Insomnia is a writers friend. At least that's what I been telling myself. Although I spend MANY restless and sleepless nights, I am quite proud of myself for the tiny milestones that I experienced in 2017.
I'm blasting into 2018 on somewhat of a roll and I want to maintain and increase my momentum to keep things going. We are on the cusp of a life changing move into the country on a 5 acre parcel of land where sits my 2,200 sq. ft. castle. Oh how I have longed to get back to country life, in all it's relaxing splendor.
I have found the meaning of life.
Reflect. Be grateful. Be thankful. Relax, Plan. Engage. Build. Progress. Repeat.
How very true. How few people actually practice this. Take paying income tax for example. WHY would not learn everything you possibly can about this?
Yet you faithfully pay your taxes every April 15, or you file to get a portion of what has been taken from you the entire year. I actually know people who have no problem with this and have no clue about the tax code that determines what you pay to be governed. They simply do what they are told. To comply.
It is social indoctrination and we are formed since birth the ways to fit into society. We are never taught how to think, instead we are taught what to think about. Religion is notorious and should be ashamed for their part in it all.
What is the result?
People trained to be and act a certain way, as society dictates. If you think outside the box or go against the flow, you are looked on as a freak. We are taught to pay taxes and believe in a Christian God because that is what our parents believe, and their parents, and their parents parents for generations.
It's time to start thinking for ourselves, face reality and stop worrying about hurting peoples feelings. Our society needs to shake off the falseness and embrace reality and who we are. We have been conditioned to accept our roles, without question.
I wrote this a few years back and I was reminded of it as Sue took down our Christmas tree this year. As I have done every year, i have the slightest feeling of loss and just a bit of sadness as we face the reality of the new year.
I look at it with anticipation of new adventures, new beginnings, new ups, new downs. Let's make it a good one.
Goodbye Old
Friend
January 2, 2013
They provide us much joy yet they are the single most abused living
creature on the face of the planet. When they are no longer useful to us they
are simply stripped of their adornments and cast to the curb awaiting their
inevitable destruction. Throughout the years their name has changed and songs
have been written about them and this year as I see growing numbers being
discarded unceremoniously I can’t help feeling a bit melancholy as I
procrastinate doing what I know I must. Seeing it stand sentry in my living
room window, still wearing the remnants of holiday garb like a passed out drunk
wearing the accouterments of debauchery, looking worn and pitiful after the
party ends.
My yule tree, decorated with tiny colored lights and shiny ornaments helped me
celebrate the winter solstice and served double time as a Happy New Year tree,
a tradition that was started a couple of years ago in my family, has served me
well this year. It’s hard to believe that the holidays are actually over and I
too must strip down and dispose of what has become a friend over the last six
weeks.
I think what really bugs me the most is that now I have to face the reality of
winter without further distraction of yuletide cheer. The once gaudily
decorated houses will now go dark making the cold in the air seem more biting.
I will now notice the nakedness of the trees and the blankness of the
neighborhood. People in general will go back to their grumpy old ways as the
spirt that gripped them a few short days ago disappears with every tick of the
clock. The only redeeming quality of this time of the season is that the
menacing bell ringers that graced the entrance to many a store with their red
pots filled with the generosity of shoppers, will no longer guilt you into
donating as "Merry Christmas" falls from their lips.
Now it’s time to break New Year’s resolutions. It’s a time for us
to look at the coming year with high hopes and anticipation of a year better
than the last. A time for both reflection and of planning.
A positive time.
So as I conclude this ode to an old friend, I see it still standing
at its post. The lights are turned off and the decorations are a bit askew but
STILL looking as noble as ever. I get the feeling that even IT is ready. It has
served its purpose and I too must be that person that callously tosses the
source of joy aside to make way for the promise of the future. The ornaments
will be packed carefully away and the lights must be unstrung and wrapped
carefully, knowing that I will curse and swear as I attempt to detangle them
next year. And then it will lay bare before me somehow knowing that he served
me well. A job well done. Until the seasons pass and before you know it, we
will be doing the same things again. Just another year older when our old
friend comes for another visit.
Why are you able to get results when "credit repair" companies can't?
The answer is that they don't know what I know and they don't do what I do.
What "they" do...
You see, standard credit repair companies send letters to the creditors
(jamming) requesting verification of the debt. That company then legally
has 30 days to provide you proof of that debt or it has to be deleted.
80% of the time, they are able to send you proof of that debt within the
allowed 30 day time frame. This is NOT our method...
What I do...
I send legal letters to the credit bureaus. There are so many things
that need to be done compliance-wise and what we have found is that in
over 80% of the cases, they are not compliant. Corners are cut, "I's"
aren't dotted and "T's" aren't crossed. We have become experts on
pointing these things out and once we do, the negative item legally has
to be deleted from your credit report.
If you decide to hire a standard "credit repair" company, here is what you can expect:
Over 80% of the time the creditors will verify that you owe the debt.
Even if they do remove something, it may show back up in a few months.
They will charge you month after month until you give up after not seeing results
Your odds of having success with a "credit repair" company is less than 20%!
Its time to set your big
financial goals for the year and make a plan for achieving them.
Despite
the fact that an Allianz Life survey of more than 1,000 people in November found that getting in
shape is a bigger priority than improving finances for most people, 4 in 10
said they aimed to manage their money better in 2015. About a quarter of respondents said they
were more likely to get help from a financial professional in the coming year.
Paying off credit card debt, building up emergency savings and increasing
retirement savings were also among the common goals cited.
The relative health of the economy compared
to a year ago seems to have alleviated some of the pressure Americans feel
to set financial goals. A recent survey of more than 2,000 adults by Fidelity found a
decline in interest in setting money-related financial resolutions for the new
year. Just 31 percent of respondents said they were making a
financial resolution, compared to 43 percent in 2014. The most popular
financial goals included saving more (55 percent), paying off debt (20
percent) and spending less (17 percent).
The Fidelity survey also found a correlation
between expressing a financial goal and improving
one’s financial life: About half of those who made a money resolution last
year said they are now “better off financially," compared to just 38 percent of
those who didn’t set one.
According to Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz,
president of the Charles Schwab Foundation, one of the biggest barriers to
meeting financial goals is that people just don’t
know how to get started. In Charles Schwab’s Fall Financial Pulse survey of 1,466
adults ages 25 to 65, more than half said they “don’t feel
they are on top of their finances,” and 27 percent said they “don’t know where to
start and need more education or information.” In addition, 15 percent said
they didn’t want to deal with their finances because it’s “too overwhelming.”
If you fall into that category, then you
might also want to consider the research of Christine Whelan, a faculty
associate in the Department of Consumer Science at the University of
Wisconsin--Madison and self-improvement expert. She developed two
self-improvement programs for AARP’s Life Reimagined website that help people
prioritize their goals and define the next steps for achieving them.
Her
research has also found the importance
of not just setting a resolution, but making sure the goals you set
resonate with your values and priorities, and not outside influences.
Meeting those goals also requires high levels of self-control, which
gets stronger
with practice, she says.
Time to set some financial goals for the new year and develop a plan of action to achieve them. A small bit of forward progress goes a LONG way in a year.
With the advent of a new year brings an optimistic look at the greatness of things to come.
I have refined my focus from the 2014 campaign of do whatever you can to my new outlook of 2015 to HELP as many people as I can. I am utilizing my talents in a far greater way and expect great things from Camp Capra.
The most predominant change will be Reverend Zesty (http://revzesty.blogspot.com/), Intellectual Coitus (http://intellectualcoitus.blogspot.com/) and The Provenance Project (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Provenance-Project/415417865280714?ref=hl).
Reverend Zesty is a foul mouth, agnostic preacher who uses Intellectual Coitus (a podcast) to deliver a message from the pulpit unlike any other. It isnt about whose god has the bigger dick. I dont give a shit about that. I preach and teach a message of prosperity using all available resources both secular and religious.
The Provenance Project is an endeavor to gather up resources from across the nation serving people in need at a local, community and national level. Tackling issues like homelessness, hunger and personal finance to name a few, The Provenance Project is my way of giving back to a world that has given me great things and taught me much.
So stay with me and give my message a try. See if it makes the most sense to you and be a disciple. Together we can AND WILL change the world.
Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to
give you credit. It also may be used to help decide the terms you are
offered or the rate you will pay for the loan.
Information about
you and your credit experiences, like your bill-paying history, the
number and type of accounts you have, whether you pay your bills by the
date they’re due, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of
your accounts, is collected from your credit report. Using a statistical
program, creditors compare this information to the loan repayment
history of consumers with similar profiles. For example, a credit
scoring system awards points for each factor that helps predict who is
most likely to repay a debt. A total number of points — a credit score —
helps predict how creditworthy you are: how likely it is that you will
repay a loan and make the payments when they’re due.
Some
insurance companies also use credit report information, along with other
factors, to help predict your likelihood of filing an insurance claim
and the amount of the claim. They may consider this information when
they decide whether to grant you insurance and the amount of the premium
they charge. The credit scores insurance companies use sometimes are
called “insurance scores” or “credit-based insurance scores.”
Your
credit report is a key part of many credit scoring systems. That’s why
it is critical to make sure your credit report is accurate. Federal law
gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit reports from each
of the three national credit reporting companies once every 12 months.
The
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) also gives you the right to get your
credit score from the national credit reporting companies. They are
allowed to charge a reasonable fee for the score. When you buy your
score, you often get information on how you can improve it.
