Category Archives: Family

stories and happening about my family or how things reflect families in general

Hey Kid, You Don’t Have to Do College!

But Here’s What I’d Like You To Think About

college-alternativesToday is my 41st birthday. I’m sitting here in bed thinking at 5am about what I’m going to do today and what’s going to happen from today until my 42nd birthday. I’ve wrote about outliving my Father and keeping my priorities straight and reconnecting with family. But for some reason (I must have had a dream about it) I woke up today thinking about a college fund for my son, Jakob.

I’ve been thinking about my son lately and what type of person he’ll become when he grows up. What will Jake need from me to be successful in life? I’ve taken him on trips and we’ve seen some great sites. But what are the things I need to plan now for his success when he leaves school. One of the things I debate on and off is college.

Do I push him into college if he doesn’t want to? Do I show him alternatives to college that I’ve experienced or witnessed in my life?

When I left high school I had a ton of ideas what I wanted to do in life but no clue on how to get started other than college.

Teachers, parents and adults say:

“You HAVE to go to college or you won’t make ANYTHING of yourself”

I just thought they knew best and I did that. I changed majors 2 times and went to 2 different colleges. I started off civil engineering and ended up in computer science.

6 years after graduating from Dracut High School I found myself with 5 and half years of college classes and no degree. Now I’m changing careers paths once again and leaving school. Someone offered my a promotion from part-time dispatcher to full-time and $40k/year salary. JACKPOT! Where was the article in 1998 on Where do find a $100k job?

So that’s what I did. I never did go back to school after that and get a degree but it did teach me some lessons that I thought were very valuable. After 9 months of living on my own on Cape Cod in the winter I realized I could be stuck here doing this same decent job for the rest of my life or I could be doing something that I liked. I gave my notice, packed up my stuff just before the fun summer beach months start and moved back home to Lowell. Dummy!

So then I’m sitting at my Mom’s house at 22 years old trying to figure out what I’m going to do. What am I good at? What do I like to do? After thinking and applying for a bunch of jobs I saw a help desk position in the paper and applied to it. With a shiny new shirt and tie I went to the interview and got the job. I’m Canon computer’s new level 1 help desk representative. Great!?

alternatives-to-collegeMany people (including parents) automatically assume that attending college and graduating are the only ways to find a high paying job. Here’s a little known fact they don’t know about: high school graduates can continue to learn, earn money and work in a career field they love. Just like going to college, finding a high paying job depends on the love of a particular career interest.

For example, you may love acting and playing different fictional characters. Thus, you may decide to become an actor. Acting requires no formal education, just talent. The rest can be taught on the job. Talent is the prerequisite for many things in life.

Here are some career suggestions I thought of and are in no particular order. Remember, they are ideas to motivate you to think about your interest and career goals. Thus, these 12 careers are a short list of options:

  1. Fashion Designer
    Yes, becoming a fashion designer doesn’t require a college education. Yes, some designers do go to college. However, employers require:
    • Creativity
    • Good understanding of the clothing production process
    • Use of computer-aided design (CAD) technology
    • Portfolio (a collection of your designs that show off your fashion designing abilities and styles)
    Those things you can acquire without going to college. The first step is to gaining beginning experience in the fashion design industry either though an internship or working as an assistant designer. Many fashion designers work their way up the career ladder by becoming a chief designer, creative director or starting their own design company.
  2. Politician
    Do you love debating politics? Are you interested in changing the world—or at least your community—for the better? A career as a politician may be in your future. Becoming a politician doesn’t require a college degree. You do have to abide by your community, state or federal guideline requirements. Also, you must have solutions to problems facing the district you’re running in and be a:
    • Good speaker
    • Negotiator
    Many politicians start by volunteering at non-profit organizations. Often, they also volunteer on political campaigns to meet politicians and understand the process.
  3. Police Officer
    If you love criminal justice and catching the bad guys, you may love a career as a police officer or detective. Education requirements typically include a high school diploma. The most important requirement is graduating from the agency’s training academy. After that, you move onto the on-the-job training period. Although police department requirements may vary, you typically must be:
    • 21 years old or older
    • Great mental, personal and physical health
    Regardless of the police department you choose to work for, you’ll definitely catch the bad guys.
  4. Writer
    Becoming a journalist requires a degree. However, you can still become a writer. Whether you want to self-publish an e-book about traveling or ghostwrite articles for a client, you can do it without a degree. One requirement is research and knowing how to write. Many writers who aren’t proficient in grammar choose to higher or even barter with an editor. For example, you would write copy for an editor in exchange for him proofreading your work. How much money you make depends on your assignments and how much you work.
  5. Entrepreneur
    Are you a risk taker? Do you like making the decisions? Do you have the drive and determination to get things done? Are you willing to fail—at least once? This may be your career field. An entrepreneur is someone who, either as a sole proprietor or with a business partner, starts a company. Whether you have a new idea or want to start a franchise, you’re more concerned about the company’s long-term success than immediate profit. If you’re interested, you may want to start attending local meetings offered by business associations. This way you can meet people and learn the entrepreneurship ropes.
  6. Artist
    Becoming an artist incorporates a little entrepreneurship because you’re responsible for not only making your crafts, but selling them too. This career option is diverse because you can work as a painter, illustrator or sculptor. For example, you can make pottery or glassware. You can sell your items online or via a local retailer. The great thing about this job is that you’re doing something you love.
  7. Self-Enrichment Teacher
    As a self-enrichment teacher, you are an instructor who teaches self-improvement or fun classes like music, drawing, knitting or foreign language. Your class doesn’t lead to a certification or degree for your students. Typically, you teach at community centers, schools or religious organizations. There is no formal college training to be a self-enrichment teacher. You need to have an expertise. For instance, you love sewing, you may teach a sewing class.
  8. Jeweler
    A jeweler, sometimes also referred to as precious stone and metal workers, complete a combination of tasks ranging from designing jewelry to repairing and appraising gems. This career doesn’t require a college degree because you learn skills through a combination of apprenticeships and on-the-job training at jewelry manufacturing plants. The apprenticeship usually last about a year.
  9. Photographer
    A Photographer is paid to visually record an event or tell a story. This is different from a photojournalist who has a degree and covers news stories. As a photographer, you’re hired to take pictures at a wedding, photo shoot or portrait in your studio. You can take classes at a vocational school to increase your photographic knowledge. Like a career in fashion design, you need a portfolio of your work to gain clients.
  10. Public Address Announcers
    A public announcer works during entertainment and sporting events. For example, you instruct the audience on when to stand for the National Anthem or announce players as they enter the field of play. For other announcing gigs like radio or television announcer you need a college degree. However, to work as a public address announcer, you only need a high school diploma and on-the-job training. The training generally includes becoming familiar with the announcing equipment.
  11. Blogger
    A blogger is different from a writer. You are writing about your experience. For instance, you can write about your travels or different jobs. Many people have made a career out of blogging whether they are giving the scoop on a celebrity or offering advice about how to complete a task.
  12. Product Promoter/ Demonstrator
    Let’s wrap up with a sales position. Do you love talking to people? Do you love sharing your knowledge about a product like cosmetics, food or computers? Are you interested in traveling? Working as a product promoter, also called a demonstrator, allows you to do all those things. You may travel to a product show or local store and to hand out materials and tell an audience about the product.

To have fun working in a career doesn’t always require a college degree. It does require doing something you love. Remember, a job is something you do for the money. A career is something you do for the love and the money.

Do you have any suggestions of a career path that’s an alternative to going to college?

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How to Prevent Bullying in School – Statistics Show Rise in Bullycide

Bullying in school seems to be a problem that is on the rise. While this may have to do with the self esteem issues of the people doing the bullying more than the person being bullied themselves, it is still a problem that needs to be addressed and one that schools all over the world have to recognize. Preventing bullying is something that every student, teacher, and parent should be involved in and work hard at to make sure anyone attending school feels safe and comfortable.

Through various studies it has been estimated that approximately one out of every sixteen students have been bullied every school term. This sad fact means that for every classroom there is at least one student who is being bullied by others. While many cases of bullying go unrecorded and even unrecognized by anyone other than the bullies and people being bullied, there are other cases that are more publicized, and even some that have lead to suicide. These unfortunate events have even lead to a new term known as Bullycide, which is used to describe a suicide in which the person took their life because of the bullying that was part of their life.

A recent case is that of Phoebe Prince, a 15 year old who hung herself at the beginning of this year as a result of the bullying she encountered at her western Massachusetts high school during her freshman year. It was her case which led the state legislature to pass some stringent anti-bullying bills, which is something that every state, and even the federal government, needs to consider. Nine of her tormentors are now facing criminal charges that include stalking, criminal harassment, and even statutory rape.

While this is only one example of the tragedy that is brought on by bullying, the question of how to prevent bullying in school remains. The first step in prevention is being aware of some of the signs that a child is being bullied.

Signs Of Bullying You Need to Look Out For

  • Child shows signs of being afraid to walk to or walk home from school
  • A child pleads to be driven to school
  • Signs of being anxious or withdrawn as well as a lack of confidence
  • Frequently waking up feeling sick
  • Constantly asking for money or starts to steal money as this could mean they are giving it to the bully
  • Doesn’t want to ride the school bus
  • School work begins to suffer
  • Coming home with damaged or missing property or torn clothes
  • Unexplained bruises or cuts

While these are some classic signs of bullying, there could be other signs as well. The main thing is to notice any change in the child’s behavior and the way they feel about school related topics. Now that there are some signs that can indicate something is wrong, the next step is what people can do to prevent bullying. While these tips may be helpful, the main thing that will aid in the prevention of bullying is having teachers, students, and parents be prepared with the knowledge and tools to prevent bullying before it happens to your or anyone else’s kid.

Tips To Prevent Bullying in Schools

  • Setting up an anti-bullying program and teaching kids the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. What a bully is and forms of bullying should be addressed. There should be discussion about both the physical and mental aspects of bullying, such as threatening, teasing, racial slurs, and theft.
  • Role playing with students. Having students play the role of both the bully and the victim can help them in understanding the feelings associated with both sides and can help in the prevention of bullying.
  • Teach acceptance and tolerance of different religions and cultures. When a child is not understood by others, it may make some students uncomfortable and lead to them being bullied. It is imperative that students come to the realization that just because someone is different they should not be treated with any less dignity or respect.
  • Prevention starts at home. Get parents as involved as possible with any form of bullying education and material that is available and make them realize that the way they act at home can influence the way their child treats others.

Tips For Parents to Prevent Their Child From Being Bullied

  • Try to have the child avoid contact with the bully. Have them play in a different area or in a space that is supervised.
  • Don’t encourage fighting back, as this could lead to physical injury and more abuse.
  • Have your child be ready to report any bullying activity to someone at the school who they trust.
  • Ignore the bully and don’t let them know what they are doing is having any effect on you. If the bullying continues, have them report the problem to a school official.

The prevention of bullying in school is something we all must take seriously and try to put an end to. Teachers need to listen to students, just as parents need to be pro-active, and students need to band together to help and stick up for one another. Only by working together can we truly prevent bullying in school.

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Jake Riding His Green Machine

Jake 5 years old riding his green machine

This is Jake riding his green machine and was going so fast that he skidded and rolled himself over into a puddle. Of course he got soaked but the funny thing was that his Mama was more concerned about his school clothes than him.

Good times on the Green Machine.

Green-Machine

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marriage-divorce

How to Know For Sure That Your Marriage is Over and Get Divorced

One of the questions I’ve been asking myself over this last year is “How do I know when it’s time to quit my marriage and get divorced?”

In terms of when to give up on your marriage, here’s what I think I’ve come up with:

If divorcing is a consideration for you from a moral perspective, then before you go that route, try first for at least one year.

Did you hear that?

Try for at least one year!

And I mean REALLY try. You can always call it. You always have that option. But once you pull that trigger, it’s over. No more chances. Your life will never be the same. Do you have kids? If you do, their life will never be the same.

If you end your marriage, you don’t want there to be a shred of doubt in your mind. You don’t ever want to look back and wonder if things could have been different. You don’t want to ask yourself, “What if this…and what if that…what if I
tried this…what if I did that?”

If you have to end your marriage, you want to know DEEP IN YOUR HEART that you did everything you could to make it work. I know I did. I still feel something for my wife but she made it impossible to love her again or even be friends with her. You see I caught her cheating on me using Facebook. She was flirting on Facebook and I caught her chatting with an old boyfriend. Now I could use Facebook as divorce evidence if I choose to cause there was so much adultery on there.

If you have to end it, you want to be able to move on with your life and into another relationship with a clear head. You want to come to a place of healthy “closure.” THIS IS CRUCIAL! And to accomplish this, in my experience, it takes at least one year. I know it probably seems like a long time, but it’s an investment in the rest of your life.

Here’s the key point. Listen carefully. It’s a good investment for the rest of your life WHETHER YOUR MARRIAGE SUCCEEDS OR NOT. Obviously, it’s a good investment if you turn your marriage around. But if you don’t, it will NOT have been a wasted year. It will have been the most important thing you could have done with that year because of how your effort will impact the rest of your life AND (if it comes to this) YOUR NEXT RELATIONSHIP.

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I Know Where to Buy Zu Zu Pets Hampsters

Zu-zu-petsI Know Where to Buy Zu Zu Pets or Zhu Zhu Pets. Whatever you call them. Are you finding that the Zu Zu Pets are sold out at your local toy store or Toys-R-Us?

They call them “The Smartest Pet Hamsters Without The Work”. I don’t know about that but the kids do seem to love them. Hey they’re cheap enough that Santa can get them for your little boys and girls for Christmas and they’re pretty cheap. If you call $40 an inexpensive gift for your child.

If you don’t know by now, Zu Zu Pets are the “Tickle Me Elmo” for the 2009 Christmas season!

Here’s Where You Can Buy Zhu Zhu Pets

>> Buy Your Zu Zu Pets Here <<

Cute little battery operated hamsters that “zoom” around just like a real hamster. Just like a real hamster, Zhu Zhu Pets are fuzzy and furry, make cute little sounds, and are just overall adorable. But probably the best features of these toy hamsters for parents like us are the fact that they don’t poop, chew your tv wires, shed their fur, or need to eat.

Best of all, when they “die” just pop in a new set of batteries and your child’s little hamster friend will be good as new again!

Both kids and adults will love the kooky Zu Zu pet hampsters. Your kids will enjoy playing with them even long after it’s time to take down the christmas tree, and parents will love the fact that there is no messy clean up. Your children will enjoy hours of fun with these toys that interact with them. ZuZu’s pets look just like real hamsters, and they are plush. They are expected to be the latest, hottest new toy to hit the market in years.

A higher realm of artifical intellegence has been reached by the Zu Zu hamsters. These beautiful stuffed toys are one of a kind, each has its own personality. Each of the four adorable hamsters has two play modes for any child to enjoy. One is the explore mode that will enable the hamster to move across the floor or around their habitat. The second mode is the loving mode. It is important to take into consideration that these hamsters will be your child’s pet. They will be able to cuddle while the hamster chatters and squeaks in response.

Zu-zu-pets

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The Hardest Part of Holding On Is Letting Go Quotes

Here are some inspirational quotes to help you get through the hard times. I wish you peace. Feel free to add your own quotes in the comments. letting-go-divorceTo “let go” means not to worry about the future, but look forward to what might happen

To “let go” does not mean to stop caring, it means I can’t do it for someone else.

To “let go” is not to cut myself off, it’s the realization I can’t control another.

To “let go” is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To “let go” is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To “let go” is not to try to change or blame another, it’s to make the most of myself.

To “let go” is not to care for, but to care about.

To “let go” is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To “let go” is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To “let go” is not to be in the middle arranging the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To “let go” is not to be protective, it’s to permit another to face reality.

To “let go” is not to deny, but to accept.

To “let go” it not to intrude, worry or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings, and correct them.

To “let go” is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To “let go” is to fear less, and love more.

Feel free to add your own…

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Whitney Houston Wants A Divorce

whitney-houston-crackAfter a crazy 14-year marriage marked by drug arrests and stints in rehab, Whitney Houston is divorcing Bobby Brown.
The pop singer filed divorce papers in Orange County Superior Court this week, a month after filing for legal separation from Bobby Brown, Houston’s publicist Nancy Seltzer said Tuesday.

The documents could not be obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press and Brown’s attorney Phaedra Parks declined to comment.

Whitney Houston, 43, had asked in her separation papers that she be granted custody of the couple’s 13-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina, and that Bobby Brown, 37, be allowed visitation rights.

The couple wed in 1992, with Houston at the height of her fame as a Grammy-winning superstar known for such hits as “I Will Always Love You.”

Brown won acclaim for his gritty R&B songs as a one-time member of the boy band New Edition.

During their marriage, Brown was arrested for drugs and alcohol and Houston entered drug rehabilitation programs twice.

In an attempt to clean up her public image, Houston stepped out last month for an event in Beverly Hills with cousin
Dionne Warwick and mogul Clive Davis, with whom she is working on a new album.

Brown, who also has two teenage children with a Massachusetts woman, recently paid up to $11,000 in delinquent child support after being threatened with arrest two weeks ago if he stepped back into the state.

Brown’s attorney has said he was having a “very difficult” time due to the separation initiated by Houston.

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Fun Video of Jake

I got a ton of pictures of my son Jakob but it seems like I never do much with them. I thought a video of them might be a fun place to start. I’m buying a new professional camera soon so I hope to take some higher quality photos and carry it around with me more.

Just trying to capture his life more while he’s young cause I doubt I’ll be having kids every again. Life does that to you sometime, huh?

Some People Cheat and Others Can’t. Why?

Sometimes cheaters do get caught. New York financier Bernie Madoff faces a possible life sentence after pleading guilty to 11 felony counts in one of history’s largest investment frauds. Unfortunately, this is just one of many recent stories about captains of industry and finance behaving badly with other people’s money. In fact there have been so many revelations like this recently, it’s enough to make the average tax-paying citizen wonder whether anyone actually plays by the rules any more. And if people who already have plenty of money can’t help skimming (or just hauling away wads of cash), it’s fair to ask how an ordinary person is supposed to resist the temptation to skim on their taxes or pad their time sheets at work when times are tight or even cheat on Facebook.

Bernie Madoff Guilty of Cheating

Bernie Madoff Guilty of Cheating

So why do some people cheat and others don’t? The classical explanation is that it’s a rational choice, a cold calculation of cost and benefit. Can I get away with it, and how much can I get away with before I risk getting caught? But some scientists have begun questioning this cynical view of human ethics and suggest that the decision is much more complex than this simple calculation.

Three psychologists recently decided to explore these knotty ethical questions in the laboratory. Francesca Gino of the University of North Carolina and Shahar Ayal and Dan Ariely of Duke University set up an elaborate hoax to see if they could actually make people cheat—in order to illuminate the psychological forces at work in the dishonest mind.

Here, briefly, is what they did: They asked a large group of university students to solve a set of complex math problems in a very short time. They made it hard enough that none could realistically solve all the problems, and they paid them for whatever ones they did solve. The math exercise was just a pretense for the real experiment: shortly after the students began on the math problems, one of them (actually a paid actor) loudly announced to the room: “I’ve solved everything. What should I do?” Everyone in the room knew this was impossible, so the student-actor was a clear example of blatant cheating. He also took all of the cash, as if he had a perfect score and—very important—left without any consequences. He might as well have gone online and done some Facebook cheating too. Jerk!

The idea was to see how many of the students followed the cheater’s example—to see if blatant dishonesty boosted cheating among students generally. And it did, dramatically. But the psychologists added another twist to the experiment: sometimes they had the actor wear the T shirt of a rival university, other times not. They wanted to see if the cheater’s group identity—classmate or outsider—influenced the level of copycat cheating. That is, would students cheat more (or less) when they saw a rival cheat, as compared to seeing a compatriot cheat?

The results were unambiguous. As reported in the March issue of Psychological Science, fellow classmates had much more influence than outsiders. Indeed, seeing a rival cheat actually lowered the level of overall cheating slightly—compared to students who simply cheated on their own initiative, without any prodding. These findings argue against the “cold calculation” theory of cheating. After all, if the students only weighed the can-I-get-away-with-it factor, then they would have been influenced equally by the successful cheating of both compatriot and outsider. And they weren’t.

The psychologists decided to double-check these findings with another small experiment. It was basically the same setup, but in this scenario the actor didn’t do anything; he simply asked out loud of the proctor: “Is it OK to cheat?” I know, stupid question. Nobody would really do that. But the idea was simply to nudge the inner moralist in the students’ minds, to bring the issues of cheating and dishonesty front and center. And when they did this, the students cheated noticeably less. No role models, good or bad, just priming the idea of unethical behavior—that was enough to keep the students honest.

So it appears our inner moralist doesn’t really want to cheat. Yet it also appears that dishonesty can be contagious—if we witness one of our own committing the public act of dishonesty. These findings point to a possible strategy for preventing a wave of unethical contagion. If cheating in general declines when cheaters are perceived as outlaws, then it should help to stigmatize public cheaters as just that—outlaws, bad apples. Of course, Bernie Madoff and the rest of Wall Street’s alleged fraudsters have already done a lot of that work for us.

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The Grocery Game. Coupons Grocery Shopping and Fun

the-grocery-gameThe Grocery Game: Shelly Willis saves an average of 70% a week on her grocery bill by playing The Grocery Game. While watching the Food Network five years ago, Shelly was intrigued by the show’s featured guest, Terri Gault, the founder of The Grocery Game. Terri was explaining how The Grocery Game works and the benefits. Shelly, a stay home mom of a 10 and 12 year old, signed up and has been saving money ever since.

The Grocery Game gives you a list of advertised and unadvertised specials at the store or stores you select near you. It will match coupons with specials. It also has message boards where members share their savings tips.

Amy Almquist, stay home mom to 2 young children has been playing The Grocery Game for 2 months. On average she saves 38-40% a week on her grocery bill, or about $55. “One week I saved 49% and $74! I even saved my receipt.” Amy said it does take a little more planning to make her grocery list now, but it’s well worth it, and it really is fun to see how much money you can save. “I’ve learned to make our menu for the week based on what’s on sale, or what we already have, so that helps save too.”

Shelly is so passionate about The Grocery Game that she now visits churches and civic groups explaining the program and helping folks sign up. Shelly uses the binder method for her coupons. She uses trading card pages, and separates the coupons by category. “It’s quick and easy!” she shares.

The Grocery Game does cost to join. You may sign up for a 4 week free trial here. An 8 week membership is $10 for 1 store, $15 for 2 stores, and $20 for 3 stores.

An alternative to The Grocery Game is CouponMom. This is a free service which uses some of the same principals and ideas of The Grocery Game.

Treating and Preventing Heat Stroke This Summer

Heat stroke is the most dangerous kind of heat illness. Unlike heat exhaustion and heat cramps, heat stroke is a medical emergency that can become deadly unless it is quickly treated.

treating-heat-strokeNormally, the body produces sweat to regulate body temperature. It can dissipate heat through the evaporation of sweat or radiation of heat through the skin. But in certain instances such as high humidity and intense heat, the body temperature can sometimes rise to 41.1°C and sometimes even higher.

Usually, heat stroke is the result of a lengthy, intense exposure to the sun. Here, a person can no longer produce enough sweat to lower the body temperature. Another reason why heat stroke occurs is dehydration. A dehydrated person will not be able to sweat quickly enough to lower body heat. Thus, the body temperature can reach dangerous levels. The elderly, infants, outdoor athletes, and individuals on certain medications are most prone to heat strokes. It develops quickly and requires prompt treatment.

Signs of Heat Stroke or Heat Exhaustion

There are many signs of heat strokes. Take note that individuals might experience these symptoms differently. The following are its symptoms:

* Disorientation
* Dizziness
* Hallucinations
* Headache
* Loss of consciousness
* Fatigue
* Hot, dry skin (flushed but not perspiring)
* High body temperature
* Rapid heart beat

Treating Heat Stroke

If a person is already suffering from heat stroke, the first thing that should be done is to put them in a shade. Ideally, they should be placed in a cool environment with a temperature of 15 to 18°C. If the patient’s body temperature reaches 39.5°C and there is still very light sweating, they should be showered or placed in a bath of cool water.

Take note that the temperature can’t be cooler than 15°C because it can do more harm than good. Temperatures above that level will make the blood vessels contract and thus, it will stop the loss of excess heat. Massaging the skin is also recommended because it will improve circulation.

Another way to lower body heat would be to cover the patient with wet towels and change it often. Using an electric fan is also a good idea because it can help lower the body temperature further. And of course, bringing the patient to the hospital s always recommended. Hospitals are better equipped to deal with heat stroke than ordinary homes.

Preventing Heat Stroke

Certain preventive measures can help prevent the adverse effects of heat strokes. Some tips include:

* Drink water before going outdoors this summer. Sports drinks and even juice are also recommended. Liquids that should be avoided include coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol because it can cause dehydration.
* Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothes this summer preferably in light colors
* Gradually spend more time outdoors if you think you will be doing a lot of outdoor activity in the near future. This will help your body adjust to the heat.
* Schedule active sports at cooler times of the day
* Wear a hat and sunglasses. Use umbrella whenever possible
* Take breaks and spray yourself with cooling formulations or water to keep from being dehydrated
* Try to spend your time indoors during excessively hot and humid days.

Heat Exhaustion in Children and Pets

Heat stroke can happen to children and pets too. In most cases, pets suffer from heat stroke when they are left alone in the car. It is important to take note that heat build-up can occur quickly inside a vehicle especially under direct sunlight. Dogs, in particular, are at an extreme disadvantage because they need to inhale cooler air than their normal body temperature. Inhaling 80-degree air temperature for them is already dangerous. It might only take ten minutes for your pet to be near death. Animals will die from hemorrhaging, intravascular clotting, kidney failure, and cerebral edema because of heat stroke.

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Are Games Like WOW Making Kids Violent?

An 11-year-old Mississippi boy accidentally killed his 9-year-old brother with a shotgun blast Tuesday as the two struggled over the gun after arguing about a video game, authorities said. We’ve seen this before a kid dies playing WOW video game. This time it’s against a family member.

kid-dies-playing-video-gameA-Darrious Finley died after being shot with a 12-gauge shotgun at his home near the Red Banks community in northern Mississippi, Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson said.

“The younger brother allegedly got mad because he got beat at some video games and got the gun,” Dickerson said.

Dickerson said the older brother, De-Andre Finley, initially said he never touched the gun. He first told deputies that the younger boy got the gun and pointed it at himself, saying “this is how I’m going to shoot you.” But after more questioning, and being told that his account didn’t match evidence at the scene, the older boy said the weapon accidentally discharged as the two struggled over it.

“That version we can live with because it’s consistent with the evidence,” Dickerson said.

Dickerson said the shotgun was too long and heavy for the younger boy to hold it against his own chest and pull the trigger.

“That’s the reason it raised red flags,” he said.

A-Darrious was found lying face down in a bedroom at their home in the community near the Tennessee state line. The gun and a spent shell casing were found at the scene. Dickerson didn’t know what game the boys were playing.

The district attorney will look at the case, but it’s likely the older brother won’t be charged with a crime because he is under the age of 13 and “it appeared to be an accident anyway,” the sheriff said.

Marshall County Coroner James Richard Anderson said the boy’s body was sent to Jackson for an autopsy. He said the brothers’ father was outside cutting the grass at the time of the shooting.

The boys’ father told deputies the gun was kept unloaded in a closet at the home, the sheriff said. The 9-year-old had fired the gun before with his father’s supervision, and investigators believe he knew how to load it himself.

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Is the Sylvan Learning Center Worth the Money and Time?

Back about 100 years ago my parents took me to the Sylvan Learning Center because I was struggling in school. The real reason was because I hated the nuns and priests that ran the school and besides a few cute girls, school was boring. I wasn’t a slow learner but school did nothing for me and the school wasn’t anything to look forward to everyday.

It was an old catholic school and corporal punishment was still going on when I was going there in 4th grade. I used to get hit in the knuckles from a nun when I spoke out or joked around in class. The odd thing was that my grades were decent so it didn’t reflect on my report cards.

There was this on teacher who taught science at Sacred Heart School in Lowell MA. Dr Romanowsky or Doc Romanowsky. He kind of inspired me and gave me a better understanding of what we were learning in class could be applied to the real world. He also met with one of my parents and they recommended the Sylvan Learning Center near by to get some extra help with math.

In my case, going to the Sylvan Learning Center was the turn around that made me enjoy learning math and science and I think it did a little to my attitude back then as well. Although a few weeks ago a met a girl who said she was a teacher and moonlighted as a instructor at the center and just complained about the was instructors were treated, the horrible hours and kids still constantly not changing and not getting better. Maybe it was just her, right?

The commercial advertises teaching Math facts to pre-calculus, reading readiness and college preparation tests. This program is advertised to help children succeed and get six homework help sessions for seventy five dollars. Their, what seems to be, motto is “to catch up… to keep up… to get ahead…”

This motto sums up their purpose which is to help students catch up with their school work, help them keep up with their work, or even get ahead. Sylvan learning center will also help students with taking college preparation tests. This specific advertisement caters more to the parents basically saying that if they see that their child needs and extra push or help, that they can get six homework sessions for only seventy five dollars. The advertisement shows pictures of students smiling and working.

sylvan learning centerParents can send their children to Sylvan for the low low rate of about $40 per hour. Teachers are tasked with helping three to four students at a time, netting the Sylvan Learning center anywhere from $120 to $160. Teachers, who must be certified and pass Sylvan’s own battery of tests, are then tasked with little more than helping students work on Sylvan-prepared worksheets.

How much are the teachers paid? About $10 an hour. I don’t know if this is true everywhere but the girl I know that works at one in Dracut Massachusetts says it’s an ok job but isn’t going to make her rich, that for sure.

So I guess you have to make up your own mind about going to a Sylvan Learning Center for extra help for your child. I know that it did help me but probably isn’t for everyone. Let me know if you have tried one of these centers out and how it worked for you or your child.

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Been Working Hard. Now Its Time To Reconnect With Jake

So on Tuesday my son Jakob and I are going to Florida, particularly Orlando, SeaWorld, Universal City walk, MGM Studios and Disney World. Although my wife Erin won’t be coming with us because the separation, it will be a great opportunity for Jake and I to have fun and spend some quality time together. After sniveling previously about the state of my health and how I’m growing up just like my dad or wearing a holter monitor, I decided to take a new approach on life and start doing more things that I want to and less things because I think I have to.

disney-secretsSince my wife and I have separated in January, there hasn’t been much quality family time or much laughing and just having a good time. Typically the only time I’m with Jake is when he spends the weekend with me and I feel like there’s so much I’m missing out from his life during the week especially what he does at school. Between me paying bills, cleaning the apartment, doing laundry and anything else that can’t get done during the week, there’s little time for me and my son to just be silly and have fun. Well now we got a whole week of it.

I’ve been looking online for the last few days trying to plan what we will do well in Florida. There is plenty of sites out there promoting specials for families.

What I would like to do in Disney World is find what the typical public doesn’t see. I heard there was a tour you can take riding Segway’s on some of the back lots and behind-the-scenes stuff in Disney. I think that would make the trip unique and much more memorable for Jake and I. That I would love.

If anyone knows anything about this please let me know.

Some of the attractions think that will go on:

  • Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom. There’s 1,700 animals from 250 species and sprawling across 500 acres. Yea that’s a lot of walking.
  • Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. I remember The Comedy Warehouse being pretty fun night when my wife and I went.
  • For a break away from the theme parks, I’d like to try to go to Cocoa Beach or some beach just the change.
  • I think we might try Blizzard Beach as well.

Jakob Got His Cast Removed Today

After about a month of being in a cast from breaking his arm at the Dracut Veterans Memorial park, Jakob got his cast removed from his arm. He was really a brave kid and although he thought the saw was going to hurt he said he didn’t need any needles and would be tough.

I hope the other kids in Dracut are careful this season at the park. We already heard of other kids falling from the monkey bars and getting hurt.

Me and Jake ripping it up!

Me and Jake ripping it up!

I’m Older Than My Dad & Just Like Him.

So I was thinking the other day it’s coming up on 23 years since my father Brian Kenneth Savage died. I’ll have to check on the day but I think it was May 1986. It’s strange because I was about 13 or 14 when he died and yet he seems so much older and smarter than I was then. My mother has given me some of his identification cards, drivers license, firearm permit, college ID and passport over the years but it never hit me until recently that he died at the age of 36. My brothers and I were 13, 9 and 7 years old when he died. My son Jakob is 6 1/2. I’m 37 now. What a weird time.

So I managed to live longer than my father has and it seems strange as if I am on borrowed time. My father and I share many traits in life and our careers. Height, body type, career, bad eating habits and for me lately lack of exercise. So at this point in my life I can see that we both work long hours and don’t take care of ourselves as best as we can. Of course doctors and family members say that I need to get in better shape and I feel healthy most of the time but I do have type 2 diabetes basically from my weight. Currently I weigh 350 pounds. About six years ago I weighed 295 pounds and was in very good shape. I was the strongest I’ve ever been in my life and I could run 5 miles in about 35 to 40 minutes and I did that fairly often. After our son was born, I spent more time with our new baby then I did taking care of myself and maintaining my health and fitness. I think my relationship with my wife also began to change at this time. But that’s another post.

So why am I writing this?
Continue reading

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Why An Angel on Top of the Christmas Tree

Have you ever wondered why we put an angel on top of the Christmas tree each Christmas? Well here’s the story of how it all began…

When four of Santa’s elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drank all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor.

He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn’t this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?”

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

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Helping a Friend When They Lose Their Job

Knowing what to say and do when a friend loses their job or hits a financial rough spot is a challenge. You want to help, but have no idea where to begin. You also don’t want to stick your foot in your mouth or give bad advice and make the situation worse. Here are some easy-to-remember rules for helping a friend who’s unemployed.

Don’t be an ATM. Let’s get this out of the way first: If you care about your friendship you should never, ever loan a friend money. You should also never give them money hoping (and maybe even secretly expecting) that you’ll be paid back. This may never happen. Assume that anything you help them with, from buying them a Harpoon Winter Warmer beer to a small sack of groceries, is a gift. But don’t worry—the karma gods will reward you someday.

Be a good listener. What your friend will need most right now is an ear but don’t give her the silent treatment. Financial problems can cause a lot of stress, and your friend may be moody, negative, or emotional. Recognize her need to vent and be prepared to listen for as long as necessary. Don’t try to sugarcoat the situation and blindly assure her everything will be okay—this can seem patronizing. Just keep your mouth shut and your ears wide open.

Get creative. Think of easy ways you can help your friend in need without stressing yourself out or making it seem like you feel sorry for them. Start a carpool, or suggest a girl’s night in with cheap beer and movies instead of an expensive evening out. Next time you bake, wrap a few extras up for her she’ll appreciate a delicious treat, especially if chocolate or breakfasts out have been cut from the budget.

Offer advice… maybe. This rule comes with a big fat “Be Careful” sign attached. It isn’t your job to fix your friend’s troubles. That said, if you have an area of expertise that could be helpful, you can offer advice if it seems appropriate. If you’re a financial wizard, offer to help set up a budget spreadsheet. If she eats out a ton, share your favorite easy recipes. If she’s incapable of buying anything but designer labels, clue her in to your favorite low-end fashion haunts. If you choose to offer advice (and she accepts it!), keep the tone positive. Reassure her that she’s wildly talented and capable of dealing with whatever life throws at her.

Spread the word. If your friend defaulted on a loan she probably wouldn’t want you sharing that info with everyone you know. But if she lost a job, she might appreciate any free PR she can get. Offer to keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities. Help her make connections, prep for an interview, and rework her résumé. Remind her that rough spots are often a great opportunity to make big changes. If she’s been thinking about making a career shift or trying something new, now could be just the time to do it.

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Raising the Legal Driving Age in Massachusetts

I remember being 16 and I couldn’t wait to get my Massachusetts driver’s license at 16 and a half years old. Now Massachusetts officials are proposing to raise the legal age for a driver’s license.
It seems everytime I watch the news on tv at night there’s a new report about a teenager crashing and wrecking their car. Especially on the car crashes on the Lowell Connector. I’m sure it’s not just because they were only 16 or 17 but the fact that they are young and inexperienced.

When I was 16 I was learning to drive. Back and forth, up and down the driveway of my friend Don’s driveway it basically how we learned to drive in Massachusetts. I went from jumping my bike over trash barrels and a swimming pool to driving legally on the road with other drivers.

I know I wasn’t mature enough to drive on my own. Luckily I hadn’t been able to buy my own car until 18 and I was too nervous to drive recklessly in my mother’s minivan.

Parents should continue to stress the fact that they need to be careful on the road. Not only for themselves but also the other people driving on the road. Raising the legal driving age in Massachusetts might be a good idea.

By the way Fox25 news just did an interview with a guy on TV and he said the vote was delayed once again and that he DOUBTS that Raising the Legal Driving Age in Massachusetts to 17 or 17 and a half will not happen. We’ll see.

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People Finders Makes A Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift


People Finders
Mother’s Day is fast approaching and just like always you have waited for the last minute to start thinking about a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift.

Forget about stopping under the overpass to pick up a dozen roses for your mother. This year you can really make a difference in your mother’s life by giving People Finders as a unique and thoughtful Mother’s Day gift.

Not sure if People Finders would be the right gift for your mother on this Mother’s Day? Well… let’s take a look. Continue reading