books, more books

My favorite bookstores are used book stores. I've been known to spend up to $100 at a time at any used bookstore. I love used book stores especially online used books outlets like Alibris.com. My bill at Alibris.com can rival my bill at Amazon.com. Right I'm reading about Sicily because I am making plans to visit Sicily next year. The offerings at Amazon is pretty thin but at Alibris, it's a different story. I love books by older authors. Clearly some of the best books were written by authors who lived long ago. My first book on Metaphysics was written by James Allen, "As a man thinketh". He opened the door to the vast collection of other writers in that genre including Ralph Waldo Emerson. It has given me power I have never felt in my life. It opened up new understanding, well, it was new to me. With greater understanding I am less puzzled. Being puzzled and being in the dark is a very painful thing. I came to understand myself and that is a freeing experience. I am no longer shackled to ignorance. It is a very powerful experience. I can be what I want to be. I can live how I want to, go where I want to and I'm doing just that. We are limited in our knowledge and experiences. Through reading we have access to other people's knowledge and experiences. With that knowledge, we can say to ourselves, I can do that and do it.

creative licence

This is what books can do for you. This is what a book did for me. I bought a book on how to give myself creative licence and guess what I've been discovering the artist in me. I always have color pencils and drawing paper with me especially when I travel besides my camera. Jim Rohn said in his book, take pictures, take lots of pictures. I do. He also said, read a book, read 2 books, have a library. Get a good idea from a book, get a few good ideas. I say, do something, start saving, start dreaming. Mary Engelbreit said, if you don't start, how are you going to get there? When you read, when you start doing something, you will discover your passion. Rick Steves took his first trip to Europe right after High School and discovered his passion, 30 years later his travel business does M$20 a year. Sometimes I'm afraid to look at my bank statements, not lately, not that there is more money but I want to face the issue of money head on. If there is a problem I don't want to defer it. Who's going to solve it but me? The sooner I do the better. It's the same with my expenses, my budget and my credit card statements. Make the money, save the money, having a little bit more money will allow you more creative licence.

favorite books

Again in "The adventure of Living", Paul Tournier said, God is a God of adventure and man is made in the image of God. It is only to man and not to other animals that God has imparted this spirit of adventure. And for life to be meaningful, it must be lived in this same sense of adventure. It is only a life lived in the Holy Spirit; it is only a life "hid in Christ" that this sense of adventure is sustainable. Often with earthly adventures, we soon get bored. The adventure is not sustainable. With the Holy Spirit, it is "each morning, new mercies we see!" The Holy Spirit renews and refreshes. Emmett Fox said, "the Holy Spirit doesn't do anything twice". I used to travel with a mind to see the world's oldest monument. I didn't think I would have fun just seeing cute little pastel colored buildings perched up against rocky hillside. Little did I know I would become enamored with the Italian Riviera.

books, books, books

Those who don't read will serve those who read.
I don't remember where I found these words. I should not only write down the quotation but also write down the source. I have notes everywhere just as I have books everywhere. I counted I have at least 700 books and the collection is growing. Reviewing my notes I have these written down, embolden, encourage, energize, comfort, Wow! Are these not powerful words? One book, besides the bible, is intrumental in changing my life dramatically. It motivated me to walk out of a marriage . I literally packed my bags and left and have never looked back however hard it was initially. That book is "The adventure of Living" by Paul Tournier. It's out of print but you can still find it in used book sources. I've owned 3 copies in my life and have 2 in my possession now. He said God is a God of adventure and it is only to man that He has given this instinct, not to the other animals. I began to question my own life, where is the adventure? Since then my quest in life is to seek the adventure of living and to continue living from one adventure to another.

not so cheap thrills

Here we are at the entrance of the Blue Grotto near the Isle of Capri, Italy. The row boats are collecting money. Then we were transferred to the row boats and taken into the grotto. It was thrilling but not cheap. I'm setting Microsoft Word to type out details of my trip and inserting this and many other photos. I think the photos are priceless. I've worker hard and saved hard to make trips like this possible. I'm now preparing for next year's trip to Sicily. It's been an incredible learning experience. Before I left on this trip I watched Rick Steves's program on Cinque Terre and then in less than a week's time I was there. I saw pictures of Matera and I was breathless when I actually stepped into the Sassi village. Years ago I watched Globetrekkers's program on PBS when one of their travelers went to Southern Italy and to Alberobello to see the trulli village. Little did I think then I would one day be at the same place. It's almost surreal. Five years ago, some friends and I decided we'll all go together to Provence. When the day came, one by one cancelled. I found myself going alone. Since then I've not stopped. This was my 10th trip in 6 years. Cin! Cin! Here's to life.

Cinque Terre, Italy

This was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy last March. It rained on and off and it was freezing cold. I love this kind of weather. It makes for more comfortable traveling. Southern Europe at this time is already warming up and it is as spectacular. The vistas were beautiful, the food fresh and excellent, the people were wardm and friendly. We stayed at hostels and at hotels, if possible we shared a common bathroom, toilet and shower. I'm not a young person but it didn't bother me to share accomodations with very young people. The US dollar is not worth much in Europe and airfares are high. So the only way to travel is as cheaply as possible, staying near train stations and taking the trains and going second class. This is so that I bring home pictures like this, quaint little Italian fishing villages, ancient ruins and Baroque churches. An american sitting next to us said the last time he was in Europe was 10 years ago. I couldn't make it through 10 months without being in Europe. I like Let's Go guide books. I use the internet all the time to make reservations and I take with me intructions on how to get to the hotel/hostels. I've always found them, after asking many questions. French rails have preprinted schedules which is very handy. You can find out when your stop is. Italian rail is different, if you haven't found out beforehand the name of the stop before yours, you'll be at a lost. Each time the train slows down I have to get up to ask a local the name of the stop, I do this till I find my stop. Sometimes there is an English speaking passenger on board who cold tell me how many stops more before mine. Traveling independently means one has to be outgoing, not afraid to make a fool of oneself. After 10 trips to Europe the past 6 years I have developed a very thick skin. As a whole having lived this long, I have developed a relatively thick skin. I'm loving it.

cinque terre, Italy

Vernazza, a really pretty fishing village in the Italian Riviera, and part of the cinque terre, a collection of 5 fishing villages, all linked by a hiking trail. It has been designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site. It's becoming popular among Americans after being publicized by 2 travel writers, Rick Steves and Rudy Maxa. On the day we were in Vernazza, there were a lot of Americans. We walked the whole 7 mles linking all 5 villages. Cinque terre actually is 5 lands in Italian. The first 2 trails linking Monterosso and Vernazza and Corniglia were extremely gruelling. The fact that it rained didn't help because it made the trails muddy and slippery. It was the most beautiful hike. I strongly recommend visiting and walking the whole hike. The hike from Corniglia to Manarola is easier. The hike from Manarola to Riomaggiore is the easiet and is dubbed "the lover's lane". The views are superb, the seafood is fresh caught and the wines are world class. It's a wonderful place under heaven. The people were really nice, they love visitors and what visitors does for their economy. It's also a national park and a fee has to paid to walk the trails and use the train service. Only the cinque trains can stop at 4 of the 5 villages.

Europe

I love Europe. I was in Italy and France last month, my 10th trip in 6 years. With each trip I get more daring and now look for more off the beaten path places in Europe. I went to Southern Italy, to the Adriatic coast. I feel I can now tackle Palermo and Sicily. So I'm going to save for Sicily next March. I bought this card at a little hilltop village outside of Nice. The town was St Paul de Vence. I remember my first trip to Nice, 5 years ago. I was scared to death and did not know what to do. I went into a travel agency to ask if they offered tours for the city. The lady told me in a very indignant manner to go to the bus station. She pointed in some direction. I went and found buses that went everywhere. I took the bus to Menton at the French/Italy border, to Monte Carlo and to the little hilltop villages outside of Nice, just for a little over 1 euro. The bus station in Nice was the best travel bargain in my books. This trip we took the train, an Italian train from Genoa, right into France and into Nice. How great is that, to have a Trenitalia train rolled right into Nice, France. Colleagues at work think I'm very rich. Rich, I'm not. I told them I'm on a Ramen diet so I can afford all these experiences. I don't go to the mall. I don't watch much TV. They say watching too much TV increases your appetite for buying thing. I remove all temptationof shopping from my life. I work in a drugstore and wear a white smock, so I spend very little on clothes, a few pair of knit pants and T shirts from Lands' End will last me a long time. I shop at TJ Max or Ross stores most of the time and even when I do I usually only check out their clearance racks. I'm so cheap, I just realize that. How else am I going to afford such wonderful European experiences? Have you seen the price of gas lately? The US dollar is like a third world currency abroad. It's nothing compared to the euro and the pound. I came back with a treasure trove of memories. For my recent itinerary and details, read my previous blog on how to obtain it. I shall be writing later on how to travel cheaply in Europe. The internet is a wonderful tool for trip planning. I'm not tech savvy. But I love the internet. I'm struggling with Word 2003 trying to write down details of the trip.

italian vacation

Here am I in Sorrento, Italy in March 2006. This is one of the results of hard work in saving and budgeting. Living a planned and deliberate life pays dividends that are so magnificent and sweet. The food was great. I've never tasted vegetables that were so wonderful. Carrots, tomatoes and lettuces tasted so sweet. They came straight from the fields nearby. Even a simple meal of Calamari Brace (grilled squid) tasted so wonderful. It was the first time I had Arancini. I found it at a road side stand in Naples. It's actually a Sicilian dish. All it is fried rice balls with stuffing in it usually a meat sauce stuffing. It cost around 1 euro. Two of them makes a meal. The sights were magnificent, the Sassi caves in Matera, the trulli villages of Alberobello and the Baroque churches of Lecce leaves one breathless. Not to mention the energetic hikes of the Cinque terre. We stayed in hostels wherever we can. For some reason we seem to think that as we age we should travel in greater style. I've read articles where the traveler stayed in hotels costing $200. Maybe they can because the magazine pays their expenses. To the rest of us who has to foot the bill ourselves, hostelling is the way to go especially with the shrinking value of the US dollar. For details on how to travel cheaply and how to live with more dash than cash, continue reading my blog.

books/words

People read too many dull and trashy magazines and books. How do you find and use your inner power?
How do you prosper with such a poor diet of words? How do we find if all we read is about celebrities? How is Paris Hilton's daily escapades going to change your life? How are you going to make those glorious changes to your life? By reading. Someone once said, you are what you read. You are what your mind thinks about all the time. You need a good diet of words every day. This is more important than food and clothing. You need a diet of bible verses every day that can empower and embolden you. Without it, you'll be lost in this world of negativity. The word of God becomes a shield to protect you against negativity and becomes a weapon to rid your life of entrenched negativity. God then inhabits you to bring into your life the glorious fruits of your labor. You can than become a spiritual warrior.

vacations

Vacations. My most favorite subject. I scrimp and save all year long just so I can afford at least one European trip a year. I just came back for a 2 and 1/2 week jaunt in Italy and France taking me to the south of Italy and the south of France. It's been an amzing and exhausting trip so full of new experiences of food, people and places. I met with locals and other fellow travelers and all are as inspiring as the other. I ate food that I've never had before or even food that I had before tasting so much better because of the simplicity and freshness. I love Europe. They take less for granted. They make do with what they have and that's really the epitome of fine european style. We pay a lot of money to imitate that lifestyle. Theit furniture is naturally old andchipped while we distress new furniture to make it look old. It's quite laughable. For a detailed description with pictures send $10 to Anne, 3782 Moore St, Los Angeles, Ca 90066. For this trip I probably spent $2,000, airfares and train and ferry included and had fun and experiences that far exceeds $2,000 worth. It's confidence building. This was my 10th trip tp Europe in 6 years. Do it yourself travel is very exhausting and not for everybody but if you are willing to take up the challenge you won't do it any other way. A caveat. Do it alone or with just one other person. Too many people traveling at different paces will ruin the fun.

vacation

I love vacations. Here am I in the lavender fields in Provence, France during a 2004 trip. I shall be leaving for Italy in a few hours. The culmination of a lot of extra work hours and brutal budgeting. This trip was planned a year ago and even now as I take this trip I'm planning for next year's trip to China. I am looking into ways to make this a business so I can make some money to help pay for these trips. "Considering life's brevity, we should travel abundantly with great enthusiasm" Peter Megargee Brown.

Everything has to do double duty in my life. I went into a junk shop the other day looking for a little bookcase for the side of my bed. I told the owner that my furniture has to double duty. She asked what I wanted them to do, sing for me? I don't mind if they could, I said, but the bookcase would hold the books I read in bed while acting as a bedside night stand. So I travel with an ulterior motive, makes it a lot more fun and more than justifies the expense.

I will not be making any entries while I'm away. I need to learn how to blog on the road. I'll resume in 2 weeks when I get home.

decorating on the cheap 3

I feel almost guilty living in Southern California. It's the promise land much like the Cotswold in England and the Cote D'zur in France, as someone had said. While others in the rest of the USA are battling wind, sleet, snow and rain we are enjoying the most fabulous weather. What else do we need but an old straw hat, a cup of tea and a stack of books to while away these lovely days. It all cost almost nothing. When I'm home I never want to leave. I guess it's important to create a lovely space at home so we won't be tempted to go to the mall or other places of entertainment. Saves a lot of money this way. I paid $75 for each of these french garden chairs. One of my neices was horrified that I paid so much for chairs that are old and rusty. "but they are old and rusty" were her exact words. I still love her. Maybe it's time to clean house, clear out the ugly stuff, have a garage sale, don't put anything in storage. Or else make do with what you have, add some cute touches here and there. Create a lovely place and enjoy those solitary moments. For me these moments are incubators for my dreams that I'm right now living out.

Decorating on the cheap 2

Fantasy bedroom. The mattress was free, a discard from my brother when he got married and moved in with my sister in law. The bed frame, head and foot board cost $200 came a local furniture store. The picture frames were expensive but the pictures were cut outs from perfume boxes and decorative fabrics. There is also a dresser and a full lengthmirror
which cost a little bit more. They were from Betsy Cameron, a children's furniture line. I chose them because they were prettier than the adult furniture. I don't own anything from Ikea, in fact, I haven't shopped at Ikea in over 10 years. I prefer to look for odd pieces that I like and would enjoy.

decorating on the cheap

Some people have gone into serious debt while decorating their homes. I have heard of folks buying expensive sets of furniture. The new junk style or shabby chic style while not entirely cheap allows one to afford furniture with time. We don't hav to plonk down thousands of dollars for a bedroom set or a dining room set. Case in point, my home, it took almost ten years to get to here. I buy a piece of furniture every now and then. I bought a pine tablet from Pottery Barn 10 years ago and 10 years later I have 6 dining chairs all painted in various shades of white and they look so adorable.
I read in a magazine article once about a lady who had some really cute stuff in her house. She said she didn't spend a penny more $10,000.00. I beat her record, I think I spent much less than that. Over the next few weeks I will lead a tour around my house. We've got to rethink the way we shop and spend money. The money I save goes to pay off my mortgage at an accelerated rate, it goes into my Schwab one account and finances my yearly European jaunts.

more fun, with less

If I were to write a book on how to pinch pennies and make financial sacrifices, no one will probably buy the book. Everyone will probably winch and turn away and postpone making hard choices for another day. The fact of the matter is we can have fun and a lot of fun with next to nothing but the bright sunny day, the green grass, the pretty flowers, the birds chirping and even with the crows gawking overhead. I have spent many weekends pottering around my house enjoying my own company and not spend a cent. It's so much more fun because I would not have spent a dime, or fight traffic (use up a lot of gas) and bump into like minded people(dreaded). This is my life's work, to find ways of economizing and still have a ball. I'm a college graduate with a six figure salary. After paying taxes and fica, there isn't enough to pay for what I want to do more of, to travel a lot. So I've taken on the vocation of squeezing the penny till the president on the penny winch in pain, and still have fun and not feel deprived. I want to be able to afford my own home, drive a reasonably new car, entertain, give gifts and most of all, travel. This dream life is very similar to what a lot of you have on your minds and hearts. We want to do it all without getting into a deep financial hole. In other words have a lot of fun without getting into financial disaster. I want to be able to do it all now. I don't want to wait till I'm 65 to travel. I don't want to rent forever. When I have a house I want to be able to afford it- the payments, taxes, insurances, maintenance and improvements. I want to be able to entertain friends and family. Most of all I want to be able to pay off the house. I want to be able to do it all without any assistance from the credit card companies. We all know what the means when the credit card companies finances our lifestyle. I hav been blessed the credit card companies don't figure into any of my plans at all. It's a lot of hard work and involves a lot of creativity that I decided it is fun to share these secrets with everyone.

Grass greener on other side? Not!

I'm in my backyard, under a mild wintery Southern California sun, preparing an entry for my blog. I have an old straw hat on and I'm sipping ice cold ginger ale. Mind you, its the first week of March and I'm dressed (in shorts) and behaving like it's summer time in the Rockies. Am I in Hawaii or in Mexico? No, I'm living in Southern California. Life doesn't get any better than this. I am living the life of my dreams, owning real estate near the Pacific Ocean and loving every minute of my life. Years ago I was determined to live the life of my dreams. I was determined not to be anvious of other people. I was determined to live in the moment- while at work, to put all of me to work, while with my family, to be all there for them and with them, not wishing to be with someone else or be somewhere else, while at home alone, to enjoy my own company. I was determined not to be encumbered with debt. Debt is the biggest lifestyle crimper. First do not incur new debt, next pay off existing debt. I am a strong believer in the age old advice, "use it up, wear it out or do without". There are many ways we can reduce our expenses. Lately on weekends I have resorted to taking the bus to and from errands, I don't drink Starbucks coffee or eat their scones. Instead I go to a generic doughnut shop for coffee and muffins. I used to cook elaborate meals but not anymore. I don't remember when I last shopped for clothes. I buy makeup at a drugstore (I work for a drugstore). I don't have cable, VCR or CD or DVD players. Every month after paying my mortgage, I send a cheque to my Charles Schwab brokerage account and every so often I buy some stocks. Every year (sometimes twice) I take a trip to Europe. I eat authentic French food in France, authentic Italian food in Italy. I don't what they serve at Donald Trump's wedding or at White House state dinners or at the Oscars' parties. For entertainment I read. I love travel essays. I write a lot too. I have scribblings on every subject on note pads all over the house. Lately I discovered blogging and this blog keeps me busy and occupied. In 7 days I shall be leaving for a 2 week vacation in Italy. It's a wonderful life. Make your life wonderful too.

financial literacy

I watched Robert Kiyosaki (Rich dad, poor dad) on public television last night. I like Robert Kiyosaki's insight. In life, we must do due diligence. We must be diligent in being well informed. This way we can make informed decisions. The more knowledge we have, the better are our decision making abilities. So many people have gone out and done great things (sometimes by trial and error) and have left wonderful written records. Jim Rohn said, we must read a book or read 2 books, better yet hav a library. We get ideas from reading. A good idea will get us on the right path. A few good ideas and we'll be prosperous. I own a few good books, many of them I have gone on to reread many times. Someone once said, a book is a present one can open again and again. I remember once I was spurned by a guy I liked, turned out he's gay. I went and reread David Bach's book 'Smart women get richer'. I remembered I felt much better. It healed my broken heart. I had no reason to waste precious time and energy on a love that will never be. There are more pressing matters in life like how to proceed on the way to financial freedom. I have read and reread many times the major works of Napoleon Hill. I like Robert Kiyosaki's series, 'Rich dad poor dad'. Even though I don't invest in real estate, I agree with his views about what an asset really is, an investment that puts money in your pocket. I agree with him on the importance of financial literacy and to start learning it while one is young. I also like Jim Rohn. Being a christian I have an extensive collection of bible commentaries. I like vintage William Barclay. He is the epitome of an educated man. Modern writing is too much fluff. We need to read older books like Ralph Waldo Emerson. Amazon.con and Alibris.com are excellent sources for older used books. I've found many out of print classics from these 2 book sellers. It's expensive to collect books but if one budget for it, one can amass a good collection. Mind you, one can reread all these books. Even used books are not cheap. Used books can be an expensive habit. I do without a lot of other things just so I can afford books.

a good realtor

While not all realtors are bad, there are good ones. To sell a house be sure to chose an aggresive realtor. Star, my realtor, who sold my house, was a 'star'. While I was out, she came to my house (the outside) took pictures and had brochures ready when we sat down for the interview. She took the initiative, she hasn't even sign me up as a client. She suggested a price that knocked me off my rockers. I reiterate, when selling your house, be sure to interview a few realtors. The good ones will stand out, they'll be hungrier than the pack and more aggresive. It could mean the difference of tens of thousands of dollars. In my case about $45,000. I knew a friend who listed her house almost the same time I did. She had pity on a new realtor who hasn't made any sale yet and had her house priced too low. I estimate she lost at least $80,000. This makes a huge difference in your next purchase. With more money I went out and bought the house of my dreams. Today I live in an adorable little house pretty close to the Pacific Ocean. Today I am at peace. I travel to Europe every year and am continuing on my personal track to financial freedom. I have dreams of doing bigger things. How did I get here? How did I rise above the ashes? Stay in touch and come visit with me.

5 years later

Today 5 years later, I am still in love with my house. How did I get this far financially after a few devastating financial setbacks. First major one was my divorce and without help from a lawyer I gave up rights to a lot of the financial pile which I made the most contribution to. I made twice what he made when he worked. The second major setback was after liquidating a stock portfolio of $150,000 before the tech bubble, I put $80,000 into a business venture with family and never saw a cent return. I was stuck with a $20,000 capital gains tax bill. When it was time to pay the tax man, I had to charge it on my credit card and then apply for a home equity loan to pay off the credit card bill. A lot of people probably would not be able to get through such devastation. It was a shamefull experience. It's been 7 years and I am only just now able to talk about it. I remember one lonely night, on my knees in the sitting room, praying this prayer. "I want to prosper, Lord, prosper me" as big tear drops trickle down my cheeks. He answered my prayers beyond my wildest expectation.