08May 2012 by CJ

Bad experiences remind us there are no mistakes just lessons

Information & Education, Life & Living
Victoria Holt once said, "Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience." Sadly, sometimes they are bad experiences. I've been having that problem lately. After six years at a very secure job, I decided to take a chance, a risk, and try something new and more befitting of my skillset. Believe me, it was not an easy choice. Should I do what was safe or take a chance in the hopes that I was entering a new phase of my life filled with opportunities? Sadly, after several months, I realized I was deceived by this new opportunity and found myself unsure of what the future would hold for me. I started to grow angry with myself for making such a poor decision - for leaving the…
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07May 2012 by CJ

To reinvent ourselves you must be open to possibilities

Life & Living
There are times in everyone’s life when we discover that the only way to bring about a positive change is to reinvent ourselves. To change what's comfortable and explore something new. Now I’m not saying to radically change who you are and what you’ve become. But rather to look outside your comfort zone and understand that many times “change” can lead you down the path of opportunity. Complacency can be a dangerous word. It provides us comfort and security, but oftentimes leaves little room for us to grow and find our true happiness in life. Change is an unknown reality - no one is arguing that point. But once you set aside the fear and anxiety so many of us feel over trying something unfamiliar, you’re allowing your life the…
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03May 2012 by CJ

Feeling emotionally down can sometimes be rectified with a brisk walk

Life & Living
There are two things you can do when you’re feeling emotionally down – you can either succumb to the feeling while sitting on the couch in a vegetative state or you can try to build up some positive energy with a little light exercise. Today, I was feeling emotionally down and facing such a decision. Feeling pretty low, I reviewed the above choices and was leaning towards the vegetative state. But deep down I knew I needed to get out and try to make something of the day. So, I grabbed my iPod and went for a stroll around town. It wasn’t a particularly sunny day – mainly cloudy and cold, which didn’t help me feeling emotionally down. I had no planned route in my head. I just went wherever…
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01May 2012 by CJ

Standardized testing shouldn’t be the only measure of knowledge

Information & Education, Youth
There’s been a lot of debate surrounding how to measure a student’s success in the classroom – standardized testing being the only answer anyone can seem to come up with. I’d like to quote the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences, which issued a report from its Board on Testing and Assessment. “…a test score is not an exact measure of a student’s knowledge or skills…no single test score can be considered a definitive measure of a student’s knowledge.” And yet America continues to view standardized testing as the only determination on how effective a teacher has been in the classroom or how intelligent and advanced a student might be. I consider myself fairly intelligent, yet I can tell you without fail that I’m a terrible…
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30Apr 2012 by CJ

Do-it-yourself projects are fine but know when to cut your losses

Information & Education, Life & Living
When I was younger, my grandfather and my father provided me with invaluable knowledge about home ownership – most notably the endless array of do-it-yourself projects. I consider myself fairly handy and willing to try just about any do-it-yourself projects, within reason, before picking up the phone to call the professionals. I’ll admit there’s a certain feeling of gratification in knowing you’ve successfully completed a project and thus saved yourself a little cash is the process. But there are just some things I should not attempt and that’s plumbing work. You’d think I’d have learned my lesson by now, especially given the fact that last year it took me two days to replace the faucet on my bathroom sink. But pride often prevents us from stepping back and looking at…
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