Conquering Ebay

Ebay Observation #1

A very high percentage of all luxury handbags and accessaries listed on Ebay is fake. Think about this, how do people get their hands on the most current season's Balenciaga handbag, especially when there is always a waiting list of a few years.

I have searched for years for a genuine supply of luxury handbags sold at a discount. Only a few suppliers were found.

The first one is Bag Borrow Steal, which was featured on the Oprah website. You can rent the luxury brands such as Andrea Brueckner, Kooba, Hermes, Balenciaga, Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, etc. You can also join their email distribution list and purchase used rental handbags. Believe, the prices are still steep. The other web site is no longer available. But, I did know of this lady in New York who bought shelf-pulls and last season's designer accessaries. Then, she sells them to you in bulk. I suppose she discontinued the website because she really doesn't need it. She has enough clientales in New York.

The other day, I saw tons of Thomas Wylde grey skull handbag for bids on Ebay. The sellers all claim they are real, but that's unlikely considering that the Thomas Wylde handbag is elusive to the general public.

Also, I found some direct agents of Francis Tse the other day. After some email communications, they sent me their distribution list of luxury designer handbags and the price list. For those of you who don't know Francis Tse, the manufacturer has the most sought after mirror image designer handbags and accessaries. The rumor is that the mirror image product is indistinguishable from the real thing. I also see a lot of Francis Tse products on Ebay. It's truly buyer be aware. Use your common sense and spend a bit more money to buy the real thing instead of taking your chances on Ebay.

Ebay Observation #2

From a seller's point of view, and I have sold on Ebay numerous times, it is essential to find a wholesale supplier in China. Everything is manufactured in China for a cheaper price, and I mean everything. When the Play Station 3 frenzie took the pre-Christmas sale by storm, Chinese suppliers already made fake PS3s. They look exactly like the real thing, but of a poorer quality. I have also seen fake PS3s on Ebay being sold just like Sony's real Play Station.

My mother will be leaving for China next Tuesday to have dinner with some local politicians in what used to be the capital of Manchuria. I asked her to also take a tour of some local factories to see what I can possibly import to North American. Ideally, I am looking for dropshipping opportunities, meaning I never receive the inventory, but the factories ship it to my customers on their end. There are websites that list Chinese manufacturers, but I can't just communicate with them through emails. I will either make the deal face-to-face or do business with factory owners my family knows.

One Sour Note

A Christmas party is not an open invitation to consume copious amounts of alcohol and pass out. Well, I did not get that memo, did you?

Passing out and vomitting in the car did not shock me. What shocked me was the crying! I mean, I was really really crying.

A reliable source, my fiance, told me apparently I was crying uncontrollably for about one hour.

The alcohol was not the culprit, just the catalyst. The culprit was the Malaysian singer Guang Liang's "Fairy Tale" song. This song is precisely the reason why I avoid listening to Mandarin music. The MTV video is depressing, typical of Chinese music and movies. After the first brilliantly composed piano chord, I was a mess. In the haze of drunkeness, I decided to put the song on repeat.

This is the part that draws out the waterworks:

"You said to me with full of tears, inside the fairytale are all lies".

Please do psychoanalyze me. I am an emotion suppressor. It takes a bit of alcohol and one sour note, and years of suppression comes out all at once. It happens once every few years, but once I have had a good cry, I move on by supressing some more. I am unable to express any real emotions without alcohol. This is simply not healthy.

For the record, my take on love fairytales is that they are all lies. It's a combination of two idealists, unattainable romance, overcoming obstacles, and happily ever after. Except, what exactly is happily after anyhow?.

Homeless Vancouver Website

Instead of giving presents this year, I will be sponsoring the homeless on my family and friends' behalf.

The Vancouver Homeless website has profiles of the homeless along with their Christmas list. Most of the items are everyday necessities like blankets, shoes, and cooking utencils.

Helping is easy. Just print out the form, fill it out and send it along with the items listed.

I am officially banning Christmas. I can't stand the consumerism any more, so no one will be getting presents this year. There will be no Christmas decorations, no tree, and no Christmas dinner. I don't understand why we need Christmas to feel giving and kind. We can all do this throughout the year.

Reflections on the International Baccalaureate Program

Awhile back, I wrote an article titled "Unexpected", where I explained the reasons why I refused to be a panel member at the International Baccalaureate recruitment session.

I feel I have been extremely unfair in only bring up the negative side of this program for gifted children. Perhaps, a full reflection on the International Baccalaureate program would have helped more people in their decisions.

For those of you who are not familiar with the program, it is a meticulously developed curriculum for gifted children and teenagers. Often, it is the side-branch of a typical high school. This means, you are fully intergrated into the high school environment; however, you do not take high school curriculum, but do have the option of socializing with regular kids. The classes are similar to advanced placement classes, except you are asked to be well-rounded. The goal of the International Baccalaureate program is to produce "perfect" beings, self-aware, articulate, knowledgeable in multiple areas, multilingual, and adventurous.

For starters, instead of the regular high school orientation, the IB kids went camping with the school councilors. It was a 3 day workshop over the weekend, where the students kayaked, dived, and swam. It wasn't all fun, as we were expected to complete assignments during the workshop. As you can see, we all bonded right from the beginning.

In French classes, instead of learning French the traditional way, we went to French restaurants with the teacher and were sent to Trois-Rivere in Quebec to stay with homestay families. For homework assignments, we composed and wrote lyrics for French songs. Johnny, my partner at the time, and I went to a Karaoke bar to sing and record our homework. Now, you don't get to do that everyday.

Theory of Knowledge classes were the most amusing. We talked about everything and anything that don't have answers. It made us realize that the universe is pretty grey.

In English classes, we read university level novels and wrote critiques. After each novel, the test was not in written format, but oral. We were expected to quote lines without referencing the book, and this by far was the most challenging task. The idea was if we were truly familiar with the books, we would be able to quote it. Often, these oral exams were one hour long, so you better have plenty to say in front of the whole class. The final exam for the class was actually a 3 hour long oral exam on all the novels examined during the year. That experience was absolutely frightening. Imagine being in a tiny room, with nothing but a desk and a microphone. Your teacher is the only other person in the room, and he is drilling information out of you that you didn't think you possessed. It is all recorded.

I actually enjoyed my time in the International Baccalaureate Program. Some life-long friendships were formed, and I was truly prepared for 3rd or 4th year university straight out of high school. The biggest advantage, however, is that I am forever identified by the program. It links me with others who are just like me. Basically, you are in the club for life...

After all these fond memories, why did I refuse to be on the recruitment panel?

Good memories are not enough to make up for what the program lacked. In reality, we were all pretty troubled kids facing enormous pressure at home, and there was no real help for us. It was the Pascal Contest, then the International Biology Olympiad, then the IB Profound Pursuit, then the SATs, then the Ivy League applications, then the scholarship applications, etc, etc. It never ended. My calculus teacher was sympathetic and offered kind words, but others didn't care. I ran away from home twice before permanently leaving. My friend Anthony didn't even bother to have a "trial-run", he just left. Kay moved out when she turned 16 and never returned home. Ironically, the three of us ended up working for the same company a few years later.

I don't blame the program entirely. If I accepted the position on the panel, I would have said to the parents....

The IB program will always be a part of me. It is only through extraordinary hardship that people build self-confidence, and IB was mighty hard! But, I think hardships can be experienced in other ways, and it is not only limited to a school for "genius" children. The hardest episode of my life was being on my own for the first time, sleeping in rat infested rooms with broken windows. At night, the rats came out and chewed on my toothpaste, and they built highways around my futon on the floor. Often, I heard my roommate screaming next door after shooting heroine with the money he stole from my room.

The only comfort was from Jamie who kept me sane by talking to me on the phone until early morning. He wired me money without me asking, and he justified it by saying that the universe owed it to me for my struggles. Even my mother was quite impressed with that line.

So, send your children to the program, or don't send them. Just ease off a little bit....let them build their own dreams of greatness rather than living out your own.

Exercising Extreme Patience

I have issues with my mother.

Most days, I think of my mother as a cartoon character, somewhat cute, spits out witty yet venemous one-liners, memorable while I am watching, but easy to forget until the next episode.

The next episode will take place in the Dominican Republic. It will be the climatic episode of the season because I have not really seen my mother in 8 months, by choice of course on both of our parts. The phrase "absence makes the heart grow fonder" does not apply to our relationship.

In fact, I am positive she has taken this time to compile a list of things to "discuss" with me. My mother is highly predictable, so after some thinking, I have concluded that the list will look like this:

Why will this be the climatic episode of the season? For one, my fiance and father will also be there. This means my entire immediate family, and it's a dangerous mixture. I am already trembling with fear. Usually, I can take on my mother alone, but now I have extra variables.

My father, for one, will be on her side. My fiance will face the firing squad for the first few days, but his lack of experience in combating my mother will surely bring his demise. This means, I will be on my own facing two sets of canons.

I need a game plan.

You must understand, I was foolish. In my moment of weakness, mother whispered sweet words in my ears, appealed to my fragile heart, and somehow convinced me to co-purchase a 600 acre farm in the Dominican Republic. She must have sharpened her manipulation skills. If I weren't so weak, I would have seen through her evil plan.

She doesn't need me to buy a farm?! It is nothing but a total ploy to keep me around! Well played mom, well played.....

Yes, I am impressed by her skills. It has taken time, but I am now accustomed to the idea of having a financial stake in this venture. It's okay right? They will retire there, I will be here, and at most I only need to see her once a year, right? Then it happened again....

That.....little......%$&#$......evil.....woman.....went and bought 4 return tickets to the Dominican Republic behind my back!

This is how the conversation went:

Ring.....Ring.....Ring......

Me - "Hello?"

Mom - "Why did you say no to John Hopkins University? What's the point of applying if you were going to say no! I mean, you are 27, and they won't offer this again! Nevermind...... how do you spell what's-his-name's last name?"

Me - "Umm......Hi Mom, how are you?"

Mom - "How do you spell what's-his-name's last name?"

Me - "Whose name? You mean.....my fiance?"

Mom - " Yeah, whatever.....just tell me how you spell his last name."

Me - " O...........K.........it's L.....A.....B.....O......N...., why?"

Mom - " I have to let my travel agent know so she can print the tickets! "

Me - "What tickets? Are you going somehwere? And why do you want my fiance's last name?"

Mom - "We need to go to the Dominican Republic to sign the papers. We all need to be there...."

Me - "Ummm......okay........ummm......don't they fax that to us?"

Mom - "Whatever, I don't trust faxes, so we are going. The tickets are booked, the hotel is booked, and what's his name is coming too. "

Me - "You mean my fiance?"

Mom - "Yeah, him. So, one of my friends' son, you know the one that went to Stanford? He is back in town, and apparently, he has started a very successful business. So, anyhow, you haven't seen him in awhile, and you know he still remembers you, and wants to go for dinner sometime. Why don't you go?"

Me - "You know I am engaged right? And, I bet you had something to do with this. It's not like you just "ran" into him? Isn't he the one that was divorced? Why is that okay all of a sudden. Wait, what is this about all four of us going on a holiday? You never asked me."

Mom - "He is not divorced, who told you that??!?"

Me - "You did!! (I am fuming by this point) Remember, you said that when you were trying to set me up with the other one???"

Mom - "Oh, no such thing. He is perfectly fine!!!"

Me - "Whatever mom......back to what I asked, why didn't you tell me we are all going together?"

Mom - "That doesn't matter. We are all going, it will be fun!! I have some things to talk to you about anyhow (see list above) , so it will be fun!! What's his name will have a good time too."

Me - "But, I don't even know if I can get the time off work...and..."

Mom - "I am your mother you know. You left home young, and that was so devastating for me. Remember I told you I cried in front of the cats for 3 months straight . I was so worried about you and what you were doing. No child should put their mother through that....(By now, I can hear sobbing)"

Me - "Mom, that was like 12 years ago. Aren't you over it?"

Mom - "No, I am not! (The sobbing instantly went away) And you are coming. I already bought the tickets. I even bought a ticket for what's his name just in case you won't come. So, you are coming! What I mean is.....well.....it will be fun!! Okay, I gotta go, your dad is calling me (nobody was calling her). You are coming, okay? Bye!"

Click.......

See! See! She is pure pure evil. She is always one step ahead of me, and she is relentless.

I love you mom, but you are an evil.....evil....evil....person.

Chaos and Peace

1. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain
   
   What can I say? I am in love......
   
   It was 3 am, the palm trees were swaying to the wind storm, and lightning filled the sky in the distance. Yet, lying on the boat dock wrapped in a thin bed sheet, all I could see was billions of stars above, the arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the mesmerizing flashes of blue from the glow worms in the lagoon below.
   
   I have sailed 3 hours on a catamaran to the middle of no where. All that surrounds me is the chaos in the distance and the peace that is in my soul.
   
   Then I realize, this is where I want to be.
   
   Love is nothing but an amalgamation of the feeling of chaos and peace. Belize provided both ends of the spectrum.
   
   The Chaos
   
   Guards with AK 47s (Kalashnikova) were everywhere, guarding resorts, compounds, and highways. Recent robberies of tourists prompted more security measures all over the country. Guatemalan from the border are getting smarter and more bold; they are often in bands, and target tourists regardless of whether they travel in groups or individually.
   
   While traveling on a chicken bus from Belize City to Hopkins Village, passengers were passing around wanted posters of 5 Guantamalan bandits. The reward was hefty by Belizean standards, and the fund was put together by resorts desperate to win back the terrified tourists.
   
   With all this going on, I wasn't about to give up on trying something unorthodox. Hitchhiking...
   Now, I am pretty sure it's not recommended, but since there were no deterrent signs, we did it anyhow. As you can see, there were no cars in sight, and 2 hours later, we were still sitting on our backpacks on the side of the road.
   
   Finally, a Belizean man picked us up in his tractor. This thing was going maybe 20 miles an hour at its peak efficiency, but considering how dehydrated we were, it was good enough to get us somewhere with water.
   
   He offered us his lunch: plump oranges from his orchid. I must have died and gone to heaven.
   
   It was during a conversation with him that I heard about the gross inequities in pay and treatment in Belize. On average, he makes $75.00 a month working as a guide for a resort. This is good pay, as he is capable of supporting his family and save a little to build his home. The resort he works for averages $500,000 net a year. I asked him why he does not start his own business. He replied by saying that he does not understand marketing and how to get customers to come.
   
   This hit a nerve. I was in Belize to look at the possibility of building a non-profit educational camp for the local children. I want to incorporate computer training, adventure tourism training, business training and medical training so that children in Belize can be equipped with the same skills that North American children take for granted. The funding would come from donations from local Canadian businesses and foreign owned Belize businesses. If this man had received internet training, especially in search engine optimization, he would be able to market his business to the rest of the world.
   
   Maybe this may not be such a bad idea!
   
   Everywhere I have been, it is the same story. Whether it is tracking gorillas in Rwanda, snorkeling in Mozambique, or riding elephants in Sri Lanka, most of these business are foreign owned. Fear of the unknown can be crippling, and the typical xenophobic tourist wants a safe 4 star hotel with a bit of culture thrown in. Most locals, if given the opportunity and knowledge, can create something that is more genuine. Pick any third world country with unbelievable natural beauty or market advantages, you will find foreign owned businesses.
   
   Growing up in North America, I have realized that we are educated to smother third world countries: build a hotel in Belize, employ the locals, but don't give them any means of creating their own economy. Start a factory in China, pay taxes to the government, employ the local farmers, but don't provide them with an education. The problem is two fold. On one hand, most of us believe that foreign businesses provide much needed jobs to the locals. Albeit grueling work hours and conditions, the pay is better than farming or fishing. In parts of the world where medicare and social security is non-existent, people take any job they can find because there is no safety net. On the other hand, most locals actually think they are better off.
   
   This is where I feel conflicted. How do I tell them that they can live better lives? And that their way of life is just not good enough?
   
   The Peace
   

Sherri, the Belizean maid who works at Tipple Tree Beya, invited me to her 300 square feet home she rents in Hopkins village. She offered me water, some traditional Garifuna food made with freshly caught barracuda, plantain and coconut milk. Afterwards, we took a quick bicycle ride to the home she is building in the jungle. It has taken her 3 years to build the shell, no windows, no stairs, no electrical wiring or plumbing.

She is quite happy with the progress!

In fact, she is happy period.

It doesn't matter where I go, people in other parts of the world are generally happier. I have yet met a Belizean who knows what Prozac is, or an anorexic in Istanbul.

Growing up in Asia, I remember taking leisurely strolls after dinner, weekly family gatherings, eating the cucumbers and tomatoes right off the vine on our farm, or curiously watching my grandfather slaughter a goat for the neighbours. In North America, most people are just a mess. There is no emphasis on deriving happiness from the family unit. Most of our happiness comes from external sources. Last year, I was quite happy with my tax return.

In Belize, I was happy for the simplest reasons: a good fish meal, chatting with the villagers at The Watering Hole, listening to Reggae music on the beach, waking up to roosters, quivering to the thunderstorm that shook the house, smelling the scent of mango everywhere, sailing on the catamaran that brought me to that 9 acre atoll, where I aired out my soul in the sun and everything just fell into place.

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UPDATE on other postings: My Mother has Manipulated me AGAIN!

Trip Planning: Caves Branch and Glover's Reef Atoll

Everything is done...as done as they can be.

After a mirad of emails going back and forth with the resort/lodge/hotel operators, we booked:

1) Ian Anderson's Cave Branch (June 4,5,6,7,8, 2006)

Today, we mailed $40.00 in traveler cheques to the Cave Branch as deposit. The whole 5 day accommodation will total $54.50 after a 9% hotel tax. So, we will pay the difference when we arrive. Normally a 50% deposit is required, but we did not have smaller denominations. The payment for the adventure tours can be paid on arrival.

I can't wait to experience the 'jungle shower'.

2) Tipple Tree Beya in Hopkins Village (June 9,10)

Several sources on the net said that this is the best budget place to stay in Hokpins Village. The rate for a room with private bath, hot shower, ceiling fan, fridge, coffee pot, dishes is $40.00 per night. We are staying for two nights, and will be renting two bicycles to go to Sittee River and possibly two kayaks for some exploration of the area. A deposit is required for accommodation, 50%, and they take credit cards. Tricia has been very nice via email correspondences and can set up tours led by local guides.

3) Glover's Reef Atoll (June 11,12,13,14,15,16,17)

We wired a payment of $379.32 U.S for a full week stay and the rental of a sit-on-top double kayak. The Scotiabank charged a hefty fee $35.00 to wire the money (unbelievable!), but the girl who helped us was nice enough to fax the receipt to Glover's Reef Atoll Resort. As for food, we will be bringing most of our own food to cook, and can buy fresh fish or lobsters there. If we run out of food, we plan to purchase the meals offered there.

So far, we have spent:

Airfare - $1256 CDN,

Miscellaneous Camping/Travel Gears - $150.00 CDN

Accommodation Deposits/Full Payments - $461.68

So, before we leave, we have already accrued virtually $2,000 in expenses....yikes!! At least the major expenses are taken care of.

All we need now is to get some Pepto, insect repellent, purchase prepaid airport parking ticket, and get our butts to Belize.

By the way, is there anyone who will be in Belize between June 4-June 20 and want to meet up? Do you have similar itenaries? Please leave a comment here and I will be in touch!

Kaavya Viswanathan Lost Her Book Deal - How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life

First the James Frey shocker, and now it's a 19 year old Harvard sophomore. Kaavya Viswanathan signed a $500,000 book deal at 17 years old, and wrote How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life. The publisher has permanently withdrew her books from the shelves because of alligations of plagiarism. Reports from various online sources site multiple sources of plagiarism. Apparently, she plagiarised from author Megan McCafferty,Sophie Kinsella among others.

She may also be asked to returned the $500,000 advanced received to write the two books.

With the recent news, people who own the first book How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life are rushing to Ebay, where it is listed for as high as $57.18! I wish I bought several copies before the scandal.

What made an obviously bright young Ivy League student to do this? Sometimes, I have a lot of mixed thoughts in my head from various books I've read, shows I've seen, so when I do have an idea, is it actually original? Apparently, Kaavya Viswanathan's plagiarisms are pretty obvious, sometimes only a few words are changed. This makes me think how many other books are amalgamations of other books, shows, and other people's ideas. What I have written here combines what I read from other sites, so am I to site every sentence? When does an original idea truly original?

Pre-Planning Mother's Day

I am determined to save money this Mother's Day. The best way to do is to buy the flowers early. I plan to buy some flowers and surprise her on May 10th instead of May 14th. Then, on May 14th, I will give her the present.

Flowers cost so much more on Mother's Day, so if you can, it's best to buy them early. It can be a pre-mother's day surprise! Of course, in order to not look really cheap, get her something else to be received on Mother's Day. This works on my mother, because she understands, but may not work on other mothers who may consider this very insulting :)

My Fiancé’s Best Friends

My fiancé is very protective of his change jar…over-protective. He likes to count change, repetitively. Once, I found him sitting on the bed surrounded by change. He grabbed some, tossed them in the air, grabbed some more, etc, etc. What a child!

Yesterday, we were getting changed to go out. I grabbed a jacket I have not worn in a long time. What do I find? Change!

There were dollar coins, two dollar coins, and lots of them!

I showed them to my fiancé, and this was the conversation that followed.

Me – “See what I found!”

My fiancé – “ OH MY GOD, where have you guys been??” (referring to the change)

Me – “Who?”

My fiancé – “ YOU STOLE MY CHANGE!! Look, this is little Billie, this is Georgie, and this one here is Bobbie….”

Me – “You named your change???”

My fiancé – “Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

So, I backed away slowly and left him with Billie, Georgie, Bobbie, and their fellow brothers and sisters.

Years ago, I was excited that he has learnt how to budget and keep track of money. Then, I was thrilled that he was keeping a change jar. Now, I am just a bit worried. Maybe it’s gone too far.

Google Adsense Misconceptions (Part 1)

Google Adsense creates a lot of misery and frustration for most bloggers. The most common question I come across is "I only made $0.23 in one year, but I have so many hits!!". After answering these questions on various blogs, I got tired. So, here is the most simple way I can explain this mystery.

What Kind of Hits Do You Have?

Let me guess, you read somewhere "The more hits you get, the more clicks you get, and the more money you will make".

Argh....

You need TARGETED HITS, not just any hits. At the beginning, every blogger cheats. We join free traffic exchanges, sign up for referral schemes, put up those banners on our sites. Why? Because someone told us that "The more hits you get, the more clicks you get, and the more money you will make".

If your blog is geared towards making affiliate and Google Adsense money, why do you circulate it amongst people who are after the same thing? They will NEVER be interested in what you have to say, because most likely your blog is about METALS, RECIPES, some wierd GPS SYSTEM, or a MEDICAL CONDITION of sorts. Everyone can see what you are up to, and NO ONE CLICKS (some of this is purely out of spite too!).

So, all of your tens of thousands of hits are cheater hits, and while you are diligently waiting 20 seconds to get a credit, you are wasting time you could have used to actually think of a plan. Okay, this plan can start with SUBMITTING YOUR SITE TO SEARCH ENGINES!

ARGH!!!!

Why do you even have ads on your page when you haven't even submitted your site. Yes, YOU! You know who you are.

Your Perfect Hit: Me! 3 Years Ago!

Think of your perfect customer as who I was three years ago....younger, internet savvy but not too familiar with all money making opportunities on the web, and most importantly curiously searching the net everyday. If I want to know the best place to retire in the Caribbean, I am going to search until my fingers go number. I type in the search bar "The Best Place to Retire In the Caribbean", I click, click, click, unaware of whether I am clicking on a link or an ad, because really, I just can't bother to see the little words "Ads for Google". As far as I am concerned, I thought I was clicking on links! Gosh, I was such a great customer!

Your Worst Nightmare: Me! Now!

I will most likely NEVER click on your ad. I know how you make money, what you have done to your site to trick me, and I just won't fall for it. So, think of me, and think of say Blog Explosion, and think of how it is full of people like me. So, why would you put yourself in that situation?

Can You Name 10 Sites That Have Free Adsense/SEO/Web Tools?

A big part of succeeding is knowing your stuff. I can name 10 sites, but I am nowhere near an expert.

If you can't, what are you doing??? Go now and read, read, read!

The,It,I,You,Me,A,.......

You open someone else's site, and viola, all the adsense ads pop up and they are entirely geared towards the content. Then, you open up your site, and you get ad space is blank, and strange Blog ads pop up once in awhile. So, you wonder why?

Read this entry. I barely have any keywords. I use generic words that you can find anywhere, because it is geared towards making you see my point. Most of my content is insulting your intelligence, and it is littered with words like "The, it, you, i me, a, and, so, why...", etc. Then, go to this entry, and you will see how ads pop up nicely, fitting to the content. It is focused on a niche subject (very few people talk about the Glover Reef Atoll, perhaps too niche).

To All the Anorexics Out There...

To all the Anorexic Girls Out There:

I deeply apologize for making fun of your kind.

Yesterday, I made one more comment towards one of your fellow club members, and although I did not feel bad about it, I feel the need to apologize deeply for hurting one of you. While I am at it, I might as well apologize for all the things I said or did to your kind.

I apologize for calling you fat.

I apologize for eating a McDonald cheeseburger and fries drenched in grease and ketchup in front of Fitness World.

I apologize for recommending Jenny Craig to you.

I apologize for questioning why you threw away that full plate of perfectly good food.

I apologize for not responding to your question of "Do I look fat?".

I apologize for telling you that eating a lot of rice, bread, and spaghetti will help you lose a few pounds.

I apologize for explaining to you that not eating because children in Africa are starving is just not a good enough reason to not eat food.

I apologize for noticing that your teeth are rotting because of the stomach acid from your vomit.

Overall, I apologize for a lot of things, but most importantly, I apologize for telling you that on some days, you look like a young boy.

Perhaps I should tell you why I make fun of you. Your only conversation with me is to draw attention to your body. All those "do I look fat" or "my butt burns from doing 6 hours of exercising yesterday" or "how do I look in these jeans" questions are starting to get to me.

At first I entertained you, but then I just ridiculed you. I figure that if you really want to have an answer, I will give you an answer you are not going to like. This all leads to you not ever asking me the same questions again. You know, we can talk about other things, like world peace, love for animals, or even about aliens probing humans on earth.

So there, I am sorry.

Poor Nick Lachey

Poor Nick Lachey....

On the Newlywed reality show, the guy was clearly in the shadow of Jessica Simpson. While her career was taking off, mostly because of the show, his was going nowhere.

While watching the old shows, I always wondered why they did not divorce sooner. They have nothing in common, Jessica Simpson can't carry on a decent conversation if her life depended on it. Nick Lachey was the puppy dog who followed her around. It was painful the watch. The whole "chicken of the sea" comment was just down right stupid.

In fact, I suspected that....

- They did not sleep in the same bedroom
- Nick Lachey hates Jessica Simpson's guts, but she was his sugar-mama
- Jessica Simpson was cheating on him with numerous men
- Jessica Simpson does not know how to spell her own name
- Nick Lachey was cheating on Jessica Simpson with her sister

hehe....

Now, after the split of these two celebrities, Nick is still mouching off her trying to get spousal support.....HA!

Second Day in Church

This morning, I went to Church for the second time.

It is Orthodox Palm Sunday, which is different from the Catholic Palm Sunday. Even the Easter holidays are not the same. This itself is a clear indication that there is a deep division between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Churches. Apparently, we can't even agree on when to celebrate Easter.

The Easter date is based on a formula, and there are some complicated interpretations of the Easter formula.

The formula is - The first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.

Both Easter and Western Christian Churches agree that this is the correct formula; however they use different calendars. The Western Church uses the Gregorian Calendar to calculator the date of Easter, and the Easter Church uses the Julian Calendar. Most of the world uses the Gregorian Calendar which says that:

" an ordinary year consists of 365 days. A leap year of 366 days occurs in every year whose number is exactly divisible by 4 except centenary years whose numbers are not exactly divisible by 400, as 1700, 1800, and 1900."

The Julian Calendar states that:

"established by Julius Caesar in 46 b.c., fixing the length of the year at 365 days and at 366 days every fourth year. There are 12 months of 30 or 31 days, except for February (which has 28 days with the exception of every fourth year, or leap year, when it has 29 days)."

In order to arrive at the Easter date, the formula considers ecclesiastical moons, paschal full moons, astronomical equinox, and the fixed equinox plus the differences between the two calendars. (I am actually lost at this point). The two Churches have different definitions of vernal equinox. The Eastern Church uses the actual, astronomical full moon and the actual equinox as observed along the meridian of Jerusalem, which is the site of the Ressurrection and Cruxifiction.

Why are there two Easters? Really, it's because the Eastern Orthodoxy has maintained the old and traditional way of calculating Easter, while the Western Churches use the modified Gregorian Calendar. There was an attempt to reconcile the two ways of calculating Easter, but nothing really came of it.

I sent an email to the Father of the Church inquiring about our meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to go over the procedures in becoming a catechumen and then an Orthodox. With my husband and my busy schedule, I hope he is flexible enough to accommodate us.

First Day in Church

Last Sunday, I met Father L at my new church. It was my very first time at an Orthodox Christian church, and as a beginner, I had a lot to learn.

First, I was scared as to what I am supposed to do when I enter the church. Other people seemed so comfortable in their surroundings and were kissing icons, doing crosses, and there seemed to be a way to actually enter the church. I was not aware of this, and did not even know that I was supposed to light a candle.

After that, the room was split into two sections, with the middle section clear. Everyone stood. That was one thing I thought was different. We don't sit in church, we stand. The elderly and the children sit, but most of the adults were standing...throughout the whole service. My feet were killing me, but I lasted okay. I was not offered communion because I am not baptised, but I was able to get some bread. There was harmonized singing throughout the entire service. Everything was sang! It was so angelic!

I liked my first experience and just wished that I could have known more about it before I went. But, I guess that's what learning is all about. One last thing, everything is scented in church, and after I left, I could still smell the sweet scent until the next day!

Why Orthodoxy?

I chose Orthodoxy because of two reasons: the people I met, and the Orthodox views.

My Preliminary Learnings of Orthodox Christian Views (The ones I like!)

Going to Church on Sundays is not necessarily viewed as worshipping God. The purpose is actually to receive spirtual nourishment through God so that we can take on the world for the next week. God is here to give us guidance and help, and it is up to us whether to take his help. It is no wonder that some people say that they feel spiritually empty when they have missed Church. I never understood this and saw going to Church more of an obligation. I now know that this was the wrong approach.

Christianity is like a tree. Before the Great Schism, Catholics and Orthodox were one, and after the separation, most of the present day Protestant Churchs are branches of Catholicism. Orthodox has remained unchanged.

Fasting shouldn't be seen as depriving the body of nutrients or a test of will power. It is really to clear your mind or free your mind so that you can think of God clearly. I can't wait to fast!

The Holy Light of Jerusalem is only received by Orthodox Christians. This tradition has been ongoing for 1000 years, and even when other Churchs tried to receive the light, only the Orthodox Patriarch has been successful in receiving this flame from God. Many people consider this to be the greatest miracle of all and great proof for the existence of God and that Orthodoxy is the choosen religion.

These are all that I can remember for now, but there are many others.In the end, I choose Orthodoxy because although many people see it as a conservative Church, I think it is actually quite liberal in its thinking, yet takes nothing out and adds nothing new to the Bible. It uses philosophy and science as a way to defend its position and beliefs rather than using them to come up with new beliefs. It is both philosophical and spiritual.

Reflections on My Buy-A-Groupie Website

Sometime ago, I was a groupie for Jeff. Jeff used to have a Online Gambling website and a online gambling blog. He asked for 10 groupies to post comments on his website. In exchange, he would visit his groupies' sites and post comments. I was a groupie, and then Jeff just disappeared, along with his sites.

So, I took his idea one step further. I started the Buy-a-Groupie site, where bloggers can buy services ranging from $1.00 to $100.00. They are designed to help bloggers to promote their sites and gain traffic. It has been a few months since I started the Buy-a-Groupie site, and I have made some observations.

IT IS A COOL IDEA

I receive a lot of emails and comments about how the idea is very cool and unique. At the same time, the people who tell me my ideas are cool do not buy my services. I have no idea what they are waiting for. If the same people who tell me it's a cool idea would buy my services, I would be doing QUITE well.

I DO A LOT OF WORK FOR $1.00 A MONTH!

The worst service I have is the $1.00 a month groupie service. I write four articles to promote the client's site, I post comments on every single one of the clients' postings, and I have a link to the client's site. So, for $1.00, I do all of the above. It started okay, because I only had one customer. Then, people started to sign up, and I was writing articles on a regular basis. An article usually takes me about 10 minutes to write and 20 minutes to research. By research, I mean going to the client's website and find something to write about. I am not sure if this is the best way to earn a buck.

THE SERVICE WITH THE BEST RESULT

The service that truly builds traffic is where the clients buy comments. No argument here. My Buy-a-Groupie site is new, and I don't have a lot of traffic, so advertising on my site is probably only worth $1.00 a month. However, when I post comments for say the Rob In China site, there is definitely an increase in traffic. I was happy to see that Rob's 0-2 comments a day increased to 4-10 comments a day since he purchased my service. He was also my first customer.

SOME PEOPLE HATE ME

I realized that I cannot post a comment on a blogger's site and mention my business. Okay, I was not spamming.....far from it! Usually, a blogger will have an article about building site traffic, and I comment on all the ways of doing so, including the premise of my Buy-a-Groupie site. Although what I post is relevant to the author's content, they are usually very angry at me and scream "spam!". Now, I am very careful and basically don't comment under Buy-a-Groupie at all. I do it under "Alana" instead. I am often surprised by how some people don't bother to visit my Groupie site and just automatically consider it a "spam" type of service.

IMPOSTER (RIGHT OR WRONG?)

So far, no one has brought this up, but for some of my services, a lot of bloggers are led to believe that I am the client. How does this happen? Well, I post what I think, I am vague about my sex and my location. Most of what I post for the clients do not include anything personal. They are simply my opinions on their articles. So, when the bloggers click on my clients' site, they actually have no idea that I have posted for the clients. Is this wrong? I figure I am adding value to bloggers' site by posting genuinely thoughtful comments. Is it wrong that I do the work and someone else gain the traffic?

Orthodox Easter and The Da Vinci Code

Why You Should Give Me $1.00 A Month to Promote YOUR BLOG!

It has been a pretty religious week!

By far, Easter is the most holy time for Christians, and this week has been hectic. There were church services nightly, and I could not make it to all of them....or any of them.

Tomorrow, I will go to Church as a part of my weekly visit, and that is all the time for spiritual nourishment.

Since I am a new Orthodox Christian, I was not aware that the Greek Orthodox Easter actually lands on different dates from Western Easter. Once in a while, the dates coincide. For example, we will be going to Easter mass next weekend instead of this week.

For someone like me, who is often unsure about dates, time, and can't recall people's names, the Orthodox Christian religion is perhaps not a good choice. There are many fasting dates, and I can never keep track of when to fast and when to stop. For now, I follow what others do and have to double check on many occasions. Does anyone know where I can buy an Orthodox calendar where it shows all the religious holidays and fasting dates??

Last night, I visited a friend who was 'born' into the Greek Orthodox religion. She has just finished reading The Da Vinci Code. Since then, she has many questions that are unanswered. Apparently, the book shook the foundation of many religons and the religious by getting them to question some of their fundamental believes. Before I go any further, I should read the book by Dan Brown.

Tomorrow at Church, I will be extra tired because I am coming off a graveyard shift....oh, the things I do for God's approval :)

Bimbos and Alpha Male Gorillas

During the day shift, I work for a government post-secondary school that trains police officers, paramedics, sheriffs, military personnel, fire-fighters and other professionals who make communities safe. There are many perks, which include watching recruits pass physicals, police dog shows or the amazing healthy foods in the cafeteria. By far, the most entertaining aspect of my job is watching bimbos and alpha male gorillas prance around doing mating dances.

Let me explain.

Everyone knows what a bimbo is, so no explanation is required there. An alpha male gorilla, on the other hand, are male students or co-workers who emit a large quantity of testosterone, occasionally beat their chests during territorial fights, and love to be surrounded by bimbos who have no problem picking fleas off their backs. I like to call them alpha male gorillas, because they bear resemblance in behavior.

There are two types of males at my work. One type has the rescue personality, and they are characterized by having a heightened sense of empathy and sensitivity and are performance driven. This type is not involved in any non-sense, and they come to school or work to learn, teach, and to better them. I like them! The other type worries me. They are territorial, confrontational, full of testosterone, slackers, immoral, cheats, sexist, and just have no business being in their profession. Everything that they do is to satisfy one urge: securing women and more women.

If we look at the animal world, they are just like alpha male gorillas in behavior. Let’s take a look at some of their characteristics:

The Stare

They love to stare at women, whether they are students or co-workers. They do not bother to hide it. In spite of the fact that they are in a professional school and a professional environment, they stare. Why do they stare? There are female gorillas nearby, and they can sense them from a mile away. They begin to touch their bald heads, as if they still have hair left. I used to think that was a nervous twitch. Then, they stand up and stand with both hands on their waist, one on each side, and try hard to suck in the beer belly. They stare some more…

Being Condescending

They believe that they know everything and they want you to know it! Aside from telling glorious stories about their adventurous profession (faking details sometimes), they also take every opportunity to put you in your place. This behavior is applied to both competing males and unsuspecting females. It is always difficult to decide whether to burst their bubble or pretend you are dumber.

Making Fun of Competing Male Gorillas….in Front of Bimbos

One particular alpha male gorilla comes to mind. He is famous for making fun of other male co-workers in front of female employees. Often, the other co-worker is present and has to run away with his tail between his legs. The alpha male’s dominance is secured, and he happily walks away with his trophy. He will repeat this behavior at the next battle for Bimbos’ company.

The Bimbos don’t help the situation. They play right into the trap. Let’s look at the characteristics of flea-picking Bimbos.

Drawing Attention to Their Bodies

It is not uncommon at my work to hear “I want a nose job!”, “My thighs are bigger today than yesterday”, or my favorite “Let’s go on a diet, it will be super fun!”. Are these teenagers? No, they are often 30 or 40 something married women. These comments kick up a notch in front of a dominating alpha male gorilla. Usually they are followed by “hehe…hehe…” and more “hehe…”. Although we are professionals, we don’t dress like professionals. I have seen bosoms slipping out, skirts that are too short or see-through, and a lot of caked on makeup. The alpha male gorillas love it!

Flea Picking Tendencies

When an alpha male gorilla has an itchy back, the Bimbos gather to pick fleas. This provides satisfaction for the male gorilla, and the Bimbos feel useful and probably get full from eating the fleas. It is that desire for fullness, usefulness, and securing an alpha male gorilla that fulfills their emotional and biological needs. Pickings can be slim at times, so some Bimbos migrate to secondary male gorillas and continue to pick fleas off their backs. For example, when an alpha male says “I have a great idea for this project. I think blah blah blah”, the Bimbos will reply “What a great idea for this project!!!! You are so smart!!!”. I am not kidding either…

Attacking Fellow Bimbos

One way to secure a male gorilla is to get rid of the competition. The Bimbos are all friends, but perception can be deceiving. There are a lot of Jerry Springer-ish fights behind the scenes. When a Bimbo is talking to an alpha male Gorilla, the other Bimbos will put on their lipsticks and try to join the conversation. The attack begins, all with a smile off course, and the winner is the last one standing.



After observing the mating dances, I came to one conclusion. It has everything to do with energy.

I genuinely enjoy watching the mating dances when the participants are not claimed (married or dating). It is the married gorillas and bimbos who worry me. I just think they are not very bright at conserving energy.

When the single gorillas and Bimbos are involved, they are directing energy to securing a mate, reproduction, and security. It is energy well-spent! By all means, dress more scandalous, show more cleavage, and go and attack your competitors! On the other hand, why do married gorillas and bimbos think this is beneficial? They exhaust a lot of energy, and often there isn’t a satisfactory result. I feel that unless they end up getting the alpha male gorilla and have his baby gorillas, then it is pointless….unless that’s what they want? In most situations, this is not what they want.

It is hard to be human and live with animal instincts. We put emphasis on loyalty, love, duty, morality and all the while, we are fighting our primal instincts. It is a constant struggle to live a life with reasoning. From my observation, human instincts win over human reasoning in most situations at work.

I am a Traveling Agent!

For the past two days, I have been acting as a traveling agent of sorts for my parents. They suddenly decided to go on a 12 day trip to Punta Uva in Costa Rica. After purchasing the airfare on April 3rd, they realized that they did not plan very well on where to stay and how to get to where they are going. So, they contacted me to arrange for accommodation and transportation.

I have learnt a very important lesson from all of this : Do not travel last minute! It is just stupid and creates headaches....mostly on my part. While my parents were relaxing, getting hair cuts, and packing their luggage, I was busting my @#$@!!@(*)& calling Costa Rica and calling my parents back to relay the messages. Actually the lesson can be : Do not travel last minute! Unless you contact me :)

After 2 days of headaches (literally), 12 Tylenols later, I learnt quite a few interesting and useful things.

GET VOIP (Voice Over IP)

I can't recommend this enough. I was setup for VOIP a year ago, and I bought the unlimited worldwide package. This means I can call anywhere in the world (actually, it's only about 60 countries) and only pay $56.00 a month. This amount includes the cost of the 'landline' and the long distance charges. Aside from the odd calls I make to U.S, Fiji, and China, I have not really tasted the full value of the package....until NOW! Boy, was it ever great to call Costa Rica whenever and for however long I wanted! I would have never been able to set up the transportation and accommodation had I only relied on emails. My $56.00 a month is finally paying off.

Smaller VOIP companies sometimes offer great monthly packages. Some can be found for as low as $9.99 a month, which includes only local calls. This is still significantly less expensive than regular telephone lines from your phone provider. However, VOIP does have its moments:

- Random connection problems.

- No 911 calls (on some VOIP plans)

- When your modem is out, so is your phone. This can get very frustrating.

PUNTA UVA LOOKS GREAT

I am very envious of my parents' trip. Punta Uva looks like a great place to live. Their reason for going is to buy a summer home, and I don't think they could have picked a better place. It is on the Carribbean side of Costa Rica, and it even has a living coral reef not far from shore. There is a good community of foreign homeowners, so my parents can rely on them for some extra help. It is about 4 hours outside of San Jose, so it is remote from the hussle and bussle of the city and away from crimes.

GREAT BUSINESS IDEA

It was incredibly painful to look for a bus to take my parents from the airport to Punta Uva (4 hours away). My biggest concern is safety. Most people don't know that the airport is actually outside of San Jose, and the bus station is in the city. Everyone knows that San Jose is not exactly the safest place, so getting my parents onto the bus was a problem. In addition, they have to wave down the bus on a highway, and this frightened me. Then, I found A Safe Passage. A driver picks you up from the airport, takes you to the bus stop, waves down the bus for you, and helps you to load your luggage onto the bus. For my parents' destination, it costs $70 U.S. What a great idea for first time tourists on their own! Of couse $70.00 is actually a fortune there, but it's worth the safey. John was the person I contacted at A Safe Passage, and he answered all of my questions patiently. I called a total of 4 times, and he was great every time and told me to take my time with the questions. In this price, it also includes stops at the bank, market or if you want to eat at a Tico restaurant. Basically, he ensures that you are relaxed and safe once you get off the plane.

Because of their age, my parents opted for the private transfer, which is $185 U.S, and John will take them directly fromt he airport to Punta Uva. He will even bring refreshments and alcohol for the passengers! On the way, he will stop at points of interest so my parents can take pictures or have something to eat. He is like their personal tour guide.

If I were to go to Costa Rica, I would not need this service, as I am still young and fairly adventurous and can get through with my broken Spanish. For seniors or other tourists on their own, I think it is a great service. Also, I wonder if other countries have similar businesses. For example, going to China on your own can be daunting. What would you do and where would you go if you need to get somewhere right away after landing at the airport? Let's say that you have to go to the outskirts of Beijing directly, and don't want to miss your bus and stay overnight in Beijing, how do you know where the bus station is located or how to get there? If you are leaving last minute, how can you buy the bus tickets?

There is money to be made in capitalizing on people's fears :)

BOOK YOUR AIRPORT PARKING ONLINE

My parents need to park their car at the Seattle airport during the trip, and I did some research online to find the right lot. There are so many parking lots!! My conclusion is that it is always less expensive to book online. For example, one online reservation site quoted one parking lot at $64.00 for 12 days. When I called the same company, it became $80.00. When I asked them about the cheaper rate, they said that's done through a consolidated company and not through them. Go to Airport Parking Reseravation, and you can reserve parking at most airports in the U.S. You only pay a small portion to reserve and can pay the difference when you get therThe rates are significantly less expensive online. Trust me, I called virtually all of them in Seattle.

I was suprised to know that I can learn quite a bit under pressure. Everything can be a great learning opportunity, in spite of the headaches.

------------------------------------------------

My parents' first accommodation (2 days) : Pachamama, owned by Stepano and Patrizia, very nice Italian couple.

My parents' second accommodation (8 days): Casa Viva, owned by Dave and Jeanie, also very nice on the phone and helpful.

Glover's Reef Atoll Resort (Update)

The Glover's Reef Atoll Resort has been receiving a mixture of reviews on the net. So, I think it is appropriate to present what I have found, the positive and the negative reviews from other travellers.

CONS

1) It is extremely rustic. Remember, it is not technically a 'resort', where you will have clean rooms, clean towels, or clean dishware. In fact, you have to bring your own towels and may be asked to help to clean the 9 acre island (1 hour per day).

2) Grandmother Marsha Jo may be a little bit off on some days, so you have to take her with a grain of salt. The Lomonts have owned the Glover's Reef Atoll Resort since the 1960s, so they are pretty set in their ways. Apparently, Becky, the daughter is a bit rough around the edges. So, you may not get the smiling hospitality that you expect.

3) The 3 hour catamaran ride from Sittee Point River may end up being a lot longer than 3 hours. One traveller complained of a 6 hour ride, because he said that Gilbert Lomont picked up another passager from another island for a fee. Also, I have an email from a fellow Canadian traveller that says it was 5 hours long due to wind factors.

4) Everything is on Belize time, so your dinner, lunch and breakfast may not be on time. Some travellers have complained that they were sometimes late by a few hours. Also, some people also said that dining with the Lomonts was a rough experience. One traveller alluded to a dinner table yelling match between the host and the diners over the topic of eating at MacDonalds, she also suggested that Becky was pretty drunk.

5) Since there is no running water on the island and no electricity, the water from the well smells of sulfur. You have to get the water from the well for showers. You have to bring your own towels, and you have to bring your own toilet paper :)

6) Some people have said that the beach is littered, and no one picks up the trash.

7) You may experience extreme boredom. Some travellers have said that they wanted to get off the island as soon as they arrived, all because of a combination of the above reasons. In order to get off the island, you are looking at $350 U.S one way.

8) The Glover Guest House in Sittee River is not in the best condition. There are lots of bugs, and the rooms are not exactly clean. Travellers have recommended in staying at Hopkins Village instead of the Glover Guest House.

9) You most likely have to bring your own food and bring it to the island for the week. While you can buy meal packages, but from what I have read, it is better to leave the Lomonts alone and cook your own.

10) The owner of the island has dogs, so they roam the island as if it is theirs (well...it is actually theirs). So, if you don't like dogs, this may not be the place for you.


PROS

1) It is the best location for diving, snorkeling and fishing. Look at the map below, and you will get a sense of what the atoll can offer. Snorkeling is great right off the shore, and you may not even need a kayak.



2) It is rustic, laid-back, and deserted.

3) It is very inexpensive, starting at $99.00 U.S per week for camping accommodation.

4) Warren, the Lomont's 14 year old grandson, is the best fishing and snorkeling guide you can get. All their grandkids are simply amazing. I have read many accounts of their generosity.

Source: http://www.bicyclediaries.co.uk/blog.html

http://www.belizeforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=000588

5) You can learn how to dive, all the way from getting your Open Water Diver's Certificate to Divemaster.

6) If you talk to no one, no one will talk to you. You can literally go for the whole week without speaking to anyone. It can be very quiet and peaceful.

7) The Lomonts can be friendly when they open up, especially the kids. There are travellers who love them, because they are excellent diving teachers and can offer invaluable advice when it comes to snorkeling and fishing locations.

8) Location, location, location!!! The island is so tiny that everything is 'beachfront'.

9) There is great reef kayaking, with 700 patch reefs in the lagoon.

10) No shopping malls....hehe....

MY CONCLUSIONS

1) Be Prepared! This is a week long trip that takes a lot of researching and planning.

2) Don't stay at the Glover's Guest House at Sittee River. Other travellers also agree with this one. If you can, stay in Hopkins village or Toucan Sittee, which is a lot better than Glover's Guest Hourse

3) Convince yourself that the Lomonts are kind enough to invite you to their island. They can't wait on you, and won't. They are sharing their home with you, and consider your $99.00 accommodation charge as a tip. Really, you just can't get that type of location for less. Picking up some litter is not really that bad. Essentially, you are their guests.

4) You will get out of it what you put in. If you are open to their way of life, then they will be more open to you. Marsha Jo is on and off. There are stories of her being grumpy, and there are stories of her being friendly. Becky is also on and off. What is consistant is that the grandkids are helpful and friendly. Overall, there are more positive stories about the hosts than negative ones.

5) Visiting Belize is more of an adventure than relaxation. You can't expect to visit Belize but not deal with Belizean culture, people, and ways of life. If you want a resort, it is safer to go to Manta Resort next door or Slickrock (for the more adventurous type). They charge significantly more.

6) Read all the information on Glover's Reef Atoll Resort's website. I mean ALL of it. It tells you what they have and don't have, so at least you are aware.

7) Read all the postings on the Belize Forum , until your eyes hurt.

8) The hermit crabs can be either a nuisance or your best friend. They come out at night, and they can clean your dirty dishes really well. If you roam around at night, you might find them annoying.

9) Imagine the Castaway Island, then add a little litter, kayaks, diving gear, huts, and some home cooked meals, and that is all your are getting.

10) This is the kind of place for travellers who have a budget, want to experience a third world country still relatively unspoiled and want to experience all of its beauty and limitations. If you want to relax at a resort, it is best to go elsewhere. If you are open minded, want a slice of paradise, decide what you want to do with your time rather than following tours, and want to experience true nature, then this may be the place for you.

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR GLOVER'S REEF ATOLL RESORT

1) The resort should improve the condition of the Glover's Guest House at Sittee River. I am sure travellers don't mind a price increase.

2) The resort should also have a more realistic 'letter to travellers' that explains to people exactly what kind of resort this is. The website can be misleading to someone who does not dig deeper. Also, there is a lot of negative feedback about them on the net, and this can be bad for business. One disgruntled customer can influence thousands.

3) I would like to see a beginner's fishing package. I don't fish, but would like to learn, and there is no better place than the Glover's Reef Atoll. I am willing to pay for this.

When I come back from my trip, I will give you more first hand reports. For now, this is all you get. It is an accumulation of over 100 hours of research on the net from various forums, personal home pages, and blogs. During my research, I have also emailed a fellow Canadian from British Columbia, who provided me with a lengthy description of their stay there (they just left yesterday!). If you want to read it, email me at azhoua@gmail.com, and I will forward it to you.

One last thing, I have to say that the travellers who go to Belize are of a different breed. I have never encountered more friendly people (although most of our communication has been virtual). They are genuinely interested in helping, and are very eager to give detailed accounts of their travels. Never hesitate to ask. You will always receive useful information.

Other Glover's Atoll Resort Posts:

http://fullchangejar.blogspot.com/2007/01/much-anticipated-glovers-atoll-resort.html

http://fullchangejar.blogspot.com/2006/05/trip-planning-caves-branch-and-glovers.html

Teaching about Google Adsense

A friend of mine is pregant and will be giving birth any day now. The baby has turned and dropped, so we are all excited about the new addition to our family. The baby will be a part of our family because we are officially the god-parents for the very first time!

My friend is terrified of having the baby. The biggest problem is whether to find a job after having a baby or just become a stay at home mother. The cost of daycare makes the second choice very tempting. However, she is afraid that she will not be able to contribute to the bills. It's a double edged sword.

I haven't told a lot of people I know about my Google Adsense sites, mostly because I don't want them to click on the ads. It can be interpreted as a sign to Google that there is fraud. Besides, I never want to count on my friends clicking on the ads. It's not a sustainable way to "do business", and it skews data.

With the new baby coming and her dilemma, I decided to tell her about what I do online.

- I showed her my Full Change Jar website, and used it to explain to her the details of content based advertising, what keywords are, what search engine optimization is, and how to set up a free account at Google Adsense and Blogger.

- I showed her my Buy A Groupie website, and told her about ways of starting a small on-line business. Then, this led to talking about doing businesses with dropshippers to sell products rather than services. I explained to her that if she is able to find a good dropshipper, she doesn't need to keep an inventory and just needs to sell the products through websites.

- I showed her my other 15 blogs and websites, and explained that as long as she takes 10 minutes a day to write original articles for each site, after awhile, she can pull in an okay income. Although this income may not be able to pay the rent, but it might someday.

As I was talking non-stop and her looking at me with intensity, I realized that I was just going way too quickly. One thought led to another, and I was trying to explain what I have learnt in the last 3 months to someone who is just exposed to it for the first time. I get excited about what I do, and I really believe that anyone can do it as long as they do the work.

So, I guess I was very motivating, and she seemed very interested. Then, out of nowhere, she asked me "So, how do I cut and paste something in a Word document".....

Silence....

Then I said " Okay, let's start with the basics...this is a website, and this is the URL, and this is a Microsoft Word document that you can use to create things like letters. In order to cut and paste, you highlight the text, pressed Ctrl C....all at the same time....then, click...."

Anyhow, maybe I should have asked about her computer literacy level before I dived into the mysterious world of Google Adsense.

Splurging on Junk!

What is this blue object in front of my computer monitor? A bird, an airplane? No, it's total junk!

I splurged a little on junk today. I saw it at the cashier counter after eating at ABC family restaurant with a few friends. It was love at first sight... the blue feather, the dangling satin, and the cute little rhinestones on the smooth satin strips....ah.....

What is its purpose? Writing, of course.....(yes, it is a pen), but there is a secondary purpose. Its fluffy blue feathers feel great against my face. I feel instantly happy!

I like things that make me happy, the cuter the better! Perhaps you think I am insane, but you have to look at this from a different angle...
















It is so PRETTY! It cost me $5.00 to buy this happiness, because I am easily amused by stationery. Maybe you think it's tacky, a waste of money, or just plain ugly. Well, think what you want, but I am in love with my new pen.

There is nothing wrong with buying things that give you happiness, as long as it is not breaking the piggy bank. With the new found happines I acquired through this pen, I felt extremely productive today. I worked on a few websites, cleaned the house, and made myself baked yam. It was delicious, just like the pen....deliciously cute. You can even call it an investment!

By the way, yes, I am 26 years old, not 6, and yes I still like fluffy things with shiny parts.

Dive Trip to Belize on a Budget

READ MY UPDATE ON GLOVER'S REEF ATOLL RESORT

I believe in the motto of "work hard, play hard". So, in June, I will be going to Belize for two weeks for a jungle expedition/diving trip. Finally, I will have a chance to just relax, get plenty of undisturbed sleep, and be completely away from traffic jams and packed buses.

I am also determined to not feel guilty about doing absolutely nothing productive, which is harder than you think. I like efficiency and productivity, so being on vacation is a guilty pleasure. I am also determined to not feel guilty about splurging a little, which is EVEN HARDER.

I have been to Belize before, but I did not do everything I wanted to do. We might see Bonaire too, and that will be a brand new experience, and being the diving capital in the Caribbeans, it will not be disappointing. In addition, because of its dry, arid climate, I am guaranteed to see sunny, clear days during the Caribbean's rainy season.

I do about 2 major vacations a year, and when it comes to travelling, my dual-personality comes out. I am cheap on transportation cost and splurge on entertaining activities. I will provide a detailed summary below of the planned activites and the costs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting to Belize (Latin America)

Situated in Vancouver, British Columbia, we are cursed geographically when it comes to budget vacation choices in tropical places. Hawaii and Cancun are by far the most inexpensive places, especially in the summer months. Anything past Cancun costs a fortune. This time around, I am going to splurge on airfare by travelling directly from Vancouver to Belize city. This will cost $910.00 CDN per passager. Last year, I did it for under $400.00 CDN, but it also took us three days to get there.

The most inexpensive way to get to Latin America is actually by bus. Last year, we drove to Los Angeles, flew to Cancun, took the "luxury" bus from Cancun to Belize City. The bus took more than 8 hours, and we had to transfer at Chetumal. This costs $400.00 CDN per person, so I saved a grand total of $1020.00 on airfare alone.

Accommodation and Activities
My fiance and I both enjoy camping, and have a great water-resistant, light weight tent that weighs all of 2.3 pounds. We paid $320 for it some years ago, so that was our accommodation. Belize still has some beautiful and safe campgrounds for budget travellers. We have selected two places this year: Ian Anderson's Cave Branch Jungle Lodge, and Glover Reef Atoll Resort.

Ian Anderson is a fellow Vancouverite who is the pioneer of adventure tourism in Belize. He introduced such activies as cave tubing to Belize. On his 58,000 acre estate in Belize, there are cabanas, jungle suites, campgrounds, Mayan ruins, waterfalls, rivers etc. Basically, as you can imagine, a lot of things can be found on 58,000 acres. The lodge is famous for offering jungle adventures such as cave tubing, river kayaking, jungle treks, and trips to Mayan ruins. We plan to stay there for 3 nights, camping of course, and want to participate in cave tubing, jungle expeditions, and the snorkeling trip.

Camping (3 nights): $5/night/person
River Cave Tubing: $95.00/person
Jungle Tours and Treks: $75.00/person
Snorkeling Day Trip: $75.00/person

Total: $520.00 U.S

The Glover's Reef Atoll Resort is probably the last of its kind left. Years ago, you could camp on deserted islands, but as real estate booms, more and more of the islands are private now (sold to wealthy foreigners). Glover's Reef Atoll is a World Heritage site and a Marine Reserve. It has some of the best snorkeling and diving locations. When they say "resort", it is far from it. It is truly a castaway island with sparse accommodation, supplies, and equipment. What you will get is complete seclusion from civilization (no running water, no electricity). You will find hermit crabs to keep you company, iguanas, millions of stars at night, and the sound of the tropical wind to fall asleep to. At any time, there is no more than a handful of people on the atoll, making it a truly rustic environment.

We choose this "resort" because of these factors:

- Inexpensive camping option ($99.00 per person per week!)
- Kayak rental (A sit-on-top double. $150.00 for the entire week!)
- Diving opportunities (there is no where better than the atolls due to the abundance of marine life).
- Total privacy
- Self-guided activities (essentially, we can snorkel all day without any limitations)

We plan to stay on the island for a week to take advantage of the weekly rate and the free 90 mile boat ride which normally costs $400.00.

Camping: $99.00 per person per week.
Kayak Rental: $150.00 per week.
Meals: $150.00 per week (budgeted)
Diving: 12 boat dives for $477 per person

Total: $1452.00

Extra Costs

We plan to bring roughly $2000 CDN above the cost of airfare, accommodation, and activites. Why? For emergencies, extra activites if we are bored, and some small souvenirs, better meals if we are picky.

Total Costs

Transportation: $910.00 (air)+$910.00 (air)+$100.00(buses,taxis) = $1920.00 CDN

Accommodation/Activities: $520.00 (Cave Branch Jungle Lodge) + $1452.00 (Glover's Reef) = $1972.00 U.S = $2302.00 CDN

Extra Money = $2000.00 CDN

Grand Total = $6222.00 CDN

Okay, in reality, we will probably not need any extra money ($2000), so the real cost of the trip is $4222.00. And, if you are not a diver, it will shave off another $1114.00 CND for both people. Then, the total will come to $3108.00 CND. THEN, if you are American, your total will be $2662.00 U.S.

$2662.00 U.S will get you two weeks in paradise, at two totally different locations, 3 great jungle activities, a week of snorkeling to all your heart's content, meals, accommodation, etc. On top of that, let's say you are located in some place like Texas or Florida; this means your airfare is practically nothing, and you can realistically do this trip for under $2000.00 U.S or even less.

For me, I am looking at approximately $4,000 for two people. Last year, I spent just under $2,000 because I really cut corners in terms of transportation, meals, and activities. I only did 2 boat dives, ate at local diners, camped everywhere, and only did the least inexpensive activites. This time around, I want to splurge!


P.S
And BOOHOOO to Blogger for not allowing me post any pictures!

READ MY UPDATE ON GLOVER'S REEF ATOLL RESORT.

Mis-Spelling Fortunes

I am getting some odd hits from Google search engine...all because of a non-planned spelling mistake! What they translate into is clicks on Google ads...hehe...

In my Rich Dad posting, I spelled Robert Kiyosaki's last name wrong (Kiyasaki). Quite surprisingly, a lot of people spell it wrong too, so they have been finding my site this way. I have to admit that I am quite happy with this little spelling mistake.

While I did not do this on purpose, a lot of sites do capitalize purposely from mis-spelled words. For example, I have been directed to Gogle.ca quite a few times because of my happy figures. Now, I know who they are, and I have no doubt that this was a planned move to lure unsuspecting victims like myself!

Funeral Costs

Why You Should Give Me $1.00 A Month to Promote YOUR BLOG







At work today, I had a conversation with a co-worker regarding her mother's funeral.

Her - "My mother bought a funeral plan for $300 50 years ago, and that was so smart of her! We would have spent thousands of dollars had she not bought the plan."

Me - "Yeah, that's great. It sure saves the children the heachaches of budgeting for the funeral."

Her - "They are selling the same plan now for $1,100, and I think I will buy it."

Me - "Sure, that's great planning."

So, after our converation, I started to think about whether this plan makes sense.

At an average return of 10% (stock/mutual funds), her mother's $300.00 would have been $3,5217.25 today.

An average funeral today costs approximately (according to Motley Fool):

Most Commonly Average Cost
Selected Services

Professional Charges $1,182.31
Embalming $400.51
Other preparations* $150.35
Visitation/viewing $314.42
Funeral at funeral home $356.68
Funeral Home transfering $158.66
Hearse (local) $179.08
Service car/van $87.42
Acknowledgement cards $14.47
Casket $2,176.46
Vault $757.80

Total $5,778.16

There are some additional expenses such as:

Cemetery plot can be $500 to several thousand, opening and closing the grave can be $350 to $1,500, and headstones, statues, or markers can be $500 to several thousand. On the other hand, a cremation can cost $1,500 or less.

So, at the cheap end, a funeral can cost $7,100.00, and at the expensive end, it can cost tens of thousands, depending on your selection of plots, markers, etc. From what I understand, my co-worker's mom's funeral was an average funeral, so let's say that it costs $10,000 today. Still, I think that the better choice would have been to put the $300.00 in an investment account designate it funeral expense.

As I told my co-worker about my calculators, she said that the most important thing is the $300.00 bought everyone peace after her death, and that is priceless. I am not one to argue with that line of thinking, so I let it drop.

At the same time, I started to think about this clever strategy on the part of the funeral businesses. What a smart idea! You sell something for dirt cheap, and you don't provide the service for decades later. You take that money to invest in your business or just simply invest in stocks or real estate, then when the customer wants the service, you have so much more money than what the service costs today!

Exposing My Dirty Little Secret

This is so shameful!

I am a smoker......there it is!

It's the worst Latte Factor out there, and yep... I am a smoker.

I quit in January, and just started again. Although I am only smoking 2 or 3 cigarettes a day, it's still smoking.

In my mind, I know that this is where I lose the most amount of money....Yikes!

My problem is that I enjoy it, and I can't seem to bring myself to care about the damages it does to my body. I love diving, and even that does not deter me from smoking :( The only reason I feel guilty about it is because it is costing me money. Then, I begin to think if I only smoke 2 or 3 a day, it is not costly me that much.

So, I have no plans to quit, at least not now. I am just not sure what to do......

P.S. Just to show that I am delusional about this whole affair, I found some sites where they sell cheap cigarettes. Wow, Marlboros for $12.00 per carton!! That's 10 packs per carton. What a great price! Yeah, I need help.