Friday, November 28, 2008

FREE CREDIT REPORT W/OUT USING A CREDIT CARD! EUREKA

Guess What! It is me again blogging. How long has it been? I don't think I can even count the days! For those that keep up with my blog, let me just say, MY LIFE HAS CHANGED so much in the last 6 months, and my future is now heading in many different ways. Long story, and will try to get around to blogging about it as soon as possible.

For those that are new to my blog, this is important information to read, as it has to do with credit and getting your credit online that is really free. Funny how I found this out reading where I took on a free 15 day membership with one that charges you after 15 days. I read their TOS and within their TOS, discovered I could get all three reports free. (By the way, I was just about to pay $24.00 with this particular credit report place when I found out, by agreeing to their TERMS of SERVICE. And low and behold, I assume by law, they gave a link where I can get this all free. LOL It does pay to read any and all of TOS within websites, as you can find out all kinds of good stuff without being ripped off, so to speak.)

I am sure that most all have seen the commercial where the young guy is always singing about his credit and how his life became screwed up by not checking his credit first. Singing songs about not being able to buy a car or marrying a girl before he checked what her credit was like, to give a few examples. He is SO CUTE, and I really liked the commercials.

As it has turned out, recently, I needed a credit report. So, off I trot my fingers to FreeCreditReport.com. Turns out, I was a ghost while trying to get my credit report, as I have not placed anything on my credit since 1996. 1996 was 12 years ago, and when they tried to identify me, I could not remember stuff. This was a headache, and ended up having to fax them tons of stuff to prove I was really me. I got a little irritated and ventured over to other free credit places (well, free for 15 days.) I was a ghost there also.

At these free credit reports for a certain amount of days, before you can get your credit report (and it usually only gives you only one out of three) you always have to give your credit card number to continue. I always make a date of when I do this, as I really do have intentions of canceling whatever I am doing, especially if I am just looking for something simple and not really interested in all their "Premium Memberships" that cost each month that I know I will never use.

OK, I see that I am running off at the mouth again I see, so I will get to the meat of this blog.

Here is a link where you can get your credit report for free once a year. You can access this link once a year for most states, and you are given 30 days to view or do whatever you need to do on the site. They DO NOT ask for a credit card to do so. (But be very careful, as there are links within this site where you might think they are part of viewing your credit and you would have to pay.) This site also allows you to do what the other paid sites let you do, such as disputing your credit, or changing things that are not correct on your credit file.

And the winner is************* Annual Credit Report Make sure you check out their toolbar at the top. Especially the FAQS. It is really informative and important.

I could just KICK myself in the BUTT for not finding them first. If you google Free Credit Report, they do come up pretty fast, but others come up before them, and they all say they are free until you get to the fine print of what all their memberships offer within your so many days time frame. Once you get to Annual Credit Report one is almost of the opinion that it is just another one like it or attached to it, as like I said before, some of the advertisements on the site can be misleading and take you to a paid membership site on credit reports.

In ending, I HIGHLY encourage anyone to check their credit, especially if it is really free. Main reason I say this as I have very little credit, but even in all three of my reports, I found out that several things were wrong within my credit report and therefore, disputed them. I also found out that checking my own credit did not count in ratio of having several places (credit cards, car loans, housing, medical, etc.) of messing up my credit score. (If your credit is checked a lot by places you are trying to get credit, then it can lower your credit score.) If something is wrong with your credit, then FIX it. Especially now with the economy in such a slump. On my credit report they had the residence I lived in back in 1999 as my last place of residence. OMG! LOL.
What made it really funny was they had all my other addresses listed as well, even the right dates, but still listed my 1999 address as my current address. (Well, I faxed them all the proof and information they needed. I guess they will now have a lot of new paperwork to do concerning me.)

Hope many read this blog and I hope this helps. See, many of the good things in life are free. Just gotta find them. Which is why I choose the word EUREKA as I am so happy I found this information.

Katie

Saturday, August 30, 2008

HURRICANE MEMORIES~LOADED THOUGHTS! GUSTAV?

KATRINA MEMORIES~LOADED THOUGHTS!

The title above is of a blog I wrote back in June, 2006. No reason to really click the link as I have done a complete copy and paste of it. Once you finish reading the blog, is the update of how this once again may happen. Another hot August day, but years later. Also, I will give links to update on this from what I have found, and the resembles of Katrina.

While I was working on my own personal goals tonight, my husband appeared with a magazine in hand in a demanding voice of “you love to blog, you must read this, as trust me, you will find time to blog on this.” I looked in his eyes, and he stood there with the pages open for me to read, and stood over my shoulder while I read the article. I should have know if was an article by National Geographic, as he reads them all. From the antique volumes to the new ones pressed in dates of 2006. And he reads them from front to back!

With him over looking me, I started to read the article. It started off describing a broiling hot summer day on a August afternoon, and forecasters warned of storms approaching that would hit the city of New Orleans. How it was forecasted and the devastation would unfolded. How the storm turned into a hurricane and the loss of life was involved. How the storm gathered speed and why people evacuated to higher ground. The story entailed how thousands remained in place, giving examples of the homeless, the car less, the aged and infirmed, as well as the die-hards that refused to go.

The article talked about how the devastation continued. How it hit certain areas in close relationship description of a nuclear warhead, pushing a deadly splurge into Lake Pontchartrain. How the waters of the lake broke away under the strength of the storm, flooding the city with unexpected waters. How it enveloped the city and destroyed the houses, and took away the bars and strip joints on Bourbon Street, and how it reached the entire city going over 25 feet while people rushed and climbed on roof tops to escape the fury.

The article went on to read about thousands drowning in the murky waters, and pointed out those that did now drown would die do to contamination of sewage and industrial waste, and how thousands of others would perish from the flood in regards to dehydration and disease while they waited to be rescued. How millions would be homeless, and thousands were dead and dying. How this was the worst disaster in the history of the United States.

He was expecting a reaction out of me, as he knew I had been watching CNN all day today on the Katrina disaster memories, and he is used to my tears that fall, but his point was strong as he knows me well and my emotions. He expected me to look into his face on the next line I read of “When did this calamity happen? It hasn’t-yet!” My first thought was, “Oh God, the possibility can happen again”


My husband took the book from my hand, and flipped it over for me to read the date. The date on the National Geographic magazine is October 2004. My insides and my body shook. We had already discussed this and knew this was reported on, but seeing this in such description in reality stunned me.

The article goes on to read that the doomsday is not far-fetched. That the Federal Emergency Management Agency list a hurricane to strike New Orleans as a dire threat to our nation. It even goes so far to say that Red Cross has a problem with hurricane shelters with claims the risk to workers is too great.

The article is devastating to read, as it brought back so many memories that touched the entire USA. And like with Tsunami, it reaches much further.

Jim, my husband deals with things different than me. While I cry and mourn on these things, his heart is heavy as he cannot stand the fact that people in power did not know this was going to happen and then it did happen, or if they knew the possibility of it, they refused to believe it, or own up to the fact so therefore passed the buck to stay clear of any blame.

Article is provided on the warning and prediction of trauma that did hit our USA and devestated so many lives less than a year ago, and their lives still continue to be stiffled, and hurt!
GONE WITH THE WATER~NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 2004

While the article of 2004 says so much that stands true in reality today, it breaks my heart to just go on. There was a statement in the article of why people will be broken forever, our wallets also suffer the problem as tax payers. And this could have also be avoided. When this happened, my last thought was a tax problem and my dollar spent as a tax payer, but what the author wrote gives me reason to think on this without guilt. When such a disaster happens to us, as a nation, as a caring respondent, our first thoughts are for the people that suffered. Our other thoughts come later. Reading the article will let you decide with your own feelings!

Katie

Date now is August 30th, 2008! Below!


Now here we are once again almost of what could be devastating news, and will hit in the early days of Sept. yet the same day as the Anniversary of Katrina, when the news of Katrina hitting New Orleans August 29, 2005.

I so hope this is not a repeat of Katrina and the devastation we saw back in Aug. 2005, but it could be. Many residents of Katrina have not even finished building the homes that they wanted to return to. The levy's are not even ready or strong enough as this takes so much time and money to finish and prepare for such another disaster. Streets and highways are already jammed and buses are already being loaded. At least the people are taking much more energy to realize the importance of such a disaster that can strike. There are tons of links of what is possible and what can happen. Many forecasters are even predicting that the storm surge can be higher than what Katrina brought. It really matters not if we are prepared for this or not, as it could very well be a reality of the repeat of Katrina with Gustav and with Hannah right behind it.

The news is pretty much updating every few minutes now of the possibilities of what can happen or expectations. Please see the links below. And once again, my thoughts and prayers are with all that might suffer from this, and as a nation as well should it come to this. Hugs to all, Katie

PREPARING FOR GUSTAV

GUSTOV NOW MAJOR HURRICANE AND PICKING UP STEAM!


GUSTAV TRACKING, Information, Wind, Surges, Forecasts, related issues(I consider this to be an excellent link as it gives so much valuable information)

Google research of "Gustav" will bring many more excellent links!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Recognizing Other Bloggers

Even while my life is busy, I have yearned to blog as a release from the complications of life, and decided to do some blog exchanges. The blog exchanges I do, I must feel they are worthy to blog about before wasting my time. Especially if the bloggers have something valuable to offer not just me, but readers as a whole. Trust me, I have turned down blog exchanges already.

Today, I was offered to do a blog exchange on Filipino Life Abroad. I was really impressed with this blog as it is pretty much close to the way I write when it comes to everyday life, my feelings of what is going on with me personally, plus this blogger also writes on things that could be informative to other readers. While the name of the blog is Filipino Life Abroad, her blog does not just cover subjects on life abroad, but also several interesting subjects or educating information. There is a touch of sweetness and soul searching also in some of her blogs, which I found very interesting. I am really glad I had the opportunity to give this blogger some exposure to my dedicated readers. Her writing style is really excellent, and it is evident that she puts a great deal of time and thought into her blogs.

I was also impressed with the widgets and other blog options such as interesting polls and a really neat video bar. It really dresses up her blog by placing these options here.

If you get the chance, visit her blog for some interesting blogs and information on other subjects. My Thoughts and Considerations is that Filipino Life Abroad has a great blog, and I will be back to visit her blog often!

Katie

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

LUCID DREAMS and Questions

I am trying to get back to blogging. I feel kind of out of touch with blogging, yet working on it and touching base with things I have written on before, regardless of how long ago it was. Which pretty much brings me to the blog of dreams, due to the fact that I have had lot of dreams lately, plus the subject of dreams have always interested me. I wrote a blog about dreaming and what it all means over a year ago called What Are Our Dreams Trying To Tell Us?, and a reader commented that I might be a lucid dreamer. My first reaction was "NO, that is not so", yet, I was ignorant to the fact of what a lucid dream meant, and thought it meant that I peed in my bed! OK, I am not the smartest tool in the tool shed at times, but I do pay great attention to educate myself to understand and research more on the subjects I write about, and with lucid dreams, I think I have accomplished some what of this.

Readers may ask the question, what is lucid dreams? This question was also one I wanted to know as well, and basically, the answer is being aware of what you are dreaming while in a deep sleep. The quality of lucid dreams can vary with individuals in many degrees, which in times can be exciting or frightening, depending on how you look or deal with your dream. At high levels of your dreams, if you are a lucid dreamer, you are pretty much aware of everything experienced in your dreams as if in real life so to speak, and the ability of handle it. If the dream scares you, you are capable to wake yourself up in efforts of not facing the trauma that it might have brought you otherwise from a sweaty and scary sudden wake up dream, realizing the reality that you are not in any real immediate danger, and safely tucked in the comfort of your own bed. For example, say you have a constant dream of going down a long hill of a road where it meets at a five points area with no stop signs available, and on the way down the hill, you see multiple car accidents, and all the gore, before getting to the bottom of the hill. With a lucid dream, you would be able to wake yourself before getting to the bottom of the hill, or if you wanted to, you could avoid the trauma of the bad dream and wake yourself up. Or you could take the responsibility within your dream to meet what your fears are at the bottom of the nightmare hill, proceeding through your fears as you go, and braving your way through the five points and onto the next road. Pretty much like a video game play, reaching the next level. The dream decision is yours, to take it to the next experience, or end it where you feel most comfortable. This is my opinion at least when it concerns lucid dreams, and how I try and work with them when I have that chance.

When it comes to lower levels of lucid dreams, this to me represents a level of being less comfortable and the ability in a degree concerning a dream world of what can happen or not, in relationship with depending on a choice inside the dream, which has not yet matured in a dream stage of lucid dreaming. Yet, I think this level of dreaming leads towards help and experience y with what will eventually be total lucid dreams that one (you) might experience at a later stage concerning your dreams in time. Examples of low level lucid dreams gives the dreamer the ability to fly or alter their dreams to fit their particular mood at times and in some cases I think, or this level of dreaming may find a map in comforting ways to the dreamer , yet also in these low level dreams, the realization of what they (you) are dreaming may not deliver the option to change or alter the dream. The dreamer may wake up in a cold sweat, fear of immediate conscious danger that is not real, before the dreamer realizes it is only sleep related. Yet, also at times, when they (dreamer, you, etc.) wakes up, the realization sets in that this was only a bad dream, finally apparent to the dreamer. Therefore, I think with that in mind, the dreamer will reflect with the knowledge given, that they are safe and have the ability to deal with their dreams and work with their dreams on a more comfortable level. At least this is true with me, and what I have accomplished in my own dream route.

I wanted to know more about the definition of LUCID DREAMS! The best description I found was given in the link provided, explains that lucid dreams are experienced by ones who are dreaming while actually knowing what they are dreaming, described by Frederik van Eeden, an exceptional link who also goes on to suggest that the word of "lucid" and in relationship to dreamers in a mental clarity, such as being in a midst of a dream and realizing the experience of being there, yet understanding it was not a real physical experience, but just a dream. My take on this, is that the dreamer is triggered or set off by the dreamer realizing impossible things in the dream, such as flying, meeting or fighting monsters, seeing ones they know are dead in real life, but are alive in their dreams, etc. With this definition and explanation, this pretty much describes me and what I have felt within my own personal dreams.

A great deal goes into the research of lucid dreaming, such as how far can lucid dreams be controlled, or are they related to out of body experiences, why one has lucid dreams, how it deals with adventure and the fantasy world in dreams relations, facing and overcoming nightmares, and the list continues, and with me, etc. means etc. as so much is given on the the Internet concerning these very questions. Thankfully the Internet is vast and stock full of many links and information to help dreamers understand more, as it is a very questioned subject.

I have given the most researched link that I found on the Internet to the readers in regards of information concerning Lucid Dreams. Many more links can be found on the Internet by using keywords of "LUCID DREAMS", and other keywords. It really is a very interesting subject! And with my take f lucid dreams, I give you my Thoughts And Considerations!

If you are interested in this subject and can find the time, check out the particular link I have given above on Frederik van Eeden , or do some research on your own!


Thoughts and Considerations from Katie, and her Logue!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Keeping Up With Life's Challenges

It has been a pretty long time since I have written a personal blog. I think about writing in my blog all the time and even have all kind of subjects listed in my journal of what I would like to write about. But my life has been so busy lately, that I have put blogging on the back burner somewhat. Good thing is that I do like the new challenges in my life, and look forward to them each day.

As I wrote about in a few previous blogs a couple of months ago, I joined a social networking site called Rotatrix Friends Network , or RFN for short. RFN has had some growing pains as any new fast growing site would have, which in return called for a lot of changes. One of the new changes was getting rid of the old administrators and replacing them with new ones. Any I am one of the new administrators there, along with my husband and two other people, who are very good friends of mine that I grew to know and love while I was Exec. staff at RFN. This position at RFN keeps us all on our toes, as so much needs to be done, and so many things are in the works, which is expected with so many members of almost 14,000 and still growing so fast. Thankfully, we all work so well together, and have accomplished a great deal within the network.

Besides RFN, and my regular personal life, I have been writing advertising blogs for Smorty, and I really enjoy the extra income from doing that, as it only takes me a few minutes to write the blogs. While there are several opportunities to write on, I only choose the ones that I feel comfortable with. It takes me longer to research the product I am going to write about, then writing the blog itself.

Other news in my life is that Renee, my daughter, will not have to return to Iraq. I am so happy that I do not have to worry and be stressed out about her being over there again.

Anyway, just letting the readers catch up with what has been going on in my life and why I have not been blogging much. I am hoping to get better organized in the future, and start back to my blogging on a more regular basis.

Hugs to all!

Katie
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