by sweetcherry on Sunday, December 21st, 2008 | Diary, Inspiration, Relationship | 1 Comment

I received a phone call from a friend. She said she’s feeling bored and lonely.

Is it during the holidays that, when single, people tend to feel lonely and bored. Even if they are happy not being in a relationship, they still want to find a companion during the holidays.

Some say … “It can be a tough experience to be single, in general, and can become even tougher during the holidays.This is the time of year that people really settle in to spending time with their significant others, spouses, relatives, and friends.”

If you are currently not in a relationship, holidays can be a lonely time. You might feel a little isolated from friends who might be spending time with their significant others, family, or other friends. As if everyone is enjoying the holidays with their significant others without you.

Here are some tips for you, who’s single and wants to get through the holiday season ASAP:

- Plan or arrange an event ahead of time. For example: inviting your friends over for dinner or going to a friend’s house for dinner or Christmas party. You may also want to consciously plan a sacred time for yourself. Whatever it is, make sure you will enjoy it and have a good time.

- Make sure you retain any traditions or holidays experiences that are valuable to you. This can be exchanging gifts with your friends, baking cookies, or even drinking party (LOL)

- Make sure you do what YOU want to do; not what everybody else wants you to do. Many people think that single people do not have anything to do during the holidays. (maybe it’s true? maybe not .. ) So, many of us, singles, will get called to do extra chores, shopping, or do baby-sitting for our relatives. If you are OK with it, then fine, just do it! But if you do not feel like doing them, please say NO and do what you want to do.

- Being single in the holidays can be really fun if you are feeling good yourself and looking your best. So, dress up, go out, enjoy, and meet new people.

- Plan a getaway trip during the holiday season. Having something to look forward to can ease the feelings of loneliness which might creep up during this time. There are some options on the World Wide Web for you; just search it on our largest search engine; GOOGLE

Whatever you decide to do, please enjoy your holiday season!

When you’re at your best, that’s when your chance meeting new people is the biggest! (at least I think so)

Tags: advice for singles during holidays, being single during holiday seasons, single during holidays, singles during holidays

by nate on Sunday, December 14th, 2008 | Diary, Family, Friendship, Inspiration, Knowledge, Life, Love | 3 Comments

New Year Resolution list by Amazon

New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to
follow through on those changes. Did your New Year resolutions make our top ten list?

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.

2. Fit in Fitness

The evidence is in for fitness. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.

3. Tame the Bulge

Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese by recent studies, so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the key to success for those millions of Americans who made a New Year’s commitment to shed extra pounds.

4. Quit Smoking

If you have resolved to make this the year that you stamp out your smoking habit, over-the-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. Even if you’ve tried to quit before and failed, don’t let it get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life!

5. Enjoy Life More

Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that “enjoying life more” has become a popular resolution in recent years. It’s an important step to a happier and healthier you!

6. Quit Drinking

While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once. Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey but do much better when they taper gradually, or even learn to moderate their drinking. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available.

7. Get Out of Debt

Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It’s a promise that will repay itself many times over in the year ahead.

8. Learn Something New

Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you’ll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year’s resolutions to keep.

9. Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year’s resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.

10. Get Organized

On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, these tips and resources should get you started on the way to a more organized life

an useful clipping article taken from about.com

Tags: 2009 new year's resolution, new motivation, New wish, new year's resolution, spending time, Top Ten New Year's Resolution

by winstonian on Thursday, November 27th, 2008 | Diary, Life, Uncategorized | No Comments

so i went to the union rescue mission. and man it stunk. if you thought fires were bad, how about thousands of homeless people in line to get food. thousands of people who haven’t had a bath in a long time. i thought i was going to breathe in a virus. i held my breath a lot. there were these bright orange balloons, i think 20th century fox was sponsoring the event. there were dozens of volunteers wearing “Horton Hears a Who” orange shirts. gross. but there were jumpers for the kids and rock climbing activities. there were also basketball shoot-a-rounds. the food looked good, but i didn’t try anything.

Tags: FOX, homeless, social activities, union rescue mission

by nate on Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 | Diary, Life | 1 Comment

News Story:La Times

The boncherry team were doing a weekly-work in one of our studio satellite to enhance the site, when suddenly the electricity black-out happened. With full of curiosity since the black-out is sorta abnormal to happen in United States, especially California, the boncherry team were out at the patio to see what was happening. The sky was orange on one side and it caused the team to rushed down to the street; both worried and excited to know the happening. After talking a rush-walk of 8.5 blocks away, we would like to share with you what we saw live and fresh: (captured by G1 phone)

Updated info:

ALHAMBRA — A four-alarm fire torched several buildings near 3rd and Main Tuesday night.

The cause of the blaze was unknown. Several residences and business were without power when the fire broke out.

The blaze apparently started in a condo or apartment complex that is under construction at 101 North 3rd Street. Several other buildings appeared to catch fire as well.

The building is a three-story structure that has been under construction for several months, according to John Kabala, assistant Alhambra Fire Chief. The building was a total loss, Kabala said.

Firefighters from Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Monterey Park, Glendale, Pasadena and Los Angeles County responded to the three-alarm blaze, officials said. The amount of damage caused by the blaze was unknown. Nine fire companies responded to the blaze, Kabala said. There were no injuries or fatalities, Kabala said.

A senior center next to the complex was evacuated. One woman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, Alhambra Fire Chief Bruce Stedman said.

An apartment building to the south was also damaged. Two other buildings suffered minor damage.

“This fire went excellent for what the firefighters were faced with,” Stedman said.

Cars parked nearby suffered damage as well.

Main Street between 5th and 3rd was crowded with bystanders watching the fire.

including the boncherry team …

see full story here

The structure near Alhambra High was under construction. Firefighters battle to keep the flames from spreading to adjacent buildings. Fire engulfed an apartment building under construction in Alhambra late Tuesday.

Los Angeles County firefighters battled to keep the flames from spreading to adjacent buildings in the vicinity of West Main and 3rd streets. The apartment building, not far from Alhambra High School, appeared to be a total loss.

Tags: absenta, alhambra, alhambra ca, alhambra fire, building on fire, construction on fire, fire, fire in alhambra, javier cardenas, main st.

by winstonian on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 | Diary, Life, Uncategorized | 8 Comments

A community is wonderful, like the boncherry community, but first of all, what is a boncherry? IS it like French for good cherry? And I do enjoy a virtual community, but even more than that I’d love a human personal community! So who are the mysterious bloggers behind boncherry? That’s what I’d like to know. I think the boncherry community is fantastic, I just don’t want to lose friendships–

I love making great friends, but I hate the potential of losing them. Unfortunately friendships are conditional. They may even be based on how well a blogger writes, or the types of picture he posts. Or how he looks, smiles and shakes your hand. Even in the most ideal of worlds, friendships don’t last and few people can be there when it really hurts, when you want these “friends” the most and usually receive not what you anticipated. 

Au mon dieu, Jagshemash.

Life hurts, but sometimes it’s a good hurt, cuz it feels like I’m alive. Mes amies? I’m really lucky to be a part of this. Really lucky.

by winstonian on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 | Business, Diary | 1 Comment

I had a chance to see how small business owners in South LA are coping financially.

Kim Tildon said in her rasta store, “At this event, my husband’s bottom teeth got knocked out as he tried to detain two robbers at a festival. They knocked his teeth out with marbles.”

That sounds bad. But what’s worse? The cost to replace those teeth. Tildon said it could cost a total of $6500. Tildon only makes $200 on a good day. So her husband’s teeth will have to wait.
And so will his confidence.

“He used to really love talking to people. But he doesn’t feel like talking to people anymore. He’s lost his security.”

The slumping economy has also taken a bite out of Tildon’s health.

“It’s affected us, we can’t buy health insurance, so we have to rely on state benefits. My husband has no insurance.”

Chew on this: Just down the street, Elizabeth Oliva is losing her dream. She wanted to bring her daughter to California from Guatemala.

She says she doesn’t know what to do if they fire her from her current job. She was just laid off from another business owner who couldn’t afford to pay his staff. Her friend Carmen works at a clothing store near Tildon’s.

“I can’t get organic food. It’s just too expensive.”

Evidence has shown organic food to be more nutritious and healthier than non-organic.

Ross department store worker Diedre Grisham has a hard time swallowing just how bad her situation has become.

“They’ve cut some of our store hours down. It bothered me because I can’t buy as many things. I can’t get as much as I would like to. I have to wait check to check,” she said.

To cope, she takes public transportation to and from work. One thing workers haven’t lost is their sense of humor, which I was happy to see.

Tags: cope with economic crisis, small business owners coping economic crisis

by winstonian on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 | Diary, Life | No Comments

I think I’ve always underestimated the power of the written word. And I think that’s what makes blogging so invaluable. I grew up thinking that the Asian path to success went through the road of becoming a doctor or lawyer, and when I grew older, and Engineer. But who would have thought I could make money as a writer, that writers have a craft that is also always in development.

So I’m really lucky. I feel really tired but lucky, nonetheless.

Tags: blogging, writer, writing