With all the news these past couple months about how bad the economy has been doing, I thought I’d write a post about how one could have been led to financial ruin this past year. For those that have lost lots of money from any one of these items, I apologize for your loss, though one should remember that there’s never a sure bet when it comes to money.

1. Anything related to the stock market: For years, people have often quoted the fact that historically, the stock market has gained an average of 8-11% every year. While this may still be true, this past year, I believe that the stock market lost around 40% with financial stocks taking a huge hit this past year. I think I’ve heard the number that a paper loss of around 1 trillion dollars occurred due to the drop in the stock market. For those that held stock in Bears Stearns or Lehman Brothers, they basically lost everything.

2. Home Ownership: This one especially applies to those who bought homes in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Florida. Areas that I believe were hardest hit by foreclosures this past year. People were constantly throwing out the idea that homes would constantly increase in value. Then they were encouraged to take out ridiculous loans since the value of the home would continue to go up, allowing them to simply refinance later and save money. However, once home values dropped, people began to owe more on their homes than what the home itself was worth. Millions of homes are now in foreclosure.

3. Investing with Bernie Madoff: While this only affected a small group of people, it resulted in a loss of $50 Billion. For those that don’t know, Madoff ran a Ponzi scheme where I believe he was guaranteeing 20% returns on money invested. The scheme worked well when the economy was looking good and people had money to invest. However, when the economy began to tank, and people got scared they began to pull all their money out. The problem was, Madoff had already given their money to earlier investors, so there was no money left. Billions were lost, with some people literally losing all their savings to him.

4. Getting an MBA: While this isn’t necessarily bad, this point is used to mainly emphasize the enormous amount of jobs lost in the financial industry. Since getting an MBA in Finance and then going to work on Wall Street was almost a sure-fire way of making money, lots of people began to get MBAs to get the Wall Street job. However, when the banks began to fall, finance jobs were lost overnight. One number I found quoted in December indicated that ~7% of the million job losses were in the Finance sector, and this was 2 months ago before some firms really started to announce more layoffs.

5. Owning the Zimbabwean dollar: For those that follow the world economy, they’ll have heard that Zimbabwe was hit with such high inflation, that it caused the Zimbabwe dollar to tank. In July of last year, Zimbabwe had an inflation rate of 231 million percent. That would mean your Zimbabwe dollar would’ve been worth practically nothing. Inflation got so bad, that Zimbabwe even printed their own Trillion Dollar Bill!

6. Other Sure Bets: Betting it all on the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl after going 18-0. Hillary Clinton becoming President early on. HD-DVD beating out Blu-Ray. Price of Oil hitting $200 (though this may still happen eventually).

So there you have it, 6+ ways where you could’ve lost a lot of money. Be on the lookout next time for my guide to managing money!

1. Start with Repentance – In order to even begin living as a Christian, we have to repent of the sins that we’re holding on to. As Romans 3:23 says, we’re all sinners. To even try to live as a one-faced Christian, we have to let go and want to be able to live as a Christian. So begin by repenting of any sin that you have in your life.

2. Know the Word, be in the Word! – Once we’ve repented of our sin, we need to find out what God wants for us to do with our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that “All Scripture is God-breathed…” so all the instruction we need is right out of the Bible. The Bible is also considered the only weapon that God lists when the armor of God is described, so we need to be prepared and know what the Bible says.

3. Talk (Pray) with God! – When we live as Christians, God tells us that we will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). So to handle the trials of this world, we need to be going to God in prayer. However, not just prayer about what we want, but prayer about what God wants for us. Philippians 4:6 tells us to go to God with everything, so we need to do just that.

4. Have Faith, Trust God! – If we’re reading the Bible, then we need to trust God that what he says in the Bible will happen. We need to trust that God is watching out for us, and have faith that nothing is too much for us to handle with God in our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God is faithful to us, and will not tempt us with more than we can handle.

5. Be around other Christians – It’s not easy going it alone in this world, let alone trying to live as a Christian without the help of others. That’s why we need to be around other Christians. Acts 2:42-47 describes the fellowship of the early believers and how they cared for each other, spent time with each other, and worshipped God together. In the same way, we need the help of other believers to keep us on the right path, walking with God.

6. Love God and be filled with the Spirit – In the end, it comes down to whether we love God or not. In this world, if we love someone, we’ll do all that we can for that person to care for them, protect them, and watch over them. In the same way, if we love God, we will do all that we can for God by obeying his commands. Also, when we love and obey God, He will provide us with the Holy Spirit to guide us and watch over us, aiding in our walk with God. (John 14:15-17)

7. Love others, serve others – The two greatest commands were to Love God, and then to Love our neighbors (Matthew 22:36-40). So after we love God, to continue to keep his commands we need to also love our others. This isn’t just limited to other Christians, but also to non-Christians as well. In the end, I believe this is one of the best ways to witness to people by how we are set apart by God and called to love our neighbors as ourselves.

In my opinion, these steps all go somewhat in order. While following these is definitely not easy, and while this post is somewhat pretty straight forward, if we as believers live our lives in the end by loving God first, and loving others second, then I think that we should all be able to avoid living as a two-faced Christian and instead live as a so called one-faced Christian.

1. Have Faith! - One of the best ways to stop worrying is to have faith in something greater than yourself. While I will obviously suggest putting your faith in Jesus, simply having faith will help to reduce your worries. If you believe that someone is watching out for you, then you’ll be less likely to be distraught over things.

2. “I think I can” - Believing in yourself can be a great way to help reduce any worries you may have. If you are able to have confidence wtih the things you do, and with your abilities, then you’ll find less reason to worry about things. Some people worry because they lack confidence, so gaining confidence can greatly reduce your worries.

3. Fight Back – When we worry about things, we’re really letting fear take over our thoughts. We begin to fear that something bad will happen, or fear that something wrong will happen. One thing they always say about a person’s fears is that you need to confront your fear in order to conquer it. So if you’re finding yourself worrying about something like a test, then fight that fear by studying for it so that you’re confident in what you’ve studied.

4. Take a Deep Breathe – When someone finds themselves in the middle of worrying about something, if they simply take a moment to just step back and breathe, can really relieve some of the stress that one may have due to the worrying. If you’re all tense and worked up due to worrying, then simply slowing things down and taking a deep breath can help greatly.

5. Relax – Along with the breathing, finding a way to relax yourself will also help. The deep breathe will help you to refocus away from worrying. Relaxing will help you try to forget about worrying. By focusing on trying to relax, you’ll take your thoughts away from whatever is worrying you. So find a relaxation technique that can help you relax yourself during times of worry.

6. Find something to do – A lot of times when people find themselves worrying about something, it’s because they find themselves not doing anything. When we’re not doing anything, then our minds may begin to wander to thoughts that may cause you to unnecessarily worry. If we keep ourselves busy with things, then we won’t have the time to worry!

7. Be Happy! – Just like the song says, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!” If you find yourself worrying about something, try to think of a memory of when you were happy. By focusing on something that brought you happiness, you’ll be taking your thoughts away from what was worrying you. Also, if you find yourself being happy, you’ll be less likely to worry. So surround yourself with what makes you happy, and hopefully it will help reduce any worrying.

Well there are 7 steps that should hopefully help someone to stop worrying. The main reason why I myself tend to not worry about things is because I have faith that God is watching out for me. Whether things are going well or poorly for me, I find no reason to worry because I know that it’s all part of God’s planning. So who am I to think that I know better than God by worrying about things which in most cases I have no control over.

1. Jewelry - I don’t think you can ever go wrong with getting a girl jewelry as a gift. Prices can vary from relatively cheap, to extremely expensive depending on what she likes, or what she wants. You’ll also have many places to go and pick out the jewelry too. Just make sure you get the right kind of metal/color that she’ll like. You wouldn’t want to go platinum when she likes gold better

2. Clothes – Clothing’s another good gift to give a girl. However, be forewarned that you’ll need to make sure and buy the right size, and also get the right style of clothing. There’ll be nothing worse than buying an outfit that’s sizes too big, or just not very stylish. If you’re unsure of whether it’ll look good, feel free to ask me

3. Shoes – You could consider shoes in the clothing section, but for girls, I think you have to break it out into it’s own category. Seeing how most girls love their shoes, you’ll probably be able to give a gift that she’ll definitely enjoy. I’ve gotten Mazie shoes a couple of times for gifts, and she’s always loved the gift.

4. GPS Device – Yes that’s right, this made both lists. Seeing how I’m sure most all people hate to get lost, this gift will only help by guiding people to their destinations. This will also help prevent her from getting lost in the middle of nowhere, and will also help by preventing people from getting angry whenever they get lost.

5. Cell Phones - Girls like to talk on the phone right? So why not give them a gift that they can use on a daily basis! Same as with what I wrote in the list for guys, there are all sorts of cell phones out nowadays that not only allow you to call people, but to basically do everything. So I’m sure you’ll find one that she’ll be happy with.

6. Purses/Accessories – Another item that girls seem to never have enough of would be purses. It almost seems as if they have a different one for each outfit in their closet. So why not help their collection grow by getting her a new purse. I really have no idea what brand is popular, but Coach seems to be a good choice.

7. Spa Treament – Who wouldn’t enjoy a nice message or facial? Help her relax by getting her a gift that’ll do just that. While this might not be a very cheap gift to give, it’ll be one that she’ll definitely be thankful for. It’ll help remove any stress she might have, and just help her to really enjoy the holidays, or any day for that matter.

Hopefully, these are 7 good gift choices for a girl. As usual, all of the Taibro guides, are simply just that, guides. If none of these sound like they would be a good gift for a girl you know, simply rely on what you think would be good and I’m sure that it’ll be a great gift. Feel free to buy me or Mazie any of these gifts too

1. Big Screen TV – What better gift than a nice new LCD or Plasma! Prices for tv’s have dropped pretty significantly to where you can now get a good sized tv for around $1000. LCD’s and Plasmas each have their pro’s and cons, but in the end, it’s still a big screen tv. High-def is also a must for watching tv as it looks 100 times better in high-def!

2. Xbox 360/Wii – I could split these up into separate gift ideas, but since their both video game consoles, I just combined them into one. You can also add the PS3 in there as well, but I think right now the 360 and the Wii are the two more popular combinations. Also, if you go the 360 or PS3 route, having the big screen tv makes gaming all the better looking. I don’t think you can really ever go wrong with video games for guys anyways.

3. MP3 Player – I didn’t specify the iPod since I don’t really hold any fondness of Apple products, but MP3 players can do a lot nowadays as you can usually watch videos on them as well. Whether it’s an iPod or another MP3 player, it’s nice to be able to have the portability to listen to music wherever you go. Generally, these can be had for relatively cheap too.

4. GPS Device – While GPS devices have made people dumber in not knowing how to read a map, they are definitely a great tool when you’re travelling around. Having the ability to not get lost, and to know where you are and where to go is always very helpful.

5. Cell Phones – Cell phones could’ve been combined with the MP3 player line, but I’ll give it it’s own spot. I personally don’t really have a high tech cell phone, mainly since I wasn’t able to till recently have a camera on the phone. However, cell phones have become more than just a simple phone. You can listen to music, surf the internet/check e-mail, keep your schedule, or even watch a video. The iPhone is one example of a cell phone, but there are tons more out there to choose from.

6. Laptop or Desktop Computer – I’m sure the more popular gift might be a laptop since it’s portable and it’s easier to show off than a huge desktop, but desktops are still cheaper and in general more powerful for a similar price. Even if they already have one, you can never have enough computers, especially with technology changing so quickly.

7. A Camera – I probably have a greater affinity for cameras since I enjoy taking pictures so much, but having a camera on hand is always a good thing. Being able to capture the moment to remember or show others is priceless. While we get old and may forget what happens, if we have a camera, we’ll at least be able to have something to remember by looking at those pictures. Small and portable cameras are always good, but getting a dSLR allows for more possibilities.

These are just a few ideas for gifts that someone can get a guy. Definitely not the cheapest of things to get, and they all deal with electronics. I guess a guy can never have enough toys right? Be on the lookout for a gift guide for girls. Leave comments with other good gift ideas!

1. It’s all about family and friends – I was reading a study which showed that people who have at least 5 close friends are significantly happier than those who didn’t. People who have opportunities to hang out, to share, to spend time, and have fun with others are able to take a greater enjoyment out of their own lives. Those with strong family ties also tend to be happier as they will already have a support system that they can rely on, like their friends. So your first step to becoming a happier person is to work on those friendships!

2. Don’t keep up with the Joneses – This specifically deals with money and material possessions. America in general tends to have a culture of wanting to keep up with the “Joneses”. This happens by getting the latest gadget, spending money on things just so that you can have the latest and the greatest. Showing off to others through the possessions that you own, and the money that you have. However impressive it may seem, and however much you yourself might wish to be able to do the same thing, be assured that most likely those people aren’t happy. If money and possessions had a direct relationship with happiness, then Bill Gates could be considered the happiest person in the world (actually the second happiest now I believe). However, while I don’t know how happy of a person he is, I know that there are millions of people who are just as happy if not happier who have considerably less. When we get caught up in the mentality that having more means being happier, we begin to get in a cycle of never having enough. When you can never have enough, then you can never ever really be happy. This is why you find so many problems such as suicide, drugs and the like from people who have lots of money and possessions. Don’t be fooled by American culture. More is not better, and definitely will not always make you happier.

3. Get a hobby! – Yes, that’s right, Find yourself a hobby! Find something to do that you enjoy, that you could spend hours on doing and not have a care in the world about how much time you’ve spend doing it. People who have hobbies are happier than those that don’t. They have something they can do with their spare time, they can find enjoyment in what they’re doing, and are therefore able to become happier. Whether your hobby may be playing video games, gardening, reading, or even learning, find a hobby and spend time doing that hobby! Also, sleeping isn’t a hobby

4. Drop and give me 50 pushups! – Exercise is another activity that can help people become happier. When people exercise, not only are they becoming healthier, but they also will feel better about themselves. By feeling better about oneself, and gaining confidence in oneself, leads to a greater self-esteem which in turn leads to people feeling happier. Another benefit of exercise is the release of endorphins in our body, which leaves the person feeling happier. So the next time you’re feeling down, try exercise. Not only will you look better, you’ll feel better too.

5. Volunteer – Helping others is another good way to become happier. I’ve seen a few studies that have shown that people who spend lots of time helping other with no thought of gain for themselves, are typically some of the happiest people around. By looking out for the needs of others, and putting them above our own, we are able to gain not only happiness but also good health as well. Even better, those that had jobs that were centered around helping others were happier than those that didn’t. I’m not talking about jobs where you indirectly help others, though that may be the case, but jobs where you directly help others. So make sure you volunteer your time by helping out others. It’ll help you become a happier person!

6. Thanksgiving and Forgiving – Another way to help you become happier is to be thankful for what you have. This leads to what I said earlier about being content with the things you have. If you’re able to appreciate what you have, then you’ll be more likely to be happier that you do have those things. You’ll also be less likely to be thinking about what you don’t have, or what you wish you had. Again, it’s not about having more money or more possessions. In addition with being thankful, it’s also good to be forgiving. People who are more forgiving, are able to be happier. They’re not spending their time angry at others, or mad about what was done to them. If you’re able to forgive others, then you’ll be more likely to be happy. You’ll have moved on from what was done to you instead of dwelling on it and allowing it to make you even angrier. Remember, the goal is to be happy here, so forgive others and be thankful.

7. Good memories – All the things I’ve listed before, lead up to helping you create good memories. One way to be happy is to just think back about a good memory you have. One thing I enjoy doing is to periodically look through old pictures I’ve taken. By being able to look back and reminiscing about what was enjoyable or good about the picture I took, helps me to remember something that helps me be happier. Even though in this day and age, we hear almost nonstop about what’s bad about the world, and even with our own human nature being more likely to dwell on bad memories than good ones, by focusing on good memories that we have, and things that made us happy, helps us to be happy in our current state. So go and spend time with friends and family, spend time working on that hobby, help others out and forgive others and create new happy memories that you can look back upon in a few years to help you become happier.

So there you have it, my seven tips to becoming a happier person. All people are different, and have their own ways of becoming happy, but I feel that these steps should be good for most everyone in trying to become a happier person. Another tip I should add, is to try and keep smiling. It’s hard to not be happy when you’re smiling! So here’s to everyone who reads this becoming happier

1. Find the right smile! – Yes, everyone has a good smile that can be caught in a photo. Now, if you have bad teeth, maybe you have a closed mouth smile. Maybe you have a great smile when you’re laughing, so try to laugh a little when the picture is being taken. Your smile could even be more of a smirk, if it works for you, then go for it. Just make sure you have some sort of smile going for you!

2. It’s all in the eyes! – This one’s hard to describe, but I do have to say that if you have the right look coming from your eyes, it can definitely make a picture shine. Maybe it’s the way you look at the camera/photographer, or maybe it’s something else you’re looking at. The eyes can play a big part in how your photo will turn out.

3. Angles, Angles, Angles – Some people are fortunate in that they can have their picture taken at any angle, and they’ll come out looking good. However, most people don’t have that luxury. Instead, they usually do have a good side. Try to find out what’s your good side, left or right, and try to stand in a way during pictures that it shows off your good side.

4. Watch what you Wear! – If you know you’re going to be photographed, try to find clothes that have colors that compliment you. Maybe they’ll show off your eyes better, or maybe your shirt color will hide any blushing you may have in your face. Also, if it’s going to be a full body photo, wear something that might make you look slimmer if you’re worried about your weight.

5. Act Natural – Sometimes the worst pictures that come about are ones where the person tries too hard to pose for the camera. Unless the photographer is asking you to pose, or you know what you’re doing when you do pose for the camera, then just act natural! Out of most of the pictures I’ve taken, some of the best ones are ones where the person isn’t trying to pose for the camera, but instead are just being themselves.

6. Be confident! – Confidence can be seen in photos. If you are confident with yourself, then it’ll show up on camera! If you’re timid and shy, then the picture will show it. So be confident about yourself, have good posture, and let your confidence be seen!

7. Don’t hide from the camera!!! – Even if you think that pictures taken of you are bad, the photographer will never have a chance to have any good pictures of you if you’re always avoiding/hiding your face from the camera. I mean worse comes to worse, if I can take multiple pictures of you, I know that I’ll get atleast a few good ones in there. So next time you see me coming to take pictures, don’t hide, don’t run, just smile and let me take pictures!

Well, there you have it, 7 steps I think will help in making you a more photogenic person. So I leave you with a good picture that was taken by me recently. Enjoy!

1. Trends Smrends.
Ok, so you read the magazines and they tell you what’s in season or out of season. The problem with this is that we don’t always look good in the new trends. So look for colors and textures that enhance your overall look. Don’t buy just because it’s trendy. And as with all trends, they come and go pretty quickly so if you’re trying to go trendy, go for some timeless pieces (refer to step number 3).

2. Invest. Invest!
Sometimes, we tend to buy just because things are on sale. But let’s look at the logic behind this. Buy a nice timeless blazer or a fitted jacket for $100 bucks that will last…say 5 years. That’s $20 bucks a year. Buy a flashy trendy out-in a year jacket for 68 bucks on sale and wear it for two years and buy another one and wear that for two years and if you annualize that, we’re at 170 bucks. So the moral of the story is? You’ll save and look good over time.

3. Buy timeless pieces.
So what is a timeless piece? I consider timeless pieces those that fit correctly. Trends aside, when you buy things that fit, you’ll always look good. Solids and pinstripes also never go out of style. Shirts with mandarin or Nehru collars are also timeless. They always look expensive and refined when paired with the correct lined pant or lined skirt.

4. Colors! More Colors!
I used to wear a lot of black. I guess it was a high school thing. Then I realized that colors can do a lot for us. Colors can make us look younger, older, more fun, more serious, more stylish etc. If you’re pretty uneasy with color, start with darker outerwear and cut the dark colors with some bright ones. Example: wear a black wrap sweater and black pants. Cut the all black outfit with a sharp shiny powder blue shirt and a pair of pointy heals.

5. Dress for the occasion.
Choose colors as appropriate for the event. Black/grays always make you look more professional. Red is a power color. Pinks, lavenders, and powder blues are more feminine. My personal favorite is brown. I think different shades of brown are a universal color that tends to look good on most everyone for any occasion (well unless you’re going to a white party or the like).

6. Fit.
Buy things that fit. We shouldn’t buy the smaller size for our ego sake. Buy the bigger one and go get it tailored. Better to pay a tailor (or ask a relative!) and get a good fit than to buy more shirts that don’t fit. This again, deals with investing in better pieces (step 2). On another note, fit can also help you accentuate different parts of your body and hide flaws (if popularity demands, I will write a post about fit in a future post).

7. Versatility.
When you buy different pieces, buy things that go with pieces that you already have in your closet. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of putting the right things in the right combination for a new look. Case and point, I wore an outfit last week to work that consisted of a shirt that I bought in high school, a skirt that I bought a month ago at a sale and a pair of boots that I bought two years ago. All these different pieces (timeless pieces!!) put together in the right combination meant: wow, where did you get that?

1. Fix your eyebrows! – Your eyebrows frame your eyes so if you want people to notice your eyes, trim and tweeze eyebrows. If it is your first time plucking your eyebrows, I suggest that you first tweeze all the loose hairs that are below your brows then ask a professional/ more experienced person to help arch your eyebrows correctly. This way, you can see where your arch should be and how your eyebrows should be shaped. Keep up the maintenance thereafter.

2. Prepare the canvas! – Many people forget to apply foundation on their eyelids. Remember to do this and your eye makeup will stay longer and apply more evenly.

3. Choose your eye pencil! - Black is the most used color. I’d say that a brown eye pencil is my preferred pencil of choice – different shades for different skin tones of course. Trace a line along the base of your top lashes. When you trace, trace as if you were drawing a dotted line. When you’re done with the dotted line, use an eye shadow applicator to blend the line together. This is the trick to a more natural look.

(For single eye-lids: use a dark brown pencil and do the same as above. Only when you blend, blend upwards and outwards.)

4. Eyelids! – For first timers, blend one neutral color over the entire lid. For those that use a compact with a dual eye makeup set, apply the lighter color over the entire lid. The brighter/darker the colors are, the harder it is to blend. If it is your first time doing this, experiment with lighter/neutral colors first.

(For single eye-lids: When blending your eye shadow, blend your whole lid except for your brow bone area. For an added touch, blend a white line right along the bottom of your eyebrows to make the eyes more awake. Make sure to blend well!!)

5. More Color! – For those of you that have double eyelids, use a corresponding eye shadow (i.e. a darker shade than the one you used for step 4) and sweep it close to the base of your top lashes. Use the same corresponding eye shadow and blend in the crease.

(For single eye-lids: focus on eye penciling techniques and sweep color close to the base of your top lashes.)

6. Mascara! – Choose water proof mascara. Apply upwards and outwards. Wait 15 seconds to let the first coat dry. Apply once more. When complete, move onto lower lashes.

7. Last minute tips! – Before you go, check to see if there are any smudges or bits of mascara above and below your eyes. Dab with a tissue if necessary. Remove all eye makeup before you sleep. And as always, get at least eight hours of sleep everyday and drink plenty of water to avoid puffiness around the eye.

There you have it! Some of my eye makeup tips for you to use! As I always say, if you have to spend more than 15 minutes on your makeup, you might be doing something wrong or girl, you’re just putting too much on.

Ciao!