Teen Mom, MTV's hit show?!

Teen mom, MTV's hit series was very entertaining, until it got too real! Domestic violence is no joke. It's a very real problem in society today! This show portrayed Amber, a teen mom,  being physically and emotionally abusive to her boyfriend, Garry, in multiple occasions! Most times in front of their one year old baby!! It's ironic that in their case, Garry was the victim; 85% of domestic violence victims are women! So.. there's is a unique case in deed!

Witnessing violence between one's parents is the strongest way of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next. That poor little baby, even with her young age knows exactly what is going on! It angers me so much to see this on television! On the one hand, it is necessary that people see this so that they become more aware about this kind of unacceptable behavior and hopefully learn to avoid it before it's too late. Especially since domestic violence is one of the most chronically under reported crimes. Technically, without this show, this outrageous act might still be under covers. So it is a good thing that her behavior was revealed so that hopefully she can get help and stop! If not, worse case scenario: that baby will have to be taken away and moved to a safe home! (Although, I truly think this would be best, at least for now.)

I don't like judging other people. Especially since I am a strong believer that people can change if they really want to. Also, our mistakes are what mold us into the person we are because they enable us to grow into a better more experienced person capable of making smarter decisions in the future! I know I am guilty of many mistakes. I am no angel by any means. But nobody is perfect! The key is to learn from mistakes and move on!! Not continue on the wrongful path...!

However, actually airing such a strong content on television is still inappropriate. I wouldn't want my children watching that! (If I had any...) It is not the right way of letting the message through. Not for Amber's family, who must be extremely ashamed and hurt by this process, and not for Garry's end of the family as well.

In all honesty, to a certain point, I can explain her behavior but in no way will I condone it! Amber is unhappy and even depressed with her life. Being a mom at such a young age, she was unable to get her high school diploma. She is also frustrated with her unhappy relationship that she feels forced to continue. So, she takes her anger out on the one person closest to her, Garry. And Garry, on the other hand, accepts this awful treatment... so it becomes a vicious cycle! In my opinion, Garry suffers from serious self esteem issues, which is why he chooses to stay in such an unhealthy relationship. Unless both of them get help individually and as a couple, I doubt that anything will change. Which is why, meanwhile poor little Liah should be in the care of a fit custodian.

However, I have unfortunately read that because Teen mom is in deed a reality T.V. show, the factor of "unreality" associated with reality shows might render the case unsuccessfully closed! I think that this is ridiculous! I highly doubt that MTV would pay anyone to curse in public much less hit someone! Unless they wanted to be sued for enormous amounts of money! Well...Either way, I hope that this case can be resolved favorably in baby Leah's  favor, the real victim in all this! After all, her future is the one in stake here, no one else's!

Love is not dysfunctional!

Relationships. They are everywhere. Healthy or unhealthy, we have relationships with our parents, families, schoolmates, friends... But, why do people stay in unhealthy relationships? If only everyone knew how fun, satisfyingly inspiring and amazing it is to be in a happy and healthy relationship...! I didn't know this until just recently, and to be honest, I too have settled and stayed in an unhealthy relationship! Just don't do it, it's not worth it!

But first of all, what constitutes an unhealthy relationship? To me, I think any relationship that makes you feel unhappy quite hits the mark. Relationships are supposed to be fun! And in fact, since relationships are something that we have ever since we are children and quite possibly until we die (if we are lucky enough), we should really make sure we keep the right ones around...

And...Everyone of these relationships can help us, enrich us, and make us better people as well as simply give us joy. Unhealthy relationships rarely promote any of these feelings. And that is exactly why you want to stay away from them! Unhealthy relationships can leave us feeling uncomfortable, sad and yes, even afraid! They can be abusive and scary.

When people think of abuse, they think of physical abuse but emotional abuse is just as dangerous. So why do people stay in these relationships? Maybe they don't want to feel alone? Maybe they are scared of change? Whatever the reason, none of them is big enough!

Healthy relationships are fun and make you feel good about yourself. They inspire you to be a better person. And guess what? Healthy relationships are not hard to achieve. Try it! There are only a few things to keep in mind. They probably taught you these when you were little! But if not... here we go:

1. Respect everyone- instead of being angry and lashing out, think before you do anything! Would you like to be treated that way? Unless you enjoy being unhappy or in pain, my guess is no.
2. Do not expect anyone to be responsible for your happiness! Once you do, you will resent them because the truth is, no one can make you happy if you can't do it for yourself!
3. Two way communication- People usually have different points of view, acknowledge this and agree to disagree. Just because you think differently than someone doesn't mean it makes one person more right than the other. You both get a right to state your points of view. Respect that! (Remember: Freedom of speech!)
4.  Get rid of negative people in your life- Negative people will only ruin your day. In fact, sometimes they will feed off of it, they want to see you unhappy because they are unhappy. Don't give them the pleasure. Be positive and stay positive. Negativity will only draw back your positive aura!
5. Always tell the truth! Duh!- Don't lie.. lies let themselves known eventually! Sometimes a lie can break a relationship forever! Is it worth losing a relationship for? Even losing your reputation for? My guess is... not!
6. Super important: Don't  ask of someone more than they are able to give for themselves! The odds are that they will not fit into your mold and you will resent them for it! And they, in turn, will not appreciate the relationship if you are unable to love them for who they are. It's basic: Don't try to change anyone, accept them just as they are!
7. Last but not least- Be yourself!! Simple, but sometimes the hardest thing to do for some people. People worry too much about what others think! Do what makes you happy! Do you, be you! May sound cheesy... but in the end, you will be happier and you will attract the right kind of people!

If you follow this simple advice, you might even get to keep a crumbling relationship from falling apart, because the truth is... people do change! I've seen it happen..."Love has no awareness of merit or demerit; it has no scale... Love loves; this is its nature". Love is the single most important thing for me. Love is amazing, it's unconditional... When you're in love, you don't nag to make the other person feel guilty. You accept them just the way they are. Promote good relationships and don't stay in unhealthy ones!!

Ebay Obssession

Ebay... the world's biggest market! I am the kind of person that loves to save money. I love finding things that are worth a lot more than what they're priced for! And Ebay is just the perfect place for me to go shop til I drop. However, it is such a successful way of  shopping for cheap that I am afraid this thing that once started as a hobby has turned into a scary obssession!

I log into my Ebay account everyday, almost more than 30 times a day. It's so easy and fun. I buy everything from high end make up to bathing suits, voice recorders, cameras, jewelry and more! My best purchase was a voice recorder, which I paid $50 for and it retails for over $200! So, I can use those $150 that I've saved to buy more things that I need! And sure, I'm not perfect. Sometimes I splurge and buy things I don't need at all... But that is the beauty of it! I'm not spending a fortune and I'm getting my fix on shopping. No annoying lines to wait for in the mall, no angry store clerks, no traffic, no headaches over finding parking,etc! Yes, I might still go to the mall, especially if I need something fast! But, going to the mall will never be the same for me!

But not all is good with Ebay. Unfortunately, some sellers might be deceiving. One of the most important things to do when shopping on Ebay is:  you have to make sure you check the seller's feedback! It tells you how good of a seller he is! The higher their feedback percentage, the higher the chance that you will be pleased with your overall purchase. Will my goods arrive on time? Will I get what I actually ordered? Does the seller offer returns if my goods arrive damaged? (Although Paypal can help with that too, but that's a whole other blog, hahaha!) All these questions will be avoided if you take the time to screen sellers!

Another thing that I personally don't like is that the bidding process might sometimes be a little too frustrating. Imagine waiting to get the perfect dress or a ring you really liked and at the last minute... Boom! Someone else steals your bid! And you don't win the item. You lost your time.. At least that's what it feels like for me! That's why I always wait til LITERALLY the last minute to bid on something! And even then, someone else is always also watching the auction and ends up raising the price of the good and winning the bid! It is frustrating! It is not that hard of a concept.... wait til the last day to bid so that you don't keep raising the price! People start bidding/fighting for an auction way too early! If you want to skip this pain, just hit the Buy It Now option. But I will warn you! Your savings will probably not be as high as mine! : P

If you really need to buy something that you need to use immediately, Ebay would not be the best place for you. The bidding process usually takes a week and add another week for the shipment to arrive... If you wanted faster shipping, shipping charges for the next day might be too pricey. So the whole point of using Ebay wouldn't make any sense!

So yeah...It usually takes a week for items to arrive. Unless, you are ordering from china! But don't even get me started on that! And by no means do I want to generalize. Not everyone's experiences will be like mine.  Let's just leave it at: I've had my share of bad experiences with Chinese sellers! No offense to China/Chinese, of course. It just so happens that I (me personally) have had... not that many good experiences! I should mention though, that Chinese sellers do offer the lowest prices. However, sometimes what you get is what you pay for, simple concept. Not to mention it takes 3 to 6 weeks for goods to arrive. But that is part of the process. You do have to be patient when buying on Ebay!

But it's safe to say that with Ebay, the saying "you get what you pay for" is not necessarily true all the times. Sometimes you may get something completely awesome/valuable for a ridiculously low price! You just have to know how to find the good sellers and especially know when it's the right time to bid, among other small details...

Well... enough ranting! I do love Ebay. Sure, in the long term perspective, you might be spending more than you thought, but look at all you are saving as well! I think this argument balances itself out in the end! For me, I think that the idea of having goodies in the mail when I get home is far more valuable than all the frustrations I've talked about previously! Think about it, it's like receiving  presents! And with today's economy, it's almost necessary to open an Ebay account! It's actually smarter, in my point of view, to keep more money in your pocket now and focus on managing your outflows/inflows better! Either way, great hobby, huh?!

Inspire!

When you feel yourself mentally blocked, it is always good to think of things or people that inspire you! My dream is to capture the essence that is distinctly you and reflect it back. That way, you radiate positive energy and trust me, it is contagious! I love to help people... It makes me feel accomplished. I could never see someone give up their hopes or dreams. That would be too sad!

It motivates me when I see the person that you least expect, doing so well for themselves. It shows me that there is still hope, dreams and inspiration out there! If I have learned anything through my hardest experiences in life is to not give up on anyone, or anything! Time changes people. I love change. Especially when someone you were giving up on changes for good! :) It's inspiring... But everything is one moment at a time, usually when you least expect it! "And that is how change happens! One gesture. One person. One moment at a time..."

My biggest inspirations are my parents! They are definitely the one beings in this whole wide world that I love the most! And THEY love me unconditionally, they would do anything for me! But most importantly, I know that no matter what I do, they would never give up on me! Sure.... if I do something bad, they'd be disappointment at first...! But, they are my people. My blood. There is nothing more precious that I could ask for. And I would never want to let them down! Most of what I do, is to make them proud! And this is what drives me.

Learn from your mistakes, they make you stronger! Change and don't be scared of it. But most importantly, be inspiring! Help others in this world, which seems like is always crumbling down! All it takes is one person...

And with this said, I leave you with my favorite quotes: (Another of my inspirations... Marylin Monroe and The Beatles)

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."

-Marilyn Monroe

“The love you take is equal to the love you make.”

-The Beatles

Ohhh, CPA exam! How I LOVE you!

I am sure that if you are studying for the CPA exam, you KNOW that there is a slight tone of sarcasm in my blog title...! What an experience!

First of all, I have to say... I am NOT a nerd! I always do well in school, but the fact is.. I HATE studying! I usually study for an exam within the last couple of days. This is NOT what you should do for the CPA exam! And boy... was I in for a treat?! NOT! haha I did use the Becker CPA review! I love it. It has really helped a lot! I think though, as the end of this process approaches, I am in deed slowly but surely becoming a nerd!

Through my experience,I have learned that you have to be: very positive, VERY focused and especially ... V E R Y responsible! You almost have to already picture yourself as a CPA. The more you want it, the more you'll accomplish. Also, the more you study and the more you want to kill yourself because you no longer have a life= the more chances of passing! Go figure!! :/

Well, I began studying at the beginning of this year (2010). My first test was REG. It was bad! I studied for one month and half!!! And, I failed it my first time. It was very sad and disappointing. Especially since I got a 73. You pass each exam section with.. wait for it..... a 75! Yeahhh!

Ever since I was in high school, I was taught to start with the hardest subjects. For me, REG seemed like the hardest. A lot of laws, memorizing, sort of boring! :/ Second time taking it, studying was great! I knew a lot of the material already and what I didn't understand at first, seemed much easier second time around. I was more focused as well! I didn't want to fail a second time!!! So, I re-took my test on March 3. Usually March windows are closed, but this year was different. SUGGESTION: If you fail a section, re-take it as soon as possible. I passed!! Got a 93 :) So, don't give up!! And don't spend too much time reading!! That was my mistake with Reg the first time.. Work multiple choice questions! They are after all...70% of the exam!

My next exam was FAR. And I call them exams, because they are not high school tests... Not even collage! Ohh lordy! And I am NOT saying that they are hard! NO. They are just very different. Well, I decided to take FAR on April 28th, which meant I had just enough time to study. I created a very good study plan, where I would have time to do everything! From watching T.V., to going out with friends. Ehh.. But back to my study plan ... Mostly, I focused on creating key study goals. Each time a goal was reached: check mark!! The more check marks, the better!! :)

Here's an example of my goals for each chapter: (check mark after completing each goal)

Read chapter
Write Notes on Important/hard material
Practice Multiple Choice Questions
Work Simulations
Review Notes
Read Flashcards
Final Review of Books and Notes
Final M/C practice
Final Test practice

For me, this made it more manageable and organized. It also made me feel like I was prepared! I passed Far my first time. Which was ironic, since I thought FAR was harder than REG! I got an 83. SUGGESTION: Since FAR is so much material, organize your time wisely and spend more time on the things you don't already know.

Since FAR is filled with material that you might be familiar with... it may be easier for some people. Especially if you graduated recently. LOL.. With this said, take the test as soon as you graduate! You've learned most of it, and it's all fresh in your brain! So you will need less time to study for each section of the exam! Be PRODUCTIVE and smart about it! (It's taken me a year, and I blame myself. I started the exam two years after graduating. Even if it doesn't seem that long, it was harder for me than say, someone who just graduated.) :. I know of 3 friends who where able to pass all 4 sections within 4-5 months!!! I'm guessing a huge advantage was that they were cautious enough to take the exam RIGHT AWAY! Just... Make sure to manage your time wisely :)

My 3rd exam was AUD. I hated this one!! It was "easier" than the other two, but it was more boring too!!! I was basically forcing myself to study. It took me three months and a lot of perseverance (with a little procrastination!) to tackle this section. I took it on October 14th! I am still waiting on the score. :(

The waiting process is very annoying. I just want to know already! Is it GOOD news or no?! It usually takes within a month to a month and a half for grades to be posted online. You can find them on nasba.org, just make sure not to lose your NTS! You will need some of that information to get access to your grades!

I would be refreshing my score page every minute to the minute when scores where announced on tweeter. Ohh, that's another good thing to do: Follow Nasba on tweeter, they are constantly updating us about anything CPA related. Especially, the CPA exam!

My next exam section is on Nov. 29th. Less than a month away. And to be honest, I expected BEC to be on the easy side. I was wrong! It is very comparable to REG. A lot of information. A bit overwhelming! My Becker book has only five chapters on BEC. BUT, each chapter is a different subject. You name it! Business structures, economy, financial management, information technology and cost accounting! Mehh!

We'll see how it goes! For now... when I am done writing this blog, I will be back to studying! Something about this exam section (BEC) motivated me enough to write this blog. I want people to know that the CPA exam IS doable! Don't be scared/unwilling! Procrastination is hard to battle, but not impossible! In my case, I never thought I would actually get this far. Hopefully I'll be a CPA by the end of the year. It is no longer only about being the professional, it's about finishing what I started! :) I must admit though... I am a bit nervous! Especially since the CPA exam will be changing a lot for 2011... So not passing this section would be very sad! But I will study so hard...! I am motivated now!!! :)

I do really want to be done with this exam, but if I have anything negative to say it is: The exam process is very time consuming. You HAVE to be focused, don't slack and you have to STUDY!! The positive: You will learn soooo much just with studying for this exam! I think that I have learned more now than I did back when I was actually in college!!!

It feels good to know more about accounting. It is the career I chose after all! If you are also in this same journey, I wish you the best of luck, lots of focusing power and responsibility. Very important to have, if you want to be successful and if you want to pass this particular exam! Well...I hope I do well, wish me luck! And til' next time.... "we are on our way to a CPA!" :)

Skincare!

Skin is so important! People always think that getting the latest and most expenssive makeup should be on the top of our list. I say, NO! Give me a clear canvas to work with and I could use any makeup brand and still look good!

And then, going to the dermatologist seemed easier said than done. If you're anything like me, I hated going!! Nothing really seemed to work and having someone touch and look at my skin was more than I could handle... My skin, for reference, is sensitive, oily, fair, and very acne prone. I have always been a gal who suffers from acne... until now!

I am now using the Mario Badescu skincare line and it works great! I have their drying cream which gets rid of the small under the surface bumps and pimples. It has Aloe which helps conceal and heal erupted pimples. In other words, improperly extracted pimples. Which, if you're like me and you just can't help but pick on them, this cream works great!

I also have the silver powder, which is used for those stubburn little blackheads! You can't really pick on them and no matter what acne treatment you use, they just don't seem to go away! This mask actually helps because the powder is an oil absobing powder. It controls the oil in your face and unclogs pores. I literally saw a dramatic improvement after just the first application! :D

Finally, I have their drying lotion. It is a small bottle with a pink sediment on the bottom. You use it as a spot treatment on your whiteheads. And I tell you, they dry up over night!! This stuff is so efficient and it is not playing games! It just works!!

I also use the sudocrem as a healing cream. When the acne is all dried up, this cream helps it heal faster. It is sulfur based so it speeds up the healing process. It also contains Balsam Peru which helps protect delicate, healing skin while it soothes and minimizes redness. I have read that it clogs pores, but I am happy to report that it has not clogged mine! Last but NOT least, I use Mederma for scars. My skin is very sensitive and it scars very easily! This cream helps the scars fade insanely fast! I love it!You basically have to know the type of acne that you have and target it with medicine that is strictly for that type of acne. Whiteheads, blackheads, cystic acne, and inflamed acne are not all going to heal the same way! The trick is knowing that and using it to your advantage! But, this is the skincare routine that is working for me right now. In my experience, trial and error of products is what worked for me. However, your skin constantly changes and so will the products you use. I am now looking into the anti aging section to further improve my skincare. It is always best to prevent rather than regret! ;D

April fools day coming up

Experts are trying to hunt down a worm called Conficker C and prevent it from damaging millions of computers on April Fool's Day.