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I’ve noticed that the nastiest things said about me are said by me, I have a way of depressing myself with my thoughts and what I say out loud when no one else is around. That’s when I have to stop and listen to what I have been thinking and saying. Be accountable and know that what I am saying must have been in my heart a long time, maybe from long ago. Well, that was then and this is now. Now I know better. I know that I have more power over my life than anyone else does – not matter what they say to me or about me. Today, as soon as I get up, I ask God to bless the day – me – my family – my friends – my job – my food – my home – my train ride to and from work- even my hair. I do this on purpose – I make myself do it. When I forget – I sometimes begin to think about all that is not right. So I really try to remember – it only takes a couple of seconds – but it is so powerful. The time and money to be saved – stop knocking myself and expecting a doctor to fix me – so I try to remember to do the work myself and know that God will bless the work. Even if I have to talk to myself like a child – the way I console my grandchildren when they are hurt and crying – lovingly and with encouragement. So I say it on purpose – I am blest – I am thankful and I’m saying so.

www.joycemeyerministries.org

Dining, Travel

Bentley Hotel – What A View

August 16, 2011September 3, 2012

It is always a pleasure to go out with good friends. But the best pleasure is to go out with good friends and have a great time.

This past Saturday that is exactly what we did. My husband and I, along with our friends, Bobbi-Ann and Carmine, went to the Rooftop, at the Bentley Hotel.

New York at its finest

The elevator took us up to the 21st floor. We all were suprised to see that the Rooftop was not as big as we imagined it. The hostess sat us in a corner booth.

WHAT A VIEW!

The 59th street bridge looked so majestic from our advantage point, as it stretched across Manhattan into Queens.

Right along side it the Tram. Transporting people to Roosevelt Island.

As the Manhattan skies darkened and the lights became brighter you cannot help but see why New York is New York.

At the rooftop Bobbi-Ann and I ordered a Bentley Margarita. Something different and definitely a drink to have again. I cannot recall the name of the drink which Carmine ordered, but my husband never sways from the usual…beer.

From this height we could see roof tops…tar beach, but no tar here

This sleek, black building had us guessing… an apartment house or a hotel? We voted apartment house.The night did not end at the Bentley. We headed on down to Brooklyn to have dinner. Yes, drinks, food, laughs, and good friends. What more can you ask for.

Oh, thank you, Travel Zoo, for offering a voucher to the Roof Top at the Bentley hotel.

product review

Soda Stream It

August 16, 2011August 15, 2011

Seltzer water at it’s finest…easy and fast…even Natalie liked it. So stop paying for selzer water, when you can pour it from your own faucet.

Go ahead SODA STREAM IT!

http://www.sodastreamusa.com/store.aspx

money

Get Out Of Debt

August 15, 2011September 3, 2012

In 1949, New Yorker Frank McNamara finished a business dinner and realized he’d left his money at home. Frustrated, McNamara came up with the idea for a card that could be used in place of cash at restaurants. Soon, Diners Club, the first widely used charge card, was born. The idea of deferring cash payment caught on: In 1958, American Express issued its first charge card, used mainly for travel and entertainment. Eight years later, the BankAmericard became the first that allowed you to carry a balance. Nowadays, 54 million U.S. households carry some form of credit card debt.

1. Stop charging. Easier said than done, so try this: “Figure out your hourly pay by dividing your annual income by 2,000, the average number of hours an American works yearly,” advises Manisha Thakor, coauthor of On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl’s Guide to Personal Finance. When you want to buy something, calculate how many hours you’d have to work to afford it. “Factor in that it will cost you nearly double if you’re only making the minimum payments,” she adds. “I promise, you’ll spend less.”

2. Create a plan. Calculate what you owe, whom you owe it to and how much interest you’re paying, suggests Ulrich. Pay the minimum on all your cards except the one with the highest interest rate. “Every month, throw as much money as possible at that card,” she adds. “Once it’s paid off, take that amount and add it to what you’re paying on the card with the next highest interest rate, and so on.”

3. Negotiate. “If you have good credit, call your credit card company and see if they’ll lower your interest rate,” suggests Ulrich. Also, go online to see what rate they’re offering new customers. “If they’re charging you more, find out why,” she says.

4. Consolidate. Have several cards? Transfer the balances onto one with a low interest rate—but only if you can make payments on time, says David Bach, author of Debt Free for Life. “If you’re late, the rate on that card could go up to 30 percent,” he says.

5. Seek the right kind of help. Consult the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, says Ulrich. For a small administrative fee, they’ll set you up with a counselor who can help manage your debt. Avoid consolidators who charge for their services—it could be a scam. Often they recommend stopping payments to coax card companies into settling, explains Bach. “This will ruin your credit and there’s no guarantee your credit card company will even work with these organizations.”