I often ramble about things I do and things I don't. I often ramble about things I should have done and things I shouldn't have done. I often ramble about how I regret not to do certain or regret about doing certain things.
"life comes at you fast." Really? Today topic is about things that we often take for granted.
We often take our parents for granted. Yes, not all parents are fabulous. They don't always give you the best life. They don't always give you the best clothes, food, houses, or even emotional support. Some even abuse some. But in general, they give you life. And some might say... I owe my parents my life. I beg this to be different. I don't think anyone owes anyone's life. You weren't asked to be born. You weren't ask ed to be in the same family. It's the parents choice to have the children born. But anyway.. I'm deviating from the point I'm trying to make.... I think we take our parents for granted for many reasons. Only until they are gone, we remember the good time. And only until we are almost gone, we will remember what it is like.
We often take our health for granted. When we are young, we do things to harm ourself. Smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or simply just eating fast and junk food. We stock our bodies with high cholesterol and fat food. We stock our bodies with all the possible "toxins." High glycemic drinks, coffee for a short caffeine, chips for fun etc. These are not good for our health. Countless of time, I've seen people are overweight but they don't do anything about that. Sometimes I wonder what it really means. Don't they know.
We take our time for granted. Yes, we do. Tell me how much time you spend on the internet in the last few hours or the last day. What do you do? I know I spent a lot of time on the internet for nothing. Literally. It's very time-wasting but we haven't learned how to control our impulses just yet. We take our time for granted because we think we are young. Yes, we are young and we think we can fix our mistakes when we are given the time. But we never realize that we never give us time to fix because we always think that time is always there.
There are many more but that's it for now since I don't want to post such a long post ;)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
education
I haven't talked much about education and maybe I should just because it just occurs to me that it might be time.
Time after time, I've always wondered why we are required to go to school and get a good education. Ever since I was young, education is always a number one priority in our list. My parents always want me to have a good education. They want me to be successful and be treated nicely instead of not.
As I grew up, I just knew that education is a must and I have no other choice but go to school and graduate to get a job. Yes, as I started working, I realize many people that I work with have no college degree or even a high school diploma sometimes. And I wonder how do they survive in this harsh world. Going to school taught me many things. No, I can't stand harassment. No, I can't stand people talking down on me. No, I can't stand there and see that people are going to put me into a tough spot for no reason. I learn that I am raised with equality. Yes, the equality that I can do things without being judge whether I'm a male or female or whether I'm coming from a prestige or a lower background. I was taught that I should never let anyone hurt me mentally and physically. Interestingly enough, I've learned this lesson when I was very young and I kept them with me. Yes, when I was younger, I didn't think much about it or thought about it as deep as I thought about it now. I understand why my parents want us to have good education. I understand why my parents sacrificed things in order to give us a good place to stay. Yes, I understand why I should not take things for granted because many people wish to be in my shoes.
Am I digressing? I guess so.
But back to education... education is important. And yes, I will say it again. Education is important. It might not be important to some because they have to work in order to support themselves. But even then, learn a good skill that you can use. What I mean by education is not about just going to school, getting your master or PhD. It's about learning to do what you're good at and be an expert in that.
I'm learning myself. I'm exploring different things within my profession. If you're in economics, try to find different things that you can do with it. If you're in law, try to find different practices that fit you the most. If you're in cleaning services, try to find what you're good at about cleaning and do it with integrity. I guess I can't emphasize enough about the fact that people should do things with integrity. People should realize that without that their career will mean less to them and meaningless to others.
Do what you love but just be sure to get a good grasp of it.
Ps: My thoughts are scattered. Yes, I tend not to organize them just because I let it flow. I hope I haven't confused you yet already.
Time after time, I've always wondered why we are required to go to school and get a good education. Ever since I was young, education is always a number one priority in our list. My parents always want me to have a good education. They want me to be successful and be treated nicely instead of not.
As I grew up, I just knew that education is a must and I have no other choice but go to school and graduate to get a job. Yes, as I started working, I realize many people that I work with have no college degree or even a high school diploma sometimes. And I wonder how do they survive in this harsh world. Going to school taught me many things. No, I can't stand harassment. No, I can't stand people talking down on me. No, I can't stand there and see that people are going to put me into a tough spot for no reason. I learn that I am raised with equality. Yes, the equality that I can do things without being judge whether I'm a male or female or whether I'm coming from a prestige or a lower background. I was taught that I should never let anyone hurt me mentally and physically. Interestingly enough, I've learned this lesson when I was very young and I kept them with me. Yes, when I was younger, I didn't think much about it or thought about it as deep as I thought about it now. I understand why my parents want us to have good education. I understand why my parents sacrificed things in order to give us a good place to stay. Yes, I understand why I should not take things for granted because many people wish to be in my shoes.
Am I digressing? I guess so.
But back to education... education is important. And yes, I will say it again. Education is important. It might not be important to some because they have to work in order to support themselves. But even then, learn a good skill that you can use. What I mean by education is not about just going to school, getting your master or PhD. It's about learning to do what you're good at and be an expert in that.
I'm learning myself. I'm exploring different things within my profession. If you're in economics, try to find different things that you can do with it. If you're in law, try to find different practices that fit you the most. If you're in cleaning services, try to find what you're good at about cleaning and do it with integrity. I guess I can't emphasize enough about the fact that people should do things with integrity. People should realize that without that their career will mean less to them and meaningless to others.
Do what you love but just be sure to get a good grasp of it.
Ps: My thoughts are scattered. Yes, I tend not to organize them just because I let it flow. I hope I haven't confused you yet already.
Friday, September 5, 2008
new move
hi everyone,
it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Yeah, things have been very busy lately but I have learned so much after my moving in. So here are a few tips that I have to offer you in your moving in process.
- When you go for apartment hunting, making sure you know everything in the contracts.
- Before you have any moving in, making sure to ask the landlords about roaches or termites infestation in your home or around the area.
- Make sure your apartment is free of the infestation before you move in.
-You can request a pest control company *it could be different from the one your landlord having contract with* to inspect the apartment before you move in.
- If there is an infestation, tell the landlord to clean it up before you move in.
- Make sure everything is working when you move.
- if you found anything broken, notify the landlord immediately.
The moving process can be very daunting. You might have a lot of boxes that you carry with when you move. Be careful, they have insects, roaches, or other kind of animals that you and I normally wouldn't see. How would you be able to trust the shipping company? Their cargo is not refrigerator and the boxes can be broken.
Make sure to have your things inspected before taking inside the house. I would suggest you open the box outside and then take things inside. But sometimes it's not feasible doing it that way. So you can take things out immediately and dispose the boxes as soon as possible. You don't want them to lie around the house for too long.
Another thing that I found could be useful in your moving in is... if you decided not to have a lot of furniture, you don't have to buy a lot of furniture. The fact that it will help a lot and ease the moving process tremendously. You won't have to make as many trips or need a big car or truck to carry all these materials.
I think that is it for now. I will update later with more things.
Good luck with everything!
PS: Don't let your food lying around the house without being protected from insects and roaches. They love your food if they are lying around unprotected. Use your refrigerator because it's their for a reason. Use plastic container to store things if you can. Don't let them lying around the house unprotected!
If you found anything, you should report it immediately.
it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Yeah, things have been very busy lately but I have learned so much after my moving in. So here are a few tips that I have to offer you in your moving in process.
- When you go for apartment hunting, making sure you know everything in the contracts.
- Before you have any moving in, making sure to ask the landlords about roaches or termites infestation in your home or around the area.
- Make sure your apartment is free of the infestation before you move in.
-You can request a pest control company *it could be different from the one your landlord having contract with* to inspect the apartment before you move in.
- If there is an infestation, tell the landlord to clean it up before you move in.
- Make sure everything is working when you move.
- if you found anything broken, notify the landlord immediately.
The moving process can be very daunting. You might have a lot of boxes that you carry with when you move. Be careful, they have insects, roaches, or other kind of animals that you and I normally wouldn't see. How would you be able to trust the shipping company? Their cargo is not refrigerator and the boxes can be broken.
Make sure to have your things inspected before taking inside the house. I would suggest you open the box outside and then take things inside. But sometimes it's not feasible doing it that way. So you can take things out immediately and dispose the boxes as soon as possible. You don't want them to lie around the house for too long.
Another thing that I found could be useful in your moving in is... if you decided not to have a lot of furniture, you don't have to buy a lot of furniture. The fact that it will help a lot and ease the moving process tremendously. You won't have to make as many trips or need a big car or truck to carry all these materials.
I think that is it for now. I will update later with more things.
Good luck with everything!
PS: Don't let your food lying around the house without being protected from insects and roaches. They love your food if they are lying around unprotected. Use your refrigerator because it's their for a reason. Use plastic container to store things if you can. Don't let them lying around the house unprotected!
If you found anything, you should report it immediately.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Food
Yup... here is one of the very sensitive subjects that people talk most about and also try to avoid.
You might wonder why I start talking about food. You might even start thinking that I'm going to preach about food. It might be true but it's only because it's important to know.
As classes start, I realize wow.... there are many organizations and they try to let you know about them by saying... we serve pizzas during our meeting. As a health professional student, I can't help but wonder... if you're going to be working in the health profession... and if you're going to tell your patients... don't eat that chocolate bar, your insulin is not going to like it.. or if you're going to say... don't eat that slice of pizza... your heart is not going to love you... imagine yourself at this moment enjoying the piece of pizza! It's very to tell people what to do but it's a lot harder to do it ourselves. And I speak that from my own experiences.
I can't help but keep on stressing the importance of diets. I'm not a nutritionist by any chance. Neither am I trained in nutrition in anyway. So I am like you... I read news, magazines, articles, books and learn about things. I know too much sugar, salt, fats are not good for our body. We can't consume too much of a certain type of food for example sugar or even rice in particular. I took me a long time to realize that I was overweight. And it took me a whole summer to get back in shape and maintain it.
It all started with reading the labels and hitting the gyms. I have to say.... we are incredible crazy with our food. Yes, we are. No doubt about it.
We love sweet treats. We love fatty products. And yes, we love salts. But actually, there is a better way to say it. I think we are conditioned to love sweet treats, fatty products and salts. When we were younger, we tended to eat candies, then pizzas, and started adding salts in our diets. Increasingly, our doses increase. *it's just so additive to eat fat especially*. And eventually, when we reach a certain age, it has become a common diet for us : rich in sugar, fat, and salts. You might think gosh, I can't change because I have eaten this my whole life. But think about it... our body and mind change all the time. Our body can adapt to different situation and environment. So will our diet. We all can change it. All it take is just a little bit of patience and determination.
So go read the labels of the products that you are about to buy. Does it have too much sugar? How about fat? (please, even with the good fat, too much is not good) How about salt? These are important factors in determining our health.
I hope I haven't cut it too short. I was reading some news articles and this thought just came up to me. Really!!! just try it!! change your diets! one thing at a time.... because I do hope my future colleagues change their habits too. Instead of buying pizzas (convenient, slightly inexpensive, but create a bad habit for students), I hope they opt for something that are more health conscious otherwise I will go hungry for long time!
You might wonder why I start talking about food. You might even start thinking that I'm going to preach about food. It might be true but it's only because it's important to know.
As classes start, I realize wow.... there are many organizations and they try to let you know about them by saying... we serve pizzas during our meeting. As a health professional student, I can't help but wonder... if you're going to be working in the health profession... and if you're going to tell your patients... don't eat that chocolate bar, your insulin is not going to like it.. or if you're going to say... don't eat that slice of pizza... your heart is not going to love you... imagine yourself at this moment enjoying the piece of pizza! It's very to tell people what to do but it's a lot harder to do it ourselves. And I speak that from my own experiences.
I can't help but keep on stressing the importance of diets. I'm not a nutritionist by any chance. Neither am I trained in nutrition in anyway. So I am like you... I read news, magazines, articles, books and learn about things. I know too much sugar, salt, fats are not good for our body. We can't consume too much of a certain type of food for example sugar or even rice in particular. I took me a long time to realize that I was overweight. And it took me a whole summer to get back in shape and maintain it.
It all started with reading the labels and hitting the gyms. I have to say.... we are incredible crazy with our food. Yes, we are. No doubt about it.
We love sweet treats. We love fatty products. And yes, we love salts. But actually, there is a better way to say it. I think we are conditioned to love sweet treats, fatty products and salts. When we were younger, we tended to eat candies, then pizzas, and started adding salts in our diets. Increasingly, our doses increase. *it's just so additive to eat fat especially*. And eventually, when we reach a certain age, it has become a common diet for us : rich in sugar, fat, and salts. You might think gosh, I can't change because I have eaten this my whole life. But think about it... our body and mind change all the time. Our body can adapt to different situation and environment. So will our diet. We all can change it. All it take is just a little bit of patience and determination.
So go read the labels of the products that you are about to buy. Does it have too much sugar? How about fat? (please, even with the good fat, too much is not good) How about salt? These are important factors in determining our health.
I hope I haven't cut it too short. I was reading some news articles and this thought just came up to me. Really!!! just try it!! change your diets! one thing at a time.... because I do hope my future colleagues change their habits too. Instead of buying pizzas (convenient, slightly inexpensive, but create a bad habit for students), I hope they opt for something that are more health conscious otherwise I will go hungry for long time!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Fear
wow.. it's been like forever but I think I will start writing again even though it seems to be pretty busy for the next few months.
Today I realize that I wish I knew Spanish. I wish I knew another language. I wish I had stepped out of my comfort zone and tried to learn another language while I was in high school instead of giving an excuse that I've already known another language. It's so valuable and it's incredibly popular in my area.
I went to the clinic today and found that more than 70% of the patients are Spanish speaking patients. And I can't help but keep on thinking. maybe I should start taking Spanish now but do I have time?
Maybe I have hesitated in taking it in the first place because I was afraid. You see... fear gets into you. Fear will interfere with your life. Fear will make you step aside from what you wish to do or hope you can do. So many times I have told myself... I wish I am not afraid of something and just go ahead and do it. Many times, I hesitated and never carried things through.
Until now, I realize... it was just fear. Yes, I fear this and that. Many of which didn't even happen. I didn't even give it a chance to happen because I never took action.
I hope I have learned the lesson well because Ireally shouldn't fear in trying new things or learning things that could possibly benefit me in the future. Maybe it's not too late yet to learn Spanish. I should learn a little bit a day. It will be so beneficial in the future. Not because of job but also because I could communicate more with the population that I might be working with in the future.
I hope you do the same. Please don't fear to take another step. Please don't ever fear that you will fail because you have failed the moment you give up. Please don't ever let fear interfere with your ego. It's true sometimes we're afraid of losing or not doing well so that we decided not to do it. I have learned that no matter what, as long as I try my best, there is nothing to worry about.
Yeah... another step is taken to conquer my fear.
Today I realize that I wish I knew Spanish. I wish I knew another language. I wish I had stepped out of my comfort zone and tried to learn another language while I was in high school instead of giving an excuse that I've already known another language. It's so valuable and it's incredibly popular in my area.
I went to the clinic today and found that more than 70% of the patients are Spanish speaking patients. And I can't help but keep on thinking. maybe I should start taking Spanish now but do I have time?
Maybe I have hesitated in taking it in the first place because I was afraid. You see... fear gets into you. Fear will interfere with your life. Fear will make you step aside from what you wish to do or hope you can do. So many times I have told myself... I wish I am not afraid of something and just go ahead and do it. Many times, I hesitated and never carried things through.
Until now, I realize... it was just fear. Yes, I fear this and that. Many of which didn't even happen. I didn't even give it a chance to happen because I never took action.
I hope I have learned the lesson well because Ireally shouldn't fear in trying new things or learning things that could possibly benefit me in the future. Maybe it's not too late yet to learn Spanish. I should learn a little bit a day. It will be so beneficial in the future. Not because of job but also because I could communicate more with the population that I might be working with in the future.
I hope you do the same. Please don't fear to take another step. Please don't ever fear that you will fail because you have failed the moment you give up. Please don't ever let fear interfere with your ego. It's true sometimes we're afraid of losing or not doing well so that we decided not to do it. I have learned that no matter what, as long as I try my best, there is nothing to worry about.
Yeah... another step is taken to conquer my fear.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Career crossroad
I was told from the very beginning that I need to be successful in school in order to advance in life. I need to do well. I need to get a good job in order to make money to survive in this society. Time after time, it makes me think... what is a good job and what is a job that will help me make a lot of money and how much is enough?
I can't answer all of these questions because I haven't been able to find it myself. As I am ready to enter a new phase in my life, I once again revisit this subject. I am about to start on a new journey that people said will guarantee me a good life later. I give it a thought and then just realize... well everything is just assumption. Whatever career is out there, there will be no longer a guarantee in life. In fact, it scares me when people start talking about money.
I'm scared when people talk about how much money you should make in order to be successful. I'm scared when people start measuring me with money. I'm scared when I realize how superficial the society has become. Yeah, we all measure everything with money. And yeah to many of us, money is very important.
I don't deny the importance of having money but being driven by money has made the society worse by the day, the hour, the minute, and the second. Without money, I can't get food, housing, or clothes. However, how much is enough? I think the problem arises when we can't realize or know how much is enough. We keep on going and going until we break down... until we can't go on anymore. Then we turn around and think... have we gone too far?
I don't know whether I will finish the journey that I am about to start but I am sure I will find something along the way that is worth pursuing. Hopefully, I won't be driving too far away from the original road. Let the force be with me as I continue walking on the path.
I can't answer all of these questions because I haven't been able to find it myself. As I am ready to enter a new phase in my life, I once again revisit this subject. I am about to start on a new journey that people said will guarantee me a good life later. I give it a thought and then just realize... well everything is just assumption. Whatever career is out there, there will be no longer a guarantee in life. In fact, it scares me when people start talking about money.
I'm scared when people talk about how much money you should make in order to be successful. I'm scared when people start measuring me with money. I'm scared when I realize how superficial the society has become. Yeah, we all measure everything with money. And yeah to many of us, money is very important.
I don't deny the importance of having money but being driven by money has made the society worse by the day, the hour, the minute, and the second. Without money, I can't get food, housing, or clothes. However, how much is enough? I think the problem arises when we can't realize or know how much is enough. We keep on going and going until we break down... until we can't go on anymore. Then we turn around and think... have we gone too far?
I don't know whether I will finish the journey that I am about to start but I am sure I will find something along the way that is worth pursuing. Hopefully, I won't be driving too far away from the original road. Let the force be with me as I continue walking on the path.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Afterthought when finished watching "the classic"
Once in a while, you stumbled onto a good movie that keeps you awake all night. I've heard of "The Classic" (a Korean movie) a long time ago but haven't got a chance to watch it. Neither can I found it in the store, but by coincidence, I watched it today.
The movie is very beautiful. I personally think it's a true classic movie. Deep in the movie is not just about the love between two "beautiful people" but also about dignity, integrity, the culture that these people lived in. The parallel story lines between the now and then makes the movie so beautiful.
I will not spoil the movie by telling you what the movie is about, but here is just what I thought of it. If you would like to watch it, I would highly recommend you try youtubing it.
The soundtrack is wonderful. Every single moment was characterized and described clearly with each note and melody. It's interesting how the same notes can be wonderfully presented by different instruments that could hold your heartbeat in place.
Watching the movie reminds me of how it was used to be in the old day. Love was so innocent. Love was so pure. It was almost like a perfect picture. Each day, you waited for the mail to come. Each day, you realized how much you loved and missed the other person. Not only so, the relationship was so pure that their action was so cute and painful to watch at the same time. Seeing how hard they had to go through, imagining the pain that they had to endure, I can't help but thinking had technology destroyed these romantic moments? People nowadays take their dates and loved ones out to romantic and expensive restaurants. We usually express our love by how much money we give to our loved ones. We usually express our love by what kind of car we brought to our loved ones. We used our senses and materials to express our love but often time we forgot simple things mattered. Often we forgot memories mattered. Often we forgot that our life does not measure by the house we had. Neither will it be measured as how far we got into the corporate ladder. But it is measured by what helps making us here. Whether it is a small act of kindness, or a fond memory of good time, what makes us feeling most comfortable at the present moment.
Yeah...those good memories.... we have complicated ourself with the "business" in life only to later realize that maybe those don't matter as much as we have hoped for.
Will the innocence ever come back or will they forever be lost in the fast highway....
The movie is very beautiful. I personally think it's a true classic movie. Deep in the movie is not just about the love between two "beautiful people" but also about dignity, integrity, the culture that these people lived in. The parallel story lines between the now and then makes the movie so beautiful.
I will not spoil the movie by telling you what the movie is about, but here is just what I thought of it. If you would like to watch it, I would highly recommend you try youtubing it.
The soundtrack is wonderful. Every single moment was characterized and described clearly with each note and melody. It's interesting how the same notes can be wonderfully presented by different instruments that could hold your heartbeat in place.
Watching the movie reminds me of how it was used to be in the old day. Love was so innocent. Love was so pure. It was almost like a perfect picture. Each day, you waited for the mail to come. Each day, you realized how much you loved and missed the other person. Not only so, the relationship was so pure that their action was so cute and painful to watch at the same time. Seeing how hard they had to go through, imagining the pain that they had to endure, I can't help but thinking had technology destroyed these romantic moments? People nowadays take their dates and loved ones out to romantic and expensive restaurants. We usually express our love by how much money we give to our loved ones. We usually express our love by what kind of car we brought to our loved ones. We used our senses and materials to express our love but often time we forgot simple things mattered. Often we forgot memories mattered. Often we forgot that our life does not measure by the house we had. Neither will it be measured as how far we got into the corporate ladder. But it is measured by what helps making us here. Whether it is a small act of kindness, or a fond memory of good time, what makes us feeling most comfortable at the present moment.
Yeah...those good memories.... we have complicated ourself with the "business" in life only to later realize that maybe those don't matter as much as we have hoped for.
Will the innocence ever come back or will they forever be lost in the fast highway....
Saturday, July 26, 2008
With every wish...
I have always wondered... putting aside our "divine characteristics"... if we have a wish, what would that wish be? Would it be a selfish wish? But really is there anything such as selfish wish anyway?
I have been told that just make a selfish wish for yourself and the rest will follow. It touches me from time to time seeing people begging for money and food on the street. It hurts me from time to time seeing people having no place to live and having no clothes to wear. I am not a rich person. Neither am I making enough money to support myself entirely. And yet, from time to time, I feel the need and the urge to give away some of what I already have. Giving away the things that I don't use or need anymore. We tend to cling to many things in our life. We even cling to things that we don't need anymore or things that don't need us anymore. People cling to the people that don't treat them well. And yet, they cling to others for the need of love and a little bit of romance. People endure the abuses that they get from others in order to feel the pain of life. People keep on buying material matters to satisfy their sense of wealth and rich. People love having babies because otherwise their life won't be complete. We tend to depend on everything around us for the sense of wealth, satisfaction, happiness, sadness, and accomplished.
But really, does any of that matter when we die? The world is still turning when we die. People still shop when we die. People will move on and get married when we die. Things will eventually break and their color will fade with time. The shirt we bought two years ago won't be the same shirt two years later. All these things make me realized... what is so precious is being at the moment. Knowing what is going on at the moment. The past is the past. The future is always an unknown. What can we plan? Can we plan for our sudden death? Can we plan our children's future? Can we plan for anything? Maybe for short term period... but long term is so uncertain.
Seeing that... I realize... if there is any wish for me, I wish I would never have to depend on anything to be happy... not the material things in life, not the relationship that I have, not the family that have raised me, not the people that I work with, not the friends that I have always thought of, not the bed that I love to lie on, not the blanket that keep me warm at night, not the music the soothe my mood, not a cup of tea that keeps me warm in the winter time, not a piece of pastry to satisfy my craving, not a place to call home, not the clothes that make me look successful, not the car that carry miles and miles, and the list goes on. Yeah.... if there is such a wish, that is what I would wish for.
call that selfish... but really...i think that is what I want. Unless I am able to help myself, I feel there isn't much in me to offer to the world...
I have been told that just make a selfish wish for yourself and the rest will follow. It touches me from time to time seeing people begging for money and food on the street. It hurts me from time to time seeing people having no place to live and having no clothes to wear. I am not a rich person. Neither am I making enough money to support myself entirely. And yet, from time to time, I feel the need and the urge to give away some of what I already have. Giving away the things that I don't use or need anymore. We tend to cling to many things in our life. We even cling to things that we don't need anymore or things that don't need us anymore. People cling to the people that don't treat them well. And yet, they cling to others for the need of love and a little bit of romance. People endure the abuses that they get from others in order to feel the pain of life. People keep on buying material matters to satisfy their sense of wealth and rich. People love having babies because otherwise their life won't be complete. We tend to depend on everything around us for the sense of wealth, satisfaction, happiness, sadness, and accomplished.
But really, does any of that matter when we die? The world is still turning when we die. People still shop when we die. People will move on and get married when we die. Things will eventually break and their color will fade with time. The shirt we bought two years ago won't be the same shirt two years later. All these things make me realized... what is so precious is being at the moment. Knowing what is going on at the moment. The past is the past. The future is always an unknown. What can we plan? Can we plan for our sudden death? Can we plan our children's future? Can we plan for anything? Maybe for short term period... but long term is so uncertain.
Seeing that... I realize... if there is any wish for me, I wish I would never have to depend on anything to be happy... not the material things in life, not the relationship that I have, not the family that have raised me, not the people that I work with, not the friends that I have always thought of, not the bed that I love to lie on, not the blanket that keep me warm at night, not the music the soothe my mood, not a cup of tea that keeps me warm in the winter time, not a piece of pastry to satisfy my craving, not a place to call home, not the clothes that make me look successful, not the car that carry miles and miles, and the list goes on. Yeah.... if there is such a wish, that is what I would wish for.
call that selfish... but really...i think that is what I want. Unless I am able to help myself, I feel there isn't much in me to offer to the world...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Do I really hate something?
Hello again!
I just listen to "7 things" by Miley Cyrus... yeah I know... I was curious about it so yeah here we go. I was kind of surprised (not sure in a good or bad way) of how the video was shot. It wasn't a bad video but I am not sure it's quite age appropriate and I am not sure it is a good way to tell others that you hate something about someone. Or let some teenagers crying a lot over the long lost love. I mean... they look very young like 12 or 13 or something. If Miley really wants to venture out to the new territory, maybe she should has cast someone else a little bit older to fit the song better. It's just weird seeing such young girl crying over something that probably did not last for probably 1 month or so. Anyway... this post is not about the song but it's about the word that I heard repeatedly "hate".
Obviously, I guess I was the same when I was at that age. I hated this, I really hated that. or Oh my, I can't stand something like that... I hated it so much... As I grow older, I realize my tolerance has increased significantly and there is really nothing that deserve the word "hate." And I decided to write about the word "hate."
Sometimes, I realize we take words for granted. We said we love something. We said we really love someone. But really... are those emotion real? Do we really need to go to the extreme like that? You can like a TV but do you really have to love your TV? Same goes with "hate."
I used to say... gosh.. if someone does that to me, I would hate them for the rest of my life. Just for your knowledge, that was when I was in my late teen... so the rest of my life would be a very long time (assuming I have a long life ahead of me). But I have to say those emotion go away after a while. So now, I can't really say I hate anything or anyone anymore because I know I can't have that emotion for long. And I also realize... as long as you don't make a point in hating something, you will not hate it. We only make ourself hate something by keep on thinking about it and making it a big deal out of all the things happening around it.
So my life has been a lot easier nowadays not having to hate everything around me for example: having a broken heart, losing my material, not having enough money, or having to work too hard etc. Things are just the way they are. Even if I hate it, there is nothing I can do about it to make it different. If someone on the street yelled at me for no reason, I can't go and tell them hey stop because I hate it when you said that. Because that person might be sick and didn't know what he/she was saying. I could actually hurt myself if I do that in case the person is not mentally stable and physically stronger than I am.
In addition, "hate" is just a strong word that I don't want to use very often. Even if my exes broke up with me, I can't really say I hate my exes because you know it's their choice. We had good times and bad times together. They have done inappropriate things that I didn't approve and I might have done the same. In the end, we are human and we are not perfect. Instead of thinking about it or hating it, I just take it as it is and go on with my life. It took a lot of energy to hate something or someone because you kept on thinking about it.
I know it's easy to say. I've been through it and it's very hard to do. You kept thinking about them and you think about all the good times and how did they forget about all that.. etc... Then I can't stop crying and keep on hoping maybe it will work, maybe we will try again... But as we all know, thinking about it is a waste of time. Our time is so precious that it cannot be lost just like that. And as we all know, even as we spend time fascinating ourself with all the possibilities, they are not true. Then our anger over a person becomes stronger and starts asking why... why this... why that... etc.. Then we say.. gosh, I hate that person. But really, you have loved or like that person before. So... our emotion can change and that goes with hate and anger as well. Just let time cooling it off before we decide to do anything that could further damage the relationship.
Thinking about the past is not the future ;)
So before you decide to hate something... think again... do you really hate it? or is it just a momentarily emotion that triggers the anger in you to say it? Because we all know, they all do go away after awhile. So instead of hurting the broken relationship even more, just calmly accept it and go on with life. :)
Good luck ;)
I just listen to "7 things" by Miley Cyrus... yeah I know... I was curious about it so yeah here we go. I was kind of surprised (not sure in a good or bad way) of how the video was shot. It wasn't a bad video but I am not sure it's quite age appropriate and I am not sure it is a good way to tell others that you hate something about someone. Or let some teenagers crying a lot over the long lost love. I mean... they look very young like 12 or 13 or something. If Miley really wants to venture out to the new territory, maybe she should has cast someone else a little bit older to fit the song better. It's just weird seeing such young girl crying over something that probably did not last for probably 1 month or so. Anyway... this post is not about the song but it's about the word that I heard repeatedly "hate".
Obviously, I guess I was the same when I was at that age. I hated this, I really hated that. or Oh my, I can't stand something like that... I hated it so much... As I grow older, I realize my tolerance has increased significantly and there is really nothing that deserve the word "hate." And I decided to write about the word "hate."
Sometimes, I realize we take words for granted. We said we love something. We said we really love someone. But really... are those emotion real? Do we really need to go to the extreme like that? You can like a TV but do you really have to love your TV? Same goes with "hate."
I used to say... gosh.. if someone does that to me, I would hate them for the rest of my life. Just for your knowledge, that was when I was in my late teen... so the rest of my life would be a very long time (assuming I have a long life ahead of me). But I have to say those emotion go away after a while. So now, I can't really say I hate anything or anyone anymore because I know I can't have that emotion for long. And I also realize... as long as you don't make a point in hating something, you will not hate it. We only make ourself hate something by keep on thinking about it and making it a big deal out of all the things happening around it.
So my life has been a lot easier nowadays not having to hate everything around me for example: having a broken heart, losing my material, not having enough money, or having to work too hard etc. Things are just the way they are. Even if I hate it, there is nothing I can do about it to make it different. If someone on the street yelled at me for no reason, I can't go and tell them hey stop because I hate it when you said that. Because that person might be sick and didn't know what he/she was saying. I could actually hurt myself if I do that in case the person is not mentally stable and physically stronger than I am.
In addition, "hate" is just a strong word that I don't want to use very often. Even if my exes broke up with me, I can't really say I hate my exes because you know it's their choice. We had good times and bad times together. They have done inappropriate things that I didn't approve and I might have done the same. In the end, we are human and we are not perfect. Instead of thinking about it or hating it, I just take it as it is and go on with my life. It took a lot of energy to hate something or someone because you kept on thinking about it.
I know it's easy to say. I've been through it and it's very hard to do. You kept thinking about them and you think about all the good times and how did they forget about all that.. etc... Then I can't stop crying and keep on hoping maybe it will work, maybe we will try again... But as we all know, thinking about it is a waste of time. Our time is so precious that it cannot be lost just like that. And as we all know, even as we spend time fascinating ourself with all the possibilities, they are not true. Then our anger over a person becomes stronger and starts asking why... why this... why that... etc.. Then we say.. gosh, I hate that person. But really, you have loved or like that person before. So... our emotion can change and that goes with hate and anger as well. Just let time cooling it off before we decide to do anything that could further damage the relationship.
Thinking about the past is not the future ;)
So before you decide to hate something... think again... do you really hate it? or is it just a momentarily emotion that triggers the anger in you to say it? Because we all know, they all do go away after awhile. So instead of hurting the broken relationship even more, just calmly accept it and go on with life. :)
Good luck ;)
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Sale!
Well... yeah the economy is in a desperate need of some retail therapies and I'm trying to help but it's getting harder.
Recently, a Linens 'n' things around my home is closing. So they have tons of things going on "sale". Yes, it's supposed to be a big sale right? Well, think again!
the entire store was on sale for 20%. So, many people showed up and bought things that were 20% off original price. Let's take a look here... almost every week, I get a 20% off coupon from Linens 'n' things and... I don't usually think is a good deal and I usually don't go and buy them at only 20% off. And I don't think people usually do that either (unless they need to) because otherwise the whole store will be sold out already. So.. I don't understand why people rush to the store to buy things that are only 20% when... they can usually do that normally every week. On top of that... the catch is.. "ALL SALE ARE FINAL" yes. All sale are final! So instead of buying it at 20% and you get a chance to return... now people are buying it at 20% discounts and have no way to return them?! (I'm not sure if these items will be accepted at other linens and things store).
Decided that these are not good deals, I walked out and intended to come back at other time. So... a week later or so, I came back, this time the sale has gone from 20% to 40%. I was like. wow... good, maybe it's time to buy... so I walked inside and saw most of the signs are still 20% ... like 10% of the items are 40%! I was like... what? Another trick that most of companies usually do... it's always "sale up to 60%" and my friends and I usually joke around said... yah... one item is 60% off but the rest is like 20%. Heart-broken, I walked out of the store empty-handed once again. The sale is still going on but not much is left at this point so I don't think I will bother to come back unless it's a 80% sale!
The bottom line is... the sale sign is usually tricky. So just watch out before you set to buy anything.... sometimes things that are 50% off are still pricey... because they set the original price so high. So buy things only then you think the value of the item is worth it... not when it's 50%.
Good luck hunting! :)
Recently, a Linens 'n' things around my home is closing. So they have tons of things going on "sale". Yes, it's supposed to be a big sale right? Well, think again!
the entire store was on sale for 20%. So, many people showed up and bought things that were 20% off original price. Let's take a look here... almost every week, I get a 20% off coupon from Linens 'n' things and... I don't usually think is a good deal and I usually don't go and buy them at only 20% off. And I don't think people usually do that either (unless they need to) because otherwise the whole store will be sold out already. So.. I don't understand why people rush to the store to buy things that are only 20% when... they can usually do that normally every week. On top of that... the catch is.. "ALL SALE ARE FINAL" yes. All sale are final! So instead of buying it at 20% and you get a chance to return... now people are buying it at 20% discounts and have no way to return them?! (I'm not sure if these items will be accepted at other linens and things store).
Decided that these are not good deals, I walked out and intended to come back at other time. So... a week later or so, I came back, this time the sale has gone from 20% to 40%. I was like. wow... good, maybe it's time to buy... so I walked inside and saw most of the signs are still 20% ... like 10% of the items are 40%! I was like... what? Another trick that most of companies usually do... it's always "sale up to 60%" and my friends and I usually joke around said... yah... one item is 60% off but the rest is like 20%. Heart-broken, I walked out of the store empty-handed once again. The sale is still going on but not much is left at this point so I don't think I will bother to come back unless it's a 80% sale!
The bottom line is... the sale sign is usually tricky. So just watch out before you set to buy anything.... sometimes things that are 50% off are still pricey... because they set the original price so high. So buy things only then you think the value of the item is worth it... not when it's 50%.
Good luck hunting! :)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wall-E
I've just recently seen Wall-E. I know it's kind..of late to see a movie that will be out of theater pretty soon but this is the only time I got so ... anyway..
Wall-E is an AWESOME movie. It is more than just a kid movie although I think every kid should watch it to be a little bit more informed about what is going on right now in the world. But I definitely think it is A MUST-SEE MOVIE for every single adult. Seriously, it's worth your 6-10 dollar (depends on the time you go see it) more than anything you've ever spent buy in the movie theater like pop-corns or soda.
First of, the story line is awesome. It's very simple, direct, very to the point but at the same time still has the lingering effect that makes people think about what is happening right now in the world. We consume a lot of energy. We consume a lot of resources. And we produce tons and tons of wastes. We use too much plastics. We use too much non-recyclable materials. How many pairs of jeans, pants, and shirts do we have in each closet? (counting me, I have tons). How many do we actually use? We use our buying power to buy but not to use! We waste too much and without any control, one day, all these materials will need to be in the trash without being used as much. and what would happen when billions of people starting dumping their "old" belongings for the new one in the trash can? The world will be covered! On top of that, we live in a diabetic society. And we increasingly consume more calorie than we need. Soda, ice-cream, candy, high fructose corn syrup, fast food, and no vegetable. Imagine if people in the world can't even stand on their two feet!
Second, I love all the expression that Eve and Wall-E have. They are to adorable robots and so beautiful. Eve .. so simple but yet sophisticated. Wall-E looks like an old beaten up robot but has the cuteness in his every move. The expression is so simple yet but delicately done. The movie captures all the emotion with every single gesture. Yet, there is no really verbal communication between Wall-E and Eve but action speaks more than words and I think they have done what is needed.
third, the music was great. all the songs were great. It would make a great soundtrack.
Last.... Wall-E is so simple and yes so beautiful. I guess this is how all things are about. They are very simple but people only make them complicated to make like more "sophisticated" and "worth living". But often we forgot how important it is to know simple things like this.
Go and watch the movie if it is still in theater where you live. If not, go rent a DVD to watch it because it's totally worth it. You won't waste your money!
Wall-E is an AWESOME movie. It is more than just a kid movie although I think every kid should watch it to be a little bit more informed about what is going on right now in the world. But I definitely think it is A MUST-SEE MOVIE for every single adult. Seriously, it's worth your 6-10 dollar (depends on the time you go see it) more than anything you've ever spent buy in the movie theater like pop-corns or soda.
First of, the story line is awesome. It's very simple, direct, very to the point but at the same time still has the lingering effect that makes people think about what is happening right now in the world. We consume a lot of energy. We consume a lot of resources. And we produce tons and tons of wastes. We use too much plastics. We use too much non-recyclable materials. How many pairs of jeans, pants, and shirts do we have in each closet? (counting me, I have tons). How many do we actually use? We use our buying power to buy but not to use! We waste too much and without any control, one day, all these materials will need to be in the trash without being used as much. and what would happen when billions of people starting dumping their "old" belongings for the new one in the trash can? The world will be covered! On top of that, we live in a diabetic society. And we increasingly consume more calorie than we need. Soda, ice-cream, candy, high fructose corn syrup, fast food, and no vegetable. Imagine if people in the world can't even stand on their two feet!
Second, I love all the expression that Eve and Wall-E have. They are to adorable robots and so beautiful. Eve .. so simple but yet sophisticated. Wall-E looks like an old beaten up robot but has the cuteness in his every move. The expression is so simple yet but delicately done. The movie captures all the emotion with every single gesture. Yet, there is no really verbal communication between Wall-E and Eve but action speaks more than words and I think they have done what is needed.
third, the music was great. all the songs were great. It would make a great soundtrack.
Last.... Wall-E is so simple and yes so beautiful. I guess this is how all things are about. They are very simple but people only make them complicated to make like more "sophisticated" and "worth living". But often we forgot how important it is to know simple things like this.
Go and watch the movie if it is still in theater where you live. If not, go rent a DVD to watch it because it's totally worth it. You won't waste your money!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
On election time
It's incredible of how things might have changed.... well let's just say how much we can change in a period of time...
for example: before meal, we are very hungry, but right after the meal, we are no longer hungry. Before we go to sleep, we are very sleepy, but after a full night of sleep, we are no longer sleepy. Well, same goes with so many things in life. Things come and go. Emotion comes and goes. Desires come and go. Promises come and go.
Sometimes, we don't care so much about what comes and what goes because we are so busy - mind me - not focusing on what is present but fixate on what the mind wants us to think.
The more I think about this year election, the more I realize... wow... things do come and go so fast. The more I read news about what the candidates say and do, the more I realize wow... I think politicians are the best in the world in talking about "changes" because they "change" all the time. Jumping from one position to the next just so easy because why? Because as human, we only want to hear what we think is correct. Because as human, we only want to believe what we think is correct. Because as human, we are so blind because our mind is never clear about what to do with the information given. Because we aren't able to analyze and let the facts speak for itself. We let our emotion running all over us. Yes, changes here we come. Yes, we need to "change". Such as... we can change from being a proponent of something in front of one group of people to being a such an opposite in front of another group of people. Unfortunately for all of us, we do not possess any magical skills to be in two places at the same time. Unfortunately for all of us, we do not possess any clear mind to understand what is being said and done. Unfortunately for all of us, we do not easily admit our failure but we stick to it because of our own pride.
Yes, a lot of us have decided to vote for the candidate that you think we will be the best for the country. Yes, a lot of us decide that we will overcome the race and religious barrier because we pride ourselves as being Americans. But just by being that... we have become so illusional. We think... yes I said we "think" we need "change". But "what changes need to be done is never been named" but I have read repeatedly about expansion of previous programs. If it is said that an expansion is a change, I will be so amazed what changes it will bring? Worse education system? or more divided religious issues? So, maybe before you cast your vote in November, think about it one more time... do you really vote for the person who is best fit for the country at the present state? or are you just a trend-follower? Is the person whom you will vote for capable of doing what he/she said he/she can do? Is the person whom you will vote for deserve your trust? Think about how you feel when your friend or the person whom you trust fail you? How would it feel?
We make mistakes all the time. Sometimes our friends are honest, sometimes our friends are not honest. Even when we spend hours with them, we still don't know who they are. And we end up being hurt and betrayed.
So this November, think before you act. consider all your facts before you cast your ballots. Is it someone whom you can trust? Forget all about your political stand because they are nothing but a bunch of people who they think believe in the same thing but they really don't! They just label themselves and give themselves a name in order to distinguish them from the other. don't identify yourself with that but you have to know what is more important.... whom do you think will make a better president in these coming years!
So... be honest to yourself... not to your party.... not to your pride...
for example: before meal, we are very hungry, but right after the meal, we are no longer hungry. Before we go to sleep, we are very sleepy, but after a full night of sleep, we are no longer sleepy. Well, same goes with so many things in life. Things come and go. Emotion comes and goes. Desires come and go. Promises come and go.
Sometimes, we don't care so much about what comes and what goes because we are so busy - mind me - not focusing on what is present but fixate on what the mind wants us to think.
The more I think about this year election, the more I realize... wow... things do come and go so fast. The more I read news about what the candidates say and do, the more I realize wow... I think politicians are the best in the world in talking about "changes" because they "change" all the time. Jumping from one position to the next just so easy because why? Because as human, we only want to hear what we think is correct. Because as human, we only want to believe what we think is correct. Because as human, we are so blind because our mind is never clear about what to do with the information given. Because we aren't able to analyze and let the facts speak for itself. We let our emotion running all over us. Yes, changes here we come. Yes, we need to "change". Such as... we can change from being a proponent of something in front of one group of people to being a such an opposite in front of another group of people. Unfortunately for all of us, we do not possess any magical skills to be in two places at the same time. Unfortunately for all of us, we do not possess any clear mind to understand what is being said and done. Unfortunately for all of us, we do not easily admit our failure but we stick to it because of our own pride.
Yes, a lot of us have decided to vote for the candidate that you think we will be the best for the country. Yes, a lot of us decide that we will overcome the race and religious barrier because we pride ourselves as being Americans. But just by being that... we have become so illusional. We think... yes I said we "think" we need "change". But "what changes need to be done is never been named" but I have read repeatedly about expansion of previous programs. If it is said that an expansion is a change, I will be so amazed what changes it will bring? Worse education system? or more divided religious issues? So, maybe before you cast your vote in November, think about it one more time... do you really vote for the person who is best fit for the country at the present state? or are you just a trend-follower? Is the person whom you will vote for capable of doing what he/she said he/she can do? Is the person whom you will vote for deserve your trust? Think about how you feel when your friend or the person whom you trust fail you? How would it feel?
We make mistakes all the time. Sometimes our friends are honest, sometimes our friends are not honest. Even when we spend hours with them, we still don't know who they are. And we end up being hurt and betrayed.
So this November, think before you act. consider all your facts before you cast your ballots. Is it someone whom you can trust? Forget all about your political stand because they are nothing but a bunch of people who they think believe in the same thing but they really don't! They just label themselves and give themselves a name in order to distinguish them from the other. don't identify yourself with that but you have to know what is more important.... whom do you think will make a better president in these coming years!
So... be honest to yourself... not to your party.... not to your pride...
Monday, June 23, 2008
Car - moving transportation
Hello!
Car... car.. car.. the biggest question.. when you move: should I get a new vehicle or should I ship the car across the country.... do I even need a car at all?
Well... the answer is... it depends on your situation and your budget!
- If you move to a place where public transportation is great and there is no place to park, selling your car is probably the best option because you might have to pay extra for parking and if it is not used very often or useful, it might not be very beneficial to have it. A bike might serve your better :)
- If you move to a place where there is not a lot of reliable public transportation, you might need to own a car there. So should you buy, lease, or ship your car to your new home?
The answer is quite complicated. But here are the pros and cons of each option, you can base on it to choose which fits your situation and benefits you the most.
- For buying car, you can either by a new or used car.
- Buying a new car
Pros: it's new. might not have any defect. still under manufactured warranty for a few years. Could have better mileage depends on the make, model, and year of the car.
Cons: could be very expensive and hurt your budget. Will your new job or career or whatever makes you move can afford this? Would you want to have an extra debt that you might or might not cover? If your budget is great, you can go ahead a buy a new car, if not you might rethink about this option. Insurance might be higher because it's a newer car.
So a few questions you can ask:
- what is my budget?
- do i need a new car?
- how is my current car doing? should I take it to a mechanic to have a look? (preferred that you take to a trusted mechanic)
- Buying a used car:
Pros: Could be less expensive (depends on where you get your car and the condition of the car). Insurance might be a little bit on a lower end.
Cons: You need to spend time and investigate the origin of the car. You have to work through the paper work to make sure the car is in good condition. So basically, if you have time and expertise or know someone who is adept (like a mechanic, or a friend who loves car), this option might work better for you.
If you decide to buy a used car, have somebody going with you to look at the car (someone who is genuinely interested in looking at the car for you) because they might know something that you don't know. In addition, you can ask for the VIN number to run a report on the car. (car is just like people, they have identification number and you will know whether it has been salvaged or not) Carfax.com is a good site to go to.
So here are a few questions that you can ask before buying a used car:
- are you comfortable driving someone's car?
- do i have a budget for it?
- what kind of criteria am I looking into a car?
- do i need a used car?
- does the car have a clean title?
- is it worth it?
Besides buying car, you can also lease your car. Although it is not the best option to choose from, it can have some benefits.
- Pros: It can be easily seen that the car is new and under manufactured guarantee. So you won't have to worry much about maintaining the car.
- Cons: It can be even more expensive than buying a car. Assuming you make a out the door payment (which is usually not refundable) and then making a monthly payment, you still do not own a car afterward because you rent the car, you do not buy it. So although it might saves you a headache of maintaining it, it might cost you a lot more. But if your lifestyle fits in having a new car every few years, this might be a better of option for you.
Here are a few questions that you can ask:
- what is my budget?
- can i afford a monthly payment?
- does it fit my lifestyle?
- the cost?
- how would i feel when i lease my car?
Another option is shipping your car.
This option is quite appealing because it actually costs less than buying a car or leasing a car. However, it all depends on the value of your car. If your car costs about 3,000 at the time and the shipping costs 1200, you might want to consider whether it's worth it to have it shipped to where you want to be.
But if your car is relatively new, in good running condition, and you really like your car and see that you can use it for at least another 5-6 years, it might be a better option for you to ship your car.
Pros: might be cheaper than buy or lease a car. It's the car you've been driving and if you've been keeping track of the maintenance, the car should work fine and you feel more secured in driving it.
Cons: you might have to endure a few days (depends on the shipping time) not to have a car. The car might be a little bit dirty after being shipped.
A few questions you can ask before shipping your car:
- how old is my car? how long can I drive it?
- how much does it cost?
- can i live for a few days without having a car? (you can always rent a week or two)
- does it fit in my budget?
- So buying, leasing, shipping... there is still another option, drive your car to your destination!
if you want to go with this option, here are the few things you might want to consider
- how far is your destination from where you are?
- will your car be able to get there without any problem?
- is it safe to drive that distance by yourself with your belongings in the trunk? should you drive with someone else?
- if your car is in good condition, will the continuous driving cause any problems to the car afterward?
- estimate the cost of driving to see if it's worth to drive
- do you enjoy driving? if not, it might not be a good option
So there are many things to consider when car involves. But it comes down to a few basic questions:
- What is your budget? If money is not an issue, what gives you a peace of mind is probably working best for you. But be sure though, buying a new car might still not give you a peace of mind. So work out what best fits your lifestyle!
- Does it necessary to have a car? (how close are you to everything like work, grocery, and where you usually go to)
- What would make you happy the most?
- What is the most cost effective way to have a transportation?
So good luck! Leave any comments or suggestions if you want to. :)
Car... car.. car.. the biggest question.. when you move: should I get a new vehicle or should I ship the car across the country.... do I even need a car at all?
Well... the answer is... it depends on your situation and your budget!
- If you move to a place where public transportation is great and there is no place to park, selling your car is probably the best option because you might have to pay extra for parking and if it is not used very often or useful, it might not be very beneficial to have it. A bike might serve your better :)
- If you move to a place where there is not a lot of reliable public transportation, you might need to own a car there. So should you buy, lease, or ship your car to your new home?
The answer is quite complicated. But here are the pros and cons of each option, you can base on it to choose which fits your situation and benefits you the most.
- For buying car, you can either by a new or used car.
- Buying a new car
Pros: it's new. might not have any defect. still under manufactured warranty for a few years. Could have better mileage depends on the make, model, and year of the car.
Cons: could be very expensive and hurt your budget. Will your new job or career or whatever makes you move can afford this? Would you want to have an extra debt that you might or might not cover? If your budget is great, you can go ahead a buy a new car, if not you might rethink about this option. Insurance might be higher because it's a newer car.
So a few questions you can ask:
- what is my budget?
- do i need a new car?
- how is my current car doing? should I take it to a mechanic to have a look? (preferred that you take to a trusted mechanic)
- Buying a used car:
Pros: Could be less expensive (depends on where you get your car and the condition of the car). Insurance might be a little bit on a lower end.
Cons: You need to spend time and investigate the origin of the car. You have to work through the paper work to make sure the car is in good condition. So basically, if you have time and expertise or know someone who is adept (like a mechanic, or a friend who loves car), this option might work better for you.
If you decide to buy a used car, have somebody going with you to look at the car (someone who is genuinely interested in looking at the car for you) because they might know something that you don't know. In addition, you can ask for the VIN number to run a report on the car. (car is just like people, they have identification number and you will know whether it has been salvaged or not) Carfax.com is a good site to go to.
So here are a few questions that you can ask before buying a used car:
- are you comfortable driving someone's car?
- do i have a budget for it?
- what kind of criteria am I looking into a car?
- do i need a used car?
- does the car have a clean title?
- is it worth it?
Besides buying car, you can also lease your car. Although it is not the best option to choose from, it can have some benefits.
- Pros: It can be easily seen that the car is new and under manufactured guarantee. So you won't have to worry much about maintaining the car.
- Cons: It can be even more expensive than buying a car. Assuming you make a out the door payment (which is usually not refundable) and then making a monthly payment, you still do not own a car afterward because you rent the car, you do not buy it. So although it might saves you a headache of maintaining it, it might cost you a lot more. But if your lifestyle fits in having a new car every few years, this might be a better of option for you.
Here are a few questions that you can ask:
- what is my budget?
- can i afford a monthly payment?
- does it fit my lifestyle?
- the cost?
- how would i feel when i lease my car?
Another option is shipping your car.
This option is quite appealing because it actually costs less than buying a car or leasing a car. However, it all depends on the value of your car. If your car costs about 3,000 at the time and the shipping costs 1200, you might want to consider whether it's worth it to have it shipped to where you want to be.
But if your car is relatively new, in good running condition, and you really like your car and see that you can use it for at least another 5-6 years, it might be a better option for you to ship your car.
Pros: might be cheaper than buy or lease a car. It's the car you've been driving and if you've been keeping track of the maintenance, the car should work fine and you feel more secured in driving it.
Cons: you might have to endure a few days (depends on the shipping time) not to have a car. The car might be a little bit dirty after being shipped.
A few questions you can ask before shipping your car:
- how old is my car? how long can I drive it?
- how much does it cost?
- can i live for a few days without having a car? (you can always rent a week or two)
- does it fit in my budget?
- So buying, leasing, shipping... there is still another option, drive your car to your destination!
if you want to go with this option, here are the few things you might want to consider
- how far is your destination from where you are?
- will your car be able to get there without any problem?
- is it safe to drive that distance by yourself with your belongings in the trunk? should you drive with someone else?
- if your car is in good condition, will the continuous driving cause any problems to the car afterward?
- estimate the cost of driving to see if it's worth to drive
- do you enjoy driving? if not, it might not be a good option
So there are many things to consider when car involves. But it comes down to a few basic questions:
- What is your budget? If money is not an issue, what gives you a peace of mind is probably working best for you. But be sure though, buying a new car might still not give you a peace of mind. So work out what best fits your lifestyle!
- Does it necessary to have a car? (how close are you to everything like work, grocery, and where you usually go to)
- What would make you happy the most?
- What is the most cost effective way to have a transportation?
So good luck! Leave any comments or suggestions if you want to. :)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Some tips on moving
Moving is an interesting process. It can be real pleasant to someone but it can also be a real pain to others. For me, it has been both of them and I always have to try to find something in between.
First of I have to say, moving is not easy. It's actually a pretty hard thing to do especially if you have to move on your own. I don't want to classify that oh you're a girl you will have to care about this stuffs, oh you're a boy you will have to care about these stuffs. No, I believe as human beings, we mostly care about the same thing but we care about them at different level because we have different degree of tolerance. Who wouldn't care about safety? Even a drug dealer cares about his/her own well-being. This is just an example.
Anyway, so here are a few things I think you should ask yourself when you decide to move. (Different people have different priorities, so these are not ranked according to priority. You should know what is the most important thing to you.
1st: Where do I move to?
2nd: What is my budget? (How much can I afford?)
3rd: When will I move?
4th: Another thing could also be, why do you want to move or why do you move to the place you want to move to?
Once you have asked these questions, you will be able to eliminate a lot of options. Then you can ask another few options.
1st: Do I want a place of my own or do I want to share it with other people?
2nd: Do I want to rent it directly from the landlord or do I want to sublease it from somebody else?
3rd: How long (estimate) will I be there?
4th: If you have a good budget, you can even ask this question, should I buy or should I rent? (depend on your situation, you can either rent or buy. If you're going to be there for a very long time, buying might be an option. If you're just trying out the water, it might not be a good idea)
5th: Can I commit to things? (So that you won't break your lease and decide to move to something else, breaking a lease might be pretty damaging).
Once you have asked these questions, you will be able to eliminate a lot of other stuffs as well. Now, you can start listing different criteria that you want to have in your new place. Seriously, I can't stress how important this is. You should always know what you're looking for so that you can look for those things when you come and see the place. Here are a few things to make you think:
1st : is there good transportation nearby? can I do it without a car (in case I don't have a car)? Or if you have a car, will there be a place to park?
2nd: bathroom? can I share bathroom with others without having any problems? or do I prefer to have my own bath?
3rd: laundry. should I have my own washer/dryer or should I go to the coin operating machine?
4th: kitchen. am I a cook or am I not a cook? do i want a big kitchen or a small one?
5th: do I want the place to be new? or it doesn't matter?
6th: if i am to have roommate, what am i looking for in the roommate? same qualities as I am? (so you should also know what you're looking for if you're particular or sensitive to certain kind of pets)
7th: do I want the place to have natural light or it doesn't matter?
So each individual has different things that they're looking for. You should list things that are important for you to help reducing your time and money.
Then, once you start narrowing down your search, you can look into the posting and start looking for places. Once you find a few potential places, here are the few questions that you can ask. (I mean a few, because you can't just find one place and think that you're going to get that place and nowhere else. It's great to look at different one to compare and contrast because then you will learn more about the area). I suggest you look at them online (craigslist is great) or on the newspaper or just walk around the neighborhood if you are local.
1st: If you can, come and see the place to see if this is what you want. If you are not local to the place that you'll be moving to and you're particular, ask the landlord to have some pictures taken so that you have a sense of how the place looks like. If the landlord really cares about the tenant and wants good tenant, they really should take time to do this and understand that the tenant can't see the place physically. I can't stress how important this is. Well, at least to me, it's very important. Have you ever bought a car without even seeing it? It's kind of show how nice and how flexible the landlord is as well. So if the landlord is firm that he/she can't give you the pictures, at least be aware and ask why. If he/she gives reasonable reasons, and you're okie with it, it is in your decision to make.
2nd: watch around the neighborhood to see that you can fit it
3rd: check the crime rates. read the review about the place (if it's an apartment complex, you can find those ratings online like www.apartmentratings.com, or if you're lazy like me, you can also go to google maps (maps.google.com) and search for apartment (provided the city and state), they will usually give you location of the apartment that you're looking for. They also pull information from other websites if there are reviews or any info about that apartment. It won't be completely comprehensive, but it's a pretty good service.)
4th: Distance. Does it matter to live far or close to where you will usually go to (work, place, school, etc). That can help the determine where you will end up.
5th: landlord. If you see the landlord, see if he/she is nice and thorough. If you can't, at least try to talk to the landlord on the phone or know and try to know as much info about the landlord as possible. If you will be sharing with another tenant or landlord, try to find information about him/her as well. Try to make sure everything is clear and if anything breaks, they will be fixed in a timely manner.
After all these are done, you can take notes and see which places will you like best and then decide from there.
One thing to remember is, if you're going to share, have someone who is reliable to share with you because the last thing you want to do is having to pay the place by yourself when your roommate leaves you in the middle of the terms. Have it clarified clearly in the beginning will help a bunch.
If I find anything else, I sure will keep you posted. And if you have any tips, please do so as well.
for now, bb :)
First of I have to say, moving is not easy. It's actually a pretty hard thing to do especially if you have to move on your own. I don't want to classify that oh you're a girl you will have to care about this stuffs, oh you're a boy you will have to care about these stuffs. No, I believe as human beings, we mostly care about the same thing but we care about them at different level because we have different degree of tolerance. Who wouldn't care about safety? Even a drug dealer cares about his/her own well-being. This is just an example.
Anyway, so here are a few things I think you should ask yourself when you decide to move. (Different people have different priorities, so these are not ranked according to priority. You should know what is the most important thing to you.
1st: Where do I move to?
2nd: What is my budget? (How much can I afford?)
3rd: When will I move?
4th: Another thing could also be, why do you want to move or why do you move to the place you want to move to?
Once you have asked these questions, you will be able to eliminate a lot of options. Then you can ask another few options.
1st: Do I want a place of my own or do I want to share it with other people?
2nd: Do I want to rent it directly from the landlord or do I want to sublease it from somebody else?
3rd: How long (estimate) will I be there?
4th: If you have a good budget, you can even ask this question, should I buy or should I rent? (depend on your situation, you can either rent or buy. If you're going to be there for a very long time, buying might be an option. If you're just trying out the water, it might not be a good idea)
5th: Can I commit to things? (So that you won't break your lease and decide to move to something else, breaking a lease might be pretty damaging).
Once you have asked these questions, you will be able to eliminate a lot of other stuffs as well. Now, you can start listing different criteria that you want to have in your new place. Seriously, I can't stress how important this is. You should always know what you're looking for so that you can look for those things when you come and see the place. Here are a few things to make you think:
1st : is there good transportation nearby? can I do it without a car (in case I don't have a car)? Or if you have a car, will there be a place to park?
2nd: bathroom? can I share bathroom with others without having any problems? or do I prefer to have my own bath?
3rd: laundry. should I have my own washer/dryer or should I go to the coin operating machine?
4th: kitchen. am I a cook or am I not a cook? do i want a big kitchen or a small one?
5th: do I want the place to be new? or it doesn't matter?
6th: if i am to have roommate, what am i looking for in the roommate? same qualities as I am? (so you should also know what you're looking for if you're particular or sensitive to certain kind of pets)
7th: do I want the place to have natural light or it doesn't matter?
So each individual has different things that they're looking for. You should list things that are important for you to help reducing your time and money.
Then, once you start narrowing down your search, you can look into the posting and start looking for places. Once you find a few potential places, here are the few questions that you can ask. (I mean a few, because you can't just find one place and think that you're going to get that place and nowhere else. It's great to look at different one to compare and contrast because then you will learn more about the area). I suggest you look at them online (craigslist is great) or on the newspaper or just walk around the neighborhood if you are local.
1st: If you can, come and see the place to see if this is what you want. If you are not local to the place that you'll be moving to and you're particular, ask the landlord to have some pictures taken so that you have a sense of how the place looks like. If the landlord really cares about the tenant and wants good tenant, they really should take time to do this and understand that the tenant can't see the place physically. I can't stress how important this is. Well, at least to me, it's very important. Have you ever bought a car without even seeing it? It's kind of show how nice and how flexible the landlord is as well. So if the landlord is firm that he/she can't give you the pictures, at least be aware and ask why. If he/she gives reasonable reasons, and you're okie with it, it is in your decision to make.
2nd: watch around the neighborhood to see that you can fit it
3rd: check the crime rates. read the review about the place (if it's an apartment complex, you can find those ratings online like www.apartmentratings.com, or if you're lazy like me, you can also go to google maps (maps.google.com) and search for apartment (provided the city and state), they will usually give you location of the apartment that you're looking for. They also pull information from other websites if there are reviews or any info about that apartment. It won't be completely comprehensive, but it's a pretty good service.)
4th: Distance. Does it matter to live far or close to where you will usually go to (work, place, school, etc). That can help the determine where you will end up.
5th: landlord. If you see the landlord, see if he/she is nice and thorough. If you can't, at least try to talk to the landlord on the phone or know and try to know as much info about the landlord as possible. If you will be sharing with another tenant or landlord, try to find information about him/her as well. Try to make sure everything is clear and if anything breaks, they will be fixed in a timely manner.
After all these are done, you can take notes and see which places will you like best and then decide from there.
One thing to remember is, if you're going to share, have someone who is reliable to share with you because the last thing you want to do is having to pay the place by yourself when your roommate leaves you in the middle of the terms. Have it clarified clearly in the beginning will help a bunch.
If I find anything else, I sure will keep you posted. And if you have any tips, please do so as well.
for now, bb :)
The new entry
Hello!
Welcome to another blog!
I have too many blogs that I can't even count or even remember. Some seem to ancient. Some seem so technologically experienced difficulty (if these make any sense).
Anyway... this blog really has no purpose. I will be just posting random stuffs but hopefully you will be finding them useful in some way.
I'm in the moving process. Yes, I will be moving across the US. I will be the West coast transplant. In this process, I have learned much and when it is totally done, I hope I will be able to share some of my insight with you. As we have always thought, we have learned and experienced everything in life, but really we don't. When I thought I had them all figured out, I definitely only touched the surface of things.
So please be patient if you're reading this, I will be back soon once everything is done. I will try my best to make the entry short and to the point as the title suggests. So just be still and wait for the next entry!
ciao!
Welcome to another blog!
I have too many blogs that I can't even count or even remember. Some seem to ancient. Some seem so technologically experienced difficulty (if these make any sense).
Anyway... this blog really has no purpose. I will be just posting random stuffs but hopefully you will be finding them useful in some way.
I'm in the moving process. Yes, I will be moving across the US. I will be the West coast transplant. In this process, I have learned much and when it is totally done, I hope I will be able to share some of my insight with you. As we have always thought, we have learned and experienced everything in life, but really we don't. When I thought I had them all figured out, I definitely only touched the surface of things.
So please be patient if you're reading this, I will be back soon once everything is done. I will try my best to make the entry short and to the point as the title suggests. So just be still and wait for the next entry!
ciao!
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