The Secret

Okay. Many people are skeptical about The Secret. I ask why? Why not be open to an idea, a philosophy about the way you think? We are bombarded with messages every day about polticial unrest, economic instability, our physical appearance, our everything...

In February 2007 my dear friend Ramon Fuertes told me about The Secret. I went home and watched a 20 minute into I found on google videos. I went to the local Thai place "Star of Siam" in Long Beach, CA for some takeout and went back home and bought the online version of the video.

I wanted to jump out of my seat. This made sense. What images and feelings you hold in your mind....often become your reality. So concentrate on holding images and thoughts of what you want.

I had a terrible job. I worked as a Senior Consultant for a Life Insurance company that should be known as Dinosaur of America. I worked for a VP who could never close any of my deals....but lambasted me for not being able to do so. I had always been told to lead by exampe....and here I was in a situation where GOLF would have helped me more than absolute skills. It was miserable.

So I focused on things I wanted. I wrote them down....and many things I accomplished.

I got my annual bonus.
I used it to pay my tuition to do a MBA in Paris, France.
I thus moved to France.
I got a job doing Marketing Consulting which I have continued to do part time online while studying.
I was recently promoted to Marketing Director.
I have a small flat in Paris
I have the cash to pay my way.
I have been able to travel a bit.
I'm happy
I'm healthy
I've overcome some obstacles in relationships....

When I'm stressed or a little lost, I put on The Secret. I put it in my PC DVD drive and listen while I work. Sometimes I go to sleep listening to it.

What can I say? Last year I hated where I lived in Los Angeles. I hated my job. I hated NOT working in marketing. I hated what I perceived as a lack of culture. I clearly wasn't happy. Oh and I was involved in a ridiculously BAD relationship.

A year later I can say, I'm nearly done my masters. I've gotten a promotion in marketing while studying abroad. I love the city I live in....well I wish my apt was bigger...but I did keep saying I didn't care if I lived in a shoebox..... What you say..... When visualising the scene of driving...I visualised driving in Paris. Well I'm not driving...I was tired of driving. But I live in Paris, and I walk along the streets I visualised. I love it.

I got out of the bad relationship. I realized why I got into it in the first place. I see relatioships in a totally different way.

I have lost almost 20 pounds. People ask how, I tell them the truth. I decided I was really a THIN person.

Sometimes I see my reflection and it makes me giggle.

When I watch movies like The Devil Wears Prada and I see Paris, I laugh hysterically and nearly cry...I LIVE IN PARIS.

The Secret...don't knock it until you have really really tried it.

Give it a shot. What is the worst that can happen. It kinda works? Even if it only "kinda works" you will still be better off, no?

Sometimes we are searching for people to tell us it will be okay. The Secret will tell you that. Listen to it over and over. Listen to it while you work, study, make dinner, try to fall asleep.....

Think about it. Philosophize about it. Give it a chance.....

...and then you can write a blog about how much better your life is.....

I live in PARIS!!!!!! (insert squeal here).

love

K

they have a great respect for THE almighty

I am disgusted that the President of the United States of America seems to value his rights to freedom of speech more than the constitution's notions toward separating church and state. laws cannot be formed based on religion - but he can freely speak his ideas. But to me, it is offensive for the President to stand at a disaster site and say these people will be okay because "they have a respect for the almighty."

to me, this is just as offensive of a boss favoring those who play golf or have a male anatomy. Yes, that I have endured in the workplace. But alas, there is a fine line between separation of state and slander...and I choose to be more respectful than the President of the United States of America.

Generally, many people in the western world take issue with Saudi Arabia's religious impositions on people - restricting their rights to free will and freedom of speech. But this President, who went to war for democracy and freedom....is just as guilty as his Saudi friends.

Is it too much to ask, President Bush, that you exercise some manners by respecting that not all who live in your country hold the same religious views? We are obliged to pay the same taxes, to abide by the same rules/laws. We do however have religious freedom. I do not believe in your God. But I have, however, minored in philosophy as a part of my Bachelor of Science at Eastern Oregon University. I have studied other religions. In fact, even growing up in the Roman Catholic school system in Canada, I studied Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity and many of its sects aside from Catholicism.

Just changing your words a little would be so much more embracing the freedom of the citizens of the country you are supposed to lead: they believe in "an" almighty. Sure say they have faith in a greater power. But "an" suggests there is only one, your's.

And by the by, I'm amazed at how many times you stammer and say "uh..." when you've had a few years of experience speaking to the world.

Well during the debates of Obama v. Clinton, I hope someone remembers when bringing up former President Clinton's escapades...many people believe there's reason to impeach bush too..

who's gonna sit in the oval office?

I must say i'm a little amused to read articles bemoaning Bill's quest for another trip in the White House via the election of Hilary. What's different between that and G DUB following his father? Clearly there's nothing in the US Constitution that places restrictions on running based on the presidency of relatives. Sure this influences the element of elitocracy that exists in American politics but its constitutionally allowable.

We should stop talking about Woman Presidents and Black Presidents and talk more about QUALIFIED candidates. What candidates will represent the Republic and all it's inhabitants? Who will repair the image of the nation and Americans to foreign states? Who will tell the truth about Iraq. Who will put Americans back on the agenda ahead of American politicians pork barrel buffets?

Who can bring about another record peace-time era during economic growth? Who can help stablize the economy? Who can do a job well enough to avoid the debauchery of Michael Moore?

The problem with finding good politicians is in the design of the beast. A certain amount of politicking is necessary to win. A theory of political science says that politicians must find what will make the largest contingency happy enough to vote for them; not to convince the population at large of what they REALLY want/need, steer them in that direction and somehow manage to capture their vote. The dreamers and passionates want the candidates to go out on a limb of truth, of courage. But scientifically speaking, that's unlikely to get them elected.

anaem medical for carte de sejours

sorry to tell you but it may make you feel like cattle. first i was rushed into a room for weight and eye exams. later disrobed from the waist up for a chest x-ray. then i had to meet with a doctor. the bad news...at 5'7" and 165lbs i was told to lose 25 lbs. i'm not sure i see where the 25 pounds will come from...but i will continue on my path of slimming down. the good news....i'm healthy. more good news...you will probably be reminded that there are free preservatifs (condoms) available. ahem!

persistence pays off.

sometimes you just have to persist. I had a vonage account for several years which I LOVED. Our relationship soured when i chose to move to another continent. For five months ...well actually about six months I tried to terminate my service. I tried to stop billing by AMEX....and I tried to email, write and call Vonage. It was really annoying. I finally submitted a complaint via the Better Business Bureau. Finally just now I received an email indicated my account was (finally) terminated that I refund was being issued. Oddly the song, "White Flag" by Dido was playing...when I got the email. I thought it was funny....persistence.

Thank you vonage for righting a wrong. I respect that.

at least someone understands - and Thank You Egypt

A direct quote from an article on CNN.com - John Ging, head of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency in Gaza, called the exodus "the desperate acts of a desperate people." http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/23/israel.gaza/index.html


hallelujah! Someone understands! They're not throwing rocks and making rockets because of their nature....they've been repressed, depressed, alienated ... for generations.

Palestine

Only a newspaper under the thumb of the Israeli Embassy's PR machine could print a story in which they say the only time that Palestine is on the front page is for violent acts and that the PR machine known as Hamas has outfoxed the Israeli's.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1705816,00.html?xid=feed-cnn-world

No, this is not the time to debate the name "Palestine". That said, the truth is that Israel keeps finding excuses to; build around Palestinians - suffocating them, refuse issue of building certificates and tearing down houses that are built without - all the while with many many still living in UN Refugee Camps, and (best of all) they continue their illegal occupation.

The truth is that the Palestinians are not an innately violent people. And the Israelis are not so peaceful. As long as Israel occupies land siezed in 1967 I will consider them the agressor. The state of Israel began as an idea, then a de facto state, then a torturer.

I say torturer because the "state" of Israel continues to suffocate the lives of Palestinians and all the while accuse them of being violent. Find me an intelligent person that wouldn't start to heat up and boil over when their everyday life was disrupted on many levels by a trumped-up de facto state created and sustained by funding of foreign countries...that stifles your economy, blocks your travel to employment and education, restricts water...while next door to you, in their de facto state....your Israeli neighbors have swimming pools, lots of drinking water, no travel restrictions.....ability to travel within their own de facto state and well...the world!

I don't think it is reasonable to expect an entire supressed people to live next door to such wealth and remain quiet and completely peaceful. Really! People in a poorer Los Angeles downtown city area were OUTRAGED by the lavish building of Our Lady of Angeles Cathedral adjancent to abject poverty. It's not surprising. If that causes such uproar....imagine the other.

And why oh why does America continue to fund Israel? You could say that since the US supplies weaponry and funding to Israel, that perhaps they should bow down to Lebanon and help build what Israel destroyed last year. Hey why not? If it wasn't for such funding by the US Israel would not be able to stand on its own two feet.

And here is my disclaimer: Anyone who starts thinking I am anti-semetic must stop that drama immediately. I am merely opposed to the philosophy of giving a safe haven to one people and as a result displacing others. Futhermore, those given the safe haven became the aggressors themselves. Well at least their government did. But it was more important that they had a country after all.
K