Articles written by Rebecca Ashby

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About me - Rebecca Ashby

The "about me" page of every online profile always seems to baffle me. I found myself perusing the internet to find some catchy phrase to make myself stand out from the masses. Honestly, the "about me" page is so simple that it's hard. Nobody ever wants to

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Politics, News & Issues > Presidential Elections 2008 Choosing the 2008 Presidential candidate: 5 of 70
Do we pick a President based on our own personality traits? At a small family dinner party tonight, we gathered round the circular oak antique table conversing congenially while we enjoyed an Italian meal. After completing our dinner, we migrated casually to the side porch.At this point, the conversation turned to politics. T... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Presidential Elections 2008 The case against Barack Obama's candidacy to the 2008 presidential election: 5 of 61
Obama Youth Mania May BackfireAs I watched Karl Rove's political conjectures on Fox TV tonight, I remembered what a dynamic, powerful, calculated political machine he commanded in the 2000 and 2004 election campaigns of George W. Bush; Rove is a genius. Millions of volunteers on the ground, the "swift boat ads" and the fear m... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: The true meaning of Christmas: 5 of 36
A Christmas Miracle.When we use the word miracle the first scenario that comes to mind is some unimaginable, unforeseen and quite out of the blue occurrence of events. Winning the lottery would be considered by some to be a miracle; meeting the man or woman of our dreams and falling in love would be another and of course, the... More..
Education > Colleges & Universities (Other) Should grading be abolished in college and university courses: 2 of 12
I feel that in my years of interrelating with my students I have made a profound difference in their lives. I make this proclamation because I have always believed in the power of critical thinking. Too many educators approach teaching with only a standard curriculum and never ask their students to "color outside the lines." ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Lessons in life: 44 of 220
Baby Boomer Retirement DreamI had such grandiose ideas in my youth of my retirement years. I thought I would travel the globe, soaking in all the diversity of cultures in foreign lands. I saw myself as another Jack Kerouwac, writing as I sat sipping an espresso and listening to jazz in some quaint caf in Paris, then on to exa... More..
Personal Finance > Managing Credit DIY credit score management: 3 of 15
How to Increase Your FICO Score.Your FICO score is the measurement that the three credit rating agencies use to determine your ability to qualify for a loan as well as the interest rate that you will pay for that loan. FICO scores range from three hundred to eight hundred and fifty; three hundred being the lowest or not credi... More..
Relationships & Family > Communication (Other) The power of words: 15 of 47
In this world of text messaging, IM, email and blogging, our ability to communicate via the written word has become an essential part of our everyday lives. Improving your vocabulary, learning to use fewer words to make your points and perfecting your organizational skills are all prerequisites for clear communication.Improvi... More..
Personal Finance > Mortgages & Home Loans The subprime mortgage market mess and what it means to you: 9 of 28
In July of 2005, I bought a house in Florida. I thought that it was going to be my retirement dream coming true. Well guess what? The dream turned into a nightmare. This lovely three bedroom home just minutes from the beach was supposed to be my nest egg for the future. Looking back, I guess I paid more than I should have, bu... More..
Relationships & Family > Successful Dating Dating: How to find your perfect match: 10 of 30
Is a college degree a mandatory prerequisite for a young woman seeking a life partner? Do you think that a college graduate would make a more stable mate than his uneducated counterpart? I was the type that leaned more toward the creative, artistic fellows in my youth. I always followed my heart, caring little for the materia... More..
Personal Finance > Retirement Making your money last in retirement: 5 of 15
Have you ever seen the bumper sticker "I'm spending my children's inheritance"? When I first saw this sticker, I thought how selfish and thoughtless for seniors to frivolously spend their assets and not leave them for the young folks. I assumed that this attitude connoted greed. Looking at it today from my own perspective as ... More..