Just Sayin!!

I like sayin’ “Just sayin” have you noticed?  I like it so much, and it just ends my blogs so perfectly, that I have actually considered renaming the blog…You guessed it!  JUST SAYIN’!  Perhaps a whole new blog to house my “Just sayin” rants?  Why is life so hard?!  Everything I write fits so perfectly into both the current and potential future titles…So, any thoughts bloggeroodles?

To Grandma's House We Go

A child's thought of grandma's house is sweet and sticky candy that she saves just for you, the warmness and toasty feel of the house itself, and her cozy embrace that fills your nostrils with the musky perfume scent reminding you that there is no one like her.  Going to see grandma is like a fun filled vacation in Candyland.  There is the unforgettable and irreplaceable food that has been simmering until your arrival so when you enter your senses are overwhelmed by herbs and freshness. 

I could pick the house out from a mile away even though it was connected to one and too close for comfort to another.  A chain linked fence with peeling white paint older than me guarded half of the walkway leaving the newly paved cement driveway wide open.  Lining the scarcely used walkway were little patches of plants embedded in rock chips secured by white stones the size of golf balls.  Pretending to be Dorothy as I dreamily glided to the door I was greeted by the shrieking, high pitched barks of Lucky the Pomeranian fluff ball and Cinnamon the ancient Chihuahua.  Circling my feet like hungry sharks and leading the way to the ever-changing front door, Lucky and Cinnamon managed to let the entire house know "Cori's here!" 

Grandma would never miss our cuddle and kiss in the cramped entryway of the house.  Only moments until I am bum rushed by the clan consisting of Grandpa, Papi the Great Grandfather, and Titi the sister-like Aunt.  Always cozy, the house is redecorated frequently but the feel never changes.  You walk into a wide open living room with a swirly pastel sectional sofa with matching window curtains drawn enough to let the sun beam in.  Porcelain collectibles line the shelves underneath the window and reflect their colors onto the walls and ceiling making it look like an aquarium.  Above the sofa is a paneled mirror along the wall that never ceases to catch my attention, and my reflection. 

Walking through the living room sharing the dining room the aroma of food hypnotizes your senses.  Once you see the sauce boiling on the stove the basil and tomato start to run circles through your nose.  Perfectly browned meatballs are frying in oil and popping their succulent juice in the air provoking your fingers to pluck one out of the pan.  The fresh golden Arthur Avenue bread is so soft and flaky that it melts in your mouth as you chew.  Dessert cannot come soon enough!  The typical soft chocolate covered donuts complimenting the perfectly brewed colombian coffee light enough to pass for chocolate milk and stirred with loads of sugar!

The perfect food and love at Grandma's house could never be replaced.  There is not one flaw to the comforting smell and feel of her, the house, and of course the grub!  I will forever look forward to the redolence and aura of it all.

Charging The Homeless

As a part of life it is necessary for us to maintain a job with a steady paycheck in order to survive.  For many people large portions, if not all, of their paychecks go to rent, utilities, food, and miscellaneous bills.  But recently a small group of Americans have been forced to fork over almost half of their earnings, this group consists of homeless families.  In order to keep up with the bills for housing aid the government has recently enforced a law that has existed since 1997.  This law requires all families in New York City shelters to surrender a chunk of their earnings not to exceed 50%.  In due time the government will be a first hand witness to the number of homeless families who have remained in shelters, or who are literally homeless due to this law.  It is understandable to ask for a small portion of paychecks, but it is not necessary to leave already poor families falling deeper into a financial hole.

One main issue with expecting some type of rent from the homeless is the fact that these families are in shelters for a reason and would more than likely be in their own home if it wasn't for financial matters.  People do not wake up in the morning and dream of becoming homeless, there are problems that lead to this.  If homeless families are expected to hand over almost half of their monthly earnings then it will be more difficult for them to leave the shelter, thus raising the costs of housing aid the government must pay.  People must be able to save money to leave these places, in order to rent an apartment these days you are usually required to pay a one to three month security deposit.  Now if this deposit is the amount of the actual rent that's a lot of money!  Keep in mind these families are also paying for their basic needs expenses such as food and clothes and necessary items.  This plan needs to be revised and it must be taken into consideration that it will be harder and take much longer for families to make it on their own if they must give up half of their paycheck to stay in a shelter.

Another problem with this law is that if families do not come up with the designated rent amount they face the possibility of being kicked out of the shelter.  Many of the working people in shelters have low paying jobs and find it hard to even keep up with their current necessary expenses.  The obligation to pay the government a large amount of money every month becomes a great burden and for some it will mean literal homelessness.  This is not helping the community and the public.  Apparently it is OK for people to live on the actual street and struggle in one of the most horrible ways because they were involuntarily not able to comply with this law.  How will those families be helped? 

Without a doubt requiring people in homeless shelters to pay rent teaches them independence and guides them in the right direction of picking up the pieces of their lives, but it cannot be too effective if it is leaving them broke and possibly on the street.  One way to help with the housing aid costs would be to hold more fundraising events.  Of course there should always be an option for those who can to donate to homeless shelters.  There are so many events and charities for so many causes, but there are not enough for these families in the shelters.

No one should have to experience certain things, such as homelessness.  America is a great and powerful country and should be looking for more ways to promote better living and independence.  Asking people in shelters to provide half of their earnings only leaves them stressed and with yet another burden.  It is not fair to expect so much from those who are struggling, we should be providing support and guidance to pave the way for people in shelters to make it out of there and create a good life for themselves and their children.  This law has existed for over 10 years and is only now being enforced, if it was in affect when it was first passed and the amounts were reasonable there is a chance that by now the housing aid would be minimal.

Just sayin'...

Unemployed & Unimportant

As our nation has fallen upon hard times again, a common worry among many of the unemployed is how their unemployment will affect their job searches.  Unfortunately, this is a legitimate concern.  Though it may be unfair, there are some employers who are shunning the jobless and closing off any opportunities to them. 

Some may be lucky enough to have their resumes fall into the hands of a company not as selective, a company that understands the current financial crisis, and will not look upon you as a less favorable candidate.  The reality is that many employers now see the unemployed as producing below average work.  When glancing at your resume, one may be concerned with why you were relieved of your previous position.  Businesses usually try to keep their “star employees” and if you were such, they would not have let you go.  If there is a gaping hole on your resume where work experience should be, it might very well be more difficult for you. 

One important thing to remember is to keep your spirits high!  Landing on the unemployment line leaves us worried and depressed as it is, don’t let the frustration of job searching bring you down.  Be sure your resume is up to par, as well as references, and even your personality.  If you feel you’re bringing the best to the table, it’s their loss and a better opportunity awaits you.  There are ways to fill those holes on your resume if you’ve been without work for some time; such as volunteering and education.  Any volunteer and charity activities you participate in can easily be expressed as work experience, just make it a point to highlight your strengths and relevant job functions within the organization.  You might also consider a certification of something pertaining to your field, or working on a higher degree to fill in the gaps. 

Though times can be rough, unemployment will not keep you from moving forward with your career and life.  Do not let the unemployment rate discourage you, there are more open positions than you realize.  There’s a chance you may have to settle for something a tad bit out of your field but you never know, you may come upon something you truly enjoy but just never considered. 

Just sayin'...

To BB, or not to BB: Blackberry Storm 9530

Touch screen lovers everywhere couldn’t contain themselves when the world's first "click screen" phone was introduced. Like every other fad, the Blackberry Storm was a must-have, then a just-had. In due time the nicks and glitches of the phone revealed themselves.

There have been claims of the Storm feeling "loose" in its casing, not being comfortable to hold, and the dreadful lag of the oh-so-cool click screen. The main feature of this phone is of course the clicking touch screen. Anyone who has used an iPhone understands the annoyance of touch screen keyboards. The issue with this amazing screen is the amount of time that has lapsed from when you "click" a button to when you get a response. So if you're fast typing, the delayed action might not appeal to you too much. It also takes some getting used to, you have to actually push down on the buttons, not just tap away. So for us girls with manicures, not much of a nail friendly phone!

The Storm has also been reported to frequently freeze as well as be time consuming to reboot. But you have decent battery life, clear calls, and the ability to turn your favorite songs into a ringtone. No more ringtone sites! My HTC Touch Pro had this feature and I worshipped it. Applications remain the same, great as with all Blackberries. The display is also a thumbs up; you have the usual call send/end buttons, a menu button, and a back button. While in calls you have the same options on the screen as well as options to add a caller, mute, and use speakerphone as opposed to going into a menu for these items. That was a downside to my Blackberry Curve.

Depending on your type of email account (pop3...) there could be issues getting external email. If your type of account uses two different servers for sending and receiving mail, you won't be too happy. As for accounts such as Hotmail, you will be able to send and receive mail, just not in a timely manner. Incoming mail can be delayed for over 10 minutes!

Although many Blackberry models are used widely among businesses, the Storm may not be your top choice. As a business  phone the Storm cannot keep up with your typing and even browsing; the top complaint. But all in all, it's a phone! Any Storm owners must be anxious for the Storm 2 which promises to be faster and lose the lag.

Drawn: The Painted Tower

Since I'm a fan of some computer games, I was asked to rate this and give my opinion...here it is.

Why can't computer games be fun as well as keep your brain at work? I am not a fan of Hidden Object games, however, there are games that incorporate adventure into the object seeking. Drawn: The Painted Tower from Big Fish Games is labeled a Hidden Object game but does not have the puzzle feature to search for objects as other games do in its category.

The beautifully executed graphics take you inside an enormous tower. Successfully completing puzzles unlocks new entrances to other parts of the tower and gives you objects needed to complete tasks. In a nutshell, a young girl is locked away in a tower and it's your job to save her. Using your wits and a little magic you travel from the foyer to the roof, and even inside of paintings, to accomplish the goals.

You may need to use the "Hint" button here and there just to keep on track, but the game unfolds nicely and keeps you playing. The one downside is all the dialogue and interludes. There is no way to skip these! In the beginning, end, and after completeing certain puzzles you will be forced to endure the time away from your magical quests. While this lasts no more than a minute, it is very annoying. There really is no need for the dialogue, it will not help you advance within the tower. But if you enjoy storylines, you will very much so enjoy this game.

The Painted Tower begins eerily and would have you assume the game is very gloomy and there are gargoyles and dragons lurking around every dark corner. Indeed it is a little gloomy, it only adds mystery and curiousity to your play time. Think of Harry Potter and Hogwarts, replaced by a young girl, a tower, and no cheerful songs.

If you are a beginner in Hidden Object games or just take some time to comprehend the idea this game might take you a while, possibly hours. If you have played these games before and are good at problem solving, this game wont last you long enough! I was disappointed when it was over, although there are many puzzles and challenges I couldn't get enough.

If you would like to test the game prior to purchase you can download a trial. Remember, trials have time limits so play wisely!

Choose A Chance

Many of us live our lives by routine.  We stick to the same foods because we know we’ll like it, we take the same route to go places because we’re familiar with it.  Why not try something new?  You never know where your choices may lead you, to find out you have to take chances in life.  It may seem like a scary thing, something so uncertain and unknown.  What if that chance you take sends your life in a whole new direction, and for the better?  Yes, of course there’s no guarantee it will lead to something good but…YOU NEVER KNOW!  That’s the point.

I feel no one has truly lived their life unless they focus more on the journey rather than the destination.  I’m not saying go out and try some risky life endangering activity, by any means!  I’m just saying try something new.  Eat a new food, even the green stuff!  Hey, spinach and broccoli is NOT that bad!  Drive down a new street, maybe you’ll find a new place, or find a shortcut.  Walk down a path you usually pass, maybe it’s more scenic.  Give somebody you like, and likes you back, a chance to be in your life, they may just make it much more worth living.

We will never know the ‘what if’s’ if we don’t find out WHAT IF!  What have you got to lose? 

Just sayin'...