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Category: Everyday Life

  • Miami-Dade Police officer hits, kills pedestrian in Florida City

    The story:

    Saturday night a Miami-Dade police officer struck and killed Jose Muñoz 67 years old, father of eight, landscaper. His wife and him were having financial problems and their lights were turned off. They decided to walk to the gas station near by and pick up some bread. As they were going to cross the street, heading back home, Jose pushed his wife out of the way when he saw the police car approaching. The police car, took Jose with him. The police man did stop right away. They have not released the officers name and the accident is still under investigation. The officer had struck Jose around 9:45 p.m. The officer was on patrol, and did not respond to a call at the time of the crash. It was dark where the couple was going to cross the street, it was a two lane road when the police officer struck Jose Muñoz. There is no crosswalk or traffic light at the intersection. The witnesses said the Police officers car did not have emergency lights or sirens on.

    My thoughts:

    It is always sad to hear stories like this. When a person is struck by a car out of no where and is taken away from us. This time it was by a Police Officer. I can’t imagine what was going on his head at the time of the incident. Investigation is still going on. Why he didn’t see the couple crossing the street is still unknown. I also don’t understand how the couple crossing the street didn’t see the car coming? It is accidents like this that make people think. You don’t always think that it will be your day to die, but this is why I truly believe in the saying “Live your life as if it was your last”. No matter what we say or do, you just never know when it will be your time to go. I pray for this family and I hope that they are helped with the funeral and burial arrangements. They don’t have much money and would need help. There was no information on donations but you can check out the story Here.

    By the way:

    I was reading comments people left on this story on the Miami Herald website. It just amazes me how people are so ignorant. A lot of people have bad things to say about Police Officers, and yes there are some that give them all a bad name. Unfortunately people don’t see the good police officers that are out there protecting these cities. You don’t hear about all the good they do and all the criminals they catch. We only ever hear the bad which is why people are so critical of them. As for this situation it could have been any other car who hit this poor man. This night, it just happened to be a police officer. In the past few month, just starting from the beginning of the year I have heard/read about more then a hand full of hit and runs and pedestrians being killed. It is something that has been going on, now it’s just a bigger deal to people because a cop actually hit a pedestrian. Accidents happen and I’m sure the police officer feels terrible about the incident. We can only now wait for the investigation to finish taking place to prove whether the police officer was under the influence of some sort. It’s highly unlikely seeing as he was on duty, however it isn’t impossible. So to all those comments that are being critical of the officer and the system, I can only hope your ignorance goes so far.

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • What do you love to do?

    What is it that you love to do?

    So many things bring joy into someones life. Sometimes the smallest things are the best. I love to write. Sometimes if I’m upset writing soothes me. I love to dance. I used to take dance classes since I was 12 years old up until high school finished. I always wanted to continue but never had the money to do so. I love music and lyrics. The list can probably go on for a while.

    Last Night

    Last night however, I found something that doesn’t have to do with only what I love to do. I found that I love to be with my nephews. I went over my brothers house last night to see my two nephews and the oldest one, Gabriel, was excited I was there. He wanted to play with me the entire time. I have to admit it’s very exhausting. Then when my sister-in-law got home with the baby, Ethan, he came running yelling my name. ( I almost melted, I think I’m In Love) He is just too cute! They were both fighting for my attention, I felt so loved! 😉 So I never go over during the week, they live a little far and sometimes my schedule with school and everything gets a little hectic. However, I noticed how much I love being with the boys and hanging out with my sister-in-law. It’s something that you sometimes take for granted. I definitely have to make the effort to go over more often.

    What makes you happy? What do you like to do?

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Florida universities study plan to require health insurance for all students

    I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this article.

    My opinion:

    Florida Universities are trying to make it a requirement that students have health insurance, if not they cannot attend the school. Students are struggling now to pay for high tuition’s and books. I myself just paid a little over $200 dollars for 2 books and they were used books. Imagine all those students who take more then 2 classes a semester? I currently work full time and have health insurance through my job, but if I could only work part time and didn’t have benefits to health insurance, I probably wouldn’t have insurance right now either. It’s too expensive to take on School tuition, books and your bills and then to have to pay for health insurance, is just too much. I do agree that it’s important we have insurance. For example, I have been sick for over a week and today I have to go to the doctor, because this cold isn’t getting any better. I can still go to the doctor with out insurance, my co-pay would just be much higher. My point is even though it’s important to have health insurance, it is not right to force students to have health insurance in order to get an education. You are taking their rights away. You are forcing someone who can probably barely afford school as it is, to pay for health insurance. I think it’s ridiculous.

    I didn’t know that some Florida Universities already have this requirement. University of Miami, Palm Beach Atlantic University and Lynn University in Boca to name a few.

    One student “A.J. Meyer, student government president at Florida International University, west of Miami, said he is against required health insurance. He is on his parents’ plan in New York, but it doesn’t cover him out of state”.

    “I’ve never had any medical issue,” said Meyer, who is also the student representative to the Board of Governors. “If I did have a medical issue, I would fly back to New York.”

    I agree with A.J. Meyer and I am sure many other students would agree with us too.

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Driver shot in Plantation in possible case of mistaken identity

    The story:

    A 40 year old women (they haven’t released her name) was shot in Plantation Monday night. Police are saying it was a case of mistaken identity. The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. she was bumped from behind and when she got off her car she was shot at twice. Luckily for her she was only struck once and only suffered minor injuries. She was also pregnant. They haven’t said if the baby is okay or not. They say she overheard a second person int he car say, “It’s not them,” after the shots were fired. The car was said to be an older model, burgundy four-door sedan.

    My thoughts:

    It’s hard to believe sometimes the things that happen in our world. But it’s out there. There are people who are just traveling the wrong road. Who ever this person was going for was lucky this night, but unfortunately for this women who was hit, she had to suffer in the hands of some person who’s an idiot. Thankfully, she wasn’t killed, and we are hoping her baby is okay and in good health. I hope they find the two idiots who bumped into this women and began shooting. I just don’t understand the mentality of people. I don’t understand how you get to where they are in life. It’s very sad actually. Life works in mysterious ways, and in some ways we’ll never understand.

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

    If you want to read more on the story above Click Here.

  • Who’s your best friend?

    Who’s your best friend?

    Sometimes you have more then one best friend, sometimes you have more then one in a lifetime. I know I have.

    Best Friend:

    Definition: Best Friend, someone (singular or plural) with whom one shares the strongest possible kind of friendship(s)

    I have had different best friends through out my life time. Or so I thought they were my best friends at the time. But has life teaches you sometimes a person isn’t always your best friend.

    BF?

    Through out my 26 years I have had a few best friends and I have lost most of them and only a few stuck around or left and came back. I have had friends who I considered my best friends up until I realized they weren’t really my friends at all. Either they talked bad about me, lied to me or I just realized they only cared about themselves and if I needed them, where were they? Is that a best friend? Someone who lies, talks about you and is never there for you? So I decided to part my ways and move on.

    How do you move on?

    You have to be strong, if you realize a person isn’t good for you, then you have to think about yourself, and what is going to be good for you in the long run. I had a friend who I thought was one of my best friends, and I would call her and she would disappear for weeks on end, while I was worried something may have happened to her, then she would call me and everything would be okay. We would talk practically every day, then she would disappear again. After the last few times of this, I got tired of always feeling like I was the only one trying in our friendship. I realized that if I had a problem I couldn’t even rely on calling her, because she wouldn’t pick up. What kind of friend is this? Not a friend at all. So I wrote her an email, the only way I can contact her since she wasn’t picking up my phone calls. I told her how I felt and I told her I would be here for her if she needed me. I never got a reply, a call, nothing. So I moved on. Friends come and go and even though sometimes it really sucks to loose them in your life, I truly believe that you meet people to teach you lessons, or they’re just passing by to introduce you to someone else in your life. I have actually met many people who have introduced me to other people which changed the course of my life. You can’t turn back time and you can’t change things that happen in your life. Each person that walks into your life is a blessing, whether it’s bad or good. At the end of the day it’s a lesson learned, and new a journey and pathway into your life.

    The last friend I spoke of, I couldn’t have asked for anything better because of her I met my boyfriend. I couldn’t be happier. So you see…You meet people for a reason, even if they aren’t meant to stay in your life forever.

    True Best Friends

    True best friends stick around for the long run. I have been lucky to have had so many friends, even if they have come and gone in my life. The ones who have stuck around, those are a blessing. My mom, that’s the first one, she will always be there for me no matter what, and this I know is true. She has been there for me when I couldn’t stand up, when I was worried or scared. She is truly a best friend any person can ever ask for.

    Then there is my sister in law, she came into my life and we just clicked. She has always been there for me, we even have fought like true sisters. I know I can tell her anything and she won’t judge. I know that she will always be there for me like I will be there for her.

    My boyfriend, I couldn’t ask for anything more then a person not only I love but is also my best friend. I talk to him about everything. Even if it’s about him, I can’t help but tell him that he’s annoying me. LOL. Not many people are as lucky as I am to find a boyfriend and have him be your best friend. And if you are just as lucky as I am, count your blessings =)

    Then you have friends that you loose touch with but in the end of the day, they will come back. My best friend Grace. We have memories from when we were 14 years old. We lost touch for a while, our lives were in different roads, but we found each other again, and we know that we will always be there for each other no matter what.

    So if you have a best friend, be grateful. Count your blessings for even those friends who have come into your life and left. Because everyone comes into your life for a reason.

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Sick all the time?!

    Sick all the time? I know I feel like I’m sick all the time. I just got the tonsillectomy to help prevent me from getting sick all the time and just as I’m just starting to feel better, BAMB! I’m sick again/already.

    Getting sick…

    I feel like I am stuck in this place where you can’t help but get sick, and no matter what you do you’ll just be sick. If it’s not a cold, it’s the stomach, if it’s not that it’s the throat. This time my throat hurt the only difference I didn’t have my tonsils in the way of getting swollen this time, but never the less, still hurt. My nose is stuffy and I just feel crappy. Now I am starting with that dry cough. Great that’s all I need.

    Doom & Gloom

    Okay so I am a little bit of a doom and gloom kind of girl today. I can’t help it though I feel like crap and I had to come to work because I hate to be missing so many days especially after I missed days with my surgery. Lucky for me though it’s slow this month so I haven’t really missed much while I’m gone. Point though, is that I hate missing, looks bad. So I’m here, with meds on my desk, and tissue paper and water. I look like a little viejita. Wonderful!

    Any remedies?

    I have been taking airborne and Mucinex along with vitamins. My boyfriend brought me some of his vitamins from the Animal Pack. I hate taking those horse pills, but if I can get better faster, Bring it on! Today I’m trying zicam since I ran out of airborne, they are pretty much the same thing. I just need something to work, and fast because Saturday I plan on going to the Fair, to eat and watch the shows. I need to eat! If you aren’t from Miami, I am not sure if you have an annual fair that comes once a year, but this is it. I have been waiting and my boyfriends been waiting for the elephant ears for a year now. I must go. SO…..

    Think Positive

    Thinking positive. Feeling good, feeling great. This weekend I’ll be ready for the Fair.

    Wish me luck folks…..I think I’ll need it.

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Key West center offers a safe haven for runaway, homeless kids

    Some people don’t imagine their children will runaway, some can’t comprehend why children runaway, but some children feel the need to run away. We hope this doesn’t happen, and we don’t want it to happen, but it does. Wouldn’t you feel better knowing that there is a place your children can go to if this does happen?

    Key West Center Project Lighthouse

    A women by the name of Andrea Grace Quigley at the age of 20 ran away from home all the way from New Jersey to Key West. She left to escape a home filled of sadness, her mom was dying of cancer and her dad was cancer–stricken another part of her just wanted change. She wanted to find herself.

    She only had a few dollars on her and went to the movies, she fell asleep and woke up when the movie finished and began to cry. Andrea says ”I didn’t want to walk back out onto the street,” “I had no money.” I couldn’t call my parents, they were so desperately ill. I wanted somewhere to go, but I didn’t know anyone.”

    When that moment came she walked out of the theater and a stranger asked her about the saxophone she was carrying in her backpack. The stranger was Tim Curtis, the director of Project lighthouse. Project Lighthouse is a federally funded street outreach program for runaways, homeless and at risk street youth under 21. Its where children can go to shower, do laundry and do creative things, like Andrea who used the equipment to record a demo CD. Now Andrea sells jewelery and clothing she designs and she volunteers.

    ”Most everyone who comes in here is at a point in their life when they are teetering on the ledge and can go either way,” Quigley said. “You can go to this negative life, or go in the other direction.”

    Lighthouse opened in October 2004 and has served about 870 runaway and homeless youth from around the country, according to program director Jai Somers. Hundreds more local at-risk kids also have been helped. The rules are no drugs and alcohol and no sleeping or fighting. Be friendly and no swearing or R-rated material and be productive.

    This is very motivating to teens who are out there and need help to get on the right track. I think more of our cities need a place like this for children who runaway. Not every child can be helped, but it’s good to know there are places out there like this where you can go if you don’t have anywhere else to go. I have always loved the thought of helping teenagers who are in trouble, who really just need that little push in the right direction. Not everyone gets a second chance.

    If you want to read more about Project Lighthouse go to Miamiherald.com

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Acupuncture II

    Following up with you about my Acupuncture appointment. If you are truly interested in trying acupuncture but have always been scared to try it, please do.

    My first appointment:

    I got to the office and it was so peaceful, with the little waterfalls flowing and the soft music. The Doctor was extremely nice and we went over everything that was and is bothering me today. We later moved into the room where she began my first session of acupuncture. There were about 3 points that hurt a little but nothing too bad and everything else I didn’t feel. It was very relaxing. She showed me the needles she would be using, the needle itself is very flimsy, she even let me touch one and proceeded to throw it away since it was not sterilized now by our touch. Which is something else I liked, it shows she is very professional and clean. The little needles go into your body, pressure points that help what they call “Your Chi.” You barely feel them like I said. I was actually very nervous and a little stiff, I kept having to tell myself to relax. But all in all it was a great first session. She later massaged some of my problem areas in the back and asked if I wanted to try the “Cup Massage.” I had never heard of it and she explained it can leave slight bruising like a hickey or just make your back red for a little, but it will go away. Apparently Gwyneth Patrol has tried this technique. So I decided to try it. Anything to help. It felt pretty good and my back did get red for a little but shortly went away.

    Will I go back?

    I will definitely go back, and I made my 2nd appointment next week. If you want to hear more about my journey and experience into acupuncture let me know, ask me and I will let you know what I think and how it works. If you want to read more about Acupuncture go to http://www.medicalacupuncture.org

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Work Time Off – PTO Days

    Many people who work for companies have Personal Time Off, also known as PTO Days. How many PTO Days does your job allow you to take?

    PTO Days:

    My job allows us to have 21 PTO Days, but this is where they get you, that includes Holidays. That doesn’t even make sense because then you don’t really have 21 days do you? We have about 5 TO 6 holidays so we really get 15 PTO Days. I had my tonsillectomy so I had to use some of my days off and I used 4 plus 1 prior to that when I was out sick. That leaves me with 10 days. Last week I wasn’t able to work full time, so I asked them to not pay me for the hours I missed as I was only able to work half days. It’s a sacrifice many people can’t afford to take, but my surgery recovery was longer then expected. Luckily, I don’t have a mortgage to pay for right now so I can afford to do these kind of things. I was used to my other job where my PTO days consisted of 18 days, plus two floating days. The floating days were used as a free 2 days that you can take off during a holiday of your choice that the company had to work on. It was great, I would save them for the end of the year so in December I can take off as many days as I can. We also had roll-over days. Where I’m currently at, we don’t have that option, so I have to make sure to use all my PTO Days.

    Not Enough Time Off

    Does anyone agree that we don’t have enough time off during the year? I think I vote for more TIME OFF! If I wasn’t able to afford not getting paid for the hours I missed I would have had to use those hours as PTO time and I would be left with little to no time off. I rather save my time off for future vacation I’m hoping to take and for the end of the year in December, I always like to take a few days off around that time. I also felt bad for missing to many days off work even though I was still in a lot of pain. Do you ever feel like if you miss too many days even if you are really sick, they might fire you? I think many people try to make it to work even if they should be in bed because their scared their boss won’t believe them or they will get fired. I know I came in thinking I didn’t want to miss any days just in case….and they did see that I wasn’t feeling well, I couldn’t even talk for goodness sakes. Never the less I proved that I am a team player by coming in for half a day, even though I really should have been in bed trying to get better faster. That’s life for you though. We have to sometimes prove ourselves to our bosses so they know we really want and love our jobs. Even if deep down we feel horrible and want to be in bed. It shouldn’t really be this way though, if your sick, you should be in bed, and you shouldn’t have to prove to anyone that you are really sick. Unfortunately there are many people who fake being sick and it’s people like us that are really not feeling well that have to prove to others we really are sick and need the time off. Like I said, that’s life, and now I have to see what to do with the remainder of my PTO Days.

    How do you use your PTO Days? Do you use them all or do you end up loosing them?

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

  • Acupuncture

    I have decided to finally start Acupuncture. I have heard many good things about it in the past years, but I haven’t come around to actually trying it. Unfortunately my Insurance doesn’t cover Acupuncture, but I think it will be worth paying a little more and helping the problem I have in my low back and legs.

    Acupuncture:

    Acupuncture for those of you that may not know is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. It is said that even disease and disorders can be treated with acupuncture. I am willing to finally sit down and put these small needles into my body to see if it helps.

    Chiropractor:

    Many people don’t believe in chiropractic care. I grew up with it because my mom worked for one for many years. I have been recently going to the Chiropractor and getting massages but it just doesn’t seem to be solving my problem. Although I believe in Chiropractic care and it does temporarily relieve some of my pain it hasn’t helped with the chronic pain I have had since I was 15 years old. I have tried physical therapy, massages, chiropractic care and nothing has helped. I need something that will work permanently, something that will work and I can finally say that I no longer feel the pain. When I can stand in my kitchen for more than an hour with out complaining from the pain, or finally go to Disney World and not feel like I’m in so much pain.

    I will keep you updated on my results. The doctor says there will be treatments of 6-12, sometimes less sometimes a little more. If this helps me, I will be so grateful, and saddened that I didn’t try it sooner. Keeping the faith that it will work!

    XO,
    Kristin Nicole

    Learn more about Acupuncture at Acupuncture.com or go to Wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture.