Thanks For The Fleas!

Positive change for the good

2009-03-24T03:14:00.001-07:00

Three times recently colleagues have talked to me about bringing about ‘positive change’. Whilst I know what it is they are talking about, it has also left me perplexed.

One colleague asked me to read something he had written in which he claimed that managers in not-for-profits are likely to bring about better results for their client group because they are motivated by the good. They manage, he said, in the ‘empowerment mode’ by which I think he meant that managers in not-for-profit are motivated to empower others. In another workshop a very senior academic colleague announced that he was not interested in working in ways that had moderate outcomes: the world is in such a state that he was only interested in bringing about large scale positive change. Yet another colleague was trying to focus the people she was working with towards bringing about positive change.

Of course I know what they are talking about: aspirations to improve the human condition are an important motivating factor for people who work in not-for-profits and beyond. If we didn’t think we were doing good, why would we turn up for work in the morning and strive for social change? The trouble is although we have good intentions, this is not the same as achieving good by and with others. Sometimes this idealisation of the good can take on a very metaphysical hue which may catch us up and cover over the effects that our work is having, both positive and negative, for those we work with. How can we possibly know in advance that what we are doing is going to bring about the good?

Take the seductively transcendental overtones of Appreciative Enquiry (AI), which is a method grounded in the belief that to enquire into the good is to achieve the good:

“The metaphysical dimension of appreciative inquiry is important not so much as a way of finding answers but is important insofar as it heightens the living experience of awe and wonder which leads us to the wellspring of new questions–much like a wide-eyed explorer without final destination. …The normative question of what kind of social-organizational order is best, most dignified, and just, will never go away, nor will the pragmatic question of how to move closer to the ideal.” Cooperrider

Cooperrider’s claim that the the quest for a just social order is undending and that finding answers is less important, is interesting given his most recent book: AI - A Positive Revolution in Change which tends towards the suggestion that using AI will bring about a more effective, adaptable and positive organisation. The quest may be unending, but AI does provide answers after all. The theory is steeped in humanistic psychology and teleology. It dwells in idealism: if we can be good we will bring about good. So we are immediately into metaphysics, the search for wholeness and completeness, if you like, being at one with the Godhead. You can see how appealing this might be to people who are motivated to do good, particularly if they are also religious.

If we are motivated to bring about ‘positive change’ then we may also consider it a duty that we leave ourselves open to the paradoxical possibility that no matter how well intentioned we are our actions may bring about negative outcomes. Inherently action is neither good nor bad, but contextual and contingent, and also subject to the interweaving actions of other, perhaps well-intentioned actors. How can we predict what this interweaving of intentions might bring about? In the territory of paradox the potentiality for positive and negative, good and bad, arise at the same time. Seriously to work with paradox, then, one would not necessarily start with the good expecting to find the good: one would act with the best intention and still pay close attention to whether things turn out as we would have liked.

And is being good and using techniques which tend to the good the surest way of achieving all of this? When belief threatens to overwhelm awareness I think we have every reason to be very sceptical.

Buyers Remorse

2009-03-22T02:33:00.001-07:00

I don’t normally write about American domestic politics, but I wrote this back in January and needed a place to put it. So, here you go:

We all know the feeling. Whether it’s a new car, a home, a computer or a TV, you agonize over the decision for weeks, weighing all the relevant factors, balancing the costs and benefits and convincing yourself that only the right one will do and that anything else will be a disaster. And then, in a moment of steely determination fueled by soaring anticipation, you make your choice and slap down your credit card (or sign your mortgage) and beam proudly like a new parent.

For a few days, or maybe even a few weeks, the golden relationship with your newest possession goes well. You marvel at the clarity of the plasma screen, pontificate knowingly about the importance of torque or wax lyrical on the virtues of a proper garden. For a while, life is beautiful and all is right in the world.

And then, it happens. You wake up one morning, beset by the sinking realization that things are not automatically and irrevocably better. Somehow, the best decision you’ve ever made, the one you strained and sweated over, the one you just knew was going to make a difference, doesn’t seem to have done much of anything at all. It’s not that you made the wrong decision; it’s simply that it your choice, for all your effort and anticipation, doesn’t seem to matter. Your job is still a never-ending stream of drudgery, your co-workers banal and annoying. The weather is still shit, most of the time, which matter less because you don’t magically have any new vacation days with which to enjoy it. Your spouse is still numbingly shrill or shockingly dull (and truth be told, just a little too fond of dessert). Your kids, don’t even start thinking about the kids……

Sound familiar? Of course it does. We’ve all done it, made one of those important commercial choices which appear to contain within themselves the seeds of happiness, success, contentment, bliss, only to belatedly discover that while, sure, we have a nice, shiny new toy, it’s only the cherry on a dogshit sundae. Everything we were implicitly hoping would be swept away by that one magical decision, all the other troubles which we determinedly pushed out of the frontal lobe, the better to listen to salesman’s pitch, are still with us, clamoring all the more to be dealt with after their temporary exile. Welcome to post-election America, 2008.

I should clarify that I am not opposed to an Obama presidency. I did not vote for John McCain and, although I refuse to countenance much of the rabid criticism of the last eight years, I am also not a fan of much of what George Bush has managed or intended. What I am opposed to is the atmosphere of ill-considered optimism (dare I say, messianic fervor?) that surrounds his elevation to leader of the free world. From London to Cape Town, Mumbai to Madrid, the world appears to believe that Obama’s electoral victory somehow fundamentally alters the nature of American, and by extension world, politics. This, despite however much it might be desired, will not happen.

The Obamamania that has swept the world in the last six months is as much a reaction to disillusionment with the Bush Administration as it is a reflection of Obama’s character or ideals. This is a natural result of a campaign based upon the vacuous notion of Change. Everyone, citizens of the U.S. and the world alike, seem willing, even eager, to imbue Obama with their own hopes and desires. One need only look at the conflicting identities donned interchangeably by the President-elect to see that his path forward will be fraught with difficulty and disappointment. To white Americans, he is post-racial, a President who can finally lay to rest uncomfortable allegations of racism and discrimination and demonstrate the ideal at the heart of the American reality. To black Americans, he is also a harbinger of a new era in U.S. politics. However, he is one who heralds not the end of racial identity in politics, but the long-sought reversal of the traditional racial divisions, providing compensation for decades of underrepresentation and marginalization. Both groups voted for Obama in large numbers because of the color of his skin, but with differing underlying rationales that are mutually incompatible.

To the traditional Democractic base of blue-collar union workers, Obama speaks stirringly about the need to protect American jobs and reinvigorate American industry, all the while maintaining an implicit social contract with the common worker. To the white-collar middle-class, he insists upon economic policies which will return them to a post-meltdown era of prosperity and stability, with access to cheap foreign goods and a competitive educational system. He says nothing about the impossibility of balancing the demands of unions (especially the powerful teachers unions) against the requirements of globalized capital and labor markets.

If recent policy decisions and proposals and the firestorm of criticism and dissent they have produced are any indication, the balancing act that will be required for the next four years may be more than even this president can handle. Better men have been broken by less. Unfortunately, there’s a nearly ironclad no-return policy on politicians, especially presidential ones.

CNN-Lou Dobbs- Obama Backing North American Union Agenda

2009-03-22T02:31:00.001-07:00

.it's just perfect!

2009-03-21T04:11:00.001-07:00

They have been married for two years. He loves literature and often posts his work on the net, but nobody ever reads them. He is also into photography and he handles their wedding photos. He loves her very much. Likewise with her. She has a quick temper and always bullies him. He is a gentleman and always gives in to her.

Today, she’s being willful again.

Her: “Why can’t you be the photographer for my friend’s wedding? She promised she’d pay.”

Him: “I don’t have time that day.”

Her: “Humph!”

Him: “Huh?”

Her: “Don’t have time? Write less of those novels, and you will have all the time you need.”

Him: “I… someone will definitely recognize my work some day.”

Her: “Humph! I don’t care, you’ll have to do it for her!”

Him: “No.”

Her: “Just this once?”

Him: “No.”

Negotiation’s broken. So, she gave the final warning: “Give me a Yes within three days, or else…”

First day, she “withheld” the kitchen, bathroom, computer, refrigerator, television, hi-fi… Except the double bed, to show her “benevolence”.

Of course, she has to sleep on it too. He didn’t mind, as he still has some cash in his pockets.

Second day, she conducted a raid and removed everything from his pockets and warned, “Seek any external help, and you bear the consequences.”

He’s nervous now. That night, on the bed, he begs for mercy, hoping that she’ll end this state. She doesn’t give a damn. No way am I giving in, whatever he says. Until he agrees.

Third day, night. On the bed. He’s lying on the bed, looking to one side. She’s lying on the bed, looking to the other side.

Him: “We need to talk.”

Her: “Unless it’s about the wedding, forget it.”

Him: “It’s something very important.”

She remains silent.

Him:”Let’s get a divorce.”

She did not believe her ears.

Him: “I got to know a girl.”

She’s totally angry, and wanted to hit him. But she held it down, wanting to let him finish. But her eyes already felt wet. He took a photo out from his chest. Probably from his undershirt pocket, that’s the only place she didn’t go through yesterday. How careless.

Him: “She’s a nice girl.”

Her tears fell.

Him: “She has a good personality too.”

She’s heartbroken because he puts a photo of some other girl close to his heart.

Him: “She says that she’ll support me fully in my pursue for literature after we got married.”

She’s very jealous because she said the same thing in the past.

Him: “She loves me truly.”

She wishes to sit up and scream at him “Don’t I?”

Him: “So, I think she won’t force me to do something that I don’t want to do.”

She’s thinking, but the rage won’t subside.

Him: “Want to take a look at the photo I took for her?”

Her: “…!”

He brings the photo before her eyes. She’s in a total rage, hits his hand away and leaves a burning slap on his face.

He sighs. She cries.

He puts the photo back to his pocket. She pulls her hand back under the blanket.

He turns off the light, and sleeps. She turns on the light, and sits up. He’s asleep. She lost sleep. She regrets treating him the way she treated him.

She cried again, and thought about a lot of things. She wants to wake him up. She wants to have a intimate talk with him. She doesn’t want to push him anymore. She stares at his chest. She wants to see how the girl looks.

She slips the photo out. She wanted to cry and she wanted to laugh.

It’s a nicely taken photo. A photo he took for her. She bends down, and kissed him on his cheek.

He smiled. He was just pretending to be asleep.

“You learn to love, not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.”

Brooke/Dean - Pictures of You

2009-03-21T04:09:00.001-07:00

Facebook

2009-03-19T02:49:00.001-07:00

In my last post, I wrote about how I think a content-centric Twitter-esque Facebook is a bad idea. I stick by this now that the layout has finally shown itself. The “what’s on your mind” box seems to discourage speaking in third person and tends toward Twitter-style micro-blogging. Bloggers, writers, journalists, and people whose career (or hobbies, like myself) centers around words and the manipulation thereof may welcome the new change, but it is not something the general public appreciates or, frankly, should have. The average Facebook user should not be allowed to divulge their stupid thoughts that easily. We saw how well that turned out with Xanga and Myspace blog posts.

With this in mind, however, it’s completely stupid to assume that Facebook gives two shits about what their users think about the direction they decide to take their website and its services. With the status posts being so central to the new home page layout, I can clearly see the dozens of people who vehemently declare their undying hatred for the new layout. This is all well and good; everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, when you go around to all of Mr. Zuckerberg’s groups, walls or any place you can post and type in all caps about how you “HATE THE NEW FACEBOOK SO MUCH CHANGE IT BACK PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!11″ then it starts to get a little old. Nobody freaking cares. They’re not going to change it back. How does it feel to know the internet hates you?

Especially annoying are the protest groups. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool when someone uses Facebook to draw attention to a legitimate cause, but when the entirety of the cause is in an angrily worded Facebook group, you need to relax and get a life. Why don’t you try voting for the next president by texting “PRESIDENT” to 25252? See how well that works out. We all know that the internet is SERIOUS BUSINESS, after all.

The point is, the new Facebook layout is a bad idea for the general user. I like it, but I don’t think the public at large wants, needs, or should have free rein over creativity and easy publishing on such an extremely public forum. That’s what changes the game: just how extraordinarily freaking public it all is. You can easily ignore someone on Youtube, or not visit a blog of an idiot who thinks the world cares, but Facebook is social by definition. With the increasingly stalkerish wall feed, we should periodically remind ourselves: nobody really cares.

4th July - NEW WORLD ORDER Revolution. Governmental Freedom!

2009-03-19T02:47:00.001-07:00

Love, Actually Is All Around... (London, Day 7)

2009-03-17T02:27:00.001-07:00

“If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion… love actually is all around.”– Love Actually

Kristen’s watch alarm went off at a too-early 5 a.m., and I begrudgingly made my way to the bathroom for my last rendezvous with Death Tub.

Due to our pre-packing the night before, we left the room slightly before schedule, but better early than late when you’re dealing with international departures. We lugged our luggage down Shepherd’s Bush Road towards Hammersmith, waving goodbye to all the landmarks along the way.

Goodbye, hotel.

Goodbye, Royal Guest House 2, sister hotel. Goodbye, Kebab Machine.

So long, cute boutique store with the red sweater I coveted but never bought. Adios, tapas restaurant. See ya later, Brook Green Tavern and Brook Green Park.

Catch you on the flipside, Hammersmith Library. Laurie Arms, we hardly knew ye.

Caffe Nero, you will be fondly remembered.

We bought our single tickets for Heathrow (our Oyster cards would have only gotten us halfway there), found the lift and lowered ourselves onto the platform. The first train went directly to Terminal 4, so we hopped aboard, luggage and all.

A woman got on a few stops later, asking if the train was going to Terminal 5. Kristen said no, but there were other stops along the way where she could switch. By the end of the trip, we were the ones giving directions. The woman got off at Hounslow Central, when prompted by the announcement on the train.

We tried to check in at the automated kiosk, but we both got messages that we needed to do it manually. After queuing for 10 minutes, we checked our luggage at the counter and got our printed boarding passes.

When we went through security, we didn’t have to remove our shoes. We just had to take our plastic bags full of liquids out of our carry-ons, and I had to remove my laptop.

We had about an hour before boarding, so we got some nourishment at Corsa, a coffee shop that Brian from the Three Crowns pub had highly recommended the day before. Kristen said their coffee was as good as Caffe Nero, if not better. I had a blackcurrant and white chocolate muffin, and it held up to Caffe Nero’s offerings quite well.

I took a final spin through the duty-free shops, purchasing some chocolates for Tim’s parents and a Harrod’s tea tin for myself. We headed down to the gate about 10 minutes before they were to begin boarding. I spied an Abbey Road postcard at the last shop and hastily procured it for Tim.

As we waited for the boarding announcement, we sat in the sunlight, near the window by the gate. A woman in her mid-20s was sitting a few seats to the left of us. She couldn’t stop smiling. I’m not sure how we started talking, but she told us she had just gotten engaged the day before. She and her fiance met as contractors in Iraq. His family lives in England, and they both stopped to visit them before she made her way alone to see her mother in Vegas. He proposed to her at the top of the London Eye. She was so happy, and it was contagious. She couldn’t stop looking at her ring, and she was beaming. We congratulated her heartily, and I sent a quiet wish to the universe to keep them both safe.

Kristen and I had each booked a window seat, hoping that nobody would sit next to us, and our hopes were realized. The plane was about half full, so there was plenty of room for everyone to stretch, although the flight attendant reminded us all about five times before we departed that we weren’t allowed to switch seats until they’d matched everyone to their original seat assignments.

Unfortunately, people tend to sleep less on transatlantic flights during the day, or maybe it was just the group of rowdy football fans behind us, but we were both grateful to have the multimedia center at our disposal once again. We both watched Twilight, which should be recategorized as a comedy, or at least renamed to Dawson’s Creek with Vampires. At one point, Kristen had to punch me to keep my seat from shaking because I was laughing so hard, and it was giving her motion sickness because her screen kept moving. Oh, to be young and angsty again. I can see why teenage girls like it, and I am obviously not the target audience.

I took a break, finished the book I was reading, and chose Slumdog Millionaire as the latter part of my double feature. It was excellent– really riveting. Also, I must say I’m really not interested in visiting India anytime soon.

Our flight arrived slightly ahead of schedule, which gave us plenty of time to stand in the immigration queue. We presented our travel cards and passports again, and I was pleased with the amount that I hadn’t purchased abroad. After what seemed like forever, we made it through the line and retrieved our bags from the carousel. We weren’t chosen for a random bag inspection, so we took the escalator down to the main baggage claim area where Tim was waiting patiently, ready for some extra help with our rambunctious dogs.

Kristen and I hugged goodbye, promised to meet soon to exchange pictures, and just like that, the trip was over.

Numbers

2009-03-15T02:40:00.001-07:00

Today I played the License Plate game. It was a bit different from the way I played it as a child, because I was alone in the car, and, I’ve been brushing up on my numerology. Each number, one through nine, has a certain energetic vibration and, over the years I’ve simplified what each one means to me personally.

My “number” all my life, is 713. No reason, just liked it. Since learning numerology, I know know this is a message to remember daily. 7 13 means - spirit and self in balance. It might mean something else, to someone else, but that’s what it means to me. I also like noticing the words to the songs on the radio. Many times I’ve been focused on a specific issue, or question, or concern, and suddenly notice the words of the song on the radio are giving me the answer. It’s really fun!

So back to the license plate game. I found a new flavor to this, 12 years ago, in 1997. We lived in New Jersey and were intent on moving to Oregon, homeless, jobless, with 4 kids and a dog. Insane! It was a bad day, and I was feeling, this dream/goal/objective - truly was insane. On my way home from work ( a really good job it was insane to give up) my request from God/source/spirit was for a sign that this was the right choice.

I learned this in my childhood, from Mom and Dad. Prayers are answered, and God lets us know, but we have to pay attention. So I pay attention to all kinds of things!

That day, I was asking for a sign, it was a few weeks before all hell broke loose. Long story, I’ll put it in a book. So I’m driving home from work, in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Surrounded by New Jersey license plates. Then the car in front of me changed lanes, and I closed the space on - an Oregon license plate. Three numbers on one side, three letters on the other, tall tree in the middle. In New Jersey? I laughed!

Of course, two days later, I saw two more Oregon license plates, because that’s my personal rule. If it is an important message from spirit, I want 3 signs. And I got them, in 3 days. Without that affirmation I wouldn’t have been able to hold true, to the signs, with what my family endured, in the following weeks. Our family move to Oregon took place on 7-17 that year. I didn’t understand why it wasn’t on 7-13, then.

Fast forward, 12 years, and tons of transitions, to today. A good day in Oregon. Driving to the monthly meeting, workshop, with my romance writers group. A rainy Saturday morning. Just driving. A glance at the lisence plate of a car. My mind automatically assesses the numbers and letters of a lisence plate. No big deal, simple message of the numbers and the letters sort of have the flavor of a word. Cute.

But then, every car, every license plate, was doing the same thing. 3 random numbers, 3 random letters, noticed in a quick glance, had cute messages. Nothing earth shattering, just fun. But, every car? Finally I was on my own in a misty fog and laughing, wondering. Staying back from being able to see the numbers and letters on the car ahead. Except one passed on the left and I automatically glanced, saw a number and word message. I laughed again! It was so fun!

So I asked out loud, alone in my car, “who’s sending this?”

A car went by with the license plate - ZTV 902.

The message I got was, Zenith TV, Sept 2nd. Daddy was a TV repairman, his birthday Sept. 2nd.

How cool is that? Daddy and I were playing the license game. Then a van, with donuts and coffee decals in colorful splendor, drove by. The license plate was:

A7134U.

Then Elton John’s voice crooned through the radio speakers, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, and the words, “Should have listened to my old man…”

I stopped at the vending machine, before I went into the romance writers meeting. Got a “Payday.” Nuts and carmel. The story of my life. Gotta love it!

Va State Police Use License Plate Reader to Stop Car Thieves

2009-03-15T02:39:00.001-07:00

AVAILABLE / Ashley Ln, Orlando, FL

2009-03-12T03:09:00.001-07:00

Tom Vuong | Franklin Run, LLC | 407-443-4506

717 Ashley Ln, Orlando, FL

East Orlando House for Under $50K!

2BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $49,900

Year Built	1984
Sq Footage	1,030
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	7,500 sqft
HOA/Maint	$10 per month

DESCRIPTION

Wow! Look at the price on this East Orlando home off Chickasaw Trail near Valencia Community College. This one needs a fairly heavy rehab due to some water damage, but should make an excellent rental or retail property. This will not last long at this price.

717 ASHLEY LN, ORLANDO, FL 32825

-2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1-Car Garage

-1,030 Living Square Footage

-Wood Frame

-Built in 1984

-Central Heat/Air

-Should rent for $800/month

VALUES

-Zillow: $131,000

-Tax Assessed: $132,360

-Bank Was Owed: $163,443

-After Repair Value (ARV): $105,000

SOLD COMPS

-745 Ashley Ln (2/2, 1244 sf) sold on 9/26/2008 for $151,000

-7942 Soft Pine Cir (3/2, 1571 sf) sold on 10/29/2008 for $166,500

-325 Canoe Trail Ln (3/2, 1393 sf) sold on 9/29/2008 for $146,800

REHAB DETAILS

-Needs heavy rehab

YOUR PRICE…ONLY $49.9K!

-Cash or hard money only

-Buyer pays all closing costs

-Contact 407-443-4506 or info@franklinrun.com for details

-Visit www.franklinrun.com for additional properties

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Living room
Attic	Laundry area - inside	Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1

Photo 2

Contact info:

Tom Vuong

Franklin Run, LLC

407-443-4506

For sale by individual owner

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 11, 2009, 4:04am PDT

Forgive me my trespasses...

2009-03-10T02:55:00.001-07:00

I’m so tired.

My head hurts. A pulsating dull ache that ebbs and flows like the tide and which recedes completely only when I lapse into nightmare-ridden sleep.

The lovely lonely girl that understood has gone, faded into the morphless morass of the internet… The doubting and beautiful jukebox queen with her princesses and prince who seeks to reclaim love is lost; lost in love with a face, a digital visage that’s really a mirage; a Facebook mask for a cruel clown that taunts with disdain and derision.

How dare he?

How dare I?

That leaky bucket of profiles and feeds, of links and groups which snoop, so I stoop and scoop to fill my boots with digital loot; I am a dragon, a slimy, slithery, slippery dragon; there is no slaying St George and I gorge my eyes on this innocent feast until I’m sick; I gag on my own spew and vomit.

I am a prick.

I disgust myself; I am depraved.

To what depths shall I go? How deep is this pit? This seemingly fathomless pitiless pit I can’t fathom has cleaved my mind, as if an axe; and once ruptured out pour the cloven-hooved ones, six hundred and sixty six gremlins and goblins and ogres and orcs. Foul. Besmirched, black and bloated creatures of the night that hide behind my eyes, a-gibbering and a-jabbering, banging their drums. Bang, bang, banging their drums. And the blackness comes and comes, relentless.

Drowning out sanity and driving me insane.

Aladdin sane.

And the sick joke is I don’t know why. Why do I pointlessly persistently pursue and pester my… pray for me. The sulphurious stench of Lucifer’s breath hangs over me, an appalling malodorous pall.

He’s coming: I fear him.

And I’m sorry. With every repetition that word loses strength and credibility; by now it has no meaning, it is worn out, empty and hollow; it has neither currency nor value. I can’t message, email or txt…so I’m sorry I’ll have to blog. Even as I say it I know I’ve manipulated, it’s there at the top, the last vestige; everything else, what little there was, has been deleted.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m always so bloody sorry.

My head still hurts.

Goodbye.

rude awakening

2009-03-08T01:16:00.001-08:00

No, it's not my room.

Last night, I turned over to my other side and I looked at my phone beside me. I touched it, glowing softly and it showed 3:43 AM. Darn. It’s too early, I thought. So I went back to sleep, this time, shifting to my other side and I was facing my bedroom wall now. I was so sleepy, planning to sleep till afternoon.

As soon as I faced the other way, (about a few seconds) it felt like someone stepped on my bed (it was an airbed). The bed was low on air and the side I was sleeping on was very low because all of my weight on one side. The side I was sleeping on suddenly lifted/ elevated!

I was immediately paralyzed by fear and was unable to move. Seriously. Thoughts raced my mind: was this a burglar? was someone going to stab me? Shit! This “thing” wasn’t moving as well! It took me about a couple of seconds just to be to move my fingers. When I was sure that I can move, I quickly turned around and punched the area the supposed person was positioned.

I punched air.

I scrambled to get my phone to light up my room at least but he weird thing was, it was now asking for my security code. (The first time I remembered touching it, it automatically told me the time, it takes 2 mins. for the automatic screen lock to kick in.) I made a mistake inputing the first code and took a second try for it to unlock. Now it displayed 1:47 AM.

Weird, I thought.

I flashed my phone around the room but no one was there. My brother wasn’t even home yet. (We’re room-mates.) I grabbed a nearby rosary, wrapped it around my hand and scrambled for the door. It was perfectly closed, just like I left it. My cat was even startled when I opened it as she was sleeping just outside my door.

As I was a few steps away from my door, the wind chimes hanging on my mom’s door frame suddenly clanged loudly. As if someone passed through… I quickly followed “it.” Nothing.

My older was sleeping outside my mom’s room, snoring away. He even left our computer on downloading something.. I shined the faintly glowing light of my phone on my brother and mom’s faces but they were really sleeping. Being a skeptic myself, I stayed in front of mom’s room just to see if the chimes just clang from time to time because of the electric fan. I stayed there for about 30 mins. and my heart was still racing.

It didn’t make a sound at all.

Epilogue:

My brother arrived about 30 mins. after the incident and told him what happened. He wasn’t surprised at all. Scared maybe, but not surprised. Darn. It’s happening all over again… Too bad I didn’t get to see it this time or I could’ve beaten the crap out of it. (I’ll try at least.)

Yeah, I’m an effing freak. So what?

Oh and yes, I pray before going to sleep. But sometimes, it’s not enough…

If you don’t want something to bother you while sleeping, vote!

Projectile poo, and other topics of conversation.

2009-03-07T02:50:00.001-08:00

I am over-producing milk at the moment, and I think this is also accompanied by a very fast let-down. This is making life difficult for Owen, but I think it explains a lot of his behaviour at the breast. He tends to fuss a lot, breaks the latch, goes on and off, bites down on the nipple and gets very frustrated. He coughs and chokes soon after going on, and also recently has started bringing up quite a lot of milk after feeds. Yesterday I also noticed that his poo was greener than usual - normally it is bright yellow. Green poo is generally an indicator that the baby is not getting enough hind milk, which can happen when you overproduce, because the baby fills up on fore milk and never reaches the nutrient rich hind milk. God, listen to me. Am I obsessive? Is the colour of poo a viable topic of conversation, I wonder? Could I bring it up at mother and baby group? I certainly wouldn’t be able to talk about it on a date… not that I am thinking about dates, I’ve never ‘dated’ and right now it’s the last thing on my mind… I wouldn’t feel comfortable with bringing a man into Owen’s life quite yet.

So, back to poo/milk topics. I can’t believe, after having sorted all the initial problems getting Owen to latch on, now there is yet another problem to resolve! Apparently this over-production often sorts itself out after the first six weeks or so, and as the baby gets bigger he can deal with fast let-downs better. So all is not doom and despair, but I feel so sorry for my little man, having to deal with yet another barrier to just enjoying a good meal!

The other poo-related worry I have is that Owen tends to strain and cry when he is having a bowel movement. Not when he actually poos - that’s kind of a relief to him I think, particularly the projectile kind. Owen’s projectile poos are quite something to witness. They have a range of between 1 - 1.5 metres and he can aim them very accurately at the household item most difficult to clean yellow poo off. My clothes, usually, or the carpet. I keep finding little spots of yellow on things! But when he is trying to poo, that’s when he seems to have difficulty, my poor little love. I wish I could do something, but I can’t think what - he’s not constipated, he just doesn’t seem to like the feeling of bowel movements. Maybe I should ask the doctor about it. There’s one person at least who I can have a poo-related conversation with!

I am going to go to bed now, as part of my routine is going to bed an hour earlier myself!

YTP: Leshawna's a Tornado

2009-03-07T02:48:00.001-08:00

The Mystery of Lord-Lord!

2009-03-05T03:05:00.001-08:00

Before you read this article, pray this prayer:

“Yahuweh, please open my eyes to your Truth! Forgive me of all my disobedience, and please remove any scales from my eyes.”

Now let us proceed.

There is a very mysterious but revealing phrase used in the Scriptures. It is the phrase, “Lord, Lord,” and is seen five times in the New Testament writings. These 5 passages uncover a mystery for us:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23)

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (Matthew 25:11-12)

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are… But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:25, 27)

From the above passages, we can see that those who use the phrase, “Lord, Lord” are those who have prophesied, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works, all in the name of Yahushua. They are what we would call active Believers, who have all received of Yahushua’s Grace.

We also see some other features. The phrase, “Lord, Lord” occurs five times. The number ‘5′ is significant, and speaks of those who are identified as Bride-Candidates.

We also see that those who say, “Lord, Lord” are not allowed into the Kingdom, unless they do a certain thing, called the ‘will of my Father.’

We have further indication that these Believers are all Bride-Candidates. Although they were not allowed into the Kingdom, we are told that they were called virgins, a name that signifies an undefiled Righteousness imputed by Yahushua.

When we look at Matt 25:11, we can see more closely who these virgins are:

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (Matthew 25:11)

From closer inspection of Matt 25:1-13, we see the ‘other virgins’ are the Foolish virgins of Matt 25:8.

Now if we focus our attention to Luke 6:46, we may identify in detail exactly what made these virgins foolish:

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

We previously saw that there were five foolish virgins, and 5 uses of the phrase, “Lord, Lord.” We saw that these were Bride-Candidates, and partakers of Yahushua’s Grace. Now we see them being told two things: they call Yahushua ‘Lord,’ but they do not do the things which He says. Let’s find out what this passage means.

Let’s begin by looking at a few things Yahushua has said:

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4)

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:8-11)

“Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.” (Exodus 31:13-14)

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover.” (Leviticus 23:2-5)

“Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.” (Ezekiel 20:12-13)

“Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.” (Ezekiel 20:15-16)

“I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.” (Ezekiel 20:19-20)

What is this I hear? The words of a mortal man, who told you and others the above passages are not Yahushua’s (Jesus’) words? And you believed him, without reading the Scriptures for yourself?

Those who think the above passages were not spoken by Yahushua, do not truly ‘know’ who Yahushua really is. They do not yet have the ’sign’ spoken of in the above Exodus 31 and Ezekiel 20 passages — the token, signal, and banner — that they ‘know’ Him, and that He knows them. Perhaps that is why Yahushua told us He will say the following words:

“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you…” (Matthew 7:23a)

“Verily I say unto you, I know you not…” (Matthew 25:12)

“I tell you, I know you not whence ye are…” (Luke 13:27a)

He knows us, when we know Him. The above passages tell us we know Him by keeping His Feasts. Let’s look at a few more passages. The apostle John, who loved Yahushua, and was the closest to Him, tells us some revealing things.

Here are a few things John tells us.

If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. (John 14:24)

So everything Yahushua spoke when on earth 2,000 years ago was Father’s Word. Everything Yahushua spoke to Moses, was also Father’s Word. The Tablets of the Ten commandments Yahushua wrote with His finger, and personally gave to Moses, was also Father’s Word. Those who love Yahushua will keep Yahushua’s Commandments (also Father’s Word) — from Genesis to Revelation.

Are there other Scriptures that tell us this? Well, let’s look at further confirmation from John. Notice the following:

Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. (1 John 2:7)

The phrase ‘from the Beginning’ was (and is) a euphemism, a phrase that identifies the Book of Genesis, called B’-re’shiyth, which is taken from the first words of Genesis, and means ‘the Beginning.’ The phrase ‘from the beginning’ is used liberally in Scripture, and is used to identify the concept of ‘all of Scripture.’ John used the term ‘old commandment’ as a reminder to those few who were hoping Yahushua was coming to change, or otherwise do away with, the requirements of the Law (the ‘Torah’).

Here are two further passages that confirm what the phrase ‘from the beginning’ refers to:

For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. (Mark 13:19)

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9)

Here we see that ‘from the beginning’ refers to the account of creation, the first part of the Book of Genesis.

Both Yahushua and John tell us further of those who say “Lord, Lord” but who do not know Him, by use of the word Abide:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:4-6)

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10)

Yahushua used the word ‘abide’ to express a great truth to us. The Greek word ‘meno,’ Strong’s number <3306>, is used 120 times, and means “remain, dwell, continue, endure.” Yahushua used the term ‘if’ to show that abiding is conditional, and is dependent on keeping His commandments. Now notice what John tells us:

Let that therefore abide<3306> in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain<3306> in you, ye also shall continue<3306> in the Son, and in the Father. (1 John 2:24)

John tells us again that our abiding (dwelling, remaining, enduring) in Yahushua, and in the Father — is conditional, and is dependent on (the word) heard ‘from the beginning’ remaining in us!

It is only when we ‘abide, remain, dwell, continue, endure’ in keeping His Word ‘from the beginning,’ that we are truly keeping His commandments!

This passage tells us if we are not “DO-ers” of all the Words of Scripture, we will not continue<3306> in Him.

What does that tell us about those who claim the ‘Old’ Testament has been done away with? Most today are staking their eternal inheritance on a few words of a mortal man, who learned ‘Doctrines of Men’ in a seminary or Bible School. We must search the Scriptures for ourselves!

Still others tell us that these words are not for us, but for someone else, perhaps only for the Jews, or for some other era or age.

If you have not been grafted in as a branch, then these words are not for you. But if you have been grafted in to the commonwealth of “My People Israel,” as discussed in Romans 11 and Ephesians 2, then these words are for you.

The Scriptures are brimming with passages that all point to the same issue. But the word of Yahushua here sums it up:

Then he said unto them, O fools<453>, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken… (Luke 24:25)

Here the word fool is the Greek word ‘anoetos,’ Strong’s number <453>, an adjective meaning ‘foolish.’

Here Yahushua tells us the ‘foolish’ virgins are those who are slow to believe (they are not “DO-ers” of) all that the Prophets have spoken. Yahushua is referring of course, to all the ‘Old’ Testament prophets, some of whom are quoted in the above passages.

For example, are we being “DO-ers” of Ezekiel 20:20? This verse is the only source of spiritual 20:20 vision!

We would do well to remember the phrase spoken by Yahushua, so that we might meditate on it while we search the Scriptures:

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

Let’s not forget who Yahushua is. Let’s remember He gave Father’s words to Moses. The things which Yahushua says are in the ‘Old’ Testament!

Let us begin to abide ‘from the beginning’ by becoming a “DO-er” of all of Scripture.

Let us begin to truly know Him. Let us begin to hold the ’sign’ that we know Him — by keeping all His Sabbaths — His Feasts listed in Leviticus 23.

Let us begin to keep His weekly Shabbat (Sabbath).

Let us keep His New Covenant Passover. We thus demonstrate that we believe that He alone is our Life, and that His Life is in us (John 6:53; 1Cor 5:7).

Let us prepare keep His Passover, which is coming up in a few days from now.

Let us not be among those who say, “Lord, Lord” and then hear, “I never knew you.”

This is but a small part of the Mystery of Iniquity<458> revealed — the uncovering of the mystery of Lord-Lord!

—

YAHUWAH YAHUSHUA - The True Creator Video Pt.2 of 5

2009-03-05T03:04:00.001-08:00

Tax Evaders, Czars & Clinton Retreads on PresBOs POS cabinet

2009-03-03T03:08:00.001-08:00

PresBO steps in the tax morass again with tainted nominee. From Fox News (bold is mine):

“WASHINGTON – Ron Kirk, nominated as U.S. Trade Representative in the Obama administration, owes an estimated $10,000 in back taxes from earlier in the decade and has agreed to make his payments, the Senate Finance Committee said Monday.

The disclosure made the former Dallas mayor the latest in a string of top-level Obama administration appointees found to have underpaid their taxes, following Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Tom Daschle, who withdrew as candidate for Health and Human Services secretary. Nancy Killefer, Obama’s pick for chief performance officer, also bowed out amid tax problems.

There was no immediate reaction from the White House to the underpayments, which were uncovered by the committee’s staff in a review of Kirk’s nomination papers.”

The immediate reaction had better be “Holy Crap, PresBO, they got us again!”

Then, again from Fox News, there’s more socialist appointments (or communist, depending upon how you like your “czars”):

President Obama named Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as his choice for health and human services secretary Monday, the second nominee to lead the agency that deals with Medicare and food safety.

He also named Nancy-Ann DeParle, commissioner of the Department of Human Services in Tennessee and a Clinton administration official, as the new health czar, heading up the new White House Office for Health Reform.

Obama, whose previous nominee Tom Daschle withdrew amid tax problems, said his second choice “knows health care inside and out” and praised her record of bipartisanship as well as her experience as state insurance commissioner in Kansas.

“As a governor she’s been on the front lines of our health care crisis. She has a deep knowledge of what the burden of crushing costs does to our families and businesses,” Obama said.

Sebelius said she shares Obama’s “passion and personal commitment to health care reform” and cited her two decades working on the issue first as a legislator and later as governor.

“We can’t fix the economy without fixing health care,” she said.”

Sebelius is a stooge who can’t exit Topeka quick enough.

Finally, how many Clinton retreads can PresBo fit on his POS administration, anyway? If there ain’t a limit, there should be!

Dr. Lisa Chamberlain discusses children's health issues facing the Obama administration

2009-03-03T03:07:00.001-08:00

54th Filmfare Awards 2009 Winners (Complete List)

2009-03-01T03:28:00.001-08:00

The Filmfare Awards ceremony which is one of the oldest and most prominent film events for Bollywood was condcuted on 28th February 2009 at the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai,India. This was the 54th Filmfare Awards ceremony. This time Filmfare awards celemony was hosted by Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor. Here is the complete list of winners of this awards.

Best Actor Hrithik Roshan (Jodha Akbar)

Best Actress Priyanka Chopra (Fashion)

Best Film Jodha Akbar

Best Director Ashutosh Gowariker (Jodha Akbar)

Best Music Director A R Rahman (Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na )

Best Actor in Supporting Role (Male): Arjun Rampal for Rock On!

Best Actor in Supporting Role (Female): Kangana Ranaut for Fashion

Best Dialogue: Mano Rishi for Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Best Screenplay: Yogendra Joshi, Bhupendra for Mumbai Meri Jaan

Best Story: Abhishek Kapoor for Rock On!

Best Lyrics: Javed Akhtar for Jashn-e-Bahara (Jodha Akbar)

Best Playback Singer (Male): Sukhwinder Singh for Haule haule (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi)

Best Playback Singer (Female): Shreya Ghoshal for Teri ore… (Singh is Kinng)

Best Sensational Debut (Male): Farhan Akhtar and Imraan Khan

Best Sensational Debut (Female): Asin Thottumkal for Ghajini

Sony Filmfare Best Scene Award: Rab Ne Banadi Jodi

R D Burman Upcoming Talent: Benny Dayal for Ghajini

Technical awards

Best Background Score: A R Rahman for Jodha Akbar

Best Costume : Manoshi Nath for Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Best Cinematography: Jason West for Rock On!

Best Sound Design: Vinod Subramanyam for Rock On!

Best Choreography : Longines for Pappu Can’t Dance Sala . ( Jaane Tu…)

Best Editing: Amit Pawar for Mumbai Meri Jaan

Best Production Design: Vandan Kataria and Monica Angelica Bhowmick for Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Best Action: Peter Hein for Ghajini

Best Visual Effects Award: John Deitz for Love Story 2050

Kites Finally What Happens to Hrithik-Stars Childhood Pics@ Bollysnap.blogspotcom

2009-03-01T03:27:00.001-08:00

Professor Ishwar Dayal on Management Education Today

2009-02-28T02:40:00.001-08:00

Management education, over the years, has changed in certain ways, and not changed in other ways. The basic disciplines continue to remain the same. You can’t run business without Accounting, you can’t run business without Marketing or Finance or Organisation Behaviour. The main change that has come about is in the context of business so that when you are talking of Global Business and Global Environment of whatever activity you indulge in, then it would amount to say, understanding how a different country is differs from your own. Therefore, if you’re expanding business or making contacts in Russia or Germany or France or United States, you need to look at, say United States, not as an Indian, look at United States as a citizen of United States who has been born and brought up there, who has been educated there and has developed a framework of his own. And it is that framework which will establish the kind of contact and relationship, not transferring your own culture and tradition over to another country which has already developed in a different way. So these are the kind of changes that have come about in world business, opening up the markets and so on so forth. Therefore, any management institution will have to be also concerned with developing understanding of how one can go about understanding different cultures in their own context and not in your own country’s context and these are very important and this is different for conducting import and export trade because there you have very limited contact and a very limited context but setting up a manufacturing organisation or setting up a regular business office and so on, you certainly need to understand different things, those countries in a different way than you did before. This is where management education has to develop a framework. The curriculum has to be different. The courses that you devise have to be more focussed on cultural and social aspects than the courses that were taught earlier.

In institutions with which I’m associated, such as Indus World School of Business, we are trying to develop a number of courses which are dealing with issues which new to us in business education. In basic course material, yes there are differences in accounting methods in Europe, in America and in India, but those are minor things which can be understood by reading half a dozen articles and talking to people who are dealing with such things after all these are the same figures, they are only represented in a different way. But they’re easily understood and don’t need a full-fledged course to teach a student how to do that. But these are the things I’ve mentioned where the main difference lies between the earlier package of courses and what is useful and necessary now.

-Transcribed from Video

A Lesson In 'Out-Of-Context Preaching' With Pastor Creflo Dollar

2009-02-28T02:39:00.001-08:00

Counting down the days

2009-02-26T03:07:00.001-08:00

My work schedule is skewed a little bit and this weekend is still up in the air. Other than that, I’m right on schedule.

I’m at News-Star right now waiting for the front page to be paginated. This morning I was called in early at Sonic. I was suppose to be there at noon, but got there at 6:30 a.m. I worked 10 and a half hours there, took a shower afterward and managed to be at News-Star at 5 p.m. I think I will be home before 12 tonight. I’m not sure, but that’s what I’m hoping for. Altogether that’s a …17-and-a-half-hour day. … Uhg.

Tomorrow I don’t work and I will most likely not rock climb. Two reasons: 1) Geni slammed her finger shut in her car door. No climbing for Geni. 2) I cut my thumb open … AGAIN! It’s not as bad and not in as a bad of a place, but damnit it hurts. When I ask Alonna what she thinks I will make a rash decision on whether or not I want to try and go climb. Honestly, I think I should be painting.

Now, I know how curious you are about my thumb. Well, get this. I’m painting the ceiling there’s a ceiling hook. You know, for plants and stuff. Well, I want it down. I go to twist it off and it shatters and crumbles in my hand. Apparently, it must of been a few decades old and just could handle life anymore. Bad news was it crumbled into razor sharp pieces and it sliced my thumb open. It’s a long cut, but not as deep as the actual razor blade went in weeks ago. Big bummer.

The other ailment from painting the ceiling is sore shoulders. They hurt so bad. Just typing is causing cramps and I have to stop and stretch the stiffness out … *stretching* …

And yesterday when I painted the ceiling I ran out of paint just when I had a 2 foot by 4 foot corner left. … Seriously, WTF mate?

No fear, I bought more paint and more paint. The ceiling will be finished tomorrow. The living room walls started and the bathroom ceiling painted. Friday, I will continue the progress and then go to Eufaula. Saturday, I — and maybe Josh — will go to Carrollton, Texas, to watch Colby and Rayce. Then, visit Heatha!!! Whoot whoot. OK, I gotta get back to work. Toodles.

How to Paint a Room : Using a Brush to Paint Ceiling Edges

2009-02-26T03:06:00.001-08:00