Health Care Reform Live Stream

Since my background is in Health Insurance, I have been following this pretty closely.    I watched this and would like to share the link to the White House web site where you can stream the video for the Bipartisan Meeting on Health Reform.  If you watch it, I will say that you should let it buffer a little bit as it keeps stopping.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

Go watch it.  Now.  

Best,

J

T-BALL! Guide to register

My son is 5 and loves baseball.  So today I decided to look into signing up for T-Ball.  There is a league at the Recreation Center in our neighborhood.  However, I want to try and assistant coach so I looked into other options.  If you live in Philadelphia the best site I found is:

http://www.fairmountsports.org/

This site has online registration.  Once you complete this form you will then have to print it out and send them the fee which for under 12 is $100.

The recreation center in my neighborhood cost $25.00 or $50.00 depending on the age.

An informative site that you can go to learn more about the game is:

http://www.teeballusa.org/

My son got really amped when he saw little kids playing on this site.  We talked about the website and read the rules together.  It was really fun!

GOOD LUCK!

J

DIVORCE: Keep your chin up when packing

5 years of marriage, a house, and mounds of memories.  How does one separate these things when moving and keep a positive attitude?  It's hard.  I've been "packing" for a few days now and tonight it's time to pack the kitchen.  Who would have thought that this room is THE room that is stirring my emotions?  This room is making me want to stop packing and cry.  Cry not because I am getting a divorce but cry because leaving something I built is hard.  For me, this has been the longest I have ever lived in a home.  Sometimes emotions can be overwhelming and leave us with a sense of paralyzation.  To fight this I have put together a things to keep your chin up list.  Enjoy.

* MUSIC:  Tonight I have chosen the band School of Seven Bells.  Here is a link to their myspace.  BUY IT.
   http://www.myspace.com/schoolofsevenbells

* Friends: Call them, hug them, BUG THEM, reach out to them.  You have chosen them for a reason.

* Books: Inspirational books are so helpful in these times.  I am reading: Be here NOW, The Power of  NOW.

* DO NOT EAT JUNK FOOD: I did tonight and trust me, it didn't help!

* Think of all the reasons why you left and why you are leaving.  DO NOT second guess your decisions.

I wish you the best!  What helps you?  Let me know!

J

HOW TO: Get your kids to talk

Do you ever ask your kid "How was your day?" and they say "I dunno...." or the infamous "I can't remember"?  I think this is THE most annoying thing besides whining for no reason.  Another mom and I were talking about what I could do to help get my kids talking.  She told me that maybe I should ask specific questions instead of "How was your day honey?".  I decided to test it out today and I am happy to say had great results.  My daughter, who is 6, talked about a lot of things that I didn't know about her school.  I truly understand the importance of friends that are mothers.  You see, I would not have thought to try that.  Some things come natural and some things don't.  Here are some questions that she recommended.

* "What games did you play in gym class?"

* "Were you happy or sad at school?"

* "What did you learn about your friends today?" 

* "Did you draw any cool pictures?"

* "What job did the teacher pick for you?"

* "What was your favorite thing you did in Math class?"

What did you talk to YOUR kid about today?

J

feelin good...

GOOD day to avoid detectives, drink coffee with my best friend, and listen to awesome tunes. Speaking of tunes, Animal Collective's "Grass" is a great song to add to this spectacular day. Maybe crack open a beer (hey, it's after twelve) and put the song on, then stare at the sky for a while. It will change your day!

College Grants and Scholarships

Hmmmm.  This is an area of frustration for me.  MAJOR frustration.  I've been online for a few days and can't find what I am looking for.  It should be simple you know... Grants for single mothers to go to freaking college.  Every site pretty much says "There are many resources for single mothers to get information about grants...."  However, they only have bogus links that when you sign up they give your information out to everyone in the internet world.  I received 7 calls within five minutes of filling a form out.  Then 15 minutes later, I found a site that said "Whatever you do, don't fill out such and such a form..."  GREAT!  That would've been helpful like 15 minutes ago jerk.  So, today I will post certain links that are helpful and one's that are NOT.  When I learn how to search the government grant web site properly I will let you know.

Bull Shit Sites
http://www.scholarships4moms.net
http://www.classesandcareers.com

NON-Bullshit sites
www.grants.gov: This site is great however I am still learning to interpret which grants I qualify for.  Will keep you posted

http://www.scholarships.com
http://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/college-scholarships-grants-single-mothers.aspx


Now.  I went on a few college websites that I am interested in and they all have links for their scholarships.  Two of the sites had forms to print and fill out.  Most of the scholarships and grants tie in with community service of some sort.  Here are some schools in Philly:

Drexel:  http://drexel.edu/provost/financialaid/sg_ug.asp

Philadelphia Community College: http://www.ccp.edu/site/current/scholarships/listing.php

Temple: http://www.temple.edu/sfs/scholarships.htm
(Tyer School of Art ties into Temple)

Good Luck

J

FAFSA = Procrastination

Yeah.  Took me two months to complete this sucker.  I would always sit down feeling very proud of myself that I was finally getting this done.  Wouldn't you know five minutes in to it I would be missing a paper or my pass code, etc.  Then the procrastination would set in AGAIN.  Anyway, I've decided to make you a list of things you need before you fill this out.  You will then copy and paste it and email it to yourself so you will have it at your fingertips.  Let's do this!

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

If you are not officially divorced IT'S OK!  You can file SINGLE with only YOUR taxes.  You just separate it out. 

Things they FAIL to tell you that you will NEED:

* Know what school you want to go to.  So research prior.
* SAVE YOUR PIN if you lose it then click here..
http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp
* The new section asks if you are a DISLOCATED worker.  This means UNEMPLOYED.
* Most importantly, make sure you have your transcripts from high school or college.  The colleges you want to go to need them and they need the ORIGINALS.  This could take weeks...In my case it's almost been 3 weeks and they still don't have them...  Blah.

*To obtain your transcript you need to contact your prior school.  Tell them to send the transcripts to YOU.  When you receive it DO NOT OPEN IT.  Then personally take it to the school.  This helps avoid things getting "LOST" in the mail.  I asked for two copies, one for each school I am applying for.

NEED:

	Your Social Security Number. Be sure it is correct!
	Your driver's license (if any)
	Your 2009 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
	Your (and your spouse´s, if you are married) 2009 Federal Income Tax Return. IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040 EZ Foreign Tax Return, or Tax Return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau
	Your Parents´ 2009 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)
	Your 2009 untaxed income records Veterans noneducation benefit records Child support received Worker's compensation
	Your current bank statements
	Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records
	Your alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)

GOOD LUCK!


J