Annunciation

This Monday we're going to be celebrating the solemnity of the Annunciation.

This day celebrates the appearance of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce of the birth of Christ. What's going on and why is this day important?

Here are few things you need to know.

1. What does the word "Annunciation" mean?

It's derived from the same root as the word "announce." Gabriel is announcing the birth of Christ in advance.

"Annunciation" is simply an old-fashioned way of saying "announcement."

Although we are most familiar with this term being applied to the announcement of Christ's birth, it can be applied in other ways also.

For example, in his book Jesus of Nazareth 3: The Infancy Narratives, Benedict XVI has sections on both "The annunciation of the birth of John" and "The annunciation to Mary," because John the Baptist's birth was also announced in advance.

2. When is the Annunciation normally celebrated and why does it sometimes move?

Normally the Solemnity of the Annunciation is celebrated on March 25th.

This date is used because it is nine months before Christmas (December 25th), and it is assumed that Jesus spent the normal nine months in the womb.

However, March 25th sometimes falls during Holy Week, and the days of Holy Week have a higher liturgical rank than this solemnity (weekdays of Holy Week have rank I:2, while this solemnity has a rank of I:3; see here for the Table of Liturgical Days by their ranks).

Still, the Annunciation is an important solemnity, and so it doesn't just vanish from the calendar. Instead, as the rubrics in the Roman Missal note:

Whenever this Solemnity occurs during Holy Week, it is transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter.

 It is thus celebrated on the first available day after Holy Week and the Octave of Easter (which ends on the Second Sunday of Easter).

Hope is not a strategy

“Hope is not a strategy. Luck is not a factor. Fear is not an option.”

― James Francis Cameron

Everything has its time

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. 

He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 

CODA

CODA stands for Co-Dependents Anonymous 

Source :http://coda.org/index.cfm/meeting-materials1/patterns-and-characteristics-2011/

Do you need help please contact us at ,

http://locator.coda.org/index.cfm?page=intlMeetings.cfm

Night Shift in Sandwich Factory UK

The sandwich factory where workers make three million sarnies a week - with their BARE HANDS

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3114625/How-make-lunchtime-sarnie-s-hands-Britain-s-biggest-sandwich-factory-migrant-workers-help-churn-THREE-MILLION-week.html 

Best Hotels 2018

Nail polish health risks

The study involved 24 women and experts evaluated the effects of the chemical toxins in their bodies. The source of these chemicals was nail polish.

All of the participants were found to have signs of triphenyl phosphate in the body only 10 hours after applying nail polish.

The same researchers, in a follow-up study, evaluated 10 different nail polishes for triphenyl phosphate and found it in 8 of them.

What’s more, two of these 8 did not even list the presence of the chemical on the label. Therefore, 20% of nail polishes we purchase have a harmful chemical that is not listed on the label.

Triphenyl phosphate (or TPHP) is a dangerous chemical that disrupts the humans’ endocrine system, which controls all our hormones. According to the lead researcher of the study, Dr. Heather Stapleton, “There is growing evidence suggesting that TPHP may affect hormone regulation, metabolism, reproduction, and development.”

Hence, his is extremely alarming for young girls who use nail polish on a daily basis and the healthy hormonal development is vital for their growth. TPHP  is a known:

• Neurotoxin (causes developmental effects)
• Reproductive Toxin
• Skin irritant and allergen
• Endocrine Toxin

Nail polish contains other harmful ingredients as well, such as:

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a popular carcinogen which dissolves in water and air. It leads to asthma, scratchy throat, and difficulty breathing. Individuals suffering from some chronic diseases are especially prone to poisoning from formaldehyde.

Dibutyl Phthalate

This chemical poses the similar risks as TPHP, as it disrupts the hormonal balance and contains reproductive system toxins.

Toluene

Toluene impedes the development in children and irritates skin.

Yet, there are some natural nail polish alternatives you can use in order to prevent these effects and help you avoid allergies, cancer, and hormone disruption.

These are the best of them:

-Acquarella offers more than 50 polish colors, which are all water-based, meaning that you can remove them effortlessly with standard rubbing alcohol, and don’t contain any of these harmful ingredients like formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, mercury, or wheat products.

-Peacekeeper Cause-Metics offers bright nail polishes, which do not contain toxins and are infused with argan oil, which moisturizes your nails.

-SpaRitual is a completely vegan brand that produces toxin-free nail polishes.

-Honeybee Gardens offers nail polishes in various colors, which are water-based, and are free of carcinogens and harmful chemicals.

Make sure you always choose health-conscious nail polishes in order to protect your wellbeing and avoid the side-effects of regular nail polish brands.

Faith is everything

The rains failed again that year. It was the third year in succession when there was no rain. The crops had disappeared and the land was a brown swath of dusty rubble. Trees had lost their leaves years ago and stood out like silhouettes of cactus on the dusty horizon. There was a stream that skirted the village in years bygone. Now the riverbed was dry. Where once flowed clean, fresh water from the nearby mountains, there was now a bed of clay, cracked in a checkerboard pattern with gaps as wide as a foot.  No one knew what had happened to the birds except for the vultures that circled the town, looking for a carcass or two of an animal that was left dying.

There was famine in the land. People walked around like sticks, sans flesh, surviving on whatever ration was brought to them by various international charities.

Desperate for help, the people of the village held a meeting under a big banyan tree that was as old as the village. “Let us pray”, said an elderly woman. “Only God can help us now.”

There lived people of many faiths in the village and there ensued a big debate as to where to hold the prayer – in a church, a mosque, a synagogue  or a temple. There was no consensus. Exhausted, they decided to hold their prayer in the open, late that night, under the open sky, away from the town. It was a full moon night and the moon shone with its alluring brightness against a background of shimmering stars.

Amongst the people gathering for prayer a little girl holding hands with her young brother came running from a nearby village, holding high an open umbrella over their heads. Huffing for breath, they stood there, looking up, umbrella still unfurled. The gathered crowd could not but help turn around and wonder what was going on.  Some were curious; others were annoyed and some others were even furious as they kept being poked by the spokes of the umbrella.

Finally a curious bystander asked, “Why did you bring the umbrella?  Can’t you see there is no rain and we have come here to pray for rain?  Only a foolish person would stand on a clear night like this with an open umbrella.”

“Yes  indeed”, chimed in the two young siblings. “We came to pray too. We are certain that our prayer will be answered and it will rain. That is why we brought this big, colourful umbrella.”

Adapted from The Child who Brought an Open Umbrella for Prayer

Naval's Law

In case if you dont know Naval here is quick summary ,

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-day-in-the-life-of-naval-ravikant-1477405801 

Right Thing

How do you know if what you decide to do is the right thing? It’s very simple. The right thing will not affect your health and happiness. That’s all. 

Anything that would affect your physical and mental peace, your health and happiness, is wrong. Anything. This might bring another question: “Suppose I want to help somebody who is troubled and that affects me. Should I do it or not?” 

If you are joyfully serving someone, even going through some pain doesn’t affect you. You are still happy; you are simply using a little of your energy to help someone. You can’t call that unhappiness.

Sometimes when you help somebody, you feel depressed. Why is that? It’s because you had expectations: “I’m helping that person. The person should accept my help and get the benefit. ” When you don’t see that person getting the benefit  you expected, you get upset. That means it’s not a selfless act, it’s a selfish act. “I did something and I want a result.”

That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t  be positive thoughts behind your actions. Certainly send your prayers, think about the welfare of the person. The difference is this: you want him or her to be happy of course, but you don’t demand it. You’re not attached to the outcome; you leave that to God.

In simple words, I would say an action without any selfish expectation whatsoever is a right action. Such an act will never disturb your mind or body.

SS

Comfort Food and side effects

Comfort food/ Sofa snacks is food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone, and may be characterized by its high caloric nature, high carbohydrate level, or simple preparation.

Source Royal Society of Public Health UK 

Please help yourself and family's before it is too late while consuming below foods

Everyday Interview Tips

After having the same conversation again and again with my couple of friends in the same week I decided to document and list things here in case if it help some one as well.

I am planning to list someof UK agencies I have come across in my last 10 years of UK experience from my MBA graduate role till now hope it will help you with your Job hunting and Career planning.

Everything start with a CV. The standard UK CV is two A4 pages long. In fact, it’s preferred by 91% of recruiters, according to a survey of 300 UK employers – many companies often reject CVs that are less than two pages because they simply don’t provide enough evidence about the applicant’s skills and qualifications. 

Resume Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrXZBkYzuZo. 

• January/February: The Best Time to Apply for Jobs.
• March/April/May: Still a Good Time to Apply. 
• June/July/August and November/December: Not the Best Time to Apply. 
• September/October: Hiring Picks up Again.

Before going reading ahead with this post no matter what your occupation or level of experience is the process of applying for a job and getting a job pass through various stages. Keep the frustrations apart and keep trying for what you want until you get it.

1.        Self Awareness :-  Are you looking for a immediate change from your job ? Is your job getting redundant in coming months ? Speak with your manager. Am I have a financial backup if I loose my current job with normal notice period of 1 or 2 months? Which job location is best for you it long run ? When am I graduating? Why you need a new job (ask yourself,HR will ask the same too). Job hoppers is a big NO. It takes 6 months to train someone and if that new recruit is not intending to stay long it will be a waste of time for employer. 

2.        Understanding your value :- If you are with an employer for a long time 10+ years then your salary may be lower than current market. Salary may not be increasing with inflation or it can highly depend on business performance you are in. People get hired because they represent the best possible answer to an employers need. You need to think outside the box of current employer values and principles and SMART goals to achieve what you want.

3.        Target :- Figure out the type of company that generally need someone like you and consider and understand the kind of environment you will feel comfortable and productive in. Make a list of companies you like to apply for in the location you are looking for. Some employers do allow Friday as Work from home, and some allow complete home based jobs with occasional travel , and there is part time and job share opportunities as well. To learn about companies and benefits you can do a great deal of research on LinkedIn, company website, business case studies, customer portfolio, financial performance (I am sure nobody is looking for job in sinking ship).

4.        Branding yourself :-If you are a heavy social media user clean up yourself. Psychological it says a lot about you to rate you. For what ever role you seek you will likely face strong completion from many candidates with similar background as yours. In UK usually recruiters get 200 to 800 CV’s for a job ad in LinkedIn + recruitment portals. So focus on the qualities, experience and expertise that set you apart from the pack. Recruiters spend 2-3 min to skim your CV, so make sure to edit your CV based on job ad. Develop a consistent message and update your Linkedin Profile with all the skills you are having to get your dream job.

5.        Seek Opportunities:- 80% of new hires come from personal networking, so network with fellow college friends, look through company webpages job boards, LinkedIn Profiles and network anywhere, everywhere and all the time!. 

6.        Prepare yourself :- Nowadays you will be having 6-8 rounds of assessment starting  with telephone rounds , face to face interviews , assessment days etc. in 2-3 months time after applying for jobs. So keep a journal (I used Excel) to make a list of companies I applied for jobs and position and date , so that when a recruiter calls you out of blue you know the employer and position you applied. Don’t mistake statements like “you appear to have what we are looking for” as anything more than a general indication of interest. If it is a planned phone call get ready to ask recruiter questions to understand more of the role and team. Here is a list of 11 answers you should have ready before any job interview                                                                                           http://time.com/money/4226260/interview-questions-answers/   https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/213388/70-top-banking-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them   https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk/interview-manager

7.        Dealing with red flags: - Part of HR screening process is to take a look at anything that might be disqualifying a strong candidate. Recruiters look for 8-9 years of references from your previous employers. Employment Gaps, part time jobs too many or few career transitions may cause concern, so mentally prepare to explain to recruiter. Top 10 tricks used by recruitment agencies https://www.contractoruk.com/agencies/recruitment_agency_tricks.html

8.        Presenting yourself :- Of course it happens at face- face interview go prepared for what ever can be thrown at you. If your interview is scheduled through good agency or a good HR they will provide you the profile of mangers you may be meeting up. As always first impression matters, imagine yourself being hired in that company and be sincere and prepare yourself with lots of info about the company before going for interview. Make a chit sheet , Check Google news to understand company position in media and make a small list of questions to help you to understand the job and company better. Ask questions like why this position has been open now ? What you can expect in Career Growth in 3 years time etc. Check Glassdoor for existing employee reviews . Wiki Jobs is also a great resource. Amazon in my experience had provided me links to practise tests before actual times logical test for Programme Manager Role. Time accuracy and blending in with company profile and recruiter highly matters but don’t fake sincerity or misrepresent what you have done. Every job you have done made you who you are today and be proud of it. Customise the CV based on the industry and type of job you apply.

9.        Negotiate for yourself :- You will always be in a stronger position to negotiate when you reach final rounds of interview. Talk about the objective criteria rather than vague wants and give a solid justification for whatever request you make. Consider the benefits, travel expenses, visa caps for salary etc .   

10. Hey I am talking about your future Salary:- You may be earning £25,000 per year in your current job and take home after tax will be less than £20,000. Every day in your current job you are gaining experience and learning so your value is also increasing along with client experience, certifications etc. So don’t underestimate yourself when HR ask you below Question:  What do you earn now ?  Answer What I earn now doesn’t matter but I am looking for salary £40000+ in my next position, is employer ready to give that ? Next this is what happens, recruiter in most cases (HR) will tell the truth about what they are planning to offer and negotiate with you for £35000. If your profile is strong recruiter will also help you to get good salary because they are getting 3-5% of your annual salary from your new recruiter if you stay in job for 6 months (rules changes company to company ). Be prepared to give P60’s P45’s from existing employee and a good 2 references from current job to close the whole process with an offer letter after company internal screening procedure(2-3 weeks) through global databases to make sure you are the person what you state in CV and hiring you .Salary take home calculator  http://www.netsalarycalculator.co.uk/25000-after-tax/           3% PF, NI, Tax is a compulsory in UK now by legislation. 

11. The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies

12. Here is some of agencies I have liked and complete list below :-http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/CareersAndVacancies/careersService/CareerPlanningJobHunting/JobHunting/RecruitmentAgencies/ListOfAgencies.aspx

13. Develop your employability skills   https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/interviews/ivquest.htm

14. Some Good Recruiters http://recruiterawards.co.uk/2017-shortlist/

All the best ….

Inbox me if you need help https://uk.linkedin.com/in/annmj17

Thanks

Ann

Dec 23^rd 2017

London.