Christmas 11 days away, yet who knows who will be here to enjoy it.

We can reflect on the past but the future is unpredictable. Rage, Anger and being unprepared can hamper one from seeing Christmas.
Every day in the 'news' no matter where you are there is tragedy. The young people are most likely to be involved. In the past two days two young men lost their lives in tragic situations. The first murdered in anger by his neighbour. Not everyone can take 'teasing'. The murderer said he had enough and with a screwdriver stabbed and killed the victim. Two families in mourning. One son in prison and the other on a slab of cold metal. One family looking for a lawyer and the other for the undertaker. This 11 days before Christmas.
Less than 24 hours ago another young man lost his life. He decided to hold up a business place and threaten to kill the workers if they did not hand over the money. He met his match, the owner decided, he had worked too hard to just hand over his money and while the gunman held a customer as ransom the owner shot and killed the would be thief. Again, one more family looking for an undertaker instead of 'enjoying' the Christmas.
Why the rage? We cannot blame it on the economy, there are many things that can be done to make money. Why nit ask to clean someone's windows, what about cutting someone's lawn, what about walking the dogs, cleaning a vehicle? And the list can go on.
Yes, Christmas is in the future, yes it is only 11 days away, the question is how many more families would be in grief instead of in celebration?
What advice are you giving your family members? Think about it!

Reading is Fundamental

The ability to read is so important. Today too many children are unable to read. Parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, and other family members must take a keener interest in children and help them to learn how to read. Take 10 - 15 minutes a day and read them a story and ask them to tell you what it's about. Teach them alphabetical sounds, sight words and show pictures of words to help the children retain what they have learned.
Once a child is able to read, he would be able to do so many other things. Reading gives a child his independence. He knows which bus to take without being a follower. He can choose different topics to read about. He can improve in every other subject area. He can research things that he wants to know by himself. He would no longer have to rely on some one telling him, with the ability to read he can see and know for himself.
If you know of a child who needs help in reading become a mentor and help that child read. Help him to expand his world. If each one teach one or two it would make a big difference and make this world a better place.

What do you think/

It's early October. This month is celebrated for so many 'things'. It is Breast Cure month, Careers Awareness, Teachers' Appreciation, Public Service month, Senior Citizens month and Youth Month. There is so much overlapping and some of the things that should be celebrated is lost in the fray.

Do we need to re think what we emphasize? Or do we need to go to week instead of month? What do you think?

And these all require some funding as each group would like their own celebration by themselves. And even as the financial situation improves slowly, we need to spend thrift.

Let's re think the things we are celebrating where money is needed. Maybe we can pay in time.

Teachers

World Teachers' Day is in a few days.

Take the time to speak to your former teachers, your children's teachers and if you are a teacher take the time to congratulate each other.

Teachers are under appreciated.

Let us remember that no matter where we are in life we passed through the hands of a teacher. Some of us may have listened and others may not have, but we all have something that we can thanks you to a teacher for.

Freshly Grown Food

Today with the high cost of living growing one's own food stuff is necessary.

If we grow our own food we will eat better. When we plant the vegetables, we will plant those we like and can share with family and friends. We know that fresh vegetables and fruits are essential for overall health.

Apart from being a way to produce fresh food stuff, we implement exercise so we have a two fold thing going on. It can also bring together friends and family members, encourage young people to explore the way food crops are grown. It would be more benefitting to pick your own tomatoes, did your own potatoes and pull your own onions.

Not only will you eat healthier you make some money. You can sell your excess produce, start a farmer's mart in your neighbourhood.

Think about this, we will eat straight from the garden, fresh to the table. And when you grow it you can grow organically instead of using pesticides or other chemicals.

Plant a tree to provide food, ornaments are good bit you can't eat them.

Make no excuses, do.

We must stop making excuses for not doing the things we want to do. Whatever you want to do, especially if it's to make things better for family, friend and the community just do it.

When we make excuses, things don't get done. We stand still, at times in a rut. If we do we move forward. This forward movement allows others to examine themselves and think they to can improve. So let's stop making excuses and do what we know we should be doing.

Investing and Celebrating Our Youth

How do we invest in and celebrate our Youth?
This is a question we should all consider. Today too many of our young people die too early. Some never get out of their teens.

Why is it so easy for our young people to get ahold of weapons of any kind. Some have east access to guns, knives and home made weapons. Should parents not periodically check their children's rooms, bags, cars? Why do they have so much privacy in your home?

It is time to take back the power over the youth from the people outside the home who are using them to kill themselves and others. We need to deal with anger management, respect for others no matter the creed, race or class.

We must put in place things that the youth can strive to do and be rewarded for. Why not start a real dialogue? Why not encourage them to join 'debate teams' speech organization, geared to them not adults. Why can they not be taught how to own and operate a small business, be it making holiday, speciality cards, design business cards, make pies and other home made candies and market these to the food store or just to home owners. If the adults invest the time into teaching the skills than the investment would pay off.

As a community the youth with the best product can be encouraged to expand his market.

What are your thoughts?

On the Road to Wealth

The Secrets to Wealth

People whose net worth ranged from "comfortable" to approaching a billion dollars all achieved significant financial wealth, and all of them have done it on their own. There was no inherited money they accumulate money. TIPS for uu.

1. Save 10% of everything you make, no matter what. The amount they recommended varied slightly, but they were unanimous: Live within your means and save money every month.

2. Invest for the long haul. They pointed to Warren Buffet and noted that he buys and holds a stock for 20 years or longer. Invest in things you understand, and hold on!

3. Avoid debt. They talked about raising capital for their businesses (sometimes borrowing from investors), but insisted that personal debt be eliminated. One woman said, "consumer debt is devastating. If you want to achieve financial wealth, kill your credit cards." Another added, "no car or boat or anything else is worth the cost (financial and emotional) of borrowing money."

4. Crunch the numbers. They talked about doing their financial statements "every month, no matter what." Another added, "Only the numbers tell you how you're really doing; you've got to watch them like a hawk and use the information every day."

5. Have a plan. They expect their investments to grow steadily over the years (not over-night), and they plan accordingly. They emphasized setting 20, 30, even 50-year financial goals.

6. Know that money is one way of keeping score, but it's not the game itself. Money comes from investing or creating or doing something other people value and will pay for. They emphasized that "it's fun to have nice things" but noted that the money was secondary to doing "interesting things."

All of them had stories of starting out with school loans, small children, a "stuffy little apartment," working for minimum wage or eating "lots of macaroni and cheese," and yet knowing that they could "achieve some measure of success." Now, they've done it, and so can you. We can learn from the experts!

Thought for Today Saturday September 5 2009

The Fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.

Examine the times you were fearful. Think back to what actually happened when you face whatever it was you were fearful of. How did you feel after facing the Fear?

Leave a comment.

Your thought for the day.

It is never too late to be what we might have been. George Eliot.
What are your thoughts?

Motivation

There are days when we want to do everything possible and others when we want to just lie in and do nothing. Ever wonder why?
Check out the following.

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This month he's giving away a free report (and a self-assessment
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Affordable Home away from Home on your vacation

Are you not tired on that same old hotel room? Come join me at West Gate. Enquires can be made on this blog. I will answer any questions you may have.
I'll show you how to do a virtual tour and see what you can experience for 4- 7 nights, for less than 3 nights in a hotel room.
Ask away.

A Thought for Today.

You can improve your life situation, but you cannot improve your life. Life is already whole, complete, perfect.

What are your views?

Why Vacation?

That is a question we should all answer. We work for the most part 44-46 weeks per year. Should we not go away from our routine for at least a week or two or three?

For me a vacation away from the usual is a MUST. Whether it is a family vacation, to spend time with a friend or just to see some new exotic place.

And to those who think it cannot be done, look at the low airfare, the special hotel rates and if cost is still a factor, take a friend.
Share the cost and that way you would have some one there to go to dinner with to chill with or just someone familiar.

If you live in the Islands, try the cities of the Americas, New York, Orlando, Chicago where ever your spirit leads you.

Just do it.

The Power of Music

From Biblical times music was used to sooth the 'soul', to celebrate a victory and in ancient history it was used to help in times of moodiness.

Today, music takes on a whole new meaning for all. It stimulates people to behave in different ways. I have seen young people and some adults go from standing quietly into a frenzy if certain songs are played.

What is your take on that?

Thought for Today

"The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exist"

The above is true.

Sometimes you feel you heart pumping before you enter an unknown area, only to find out after you enter there was nothing to fear.

You want to become a part of a company or group and because there are people you don't know you hold back and when someone else does and you see the success you wonder why you did not become a part.

What does it mean to work for yourself?

Hey folks with unemployment up what can we do to make life better? What can we do about creating our own work for money?

What can we sell without over head expenses? Do you have fruit trees that bloom? Do you have a vegetable garden that produces more than you and your family need? Can you sew? What about window cleaning for working people? What about cutting other people's lawns?

If this make you think, respond.

This island has the most beautiful sites/sights ever.

You become overwhelmed with the beauty of this island to the point where sometimes you can only look and saw wow!

Wherever you are on this planet and you get the opportunity to come to this side of the world, come.

If you like boating, especially if you own you own cruise these magnificent, ever changing waters.

Feel the sand through your toes. A beach like this may be a tranquil retreat for you to be alone with yourself.

Come, experience "paradise".

Independence Day #36 BAHAMAS

As a Bahamian or a visitor what does this mean to you?

What improvements have been realized in the Bahamas?

How have the people changed or not?

Where does the Bahamas stand in relation to other countries?

How does its Education system add up?

What about its health care system?

What about its care for the elderly?

Pray tell.

People who work should take a vacation. This include people who work in the home. You can vacation within your own town, your own island, your own country or out of the country.

Why stay in one place 12 months per year?

Go out there and see how others live. Explore the country side. Go bird watching. Take some books and find a quiet inexpensive hotel/motel and relax using the reading material to take you away.

Go to another country. Sometimes it is cheaper than you think.

Airfares are down, so are hotel accommodations. Check your friends and family they may have time share. House sit for someone.

There is truly no excuse why you cannot take a vacation. Think about it.