Showing posts with label rantings and ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rantings and ramblings. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Russia and Ukraine


Thursday, February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine.  It started earlier with Putin claiming they were just having trainings around the border.  Here is a news article from Washington Post about the escalating number of forces in Belarus and around the borders of Ukraine.  Here is a link from Wiki about the history of Russia and Ukraine.  


Amidst the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we are started to see news of China and Taiwan conflict maybe arising.  US warships are sailing the Taiwan Straits which is making Beijing feel irritated.  Here is an article about the warships from South China Morning Post and here is another about the US sending delegates to show support to Taiwan.

What a world we live in now.  All countries' are still trying to improve financially/ecomically.   Covid-19 infection is finally now diminishing in number of cases and death and so people are starting to wage wars to kill each other.   Why is it so hard for the world to just concentrate on healing and keeping peace?

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Kids 2017

This post is about a post on Facebook and other social media about kids spirit and how as parents we should try not to tame their spirits.  That the most difficult kid can still sometimes end up being the world changer.

Channel that energy, not damping the spirit.

Then I hear a neighbor kid.  We would know when he is awake or when they are eating because all of the sudden there will be peace in the neighborhood.  Otherwise, it was just shouting of LOOK AT ME,  DO THIS,  DO THAT all day long until he had to eat or sleep.

We would hear the parents shushing the dogs, but not the kid.  The kid happened to be louder and more non-stop than the dog.  Why shush the dog but not the kid?  Then it reminds me of this post.

Not taming the spirit out of them may be a way of raising presidents or leaders or CEOs.  So if this is how we should raise them, when should we discipline them.  When do we tell them to keep quite there are neighbors who can hear them, when do we tell them to stop demanding or whining?

I wonder where the line draws on having the kid screaming the whole day and when to tell him to keep it quite.  If you want to keep him presidential do you have to listen to all the whining and demands all day long?




Friday, November 11, 2016

November 8, 2016

November 8, 2016 was my third presidential election in the United States of America.    In my 14 years in the country, the USA has become divisive as ever every second.  We hear from both the Democratic and Republican party about unifying the country, love, peace and prosperity for everyone.

Both candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump promised to make the country rich again, both will balance the books and pay our national debts.  Both said they will go high when the other go low, yet both can not stop shouting insults at each other since the beginning of this campaign cycle.

Facebook was loaded with feeds full of petitions to let Hillary step down or Donald to step down depending on whose dirty laundry was being aired.  So sad that the "Best" country in the world have two candidates with the most majority out of the four yet nobody is really proud of supporting either one.

The divide is surely brought about by having only two major parties.  They know one of them will win so campaign was more on rhetorics targeting character instead of platforms.

If the winner really do what he/she said, we will soon earn more interests in our bank money and other investments.  Those with loans will pay less interest.  Students will get better education then start their adulthood without or just some student loans.  Businesses will thrive and multiply instead of closing.  Policemen will go to work without being harassed or assaulted.  We will all be more safe. Homelessness will start declining, etc.  All of us want the same thing.  Yet, we are so divided.

Yellow Hammer News posted an article Trump or Clinton will be President:  Here's how to decide who to vote for.  It is a good read enumerating what decisions the next president will do that will directly influence every citizen.

A few friends and family members would rather vote for a third party candidate than any of these two but with no federal funding available for a third party, their voices were not heard.  The little that we hear about the third and fourth candidate were not even able to get more than 5 percent of the voters.  Both these were not able to really appeal to much of the citizens.  There was once when all four candidates were discussed.  One of them (Johnson) can't answer the journalists when asked about Aleppo in an interview, one (Klein) was facing a possible arrest for vandalism, and of course there was never a stop in the FBI investigations about the email scandals, her trustworthiness and her health for Hillary and taxes, women and wealth scandal for Donald.

A few days after the election:

The President-elect announced was Donald Trump.  Media and polls had not predicted this result.  The map shows most states going red.  Yet the popular vote states that Hillary gets more votes than Trump.

The electoral college our founding fathers formed is the base for calling the winner in the presidential election.  The candidate who gets at least 270 electoral votes wins the presidency.  If we don't have this system, then we can all just wait for the results from states with the most population like California and Florida.

Facebook - days after the election day is filled with hatred from people on both sides.  Now we have democrats rallying because they can't accept the result.  They are afraid that Trump presidency will destroy their families and their kids will be raised immorally.  All I can say is, how the kids grow up to be is really the kids' decision.  We as parents are responsible for putting down the foundation of how we think we want them to grow up being.  Whoever the president is, they are not the ones who tell our kids to respect and love each other.  It is our example as parents and our immediate surrounding that shows them how to act and behave toward each other.

Some people think that because Trump's public image during the campaign includes a video of him not being respectful to women, others think of him as racist, bigot, etc. that they can now go around town harassing people with darker skin or just different from the typical American they wanted.

Hopefully once President-elect Trump is sworn in, the unifying talks will start working and that people on both sides will start acting civil and respectful toward each other so we can all move on peacefully.

I believe truly that whatever circumstances and situations we are in is because of our own individual decisions.  Of course health care, education, safety, taxes, unemployment and others can get better and we can all retire rich and peacefully earlier if the president help make that possible.  Or we will see increasing number of homeless people, veterans suffering somewhere, taxes and healthcare nobody can afford and businesses closing everywhere if leadership moves us to the wrong direction.

I'd like to think that Americans are mostly patriotic and once all these dust settles, we can all move on and work for a better life for ourselves, our communities and our children's lives.




Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Government Partial Shut Down

So this is the second week of the partial government shut down.  Here is a link of what is going on from foxnews.

Like all kinds of relationship, if compromising is gone, the relationship deteriorates.  What happens when only one side is being heard?  When  only the egos and pride and what they want is given and the other side just give in all the time. 

The government is supposed to be there to make the community run smoothly.  But when the government is in havoc, the people suffer.  Did the people who promised to make the country a better place to be, who promised to improve our lifestyles really did what they promised.  Or are they just there muscling for what they believe in without thought for the rest of us,  but their very own agendas only.

I am starting to really dislike the word "entitle".  Why is it that working and enjoying the fruit of your own labor so difficult.  Why is it that people think that because they are born to this country or this family that they are entitled to part or all of somebody else's hard work.  If people just work for what they want and not feel entitled to somebody else's work, will we be in such a mess?

Debt is something we all struggle with.  What with credit cards readily available and companies sending application forms every day.  The discipline to spend only what we earn is difficult to do since there are thousands available with just a flick of the card.  Yet what do you suppose will happen to a family where the mom and dad just kept on bickering at each other.  They both carry 10 credit cards to the max and paying only minimums.  Of course there are the normal mortgages or house rents, the car loans, student loans to name a few.  These people are up to the tip of their foreheads in debt and yet they plan to go on a luxury vacation to their budget.  Of course that means adding another credit card to pay for the vacation.  As a family member or friend to people like this, do we just allow them to do it or at least say something.  If you are a government, do you just allow these people to take in more debt for the people to pay or try to stop this nonsense?

How about the people who are really affected by this shut down.  Who are thinking of their welfares and their common good.  Especially if they still have to go to work without compensation until a compromise is going to be settled.  What will happen if a compromise between the mom and dad of the government is not allowed because the other side will not even listen?

That is my two cents for our current government situation.  Thank you for reading.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Stay at Home Mom

I am a SAHM but soon Lyn is entering kindergarten.  Should I leap back to my old career and start as an entry level again competing for a job with kids 20 years younger or continue on this path.  I live in a small town and I've met other SAHM's who do not only have Bachelors degree like me but some have Masters and even PhD's. 
The book "Constantly Craving" makes us try to understand this need to do something more out of everything in our lives.  That as long as we are living we will always have that constant craving for more.  Why else will people go to school, try to get promoted in their jobs, try to save money to buy better things,  etc.  It is part of life to try to achieve more than what we already have.  For us women who decided to stay at home, the real challenge is to find something to keep us busy and do something that will give us a sense of achievement and "to heck" with what other people think we should do.   

This article "The Courage of a Stay at Home Mom" is shared by a friend in facebook and it is for/about us the SAHMs.  You can click on the link or continue on below.

Choosing to stay home with your child is a leap of faith that goes beyond simply leaving your job.
“Leap and the net will appear.”
~ John Burroughs
I have this quote stuck to the side of my fridge with one of my son’s Cars magnets. I’ve kept it with me for years to remind myself to take risks and not be afraid of unknown journeys. The quote was never more apparent than the day I brought my newborn son home from the hospital and my days as a stay-at-home-mom, or SAHM, began.

It’s been quite a ride. While I’d like to think mothering came naturally to me, it was more something I learned through trial and error—lots of them. By some luck, I managed to do a pretty decent job with my son and added a baby girl to the mix without too much chaos. I guess you could say I’ve found my groove as a SAHM.

But what I didn’t expect was the isolation, both socially and personally. I don’t know many other SAHMs. Most of my close friends are working moms and those SAHMs that I do know are busy shuffling their children from place to place, taking care of their families’ needs and, somehow, trying to squeeze in time for themselves. Attempting to coordinate a play date with another SAHM is like navigating a sea of nap times, preschool schedules and swim lessons only to finally come up with a measly 30 minutes in the weeks ahead. And I take ‘em! I snatch them up and treat them as if I have a treasured meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Life for SAHMs isn’t like it was in decades past.

Most parents work these days, primarily out of necessity, so many neighborhoods aren’t the bustling streets they once were. On my block, you’ll only find me, a few retirees and the OCD guy across the street who likes to wash his car on rainy days—twice. When I walk my kids through the neighborhood, it’s eerily quiet. Often, the only greetings I dole out are to the landscapers and the mailman. On rare occasions, I may spot another SAHM, but resist the temptation to follow her home for fear of appearing to be a stalker. Likely, it’s a new mother on maternity leave who will rarely be seen on the block once she returns to work.
Then there’s the loss, or maybe I should say change of one’s identity. For a SAHM, once she chooses to leave her job to stay home with her child, she instantly becomes a “former” this or that. For me, the choice came after I had already made a career change a few years before I became pregnant. I had left my corporate job to become a yoga teacher, then spent years building a client base and small following. That all disappeared once I left to become a full-time mom. That meant an identity shift, an about-face really. Sure I could return to the teaching circuit again, but it would take me years to regain my prior momentum. For women in the law, finance or sales it means giving up clients that will be all but non-existent when they decide to make their return years later. It’s a choice that means leaving your career and risking the possibility of never returning to your former self.
“Leap and the net will appear.”
Sure, after years as a SAHM, you’ll find a new identity and find comfort with who you’ve become, but every now and again you’ll run into that person at a dinner party who says, “Oh, you’re a stay-at-home-mom? Hmph.” Then…crickets. The conversation dies. I’ll usually make an effort to talk about the person’s own work, but if that fails then I’ll graciously take my place next to the inevitably interesting “shy new girlfriend” or “starving artist husband” who has been outcast too.
It’s a shame. Most of us SAHMs come from interesting places and have some amazing stories. Of the SAHMs I know, one was a high-school English teacher, one an accomplished yoga teacher and another an attorney. All are educated, well-read and fun. A sense of humor is a prerequisite in mommydom. We love what we do (on most days anyway) and despite popular conception, we are able to hold adult conversations. And we might, just might, make you laugh.

What I think most people miss when they see a SAHM is the amount of courage she’s had to muster to jump off that cliff, leaving her familiar career-minded, child-free self to dive into a new skin.

It’s a test of endurance and patience unlike any you will ever experience. It takes a great deal of self-confidence to emerge from the free-fall and land on your feet. There were many days I was certain I was going to end up splattered on the pavement, but somehow I found the courage to make it through another day. Unlike many other jobs, there are no manuals, no job reviews, no promotions that will tell you you’re on the right track. All you have are your instincts and the courage to follow them.
“Leap and the net will appear.”
I’d like to think I’m doing a great job, that I’ve mastered all things that encompass motherhood and have earned a doctorate in parenting, but I know that it’s a never-ending education that changes with each child’s milestone.
I do know that my husband deeply appreciates my sacrifice. I do know that I have the special privilege of being with my children every day. I do know that despite all of the challenges of being a SAHM, I am happy.
I leapt. And I was caught.

Amy Cushing is a stay-at-home-mom and certified yoga teacher from Phoenix, Arizona who is pursuing her passion for writing. When she’s not chasing around two small tots, she can be found lost in a good book, cherishing quality time with her husband or having a much-needed laugh with her girlfriends. She’s on a mission to find simplicity in life so she can spend less time pulling out her hair and more time appreciating those who matter most. She loves yoga and music and has been known to bust out a mean rendition of Itsy Bitsy Spider in times of chaos. She holds a B.S. in Political Science and an M.A. in English from Northern Arizona University .

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Comment on My Review

I received a comment on my review of the 12 Extraordinary Women.  This comment makes me wonder how many Catholics read the bible and became Protestants?  How many read the bible and strengthen their faith in catholicism? 

says:
This is why its important to read the entire Bible so you know if the preaching from the pulpit is true or not. Or when you go home get the Bible out and read for yourself in context. If you had read the bible, you would understand why MacArthur 'seem' to be anti-catholic in your eyes. Catholics is more about men's traditions not God's word. Sounds like you only attend services when your friends go, what is that all about? Lastly, I am baffled by your statement that you are interested in reading Christian books but have yet to read the Bible? I just wanted to add, you are missing out on a brand new world by not reading God's word.


 
KCK Blogger says:
I agree I have to really start reading the bible. Don't be baffled, I am just more worried I might end up interpreting it the wrong way. Have you read the book as well? Do you think the charpter about Mary is not anti-catholic? I admit I am not a regular church goer but not because of friends going or not. The commitment to go regularly is just not there.


  says:
I think when you start reading God's word, you might come to the same conclusion as MacArthur. No, I haven't read this particular book but you might consider me anti-catholic too. The catholic church is elevating Mary to the same level as Jesus and that is definitely not biblical. You can go to gracetoyou.com and find John's sermons, he is a very good preacher. The sermons would help you understand more clearly what you are reading. Even if you are not commit to going to church, I strongly urge you to start reading it. Most people recommend to start with the New Testament. I had to know the beginning so I started with Genesis. I learned from it how much God loves us and why Jesus had to die for us. If you like to share directly with me, my email is Meizinnia@yahoo.com.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Mom's 18 Point iPhone Contract for Son

This has been going around and I thought it is a great idea and lesson from a mom's blog.  Giving iPhones and other gadgets to kids are something most of us worry about.  But if you think about it, that time for them to go drive a car or fly an airplane (if they want to) will come.  They should know that we trust them.  But also learn that they can't abuse the use of such gadgets or be exploited by it. 

Here is a copy of the contract:

Dear Gregory
Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone. Hot Damn! You are a good & responsible 13 year old boy and you deserve this gift. But with the acceptance of this present comes rules and regulations. Please read through the following contract. I hope that you understand it is my job to raise you into a well rounded, healthy young man that can function in the world and coexist with technology, not be ruled by it. Failure to comply with the following list will result in termination of your iPhone ownership.
I love you madly & look forward to sharing several million text messages with you in the days to come.
1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren’t I the greatest?
2. I will always know the password.
3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or “Dad”. Not ever.
4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30pm every school night & every weekend night at 9:00pm. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30am. If you would not make a call to someone’s land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It’s a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
6. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs. Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.
7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
9. Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.
10. No porn. Search the web for information you would openly share with me. If you have a question about anything, ask a person – preferably me or your father.
11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else’s private parts. Don’t laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear – including a bad reputation.
13. Don’t take a zillion pictures and videos. There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.
14. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO – fear of missing out.
15. Download music that is new or classic or different than the millions of your peers that listen to the same exact stuff. Your generation has access to music like never before in history. Take advantage of that gift. Expand your horizons.
16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.
17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
18. You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You & I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.
It is my hope that you can agree to these terms. Most of the lessons listed here do not just apply to the iPhone, but to life. You are growing up in a fast and ever changing world. It is exciting and enticing. Keep it simple every chance you get. Trust your powerful mind and giant heart above any machine. I love you. I hope you enjoy your awesome new iPhone. Merry Christmas!
xoxoxo
Mom

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Bar Stool Economics/Taxes

I saw this recently after reading through replies to an article.  I thought it should go viral.   

Bar Stool Economics

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they were to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers", he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20". Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his "fair share?"

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. "I only got a dollar out of the $20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, "but he got $10!" "Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!" "That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!" "Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!" The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Sandy Hook 2012

Most of us send our kids to schools for education.  We trusted the teachers to educate them so they would be ready for the future.  Teachers were always look up to as heroes for everything they do.  Last Friday, December 14, 2012 some of these heroes shared not only their time, wisdom, education, patience but also their lives protecting the children in their care.

Everybody tries to make sense of the tragedy and grieves in our own way.  These were very young kids learning their ABC's, colors and shapes, counting down the days when Santa will come to their homes.  How can we understand events like this?  Here are the things I have seen so far:

As I turned on my computer that fateful day after a lunch date with friends.  All I see are news about the rampage.  I saw some friends already posting about gun control, just reacting from shock and grieve I reposted it.  Then  we saw posts about people not being compassionate, that we should give these families time to grieve before politicizing the event.  But then when exactly should we talk about it? 

Then there were posts about angels and fields in heaven.  Then came all the posts that these poets have the wrong theology.

As the investigation unfolds, we got the name of the shooter.   We then get posts about mentally disturbed and how society and government should make it possible for parents with children that are mentally challenged have more access to help.  We also get posts about why people try to blame society instead of teaching individual accountability.

Mike Huckabee video came next and I thought that what he said was right on as well.  But then we later see posts that Mike's view of God is wrong since God is everywhere, everytime. 

As we go down through our news feeds, we will see that everybody is right.  Everybody is just trying to make sense of what happened.  Yet, it is so difficult to say something and have everybody agree with what you think.   How are we all going to get together and find a common ground where we help each other prevent tragedies like this to happen again?

Let us all peacefully agree that a young man who was mentally challenged got a hold of guns, entered an elementary school and killed young kids and some adults including himself and his mother.  How do we prevent this without saying that only my way is the right way.


Thursday, June 28, 2012

ObamaCare

I was beginning to think that I might have to delete my "ranting and rambling" blog category since I am not feeling the heat of venting/ranting for a while now.  Thanks to Obamacare I have something to rant about again.

According to Wiki Obamacare, formally, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  If you just go with the name, it sounds so noble and caring of Obama to make such a law for the underprivilege and low income group.  This is Obama's pet project since he started his presidency which passed the senate in 2009, today the supreme court upheld all but one of the provision of the law.

I don't think I have the intelligence to understand and interpret the law but this part of the provision disturbed my mediocre brain:

*A shared responsibility requirement, commonly called an individual mandate,[22][23] requires that all persons not covered by an employer sponsored health plan, Medicaid, Medicare or other public insurance programs, purchase and comply with an approved private insurance policy or pay a penalty, unless the applicable individual is a member of a recognized religious sect exempted by the Internal Revenue Service, or waived in cases of financial hardship.[24]


There are a lot of must dos, prohibitions, requirements for the insurers and employers.  It is going to be funded by a variety of taxes and offsets.  Here is how the insurance will cost:
Health Insurance Premiums and Cost Sharing under PPACA for average family of 4.[18][99][100][101][102]
Income % of federal poverty levelPremium Cap as a Share of IncomeIncome $ (family of 4)aMax Annual Out-of-Pocket PremiumPremium SavingsbAdditional Cost-Sharing Subsidy
133%3% of income$31,900$992$10,345$5,040
150%4% of income$33,075$1,323$9,918$5,040
200%6.3% of income$44,100$2,778$8,366$4,000
250%8.05% of income$55,125$4,438$6,597$1,930
300%9.5% of income$66,150$6,284$4,628$1,480
350%9.5% of income$77,175$7,332$3,512$1,480
400%9.5% of income$88,200$8,379$2,395$1,480
A family of 4 with an income of $31,900 will have a Max Annual out of pocket premium of $992.  Is this really something to be cheerful about?  I don't know.  The whole ACT is mind boggling for me.




Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Who Made God

Last night, after reading a children's book about the human body, specifically about the human brain.

Vyn said " wow God is so amazing to be able to design brains".
I agreed and smiled. 
Vyn " is Jesus the first person God made". 
Me: No, there are already lots of people before Jesus.  Adam is.
Vyn:  If God made Adam, who made God?

If you have a strong Christian faith, am sure you guys will just say, he is eternal, he just existed, nobody made him. Now, if you have been reading my blog, you know how limited my knowledge is when it comes to God and Christianity.  Questions like this from my kids increases my curiousity about other religions as well.  What do parents say to answer such innocence and honesty? 

I grew up a Catholic, but my mom also prays to our ancestors and practices Feng Shui.  We have Jesus, Joseph, Mary and Santo Nino, Bagua and Ying-Yang symbols in our house and we talk about afterlife, karma and about the teachings of Confucius.  These days increasing number of people are practicing Tai Chi and yoga for health and inner peace.  People consult Feng Shui books when building houses, new communities have cul-de-sacs instead of a road dead ending into a house and others. 

Please click on this link: religionfacts.  The site explains the different religious facts.  No agendas and does not try to convert you to a specific faith.  Some religions have thousands, millions and billions of followers.  The origins started from about 550 B.C. to about 1990s.  Some believe in God, in a number of Gods or no God.  The goal for most is to have good life on Earth and good afterlife if they believe in afterlife, others don't.

Spreading the Word of God and evangelism is very important to followers of Christianity.   Some people readily accepts God and Jesus.  Some steadfastly hold on to their old beliefs.  How do you go about telling people, we are all created in the image of God.  We should love everybody.  But at the same time tell people, that they will not have a place in heaven unless they start praying the same way we did.   What do Catholics really think about the other Christian denominations and vice versa?

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Fighting is an option

As usual, during long drives we listened to Dr. Laura.  We listened to a lot of callers during both our drive to Interlochen and coming back home.  Some of Dr. Laura's reply stood out.  I would like to share this one.

One woman married her high school sweetheart and have a 12 year old daughter and a 9 year old son.  She was in the process of a divorce and her reason for calling is because her 12 year old daughter is not happy about the divorce and the mom don't know what to do.  She has fallen out of love and is always fighting with her husband.

This is not verbatim.  But as close as I can remember it.  Dr. Laura's reply was:  Don't continue with the divorce.  Our society has learned to give up on relationships so easy.   If you divorce, eventually there will be another woman to deal with and another man as well.  Then other set of kids.  Stop the fighting.  Fighting is an option.  There are days when one of us will have a crappy day and will snap.  But choose not to fight.  Instead bring back the romance.  You had it once, you will have it again.

Personally, I think all kinds of relationship is a work in progress.  Although dating definitely is the most exciting relationship wherein involved parties put only their best foot forward.  Years into the marriage and we see not just the good but also the bad side of each other.  Arguments, misunderstandings and disagreements will be around.  The trick is in solving the problems.  We argue with our parents who have known us ever since, with our siblings and friends but we don't give up on them.


Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Million to Trillion

The news is filled with articles about our national debt being in trillions and that our kids already inherited about $40,000 in national debt even before they were born.

Then we read about wars costing billions.  Just recently in the May 27 newspaper we have about 9 million deficit in education budget.  More teachers are just hoping that they will not be among those that will be layed off for the next school year.  Middle income families are starting to send their kids to private schools in increasing numbers.  Faith in public school system is slowly going down.  Homelessness and unemployment rates are not really decreasing significantly. 

A  few days ago, we read about a 1.8 million budget going to highway signs.  This is justified  and I quote "because an accident caused by an outdated or misplaced sign has the same liability as an accident caused by a pothole in the road".  Nothing against the person who said this but "REALLY "? They would rather have nice fonts in the highway signs than repair potholes or crumbling bridges as some people suggested.

Do people in the higher ups and the decision makers on where the money should go live in a different planet from those who are being layed off, driving in potholes or crumbling bridges, unemployed and homeless?  Is the national debt just going up higher and higher since we would rather keep the "we are a rich country" facade?  Should our priority be in wearing Gucci, carrying Louis Vuitton even when we are up in our eyebrows in debt?

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Super Nanny

I watched a few episodes of this series when I was first pregnant.  Jo Frost have some great techniques in helping the parents get back control over their kids and put them in the right track.  But do you really let kids watch the show?

For me, it is like exposing them to new behaviors they would not have known.  Kids might end up trying out what they see and will be curious as to what you will do.

The same with rapture and end of the world prophesies.  Today is an example.  There are believers spreading these stuff around.  I agree that society needs to know the existence of such people and be warned against it.  But I guess the line is thin between warning and ending up sending vulnerable people who have the affinity to these stuff into following these so called messengers. 

It is the end of the world for everybody who died for whatever reasons every day.  It is now pass midnight in other parts of the world.  Let us see what their predictions will be next.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Mama Through The Years

This has been forwarded in facebook a few months ago and I think that moms of all ages can relate to it:

At age 4: we think Mom knows everything! At 8: Mom knows a lot! At 12: Mom doesn't know everything! At 14: Mom doesn't know anything! At 16: Mom doesn't exist! At 18: She's old fashioned. At 25: Maybe Mom does know about this. At 35: Before we decide let's ask Mom. At 45: I wonder what Mom thinks about this. At 75: I w...ish I could ask Mom about this.

If you have kids in different age group, I can just imagine what an emotional roller coaster some of you moms are experiencing everyday.  Right now, I have a three and an almost 7, so I am still in the safe category. Although I can already see signs of "I know more than you" peeking out  at times.

As for my mom, am sure my siblings and I have put her through all the stages.  But she has always been and still is my unfaltering supporter and my all time reassurance provider.  My life would not have been the same  has she not eliminated my doubts that things would be better for me if I give life away from home a chance.

Thank you mama.  I love you.  Happy Mother's Day!

Monday, May 2, 2011

One God

This is in response to somebody who commented on my blog about the book "Heaven is for Real". 

I too am glad about our freedom of speech and agree about being put to death or imprisoned because of differences in faith in other countries.  Religion is always a very tricky, dangerous topic to tread.  I browsed on Shirley McLaine but still don't know enough to agree or disagree with her.  I don't know anything about the different spokes for different folks to the center of the wheel (GOD) concept.  But I'd like to believe that people believed in "ONE GOD" and that if we all just live harmoniously and be good to each other we will all have good eternal life.

The Qur'an and the Holy Bible basically have the same story on creation.  But 4 years in Catholic high school and half my life living with some neighbors who believe in Islam did not make me an expert on any of these holy books.  Buddha is an "enlightened man" who taught people about karma and how to live well.

I just don't want to think that heaven is exclusively only for Christians.  Different churches are popping up everywhere all the time.  Why do people have the need to start their own churches.  Is it because they don't like the bureaucracy or did they find a way to heaven.  I think there is enough exclusivity on Earth to also have it in heaven.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Japan - March 2011

March 11, 2011, a massive 8.0/9.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Northeastern part of the country.  It triggered a huge tsunami that washes away homes, buildings and thousands of people are still missing.  Just when people are still searching and mourning for missing loved ones, the nuclear power plants starts melting down, explosions and white smokes coming from the nuclear plants.

My mom's youngest sister lives in Japan and we have lots of Japanese friends here. Fortunately, they don't live in the areas where the earthquake and tsunami hit. My mom's family still haven't communicated with our aunt. Now we are facing another possible disaster in Japan if the radiation leaks will not be contained soon and continue to raise radiation levels.

In the U.S., Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in California is built less than a mile from an offshore fault line.  Am sure they have very intelligent reasons for doing that at the time.  But nature is very unpredictable and anything can happen anytime.  Is the U.S. ready for situations like this or will the president be too busy picking out sports teams and doing publicities to think about these things.   Here is an article from Huffington Post

Here is what WIKI have to say about Nuclear Power.  It includes the history, its uses, description, life cycle and controversies about its safety and waste products.

Nuclear Power produces electricity without causing pollutions compared to fossil fuel energy.  According to WIKI,  France has the cleanest air in the industrialized countries because of nuclear energy.  But the debate lies in the wastes.  There are currently 439 locations in 31 countries around the world where nuclear waste is continuing to accumulate.  As of 2007, the United States alone had accumulated more than 50,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from nuclear reactors.  After 10,000 years of radioactive decay, according to United States Environmental Protection Agency standards, the spent nuclear fuel will no longer pose a threat to public health and safety.

No countries have built it yet but there are talks of storing radiation wastes underground.  How long will it be before we all are sitting on top of radiation waste storage facilities.  I hope more research will be going to solar and wind power for energy instead.  Just my little opinion on this crisis.

Friday, March 4, 2011

What Should A 4 Year Old Know

I have not posted anything about parenting because I believe that it is very personal and personalities among parents,kids and how we react to things and situations are very different from each other. I don't think that there would be a "cookie cutter" way in raising kids.  A friend posted this in her facebook and I am going to share it with you guys.  It is from "A Magical Childhood"  Here goes:

We are such a competitive culture that even our preschoolers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn’t be a race.

So here, I offer my list of what a 4 year old should know.

1.She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time.

2.He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn’t feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up.

3.She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination. She should know that it is always okay to paint the sky orange and give cats 6 legs.

4.He should know his own interests and be encouraged to follow them. If he could care less about learning his numbers, his parents should realize he’ll learn them accidentally soon enough and let him immerse himself instead in rocket ships, drawing, dinosaurs or playing in the mud.

5.She should know that the world is magical and that so is she. She should know that she’s wonderful, brilliant, creative, compassionate and marvelous. She should know that it’s just as worthy to spend the day outside making daisy chains, mud pies and fairy houses as it is to practice phonics. Scratch that– way more worthy.

But more important, here’s what parents need to know.

1.That every child learns to walk, talk, read and do algebra at his own pace and that it will have no bearing on how well he walks, talks, reads or does algebra.

2.That the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement and high ACT scores is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mom or dad taking the time every day or night (or both!) to sit and read them wonderful books.

3.That being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children “advantages” that we’re giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours. One of the biggest advantages we can give our children is a simple, carefree childhood.

4.That our children deserve to be surrounded by books, nature, art supplies and the freedom to explore them. Most of us could get rid of 90% of our children’s toys and they wouldn’t be missed, but some things are important– building toys like legos and blocks, creative toys like all types of art materials (good stuff), musical instruments (real ones and multicultural ones), dress up clothes and books, books, books. (Incidentally, much of this can be picked up quite cheaply at thrift shops.) They need to have the freedom to explore with these things too– to play with scoops of dried beans in the high chair (supervised, of course), to knead bread and make messes, to use paint and play dough and glitter at the kitchen table while we make supper even though it gets everywhere, to have a spot in the yard where it’s absolutely fine to dig up all the grass and make a mud pit.

5.That our children need more of us. We have become so good at saying that we need to take care of ourselves that some of us have used it as an excuse to have the rest of the world take care of our kids. Yes, we all need undisturbed baths, time with friends, sanity breaks and an occasional life outside of parenthood. But we live in a time when parenting magazines recommend trying to commit to 10 minutes a day with each child and scheduling one Saturday a month as family day. That’s not okay! Our children don’t need Nintendos, computers, after school activities, ballet lessons, play groups and soccer practice nearly as much as they need US. They need fathers who sit and listen to their days, mothers who join in and make crafts with them, parents who take the time to read them stories and act like idiots with them. They need us to take walks with them and not mind the .1 MPH pace of a toddler on a spring night. They deserve to help us make supper even though it takes twice as long and makes it twice as much work. They deserve to know that they’re a priority for us and that we truly love to be with them.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Volunteer

In poor countries where people are mostly educated. Being a volunteer is a normal phase to be in after college. The government don't have the ability to give benefits to individuals who are unemployed. Employers can't pay much to employees because people can't pay much for the services they offer.  I remember volunteering myself and getting transient pay that is enough to buy me Pringles and some treats when somebody is sick or on vacation.   Relocating to other countries where we can get better pay, is what most choose to do.


In rich countries, getting your thumb crushed by a machinery means you get paid by the company for a lifetime.  In poor countries you still have to go to work if you want to feed your family.   Irony is, the abuse people put into the benefits they get is catching up and now we are talking about trillions in deficits and governments going bankcrupt plus the economy is just plain bad.  Employers are not hiring much and benefits are cut.  College graduates don't have jobs to go to.  People just have to learn to volunteer to be able to practice their professions and work odd jobs to put food and roof for their families and hope that things will get better.


According to WIKI.  In general terms, volunteering is the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services. Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be considered self-serving.


Volunteering takes many forms and is performed by a wide range of people. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work in, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Other volunteers serve on an as-needed basis, such as in response to a natural disaster or for a beach-cleanup.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Happy Chinese New Year

February 3, 2011 is Chinese New Year.  It will be the start for the year of the Rabbit.  Chinese New Year usually falls between January 21 to February 20 in our Gregorian calendar.  Back home growing up in the Philippines this means that there is going to be lots of food and get togethers with the family around this time.
Here is what Wiki have to say about Chinese New Year and here is another link from Kabooze which includes the most popular traditions Chinese do to start the new year.

For those of us who were not able to follow through with our new year's resolution, you can start again and maybe modify them a bit to make it more doable. 

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!!!