Open Dialogue Streets

As 2024 draws to a close, I want to wish everyone love this Holiday Season.  This year, I had been hit with several rejections, failures, and breakable moments. Some of wish I'll share below.  I remember coming into this year with hopefulness, glee and the excitement for whats to come. The place I'll go, the people I'll meet and other things that excite me.  That wasn't the case this year. I took out a loan from a loaner company back in 2023, because I needed to pay off the expenses from that year; food, vacations, etc. I had this mindset of 'You only live once, live it while you're young'. That mentality cost me everything. I took out a personal loan thinking I'll pay it all back with the amount they'll give me.  After looking at my bank accounts, I realized I needed to do something about it.   Also, the anxiety of telling your parents and loved ones, confessing to this situation and releasing all the tension and scarcity is painful. Not realizing t...

Ella Clarens is a great friend of mine who we used to work at Nordstrom in 2021.  Oddly enough, we met at different departments, she was working at a different department and I was working as a Holiday Village - creating custom-made Santa bags, selling ornaments, replenishing items, and don't get me started on how many gift wrappings we would need to do by December 24th. It was insane!  I met her because when my department wasn't busy, I usually talk with her about life, work, and her passions.  Picture from: Freddy from Ego Eros Studios Lately, I found out that she is also a musician who released a couple of songs, "ELLANATION", "BIRTHDAY PARTY", and in December 2021, "ICONIC".  Nowadays, she writes her own newsletter which talks about her music, life and her past as a reporter for the Calgary Herald. Also, she spotlights on different people from around Toronto, showcasing talent and interviewing people.  Sign up for her newsletter here:  https://...

It's a Big Apple Circus funny.  It seems like everyone has a story about New York City. Especially during Christmas time, when its famous for stories like family gatherings (and getting stuck on LaGuardia or Newark, or trapped in a snowstorm finding out your way to their house), finding their true love in unknown places, first-time living in a huge city, and other rarities. But there is a story I love to share here about a time when I got trapped in an airport overnight that is a tale as old as time. I was in New York City (on my first solo travelling experience) and I wanted to do it during a special time of the year, during the Holiday Season. There I go and book the hotels (on Expedia) and the airplanes on Porter. (dare I say this but Porter Airlines is the best airline for Canada, who can't say no to free beer or wine???) Then, I go and book tours on the Viator website (which is affiliated with TripAdvisor) for Dyker Heights. Even further, I booked tickets to see the Rocket...

  Christmas Tree in Windsor's Jackson Park Christmas Blues - My Story of how I lost someone I loved that changed my Christmases forever. I was wondering about Christmas get-togethers and thought long and hard about family, friends and loved ones. But I can still recall sometimes, some people might have lost their loved ones before the new year begins. And a lot of times, people do get emotional because they have no one to spend it with.  Maybe its because their loved one held a certain kind of place in their heart to traditions that had to be broken because either they do it with their loved ones, or usually they don't have a heart or soul to want to continue.  And for those who are lost one and are thinking back to those memories, I definitely can relate.  My late grandfather usually sees us for Christmas every year when we drive down to see him. I remember he was always smiling and joyful and to see his eyes pop up every time I see him, it makes me happy, and want ...

Hello guys! Today I'll be talking a lot about my travel to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. While on my cruise on the majestic MSC Cruise, we stopped at this amazing place called Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.  While we were there, we were treated to this guy, who is an avid tour guide from Puerto Plata and we strolled around in his car. Going places I had never been before.  To start with, we went off the ship to the port. The port had a lot of different options including (the ever-lasting, Diamonds International) which oddly enough, is in every port you see, lol, Souvenir shops that sell postcards, straw hats, and even a parrot that spoke your words.  We got to the sightseeing buses, and this gentleman took us around the city. We went to Long Beach (not LA but in Puerto Plata) and walked in the sand. It was very soft, and I felt as if I was floating on a cloud.  I remember the most exciting thing I've done was take the cable car to the top of the mountain...

Hi everyone! Picture courtesy of:  https://forestfinancialplanning.ca/financial-advisor-vs-financial-planner/ I haven't blogged here since the last time I did two years ago. Some updates to share with you. First, this year has brought a lot of turbulent mess in the first quarter. I'll begin with a loan that I took out. I took out a loan from a creditor two years ago in 2022. I thought it would help me with the outstanding credit card bills that I needed to pay off.  Secondly, I almost (keyword: almost) fell into a trap on Instagram with a scam alert. Thankfully, it was avoided but its key to learn about scamming when you are young. I thought it looked like something I could manage and pay it all off when I'm up on my feet again. It turns out the interest rate was way too high. And I would have to pay $18,000 by 2028. Once I heard about this from my bank advisor, I immediately was wrecked. Something about this made me realize that what if I did not sign the contract, would I...