How do people do it for 40-50 years?

When I wake up every morning I think " Oh, God give me strength". Lately I have been in this rut where I don't hardly want to do anything. And I just do what I have to do that day and not much else. I've been "reading" this book lately, it's called "The Four Hour Work Week". I forget who it's by, but anyways the guy, I have to say makes a damn good argument. He tales about him self and what made him be the person he is and have the thoughts that he has about life, basically. His theory is that the "American Dream" is a crappy idea. Most of us know that to be we work for 40-50 years and then when we retire we get to do what we want. Well, he says that whole idea is flawed from the begging. Why? you ask... well if and when we retire, who's to say you are healthy enough to be go and travel or do what you want to do by the time you are 70 years old? and who is to say that by the time you are 70 you will have enough money to do all the things you want to do. If inflation is eating up your 401k money along with all the other market crashes there are now a days. So his philosophy on life is to take sabbaticals from it. Like take vacations when and where you want, when and where you want. Take a month off to do whatever. You know, that kind of thing. He started an internet business that could be run remotely from his computer from anywhere on earth. Another great point I read in his book which I did know but I didn't really put it together as well as he, he states that here in America very few American's live well on 40k per year. But if you were to  have those same 40k a year in another place in the world you could defiantly live about average there. Which is so true if you think about all the people you know what do they talk about? As for me, the people I know always are talking about buying a new car or a new house or some expensive thing...but if we are buying all this stuff what are we giving up for the stuff? Time. How long does it take to pay off a house or a car? wouldn't you much rather be sitting on the a tropical beach somewhere instead of at working to pay something off? I LOVE this book. Now all I have to do is find a business I can run remotely from pc...that way I can quite my job and become the world traveler I have always wanted to be. Well till then, I'll be open to new business ideas...lol.

Book Review: Straigh Talk No Chaser :How to Find, Keep, and Understand a Man

I recently " read " this book because I had heard from my sister that his first book " Act like a lady , think like a man" was good. I had just read bits and pieces of the book while at a borders by my house a couple of times and from what I read then, it seemed to be interesting. In any case this is my honest review of it. I loved this book. It's simple to the point and concise message. It can teach you to identify in what stage a man is in and look at the bigger picture. A lot of girls my self included have made many mistakes and it talks about those mistakes. I liked it also because he doesn't try to tell you that he didn't make any if fact there are a lot of times in the book when he states he has made many mistakes also. But he learned from them which is what we all should do. He talks about how his first marriage didn't work because he was too young to get married. His theory is that men have to have the three p's before they can even think of getting in something serious like marriage. He says the three p's are provide, protect and profess. He says that providing is just making sure he can get provide for the family that might be having in the future. Protect is that he can keep you safe when you need him. Profess is when he wants and does tell the whole world that he loves you. Steve says that at the beginning you as a woman should know their own power. And that you should take some time to get to know any guys before anything really happens with him. You should ask him questions about him self. Ask about his past relationships and kids if he has any. The more you ask the more clearer the picture should get about what really happened and if he has learned from his mistakes. Basically he goes on to explain and debunk myths we as women here all the time as excuses for why we are single. Since I don't' want to spoil the whole book  I'll just go on to say that I wish this book had come out earlier and I had read this book in my early twenties instead of my early thirties. Its actually teaches you if you listen carefully to identify when you should walk away from people you have no need to be around. Which is what it's supposed to do. Awesome book, Steve Harvey!!

In my thoughts

I think about you all the time. There have been times that I would love to grab the phone and just call you so I can hear your voice on the other end of the line. To just move past this whole not talking phase. But then I think about all the stuff we have been through. Or more like the stuff we put each other through and I think it's for the best that we not be in each others life. Lately I have been watching this show, it's called Being Erica. She has a messed up life and when she ends up in the hospital, this shrink seeks her out. They have weird encounters that lead to her going back in time and her trying to make better decisions in her life. Her theory is that if she had made better decision in life it would be better. Even though it's made up I love it. I could describe it as kind of like Grey's Anatomy but with out all the medical mambo jumbo. It's free on Hulu to watch it. One night I feel asleep thinking about how would my life have been had I never meet you. Would my life be better or worse? I don't exactly remember what I dreamed but when I woke up I didn't like the feeling I got from my dream. You know something? I we don't talk but I hope one day you see this and get to read it. Back when you broke up with me I prayed to God to tell me why you broke up with me and He answered. He said it was because of what you were doing and he gave me a picture of what was going on. I was discussed I have to admit. But that didn't make me love you any less because I was in denial. All in all I wouldn't change anything. I tried too much, even if you wanted to love me you could not. It's not in your nature.We can't fight nature. But all in all like I said I wouldn't change anything. Because we broke up I gave my life to the Lord. Even though I would not say that I have been perfect from then on but it's made me closer to God. All I know that you will never be happy until you accept who you are in front of everyone and yourself most of all. Think about it. I will always love you.

Following my calling

You always here in the movies and from people that its the right thing to do to follow your dreams, right? I know growing up that's all I heard. But you know what an awful feeling? For me was when I was grown up and still not knowing what to do or what to move towards. Yes, I have a good job but I stumbled in to it when I was 22. And I have been there ever since but going through the motions isn't good enough for me anymore. I even stumbled on to makeup back in the fall of 2007. I remember going on youtube to look for an tutorial on smokey eye and that started the obsession. Damn, but what an obsession it has become. From then I have taken a few classes on regular make up and one on airbrush makeup and every time I make someone up and they love the way they look it brings me happiness nothing else on earth has ever given me. Similar but not equal to the satisfaction I get at work when I teach someone how to balance their check book ,understand something they didn't know about or the tricks to saving money. Since this new craving from knowledge in this subject I have become pretty frustrated in trying to find a school here in Houston that teaches makeup (we do have beauty school that deal with mostly hair) to no avail. We are pretty deprived of those kinds of schools I'm sad to say. But Thank God I found one in NYC. Well Brooklyn to be exact. And I'm headed there the second week of next month. Tickets are bought the class is paid off and I'm set to start this new journey of my life.I'm sad but then more excited that anything else. One day I dream of opening up my own business here in Houston that just deals with makeup. Maybe one day a school who know the possibilities are endless. Lately I have been really glad that I have God in my life guiding me to where I needed to be. It's like he is opening the doors to my happiness and all I had to do was stumble on to it. For my profession I read a lot of books on the subject of money. Once I read something that makes a lot of sence now. The books said that you should not look to find money, your propose is not to look for it because then it will escape you. You should look for whatever it is that you love to do,  something like find whatever it is that you would do for free all day everyday if you could and do that, then and only then you will attract money. Most of my 20s I loved teaching people about money and how it worked and I was fine with that. But the last lesson would always be money doesn't make you happy and sometimes I feel like I'm my own teacher. Because it doesn't. It's just went the long way. So I leave you with tonight that this feels right I have peace in my mind that I'm doing the right thing. Little by little I'm gonna do it because since I now know what it is that's what I'm going to be focusing on. Thank God He's with me!

Ana Before and after 10-26-2010

Before

After

After doing her eyes I was trying to see lipstick she would look good in she confessed that she herself would never try out a red. I had to go for red. Everyone needs a red lipstick in their life! She said she liked this one more than last time. What do you guys think?

Caro Before and After 10-26-2010

Before

After

Thanks to Caro for helping me with my portfolio! She is really great to work with especially since she loves the camera and the camera loves her!

Before and After: Ana A. 10/17/2010

BEFORE

AFTER

 Special Thanks to Ana for letting me do her makeover and letting me use her pics on my portfolio channel!!