continue her education. The family had pulled her out of school as soon as she was able to help on the farm. Apparently that disappointment had stayed with her for her entire life. As I grew, she started to project her dream onto my life choices, in true passive-aggressive style. Today, Mom would be proud.

I have spent most of the last 4 years learning about liver disease, HCV, post-transplant care, neuropathy, diabetes, CBCs and Chem7s, enzymes and electrolytes, INR, BUN, and creatinine. Over time, I have monitored his condition and adjusted certain medications, helped him from the bed to the bathroom, tested blood sugar, given any number of shots from Procrit to pegylated interferon, bathed him when he couldn't, and fought with doctors over his treatment. When Mark was placed on a restricted diet, I learned how to keep the amounts of protein, sodium, and potassium in his diet within the very narrow allowable ranges; basically, relearning how to cook in order to keep him healthy enough to be considered for a transplant.

Now, although there won't be any chemotherapy, we're learning new tricks again. Blood thinner injections twice a day, insulin 3 times a day before meals - adjusting the amount given based on his blood sugar levels at the time, and relearning how to cook - again. While the 'experts' were in fairly close agreement on the levels of sodium and protein allowed on a liver-failure diet, the opinions are all over the board on a diabetic diet.

Some say no carbs; some say no simple sugars, but carbs are okay. So, we live and learn, and tweak and adjust until we find the right balance for Mark's system and condition. It does help that we have insulin in the house now. While important, his diet is less of a critical issue - although still unable to have cake and ice cream, etc., there's a little more leeway in level of carbs in a particular meal. That helps a lot, believe me.

So, as I look back on the last 4 years, I can honestly say - I never thought I'd be playing nurse or that I would actually be pretty good at it. Mom would be so proud.

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Colleges Look for 'Authenticity'

This was an interesting article. Apparently, college hopefuls are disingenuous; filling their applications with tons of extra-curricular and community activities and accomplishments. I am more than a little confused - isn't that what high school guidance counselors and college recruiters have been telling our children for years?

Now that students have taken the advice to heart, the college admissions gurus are changing the rules? Not totally.

What they're asking is that, rather than just amassing activities randomly for the expected value on an application, students need to pursue these activities from a point of interest. An applicant expressing an interest in politics, for example, would have that common thread running through all his/her list of activities.

Although, there was one recruiter / adviser who actually suggested that small typographical errors in an application would make the applicant appear more 'authentic.' May I say - huh? Wouldn't that indicate an inattention to accuracy and detail, which in some fields could be extremely detrimental?

I'm just glad I'm not a college applicant!

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.


We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules