Growing up I perceived love was simply mind over matter, seeing people who could switch between one person to the next without feeling pain looked like a skill that you could develop. However, the more I learnt and felt, the more I began to realise that is was far from mind over matter, in fact you couldn’t control it what so ever,  it’s the most strongest force in the universe, a force that will lift you so high but could bring you down just as fast.

The more I thought about it, the more I started to become open to it, allowing it to run through my veins like a new drug to my system, anxiously waiting to experience the effects. I felt my first hit during my high school years, to a beautiful girl. Being young and inexperienced to this new feeling which was constantly being injected through my body, I was careless and made decisions which would ultimately help me later on, but in no way would help me at the present. That was a short term price I paid but you can never tell what decision will be more beneficial as you make decisions based on what you know at the time.

I’m still very young and I believe love can always be found and vice versa, it’s something that is always with you all the time, it’s a matter of various variables like timing, personal development and your mindset at that point in time. I’m a person who values self-worth, respect, dedication, trust and loyalty and with our current world, those traits are becoming more scarce and sometimes can be even harder to find when you’re looking. Being single and focusing on personally developing myself in the past 3 years, I haven’t been seeking a partner though recently I’ve met someone with traits that I’m looking for in a person. We both share commonalities like when we want to have children and how we perceive life and when she shows her smile to me, I long to hold her so tightly, wanting to feel the warmth of her body.

I hear many state that love is so hard to find and once you have it, you should hold onto it and not let it go but as everything in life, abundant thinking is key and love is no different. It’s our beliefs and experiences which determine the next step of your life, i.e. a new relationship. Think it can happen, believe it can happen, make it happen…because you control your life and your life is influential to others.

A person by the name of Fr. Jerome Cummings said; “Love is shown in your deeds, not in your words.” Actions will always speak louder than words and to show true love, you must present it from the depth of your heart and soul, not from your mouth.

Love all but most importantly, love yourself.

Westpac will release a new credit card as of February 8th, 2009 – Westpac Ignite Credit Card. To all current Virgin Credit Card holders, the new Westpac Ignite Credit Card will replace the existing Virgin Credit Card.

Features include:

• No Annual Fee
• Low 12.99% p.a. interest rate on purchases
• New Instant Offers Program
• New CHIP security
• Same Credit Card Number
• Up to 55 Days Interest Free on Purchases
• No Change to your Payment Methods or Credit Limit
• Keep using your Virgin Credit Card until your new Westpac Ignite Credit Card arrives.

If you would like a few questions answered regarding the new Westpac Ignite Credit Card, I have added a few common questions below:

Q. Do I need to apply for a new Ignite Card?
A. No. If you are an existing Virgin Credit Cardholder, we will be providing you with a replacement Ignite Card.

Q. Do I need to become a Westpac customer?
A. No. As Westpac has always been the card issuer and credit provider of your Virgin Credit Card, we do not require any further documentation from you.

Q. What will happen to Mates Rates™ Instant Rewards?
A. Mates Rates™ Instant Rewards will be replaced by a new online Instant Offers program which will provide you with discounted offers across a broad range of categories including entertainment, travel, shopping and lifestyle.

Q. Do I get to select the colour of my new Ignite Card?
A. No. All Ignite Cards will be available in one vibrant colour – red.

If you would like any more information about the new Westpac Ignite Credit Card, you can visit Westpac’s Ignite Credit Card page by clicking here or you can call Westpac’s toll free number on: 1800 080 000. Please note, this only applies to Australian applicants only.

Westpac Credit Card Comparison

Below I’ve added a table comparing both Virgin Credit Card and Westpac Credit Card. The only differences between the credit cards is the Westpac Credit Card does not charge for a duplicated statement and extra security with the revolutionary chip protection. The interest rate on cash and purchases stay the same as does no annual fee. For more information on the Westpac Credit Card, click onto Westpac’s website.

Virgin Credit Card (Before 8 February 2009)

Westpac Ignite Credit Card (From 9 February 2009)

Managing credit can be a difficult task if not taught the essentials at a young age, but it’s never to late to start learning. Unfortunately, many believe they have acquired certain finance skills as they grow older, in some cases this may be true however majority have only brushed up on the bare necessities, not crawling in the dark cave and exploring. Credit in this world is past important, it’s absolutely critical and before most realise this, they have landed themselves deep in debt and spend an eternity living with it and paying it off, completely encumbering them. The elite wealthy in the world (avg. 10% of the worlds population) know how to manage their money effectively and utilise all monetary systems to their advantage, and let’s be honest, they know how because they’re the ones who built these systems and invented wealth itself! So in order to learn financial management and improve your finances, you should learn from only the best.

Managing credit can be fun, exciting and quite rewarding if your keen to improve your current situation and for the future too, but unless you’re WANTING to change your life and to help your family succeed, then it could prove to be next to impossible. But as with anything, it comes from wanting, a deep desire to do something and it’s only from then, will you begin to grow and advance.

Let’s start by asking yourself a few questions. Try and answer honestly by looking deep within yourself, this may take some time but don’t spend too much time on it. Write them down on a piece of paper and think about it for a little bit.

1. Do you WANT to manage your credit?
2. Do you WANT to be successful within yourself?
3. Do you WANT to utilise systems to help benefit YOU?
4. Do you WANT to give YOU and your FAMILY more?

If you answered yes to at least one of those questions, you have already taken a step to developing yourself more, which is actually one of the most hardest steps to take – believe it or not. If you answered no (which somehow I actually doubt, however it’s possible) to all the questions, then I can only assume you are sincerely happy and comfortable and I wish you continuous good luck from here on! To the others who are still with us, simply place “why?” to the end of your answer to each question, and see if you can look even further within yourself and understand why you chose that answer. It’s only from breaking existing walls down in your mind that you will step up higher and develop yourself more.

Now that you’ve read all of the above, you’re wondering when can you get to the juicy part? Well I’m afraid with my limited experience, I can only show you a direction and offer multiple resources to read. If I went along and explained what I currently knew about money, it most likely wouldn’t be substantial to create a better life for yourself.

Managing Money Resources:

Fathers 4 Justice – Earn Free Money & Free Rewards

Smart Company – How to Manage Money

Ohio State University – Managing Your Money (Lessons)

About.com – Managing Credit Cards, Debt & More

If you have a question aimed towards me or would like to add a piece of knowledge to any of this or my blog, contact me and I’ll be happy to help, and give you credit for your work. I’m always interested in other people’s thoughts as I believe in multiple minds sharing an abundance of knowledge to create a better and more beautiful world for everyone.

I continue to dwell on the negative effects money causes us personally and as a nation. As with my previous post about the Monetary System, I’m still in strong belief money has forced us to become over aggressive and keeping our minds off track much more important things like sustaining longer and healthier lives. Having no money causes different symptoms to different people, however one statement still applies to all – “In order to survive, one must possess some form of currency in the monetary system.” - Basically, no matter where you live, you will need money to a certain extent due to our continuous efforts to build our nation around money.

Money has long since existed, just in many different forms to how we see it now. According to Wikipedia, currency started being used as early as 3000 BC, using specific amounts of barley in a metric measurement such as silver, bronze, copper etc would be used later on. Then it was reported the Lydians became the first to introduce the use of Gold and Silver in a coin form. From there it became known the first stamped coins were minted around 650-600BC. If true wisdom does exist, it would not come from one man, it would be from history and how we’ve learnt not to make the same mistakes again, or have we? Have we forgotten how many wars money has caused, how many people have been killed? Not to mention time wasted squalling over money rather then focusing on the growth of humanity.

My father once told me, “Andrew, I’ve tossed money back & forth so many times, its better with, than without.” and the way the world is growing, this statement is not only valid at present but will be for many, many years. People say money doesn’t bring happiness nor wealth within, however many fail to realise our world is constantly moving and following the path of money, so in order to gain access to needed things like food, shelter and clothing, you need money and then from there, you can build up within yourself and not focus on negatives like your bad financial status.

You still believe you don’t need money for happiness? Picture this, you and your partner are taking a walk along the river, there is an ice cream truck and you make your way to the board. You want to buy two big ice creams, one for your partner and one for yourself, it’s a beautiful day and it will taste divine so you take your wallet out and open it – BAM, empty. How would you feel? Not only embarrassed but also ashamed of yourself, not able to provide something so simple. This will be stored in your sub-conscience and over time will dampen your confidence.  Now this maybe a simple story however it’s critical to understand money can and will bring you happiness, if managed and used correctly.

Money is important and is a nesscceity but don’t let it run your life, make it work for you. To make money work for you, you need to know the process of ‘time leverage’, I will discuss this at a later date. Once you have a few simple steps on how to manage money, you’ll feel better, your partner will feel better and you’ll be more happy! Stay positive and keep strong.

As we go through life, we are always learning, gaining new knowledge and experimenting with new experiences, though unfortunately some don’t realise or understand the potential of our minds. Many curse their lives because they are dull, non-stimulative and always wonder why they can’t get that promotion or attractive partner – well, I can only sum it down to two important words:
Personal Development

Successful people always regard personal development (PD for short) in high regard, yet we still disregard it, why? Well that’s pretty simple to answer. We grow up in a society that has such a strong emphasis on education, we forget that we’ve learnt from ourselves for many, many thousands of years previously, and that’s where the true knowledge and power lies, within ourselves – we don’t get taught this, only ‘what they want us to learn’. The more we experience, the more we absorb and hopefully the more we learn; you can learn anything, it’s a matter of using it to YOUR advantage, not someone else’s.

There are many books on personal development and how it can help you grow your mind, think clearer and produce more innovative ideas, however until you have the urge to experiment with your mind and allow it to develop into something much more, I’m not sure if you’d go ahead and read a book or two.

As our actions come from thoughts and them from deep inner feelings, we need to have the urgency inside ourselves in order to make a action. If you’re in financial trouble and I said to you, “You can become wealthier just by reading a few books” – would you be interested? Of course, because money can bring a lot of new and exciting feelings, not to mention safety and necessitates like food and shelter. But until we have a wiliness to change, be open to new things, we will still work that job 9-5, pay our bills on time and feed the animals at 5pm every night.

However I could ramble on for hours discussing the importance of personal development but I would assume once you leave my website, this will be already lost into your sub-conscience until it’s required for a particular moment in your life, and it will be that day, you’ll realise you’ve been given a chance to succeed.

“Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future, but to shape it… to channel our destiny in humane directions and to try to ease the trauma of transition.”
- Alvin Toffler
(courtesy of squarewheels.com – http://www.squarewheels.com/content/persgrowthquotes.html)

After the recent incident of an Iraqi Journalist throwing shoes at President Bush last Monday, 15th of December, a developer by the name of PopJam released a funny interactive game titled “Sock and Awe!”. The aim of the game is to throw as many shows at President Bush within the specified time limit, using your mouse to move the shoe left and right and clicking to throw.

It’s a very quick game and really is just a novelty type of thing, you wouldn’t play it for hours unless you felt some ridicioulous desire to haha. You can play the game by visiting the website below:

Sock and Awe – http://www.sockandawe.com

Fathers 4 Justice – f4joz.com (F4J) has shown an interesting article from News.com.au regarding the new proposed Australian Internet Web Filter, which simply put, will strip the last source of freedom from people and with reduced speeds of up to 25%. I’ll make it easy, just think of your web page loading a few more seconds later or your downloads a few more minutes later…now times that by a few thousand times you load a website or download a song, starting to add up now? Not to mention, if the government takes control of our web, then they can deliberately block websites to their own advantage – scary stuff hey?

The ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) also noted that web filtering software blocked the wrong content up to 25 per cent in most studies. Think of your local community centre or a blog about gardening could just get blocked, for absolutely no reason. Sure, there is some “nasty” stuff out there and for that, you need the right anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, however forcing you not to see websites is a restriction, a restriction that should not be put in place!

There were hundreds of people who attended protests in capital cities around Australia on Saturday, 13th of December, voicing their opinion on the above proposed internet filtering scheme by Kevin Rudd.

I’m far higher than politics and don’t wish to be involved in any shape or form, however Mr. Rudd seems to be doing a good service so far, however if this goes ahead, he will no longer have my support – that’s a promise… and you can take that to the bank with interest on top!

Full article on Fathers 4 Justice Australia:

http://www.f4joz.com/news/newspage.php?yr=8&id=10291