Ringing in the New Year With Realistic Goals

Positive New Year's resolutions will bring about change

Anyone seriously interested in bringing about change in our world, in his or her own life or with respect to the lives of others, in the year 2008 AD or later, might consider making these positive New Year's Resolutions, your own.

I resolve to bring love, joy and peace to our world, whenever it is possible for me to do so.

I will reflect a positive image and attitude towards others.

I will speak openly and honestly and teach others to do the same.

I will consider and encourage others to regard and to treat human life and all other life, as sacred.

I will live my life as fully as possible and help others to do that as well.

I will spend my time and talents wisely, investing in my own future and that of others appropriately.

I will do the things that I know will help me and others to become strong and healthy.

I will take the time to reflect upon my own life and make whatever changes are necessary.

I resolve to make the year 2008 a wonderful year, to the best of my ability.

One might ask why New Year's resolutions like these are so important. It would appear that only God, however He is comprehended by humankind, could bring about an immediate change for better in the entire world, at one time.

In reality, each one of us, as a unique human being, can play a special part in effecting change, in our world.

In fact, each one of us is called to do so, because collectively, we constitute the human race. It is our obligation to bring about positive changes, although we may not see that as our personal responsibility.

While no one can help everyone, each one of us can try to help at least one other person, in some way. 

Many of us can do more than that by our words and deeds.

No one can deny that there are people in many parts of the world who are hurting, as the result of war, famine, floods and other natural disasters. We need to remember that every time we turn away from someone who is suffering, we could be next.

So, when you decide upon your own New Year's resolutions and when you speak with others about theirs, remember that positive New Year's resolutions like these, will bring about change for the better, for you and others in our world.

How to Make Rebating a Worthwhile Venture

Rebates: A worthwhile venture versus an exercise in futility

For some people including you, it may appear that rebating or pursuing rebates on purchases is a worthwhile venture. It may also prove to be an exercise in futility, which can lead to frustration for you or others. A lot depends on how you handle your rebate submission.

Awareness is the key!

Rebating is a growing trend, both in our era and for the future generations to come.

Rebates are being offered more and more frequently, as a marketing strategy by retailers, to increase business and sales. Numerous items like computers, printers, cameras, cell phones, cd or video players and other electronic items, can be purchased at remarkable prices, if and when rebates are used. This is one way to obtain amazing discounts on the prices for these items.

What you as the potential consumer, need to be aware of, is the reality that rebating requires serious effort on your part, in order to obtain the rebate money. To do this successfully and avoid an exercise in futility, which can lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration, you might consider some suggestions.

Each time a purchase is made by you as a customer, it is important to ascertain exactly what is required in order for you to obtain the rebate that is being offered. Be aware of what the basic requirements are.

There will be at least three criteria that must be met.

First, there is the rebate form. The offer should provide an application form, more commonly called a rebate form, that will have to be filled out by you or by someone at your place of purchase.

There are store rebate forms that do not require this. These will look like a long receipt and will state that they are rebate forms. These, you just send in.

The rebate form that you have to fill out may not be obtainable from the store or from your place of purchase. Because of the wide use of computers in our era, this kind of rebate form may have to be obtained from an online web site. You will be directed to the address of the web site. Make certain that you know how to navigate the site in order to find the appropriate form. Then print it and fill it out. Some rebate forms can be submitted online, but not all of them.

You may be told that you will be sent a rebate form by the store, a customer service department or by the company that handles their rebates. The rebate form may not be included with the item that is purchased when it is shipped, mailed or otherwise sent to you.

If there is no rebate form or there is no available rebate form online, this can be an frustrating situation for you. In this kind of a scenario, it may be possible for you to submit the necessary information another way, for example, by putting it on a piece of paper or a postcard. Check with the rebate processing company for their guidelines.

The store may offer to fill out or to submit the rebate form for you. In this kind of a situation, you do not have to do anything. A problem can arise though, if the store promises to submit the rebate, but then the submission is not made or is not received by the rebate processing company.

Find out before making the purchase, if there is a rebate form that must be submitted by you and how you are expected to obtain one. Ask the store sales person if they are doing the rebate form submission for you or see if they can help you to fill out the rebate form if you find this too difficult or complex to handle by yourself. Many stores will do this as a courtesy and all you need to do is to mail it in.

Note that rebates can be declined, because there is no rebate form included in the submission or the one that is sent is not an appropriate rebate form.

As a customer, you may be asked to re-submit your rebate form, if the one you sent in is not received by the rebate company or if it is not the one that they are looking for.

The second requirement will be some kind of a receipt or something that provides proof of purchase by you as the customer, for the item in question.

This may be a store receipt. What is a store receipt? If you were to go to a store and purchase something, like a jug of milk, you would obtain a receipt from the clerk at the cash register, to show that you are the one who made the purchase.

Do not throw your receipts away. They may prove to be your only proof of purchase.

Receipts can take other forms, as well. If the item you have purchased has been obtained with a credit card, a statement that includes the purchase, may not be accepted by the company that is paying out the rebate money.

It may be frustrating for you to become aware that unless you can provide an actual receipt as proof of purchase, you may not be able to obtain the rebate money. A debit card statement may not be deemed to be acceptable, as a receipt.

There are times when including a packing slip from a shipping company, may be appropriate. Using a service agreement may be allowed, as a receipt. An order confirmation of some kind may be used, at times and not at other times.

One important thing to be aware of is what kind of a receipt is expected by the company paying out the 

rebates. Try to provide the kind of receipt that they want initially, in order to save a lot of frustration, at a later date.

Ask your store or other place of purchase, "What kind of proof of purchase do I need, in order to obtain my rebate?"

The third requirement will probably be the label from the packaging that the item was received in by you, as the customer.

This can confuse and confound many people, if you do not realize that the label from the packaging, particularly one that has a lot of bar codes, contains information that is essential for the processing of the rebate.

Pertinent information is encoded into bar codes, so do not discard package labels with barcodes.

If the box or packaging that the item was received in has been thrown out by you, or by the store, it may not be possible for you to obtain the rebate payment. This depends upon the requirements of the company doing the rebate processing.

Never throw away the box or packaging that you receive your purchase in, as it may still have important information that is required in order to have your rebate processed.

The label on the package may be referred to as an activation sticker or it might be called a upc. The rebate processing company may request the original label, so in that case, just cut it off the box and send it with the other rebate requirements. Sometimes a copy of the label or upc is acceptable, but not always.

Do not staple or tape your label to your rebate form and receipt, as it may have to be set aside in processing, in order to remove the staples or the tape. Most rebate submissions are scanned in or photocopied, when they are received.

It is important to keep copies of all the information you submit. Even with all of our modern day technology, there is no guarantee that when you put something in the mail, that it will reach its destination. Certified mail is advisable, particularly if you are aware that there is the possibility of a problem with the mail in your area.

If you are in doubt about the basic requirements of your rebate, how to submit or mail in the rebate or where to mail it to, contact your place of purchase. Find out who the company is that is handling the rebate and if necessary, contact them directly by telephone or by e-mail.

These suggestions can make your rebating experience into one that proves to be a worthwhile venture, rather than an exercise in futility. Happy rebating.

Finding Meaning in Your Life

The dimino dream pathway

Finding meaning in one's life may have to do with the realization of one's own potential.  Everyone aspires to reach a mountaintop of some kind. Each one of us has a different mountain to climb or a goal to reach in life.

I have mine and you have yours. The reality is that some people will reach their mountain tops and achieve their goals and others will not succeed.

Why is this true?

Few people actually realize that they have the potential inherent within themselves, to accomplish anything that they want to do and often, their dreams are dropped, by the wayside. This can occur many times in one's lifetime.

On the road from a dream that is not in existence, to a dream that is in existence, ie. the dimino dream pathway, there remains the reality that anything is possible. The route remains to be discovered.

Many people have dreams that are dependent upon other people's dreams. If the dream that they have been building upon fails, then in turn, theirs will tumble also, just like a row of dominoes falling down, when the first one falls over.

On the other hand, the dimino dream has its own distinct pathway and is not based upon, or is not dependent upon someone else's personal success or failure. When the dimino dream is realized, it is because the person who has this unique dream acts upon it, or has already acted upon it prior to that time and place.

This initial step is often one that is taken by a person who is alone, with respect to the dream. Seldom are these kinds of dreams shared with others, in the beginning and often, this is because these are the kinds of goals or aspirations, which are ridiculed or mocked by others. Many people give up because of this.

When the dimino dream emerges or happens, ie. becomes a reality, it will stand the test of time, because it is independent in nature and it is not secured in time or place by someone else's dream, which may or may not succeed or have succeeded or perhaps has collapsed in part, or in total, somewhere along the way.

One might ask how dimino dreams begin.

There are a number of distinct possibilities:

A word
A thought
An idea
An inspiration
A vision

It might be difficult to place these into a definite order of occurrence, but one can see that once these things begin to happen, there is the possibility of a dimino dream emerging or coming into actual existence, after arising out of what may have appeared to be non-existence.

A word can leads to a thought which gives an idea; this can lead to an inspiration with an resulting vision.
What is required next is action on the part of the dimino dreamer.

Action may consist of developing some sort of a plan. Developing this particular plan of action involves becoming aware of the necessary steps that must taken in order for the dimino dream to become a reality.

Actually, it is already a reality, if one can see it as a reality, when the dimino dream has been conceived.

When one sees that dream as a reality, then it becomes a matter of finding all the other steps that are needed, in order to turn it into just that, more fully and then, taking those steps, one at a time.

One might also ask where or what is the source of the dimino dream.

Some will state that it comes from deep within oneself. Others will claim the source as divine. Only the dimino dreamer will know the true source of his or her personal dream.

The reality of the dimino dream will become increasingly evident as the dimino dreamer seeks the fulfillment of that dream.

Climbing that mountain or reaching that goal becomes more and more of a reality, as the dimino dreamer seeks to fulfill his or her own potential. Once that reality is realized, then one finds true meaning in his or her life.

You too, can find meaning in your life by bringing your dimino dream into reality.

What to Do If Your Credit Card is Lost or Stolen

A major concern: A credit card appears to be missing

First, when you realize that your credit card is missing and appears to be either lost or stolen, do not panic. 

Try not to run around looking for it frantically, as that may create serious problems for you and your family.

Getting into a panic situation could cause you to have an accident or to be injured, which could further complicate the problems that may be pending. 

Credit card loss is a major concern, but use common sense as you check to ascertain as to whether your missing credit card is lost or stolen.

Do the following:

Make notes of the exact time and place, when and where you realized that the credit card was missing. 

Carefully check your pockets, wallet or purse, to see if you have accidentally put it somewhere that you would not normally place your credit card. Check your home, car and driveway, to see if it has been dropped, somewhere. Look in the glove compartment and the trunk of your car. You may just find it.

Make a note as to whether or not other credit cards are missing. Check to see if there are any missing checks in your wallet or if there appears to be cash missing, particularly when you are certain that your credit card was in your wallet or purse.

Have you just used the credit card? Note where and when you last used it. What kind of a transaction was it used for? How much was the transaction? Check any receipts or documents from the last known use of the credit card. You may have left your credit card in among these receipts or other papers.

Contact the place where you have just used your card. Ask the people at the store or wherever you have just been, to take a good look and see if they can find your credit card. Advise them that you may have left it there. It could be on a checkout counter or it may have fallen on the floor. (Many people are   good about returning credit cards, if they find them. Expect to receive a call in that respect and be gracious to them, if they do call to advise you that they have found your card.)

Check everywhere that you have been since you last saw the credit card. Draw a mental map or an actual map to re-trace your route.

Make notes of anything that appears to be unusual in your home or car. Was there an unlocked door or an open window? Was a screen cut? Did you find muddy foot prints?

Alert family members to the fact that the credit card appears to be missing and may have been either lost or stolen, as you cannot know for certain what has happened at this time. A family member may have borrowed it without telling you.

Alert the credit card company when you are certain that it is missing, possibly lost or stolen. It is wise to do this, as soon as possible, in order to prevent any further transactions from happening on the credit card. A series of transactions can take place very quickly if someone has found your credit card or stolen it. They may use it for immediate activity or for gas purchases and then run with it.

Once you are certain that the credit card is actually missing, lost or stolen, ask the credit card company to block all further transactions on your current credit card number and to change your credit card number immediately. Find out whether or not you have credit card insurance. This may be something that you have taken out and are not aware of at this time. You may be covered for sustained losses, if the card is used by someone else.

Alert the police if there is other theft, damage or other loss that is evident in your home or car.

Check your credit card transactions, as soon as possible. The credit card company will be able to give you a list of all your most recent transactions, as well as any other transactions by someone else.

Alert the police immediately if there is any suspicious activity on your credit card statement, when it comes in.

If you do all of these things, you can rest assured knowing that you have done the right thing.

What Not to Do When Pulled Over for Driving When Intoxicated

Ten 'Do Nots' for Drivers Pulled Over When Intoxicated

So, you have been drinking in excess and a police officer has pulled you over?

Here are ten guidelines to follow with respect to what you should not do, if you have been pulled over, for driving while intoxicated. You can avoid a worst case scenario by taking this advice seriously.

When confronted by a police officer, do not deny that you have been drinking, as you may or may not realize that you have been drinking in excess. If you are intoxicated, you should not be driving at all. Your general behavior and the smell of alcohol on your breath will confirm the reality that you have been consuming too much alcohol.

Do not fight or argue with the police officer, as he or she may have saved your life or that of someone else. 

Thank the officer for preventing you from being the cause of a serious accident and give him or her, your car keys immediately, if asked to do so.

Do not refuse to show the police officer your driver's license. He or she may need this, for identification purposes at a police station or a hospital, particularly if you have suffered an earlier injury or are demonstrating signs of confusion and memory loss. This is needed to contact family members. Allow the officer to check your previous driving record. You may or may not have a history of alcohol abuse with respect to driving.

Do not use any abusive, violent or profane language, as the police officer may place you under immediate arrest because of it. Be polite and apologize to him or her, as you know that your deeds and actions are not appropriate, when you have been consuming too much alcohol.

Do not drive away, try to run off or to hide from the police officer. He or she is there to help and to protect you, as well as the rest of your community. Do not panic. Give yourself up to the officer or officers, quietly and calmly. Be aware that how you treat the officer may determine how you are treated. The police officer will advise you of your legal rights, so listen carefully.

Do not become violent or abusive towards the police officer. He or she has been trained appropriately with respect to dealing with violent and abusive people. You may find yourself in jail, as a result of violence or abuse against the officer, rather than because of the amount of alcohol that you have consumed.

Do not refuse to take a breathalyzer test. This will help to determine your actual alcohol intake and it may be needed for your defense, in the future. Do not refuse to have a blood alcohol level done either, especially if you are a diabetic. Co-operate as much as possible, as this may save your life. You may want to call your family doctor.

Do not hesitate or forget, to contact your legal counsel, as soon as possible, as you will need a lawyer. 

Remember that any abuse demonstrated towards the lawyer or others can result in future legal action against you. Be honest with your lawyer, as this will benefit you in the long run.

Do not hesitate to ask your arresting officer, legal counsel, family and friends to help you to deal with your drinking problem, particularly if you are becoming aware that it is an addiction that you can no longer control.

Do not forget that Alcoholics Anonymous is an organization that will help you deal with alcohol addiction. You can contact them through others, by telephone or on-line twenty four hours a day.

These ten 'do nots' will result in a positive and constructive change in your life, which will benefit you and your family, as well as your community, in the long run. You will be glad that you did seek help. Think seriously about all of this, before you go out drinking next time.

Remember that driving while intoxicated is a serious, criminal offense!

Reasons for Success on the Job

True inspiration and motivation: How to find the key to success on the job

With true inspiration and motivation, which is the key to real success on the job, one can go far. It does not matter what job one, attempts as he or she can probably succeed, at least to a certain degree, at no matter what he or she tries to do, but without at least some degree of true inspiration and motivation, nothing at all will happen.

Inspiration in itself, may or may not lead to motivation. The two work together, hand in hand. Inspiration and motivation can come from many sources, for example, people, books, music, artwork, travel or nature. There is no limit to the number of ways one can become inspired and motivated to do something. For some people, the only thing that motivates them is money. For others it is a pleasure principle. Another motivational factor is prestige. But, are they the sources of true inspiration and motivation?

When one does find a true source of inspiration and motivation, it can change his or her life for the better. Many people have a vast variety of job skills that are never developed, to any great extent or used at all, because they are not motivated to use these skills. Much of what people have learned just disappears in the wind, so to speak, as they grow older. Exactly the opposite should be happening, as an elderly person has a wealth of experience to draw from in terms of both inspiration and motivational factors.

On the other hand, there are those young and old, who are continually doing something new and exciting on their jobs, as well as in their personal lives, every single day of their lives. They are successful and happy people.

What has triggered their success on the job and in their lives, is likely some kind of a true motivational factor, beyond mere inspiration. Anyone can be inspired, but without some kind of motivation, the inspiration in itself cannot and does not bring about success.

Taking into account the reality that motivation is always there, for almost anything one might be challenged to do, if one can recognize it, the next step has to be one in which one acts upon the motivation.

True inspiration leads to true motivation; true motivation demands action on the job.

Action on the job leads to success; non-action on the job leads to failure.

Fear is one of the major reasons why people fail to act upon any inspiration and motivational factors on the job. Facing fear or looking beyond fear allows one to face reality and to succeed.

Why should fear be allowed to control people's thoughts, lives and success on the job? Many times that fear is not legitimate, but it does need to be confronted. Weighing the true inspiration and the true motivational factor against the fear, places the lives of people in a proper perspective.

Having a new perspective, may be sufficient to allow people to move on in their jobs and in their lives, as well as enabling them to do some of the things that may or may not have been possible in the past.

Looking seriously at what truly inspires and motivates you personally, on your job is important. Why remain disillusioned with everything, when enjoying life and your job is the better option?

True inspiration and motivation is the real key to success on the job.

Finding Your Ideal Hobby

Seven secrets for growing phalaenopsis orhids, as an ideal hobby

At times, finding your ideal hobby involves learning the secrets of something unique, like how to grow phalaenopsis orchids. Growing phalaenopsis orchids can be a rewarding and an exciting hobby, because they are beautiful and exotic flowering plants. The blossoms are truly exquisite and remain on the plants for several months at a time, if left undisturbed. Everyone will fall in love with them and marvel at how you managed to grow anything so beautiful.

Here are seven secrets with respect to growing phalaenopsis orchids, as your ideal hobby.

First, place the orchids in a window facing east, where there is filtered light. The room temperature should remain at approximately sixty-five to seventy degrees, although the plants may do well, even at a lower temperature.

Do not water the phalaenopsis orchids more than once a week or leave the plants in standing water, for any length of time. Phalaenopsis orchids originate in South America, where they tend to grow on trees. Once in a while, they will receive a lot of rain, but that water evaporates quickly. Water only the medium in which they are planted, not the plants. Let the water sit in a container for at least twenty four hours before watering, so that it is room temperature and any chlorine will have evaporated.

Fertilize the phalaenopsis orchids approximately once a month. Use a good quality, well balanced, orchid fertilizer. Do not put fertilizer directly on the plants, as this may damage to the leaves. Make certain that it has been diluted to the proper strength for orchids.

Bark and moss are better growing mediums than soil. If you are going to change the bark or moss, do this when the plants are not in blossom. Ideally, they should be re-potted after they have blossomed, not during blossoming.

Phalaenopsis orchids go through a number of different stages: rooting, growing new leaves, a flowering stage and a dormant stage. At times, new roots will try to grow into the medium or container in which you have planted other orchids. The roots look like gray-green fish worms, as opposed to the blossom stems, which tend to be a darker, reddish-green color. The tender roots go downwards, while the sturdier blossom stems head upwards towards the source of light.

New leaves will grow directly out from the center of the plants, looking like little, dark-green triangles that will gradually increase in size. If you see leaves turning yellow, these will fall off by themselves. After the leaves finish growing, the phalaenopsis orchids will go into a blooming stage. When the blossoms fall off, the plants will assume a dormant or resting stage.

Do not move the plants when they begin to blossom, as the flowers will likely drop within twenty four hours. If you accidentally move your plants and the flowers do fall, do not be alarmed, as they may grow back on the same stem. You may trim the flower stem back if it does not appear to be getting new buds, after a month or so. Cut the flower stem to about three inches in height. You will see it turns a beige color over time and gets very dry. Then, you can cut it back further if you wish to do so.

Take good care of your phalaenopsis orchids and you will be well rewarded for your efforts. Have fun growing them and pass along a few tips to others.

Consider starting an orchid club and share your new hobby, your experiences and your successes. You will be glad that you did. Encourage others to do the same.

Growing phalaenopsis orchids just might prove to be your ideal hobby.