The Dayz by Vane D. Lopez

The Journey Begins Now!!

And the MADNESS begins again!! Except this time we are all doing this together. Today was my lucky day. I found a bunch of healthy food on clearance at Walmart. I filled up my cart and it was still less than $100. Who says getting healthy can be expensive? #HealthyFamily #HealthierMe#TheJourneyBeginsNow 

Every story needs an Antagonist to make it more interesting

Every story needs an Antagonist to make it more interesting. Unfortunately this seems to be missing in my present time. It almost seems boring..haha..nah...the struggle is still the same except this time the struggle is with myself and my desire to be healthy and not a person per se.

I do admit at times I do miss my Ex antagonist beating me down (no not really, only in lala land). Asides from everyday struggles of being a single mother, fulltime student, work, taking care of my children's special needs, life is pretty much peaceful these days compared to my past days.

So, why you say I've gained back all this weight?

Simple= STRESS. It's something I didn't always experience in the past because I was so caught up in surviving everyday life and making sure I didn't get annihilated by my antagonist, but now I do. I mean it doesn't control my life or anything and compared to my previous life, I live in complete freedom, yet LIFE gets explicitly hectic and exhausting.

So what do I do to regain energy?

I EAT...STRESS EAT! I eat to wake up in the morning...I eat to sustain energy during the day...I eat to stay up all night so I can study for midterms or write 1000 word essays for my college classes (seriously with all the writing I've been undertaking this semester, I could have written over 20 books) Well I’m not complaining too much about the writing part (I love writing), it’s the all the structure and guidelines I have to follow when I write literary essays or research papers that stresses me out.

 But that’s it, ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

I’m taking back control of my life and my health! Come this summer, I will be FREE. No more Exams or schoolwork to worry about until August. I’m going to lose back all this weight that’s been weighing me down heavily even if I have to get my exercise by taking my kids to the park every day.

I love spending time with my children and summer is a great time to give them my all and we can enjoy this time without the constraints of daily schoolwork. We will be cooking daily together as a family, no more junk food! I can’t wait. The anticipation has been building up but for now I have to focus on surviving this semester. One more month! NOW WHERE’S MY COFFEE..I need you NOW!!

You can read about my experience by going here: Does The Sacred Heart Diet work for Rapid Weight loss? and don't forget to checkout my specific reasons for trying the Sacred Heart Diet along with the recipe for the Sacred Heart Soup Diet here: I'm Losing 20 lbs in one week learn how I'm Doing It And Why

Alone with Yourself

Being alone once in awhile is Ok and possibly a blessing in disguise. The most creative ideas come through silence and spending some time with yourself and God. Easier said than done in this crazy busy life we have but not impossible.

It's funny how humans are so afraid of being alone and even see it as being selfish or even a sin. The truth is how can we give love or affection to others and share our true selves when we don't even know ourselves. This can only be achieved by being Alone with yourself!


Words to live by......

"take silence and respect it, if you have an art that needs respect stop neglecting it" -Tanya Davis

Letter to GOD

Dear God,

Thank you for always being there when I needed you
Thank you for listening to my prayers
When all seemed lost you gave me hope
Even through my dark days you gave me light
When I was to weak to seek change you gave me strength
When I saw myself as unworthy, You taught me that I am worthy of love and respect

I’m in a much happier place now even though I still have my days when I look at...

the past
But just knowing that you will always be there to guide me in my path comforts me.
I’m no longer that naïve girl who was afraid of being alone
Your love is all I need to get me through my days.
Everyday is a struggle but I become stronger and wiser

I watch the years go by so fast as my children grow up.
I don’t want them to grow up just yet.
I wish I could seize the moments and just forget.
There’s no doubt that my children are the most amazing gift you have ever given me.
They fill my life with love and strength.

I have something to live for what more can I ask.
Everyday is a challenge, everyday is a task
But I try to handle it with grace as best as I can
I do have my days though as I am not perfect
It’s easy to give all of myself to their special needs and lose myself in the process
But it’s OK I’m up for the challenge, I’m willing to accept my purpose.

I’ll see you when my journey is over
But not yet I have so much to live for and so much to do.
I won’t let you down.

-Vane D. Lopez

GUESS WHO'S BACK!! BACK AGAIN!!!

It's been a long time since I've been online let alone blogging. My life is just overdrive busy with being a single mom, fulltime-student, worker etc.. and my special needs children. My children always come first before anything and the great thing about writing is you can always come back to it either when you have some time to think or you just have a lot on your mind that you need to express.

Fortunately, I have alot on my mind and I am in great need to express myself yet my time is very limited and I'm going tthrough this on sonic speed so please escuse my grammer as I don't have time to edit that much.

Anyways, something that has been bothering me lately has been this political season surrounding my community, which I'm sure has been going on everywhere throughout the country. Though where I'm from Politics is involved in everything especially in schools. I don't know if this is necessarily a good thing or a bad thing but I do know this, where there is greed and corruption there is evil.

What's funny is that these people involved in school politics claim they want to help our community and make a difference in our schools yet they haven't done anything for our children so far.

If you really want to help our community stop with the lies, end the corruption, and end the greed
involved in politics and education, because as long as these things continue to be a part of our school, politics, law etc..the system will always be flawed.

My words to them are as follows:

The first thing you need to do is start with your own children. You can't claim that you will help our children
and community when you do nothing for your own but teach them greed. Talk is cheap, don't just say you will make a difference to get people to vote for you, actually do something before you claim you know what's best. I don't believe in paid advertisements or billboards, they're as fake as the person who paid for it.

I can't say that my family is perfect but when there is an issue I take action the best way I can, when possible. I start with my children first because even if I don't get to make a difference in this world I know that my children eventually will carry on the legacy.

I'm not perfect and neither are my children, I'm human and I make mistakes yet I have learned so much about life. I'm not done learning, I still have a long way to go before I become wiser.

We have struggled so much yet that is what makes us stronger not only as a family unit but as individuals. It is in the struggles that a person can actually learn, teach, and help others.


P.S.  Whoever says "Life's a piece of cake" must be joking. Life is a whole cake that might be missing some elements or ingredients but so what, eat it all up, digest it and make the most of what you do have or better yet learn how to make a better tasting cake each time until you get it right, then teach the children the same ingredients so they can make their own cake. Don't worry if their cake turns out better than yours, it's all part of the plan. ;)

-Vane D. Lopez

My Father

He is a man of strength and wisdom. Although he has lived many years, he stands strong like a vulture. His old age does not reflect his inner youth. It started with a dream within himself and sacrifice for his family. He does not regret what he did in search of freedom and survival for he now has not only one dream but many dreams for his family. His heart is made of gold yet it is priceless. Always willing to work hard with his hands like they taught him in his hometown of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He is proud of his culture and he makes sure to teach his grandchildren and children of his traditions but he is more proud of what it took to become a Mexican-American. He is an artist and singer who remained undiscovered for his art represents wisdom, courage, and survival. His heartfelt stories are impacting and circulating. His voice represents hope and life. He sings to his family and his grandchildren. He sings to nature while he teaches his autistic grandaughter how to draw and paint. He sings to his granddaughter while she falls asleep. He sings to God with his guitar everyday. He is an angel to everyone who has ever known him. He is a father, a grandfather, a brother, a husband, a friend. He is my father, Mi Padre, mi heroe, he is my strength and he is irreplaceable. 

Just When I Think I Am Done

You know that problem that just never seems to go away no matter how much you try to make it right or just forget about it?

That person who continuously spreads lies about you just to hurt you because you finally decided to move on with your life and not take any more crap from them but they still find a way to hurt you. 

The feelings of emptiness and helplessness that just never leaves you alone no matter how happy you try to be. And just when you think you are finally done it strikes you again and your back to where you started. In other words you regressed to the past, not physically but in spirit and mentally.

You want to move on but that thing or person keeps dragging you back into despair or in other words their level. Yes, I've been there too and possibly still am. The truth is the problem doesn't seem to go away no matter how much you try but it's how you deal with it that helps you move on at least in your mind.

"I'm proud of my heart. It's been played, Stabbed, Cheated, Burned and broken, but somehow Still works."

First of all you must face your problem or fear:

If it's a certain person making your life hell, then be courteous to them even if you can't stand them. Kindness kills all evil and it's the best revenge. Trust me nothing hurts your enemy more than seeing you happy. Showing them that what they are doing doesn't hurt you anymore and you won't put up with it, but that you forgive them anyway, is key to getting rid of some feelings of helplessness.

If it's a problem or fear then face it and if you can't fix it then just accept it and move on to what you can fix which is yourself. Work on things you can change about yourself that can prevent or create future problems or at least how you react to them. We can't always control what happens to us but we can control how we deal with problems and how we manage them.

Find Comfort in things that make you Happy

It might be hard to find time for yourself but it is key in being emotionally healthy. My happiness contributors = God, family, songwriting, poetry, music, school…, etc. There will be times though that I need a break from school and even family due to my busy schedule s that's where poetry and songwriting comes into the picture. 

I don't always have time for people because I put my family first but I have to find time for poetry or songwriting once in a while because its part of who I am. If you stop being yourself then who are you? Now I can say that I don't always publish my poetry or songs online. Most of my work is for my own personal gratification or humorous delectation (Yes I like laughing at myself through music&poetry..lol). I don't always feel that people will understand my words and they might judge me but when I create them they live forever in  my paper. 

If coffee is you're thing, then by all means take a coffee break once in a while. If your life schedule is overbooked, then try to reduce the things that can wait or are not that important. Taking some time for yourself is how you discover who you are as a person so that you can share your true inner beauty with others. If you don't find time to make yourself happy, then you will be a very stressed and angry person and that will only make others around you unhappy too. (lol)

Surround yourself with positive people or Family

It's always good to surround yourself with people who know you well and know your story since they will understand more than anything what you've been through. Other people will just assume they know you but they don't. Nevertheless be open to welcome new people in your life that want to be a part of your life. 

Keep your circle small as even some friends or family members pretend to care about you when they are secretly planning on stabbing you in the back. Nevertheless don't assume everyone is out to get you, just know how to tell the difference between people who really have your best interest at heart or who are only interested in breaking your heart.

People who are constantly criticizing what you do might not have your best interest at heart. A true friend listens and offers advice or constructive criticism but doesn't judge you maliciously. Surrounding yourself with people who seem to genuinely care about you and make you feel good is key in overcoming certain problems or issues but don't confuse constructive criticism with malicious criticism. 

Most people do have your best interest at heart and might not have the best words of comfort but it doesn't mean they don't care about you. They might not even know that their words hurt you, just let them know how you feel and talk about it before it turns into another problem in your life that can be avoided.

Use your feelings of emptiness/despair towards your talent or Hobby

Find out what your good at or if you already have a hobby or passion, use your feelings to create something amazing with it. It doesn't have to be to showcase it to anyone or to become well known but it will give you a sense of pride and joy knowing you created something beautiful out of your despair. 

When you're going through something unpleasant and you use it towards something that is your passion, it can actually produce some amazing internal feelings. I know that whenever I'm going through something I pick up my pen and start songwriting or write a poem that I immediately get a rush throughout my whole body. I know it's weird but it's the way that I deal with issues in my life and I believe it's the most healthy natural way to prevent depression but that's just my opinion. 

So whatever it is your good at or you love to do, use your anger, frustration, passion or whatever and release it into your talent and create something amazing. If you're an artist then your painting will be 1000 times more amazing if you PUT YOUR HEART into it.

Keep Moving: Don't Give Up

No matter what happens in your life, remember to never give up and keep looking forward. The more we focus on the past, the more we get dragged by it making it harder to move on. Like I said before the problem and that person might not ever go away but it's how we deal with it that makes a difference in how our emotional state will be. I can't say I have mastered this just yet because I still deal with these issues but I am a different person now than I was before. 


I have been through so much in my life and I have felt like giving up so many times but I also managed to overcome those fears by facing them and saying "no more." It's not easy to move on and demand respect. The old me would put up with being hurt for fear of change, but the new me is stronger because of what I've been through. I feel as though I'm not fully back to myself, but I am a wiser person who has evolved into who I was meant to be all along. I don't regret what I've been through as it was a test in my life that I have passed never to be repeated. 

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” ― Mother Teresa

Ema Jane Shabby Chic Girl Flower Headbands

These Flower Headbands are so beautiful and they are perfect for Spring. They fit babies, toddlers, and girls. I think I'm getting some for my girls. They are adorable!! You can find these at The Kidos Store > :)

Random Thought: Why I Hate Phones That Are Smarter Than Me

I don't like it when a phone is smarter than me. It makes me feel jealous. I like to be in control of my phone not have my phone tell me what to do.

Don't get me wrong, I used to own a smart phone and I loved it (that's the problem). I depended to much on it for everything and if I didn't have it I would go crazy and turn into a psychopath investigator being suspicious of everything and everyone.

Everywhere I went I had to use my phone and it was touchscreen so if I would put it in my pocket it would start dialing random people.

Anyways, here are just a few reasons I dislike Smart Phones:

I don't want people to laugh at me

My phone didn't have spell check but I've heard most new smart phones such as Blackberries have this and I've heard it's a pain in the a**. At least that's what I've seen from some FB statuses.

We got people calling themselves "gay" when they meant "wey" (dude) and "kiss" instead of "diss" and other words that are too rated for me to mention them here. Apparently these new smart phones are not Street Smart lol!

This type of words can make you the laughing stock and can really damage your online as well as offline image. People will look at you differently if you know what I mean.


Smart Phone APPS

Another reason I hate smart phones is because of the apps. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm not putting down people who like to play games on their phones or like certain apps. My problem is that certain other types of apps such as spy ware or malware can be installed into your phone without your knowledge.

 One particular spy ware that seems to be popular amongst smart phones is Mspy. This type of software is advertised as helping people catch their cheating spouses or businesses to spy on their employees if they are using the companies property such as company cell phones, computers, etc.

While it seems harmless to most, it can get out of control and most of these apps are being used unethically. Too much power in the wrong hands or SMART phones can get crazy or should I say Genious crazy.

THEY DIE

Theses smart phones are so smart that eventually they get tired and their batteries need recharging just like people except we don't always die on the spot. These phones are more unpredictable than a human's life and they require so much energy. 

When they don't have enough they die and it could leave you at anytime when you most need it. You could be having a special conversation with someone or an important phone conference that gets cut off all because your phone needs to be charged.

YOU LOSE BRAIN CELLS

I mean here you are depending on your phone for everything. You are using GPS to get to places and you are searching everything you need so your brain stops functioning like it should be. 

Don't get me wrong even computers do this to us sometimes but smart phones are so portable that people seem to carry it anywhere so they become dependable on it even for simple reasoning skills that they forget how to think for themselves. 

There are many more reasons why I hate smart phones but it would take a book for me to express my opinions (it's a possibility lol). I always get crap about not replying to phone texts and I have to apologize for my phone not being as fast or smart. 

It takes forever for me to type a text on my prepaid numbers only phone but since practically everyone owns a smart phone, not everyone understands me. I know I'm probably missing out on all the game apps mania fun but it's OK as long as I don't lose myself.

They think I'm just ignoring them, but I'm not. People can judge me all they want about me not owning a smart phone but I won't apologize for not wanting to own one. That's just my decision and believe me I am much happier now that I don't own one. 

Note: Not everyone who owns a smart phone depends on it as much and I'm not saying that these phones are for people who are not smart. It's just a concern I have that large corporations are making billions from these phones and humanity is paying a much higher price than just money, such as their freedom and their true selves but that's just my opinion. 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is solely of myself and I do not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of the above OPINIONS, neither would I be responsible for any consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from the actions resulting from such opinions. Reader is asked to do their own due diligence or research before taking any action! For the Smart Phone companies: I am not responsible for individuals or companies who stop purchasing smart phones or vice versa. As I mentioned before, I am only expressing my opinion. (I just had 2 put that here4legal purposes..lol)

Wow!! Longtime no SEE!!

It's been awhile since I've been on here but I've been busy with school, the flu, motherhood and YES I'm still looking for a job although I would like to think that writing, motherhood, and school is my job for now. I would also like to share that I'm trying the Sacred Heart Diet again in a couple of days or a week.

The first time I tried it I lost 14 lbs. in a week but I weighed over 200 lbs. I'm still overweight but at least I'm not obese anymore and I know it was this diet that helped jumpstart most of my weight-loss but since the holidays I gained 10 lbs. but luckily I got the flu and lost them back (Yes I know that's not a good way of losing weight but I was sick, I couldn't help it..lol).

Anyways, back to topic, In case you haven't read my article where I explain my weight-loss experience, Read Here. I need to get back on track, not only for myself but for my family. Plus, I could use all the energy I can get especially if it's natural.

After being sick for over a month with Flu, I'm longing to feel better and gain some of the energy this vegetable soup provides. I'll let you know how it goes next week. I doubt I'll lose as much weight as the first time since I weigh less but it's worth a try! Wish me luck!

The Vane D Dayz: y6hjnjmnn b

I Just thought I'd share this with the world. One day I was working on my blog and I stayed logged in and Aliyah started using the computer. Aliyah typed it! hehe. At least she's learning how to type now. Maybe there is a meaning to her mad typing. It's probably a different language but I think she was trying to tell me something. ;)

Click on the link below to read Aliyah's Blog post. Whether you can understand it or not, you gotta admit it's BEAUTIFUL!!

The Vane D Dayz: y6hjnjmnn b

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Blind Response

As the darkness intensifies so do my senses and self-awareness. The dryer is tumbling the children's clothes and the echoes of laughing children is still present. 

The heater roaring away trying to keep my home warm yet fails to keep my heart warm and content. My heartbeat is stomping away from my chest. 

The children are off to school so the home is missing something. My stomach roars begging me to feed it. The cell phone is practically screaming for me to pick it up and even though I can't see it with my eyes, I quickly find it as my ears guide my every move. 

Surprisingly I am able to walk around my home as if my eyes were wide open. Though physically all I see is dark, I can see and feel everything around me.

 As I pass through the hallway, I can visualize all the art work of my precious children. My daughter's first time writing her name in the wall is still present. The cracks on the wall when the children played baseball inside the home doesn't upset me anymore and comforts me. 

My eyes see darkness yet my heart sees light. Life embraces this home. Memories of young children give this home life even when they are not present. Life makes this house a home and that gives my heart comfort and peacefulness.

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin

In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin the author describes a fantasy world in which everything seems perfect and happiness is prosperous in the city of Omelas. The author expresses that Omelas is not a dream city. It is real and it does exist and people are abundantly happy there. The story explains that the only resolution to happiness such as a place like Omela is to turn your back on pain and unhappiness but being happy also has a dark side since it sometimes requires selfishness. In the story the author mentions a child that was not seen as perfect by the people at Omelas so they had the child locked up away from the society of Omelas and the condition for being happy in Omela is to keep the child there away from everyone and the outside world since he represents something that is unknown and not perfect to the people there. It seems as though the people in Omelas do not believe in change or do not accept the unknown because they feel it will shatter their happiness and destroy the city and the people there so why should they even try.


It seems there is no resolution in either “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula LE Guin or in “Hills Like White Elephant” by Ernest Hemingway. Both stories leave the reader in suspense and allow the reader to come up with somewhat of their own conclusion regarding the plot, outcome, and significance of the story although “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” seems to be more developed than “Hills Like White Elephants”. The difference between most popular stories and this one is that most stories the plot is more developed and the outcome and the conclusion are more direct and less confusing and in “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin, the plot is mainly describing the city of Omelas and how happy people were there but it never clearly explains why most people are there and why some people leave and never come back.


Personally, I don’t know if I would walk away from Omela or just try to influence their way of thinking by speaking my mind. Even though the city of Omelas seems like a dream city that represents happiness to most people, it would not represent happiness to me because to me, happiness comes from having freewill and making a difference in life to be remembered and helping people in need no matter if the rest of society finds it acceptable or not. Omelas represented what most might think represents happiness but happiness comes from within, and what makes one person happy might not make another person happy. Happiness to me represents having experiences whether painful or not and the challenges we face in getting through obstacles in life and moving forward. 


I believe the people in the story saw the child that was locked up and walked away from Omelas because they saw that the price of happiness was to be selfish and destroy anything that represented a challenge or imperfection. They might of felt that they, as well, were being deprived of freedom as they were being taught by the city what represented happiness and they felt disgusted with what was done to the child who was being punished simply for being different than what was considered to be normal and what was considered to be a representation of happiness. 


Omelas has some significance in this world today because some people still prefer to turn their back on the truth and refuse to accept change or anything that is different than what is considered normal. Society has taught us what behaviors are acceptable and what is unacceptable. We have been conditioned to believe that the way to be happy is to be selfish. On the other hand Omelas talks about the way most people in the past might have lived without technology advances and without abundance of knowledge. Life was more simple back then so it seemed like people were happier but it was only an illusion and only a dream, because in reality, they were hiding the truth and trying to get rid of pain by putting their problems away, while the problem was not the imperfections, but the ignorance of the city’s way of thinking. Today people are more accepting of change and of what’s different yet ignorance still exists. Today’s version of happiness is different than what was considered happiness in the past and in places such as the Omelas but one thing that never ceases to change within humanity is the fear of the unknown.

SNOW

The first time I saw snow was when I was about eight years old in Hoopeston, Illinois. My family and I were Migrants and we would live in Illinois for half of the year every year. Sometimes we would stay longer until December and that was a great advantage because we got to experience the sensation of seeing snow. 

The first time I felt snow was amazing. I was wearing several layers of clothing and a snow suit. My mom would always bundle me and my brother up during the winter days before she sent us off to school. I hated it because all the layers made it hard to walk but she would always say, "abrigate y cubrete el pecho porque te va pegar un resfriado (cover yourself up because you're going to get sick with a cold)." Mom was always convinced that colds were caused by people not wearing enough layers during the cold winter days. 

I walked to school with my best friend Janitta looking like an astronaut with my arms sticking out and then all of a sudden I felt a snowflake. I didn't know what it was at first. It felt cold and then wet. I thought it was starting to rain. My friend and I started running fast to school thinking it was going to rain and then we saw white flakes covering the streets. We stopped to look at it. I told my friend, "I don't think this is rain, its too beautiful too be rain." We stood there just staring at it while it fell to the ground like a delicate piece of art, so white, pure and beautiful. 

The next day on Saturday, the whole town was covered in snow. I didn't wear my snowsuit that day because I figured it would be hard to move, and I made my first snowman with my friends. We played all day in the snow and laid in it so we could feel it. It was so cold, but we didn't care because it was so much fun and beautiful to watch. I should have listened to my mom though, because the next day we were all sick with fever. It was all worth it and if I had to do it all over again I would, except this time I would wear my snowsuit (LOL).

I NEED A JOB!!! Where Can I Find a Job? Are there any jobs out there for College Students?

Don't you think its ironic that a college student with a degree can't find a job in America? Well, unfortunately its true. Our economy is suffering big time and unemployment continues to sky rocket regardless of what the media/news feeds you. 


If people with a college education can't find a job, can you imagine what it must be like for other people without an education. I mean, here we are told that college graduates are more likely to succeed in life and earn a higher pay salary throughout their lifetime than a person without an education and then we are faced with the realization that there is not enough jobs for everyone not even college grads. 


Its like a stab in the back and the realization that things are headed for the worst. I've been struggling to find a job(yes a woman with a college degree can't find a job..lol). The economy must be bad if even I can't find a job. There's plenty of jobs available that don't require education but no one will hire me because I'm overqualified. Wow! The tables have turned. 


Today it seems like the statistics regarding job income for college vs no college are not the same as they used to be. I am starting to think I wasted time in college but its too late now. It seems like the jobs available now are either underpaid or we are overqualified. I wonder if I can omit my college education and if it will increase my chances of getting a job. I just want a job,any job is ok but since this is not working out, I decided to start an experiment and see if it works.  

I Will be self-employed and I will write and publish for a living online. 

If you've been following or reading my blog articles, you can see that I don't publish often. I usually write from 2 to 3 articles a month or less, but I still managed to make a few bucks with Google AdSense. 


If you don't know what Google AdSense is, I suggest you read this book called 


Essential: About Google Adsense !  

Add caption

Google AdSense is not a get-rich scheme, you have to work very hard to  make any money at all and you usually only make money when people click on your ads.

I've heard from other bloggers that in order to make a living out of writing online, you have to make a commitment to do it like if it was a regular 9-5 job. You have to write everyday or at least update your website or articles everyday. You have to be extremely active online with participation and dedication. I haven't exactly done this and this is why I believe I haven't been successful as a freelance writer and poet. 

I don't want to monetize what I love doing but I am a single mom and I need to feed my children and this is the best way I can think of that will allow me to share knowledge and my love for poetry, music, and information with others while still having the job of my dreams. Self-employment is almost every good mom's dream.  

I Will continue answering and asking questions at WebAnswers

In case you don't know what this is, WebAnswers.com  is an information Beta website in which users get to answer questions and if the answer gets chosen as the best, then you earn from the ads. In other words you help other people by answering their questions and sharing your knowledge and you get paid. Another way to make money with WebAnswers is to ask questions. It's a good way to earn money. 


In fact, since I joined, I've seen some increased changes in my online earnings. You do not need to have a Google Adsense account to join WebAnswers, however, after you answer 50 questions, you are given the option of applying with Google Adsense.  


To learn more you can go to www.webanswers.com and start helping others with your knowledge and information. The great thing about webAnswers is that you choose what questions you want to answer and you can even ask any questions you want.

I Will focus my attention on Rich Content

Most of my articles consist of songs or poetry that I write. I will continue to write as much as I can and write about other things that are on my mind or that can help people. I do admit though that I don't like to stick with one topic so my articles vary from each other but most of my articles have rich original content. 


I try to express my opinions and views on life as much as possible on my articles. As for my poetry, it doesn't get any personal than that. In fact, my poetry and music is a reflection of who I am as a person and what my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and views are.

I Will expand my Content and expand my writing


Since I started writing online, I have only written on my blog and made a couple of youtube videos but nothing major. My plan is to write for other webpages such as wordpress, hubpages, online magazines, forums..etc..anything that will allow my content to expand. I will continue updating, writing, and building up my blog The Vane D Dayz but I don't want to limit myself to this blog only.


I Will Invest in my Online Self-Employed Business


What I mean when I say "invest" is that any business needs advertising of some form without being annoying to others. By investing in forms of advertising such as AdWords, it will help my websites to be indexed at the top of the search engines. I either invest with money or I invest with time such as using free tools to drive more traffic to my website. 


One great tool that has already helped bring traffic to my site is Pingomatic.com. Everytime I make changes to my blog or I post a new article, I enter my url and it automatically sends a message to the search engines that my website is updated. This helps to index my website and blog so that people can find my blog when they search for a particular topic.

I will Be more Serious and Take Action


When I first started my blog, my purpose was to share my music, poetry, songwriting with the world. I never even thought I could make any money with my website and I didn't take it that serious. It wasn't until a few months after starting my blog that I realized I could make money online and I noticed that the more effort I put into it, the more revenue I generated. 


Of course there has been times when I don't make anything at all and that has gotten me discouraged several times but I am not known to be a quitter. I will give it all I got and if I fail it will not be because I didn't try. I owe it to my children to at least give it a try and if I succeed it will prove that hard work does eventually pay off.


I Will read and learn as I work


One of the greatest things about being human is that we never stop learning. Even when we feel we know what we are doing, there is always something new we need to learn and improve. The web keeps changing every minute so learning and staying up to date with everything will help in building up an online business.


 Even Attorneys don't know everything and they must constantly keep up with the fast changing laws by practicing law and keeping up with changes for as long as their career is active so why should it be different for anyone else.


I Will Be More Social


As a busy mom, I rarely have time for making friends or meeting people outside of my home. Its very lonely to be me..lol..and there's times when I just feel like giving up on my social life and continue writing but I know this is hurting me more than anything. How are people going to know who I am if I don't socialize more. 


It might seem impossible but I know I could put more effort into going out more and meeting with other people that have similar interests as me. This will not only help me develop healthy relationships that may last a lifetime, but it will also enrich my writing as I am exposed to different experiences and a different atmosphere.


I will not forget my Main Purpose 


My main purpose for this online journey has and will always be to share my poetry, music, and information with others that may inspire or help others. I feel as though the only way to make this possible is if I dedicate my time to do just this but I must remember that its not about the money at all. All that I want is to be able to provide for my children while still following my dreams and goals in life. That doesn't make me a bad person that just makes me normal. 


If it was up to me, money would not exist and everything would be free. Unfortunately it was a generation of humanity that let this happen and in order to fix this we must learn how to be self-sustainable. In the meantime, these bills keep piling up and someone has to work to pay for them. We could go on and on about these social political issues but that's a whole different topic that should be included in another article and believe me, I will soon. I have alot on my mind that I need to share with the world and I know the best way I can communicate is through writing, poetry, and music. 

Eat McDonalds Guilt-Free!

Can’t stay away from fast food? While it’s preferable that you stay away from fast foods since they have more fat than homemade food, most people have a very busy schedule and they don’t always have time for cooking at home. It’s either starve yourself, which is not healthy at all, or making better choices when you have no choice but to pick up a quick meal to eat while on the run.   

I can’t always afford to eat fast food but my drastic on-the-run schedule going to school and my children’s therapies and specialists leave me no choice sometimes. I’ve discovered a way to not feel so guilty and still maintain my weight loss goals. It’s all about making healthier choices and sticking to them no matter what. It will become easier as you learn to be healthier and after time it will become a healthy habit that you won’t even have to think about when you’re on-the-run.

If you checkout McDonald’s nutrition information on their website it will give you an idea of what you are eating and how many calories you are taking in so you don’t get too carried away. Although it’s tempting to eat your favorite foods that you’re always used to, try something different and you will be surprised how quickly you will start to enjoy making healthier choices not only for you but for your family as well.

When I have to run somewhere to a doctor appointment with the kids and there is no time for making breakfast we pick up something from McDonalds. I usually pick a ham&cheese Egg Mcmuffin which has only 300 calories and about 12 grams of fat. If you want to go even healthier then you can choose the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal which has less than 300 calories and only about 5 grams of fat or the Fruit and Yogurt has only 160 calories and only 2 grams of fat. I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve heard it’s delicious.

To drink I get a small coffee with Splenda sugar which is practically 0 calories and 0 sugar or fat. On the side I get the small hash brown which is about 150 calories and 9 grams of fat. In total, my breakfast calorie intake is 450 which is not bad at all for a fast food meal. For my kids, I get the same except they have orange juice or milk to drink and I get them snack size Fruit & walnuts so they can eat that too if they are still hungry.

So you see how making simple choices like that doesn’t have to be a pain in the a**. It wasn’t always like that, I used to make very unhealthy choices before which is what I believe contributed to my past weight gain. The old me would have chosen the big breakfast with hotcakes which is over 1000 calories per meal. Yikes!!

That’s half of what we should be consuming per day and I was having that in one meal only. I’ve come a long way but my healthy journey is not over yet. I still have a lot to learn about staying healthy and of course I’m still working on my weight loss goals. 

 So now I'm ready to save the world!!! Not Really..lol but at least I'm off to a healthy great start ;)

CHRISTMAS KIDS FREESTYLE

I hope this song puts you in the spirit of Christmas and don't forget the reason for the season and the real reason we celebrate Christmas. When I heard the stories about Black Friday, I was appalled. We had people fighting over toys and electronics.

I heard a young boy was knocked out by an adult and was sent to the hospital. Seriously people!! What has the world come to? Christmas should be about rejoicing in the promise God has for his children.

All this greed and fighting over money and material things needs to stop! We need to teach our children that Christmas shouldn't just be about how many presents are under your tree. It should be about spending time with the people you love and sharing the love of God and his promises.

If you have health, a home, food, clothing, and the love of your family or friends, then non basic material things should not be a factor. If you have more than enough then be grateful but don't flaunt it. If you can help others in need then do so and God will bless you even more but being selfish and greedy during this time of year should be unacceptable. Don't forget we celebrate Christmas because of Jesus!! Hope you all have a great Christmas with your loved ones!! :D

The Beginning

It seemed like things were finally falling into place.

I was demanding respect and  I was obtaining it. 

I could still view images in my head 

So vividly as if it were just yesterday, 

But for once, hope and inner happiness embraced me,

But disbelief still burdened me,

As the scars in my heart filled me with emptiness.

Still, I saw some light underneath the darkness 

And that comforted me in a strange unusual way. 

Free At Last!!!


 -Vane D. Lopez  ;)