Vertical Blinds - Duralite Curved Vinyl Vertical

We have been looking for a quality vertical blinds for our patio door. We looked online and also at several stores(HomeDepot, Lowes etc) but the only place where we found affordable pricing was at HomeDecorators

We ordered a Duralite Curved Vinyl Vertical Blind from Bali(106 W x 96 H) and we spent $150 which included Free Shipping.

Shipping is slow..will take about 3-4 weeks..Will try to post back when the product arrives...

Isha Yoga - Inner Engineering Experiences

I recently took the 7-day Inner Engineering class and would like to share my experience.

The following were the hours and you will have to attend all days.

Weekday sessions: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Saturday session   : 2:30 pm - 5:30pm
Sunday session     : 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Financial: Registration fees is $290 per person but is reduced to $250(for married couples) or groups of 3 or more.

Pre-Requisites:  An inquisitive mind, healthy body and an open attitude.

Note: At the end of 7 days, you will learn Shambhavi Maha Mudra Kriya which lasts about 21 minutes.
If you are currently practising Shambhavi Maha Mudra(SMM)(after being initiated by a teacher/Guru) then you can skip the 7-day class.


Every day, the class begins with an invocation(prayer).

The Isha Yoga teacher then presents an hour long video in which Sadhguru talks about various aspects regarding Inner Engineering and Shambhavi Maha Mudra kriya

In between the classes, you'll have a small home work to do regarding 'awareness' and 'being responsible' and then you'll have an opportunity to discuss(share) that briefly with the class.

What I would have liked: I would have liked the Isha Yoga teacher talk about the video that was presented and give us(participants) an opportunity to have a dialogue. Instead, the teacher would focus on other aspects which are nevertheless thought provoking and makes you ponder(think) but I would have preferred having a dialogue.

Most Interesting Part of the class: Rudrakashs - these are beads that people can wear around their neck and these Rudrakashs are expensive since they only grow in places of higher altitude. Most interesting part was that these beads detect food(s) with positive energy, negative energy and zero energy(pranic)..

Bottom-Line: The videos by Sadhguru was enlightening. However, if you know the SMM Kriya, you are already ahead of others in life.

Home Mortgage Loan - PAID IN FULL

I paid off the home mortgage - PAID IN FULL.

Called up my mortgage company, transferred the money from Escrow and its showing up as being paid off.

Am waiting for paperwork in the mail but this feels really good.

For those of you following my journey, you would know I still have about $30K left on my credit card which was a result of transferring some of my home mortgage for a low balance transfer rate.

I still have to pay it off in the next several months but having a paid off home does you wonders!!!!!!!!!

Mortgage balance down to $1000

Its been 6 long years and finally the 200K loan is down to 1k and its a fantastic feeling.

I cannot pay the $1k yet..still have to wait for the mortgage company to pay my property taxes from the escrow sometime in November but hopefully in another 2-3 weeks I would have paid off the mortgage.

I calculated that if I had stayed in the 30 year loan and just paid monthly payments, I would have paid a
'Total Interest' of $52,000 and my still have a 'Pending Mortgage Balance:' of $181,000. Ouch!!!

Its definitely worth it to pay down your mortgage as quickly as possible without jeopardizing your current situation.

Free Credit Score for American Express Card Members

I took advantage of the offer from AMEX. I signed up for the 30 day complimentary credit score and report and you don't have to do anything at the end of the 30 day period. the offer simply expires...

My credit score is 797.



What factors raise your PLUS Score:
# You have paid your bills on time and currently do not have any overdue accounts or derogatory information, such as a collection, charge-off, or bankruptcy, on your report.

# You have a good cushion of available credit between your current balance and your credit limits on all open trades. This has a positive affect on your credit score. This cushion shows lenders that you are unlikely to overextend yourself financially.

# The total balance on all your credit cards is relatively low compared to your total available credit limit. This has a positive impact on your credit score.

# Your average credit limit for your major credit cards, such as Discover, American Express, VISA, or MasterCard, is high. This tells lenders that you have enough financial experience, and they will be more likely to see you as a good credit risk.

What factors lower your PLUS Score:
# Credit scores are calculated based on various factors in your credit report. Currently, your credit report does not show any significant negative or derogatory information.

Severance Payments going to Mortgage

I'll be using the proceeds from the severance payment(from being laid off) towards the mortgage and this should bring the mortgage amount down in the next 2 months.

ooma up and running.

Setting up is pretty simple.

I have a Westell 7500 modem(with in-built router) and have dry-loop DSL service at home.

Here is the quick set-up.

1. From wall jack, wire goes to Westell 7500(to port E1)
2. From Westell 7500(from port E2), wire goes to Ooma(Modem port)
3. From Ooma(Phone port), wire goes to my cordless handset and I hear the dial-tone.

I'll test Ooma for another week and if everything looks good then port the number and be done with paying for US local and long distance calls(however, will still have to pay for international calls)

Ooma

Earlier this year, I switched from Verizon to VOIP service from ALLVOI and was paying about $20/month for local and long distance but now am done with the promotional period and the cost has sky-rocketed to $32/month, am switching to Ooma to lower my monthly phone costs.

I just placed an order to buy Ooma on Amazon and Amazon.com is offering a free Ipod Shuffle until July 31st.

Link here

I hope once I install this phone system at home then I won't have to pay for U.S local and long distance calls for the next few years.(I'll still be paying for International calls ;))

The lifetime of the device is about 3-5 years but I would have recouped the costs within the first year...

I'll post another update once I receive the device and my experience with it...

New Job

I start my new job pretty soon. I feel fortunate and lucky to have found another employment opportunity in this economy.

U.S unemployment rate is about 10% while unemployment in the Tampa bay area is about 11%.

am saying a small prayer to those who are unemployed and pray that you'll soon be gainfully employed and thriving again!

Mortgage Payoff

Am revising 'Mortgage Payoff' target date from December 2009 to August 2010.

Basically, I was counting on year-end bonuses and stock options(that would vest in Dec 2009 with the current firm) to get me towards the ZERO balance and since I've been laid off I won't be able to meet that goal.

My new goal of August 2010 is not unrealistic but it is a very optimistic goal.
I could probably 'widdled down' my mortgage into the low teens but its good to have a bit challenging task ahead!

Plastics in our lives!

WashingtonPost carried an article today that linked a chemical found in everyday plastics to problems with brain function and mood disorders in monkeys.


Photo Courtesy : DailyMail of UK

Article Title: Chemical in Plastic Is Connected to Health Problems in Monkeys
Article Link : Click here

Other articles:

1. See how other countries are dealing with it.
2. The Dirty Truth About Plastic

There have been numerous studies that have linked increased usage of plastics resulting in disturbing the hormone levels in human bodies.

If you look under any plastic bottle, you'll see a number and that's key to plastics which come in contact with our food we consume.
Click here to know what these numbers mean.

I have made few simple changes in trying to limit(not eliminate) use of plastic in my lifestyle.

• While am on the road, I carry a glass water bottle.
• When we microwave anything, we use ceramics, porcelain or at times microwave-safe containers.

I still carry lunch to work in a plastic container and need to find a replacement for it..Any suggestions?

Environmental Degration: Avoid canned food

We all know that everyday in our lives we use natural resources that are non-renewable.
To minimize the impact, we can simplify our lives by leading a simple lifestyle and being very conscious of our eating and spending habits.

One simple change: Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season and to give up canned food and items that come from the cold storage regardless of the time of year.

This will reduce the need for electricity(coal, oil, nuclear), transporation(think oil, wear and tear on vehicles), mining(for Iron, steel, aluminum) and so on..