CampusIntel

In a William Wallace (Braveheart) voice: “They can take our lives, but they can never take our FREEDOM!!”

Many have seen that movie, many have heard these words (probably even recited improperly), but no one realizes that these words are something to live by on a day–to-day basis. These words, along with other famous quotes, become the foundation to a good inner-strength. I will, throughout my BoBH (pronounced Bob) blogs, explain the importance of this quote and of the others, but for now, let’s start at the start. Start off on a good foot, with some rainbows, pixie dust and a bucket of sunshine.

Now that you’ve realized the point of these blogs, I want you to realize why I’m here. I, myself, have been through my fair share of relationships. From the best, long-term relationships, to the utterly terrible, short-term disasters, I’ve dealt with many situations. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m no guru; I’m no man whore or some “know-it-all”. Recently, I’ve come to notice that many boys, like me, go into relationships without realizing what they are doing, what they want and the changes that may need to be made.

That’s why I’m here. I’m that little voice inside your head, hopefully leading you to happiness with whoever that person may be.

Just like sports, video production, cooking, you need to have a pre-“game” plan:

Step 1:
Foundation for the Future.

The main thing is that both parties involved know what each other want and agree on it. Hell, sign a contract if you want (we all know how some women can alter the “understanding”). Choose your destiny is pretty appropriate to this topic. First off, figure out what you guys “are”. Is this relationship a serious one (long-term or just a short-term one)? The famous “friends with benefits”? The “no-friends, just benefits” combo? Feel free to create your own, individually or as a couple.

But wait! Don’t just think present, maybe even look into the future. Obviously no one is asking you to be like Nostradamus, but talk about the future with you guys. Do you see this “friend with benefits” deal become a serious relationship? How fast do you want to move in a relationship? Basic understanding is the foundation of this relationship.

Step 1.1:
1+1=1?

I only created this step recently; I’ve come to realize its key importance in a successful relationship. I’ve called it 1.1 because it belongs fundamentally with the foundation, yet is not necessary and can be watered-down if preferred.

This step, I believe, can be mainly used for the serious relationships, but can be changed for whatever plan you have created for the both of you. Now remember, this step doesn’t have to be a cannonball attack (all at once), it can be more like a grenade explosion, with several pieces hitting you at different times, and slowly letting the pieces sink in.

What I’m trying to get at is that you need to understand the other person’s likes, dislikes, hobbies, preferences, turn-ons, turn-offs, etc… Like mentioned before, feel free to sit down with each other and just let loose, telling everything, starting with a clean and open slate. Or just over time, mention something that you like or dislike. But for the love of all that is right…do not get mad at the other person if they did not know. They don’t read minds! Explain to the person why you like or hate that thing…make it clear and understandable.

This is why it’s 1+1=1. If you want to understand the other person, and for them to understand you, you will need to become “one” and share what is necessary to make the relationship fun, exciting and enjoyable.

This will be it for this blog. Those are just a few quick tips to start off. If there is anything you guys want me to talk about or discuss more in depth, feel free to ask/recommend. I’m open to all.

And remember: Stay good, stay strong, and stay out of trouble!

Peace.

Andrew

It’s safe to say the majority of STU students are familiar with the Facebook group “Overheard at STU.” But what about those weird and wacky style sightings? You know, the ridiculous outfits and trends that make you think “Are they for real?”

Hey there. I’m a first-year journalism student from small-town Nova Scotia. I plan to rant about what’s in, what’s out, and what I have to say about all that. I’ve got an interest in fashion, but don’t expect to see me buying into every hooker boot, furry vest trend.

Let’s talk weekend wear. There’s a gaping contrast between evening and morning clothing choices, for obvious reasons. At night some girls just can’t get enough of tight skirts, tight shirts, tight anything. And then there’s the always classy choice of the magical shirt turned dress. Don’t get me started on that one.

Now in the morning there’s a chameleon effect. Baggy sweatpants, t-shirts, hoodies.. you get the picture. I understand the need for comfort. And yet I get the impression that subconsciously it’s a competition to see who can make the largest transformation. It’s like a math equation. To achieve the best results I put minimal effort into my morning appearance to appear as if a rough night occurred. Then I can put any amount of effort into my going out appearance and get compliments for the miraculous makeover.

But enough of that. This season’s trends have great potential for weekend attire that even I won’t deem inappropriate. Denim leggings are hoping to become the perfect mix between the look of skinny jeans and the comfort of normal leggings. Done with a longer shirt, heels and confidence, this look is sure to be a winner. And they can easily switch to day wear when done with boots and a tunic-style top. If you’re looking to pick up a pair check out Smart Set, American Eagle or Garage for $20.

In the tops department, designers have been putting the focus on necklines. Cowl necks made a comeback from the 30s and were a quick go-to item for going out. Slowly they’re finding themselves at the back of the closet this season, while halter, v-neck, and strapless are returning. A greater emphasis is now being placed on rising waistbands. This combination of neckline and waistband I find more appealing than the previous kangaroo-like pouch covering the chest.

Don’t get me wrong; lots of university students dress perfectly normal. But there are just some fashion statements out there that scream notice me. Two of my favourites around campus are the “I just rolled out of bed and yes I could care less” and “The gym, the caf, class, whatever; I’m always making a statement.”

If you need visuals, picture sweatpants tucked into slippers and a baggy t-shirt for the first. And for the second, hair always down (that includes the gym), and brand names galore.

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert fashionista by a long shot. But I do claim to be an avid fashion observer. So if you catch me staring, it’s most likely because I love your shoes, or find your bag atrocious.

So perhaps you don’t love your partner anymore, or maybe you have different goals in life, or who knows, it could be that you have just stopped getting along. Regardless of the reason, you have come to the conclusion that it’s time to end the relationship.

However, before this moment, you believed the hardest place to be was the dumpee, but now that the tables have turned, you realized you were wrong.

So very wrong.

Breaking up with someone has been proven to be one of the hardest things to do as someone is bound to get hurt. And surprisingly, even though it was your idea, it will end up hurting you more than you expect.

For this reason, I have outlined some ideas to help you Break up and not Break down.

Make sure you want to break-up. You really have to think about this. Ensure this is not a temporary feeling and that it is something, without hesitation that you want. I say this because, once you lose them, more than likely they will be gone forever.

Do it in Person. With the rise of technology, it may seem simpler to break up through text message, msn or via Twitter or Facebook; however, this is one of the worse things you can do. I know this is tempting because it’s much easier for you, but it would also be a type of betrayal. I know it’s hard, but you owe your partner the ability to look him/her in the eye when you break up with them.

Be mature and honest: A relationship is based on trust and dependability – don’t prove you’re unworthy in your last moments together. Sit down with them and explain everything you are feeling and why you think this is the best scenario for the both of you. You also get brownie points if you get a response of “I understand” or “I agree.”

Take Responsibility. Don’t blame him/her. It is already unbearable for the dumpee, don’t make it worse. Take the responsibility for what is taking place and hope that they can relate with your feelings. It’s also important to let them determine when the conversation is over.

Be understanding. It is incredibly important to listen to their feelings and reactions. Do not interrupt or contradict what they have to say. They will listen to what you have to say, so give them the same respect.

Give them space. At first they are going to be angry. Very angry. This is expected. Don’t try to tell them that they are wrong for feeling like they do. In time, they will get over it, and when they do, you will both feel much better.

Avoid dating anyone for a long time. So, I know this is super hard and may not happen, but if you want to have a good chance in staying friends, this step is necessary. If you don’t they may just think you merely broke up with them to be with someone else. If you absolutely must be with someone else (early after the break-up) do yourself and your ex a favour and try to  keep your ex from finding out.

Avoid going where your ex might be. Running into the ex when you or him/her are not ready will be incredibly awkward. Not only that, but it will set back the healing process… almost like ripping off a band-aid when a cut isn’t completely healed.

Stick to your decision: Yes, I left this for the end, but it is so true. Do not delay the break-up further. I know you are hoping that things will get better in the future, but this is rarely the case. Plus putting it off to avoid causing pain will not make things any better. In fact, the longer you take to break up, the harder it will become.

Overall, just keep in mind that there is no painless way of breaking up with someone. No magical words, or powerful things can take the pain away. All that can be done is following these steps and avoiding some common mistakes. This way it will make the pain less for them… and more importantly, for you as well.

With Wizards of Waverly Place distracting my 5-year old I’m gonna take these minutes to start my first blog. I guess this is a place I’m hoping to make some connections with other parents who are returning to university or for anyone who’s thinking about doing it.

But where to start? After having it all …my own house (yes, one full bedroom turned into a closet), a creative career in radio, two dogs and a cat, a great circle of friends, custom-made roller skates and a lot of nice pants. Life was good.

Then I got pregnant.

Yup. I made a baby. I became a mom. An amazing mom. However, by the time she turned three our family was no more. I had sold my house to start a life with her dad so I had no where to live and the work I was getting post mat-leave was not not supporting my daughter and I.

So here I am …in my thirties, a single mom who had to move back to her home town to get the support needed to return to school. Not only that, I had to move back in with my parents. Not so hawt for the social scene…

…well, Molly has advised me I’m allowed to type in one more thing. Mama Mel back on duty.

xoxoxox for all the moms and dads trying to get it done for the ones they love while tending to them too

If there was a class on procrastination – I would get an A+. Currently, through my five years of university thus far, I have learned how to write an essay, how to study, but most of all, amazing ways to procrastinate!

Procrastination is often thought of as being a bad thing; however, in reality, this is not the case. If you procrastinate the right way, it can help you get your schoolwork done and improve the quality of your life.

It’s not like you need any help, but just in case you’re struggling, I have decided to share some of the best ways to procrastinate.

1. Twitter: There is nothing better than reading about pointless things that celebrities have done. If you’re really into procrastinating add me and watch me be a twit! @Alleycat17

2. Check Facebook for updates (Warning: This can become very addictive).

3.Colour-code your agenda. This will make you organized! And what’s more fun than checking what needs to be done and seeing English homework in red and Stats in blue!

4. Work out how many ways you can convince yourself that you’ll eventually do that essay. This doesn’t necessarily mean doing it, but you can always try!

5. Pick new colours or themes for your desktop… the more creative – the better!

6.Check your emails! Who knows, there might be something really interesting in there (other than just how to increase the size of your….).

7. Spend half a day working on an Excel spreadsheet using amazing functions to produce a list of things to do you could have typed in 10 minutes!

8. Make a list about how to stop procrastinating (Who knows… when I procrastinate next… I may write my next blog).

9. Write a blog – Spend time writing some blogs! This of even joining the campusintel.com team!

10. Do homework due far in the future: Yeah, so perhaps this will never happen, but if it does, think about how good you will feel!

11. Assist Others – Why not help others if you can’t be productive for yourself! Volunteer or help a classmate with an assignment!

12. Hang out with your friends. This does not mean chatting with your Facebook friends; instead, get out of the house and leave the technology behind!

13. Go to Starbucks or another coffee shop: There might even be a cute person there that will make you take a ‘double-double take’

14. Watch a movie or show online. It’s cheap and will definitely get your mind off some of that complicated terms that are spinning around in your head.

15. Do some exercise: Go for a jog or a swim, or even some yoga. Physical activity will relieve stress, and it is beneficial to your health.

16. Clean. You’ll be surprised how many people sweep the floors or clean their dorm rooms to avoid doing the term paper. This is a great way to procrastinate as it’s definitely more productive and of course, there’s nothing like that great feeling of seeing that floor again!

17. Read a Blog: April’s Blogs are always a good choice – and heck you’ve already done it! Great job! You’re learning!

Dually noted, however, it is important to not procrastinate at the wrong time. The time to procrastinate is not the morning of an exam or the evening when you should be writing an essay.

However, if it’s not during those times, remember the importance of procrastination — If you are not wasting precious time, you are not doing it properly!

Enjoy Procrastinating!

P.s. What do you do to procrastinate?

I’ve never really been one to watch the Olympic games in all honestly, I found them boring as a child, I’d much rather have seen what Bugs Bunny was up to or tuned into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…you know, things with real passion eh? However, this year I actually sat down and watched the opening ceremonies, and from that moment on I was stuck on the Olympics.

            I don’t know how many other people across Canada alone got the ‘Olympic fever’ but this year for some reason I got it bad. Every morning as I got ready for work I would turn on the TV to the same channel and the journalists would wake up with me. Every evening I’d come home from work or class and I’d tune in to see what events had taken place and what was going on that night. I’d receive texts from my Mom periodically each day updating me on our metal count and what races we’d won in. It was just something outside of my own little world of crazy school and work life that I could sit down, relax and be excited for…and it didn’t hurt that I could actually do school work while watching it (I mean really, I was mostly interested in the Canadian athletes, or on occasion those athletes they did those little pre-game life stories on), so during other athletes’ runs I’d read my textbook…you know how student life is.

            I started looking forward every day to events I would watch in the evening and have people come over to watch anything really, curling, skating, and of course hockey! It didn’t really matter what we watched, we just loved seeing our athletes compete and really took pride in the metals won as though they were our own (I love living vicariously though athletes…makes me feel like I never have to go to the gym).

            The day I found out that the Olympics were ending however a wave of sadness washed over me briefly, I thought to myself, who will wake up with me in the morning? How will I deal with the lack of texts from my Mom? How will I decide what to watch on those nights when there’s no good shows on TV? But I made it though, and although the closing ceremonies were emotional for me, I held to one thing…we kicked butt in both women’s and men’s hockey!

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who has gone though this, and maybe if you’re reading this you haven’t experienced such a wave of irony and dissatisfaction, but chances are you will feel it after reading this post so…umm…sorry?

            I have recently found myself having feelings of dissatisfaction and resentment towards the way the world works…now let me narrow that down a bit since I’m sure there’s many ways the world “doesn’t work”. What I mean is the whole goal of life society has for us. When we’re young we’re put in school until we’re 18 or so, this preps us for the ‘real world’ but what we’re really getting ready for is deciding on our career, in order to accomplish most of these career aspirations we need to go to more school (university, college, etc.) once we’re done that we make our way into the working world, trying our hardest to make all of that education we received work for us and using it to gain experience and entrance into the jobs we think we want. Once we get there we work our whole life to save money so we can retire and enjoy the last few decades before we die. Do you see my problem?

            We work our whole life towards a career that we’re often times doing just so we can make money to retire to enjoy life…so why does our society have things set up so that the only life we’re given is used to work 8 hours/day 5 days/week for the majority of our life so that we can only enjoy the last bit of it when we’re old and tired and possibly not capable of doing anything we want to do anymore?? Why are we spending the best years of our life working so hard towards something that’s just the means to an end??

            Hopefully you will excuse my ramblings here, but these realizations are really quite frustrating. This is the reason why I want to be happy in my career, because I’m going to be doing it for the majority of my life and if you get to the point where it’s not fun you’re going to be miserable for so much of it until you retire! Unfortunately, so many people are not happy with their career. In my opinion, people aren’t happy because so often they’re rushed into a career they may not like because at age 18 they have to make decisions as to what they want to do the rest of their life so they can study and prepare for it (as now it takes at least a masters to get most jobs) or they’re rushed into it because they need the money to pay for the basic necessities of living!

            So, where is this all coming from? Well, as I said before, this is the reason I want to enjoy my career, the problem here is the job I think I want requires me to be in school at least until I’m 30 (why so late you may ask? First, because I need to get a PhD for the job I want and second because I changed degrees 3 times as out of high school I had no idea what the real world was like and so no idea what I wanted to do in it). Once getting out of school it’s another thing, trying to gain experience so that I can actually work in the setting I want to and making my way up the career latter to get to the top so I can make the big bucks and retire ‘happy’…right? Well, it doesn’t end there, my other frustrations lie in the fact that the 7 + years of schooling I still need to do is taken up by things like research and studying of a vast array of topics so that I can find my niche. While I understand why this may be important to some, the fact that it’s standardized this way leaves the people who already know what area they wish to specialize in frustrated as they have to complete a large assortment of classes they don’t need in the end for the career they want which also may bring down their overall marks making it harder for them to get into the school they wish to go to. And of course most of the jobs won’t end up taking into account how much you know about any one particular subject, but instead just look at the initials at the end of your name and the letters on your transcript; because to the world, it’s not important what you think you can do or how passionate and good you are at it just as long as you have the degree.

In a way university has a tendency to kill people’s passion for the work they want to do because it’s too generalized. This is why I often regret not going to a community college as they at least specialize in certain careers and help you get on your way in only a few years. The problem with this is the career I want isn’t really part of the community college curriculum, and even if it was unfortunately people don’t seem to value a two year degree (which indecently focuses more on your degree and gives you hands on experience) over a Masters or PhD (which generalizes and worries far too much about research and book learning).

In the case of clinical psychology (my end goal) I understand the need for a large amount of knowledge on various things however there’s more to it than getting the right letter grades and universities don’t seem to take much other than that into account. All this pressure and frustration is enough sometimes to make me want to give up and forget about the PhD and just do some job that doesn’t require me to be in school for the majority of my life so that I can just start paying off my student debt, but I keep thinking if I end up doing a career that’s less satisfactory to me in the end I’ll just end up depressed and needing to seek counselling.

            Isn’t that ironic?

How do we communicate? What tools have we used to communicate? What tools do we use to communicate? Evidently, these are questions that pop-up in my head and in the heads of many who are trying to make sense of our ever-changing world.

As students, we can remember growing up in a world in which our only methods of communication was through old medias such as newspapers, magazines, television and radio. Nowadays, social media has taken over and everything has changed. Now we have blogs (such as Word Press), social networking sites, (like the ever-popular Facebook and Twitter), video sharing sites (I’m sure we’ve all used YouTube once or twice) Photo Sharing Sites (I have way too many pictures up on Flickr), and lastly, crowd-sourcing (Wikipedia is my new dictionary). Evidently, many, many new ways to communicate.

 However, in hopes to answer the question of how we communicate, it is also important to understand the difference between old and new media. For this reason I have highlighted these major differences.

 Dynamic vs. Static

• Old media is pretty static. For instance, a newspaper or magazine is not able to magically change its stories; even if society believes that something within them is not accurate. On the other hand, this blog can be changed for any specific reason and even one’s Facebook page can change depending on relationship status or even the knowledge that one’s parents have Facebook! So although the newspaper’s article cannot change, many, (if not all), of the new social media is constantly altering and shifting.

Detached vs. Interactive

• You can yell at your television, or punch your radio, but they are not going to cooperate or be affected by it. However, if we tie this situation back again to this blog, there is no doubt that if you tell at me, I will definitely react. Furthermore, Blogs, YouTube videos, and Facebook and Twitter comments all provide the audience a grand opportunity to provide feedback and communicate one-on-one with the author.

Individual vs. Mix

• Check out your Facebook feed and you’ll see a mixture of text, pictures, audio clips, and videos. It is a melange and a mixture of different Medias. But that being the case, could you imagine turning on the radio and having text float in the air? Or even reading the newspaper and then one of the pictures turning into a video? I think if we claimed either of those scenarios occurred, we’d be booking ourselves in to the ‘loonie bin’ in no time. Evidently this proves that old media is very individual whereas social medias involve a combination of different tools all mixed into one.

Limitations vs. Freedom of Speech

• Before I wrote this blog, I didn’t get it approved by a committee nor did I send it to my editor to review (although I did get my best friend to check for grammar mistakes, so blame her if there are any). However, could you imagine if television or newspapers worked the same way? Imagine if they were able to publish whatever they wished! Unfortunately, it just does not work that way; Old media have their limitations, where social media seems to allow you the opportunity to write what you want!

Overall, these distinctions prove how our previous tools of communication differ greatly with those that are gaining power presently. Scarily, however, I don’t know if we will ever be able to pinpoint how we communicate…. as it’s just keeps on changing!
Talk to you all soon (on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, my YouTube Channel or heck, even post away and talk to me right here!! [that might be easier])

I don’t want to give off the impression that I have a foolproof reason as to why guys cheat but, I do have a few good insights on the issue. I do not intend to rant or to offer excuses or explanations here…but I want to provide a bit of insight on the issue and perhaps a bit of support for those who may have experienced cheating or who might be questioning a relationship they’re in. Although this refers to men, I want to be clear that women do cheat too and both cases are equally appalling and sickening.

            First, I want to set down my definition of cheating: to me cheating is doing anything that you would not do in the presence of your girlfriend or boyfriend. This includes dancing, buying a girl/guy a drink (unless they’re a friend and it’s their birthday or a special occasion), touching arms or hands in a flirty manner, cuddling on a coach, bed or chair together even if you’re not making-out, etc. I’ll make it simple, if you wouldn’t do it in front of your boyfriend or girlfriend because you know they’d be mad, jealous or uncomfortable…there’s probably a good reason for that.

            It seems that cheating in relationships have unfortunately become the rule and not the exception. Most women will go through an unfaithful relationship…but why? Why should this be alright? The answer is, it shouldn’t. Some men (mostly those who cheat) seem to believe they’re entitled to make these mistakes and take these liberties. They see cheating differently than women it seems, and it’s unfair that we should have to be the ones to put these limitations on their actions when it seems like common sense to us where to draw the line. We come out being the “bad guys” and feeing guilty about not trusting our men or about not giving them the liberties their friends might have. So, I want to just take a quick second and make something very clear for anyone who thinks they’re on the verge of cheating. If you are in a relationship you’re unhappy with or seeing yourself starting to stray…either smack yourself good and hard and refocus your attention to your girlfriend, or get out of the relationship. Do NOT stay around and wait to see if your relationship regains its spark while you avert your attention to other women.

So, here it is, my insight on the cheating guy: a few reasons why he cheats, what to look for in that type of cheater and what to do when you suspect infidelity. Keep in mind, these are only suggestions and insights from my personal life and therefore should all be taken with a grain of salt.

1. Men get bored in their relationships: When this happens they start to seek excitement elsewhere. This is dangerous and unhealthy. Guys, if this starts to happen to you, you should talk to your girlfriend and either reassess your happiness with the relationship, or break up. If you end up breaking up, so be it, it’s nothing compared to the havoc you’ll wreak if you continue redirecting your attention elsewhere while still in the relationship.

-What to look for: In this case the man will likely start going out more frequently without you, he will spend more time with his single friends and will become less attentive to your needs.

-What to do: Confront your boyfriend directly. Tell him that you’re not happy with the way the relationship is going and that you’ve noticed he’s starting to lose interest. If he doesn’t deny this give him an ultimatum, let him know that you’re willing to work on the relationship if he is, but if he wants to peruse other women you’re not going to wait and see how it turns out.

           2. “Unintentional” cheating: this may begin at first in a relatively innocent manner… by this I mean, the reality of his actions may not be in the forefront of his mind at first. However, underneath every cheater’s actions are intentions for one thing: something outside of the relationship. This may be another woman, it may be an urge to be single, it may be unhappiness within the relationship or fear of its progression…whatever it is, the result is the same, a man strays.

-What to look for: The start of this kind of cheating may not be noticeable at first, but the individual will begin to take more and more liberties until they are in too deep. It’s easy to become paranoid when watching for this type of cheating as the problem may be very subtle in the beginning. The guy may start doing small things you’re uncomfortable with, like dancing with a friend who is a girl or commenting on how good another woman looks. He may start doing things unrelated to cheating, but that ignore your requests and concerns.

-What to do: Again, you must confront the guy, don’t let small things slide and become large problems you hang on to and ruminate about. It’s best to talk about them and let him know your concerns. Be careful not to do this in a demeaning manner, but rather as a serious conversation about the relationship.

 3. Some men are simply not relationship fit…This of course is by no means an excuse for them, however, it seems as though these individuals even when they’re in relationships desire attention from more women. In a sense they’re never satisfied.

-What to look for: These types of men are generally easier to spot, they will often think of themselves as above you and capable of getting anything they want. They also will likely have problems abstaining from anything they enjoy, especially flirting.

-What to do: If you’re in a relationship with someone like this chances are you rationalize their unacceptable behaviour as just part of their personality; but like I said, if you’re in a relationship…flirting is never ok, being a man-whore isn’t a personality, it’s a lifestyle, and it’s a lifestyle unfit for a relationship, so if they want to be in a relationship it should be changed.

             During cheating the unfaithful individual may become withdrawn, angry from accusations, accuse the other individual of not trusting them and they may begin making obvious slip-ups in their excuses or reactions. Suspecting you’re being cheated on will cause you strain; you may feel you’re to blame, guilty for doubting and stressed over the unknown.

            I just want to point out here, that ladies, if a man cheats it is NEVER your fault. Men cheat though their own decisions, it is THEIR actions and THEIR decision that has resulted in cheating, you do not force them to do it. For this reason, do not feel guilty or that you could have changed it in any way. Instead, be thankful (bear with me) because the relationship has ended. Although it may not feel like it at the time, it is a blessing in disguise. Any time that you have left to live your own life without this individual is precious and you WILL live an amazing life without them although it will take time to get over what happened especially if the relationship was a large portion of you life and/or it had been around for a long time. As long as you focus on the future and the positive and not the past and the negative, you will prosper more than you knew possible. With this being said, never regret the time you spent with this individual, because if nothing else it was a learning experience (it may not seem like much at the time, but to go through it once will make any relationship after it much better). As long as you are positive about future relationship and internalize what you’ve learned from past ones you’ll be fine and much the wiser and stronger.

Isn’t it great when Hollywood, and other media outlets, inspire panic in people by suggesting in a film or other propoganda that the world is going to end in the very near future?  Isn’t it also interesting how much material on the topic becomes purchasable in various formats immediately after the report catches fire?

Contrary to suggestions of the 2009 straight-to-dvd blockbuster, Here’s why 2012 will simply be another year in history, and you can take a break from building your refuge tunnel to the center of the earth:

1)      The Mayans did indeed have a calendar that ends on 2012.  However, just like any other calendar, all you have to do is start it from the beginning again.  Their calendar begins from a time Mayans identified as a point of creation, and then counted forward in units of “tun”.  Similar to the way we sequentially write 10, then 20, 30, etc., Mayans change the names after 20 units.  20 tun equals 1 k’atun; 20 k’atun equals 1 b’ak’tun; then piktun, kalabtun, k’inchiltun, and so on.  On December 21, 2012, the 13^th b’ak’tun cycle will end, and then the 14^th will begin.  After the completion of 20 b’ak’tun’s, the first cycle of 20 piktun’s will begin October 13, 4772, and so on, and so forth.  So if the Mayans already had names for all this, why would they/why should we think the world was ending?

2)      There’s no planet or celestial body named “Nibiru” (or anything else) that is on a collision course for earth.  NASA’s got plenty of instruments in space, like the Spitzer and Hubble telescopes, that would have relayed a message about a planet on an intercept course by now.  NASA launched a spacecraft named Voyager 1 in 1977 (yes, there’s a Voyager 2 as well) that is just now in the process of leaving our solar system.  So if it took us 33 years to get something out of our solar system, don’t you think we’d know about something coming towards us by now?  The odds of something that size getting to us through our galaxy in one piece (the Milky Way is filled with much larger and dangerous things like larger planets and asteroid fields) is extremely slim.  Besides, if something we actually coming, The US or some other country would put up some sort of missle defence system, or we’d just deal with it ala Armageddon style, right?

3)      The earth is subject to solar activity ALL THE TIME, and is able to deal with flares and such due to its magnetic field and atmosphere, which deflect harm.  The earth’s magnetic field does reverse polarity once and a while (approximately every 400,000 years), but the effect takes several thousand years to complete, and would not interrupt the earth’s rotation or point of axis. 

4)      Planetary alignments also happen ALL THE TIME.  They’re called “eclipses”, and chances are, you’ve heard of them; you may have even seen one or two.  Even if all the planets in the solar system aligned (which they won’t), it wouldn’t be cataclysmic.  It might be cold for a few hours or so, but that’d be about it until the sun started hitting us directly again.  The earth isn’t going to flood, the oceans won’t boil, Hawaii won’t burn down, and the continents aren’t going to crash into each other. 

So there’s the scientific explanation of why 2012 will hold nothing to worry about except for living your life.  I’m a Christian, and my personal beliefs are to the tune of what Jesus said himself in the Bible,

“No one knows of the hour of the final days, not even the angels in heaven, except for God alone.  The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:36, 44)

In other words, none of our fancy methods of determining the end of the earth will be accurate, as it will happen in an incalculable way; no calendars, no psychic or prophetic predictions,  it’ll just happen.  According to scientific theories, we’ve got a few billion years yet (but no pinpointed time), so don’t pack up or quit your job just yet.  Until then, go live and enjoy your life!  I’ll do my best to keep you afloat of other Catastrophic Cosmic events that are of no consequence to your, and everyone else’s, existence.