my life so far 2014

Had an angel of a daughter in March, truly blessed. I thought being motherly was some life changing event, in a way it was but not the all encompassing way I thought it would be. My husband and I love spending time with our new baby, she males us laugh, and sometimes want to cry. I suppose I thought my 'natural Motherly instincts' would kick in as soon as she was born. Not the case with me, and at first I gave myself a hard time. I thought nursing would come instinctively, thought id have an instant almost ethereal bond. With the addition of residual pain after giving birth, hormone rollercoaster, I should have eased up on my expectations of myself. Our baby is happy, healthy, and loves us no matter what; just as we fell for her at first sight. So if anyone reads this and has had similar feeling as a first time parent, try not to put so much pressure on yourselves. Another new event is that I finally got the courage to put some old poems together into a book and self publish on Amazon. I was nervous to put it out there, but my families been amazingly supportive of it. I was inspired to put it out there because I want my daughter to follow her dreams as she grows. Also my younger cousin recently published a book on there, which was a great story (Air & Angels) based on Vampire Diaries. My other cousin who was not only a gifted writer but also a soul filled with light who just enjoyed making others laugh passed away far too young this year while I was almost due to have my baby. All these people helped me, and where its easy and free to self-publish its not simple for me to get ast the 'should I' stage. in other baby news I'm also blessed to have some of my best friends pregnant or recent moms themselves, seeing them so happy makes brings joy to all around them. Although I should mention my girlfriends who don't have kids yet are so supportive and still visit and hang out with me, I mean why wouldn't they right? But I've heard stories about how new moms ditch their friends sometimes or vice versa, sad to think about. It really does mean the world to know such a good group of people.

Hurricane Sandy hit hard in Coney Island too

I used the title for this post since I grew up in Coney Island and my parents still live there but while the hurricane hit there was barely mention of it on TV. I'm sure it's like that in a lot of neighborhoods, after the storm there's so much clean up that places can't help but be overlooked. Coney Island was still flooded in parts the day after the storm, power is still out now. It's limited resources and sadly crime rates are rising fast now, looters already hit a few local stores. Police presence has now arrived and sanitation has drove through helping with the clean up. Hoping for the best for everyone in all neighborhoods, lets try to help eachother out.

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy hasn't even made landfall here in Brooklyn yet but she's fast approaching. I was eager to see the effects of the outskirts of the storm before it hit. The picture is from the belt parkway this morning at 8:30am, the storm is set to hit at 8pm tonight. Hoping for the best, thankfully my parents evacuated as they live in zone A. Best to all out there and stay indoors.

Spa's Are Supposed to be Relaxing

Last time I checked spa's are meant to be an oasis of relaxation where people go to get rid of stress, at least that's what I thouhgt. It all started when my Mom retired and I bought a gift certificate to a spa as her present. Great idea right? I thought so too, until I tried to book the appointment. I tried to book an appointment for myself and my Mom when the sales lady said I needed to pay upfront, when I repeated 'pay up front' in order to confirm I heard her right she caught an attitude and said, 'Yeah...' then called me honey, not in the sweet kind way but in the condescending one as if it's something everyone on Earth should know. I decided to talk to my Mom about services she wanted and she would then go in person to book the appointment. We opted for spa week when we saw an offer online, and thought what a nice turn that her gift card purchased from that spa would go further. Not so simple, they allowed her to book the appointment with her gift card and reminded of the 48 hour cancellation policy. Here's where it gets ridiculous; the day before the appointment they called my poor Mom and told her that she can't use her gift card toward a spa week treatment, on top of them never telling us this before they then won't allow us to make any changes to the appointment as it was past the 48 hour mark. I was livid when my Mother called to tell me this, I contacted the spa but it did no good. They should not call themselves 'Green Spa & Wellness Center' because they do not care about your well-being at all. Hopefully the Better Business Bureau will have more luck contacting this business than I did. Now I'm on a hunt for a new spa, one that's actually relaxing.

Constitution should it apply overseas?

"Due process and judicial process are not one and the same, particularly when it comes to national security. The Constitution guarantees due process, not judicial process," Eric Holder our attorney general made this point. The point by Eric Holder was made in defense of a drone strike where an American citizen was killed. Where it's true in other countries we should not impose or enforce ideals held in our Constitution to other governments, then why should we reach to protect civil rights of Americans living abroad no matter what the circumstances? I'm not sure I agree with that; I don't like the idea of turning into a nation comfortable with assasinating it's own citizens but if you are a citizen that chooses hatred of your country and wish to do it harm, that is treasonous.

I can't deny that I'd rather have the bulk of the 'war on terror' be fought abroad but like most everyone I'd prefer no war at all. If the factions abroad and within the U.S. continue on this path I'm certain no peace will be found for any group. There are no demands of terrorists, if there are they haven't made them clear enough for me to understand apart from death to the west/America. Lets face it, that's not going to happen. The dilemna for our lawmakers today is how do we continue to uphold the ideals of our forefathers when fighting a mindset that destroys its own peoples rich culture and warps its beliefs. Where would we be without the methods, rigorous duty of our military and local law enforcement? I shudder to think of it, that said it is a citizens duty to help our politicians with constructive ideas. If we disagree, write letters, make our voices heard but add some alternative views as well, lately we've become a nation of complainers. There are no ideas provided just criticism of any other alternate viewpoint. Criticize if you dissapprove but offer something valid as an alternative.

We all need to work together to ensure the future of our nation does not lose the foundation it was built upon.

we all fall down

In this age of information it is my firm belief co-workers should learn how to treat one another with respect and patience, surely it is something easily found on Google. There are far too many regulations pushed upon the corporate world to enforce a way of ensuring employees' are not being cheated or mistreated in their place of work. However this is all smoke and mirrors for the most part. Instead what you get are people trying to catch up with existing and new regulations, with far too little humanity added into the mix of never ending e-mails and direction by micro managers trying to justify the 'need' for their positions.

Still we press on, the mass of people just trying to etch out a living, while being pressured and pushed by an ever growing upper management as corporations consistently 'streamline' their staffing by looking at the bottom line instead of ingenuity or knowledge.

Truly America is in danger of bowing to overseas business practices, what would a foreign business owner care about American jobs if our own American investors put their money overseas and our American businesses make mass layoffs. There is no clear answer, you cannot instill ethics in anyone who only sees the bottom line.

Who told you I was 99% of anything?

I'd like to say I'm rich and, if I'm talking about friends and family then I am able to say I'm rich. However I would also like to say I'm rich monetarily and in that sense of the word I cannot.

I wouldn't say I'm poor either; I am able to provide for my family, have health care and can afford to take one vacation every year. Although due to the current cost of living I'd have to say I rank in the 'lower middle class', if there still is such a thing. I realize that in this time in our country I count myself lucky to still be employeed. That said I don't agree with protesting a message of occupation, not showing that ingenuity we are known for and sitting around waiting for the government to fix a system which we helped create. If you don't like this system create something that will thrive within it, help put people to work, maybe create an industry against lobbyists. After watching the demonstrators for over a month I now find myself wishing for the 99% protest group to do what for so long now I've wished our government would do, make at least one decision for the benefit of all...

As for myself, like most people I am helping me and my family. Despite working hard, continuing my education, and remaining a dedicated employee I make less money now than I did four years ago. How is this possible you ask? No, I was never demoted, I have an excellent work record and last year I received an increase in my annual salary. The reason for my current state is that due to the stock market, real estate crash, a poor economy to shield employees from layoffs my private sector employer had a three and a half year rate freeze. I can't blame them corporations look at the bottom line. What didn't freeze were the taxes or the benefits payments. I don't think government officials take into consideration when creating new legislation, approving rent hikes, or enforceing old tax laws is that 'we' the people of America, keep working toward something better, continue hoping our government will divide its party lines not to agree on every point but to agree to free America from the idea of the 'trickle' effect. This no longer has as great an effect as it once did for Americans; corporations have trickled to India, China, countries where labor is cheaper and the employment laws are lax. WE must offer incentives for corporations to see how creating jobs for Americans would benefit their bottom line. It is a sad truth as I see it, but a realistic one.

I won't write about the Banks, mortgage brokers or hedge funds, as far as I am concerned that issue is up to Attorney General and Federal Trade commision, not up to, rather the duty to the public for them to seek out truth. Big business documents come two by two and they choose which is more favorable for them.

I am not one of the 99% as they see us, I don't want a 24/7 party, I don't dislike people with alot of money. However I want people to realize the value of our civil service workers, teachers, emt's doctors, police officers, etc... Rich get things for free so do the poor, what do I get? I get a steady pay check for myself and my family, a chance to retire most likely without social security by the time I'm 67 and a dwindling hope for the American Dream. I don't owe the companies I work for anything, and I'd like to think our government feels the same.