Well Darlings, this web site is to teach you what you need to learn to become a Diva, it's about education, business, jobs, beauty, relationships, etc. everything that can be covered to become the Diva that is hiding within you. Is it a Vanity Blog? Well--in a word--Yes---but a Blog that you can learn from. So read on Darlings, and learn from my past experiences, my current ones, and ones that I've found to help you. Kisses Darlings
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Easter Wishes~~~
Well I still have my heart problems, and the Doctor is planning on testing me with some sort of devise to see how my heart action is over a 48 hour period, as I understand it, it will determine if the pace maker will be needed.
Right now I'm at my brother's house in San Francisco for the Easter celebration, the weather has been going from warm to cold, to warm and now possibly rain. But that is the Bay Area for you.
Much of the family will be joining us tomorrow and I'll be so happy to see them, I just hope I don't get too tired.
On the investment front, Obama talks about bringing business back to the US, but frankly is he strong enough to do it, is my question.
One of my great nephews has been accepted at the college in San Jose, he wanted to go there because they have an excellent course on electronic engineering, not electrical engineering but electronic, there is a difference.
Because if you think about my Dear Diva's, everything has electronics's involved from planes, to trains, to Automobiles, elevators and the automatic coffee maker. An acquaintance of my brother said that is an excellent field to get into as we do not have enough electronic engineers. So it is quiet possible that my great nephew will be making a nice salary.
And in terms of job or career opportunities that is where a very smart Diva in advance looks into what is the most needed that has the least number qualified, that can be a growth market. And then the minute you start making a salary, start saving for retirement immediately, don't wait and say "Oh I want that fancy car"...the car will only last 10 years at the most, but retirement funds is a difference between living very well and living at poverty level. Frankly I prefer living very well, even if it does mean I have to have a pacemaker.
But now I must go my brother is going to treat us to a little outing.
Have a very Happy Easter My Dear Diva's!
Until Anon. Kisses.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Updates on investing and my life~~~~
I have not been posting of late do to medical problems, well to put it bluntly I've developed Congestive Heart Failure, I'm on pills and medications and there is the possibility that I will have to have a pacemaker implanted.
Everything is an effort right now, doing something as simple as reading is tiring.
Fortunately my home is set up so if I become invalided I can still move around and be some what independent, right now if I want to go shopping I have to be in a wheel chair. How frustrating!
Fortunately my family and friends including my dear Juanita have been taking good care of me. So I've managed to keep up with things.
On investing----I've gone conservative on my investments of late (before heart problems) and have been looking into Utilities instead of high flying things, when one reaches the senior years going for conservative will bring in the steady income.
I still do my "Mac and Cheese" investing as well on food stuffs and baby items, who would have thought "Pampers" would be such a good idea...I did.
There is talk that Colorado may follow the way of Utah in having gold and silver as the real commodity of exchange, there is a bill being looked at right now. Several States are already reconsidering re-jecting "fiat" money and going with a dollar that is backed by real gold, real silver.
I'm not saying that investing in gold and silver is the way to go, although silver is a good investment, but gold is very high right now. But this is a trend that is building ground.
But my Diva's don't sell your gold jewelry or anything like that, and never get anything less that 14 kt, if it's 10 kt that's costume jewelry in my book and look for the bargains you'll find it. Check my earlier posts on jewelry investing.
Now I must go, I tire to easily right now my Darlings, remember always take good care of your health.
Until Anon, Kisses
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Happy 2013 My Diva Darlings!!!!
Hello my Diva Darlings!!
I know. Where Have I been!!!
Well I've been right here in my home and with my family and friends and so very busy.
Princess my little 4 legged diva darling is also doing well but she was not happy when Mommy took her to the vet for a teeth cleaning, no not happy at all.
I know it's been months since I last posted frankly my Darlings in terms of business and investments I've given you the guide lines, so check back on my previous posts, and continue to subscribe to those finacial magazines I've suggested and read Barron's if you library carries it for more ideas.
Recently I heard that several research companies are looking into a 100 year old process to get usable fuel espeically for desiel fuel. They are looking into a fermention process from used sugars such as sugar beets, cane and other products, the process is feasible, so feasilbe that the oil companies may use it and put the oil producing countries ( and we know who they are) into a head lock. And its all renewable resources.
Now how good it is for planes I'm not sure, but for trucks, trains etc most definitely. So I am going to be watching for that.
Now about the tax thing, I and my tax preparer are waiting to see what "shakes down", what I have been doing it tying up my income into a trust with an income for investments, but I also donate a good deal to charities that I believe in.
In this case my Diva Darlings, talk with your CPA and your fiancial tax consultant and see what you can live on and what you can write off. Some people have been buying rental properties and plowing most of the income into upgrades and repairs, taking a write off that way, until it comes time to sell it then it's the capital gains, unless they plow it into another property. I know Darlings so confusing but talk it over with an expert, it's like going to school but dealing with Math.
O.K. My Dears this month is the time to gather all your tax papers and get them ready, I recommend making a tax appointment sometime in Feberuary, do not wait any later, you will have all your tax income reports by Jan 31, so its perfectly alright to make an appointment in February. The beauty about this is that you can have the "cushion of time" to make any changes before your taxes are submitted.
Now I do have to warn you my Darlings, it seems that there are some tax preparers that were working for H and R. Block and one other tax preparing franchise that have been doing idenity theft, this of course is giving an excellent company a very difficult reputation. So until those franchiese can correct this loop hole I recommend going to a licenced, bonded CPA tax preparer since their records are not open to anyone.
I have an excellent person doing mine but I recommend that you periodically check your credit and credit cards and bank usage to prevent any problems, using your check card aka debt card can be a problem and leaves you open for theft as well, so if you are doing business with a company that you are not familar with use a credit card, you have a better fighting chance of recovery than if you use a debt card.
This is also the time to shred old bills, I keep my utlitiy bills and credit card statements for 10 years so anything that was 2002 should be shredded, even receipts unless you need it for insurance purposes, such as a large ticket item. Auto repair receipts and maintance forms should be kept for the life time of the car or until you sell it or turn it in.
Check my previous postings on what to keep and what to get rid of for indepth reference.
This is also a good time to buy cards for the year, birthday, condolence, baby wishes, anniversery etc. and keep those in a speical card file.
Update your address book (hard copy), and have maintance done on your computer do a good "clean sweep" of it.
Yes my Diva Darlings January is not the time for fun and games this is a time for sorting and cleaning and clearing up and updating.
Unless you happen to have a 3 day weekend for Martin Luther King Jr.---then that I would have as a SPA weekend---yes, pamper yourself from the chill and the cold, unless you are planning to use that weekend for a major clean up.
And now my Diva Darlings, this Diva is going to go and have lunch with a dear friend of hers and do some stationary and stamp buying, yes I still send things by snail mail.
Until Anon. Kisses Darlings
Saturday, August 11, 2012
A mantra to remember~~~
Just a little short post...
I came across a note written to me years ago by my Father, he said that it makes for good wisdom in what to do to simplify ones life.
In his note he said we get caught up in material things, if we have too much we should share it, give what we don't need to others.
I'm not saying that my Father was a religious man, he only went to church just a few times of the year, frankly my Mother and I went to church more ofter.
But he had values which he felt should be passed on.
We had and have wealth but we never flaunted it, Father belived that it was important to not flaunt wealth but use it to help others. I myself had a car that was over 20 years old and would have kept it going until some boys stole it for a joy ride and wrecked it. Which forced me to buy a new car.
That is only one example---
So my Diva Darlings I want you to take what I'm going to post in Capital letters and I want you to enlarge it and frame it to remind you that many are blessed and many are not:
REMEMBER: FIX IT UP,
USE IT UP,
WEAR IT OUT,
MAKE IT DO
OR
DO WITHOUT.
SAVE WHAT YOU CAN,
SHARE WHAT YOU CAN,
MANY ARE BLESSED
AND
MANY ARE NOT.
Until anon Darlings
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Updates so much to catch up with
Yes, yes. Where HAVE I been, well pretty much all over, visiting family, traveling with my friend Michelle, repairs to my home and pretty much taking care of things.
So much so that I've really haven't had a time to blog. But I plan to post some things soon.
Did any of you catch the opening film video for the London Olympics'. The Queen herself as the latest James Bond girl. Who said she doesn't have a sense of humor. The Dear does, she just is not vulgar about it, but I think that this story premise did tickle her sense of humor.
After all the Darling did her duty during the War (WW II) her family never left London and stuck it out through the bombings. And that takes courage. Even in one movie the James Bond character says he does it for "Queen and Country".
Did you see Daniel Craig's (the latest James Bond) tiniest reactions---you seem to sense that even he can't believe it---he is acting a scene as the iconic 007 character with Her Majesty. I just love it and have saved it onto one of my flash drives. As they say "You Go, Old Girl!"
I've been putting together a number of posts and saving them onto my flash drives and will most likely post a lot of them at the same time.
Right now I've been watching the market with all its volatileness but only to see where the general trend is for long term investing.
With the corn crop an absolute disaster it is guaranteed that food prices will go up, right now I'm finding excellent deals on meat and poultry so Juanita and I are stocking up and dating the frozen foods, with the knowledge that when we re-stock it will be higher.
And because we use a certain amount of ethanol or corn additives I would not be surprised to see fuel prices going up.
Mitt Romeny's visit to Israel is a very interesting and calculating move, something that might gain him the vote from the Jewish voters if they view him as a friend but it also sends a message to Iran that he could have a "Hawkish" administration.
This election that is coming up is see-sawing, but frankly I'm not too hopeful about Obama, his administration has not been the best, but it is possible that we are focusing in the wrong areas to make a final determination. I wish to keep women's freedoms via the Democratic party but there are somethings that the republican party is promoting, so the question is which devil is the best, I really do wish we had a third candidate that was a combination of the best of these two, but I even don't see that.
All I can say Darlings is vote with your head and with logic, not with your emotions, I think we'll know better if they have a debate, and I hope that will happen, most likely in September or October. If they don't then we will have a problem of deciding.
Now about family and friends---my family is doing fine, one of my nieces is expecting a baby, which may arrive near Christmas, so we are all excited, my dear friends are all well, Kenneth is busy traveling for his company, and Keith has invested in purchasing a rental property that he is in the process of fixing up, one apartment unit at a time.
Keith has some very elderly renters who live in upper units and since there is no elevator he has approached his tenants about shifting around to accommodate the elderly, so far everyone seems to be comfortable with the idea, especially about making it as part of the rental agreement. He is looking into eventually installing an elevator which will be costly but he feels that it might help with the value of the property and he's looking into grants for it.
Ralph is comfortably ensconced in his new apartment. Juanita and her family are all doing well, her granddaughter is having fun with her side business and trying to go to school I've offered to help offset some of her schooling costs.
My Ladies who Lunch are all doing well, two of them managed to get better jobs and on the whole things are looking up for them, but as always it is a struggle, one has to fight for each penny.
Princess my little 4 legged Diva Darling just had her vet check up and is in excellent shape, she just visited the Doggie beauty shop yesterday and is all pretty.
Myself, well I am heir to all the plagues and fortunes that maturing age brings to me, but I keep active and interested in life which is important.
And right now my friends Betty and Bill are coming to pick me up we are going to our local Art and Wine Festival and see what items are up for sale and what wines are being offered, I may make a few selections.
And that is what all you Diva Darlings should do, enjoy life, you can do it even without spending a lot of money, look around see what is free or next to nothing in cost. Use your imagination and ingenuity and you can find life can be wonderful even in these difficult times.
Until Anon, Kisses Darlings
Saturday, June 30, 2012
a few thoughts~~~
I am on the run today, but I just had to leave you with these few thoughts.
"When posing for the paparzzi, always stand on the right!" There is a reason for this, your angle for both face and body is always thinner also when they label the photo underneath it reads from left to right, so your name will be first, so when facing the photographer stand to the right of the group---your right.
"True Divas go by first names only" This is true if you are someone like Cher, Marylin, Madonna, and Dietrich, but with someone like Mae West, you need to use both names, because one cannot contain the full Divaness of her.
"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." --- C.S. Lewis Never truer words spoken or written, our souls continue forever, we only borrow the body.
And now Darlings, I must be off, so much to do, not enough time to do it in.
Until Anon, Kisses.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Catching up~~~and Group Investing~~~
Busy, Busy, Busy is my only excuse, repair and remodeling on my home, working with my brothers on updating our financial portfolio's.
The tensions in Greece, Spain and Europe in general had us looking at our investments, and we've all made changes. No loss but no profit either, but that is at this time is what it should be.
Face book has proven to be a very poor investment choice and we were glad we did not take the plunge.
I've always been a "Mac and Cheese" investor, and now am looking more seriously at what people will need for children and for the elderly---one cannot get away from diapers, that is a given.
So I've been carefully shifting my portfolio. If anyone of you have been reading my earlier posts I've always recommended that it's wise to review it at least every 6 months and depending upon where you are age-wise.
And I have been taking my own advice. Part of it is to also always look at what people will always need. Again a type of "Mac and Cheese" investing.
I feel from what we've been seeing that the stock market is going to stall a bit, the Europe crisis is having people take a very hard look at things.
There is a oldish type of social gathering that ladies have been doing for a while and if you Divas have not been doing it then you should consider it.
An investment club---a group of people, mostly ladies, study the stock market and then pool their disposable money into investments---now this has to be a group decision based upon research. A book was written about this and once I find the title I will re-edit this post with it. Alright I've found out the name it was the "Beardstown Ladies Investment Group" both famous and infamous.
The reason that I say infamous is that they touted that they made more than the stock market SP. Which upon investigation proved to be incorrect. But this is what I'm trying to say....
Now some people think that is passe---but really it is a good social interaction and my late husband's partners re-marked to me the other day that they have seen a minor resurgence in this...they feel that woman are re-thinking and want to gain control again over their lives. One of the partners was asked to speak at one of these ladies weekend luncheons, he stressed in his talk that it is best to get educated as much as possible about how the stock market works, especially since it is so global for the 21st century.
He remarked to me how incisive and very deep thinking the ladies were with their questions, taking into account none of them had ever invested in the stock market before. He cautioned them about the type of schemes as done by Madloff.
My "Ladies who Lunch" and I have done this as well and still do it, although with changes in their individual lives we have had a few rotate off and new one's come on, each bringing their own outlook, but we've done well.
This is in addition to my own personal investments.
Now your choices may not do as well if you were with an investment firm but some people gamble playing the slots, poker, the horses. In that type of gambling, you'll lose your money and lose it quickly.
But what my late husband ex-partner remarked is that with careful monitoring, one does not have to lose all their money and can still salvage something. But it is something that if one is going to invest in should be for a long term investment not a quick turn over, and they should get together at least once a week, plus, with the use of the cell phone or smart phone each person in the club can stay in touch and can vote far more quickly than at standard meeting if something should suddenly come up.
So my Dear Divas, you might want to consider this as a social investment gathering with some profit in mind---so much better than going to a club for Mojito's and Chips.
On my repairs and remodeling---My dressing rooms are all done, painted, polished, new fixtures and beautiful, next is slowly putting in the clothes and while doing that weeding out things as well.
Juanita wants to buy a Sewing Machine, a good dependable Singer she says and she has one in mind, nothing too big, for her room. Her Grand Daughter who has a sewing business on the side is doing very well, especially with Prom Dresses, I asked Juanita if she is going into partnership with her Grand Daughter and she said no, but she'd like to have a machine to do repairs on her clothes and mine. And I thought that was a perfect idea, so we are going to leave in a few minutes and go Sewing Machine shopping.
And that Dear Divas is another good investment.
Until Anon, Kisses Darlings