Thoughts

Raising money – An idea

Posted on by JC

Helping myself and friends out of debt… an idea. Can we raise money sponsor wise etc to help support ourselves to pay for past education and time as a student that has got many of us in debt.

I’ve a variety of ideas and found loads of sites to help fund raise but most require a few of us to do them. My plan would be to try and get 4 to 5 people together or more to do this. We run a variety of events and the profits split between us to pay for studenthood and past debts to try and clear an overhead that is over so many of us.

We’ve all heard of “debt” agencies but who here would like to get rid of Credit cards, overdrafts, loans etc. I rekon that if we worked together we could probably make quite a difference – but working together is something thats always been hard for people in general.

Anyone know who would be interested? I have a few people in mind, some of which I know reads here.

GoJi

Posted on by JC

I read about these a while back and got some in. They are meant to be good for giving energy, and high in anti-oxidents and high in vitamins. They taste like raisens mixed with cranberry, and look like a bright red dried raison.

When I first tried them I didn’t really like them but then mixed them in smoothies and they added a different flavour. Recently I started trying them on their own and really like them and often have them as a snack food now – they are very low in fat and the wierd taste is nice but something to get used too.

I don’t know if I believe the idea that they are excellent for you and althou many supermarkets are now stocking them I believe that IF they were always such an excellent source for all these vitamins etc they would have been shipped many years ago like bananas, apples and oranges.

All in all, I quite like them. They taste even odder if soaked in water for 20 minutes – they become kinda oval shaped and apparently are good in curries – i’ve not tried it – I didn’t like them absorbed in water. Ever thought of putting raisons in water… before writting this I had not… maybe something to try – to see what happens.

Chill out and walk

Posted on by JC

I often go for a walk, run, ride on my own – It was odd the first few times I did it alone… I rang friends up and talked what probably looked to myself but could hear and talk to people while I walked. I didn’t realise how far or not I was going just because someone else was there or while speaking felt like someone was there.

I didn’t always have the phone or people didn’t answer and walked in thought, thinking what I could write in my blog, thinking of friends and what else I could do. I came to thoughts that I could talk to God – pray – While thinking of friends I could pray for them.

I discovered that prayer – talking to God became something I had time for – I know it sounds bad but its also so true that its often hard to find time for God. When you do you seem to have more time for it all which is odd but nice.

While walking I am getting some exercise done aswell as getting somewhere – I often go to a park, sit, rest in the glory of nature or write, and draw. A time of real freedom where you accept the world around as one large plan of existance and see so much in a motion that doesn’t need to be explained as it just is.

MP expenses… Why did they try?

Posted on by JC

Over the past few weeks I’ve heard, like many people, about the Expenses of MPs and what they’ve apparently gotten away with. Just google it, to see more about it.

I asked myself why and thought about it – They are representing the people – they have done what many, maybe not all, their represented people have done at least once in their past.

How many people are scamming the benefits people, have applied for something that they didn’t think they qualified but went for it anyway. Taken discounts at place that they knew they didn’t qualify for but thought they’d try it to see just if…

I think its daft and wrong for some of the things they’ve put in for, but someone had to sign off on them for them to be accepted. I don’t agree what many have done, but do see they have represented the people as the people have acted…

Well, thats my thoughts anyhow…

Lifestyle changes..

Posted on by JC

I have decided that over the next few months I am trying to loose some weight and get fitter aswell. I started “thinking” about it last year but just didn’t do anything until about mid January unless you count the dance thing which does help but was intended as a fun thing rather than a specific fitness thing.

I will be trying a few different things over the next few months in the hope that I be fit enough to try events at the end of summer. I’ve seen things I would love to say I was a part of but at the moment in no fit way to do and instead of just thinking I’m doing.

I intend to change what I eat if I can, aswell as increase exercise. I read you should do at least 30 mins exercise a day as an adult – preferably exercise that gets you warm, and a little out of breath. I know its going to be hard work but hopefully over time it will benefit me – i.e. I wont be out of breath so quickly and easily.

Full Moon

Posted on by JC

I don’t really know why but I have always loved looking at the moon when its a full moon. I feel a wierd kind of peace surrounding everything and a calmness of just accepting it as real.

Dates of some in the UK coming up:

Next Full Moon dates 2009
Month Day Time Day of week
Jun 7 18:13 Sun
Jul 7 09:23 Tue
Aug 6 00:57 Thu
Sep 4 16:05 Fri
Oct 4 06:11 Sun
Nov 2 19:15 Mon
Dec 2 07:33 Wed
Dec 31 19:15 Thu

Just if your wanting to view and all 🙂

Down, and up again

Posted on by JC

I had an annoying realisation this morning, when I went to check on the blog and why an image was not showing up as expected. The site was gone, now fixed as your reading this but annoying to find.

Today was hosting renewal day – which is meant to be automatic, and the billing of it is – the renewal didn’t seem quite as automatic. I contacted support and after them saying its the domain peoples issue and me saying its not. They then said I set it to their domain parking page… I don’t even know how to do that?

Anyhow, as you see we’re back up and running.

I’ve not really had any real issues with the company before, and used them for around 9 years so a bug every so often is expected. Just glad no data was lost in the process.

IF your interested:

LINK: Powweb web hosting
– You get loads of space, and bandwidth and support is fast if you have an issue. I mean the issue above took about 20 minutes in an online chat to sort and its working again.

SUN, Sun, sun – Lovely weather

Posted on by JC

I was meant to be abseiling today, the event is cancelled until further notice. I’d raised £79 online (through friends sponsoring me – Thanks guys) and its already paid to the charity automatically online which seems to have missed part of the point.

Anyhow maybe it will go ahead someday. Tis annoying when you put money up for events that fall through.

in the park

Gorgeous day, lovely sun – a little breeze. I decided to go on the bike for a bit – after about 20 mins felt out of breath. So unfit – really need to sort that. I looked over – I was close to the park so rode over and chilled for a bit.

Deep blue sky, bright green trees, lots of kids, animal, adults and bikes including me. People lazing in the warmth of the sun taking time out.

Its good to sit back, read & relax and watch the world some days – Like the animals & kids falling in the fountain. Entertainment all around us.

Glad I brought the sun cream out, its quite warm out when sitting/laying about.

All in all, was out about 2 and a half hours, enjoying the weather on the bike and headed home and had a mini BBQ – Delicious.

Backup Internet

Posted on by JC

After advice from a friend and my internet dying a few weeks ago I decided to look into getting a work around – I bought a mobile dongle off ebay for three internet.

Works out to get 1GB of traffic about £10 on PAYG. I did a little test on how much internet traffic I used apparently through the dongle. I was on 5 minutes and apparently used over 3,000K (3MB) of transfer – I don’t think i’d last long on 1GB usage and that was without the music from spotify – I think that worked out to be around 2 days use if that.

But its a backup so I would generally be using it for email, and probably MSN. I should probably make a bookmark set of basic pages – ones that don’t eat bandwidth for when I’m using it. On a 50mb (20mb ish) connection I don’t often think of bandwidth or speed usage but wouldn’t want to use all my usage in a day or less.

Cost of dongle was around £50, knocked down in shops to around £30 but on ebay was £15 inc Postage so got one there. I was considering when it was £30 – Glad I opened the ebay email advert for a change.

The BBQ Plan

Posted on by JC

I have many plans at home, how i’d like to have my garden area laid out at the front and the back. At the back I have a yard and a garage. I have what used to be an ivy plant now stump at the back of the garage. I’d like to eventually get rid of it and setup a BBQ there.

I’d like to setup a stone/brick one and looked into it. I’ve found places where you can get the parts and think it will cost around £80 for supplies and an afternoon (or few) and a lot of patience to make it.

It would be nice, althou I don’t really do BBQs to have one – not entirely sure if its safe thou to be so close to the back of the house and on the garage but will look into it more before trying it – I think it’s fine but better sure than boom!

Would be nice though.. Seen the grills have enamal on them so they don’t rust.

Some links if your interested:

Bricks & cement/sand would also be needed. Just an idea 🙂