Mastering the Art of Being Human Introduction

Video: Michael Cavallaro- Mastering the Art of Being Human Introduction

Being a human being is an art. All human beings are artists. You as the artist of your life are creating a painting, an existence, that has never existed in the way that it exists through you!

Michael Cavallaro on Understanding Yourself

Video: Michael Cavallaro
on Understanding Yourself






Have you ever wondered why you are like you are?  This is a discussion on beliefs, belief systems and programs.

Human Tools 101-Fear and Panic Attacks

 

Michael Cavallaro on Fear and Panic Attacks

Michael Cavallaro, author of The 55 Concepts, A Guide to Conscious Living, speaks on the tools needed for deprogramming the human mind.

 

Cafe of Life - Sponsored Post

Chiropractic care in a fun and upbeat environment. Innovative coffee shop-like studio to help ease the pain management

Why Would Sexual Orientation Define Patrotism?

by. Leah Rampolla

The Pentagon will soon review the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Legislation has already been introduced that would not only lift the ban it would also specifically prohibit sexual orientation discrimination against U.S. servicemen and women. Sen. Mark Udall defended the legislation: "We need all the qualified service members we have to fight.We shouldn't be dismissing them just because they're gay." 

Fighting simultaneous wars in two countries as well as providing disaster relief to countries like Chile and Haiti who are still reeling from natural disasters has stretched the military to the limit. Dismissing a qualified and much needed soldier because of their sexual orientation is not only unfair to the soldier it is detrimental to the country's military as a whole. Why would a soldier's personal sexual preferences have an bearing on their desire or ability to serve their country? Many who oppose the repeal of the ban believe that "a unit's morale and sense of cohesion could erode if the unit included an openly gay member."

(Associated Press) True comradarie and soldier professionalism should supersede any kind of personal issues  that one soldier has with another soldier in their unit including sexual preference. These types of laws are reminiscient of the civil rights movement. Replace the words "gay and lesbian" with "black and Hispanic" and you will find that it  is the same type of bigotry with new targets. The parallels between the civil rights movement and the current issue with gays and lesbians in the military are undeniable. Like race, I believe that sexual orientation is genetically inherent and that a person is indeed "born gay." I find it hard to believe that someone would willingly choose to live a life of ridicule and ostracization and "choose to be" or "become" gay. 

As history and hind sight has shown this country, it was asinine to segregate troops according to ther ethnicity and treat them as inferior soldiers. Minority soldiers have shown there abilities and prowess to defend this country just a well as their Anglo counterparts. The same principle applies here. Gay and lesbians have a right to serve their country and be open about who they are while doing so.

Tracking Cell Phones Without Warrants a Constitutional Violation

by. Leah Rampolla

In Philadelphia, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals presided over arguments to determine the Constitionality of tracking cell phone location and records without warrants. It is likely that the case will make its way to the Supreme Court. In the age of terrorism- domestic and international- it is prudent that the Justice Department have access to the cell phone records of a terrorist suspect. With the records the Justice Department can pinpoint the location of a suspected terrorist or access possible terrorist networks through cell phone records. 

However, this should not be permitted without a warrant.The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states: " The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." 


According to the Fourth Admendment, a warrant can't even be issued without establishing prior probable cause for the warrant.  A reasonable expectation of privacy is not ensured when the government is scrutinizing and tracking your phone calls without a warrant or even notification that you are being monitored. Warrants are a crucial way to ensure government transparency- as much transparency as possible anyway, and to prove to the suspect that there is probable cause and the reason for the seizure is justified and valid. 

Catherine Crump of the ACLU  told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "We agree that cell phone tracking is lawful and appropriate in certain situations. The question is whether the government should first have to show that it has good reason to think such tracking will turn up evidence of a crime."  Absolutely agreed.  In a court of law the "burden of proof" is the responsibility of the prosecution. In this case, the prosecution is the U.S. government and the burden of proof lies on their shoulders. Warrants are an excellent way to demonstrate the validity of the investigation and also serve as a means to uphold the Fourth Amendment. The government should be able to access cell phone records for the sake of national security- but a lack of a warrant allows for arbitrary and invalid searches that have not been legitimately substantiated.

 The likelihood of governmental abuse is assured. A lack of a warrant is  synonymous with a complete lack of  outside governmental controls.Thanks to bills like the Patriot Act, the U.S. government has been running amok. Tracking phone records without warrants is another symptom of the diesease of nefarious government control and a direct violation of Constitutional Rights and civil liberties. A frightening but possible outcome is the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the government. If that happens every citizen can kiss their reasonable expectation of privacy good bye.

The Decline of Thought

by. Leah Rampolla

People don't want to think anymore and the mass media is eager to accommodate. How many channels of mindless garbage do people willingly pay money for?  People are so eager to enjoy the humiliation and misfortune of other people in the name of trashy entertainment. What's even more perverse is the fact that the these people on "reality" TV shows willingly put themselves in the position to be humiliated. Degradation is now the most sought after form of American entertainment. Jerry Springer may very well become the next U.S. president. 

How about all of those commercials - the insidious manipulation of human insecurities for commercial gains.Are you fat? Ugly? Bald? Bad teeth? Stinky feet? Buy this product and all of the insecurities that have been pounded into to your head by your television set will be gone forever for only three payments of $99.99. Your self worth can only be measured by your physical appearance- just ask any of the soap opera gods and goddesses. People are willing to obey their media gods without question so long as they keep shoveling out the idiotic drivel to keep them passively entertained. It's so much easier to laugh at that guy on American Idol who sounds like a chipmunk in a blender then to think about issues that affect you on a grass roots level. 

Paying attention to the things that actually affect you would make you start thinking that maybe you should do something to change these things and that would require thought and effort. Me? Be proactive and make an effort to add something meaningful and positive to the macrocosm? That sounds scary- quick change the channel! That's right just keeping worshipping your media god- they'll take good care of you as long as you remain a good little placid, mindless sheep that continues to make them obscene profits through TV ratings and the purchases of products that are utterly useless. Let them keep control of you through fear and let them keep thinking for you. You want to fit in don't you? You want to be up on all of those shows that everyone else watches- you don't want to be different do you?

Different is, well different and that can be scary. What even scarier is the fact that so many people choose to let the media dictate their life. Scariest of all is the soulless money grabbing, rampant corporate greed that has come to define the media and that people live their lives by what the media says. Do yourself a favor- kill your television.

Do you want to be common or do you want to be extraordinary?

It seems that from a very young age people generally have the need to fit in or belong. At this stage you have no idea what it really means except that it makes you feel comfortable and you perceive that you are loved because you belong. When you seek to fit in or belong you are actually saying I wish to be common.




Common:
Having no special distinction or quality, average, ordinary, standard, mediocre, lack of uniqueness

Quite often you may want to be common so that you do not stand out. Common people tend to criticize and pick on people who stand out. Often times there is a fear of being unique because of peer pressure to be common. Whether you're an adult or a child these pressures still exist. They affect you as long as you are not accepting your own uniqueness. If common people pick on and criticize people who are unique, why would you want to be one of them? To become common is the denial of self. As long as you're in denial of yourself and your own heart's desires to be whoever it is you are, life will always feel like something is missing.

Sometimes you may want to be common as to not stand out so that you can hide your true self. You may hide your true self because you fear the judgment of others. This judgment may be about how bad and wrong you are, or judgment of whether you are lovable or not. If you are extraordinary often you are treated as an outsider and feel like an outcast. This then is interpreted as meaning you are not loved.

When you feel the need to belong or fit in you might find it interesting if you change the words ‘belong’ or ‘fit in’ to ‘common’. After having changed the sentence from, “I want to belong” to “I want to be common” ask yourself:

“Do I really want to be common?”~ Notice the difference how changing the words from ‘belong’ to ‘common’ changes the feel of the statement.

No one truly wants to be common. The problem is that most people confuse belonging and fitting in, with being loved. You will find that even if you belong or fit in, it still is never quite enough. Why settle for common? Why not choose to be extraordinary with the ability to interact commonly.

Conflict within you usually occurs because you have a desire to be common and a desire to be unique or extraordinary. This is where you might be torn between wanting to fit in and belong or be unique and extraordinary. The word extraordinary is too threatening for some people because in society it is often implied that extraordinary is unacceptable and you will not be accepted if you are too different. It is also implied that being extraordinary is only for those who are special and the select few. The general belief that human beings carry is, they are not special, even though they want to be.

It's now time for you to choose to be extraordinary!

© Michael Cavallaro 2010

Consciousness Cures Everything

The answer to all suffering and all disease is consciousness. It is not human consciousness that we're speaking of; it is the consciousness of your spirit or essence. Human consciousness is limited to immediate awareness of its human experience. Spirit consciousness is conscious of all things at all levels of existence whenever it so chooses. Spirit consciousness is beyond limitations and beyond sickness and pain.

In general human beings who are on an internal growth process tend to see consciousness as something their human achieves. To begin with you must begin to see your humanness and your spirit have two separate sources in order to give you some perspective. It isn't that they are necessarily two separate sources but this perspective allows you to separate from your limited human consciousness long enough to see a larger picture. Once having established this separate perspective you can begin to see that your human consciousness is limited to your belief systems, patterned behaviors, and attitudes. You can then see the possibility of spirit consciousness. Human consciousness being limited allows for the possibilities of sickness and pain.

Spirit consciousness being beyond these does not allow for these to occur unless it is something that it chooses to experience in the human form. To be in spirit consciousness your vibrational frequency must be elevated. Human consciousness carries with it a denser vibrational frequency therefore allowing the possibilities of illness and pain. Being in a denser vibrational frequency creates greater limitations than otherwise available in spirit consciousness.

Internal personal growth allows for your vibrational frequencies to be elevated toward spirit consciousness. This then naturally eliminates illness and pain. Changing of your vibrational frequency includes changing your belief systems, your thoughts, your attitudes and your programmed human behaviors. Many seeking consciousness of the weight or neglect this aspect of raising their frequencies.

Three things you can do to raise your vibrational frequencies:
Find a process that is a personal fit that allows you to change your beliefs systems. Some examples are; EFT, Mastering the Art of Being Human, AFT...

Visualize bringing in higher frequencies of light and sound into your body. White light is a magnificent symbol as it encompasses all the frequencies of light and allows for your spirit to decide which ones are best for your body. Violet light is wonderful for transformation and transmuting denser energies and the old belief systems.
Have a relationship with someone who is on the same path as you that you can balance (bounce?) your changes and ideas off of. This relationship must at its core have the agreement that you are both completely honest about everything. It also must have the understanding that neither of you are completely clear and your opinions and honesty might be a little off, but you are both doing the best that you can.

Spirit consciousness occurs when your spirit integrates with your humanness and the two become one. The old belief system thought that your humanness ascended into your spirit but that is the difference between the Piscean age and the Aquarian age. The Aquarian/New Age is the integration of your spirit with your humanity thereby ascending your vibrational frequency whereas you change from being a human being to a divine human.

© Michael Cavallaro 2010

Spirituality as a Creation

enlightenyourday.com

People do not realize that spirituality is a creation and it is a creation of your own. It is not that you are creating something new in spirituality itself. Most people want to be followers of some sort. They are looking for their "spiritual path" outside of themselves. They usually find what someone else has done and copy it, then claim it is their own.
We are all set at the beginning of this life and there is no path until someone has created one. So the choice is, are you following someone else’s path or are you creating your own?

These people who are coming to you are looking for someone who has already carved a path that they “like” to follow. That “blends” with them. That is as easy or hard as the journey is supposed to be that they like this path. Or they will follow what you have led them to until it gets too hard or too easy. And then when it’s no longer the way they imagined it was supposed to be they will change paths because they have to find the way that’s really for them. And, “This way isn’t for me. It’s your way.” Well, no shit. You followed my macheted path, you idiot. Of course it’s my path.

The 55 Concepts: A Guide to Conscious Living

So now you’re going to run off on someone else’s machete’d path because it looks better? That’s what they do, because they don’t want to cut their own path. So this is very much victimhood.

This is a big piece with this person and probably most for a while that you will be encountering. – understand that somebody has to bring them. Not everybody’s going to bring the ice; somebody’s got to bring the food – or vice-versa. Somebody has to say, “Hey, it’s over here.” And they have to get it and go off. As much as it may seem not fun, or a perspective, somebody has to do it, they have to get connected somewhere.

Happiness of Spirit

Spiritual happiness is something many people seek. People often confuse happiness of Spirit with personal human happiness. There is also a misperception of what spirituality and personal human identity are about, as well as almost no understanding of happiness of Spirit. There is a perceived separation of Spirit and personal identity. This leads to the need to become spiritual or be a spiritual seeker. 

 

Personal human identity and happiness is about who and what your ego/personality perceives it is or, who and what it's supposed to be. This could be related to family, work, relationships, children etc. Personal identity happiness is related to the human experience only. Personal identity in the way that you know it is limited to your humanness.

 

Most of what you perceive of as happiness through your personal identity is based upon human programming or belief patterns. This is limiting. This is the world of should’s, would’s, have to’s, supposed to’s and musts. This is also about the things you think you want because you heard or came to believe this is the way things should be.

Spirituality is often perceived of as who you're supposed to be. Some of the perceived qualities are; going to church, meditation, personally reflective, being a good person, in touch with God. In truth spirituality doesn't actually exist. To believe that being spiritual or spirituality exists carries an unconscious belief that, you are not Spirit. It also implies that you must become or be something that you are not.For example, does a deer try to become a deer or a bird attempt to be a bird? Of course not they are what they are. They do not chase something that they already are.

Spirituality does not exist because you are Spirit and you cannot be anything else. Because you are Spirit you cannot be spiritual. At your core is your Spirit. Your Spirit is what it is. Your Spirit, at some level decided it wanted to experience human and has created your human form. Remember, the only reason someone wants to be or become spiritual is because they believe they are not!

The 55 Concepts: A Guide to Conscious Living

 

Spirit Having a Personal Identity

The concept of Spirit having a personal identity versus your personal human identity becoming spiritual might be unique to some. Your Spirit, also referred to as your Holy Spirit, is your true essence. It is that which was created by Source/God. Your Spirit has a personal identity but it is not related to or about your personal human identity. Your Spirit has chosen to have an experienced as a human being. In doing so it needed to have a personal human identity so that it could perceive itself in a human form. So the personal human identity is simply a way for you to navigate with on your human journey. What tends to happen is that personal human identities are not conscious of their Spirit. When you become conscious of your Spirit, your whole life experience will change.

When you finally connect with your Spirit you become it. Once you become it there is no separateness within you. At this point you will experience the happiness of Spirit. Happiness of Spirit is when your joy comes from within you and from this perspective you enjoy the human experience. It is your spirit living through your personal human identity. The human experience then becomes like an adventure to Disneyland and you/your Spirit is what took you there. Happiness of Spirit is when you realize that you are Spirit

© Michael Cavallaro 2010

 

Price Your Name

What’s the deal with names now days?   I’ve recently seen names such as “Forever”, “Blanket”, “Chastity”, Banjo” and I’ve even read about a baby named “Adolf Hitler” in New Jersey.  The baker wouldn’t put poor little Adolf’s name on his birthday cake because it was offensive.  Obviously both the kid’s parents AND the baker are all attention seeking nothings for calling the kid that imprudent name and for not putting his name on the stupid cake.  Does a kid need a name that’s going to bring him more angst into his childhood?  Children are cruel little cave people as it is… why give them a club to hit you.  Joking and teasing can make children self-conscious about their names and reluctant to have any contact with other children out of fear of being ridiculed.  This can transition into greater psychological problems later in life
                                                                                                      

 In this fine country of ours, we can name our offspring any idiotic sound we want.  I can name my kid “Pffffffrrnt” if I choose.  The name of my child can sound similar to the sound of passing gas.  “Hey Pffffffrrnt, clean your room.”  I guess there might be a point where a soon to be parent thinks “what does my name say about my personality?”   My child will have a great name… a name I wish I could have for myself.  Names like Samuel and Robert or Elizabeth and Rebecca are way too common to pass on to the next generation.   The only way names of that same ilk continue to exist is through juniors, thirds and so on.  I suppose the idea of being original does appeal to me but if you call your child Banjo… you should be hit over the head with a banjo.  I’m not much for name meanings but how does being called a string instrument associated with rural America help your little boy.  What if Lil’ Banjo has no musical talent, then what?

When I asked myself what does my name mean, I came to the realization that it doesn’t matter what it means as much as it matters what I think it means and how people perceive me for it.  The most crucial aspect of personality affected by names is self-concept. Self-concept develops as children develop, and it is learned from messages important people in children's lives send them.  Parents are the most important message senders until children mature and become more and more independent.  It’s then that the messages of teachers, classmates, and other people begin to contribute to their developing concepts of self. In a way, self-concept works as a kind of script for the way people act.  If a boy has an image of himself as bad or as not capable of doing well in school, his behavior will probably reflect that image. He will tend to behave the way he thinks a "bad boy" is supposed to behave, or he will fail to learn as he should even though he might be quite intelligent.  A name like Adolf  would undoubtedly bring thoughts of hatred.  So every time that name is said, there is a negative association to the name that causes a person to act unfairly or even harshly to the individual in spite of the child being a sweetheart.

  Women have it a little easier on this subject.  Girls are given unusual names much more often than boys are. So their names don’t attract as much attention and are less likely to cause embarrassment for the girls who have them. Because of this, unusual female names do less damage to the self-concepts of the girls as they develop during childhood and adolescence.  Unless a girl’s name is Brunhilda or Jezebel, she less likely to be badgered.  This greater toleration may be a kind of deep-seated, unconscious sexism that says, in effect, men need serious, traditional names to suit their serious concerns, but women, who won't be engaged in serious pursuits, don't…  Who knows these things?

Horoscope Smoroscope

Are Horoscopes Predictions Or Coincidences?

I was chatting with a stranger the other day while standing in line waiting for a quadruple shot mocha latte.  The subject of age came into the discussion which always leads to birthdays.  After I disclosed my date of birth, she proceeded to squeal “me too… well actually it’s next week but that so cool, I usually don’t meet many Scorpios, bla bla bla!”   

 

That’s usually the point where I drift off into a daydream of choking this person out or of another place I’d rather be but she kept my attention with her stunning good looks.  Anyway, I was handed my liquid crack and moseyed on out of there.  While sipping my hot beverage, I tried to understand the fascination to zodiac signs.  I can understand the connection between two people about their shared sign if it meant that they now have a common day to celebrate their birthdays and can do it together.  

 

That seems to have a somewhat tangible meaning.  But when this woman at the coffee shop started spouting out Scorpio characteristics, I couldn’t help but think “wow this girl is sexy”… then… “I have to escape this conversation before I inevitably insult her beliefs”.  Yeah we’re possessive, secretive, stubborn… alright already; I get it… the stars made me this way.

Astrology is just an attempt to achieve a predictive mechanism to human behavior.  Since the early times of recorded history, man strives to find meaning in everything including within himself.  Many hypotheses fell to the way side do to lack of merit.  These can be explored through pseudosciences.  Astrology is a pseudoscience like alchemy and Quackery.  It holds equal validity to a placebo, a sugar pill.  Granted, open-mindedness is needed to ascertain many of life’s mysteries but there’s a fine line between the open mind and the gullible mind.  

 

Zodiac signs tend to mirror generalizations about normal human behavior.  And more times than not, every characteristic from all the twelve signs can pertain to you.  A Taurus can be a good arguer, witty and flirtatious even though those are Gemini characteristics.  And despite being Aquarius characteristics… being optimistic, enthusiastic and intelligent can pertain to a Sagittarius.  Many people latch onto particular traits that they’re fond of and run with it.  People aren’t born with psychological predispositions to any trait because of their astrological location at the time of birth.  It was just one way for the uneducated mind to make sense of the stars and themselves.  It’s like the creation of Zeus because lightning had to come from somewhere.  Zeus tosses them down to earth… duhhhh.  As you know, some beliefs vanished while others still linger.                                                      

                                                                               

Horoscopes are an even bigger sham.  A horoscope is an astrological forecast.  I’m wary of anything with forecast attached to the end of it.  Weather forecast, economic forecast, sales forecast, etc…  Their accuracy rating isn’t the best but there’s enough data to come to an educated guess.  This does not exist in astrology.  Mercury is in retrograde and Uranus is joined by Jupiter in your sign which means surprisingly good things are going to happen but don’t sign any.

 

Shut Up!  It’s all nonsense.  Notice how many of them will have a general statement that will, most likely, apply to your individual situation. Another thing that bugs me is that astrology operates on the principle that a person’s conduct is base on how they were born instead of who they are. 

 

This sounds like the same theorem racist follow to sum up an ethnicity.  It’s flawed, inaccurate and easily interchangeable.   Sure, once in a while they might be right on the mark but it’s like that saying of the broken watch, it is right twice a day. There was a psychologist named Bertram R. Forer who came up with an observation that individuals will give high accuracy ratings to descriptions of their personality that supposedly are tailored specifically for them, but are in fact vague and general enough to apply to a wide range of people. 

 

This is called the Forer effect.  Bertram created and gave a personality test to his students.  He told his students they were each receiving a unique personality analysis that was based on the test's results and to rate their analysis on a scale of 0 (very poor) to 5 (excellent) on how well it applied to themselves. In reality, each received the same analysis:

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

“You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage.. Disciplined and self-controlled on the outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside.

 

At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations.

 

You also pride yourself as an independent thinker; and do not accept others' statements without satisfactory proof. But you have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others.  At times you are extroverted, affable, and sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be rather unrealistic.”

 

 

On average, the rating was 4.26, but only after the ratings were turned in was it revealed that each student had received identical copies assembled by Forer from various horoscopes.  Coincidence? of course not.  I’m open to any FACTS supporting Astrology… but I won’t hold my breath.

Cardinal Fitness test - Sponsored Post

Cardinal Fitness test - www.cardinalfitness.com

Summers right around the corner get back in form at a Cardinal Fitness. Best atmosphere for working out!

Sponsored like

ELRoman29's profile on MyLikes

Expectable Endowment

 by Arthur Doyle

If you’re anything like me, you are probably in the top percentage of “Awesome Gift Givers”.  There isn’t a friend that can resist our charming and unique gifts.  Recipients of our bequests open their packages as blubbering tears of joy trickle off their enthused faces as we pose in statuesque fashion.  We are the makers of creative memories and perpetual elation.   We are so great…  no wait…  I’m none of that.  As far as women go, I am horrendous at finding a decent present.  To me, gift giving easily becomes a prolonged over-analytical quest for unusual gift ideas which usually end up back firing and make me seem as if I have not given any thought to it at all.  And I refuse to accept gift cards as valid birthday gift ideas.  Besides, can you think of any other reason why the gift card business is still afloat besides being last minute gift ideas.  Nothing screams “Here take this and shut up” more than a gift card.  It is awfully impersonal and restricting.  Why not just stick a crisp bill in a card and call it the day.  Sure, you may come off as unoriginal but at least you won’t be cursed by the heir of your dreadful offering because there is still $2.17 in change on the card after being use and you can’t use it anywhere else.  “Man, I can really use a cool refreshing beverage right now but this vending machine doesn’t take a Barnes & Noble card”.  Buying a gift for women is tough but I suppose it works both ways.

                                    

     I was ease dropping on my girlfriend the other day and I over heard her friend talking about the perfect boyfriend gift.  Her friend said something along the lines of “I want to buy the perfect present for him but I don’t know what to get”.  That’s when I shouted “get him a new girlfriend”.  Men are generally easy to buy gifts for, minus the occasional prima-donna..  Get him tickets to see his favorite band or sports team, get him a phone upgrade, take him out to dinner and drinks at his favorite restaurant, subscription to Sports-Illustrated, National Geographic, GQ or whatever he is into. (Maybe Playboy…  Roahrrr).  The point is put a little effort in knowing your man and it should be a no-brainer.  And clothes should be avoided at every cost.  People like what they like and usually do not submit well to the taste of others place on them.  Trust me… 90% chances your sweater gift won’t be a hit.  You’re better off giving a gift card and we are all aware how fantastic gift cards are. 

  This past December was my girlfriend’s birthday and I bought her a women’s dream gift… a vacuum.  It didn’t go as well as I thought it would.  No, I didn’t do that… that would be silly.  I took her out and let her pick out the gift of her choice and then I just paid for it.  It was definitely a win-win situation but I can’t help but feel like I cheated her in some way.  Should I have put the extra effort in finding personalized gifts?  I would have to say yes but there’s no need to fret because there’s always next year and Christmas… and Valentine’s Day… and Groundhog’s Day, Columbus Day, etc.  The way I see it, I have plenty of chances to make it up.