So my friend Kathy came today to hypnotize me for smoking cessation. It was pretty awesome. I like the whole process really. I was totally conscious of everything. First she had me close my eyes and then she had me relax all of my muscles in my head one by one. Then I was going deeper and deeper down these stairs and once I got to the bottom she planted the suggestions. I think they had an effect on me but it is still too soon to tell. It did seem that there was an immediate aversion to ever filling my lungs with the cigarette smoke again. She is coming again next week to do another session. She said it doesn't work for long the first try, that it really should be done more than once. Since she is going to do all the sessions for free-- why not?
She also can teach me to do self-hypnosis. I did try hypnosis tapes (I think I was a teen) a while back and I did like doing them. It was weird because a lot of it was the same but I definitely liked it a lot better with Kathy. The next time is supposed to be a deeper hypnosis and generally work better.
I made dinner. Organic chicken thighs with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce. Also served tortellini salad, grilled veggies and salad. Finished with Stony Field Farms after dark chocolate ice cream (thanks S) along with vegan cookie.
Libertad's Journal
My Podcast Link
06/22/2009 22:52 #49033
First hypnosis06/21/2009 11:48 #49020
I hate Pottery BarnI just hate everything about them. Their furniture looks cheap but it is not. They also send huge catalogs all the time to people that obviously don't want to order. My roommate ordered one thing from them a year ago and has kept on getting a catalog just about every other week. I finally just took the liberty of removing him from their mailing list.
F U POTTERY BARN. If I ever have money I certainly would not want my house to look like one of your wretched catalogs.
F U POTTERY BARN. If I ever have money I certainly would not want my house to look like one of your wretched catalogs.
jason - 06/22/09 14:26
I hate when orgs spam the catalogs as well. What I hate more are the cold calls (Looking at you, BPO).
I don't know that I've stepped into a Pottery Barn before. I'm not much of a home decorator, totally clueless in that area. From what I've seen, my ignorant ass says it is suburban chic.
I hate when orgs spam the catalogs as well. What I hate more are the cold calls (Looking at you, BPO).
I don't know that I've stepped into a Pottery Barn before. I'm not much of a home decorator, totally clueless in that area. From what I've seen, my ignorant ass says it is suburban chic.
joshua - 06/22/09 14:19
I've never shopped at Pottery Barn before.
I've never shopped at Pottery Barn before.
libertad - 06/22/09 13:52
Sorry to all the Pottery Barn lovers out there. Obviously a lot of people love them as they seem to be very sucessful. My oppinion doesn't really matter much anyways.
Sorry to all the Pottery Barn lovers out there. Obviously a lot of people love them as they seem to be very sucessful. My oppinion doesn't really matter much anyways.
lilho - 06/22/09 00:15
i kinda likey. i agree with the catalog thing, i hate catalogs! hello internet and paperless world! minus books. i like books.
i kinda likey. i agree with the catalog thing, i hate catalogs! hello internet and paperless world! minus books. i like books.
tinypliny - 06/21/09 15:52
Why are they called pottery barn? Are they like a farm based organization?
Why are they called pottery barn? Are they like a farm based organization?
jenks - 06/21/09 13:49
I love Pottery Barn.
I love Pottery Barn.
06/16/2009 00:22 #48986
Hypnotize me!~ To become realityI wanted to be hypnotized over two years ago to help with my lingering cravings to smoke cigarettes. This is the journal I wrote about it in. 
Basically, I was having a really hard time not smoking but glad that I had quit nonetheless. So, now on Monday a woman that I work with is going to hypnotize me with the hopes that it will help with my lingering cravings. Clearly at this point it is all mental. At least I will be able to tell if it helps; whereas, if I were still smoking it would be harder to tell if it really works or if I just really wanted to quit.
Because hypnotism for smoking cessation is not evidence based, I can't really advocate it at work even if it does end up helping me. I'm really hoping it works because even now a good two years after that post I still struggle with not smoking. It still isn't an option for me to have a puff and so far that strategy has worked but I still have this basic tension from not smoking.
Today I talked to a woman who was completely addicted to the nicotine gum. It was kind of sad because she seemed a little desperate to get off of it. Of course that was touchy ground for me to give advice to get off of nicotine replacement. I think I did good. She wanted to know if she could use the patch to wean herself off. I told her it made sense logically but that she would have to consult a MD as it was off label use of the medicine. Anyways, I went off on this tangent about her because she really seemed OK off of the cigarettes but just couldn't really deal with not having nicotine in her blood. Actually she had a lot more nicotine in her blood using the gum than if she were still smoking what she had been when she quit. It seems that it really does have an effect on your body physiologically long after the physical addiction has stopped. I sometimes wonder what Chantix could do for me but quickly put that out of my mind each and every time I hear of it causing awful side effects. It seems to me that I would rather smoke than use that drug.
I'll let you guys know how the hypnotism works out. At this point I think I might need an exorcism. The woman who is going to do it does know what she is doing and also says that she doesn't want to smoke anymore. She hasn't said that was from the hypnotism or not. I have heard her tell people that it was hard to quit smoking so I would assume that hypnotism doesn't make it easy. Nothing makes it easy.
Basically, I was having a really hard time not smoking but glad that I had quit nonetheless. So, now on Monday a woman that I work with is going to hypnotize me with the hopes that it will help with my lingering cravings. Clearly at this point it is all mental. At least I will be able to tell if it helps; whereas, if I were still smoking it would be harder to tell if it really works or if I just really wanted to quit. Because hypnotism for smoking cessation is not evidence based, I can't really advocate it at work even if it does end up helping me. I'm really hoping it works because even now a good two years after that post I still struggle with not smoking. It still isn't an option for me to have a puff and so far that strategy has worked but I still have this basic tension from not smoking.
Today I talked to a woman who was completely addicted to the nicotine gum. It was kind of sad because she seemed a little desperate to get off of it. Of course that was touchy ground for me to give advice to get off of nicotine replacement. I think I did good. She wanted to know if she could use the patch to wean herself off. I told her it made sense logically but that she would have to consult a MD as it was off label use of the medicine. Anyways, I went off on this tangent about her because she really seemed OK off of the cigarettes but just couldn't really deal with not having nicotine in her blood. Actually she had a lot more nicotine in her blood using the gum than if she were still smoking what she had been when she quit. It seems that it really does have an effect on your body physiologically long after the physical addiction has stopped. I sometimes wonder what Chantix could do for me but quickly put that out of my mind each and every time I hear of it causing awful side effects. It seems to me that I would rather smoke than use that drug.
I'll let you guys know how the hypnotism works out. At this point I think I might need an exorcism. The woman who is going to do it does know what she is doing and also says that she doesn't want to smoke anymore. She hasn't said that was from the hypnotism or not. I have heard her tell people that it was hard to quit smoking so I would assume that hypnotism doesn't make it easy. Nothing makes it easy.
06/12/2009 23:32 #48916
SHUT UP!This dog in my neighborhood will not shut up. It is driving me crazy. The other night I was forced to shut my windows it was so bad. It makes me think of this Seinfeld clip.
james - 06/13/09 14:21
Be sure to call the police. I know it isn't life or death, but nothing makes an owner take action like a ticket from the cops.
Be sure to call the police. I know it isn't life or death, but nothing makes an owner take action like a ticket from the cops.
06/10/2009 23:50 #48887
My FICO score- DON"T FORGET THE PARTY!" See last post for details.
I finally got my FICO score. It certainly is a lot better than I thought it would be. I did make my mistakes that I am paying for, but I am hoping that as the time goes by with me being responsible, I will improve my score so that I can get better rates when it comes down to buying a home or accessing other lines of credit. Here is some info about what kind of rates I would get right now based on my score.
Accurate as of June 10, 2009. Source: Informa Research Services.
30 year mortgage
Score Rate
760- 850 5.234%
700- 759 5.456%
680- 699 5.633%
Your current range 660- 679 5.847%
640- 659 6.277%
620- 639 6.823%
15 year home equity loan
Score Rate
740- 850 8.118%
720- 739 8.418%
700- 719 8.918%
Your current range 670- 699 9.693%
640- 669 11.193%
620- 639 12.443%
48 month auto loan
Score Rate
720- 850 5.961%
690- 719 7.425%
Your current range 660- 689 8.843%
620- 659 11.626%
590- 619 15.428%
500- 589 16.231%
Home equity line of credit (under $50,000) 8.057% Home equity line of credit (over $50,000) 8.174%
30 year jumbo mortgage 5.847% 10 year home equity loan 9.523%
15 year mortgage 5.389% 15 year jumbo mortgage 5.389%
1/1 ARM 3.721% 1/1 jumbo ARM 3.721%
3/1 ARM 4.271% 3/1 jumbo ARM 4.271%
5/1 ARM 4.513% 5/1 jumbo ARM 4.513%
7/1 ARM 4.755% 7/1 jumbo ARM 4.755%
10/1 ARM 5.251% 10/1 jumbo ARM 5.634%
36 month auto loan 8.843% 48 month used auto loan 9.647%
60 month auto loan 8.882%
Using a 30 year fixed mortgage as an example, your FICO® score qualifies you for an interest rate of 5.847%. Someone with a FICO® score of 630 would receive a rate of 6.823%. On a $250,000 mortgage, you would save more than $160 a month compared to a person who has a relatively poor score. So it's vitally important that you keep your score high.
You can purchase your score for $15.95/ each. I say "each" because there are more than one to choose from. Go to myfico.com
It is definitely worth it to know your score and it does tell you how to improve it. It also gives you an opportunity to dispute things that are not accurate. For me it was that they did not have my employer listed and that they did not have a phone number for me on file.
It sucks that I have some bad marks against me. At least I rectified them and am moving forward with consistent on time payments. Those will affect me less as time goes by.
Your FICO score does matter. It is a probability that you will pay back what you borrowed. Your rates are going to be decided upon based largely on this score. A difference in just one percent point can make huge differences in your monthly payment.
My goal is to get to over 700 in the next five years.
heidi - 06/11/09 17:57
The late credit card payments do eventually drop off, and recent activity/payment pattern is weighted heavier than earlier stuff.
The late credit card payments do eventually drop off, and recent activity/payment pattern is weighted heavier than earlier stuff.
libertad - 06/11/09 13:54
(e:jenks), from what I understand, the free ones are more of an estimate of your fico score. I don't completely understand it, but from what I can see it should be purchased if you want it to be accurate.
(e:heidi), I was thinking after I made that comment that my goal was set too low. I reset my goal to be over 720 within five years. Not sure if my late credit card payments will stay with me forever or eventually drop off but I would ideally like to be over 760.
(e:theecarey), I only read one of Suze's books which is Young Broke and Fabulous. It was pretty good but at this point you might want to get the 2009 action plan which takes into account the recent economic downturn. She has changed her advice because of it. Previously she recommended paying off credit card debt over building an emergency fund, now she recommends paying the minimum and developing the emergency fund rather than paying the cards off.
I started my emergency fund but already raided it and am down back to nothing. I'll just have to try again.
(e:jenks), from what I understand, the free ones are more of an estimate of your fico score. I don't completely understand it, but from what I can see it should be purchased if you want it to be accurate.
(e:heidi), I was thinking after I made that comment that my goal was set too low. I reset my goal to be over 720 within five years. Not sure if my late credit card payments will stay with me forever or eventually drop off but I would ideally like to be over 760.
(e:theecarey), I only read one of Suze's books which is Young Broke and Fabulous. It was pretty good but at this point you might want to get the 2009 action plan which takes into account the recent economic downturn. She has changed her advice because of it. Previously she recommended paying off credit card debt over building an emergency fund, now she recommends paying the minimum and developing the emergency fund rather than paying the cards off.
I started my emergency fund but already raided it and am down back to nothing. I'll just have to try again.
heidi - 06/11/09 11:53
FICO is proprietary - but when you open an account at the Buffalo Cooperative Credit Union, Kelly runs your credit reports and gets your FICO. :::link:::
The credit reporting agencies are required to give you a free report each year, but it doesn't include the proprietary FICO - see here: :::link:::
Consumer Credit Counseling Services is a highly credible personal financial advocacy/education service :::link::: I know there's one around here somewhere although it doesn't say they work in NYS.
(e:libertad) - you should be able to get over 700 sooner than five years.
FICO is proprietary - but when you open an account at the Buffalo Cooperative Credit Union, Kelly runs your credit reports and gets your FICO. :::link:::
The credit reporting agencies are required to give you a free report each year, but it doesn't include the proprietary FICO - see here: :::link:::
Consumer Credit Counseling Services is a highly credible personal financial advocacy/education service :::link::: I know there's one around here somewhere although it doesn't say they work in NYS.
(e:libertad) - you should be able to get over 700 sooner than five years.
paul - 06/11/09 10:04
Some when you just apply for for a loan. Additionally, if you check to much it reflects bad on your score. There is no way in the world I would trust giving my social or other sensitive information to any free credit reporting site unless they are certified by the better business bureau and even then I would verify that. I t would be so easy to fake one of those sites and collect people private info.
Some when you just apply for for a loan. Additionally, if you check to much it reflects bad on your score. There is no way in the world I would trust giving my social or other sensitive information to any free credit reporting site unless they are certified by the better business bureau and even then I would verify that. I t would be so easy to fake one of those sites and collect people private info.
theecarey - 06/11/09 10:04
access to free annual credit report yes, actual score, no- that has to be paid for. It is best to get all three (reports and scores) to make sure you are getting as much information as possible. I guess there can be differences between Experian, Equifax and Transunion.
I'm right there with you (e:libertad) -- been printing out reports, paid for one set of scores so far (just to get an idea of where I am at), making a list of things I need to do/not do, setting goals and so on. Some things I am a still confused on (too long to list). You seem to recommend Suze Orman for understanding personal finances- is there a specific book or site that I should check out? There is SO much conflicting info out there :)
access to free annual credit report yes, actual score, no- that has to be paid for. It is best to get all three (reports and scores) to make sure you are getting as much information as possible. I guess there can be differences between Experian, Equifax and Transunion.
I'm right there with you (e:libertad) -- been printing out reports, paid for one set of scores so far (just to get an idea of where I am at), making a list of things I need to do/not do, setting goals and so on. Some things I am a still confused on (too long to list). You seem to recommend Suze Orman for understanding personal finances- is there a specific book or site that I should check out? There is SO much conflicting info out there :)
jenks - 06/11/09 08:49
What do you mean "not your real score"? Hmmm. That's a little disturbing.
I mean, by law, they HAVE to give you your (real) credit report. I'm not sure FICO score is considered part of your credit report, though.
What do you mean "not your real score"? Hmmm. That's a little disturbing.
I mean, by law, they HAVE to give you your (real) credit report. I'm not sure FICO score is considered part of your credit report, though.
libertad - 06/11/09 06:59
From what I have learned from Suzi Orman you should pay for your score. After your comment (e:jenks) I did double check this info and it does verify. The free ones are not your real score. They can be off by up to 100 points. The credit bureaus have to give you a credit report each year but the FICO score should cost you $15.95 if you want the real deal.
From what I have learned from Suzi Orman you should pay for your score. After your comment (e:jenks) I did double check this info and it does verify. The free ones are not your real score. They can be off by up to 100 points. The credit bureaus have to give you a credit report each year but the FICO score should cost you $15.95 if you want the real deal.
jenks - 06/11/09 00:19
you can also get it for free.... all those freecreditreport.com etc sites really work. The credit bureaus HAVE to give you a free copy once a year. Those services usually make you sign up for a trial, but if you cancel during the trial period you don't get charged anything. But they'll usually give you your score from all 3 credit bureaus, and your FICO score etc.
you can also get it for free.... all those freecreditreport.com etc sites really work. The credit bureaus HAVE to give you a free copy once a year. Those services usually make you sign up for a trial, but if you cancel during the trial period you don't get charged anything. But they'll usually give you your score from all 3 credit bureaus, and your FICO score etc.
coolio. i took a graduate relaxation course where we learned to take ourselves into deeply relaxed states..i was always able to walk away relieved of pain that i came in with (back when i was very sick all the time). it was great!