Never running after a bus again.

So being silly me, I decided to run after the bus this morning to get to work. On top of that, I dropped my bus ticket and had to bend down to pick it up. I must have got up too abruptly as right after tht I noticed some sharp stabbing pain on my abdomen. I started to panic at first then calmed down and started to breathe properly whilst gently massaging bubba.

I guess pregnancy isn't the time to start running. Running can also be hard on our knees. During pregnancy, our joins loosen, which makes us more prone to injury. So unless we are routine runners, we should try not to run especially after busses!

This is not the first time I felt that sharp stabbing pain. Its been on and off for I guess a couple of weeks now. Its like a really sharp pain like a bluntish knife being jabbed into me. I usually get 3 or 4 sharp pains and they only last a split second but they are quite painful. When that happens I tend to get worried if something is happening to my lil precious one.

I know when being pregnant, abdominal pain is common but I spent some time researching about it and I thought I should share it here. 

Pelvic pain or discomfort is common during pregnancy. After all, ligaments are stretching, hormone levels are changing and organs are shifting around to make room for the growing uterus. BUT sometimes, pain is a red flag that something more serious is wrong. Pregnant women should always contact a medical professional to discuss concerns over the pain they are experiencing.

What are some of the common causes of pain during pregnancy? From relaxed pelvic joints to pressure from our growing baby's weight, here are some of the common pain during pregnancy.  If the pain that you are experiencing doesn't go away or if you have symptoms such as bleeding, unusual discharge or very strong cramping call your ob-gyn immediately.

- Round Ligament Pain

This is very commong in the second trimester of pregnancy. Women will notice a sharp pain in the abdomen or hip, typically on the right side although it can occur on either side of the body. The round ligament supports the uterus, connecting it to the groin. As the uterus grows to accomodate the baby, the ligament stretches. Many of our movements can trigger the pain, including laughing and standing from a sitting position. Women can reduce this discomfort by stretching frequently and changing position slowly to reduce the sharpness of the pain. If the pain becomes severe or is accompanied by any other symptoms, it may indicate another health concern and women should seek medical attention. Round ligament pain should disappear for good by about 24 weeks.

- Pressures baby's weight

This only really happens in the third trimester. You may start to experience pressure in your pelvic region as the weight of your rapidly growing fetus presses down on the nerves that run form your vagina into your legs. This pain typically occurs with movement, such as when you walk or ride in a car because the baby bounces. To help relieve discomfort, lie down on one side and rest.

- Miscarriage

When a miscarriage is occuring a women may notice cramping on either side of the abdomen. The pain is as intense or more so than menstrual craming. Bleeding will accompany the cramping as the fetus is expelled. Some women may not notice a miscarriage early in pregnancy but later-term miscarriages such as those that occur after the first trimester are likely to cause significant bleeding and some tissue loss owing to the size of the baby.

- Preterm Labour

Any persistent cramping accompanied by unexplained bleeding after the 20th week of pregnancy can be a risk factor for preterm labour. At this time the loss of a pregnancy is no longer considered a miscarriage byt preterm labour. If you are experiencing a persistern backache and pelvic pressure that comes and goes, you may be in labour.

- Braxton Hicks Contractions

Pressure or tightening in the pelvis that comes and goes could be contractions, but if they are sporadic and generally not painful thay are most likely practice contractions, called Braxton Hicks instead of true labour contractions. These "practice" contractions tend to occur at around 20 weeks and can be triggered by dehydration, so make sure your drink a lot of water. You will know its a contraction if you lie down and feel your belly; your uterus will become hard, and then relax.  They should disappear on their own but if you have more than four contractions an hour for two hours, call your doctor immediately.

-Digestive Issues

Pregnancy hormones and bodily changes bring about a long list of digestive ailments in women. Any of these can cause sharp pain on the right side of the abdomen or even in the lower rib cage area. Diarrhea, indigestion, heartburn and gas are common complaints of pregnancy that can all cause discomfort.

You can do the following things to ease some of the symptoms such as:

• Take a warm (not hot) bath or stand in the shower and let the water hit your back
• Try a pelvic support garment, which can keep the uterus from pushing down on your pelvis
• Wear low-healed shoes with good arch support
• Try to avoid quick movements and sharp turns at the waist
• Get a prenatal massage
• Exercise regularly - it could help prevent pain in the first place

You will need to call your doctor/OBGYN if:

• Pelvic pain that you can't walk or talk through
• Any bleeding
• Fever and/or chills
• Severe headache
• Dizziness
• Sudden swelling of the face, hands, and/or feet
• Persistent nausea and/or vomitting
• Less than 10 fetal kicks in one hour from 28 weeks till delivery
• More than four contractions in an hour for two hours
• Watery, greenish or bloody discharge.

Surprise..I'm Pregnant!

I guess I'm good at keeping secrets. I'm PREGNANT! Just yesterday I went for my 18-20 weeks scan and everything is looking good with bubba. Call me suspicious or paranoid but I'm one of those people who doesn't always think things will go according to plan. And I'm not taking being pregnant for granted.

What are we having? Its a boy!!!

Here's a picture of me at 19 weeks++. It took me a while to be brave enough to put up a picture or even announce it to my friends. I guess also being pregnant is not exactly "flattering".

   

Being pregnant also explain my occassionall flakiness in my blog posting over the last couple of months. I get so tired sometimes and all I want to do is go to bed. In general, my symptoms have been more than mild. s a picture of me at 19 weeks++.

Nutrition, organic food and purity continues to be at the forefront of my mind. In fact it should be more important than ever. In the first few weeks of pregnancy where my symptoms were the worst, I regret to say that I was horrible when it came to providing proper, healthy nutrition to my growing baby. But now that Im feeling better..it should be my top priority.
 

Private Hospital it is

We finally decided yesterday that we will be going private for maternity. I had no idea how much of a dilemma it is to choose where to give birth. 

When we first found out we were pregnant, I automatically called in Royal North Shore to register for maternity. Main reason being financial as with public care its free. But now after visiting both private and public hospitals I understand why those who can afford to go private chooses to go private.

One of the main reason why we are choosing to go Private is because we have private health insurance. We have been paying for the cover for close to 12 months now as we need to be on a 12 months waiting period before we can claim any obstetric benefits. The other benefit is that bubba will also be covered after birth. Our health fund have a buffer in which the baby is covered, provided that we upgrade to family cover within the specified period.

I also like the idea of having my own private obstertrician.

So heres the benefits of going private

• You get your own private room
• The accommodation is way nicer than public care
• The food is also nice than public care
• We get to choose our own obstertrician
• Check ups and management are held in the obstertrician's private consulting rooms and not in the public hospital waiting room
• While our obstertrician doesn't stay with us during labour, the obstertrician will be there at birth and will visit us in the hospital afterwards. 
• We get to stay 5-6 days in the hospital
• There is a nursery in the hospital where they will look after our babies if we want to rest
• We get our own ensuite/toilet bathing facilities. 

 And here are the cons for private hospitals

• They have the highest rate of intervention over all birth options, particularly caesarean sections.
• Obstertricians usually dont see you much during labour. Its the midwives who monitor you in labour and they will likely be unkown to you. There will likely be 2-3 shift changes during the labour and while we may think that we will receive continuity of care with an obstertrician, they aren't around much at the birth at all. 
• We will have additional out-of-pocket costs with most obstertricians which vary from a few hundred to several thousands.

Why are we born if we have to die?

If we are all born to die and we all die to live, whats the point of living life if it just contradicts?

When I was young, I was disappointed with life because I didn't know where my place in the world was. I was in a desperate search. My life was like a movie, full of drama and caos. When I became a Christian, I thought that each of us have a mission in this sinful world. 

Now I realise that we are in this world to live and make the best of our situations. We are born to, then, die and leave this world. We die to give way to new life. We die in hopes that a new flower will bloom. We die because we lived. We die because we are given a chance and if that chance is shorten by our death, then we must make the best of what we have. A wise man once told me, in life there are no guarantees except death.

So I guess the saying only contradicts because that is what we choose to see and how we choose to see it.

Life is, and will be, only what we choose to make it. We choose our attitudes, perspectives and points of views that determines how hapy our lives would be. We choose how we allow what others do and affect us and how we react to each situation and circumstances that arises.

Goalless living?

One of the questions I have been asking myself recently is “What happens if we deliberately live without any goals?”

All the books I’ve read in the past and just about every other self-help book assumes that goals are essential to success. But is this true?

We tend to think that living without goals would result in laying on a couch in front of the tv all day with a six-pack of beer (or whatever your own particular form of goofing off is!) But I suspect that this is actually the result of negative goals, rather than no goals at all. A negative goal would be something like “I don’t want to do the housework”, “I don’t want write that report”, or “I don’t want to do any work”. 

The reason I have been asking that question is that I am conscious that many major positive changes in my life have come about without my having formed any definite goals about the changes. It’s been far more a case of acting on opportunity out of a deeper feeling that I am taking the right action for me.

Are goals/needs really just about a search for recognition, authenticity, conformity, nonconformity, acceptance?

Are ‘goals’ and ‘needs’ just interchangeable terms for a search to be accepted in whatever group we seek to be accepted into – or to be accepted for who we are in our individuality if there is no group identification? Even primary needs – food, shelter, warmth, cool, etc are a search to be accepted into the group that have these needs.

Maybe it's not the goal that’s the problem, but more likely an individuals reasoning behind them. Certain end results/goals will never lead to happiness in my opinion. For me, the hardest part has always been discovering what I want. Maybe it seems simple for some people and I might argue that those same people would answer “I want more $$”, “I want to move up the ladder” etc. But I think those are superficial things because what they REALLY want is whatever FEELING they believe those “things” will give them, NOT the thing things themselves ~ kind of like Fool’s Gold, if you will.

I think the reason most people are unhappy is because they are short-sighted about what they really want. You have to ask yourself the tough questions and take the required time to get to know yourself. I believe we all basically want the same things: comfort, freedom, love, acceptance and to make a contribution to this world. I believe seeking $$$ is what we’ve all been essentially “programmed” to do in order to keeps us all as working cogs in someone else’s machine. But where does it lead? I believe it leads to a false-happy; one where you’re never satisfied because you are reaching for the wrong things. This is the constant struggle we are all in that serves someone else’s purpose, not ours.

My Good Friend - Psyllium Husk

Unfortunately, the process of having a child does not just involve thinking up baby names and making the spare room into a nursery. One of the first physical symptoms a pregnant woman is likely to experience is being constipated — but the good news is that there are steps you can take to try to get things moving again!

Why?
Being unable to pass a bowel motion is common in pregnancy, partly because there's increased pressure on the bowel (even in early pregnancy) and partly because hormones can make the gut less efficient. If you've recently changed your diet to a healthier one for the sake of your baby, you may also find that your guts are a little slow to adapt (this is a polite way of saying that you may find yourself bunged up, and flatulent). In addition, some pregnant women become reluctant to carry out as much exercise for fear of damaging their babies — and regular exercise is known to keep you, er, regular.

During pregnancy, it's important to get plenty of fiber. Some changes in your physiology that occur when you're pregnant make it more likely that you'll get constipated, and you can end up with hemorrhoids as a result. Psyllium powder is a safe source of fiber and helps decrease your risk of digestive trouble.

 

Psyllium husk is a source of fiber, which is made up of the chemical compound cellulose. Cellulose is very similar in chemical makeup to starch; both consist of long chains of glucose -- sugar -- molecules, explain Drs. Reginald Garrett and Charles Grisham in their book "Biochemistry." Humans can't digest fiber, however, so it contains no calories for you. Still, it's an important component of a healthy diet, and women should get 21 to 25 grams per day, notes the MayoClinic.com website.

Fiber Benefits

Psyllium husk, like all fiber, has many health benefits. When you consume fiber, it makes you feel more full, which can keep you from overeating. It also decreases the rate at which sugar from your food enters your bloodstream, helping to maintain your blood sugar and prevent diabetes. The increased bulk of your food because of the presence of fiber helps increase the efficiency of your gut, and fiber also binds toxins and cholesterol.

Fiber and Pregnancy

When you're pregnant, fiber in your diet has added benefits. Your higher hormone levels during pregnancy slow your gut down, which can make you more prone to constipation, upset stomach and hemorrhoids because of difficult or hard stools. When you eat plenty of fiber, you help your intestines to continue functioning more smoothly, which can reduce the likelihood of these symptoms, explain Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel in their book "What To Expect When You're Expecting."

Using Psyllium

There are many ways to get fiber in your diet -- fresh fruits and vegetables are a great source -- but you can supplement with psyllium husk powder if you're not sure you're getting enough dietary fiber. Each psyllium husk supplement is slightly different, so check package directions carefully before use. If you have trouble swallowing the powder in liquid -- it can be thick and chalky -- try baking the powder into cookies or purchasing a chewable, bar-type supplement.

syllium

One popular method of treating constipation is fiber supplements such as psyllium. Psyllium is a bulk-forming agent that helps stimulate fecal motility within the intestine. In addition, psyllium fiber has absorptive properties that can retain water to soften stools and ease defecation. Since fiber remains in the digestive tract and is not absorbed into the bloodstream, there is low potential for direct toxicity to the fetus. However, the use of fiber supplements should only be used under the guidance of a physician during pregnancy since psyllium fiber can cause bowel obstruction.

Are there are any medical complications to being constipated?
The main complication is feeling extremely uncomfortable, gaseous and generally unwell. Being constipated can affect much more than your bowel — and particularly your mood. However, in the short-term the main complication would be the development of haemorroids, or "piles": these are widened veins in and around the anus that may become painful or bleed. 

How can I remedy the problem?
There are several ways to tackle constipation, most of which don't require a visit to the doctor.

• Diet
  Adults require 30g of fibre each day to maintain a healthy gut. A medium Granny Smith apple has around four grams, as a guide — or you can use the Calorie Counter to add up how much you have consumed each day. Aiming for five serves of vegies and two serves of fruit each day is a good "rule of thumb" guide. Including a high-fibre breakfast cereal is a good way to get a good hit of fibre in one go. In addition, these cereals are often fortified with vitamins such as folate — essential for a growing baby — and served with calcium-rich milk. Adding a tablespoon of husks like psyllium can also help, though don't overdo it. Too much fibre can affect how many nutrients you can absorb. 
• Water water
  One thing that fibre does in the gut is expand, sweeping away all those dietary nasties as it goes. But it can't do this if it doesn't have fluid to help it to expand. Drink plenty of fluids (non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic) — water is best, or add a twist of lemon or a sprig of fresh mint to make it taste a little different. If this doesn’t do the trick, some people also swear by prune juice.
• Exercise
  As mentioned above, regular exercise can help to keep your digestive system to heel. This doesn't mean that you have to run a marathon, nor does it mean plenty of yoga (all that bending and stretching probably isn't a comforting thought if you're feeling bloated). Walking is an ideal form of exercise — walk as fast as is comfortable for at least thirty minutes each day. The good news is, as well, that women who regularly exercise during pregnancy often find that they have shorter, less taxing births and get back into shape more quickly afterwards — another incentive to keep at it!
• Make time for the loo
  Many women, in particular, find it physically hard to go to the toilet in a public convenience, and including those at work. If you feel uncomfortable spending quality time in the cubicles, try to get up a little earlier and eat your breakfast almost as soon as you get up. This gives your digestive system time to kick into action before you leave the house. Some people also think that drinking a glass of hot water with lemon in it first thing can help to get things moving.
  Other tips include going for a walk at lunchtime, and not arranging activities for immediately after work &151; giving you time at home to put your feet up and relax for a few minutes.
• Check what you're consuming
  Some pregnant women like to take iron supplements and so on — check with your doctor if these may be having an effect on your bowel function. It's always a good idea to check if any supplement may have an effect on you or your developing baby in any case: for example, vitamin A supplements should not be taken during pregnancy. Your doctor will be able to advise if you can take a constipation-forming medication in another guise, such as in a liquid formulation, and indeed will be able to recommend a safe laxative to use should the above measures not completely clear up your problem.

Flaxseed oil?

I have not found any solid, replicated studies on flax seed oil being effective in aiding with conception or pregnancy but my naturolpath swears by it. 

When I was tyring to conceive, I have read studies which have shown it to be effective in aiding with conception. It used the principles of the glycemic index for "good carbs" and "bad carbs" and would be effective in helping those with insulin resistant fertility issues. I don't know how effectibe it would be in assisting those without insuin resistant issues in conceiving but, there again anything that contributes to overall health, contributes to conception. 

Flaxseed oil contains mega-6 and omega-9 essential fatty acids, B vitamins, potassium, lecithin, magnesium, fibre, protein, zinc and is considered to be natur's richest source of omega-3 fatty acids. Nearly every system in the body can benefit from flax seed oil's natural properties including the reproductive system. 

My nauturopath told me that Flaxseed oil is great to treat menopausal symtoms, menstrual cramps, female infertility and endometriosis. Because the hormone-balancing lignans and plant estrogens (phytoestrogens) in flaxseed oil help stabilise a women's estrogen-progesterone ratio, they can have beneficial effects on the menstrual cycle, and relieve the hot flashes of perimenopause and menopause. 

There are however differing views as it relates to the taking of the flax seed oil supplement while pregnant. On one side there are those who believe that taking the supplement is good for you and your unborn child, and can only aid with pregnancy. The other view of this is that there is information that suggests that taking flaxseed oil while pregnany should not be done as this can be extremely harmful to the unborn baby. They point to the fact that animal studies have been done that has shown a negative correlation between flaxseed oil and pregnancy. There are no studies that have been done on humans but people do base their results on the animal study.

It should also be noted that flaxseed oil does not contain the same levels of DHA as fish oil. Overall fish oil can be considered better at providing you with the amount of DHA that you need. There have been some studies that have been done that show fish oil greatly support pregnancy and healthy baby development and may even help prevent miscarriage. 

So if you are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant and are concerned about the effects that flaxseed oil will have on your pregnancy, it is best to consult your physician. Your GP should be able to tell you specifically if it is safe or not for you to take this supplement.

Calcium with Vitamin D in Pregnancy

I have been taking Calcium with Vitamin D supplements for a couple of months now and since I became pregnant I started to wonder if I should continue taking the supplements.

Heres what I found on the Internet.

Vitamin D - Why do we need Vitamin D?

Vitamin D helps us to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphate in our body. We need calcium and phosphate to keep your bones and teeth healthy.

Vitamin D also help us fight infections and may even reduce our risk of getting some cancers, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

If we don't get enough Vitamin D when we are pregnant or breastfeeding, it can preven our baby from absorbing calcium properly. A lack of calcium can cause our baby to develop weak teeth and bones.

How can we get Vitamin D?

There are two ways we can get Vitamin D:

• Our body makes Vitamin D in response to sunlight
• We can get vitamin D from our food, drinks or supplements

Good sources of Vitamin D in food include oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, and foods fortified with Vitamin D such as margarine and some breakfast cereals. Res meat and egg yolk also provide a little Vitamin D.

During the winter when there isn't as much sunlight, our food and body stores will give us the Vitamin D we need.

Do we need to take Vitamin D supplement?
It's recommended that we take a supplement containing 10mcg of Vitamin D during pregnancy and while we are breastfeeding.

Most pregnancy multivitamins contain Vitamin D. Only take a multivitamin that's made specially for pregnancy.

Vitamin D levels can be checked with a blood test. Pregnant women who are at a risk will be offered a blood test early in pregnancy. If the level is too low, you will be advused to take Vitamin D supplements. You should take the amount of supplement prescribed by your doctor or midwife.  This amount may change depending on what your blood level is. Sometimes higher doses are needed at first to build your level up. There is no danger of over dose with these amounts.

Wholehearted Living

I can't remember who it was - but a few years ago someone sent me a spam email about learning to never say "yes" unless you could say it wholeheartedly.

Whoever that was, thank you. I have been thinking of the logic of that for a few days now and I just can't agree enough on it.

The context was how easy it is for our lives to fill up with responsibilities that we have taken on more or less reluctantly. When someone asks us to do something, it is often difficult to say "no". So we end up saying "yes" against our better judgement. And one of the reasons why it is so easy to say "yes" is because we often don't have a clear and easy way to tell what our better judgement is. The other party will often come up with highly persuasive reasons which make us feel that we will be uncaring or ungrateful or illogical or mean or reckless or whatever if we don't agree with them. And since we don't want them to feel any one these things we say "yes" reluctantly  - and regret it later.

By having a clear rule that we only say "yes" when we say it wholeheartedly we can cut through all the guilt and manipulation and find the only thing that really matters - our own knowledge of what is right for us.

I haven't use this method a lot but I have started and found it invaluable. So for an example the other day, a friend rang me up and asked me if I wanted to join a rally that met every month. I really didn't want to but had the feeling that I ought to do it and that I'd be letting my friend down if I didn't. As I wavered on the brink of accepting (and regretting it) I suddenly found myself saying "Sorry but no. If I would have committed to you today I would only be lying to you as honestly I don't feel comfortable with this." To my surprise, my frien though obviously disappointed, accepted my reason.

Now when faced with any decision, I always ask myself "Could I do this wholeheartedly?" And if the answer is "no", I don't do it.

So the question acts as a very good way of filtering our busy work, displacement activites and general wheel-spinning. And it greatly increases the commitment that I bring to my real work actions and the enjoyment that I get from my leisure and personal activities. 

So what could I do wholeheartedly right now? Ah yes, kiss my gorgeous husband good night and then go to bed!

 

First Trimester Ultrasound

Scheduled in for my first trimester ultrasound next friday. Its one week away but I have already started to worry.

So far I have been having it easy. I am 5 weeks + 2 now and im perfectly fine. No morning sickness, no bleeding, no spotting, no nausea. I do feel extremely tired and I have been experiencing cramps and really strong sense of smell. Which I heard are all pretty normal.

I found out that you can have your first trimester scan and not find a heartbeat and the baby has just stopped growing for some reason. Its made me so wrroed now.

I have been googling to find out more and apparently there are several reasons why you might not see the fetus's heartbeat at six weeks. First you may not really be six weeks pregnant. You may have ovulated late cycle.

The second reason has to do with the type of ultrasound probe the technician is using. Transabdominial probes (over the belly as opposed to in the vagina) are not as sensitive in detecting pregnancy and early heartbeat.

A heartbeat definitely should be seen if an embryo (or "fetal pole") is seen, usually as early as six weeks of pregnancy by transvaginal ultrasound.

Thus, a transvaginal ultrasound showing no fetal heartbeat will mean one of two things: either the pregnancy is too early for the hearbeat to be visible or a pregnancy loss has occurred. 

I also heard that if you ever see the baby on a first trimester ultrasound with no heartbeat, you should wait at least seven days and have a follow-up ultrasound. Sometimes the angle is wrong or something the baby is just too small. 

I guess chances are everything is fine and I have nothing to worry about and I will be able to see Little Opa's heartbeat. But I'm petrified!!

I think I should try to be more positive. Yes be positive and enjoy every day and just go with the flow. As long as I am keeping healthy and doing all the right things then the rest is in "God's hands". Keep thinking and worrying won't change anything.

Vitamin C & Pregnancy

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is essential for tissue repair, wound healing, bone growth and repair and healthy skin. Vitamin C also helps our bodyy fight infection and it acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

I know both pregnant women and the baby needs this vitamin daily - its necessary for the body to make collagen, a structural protein thats a component of cartilage, tendons, bones and skin. Based on animal studies, some researches believe that Vitamin C deficiencies in newborn babies can impair mental development.

Vitamin C also helps our body absorb iron. 

Some studies show that taking too much Vitamin C in the form of supplements during pregnancy may increase the risk of preterm birth and there are rare reports of babies with scurvy (a severe vitamin C deficiency) to expectant moms who took vitamin C supplements. Of course excessive vitamin C can also upset your stomach.

I also heard that taking too much Vit C can cause cell damage in the fetus. 

Vit C is also in a lot of foods we consume everyday but it is also water-soluble so you do lose a lot of it every time you pee and pregnant women do pee more than other people! Besides, it is a primal vitamin to support our immune system, which is crucial during pregnancy. 

Heres the recommended amount of vitamin C I found:

Pregnant women - 85mg 

Pregnant 18 years or younger - 80mg

Breastfeeding women - 120mg

Breastfeeding 18 years or younger - 115mg

I have been taking at least 3000mg of Vitamin C but I guess I should look at cutting it down. The recommended daily intake is 85mg for pregnant women age 19 and older. The maximum is 2,000 mg per day. I am taking Elevit which contains 80mg, so I should be only taking 1000-1500mg of Vit C instead.

The Joneses Movie Review

Demi Moore and David Duchovny star as a seemingly perfect couple who, along with their euqally perfect teenagers - Amber Heard and Ben Hollingsworth - move into an upscale gated community. The only problem is they're not a family - they are employees of a stealth marketing organisation and they know how to make everyone want what they've got.

The idea is that they move into an affluent neighbourhood with the purpose of enticing their status-conscious neighbours to desire all their cool stuff. From cocktails in juice boxes to flash frozen sushi to high tech golf clubs and high priced jewels.  

The Joneses follows the lices of a seemingly perfect American family in their affluent suburban paradise. Luxury cars, an enormous house, all the latest electronics. Life seems too good to be true as their fellow rich neighbours look on in envy.

For the first half of the movie, its very entertaining. Steve (David Duchovny) golfs and Kate (Demi Moore) goes to the salon. Subtly selling all the while. Kids, Jen (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth) quickly become popular at their new high school, showing off their gadgets. The Joneses throw lots of parties in their meticulous manse. Its their luxurious lifestyle that's doing the selling. 

While this may seem to be an ideal situation (no living expenses, free everything, a big salary, etc.) it is quickly revealed that the perfect on-the-surface family unit is wrought with nemerous problems.

Steve (father) is in reality more or less the nice guy who is having difficulty coming to grasp with both his role in the "family unit" as well as how to sell. Kate (Mother) has been in the pesudo-family business for years andf is free of attachment to people or things but has no authentic relationshops to hold onto in life. Meanwhile Jenn (daughter) is trying to sleep woth any man she can find including Steve. Despite these familial issues, neighbours buy into what the Joneses are selling and quickly begin to acquire things and rack up debt in an attempt to capture the "happiness" the Joneses have. 

As time goes by, Steve blossoms as a great salesman. However he begins to struggle with the idea that he may be doing more harm than good to his neighbours/friends by encouraging them to spend and spend.

The Joneses is not a bad movie by any means. Many reviewers seem to think that the movie cops out in the ending. I thought it was all tied up too neatly. But the message of redeem yourself before its too late, I thought that was a really good morale.

Finding Love

Have you ever found yourself wondering what this life is all about. Why are we here? How does it all work? Who is working the buttons and levers behind the scenes, behind what we can see? What are you here for? Why are you doing what you doing, when so much of it seems like a repetitive waste of time? These and many other questions like them, sometimes bug me.

When that happens I often take a long walk along Circular Quay and try to make sense of it all. Not so easy, but it does help to clear my head, and frame the questions I really have versus just the ones I don't have the answers tot he questions. You understand, not all questions are equally valuable. But others are questions I have a deep desire to be answered. Are you like that too?

Well this morning, it happened again, and I came away with fresh perspective about what are core issues for my life. I was reminded that God love's me and wants me to experience sharing love, so I'll know his pleasure in loving me. After all why should this humungous BIG GOD bother about me, never mind actually notice me, want good things for me and want to love me!!

It's like intimacy, it answers question you can't even articulate, but you know your needs that have been pushing you, have been satisfied. I can't explain it, but intimacy with God just does that for me, leaving me at peace, feeling Okay with Him and the universe for a while. Cool. 

What I think about the Budget - 2012

I feel that there is a need to balance the argument regarding what is or isn't middle class. I can tell you that as a middle income family with two incomes and a modest mortgage we get nothing from the government in terms of welfare (which I am not complaining) but now more taken out of our pocket by this budget. The cost of living and the expensive real estate, there isn't a lot of disposable income left for consuming. 

Unfortunately for us, the government has no idea who is rich and who is poor but spends billions trying to differentiate between them. The poor is those who are really those in need. But how do you define most in need? Is it the $200,000 per annum taxpayer running four investment properties at a loss of $20,000 each (effectively making their taxable income about $120,000)? Is it the self employed cleaner taking $500 a day in cash but only declaring $100 to the ATO? I really pity those who really need it.

The heart of the problem is cost of living pressures which this budget does nothing to address, in fact only worsens the problem! The cost of living pressures affect everyone. 

I often hear comments where interest rates shouldn't be lowered as it affects all the savers and self-funded retirees versus the mortgage holders screaming for relief. Either way its a zero sum game with winners and losers no matter which way rates move. The real issue is cost of living.

I would have liked to see this addressed through the budget rather than just a cash splash for those who are elgible. How about some real structural productive reform?

Get rid of all this garbage, stop churning our money and redistributing wealth - reduce taxes, reduce red tape, we don't need to be taxed of the level we are when we then have some returned to some of us. Stop 'taking care' of people who don't need it. Let us take care of ourselves, all that would take is to stop constantly reaching into our pockets!

I am sure I am not alone when I say I am sick of of government gouging oil companies, greedy supermarket organisations, etc..all with their hands constantly in my pocket. Where has the value of being successful in this country gone? It is no wonder I feel like abandoning my career, have 10 kids, cashing in my property and living in my caravan. It appears to me that the less I am willing to contribute to society's prosperity and success, the more money the government will throw to me. 

Miss my mom on Mother's Day

I have been staring at this blank post for a while now, trying to think of a way that I won't sound like a whiny baby..lol. But really can't think of one. I miss my mom..especially on days like this. Im in Sydney and she lives all the way in Arizona, USA.

I never really intended to move so far away from my mom. I never planned it that way. When I was younger all I could think of was to move to a country where I feel accepted, where I belong. And when I came to Sydney, I felt exactly that. But why didn't I think that I will be so far away from my mom? 

Now I'm here and she's there and when we get together we really have so much fun!

We are thinking of starting a family soon and I can't imagine going through that without my mom. I know she will visit, but to not have her around all the time? Will I manage?

I know I'm lucky to have both my parents, still in excellent health. But I still want them here. Things will be so much better if she was here. I feel I haven't done or said enough to make my mom happy.

I miss you mom:(

Investment Property Tax Deduction Homework

Some of you may be aware that we are looking to purchase an Investment Property and nearly exchanged a couple of days ago but unfortunately the sale did not go through. In the meantime I have been doing some research on all aspects of geting an Investment Property and came across this great article from MoneyTree Partners on claimable expenses with an IP and thought I share it here.

Location

- Expenses that can be deducted immediately

There are several categories of expenses that are deductible immediately. The common denominator between them is that they all relate in some way to day-to-day running of your Investment Property. You should in all cases be able to convince the AustralianTaxation Office (ATO) that the things that you claim for Represent legitimate business expenses. 

The following is a description of the major categories for which you can claim tax deductions immediately: 

- Property management and ongoing maintenance expenses.

This category includes some of the recurring expenses associated with managing your business.

• Advertising costs – This refers to the cost of finding tenants, and persuading them to come and stay in your properties! Both direct (i.e. Where you placed ads yourself), and indirect (i.e. Where an agent advertised on your behalf) advertising costs are eligible.
• Building/property fees – This can include body corporate fees or strata management fees and charges.
• Miscellaneous costs – Costs related to maintaining a safe, clean and pleasant environment.
• Examples include cleaning costs, gardening and/or lawn mowing expenses, pest control costs and security patrol fees.

- Rates and taxes

This refers to any regular bills related to your properties that you are directly responsible for. Most common among them are: 

• Water rates, charges and usage
• Council rates
• Land tax – This is a tax administered by the Office of State Revenue of each state. When you first own a property you should lodge an initial tax return with your local state revenue office. You should ensure that you do this as soon as possible as no reminders will be sent. Penalties apply for late lodgement.
• Electricity and gas bills – On occasion, you as the landlord has direct responsibility for the gas and electricity bills (either due to a vacancy or because of a specific arrangement with tenants). You can claim a tax deduction when this is the case.

- Property agency costs

You can claim for bona fide expenes related to the appointment of a property agent to let and/or manage a property on your behalf. 

• Agent fees and/or commissions – You can claim on both the fees, and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) payable on it.
• Postage and petty expenses
• Statement fees
• Bank charges
• Expenses related to the drawing up of lease documents
• Letting fees 

- Administrative expenses

This category relates to any direct expenses arising from the Administration of your investment property. You should keep careful records of all legitimate administrative expenses as this is an area where most landlords spend quite a bit of money.

• Stationery, postage and other minor expenses
• Telephone and communication costs
• Legal expenses – Especially expenses arising from debt
• Collection and dealing with problem tenants.

- Insurance costs

The cost of insurance that covers against the risks you face in running your investment property can be included in your tax return. The following types of insurnace are regarded as eligible for tax deduction by the ATO.

• Comprehensive landlords insurance
• Building insurance
• Contents insurance
• Public liability insurance 

 - Costs payable at acquisition

It is sometimes the case that you are liable for certain costs when acquiring a property. These costs will be spelled out in the settlement letter you receive from your solicitor and can be claimed as a deduction. The most common examples of such costs are:

• The balance payable on council rates
• The balance payable on water rates
• The balance payable on body corporate fees 

- Repair costs

As a landlord one of your primary tasks is to provide a comfortable and safe environment for your tenants. Costs related to the maintenance of such an environment can be deducted. There is obviously a fine line between repairing and improving a property and the ATO will pay special attention to claims for repairs in order to determine whether what is described is not, in fact, improvements. In general a claim for repairs will be successful if it can be proven that the functionality of the building was restored to a previous level. 

This is an area where a good paper trail can be a great asset. You should ensure that tradespeople prepare detailed quotes and/or work reports. This will greatly assist you in proving the exact nature of the work that was undertaken.

Repairs can include the following:

• Plumbing repairs
• Electrical repairs
• General repairs 

- Interest and loan account fees

You can deduct the interest and account fees on loans, provided that you can prove that the loan was entered into to acquire an income generating asset (i.e. A rental property).

• Travel expenses - Travel expenses can be deducted for travel directly related to the day-to-day running and management of your investment property which can include trips to inspect property, maintain property, collect rents, etc.

To claim a full deduction you must be able to prove that an entire trip was undertaken for the sole purpose of attending to your properties. If a particular trip had a combined business/personal purpose (i.e. You travelled to another city to inspect properties but also took a holiday on the way there), you will need to assign relative weights to the personal and business parts of the journey and claim accordingly. This process in sometimes called ‘apportioning’ and you should ensure that you do it accurately and correctly.

• Quantity surveyor costs

It may sometimes be necessary to engage the services of a quantity surveyor when calculating depreciation expenses and/or the value added by capital projects (e.g. Building an extension) works. His/her fees for drawing up a report can be claimed as a deduction.

• Training seminars

You can deduct the cost of attending some property investment seminars. You should be able to prove, however, that the topics that were discussed were in some way related to management and/or revenue optimisation of properties that you currently own. This means that you cannot claim for seminars that focus on teaching you how to expand your property portfolio.

Expenses that can be deducted over a number of years

There are certain types of deductions where you cannot deduct the full amount in your next tax return, but where you are allowed to include the deductions in a number of consecutive tax returns. This is an area that you should study closely since including timed deductions can save you quite a bit of money over the long term.

- Borrowing expenses

Borrowing expenses can be deducted over the period of a loan when the loan term is less than five years. For loans with terms longer than five years the deduction period is five years. The following expenses can de deducted:

• Loan application fees
• Lenders legal fees
• Title search fees
• Lenders mortgage insurance
• Stamp duty on mortgages
• Mortgage registration fees

- Depreciation on plant and equipment

This deduction is called ‘decline in value of depreciating assets’ by the ATO. It defines a depreciating asset as: ‘...an asset that has a limited effective life and can reasonably be expected to decline in value over the time it is used.’ Examples relevant to a property investor may include electrical equipment, carpets and furnishings. There are different methods of calculating eligible deductions and you should therefore do a bit of homework before you lodge your tax return. In general, the following principles apply:

• The cost of installing equipment and plant (e.g. Hot water systems) should be added to the total asset value that will be used to calculate depreciation.
• Movable assets i.e. Furniture, appliances etc. Should be depreciated according to their effective life. The ATO website gives the correct formulas according to which calculations should be made.
• Only items costing more than $300 should be included in your depreciation claims. The full costs for eligible items under $300 can be claimed as a direct deduction.

- Construction costs

You may be able to deduct costs associated with constructing a building or extension. This deduction is referred to as ‘capital works deduction’. This is normally spread over 40 years at 2.5% (depending on the type of construction and the date construction commenced). Examples of eligible constructions include the following:

• A building or extension, such as adding a room, garage, or pergola
• Alterations, such as removing or adding an internal wall, or
• Structural improvements to the property, such as adding a carport, sealed driveway, or fence.

It is important to note that you can only claim capital works deduction for periods when a property is rented or is available for rent.

Expenses that cannot be deducted 

Up to now it has been almost all good news, however, there are several forms of expenditure that are either not deductible or are considered to be of a private nature by the ATO. The most important among these are:

- Purchase costs

The cost of purchasing a property, as well as certain directly related expenses, cannot be claimed as a Tax deduction. This means that the following types of expenditure are deemed ineligible by the ATO:

• Purchase price
• Stamp duty on purchase
• Legal and conveyancing fees
• Pest and property inspection
• Sourcing fees
• Renovations immediately after purchase
• Repairs immediately after purchase
• Costs related to the sale of properties

- Pre-purchase expenses

This section includes costs incurred while investigating new avenues of investment, or specific properties, especially if no property purchase took place in the end! You should therefore take care not to include any of the following in your tax return:

• Fees for seminars focussing on the expansion of your property portfolio
• Property sourcing fees, e.g. Cost of reports on properties prior to purchase
• Cost of travel to inspect properties prior to purchase 
• Costs incurred at a time when a property was not available for rent

It is very important to note that if a property was removed from the rental market for a time, expenses arising from this period are not tax deductible. You should therefore be very careful not to include times when you made personal use of a property (i.e. As a holiday home) in your tax return.

Courtesy of MoneyTree Partners