A Long Day With Great Takeaways

Not a slide you usually see at a corporate event!

As I alluded to a couple of days ago, I spent the first part of this week away from my family on a business trip. I don’t travel much during the year but the spring usually brings about at least a couple of flights to various parts of the country with the most recent airport jaunt bringing me to Austin, Texas. And while there were many meetings during my day and a half in this interesting town, there are a couple of presentations that really made me think about some of the topic that I routinely encounter every day… money and public relations.

The first presentation that I attended was the keynote for the event by Peter, Lord of the Skies, Shankman. Over the years I have heard various opinions about this person from a plethora of people throughout our common industry. Some of those thoughts have been less than favorable while other endorsements have been, to put it mildly, glowing. Personally, I have had only the occasional correspondence with him over the years going back to the early days of HARO, so I never was really able to form any sort of strong opinion.

However, having now been present for one of his presentations I must, at the very least, give him a tremendous amount of credit for his ability to deliver a concise and easily digestible message. When it comes to PR, marketing, branding, and customer service there are great presentations and there are lectures that have you looking for the door, or the bar, about ten minutes into the talk. He was definitely in the former category. In fact, I can relate to much of what he said including the simple mantra to brand everything… I guess you could say that this blog goes a long way in achieving that goal. The other simple lesson gleaned from his ADOS style was that there is always a means to accomplish your goals as long as you are willing to put forth the effort and make time work for you.

The second session during the event that has left me with lingering thoughts was toward the end of the day when David Wolman, Contributing Editor of Wired, who spoke about “The End of Money”. His book by the same title is one that I will certainly have to pick up some time soon but the presentation was definitely enough to get me thinking. While the main impetus for this exploration was the simple fact that is costs the US government more to produce certain denominations of currency than the actual face value of that same coin, the historic as well as present perceptions of currency where a fascinating juxtaposition to the commonly accepted norms of money.

This immediately had me thinking about the value that information and access to information has in today’s society… a return to a norm not seen in nearly a hundred years. Also, given the publication for which he writes, another topic that kept forcing its way to the forefront of my mind is the simple irony that a publication named “Wired” focuses more on wireless and mobile rather than actually wired technology. I know, random thought.

Both Shankman and Wolman proved to be very engaging both from the stage and when I spoke with them one on one after the spotlights had dimmed. However, more importantly, they were engaging to a wide array of people in the audience and also provided me with many thoughts to process, posts to write, and projects to start. It was a long day on a short trip but one that was definitely successful and productive both personally and professionally. Don’t know if I could have asked to accomplish much more… well, a few more hours of sleep would have been nice and having my family with me would have been great.

I really had an early flight home.

Firearms Friday: A Tale Of Two States

The laws that have been proposed, speeches given, and legislation that has been passed over the past few years is troubling to say the least and unconstitutional at worst. While we have been able to fight and defeat many of these bogus promises of safety, there are a few that managed to get on the books and have been restricting the rights of second amendment practitioners ever since. One of the more egregious and confusing laws which was brought to my attention recently is one that comes from, don’t be shocked, California.

A number of years ago (effective January 1, 2001), legislators in the Fool’s Gold state enacted PC 12131 which established the “Safe Handgun Roster.” While sold to the public as a means to limit the sale of unsafe firearms in the communist bloc, the reality of the legislation is that it was a means to shake down the firearms industry by imposing unnecessary testing and exorbitant fees on an annual basis. No wonder why Leland Yee turned to the black market!

The definitions of those firearms that meet the criteria to get on this list was then expanded upon in 2007 as “legislators passed AB 1471 which mandated that all semi-automatic pistols must employ microstamping technology.” What this now means is previous generations of firearms are safely housed on this arbitrary list while new generations are considered un-safe. A perfect example of this is the cluster that one law enforcement finds themselves in as they attempt to transition to the 4th generation Glock 19 as their service weapon. According to the Attorney General, the office of which previously exempt law enforcement from selecting from the list, they are a generation too late and therefore cannot use their newly purchased roster of service side arms.

There is a much more comprehensive blog post on Full30 at the following link, which was referenced for much of the material above, if you would like to read more about this SNAFU: https://blog.full30.com/ca-gun-law-stupidity-knows-no-bounds/.

However, not all the news recently makes you want to slam your head against the wall repeatedly. Come to think of it that might make that a semi-automatic assault wall which would also be illegal in California. It also used to be illegal in Maryland until the good news was handed down by the Maryland 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Kolbe v. Hogan decision. The case challenged the 2013 Maryland arms prohibition statute which bans the sale of firearm magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and also bans many firearms, by labeling them as “assault weapons.”

Some of the important highlights which were reported in the Washington Post include:

In a 2-1 decision written by Chief Judge Traxler [appointed by President Clinton in 1998], the Fourth Circuit held that strict scrutiny is the proper standard of review for bans on common arms, such as those at issue in Kolbe. The case was remanded to the district court, which had applied the wrong standard, namely a weak version of intermediate scrutiny. The Maryland attorney general announced that he will seek en banc or Supreme Court reversal of the Kolbe decision. Below is a summary of the most important parts of the Kolbe decision.

Why the arms are part of the Second Amendment

Magazines holding more than 10 rounds are “common” and “standard.” There are more than 75 million of them in the United States. Indeed, “most pistols are manufactured with magazines holding ten to 17 rounds.” In fact, “Virtually every federal court to have addressed this question” has found that magazines over 10 rounds are in “common use,” and thus are covered by the Second Amendment.

Why strict scrutiny is appropriate

First, because the prohibition “burdens the availability and use of a class of arms for self-defense in the home, where the protection afforded by the Second Amendment is at its greatest.”

Second, because the burden is substantial, “not merely incidental.” For example, the statute imposes “a complete ban” on “AR-15 style rifles—the most popular class of centerfire semi-automatic rifles in the United States.” Notably, the ban “also reaches every instance where an AR-15 platform semi-automatic rifle or LCM [large capacity magazine] might be preferable to handguns or bolt-action rifles–for example hunting, recreational shooting, or competitive marksmanship events, all of which are lawful purposes protected by the Constitution.”

Strict scrutiny was also appropriate for the magazine ban, because “a citizen’s ability to defend himself and his home is enhanced with an LCM.” For example, the inherent difficulties of some defense situations mean that citizens often need the ability to fire multiple shots, and changing magazines while under violent attack may not be possible.

A statute that “completely prohibits, not just regulates, an entire category of weaponry . . . might be ‘equivalent to a ban on a category of speech.'” (Quoting D.C. Circuit Judge Kavanaugh’s dissent in the Heller II case.) The extensive prohibition is “akin to a law that ‘foreclose[s] an entire medium of expression.’ City of Ladue v. Gilleo, 512 U.S. 43, 55 (1994). Such laws receive exceptionally rigorous review in the analogous context of the First Amendment, id., and we see no reason for a different method here.”

Unlike some other courts that have upheld magazine and firearms bans, the Kolbe majority did not purport to be expert in gun-fighting tactics, or to claim that judges know what law-abiding citizens “need” for self-defense. To the contrary, the 4th Circuit recognized that under the Second Amendment and Heller, choices about self-defense are reserved to the defenders. For “whatever reason” particular arms are preferred by particular law-abiding citizens, “The right to self-defense is largely meaningless if it does not include the right to choose the most effective means of defending oneself. . . . The extent of danger—real or imagined—that a citizen faces at home is a matter only that person can assess in full.” (Quoting 7th Circuit Judge Manion’s dissent in Friedman v. Highland Park).

In the short term, this reestablished the second amendment rights of the citizens of Maryland but that it the short sighted measure of this case. The reaffirming ramifications of this decision could potentially be applied across the nation serving as the judicial support, firepower if you will, sometimes needed to protect and defend affronts to our Constitutional rights. Nicely done Maryland. Glad there are some in the courts will to take a stand and do something that the President refuses to do… defend the Constitution of the United States of America!

What Would You Do With $1.5 Billion?

For much of the week the entire country was obsessed with the Powerball jackpot which, by the time of the drawing on Wednesday night, had climbed to $1.5 Billion. Yes, there is a ‘B’. It didn’t matter what your line of work or where in the country you called home, the lines at the local gas stations, 7 Elevens, and any place that sells lottery tickets were long and the stacks of tickets that people were buying were high. Even those who seldom gamble, and that is what this is, disregarded the long odds and bought tickets. And I was one of them because ‘eh, what the heck.’ Actually, I got two for myself and contributed two dollars to the office pool as well.

One of the interesting things that happens to anyone when they get a lottery ticket in their hand, especially with such a high potential payout, is that you can’t help but think about how you would spend the money should your numbers match. Most of the people I have talked to over the years and what seems to be common in the stories that you read about or watch on television is that a new house, car, and some outrageous vacation are where at least some of the money goes. Well, while tempting and at the same time not eliminating the possibility, it is not what I have on my list. When looking at the $1.5 Billion payday, here are some of the things that came to mind. Here is how some of my initial expenditures broke down in my mind:

·         $10 Million as emergency funds for my employer.

·         $2 Million to each of my 10 coworkers (under the condition that they continued working).

·         $10 Million each to various family members (siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, etc.).

·         $20 Million to my parents.

·         $20 Million to my lodge.

·         $10 Million to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

·         $5 Million to my masonic district / district school.

·         $1 Million to each of the other lodges in the district.

·         $5 Million to Help for Heroes Fund.

·         $1 Million to various friends (we have a list).

·         $1 Million into college funds for our son and each niece and nephew.

·         $10 Million to each of our undergrad and graduate colleges.

·         $2 Million to the NRA.

·         $10 Million to the Rotary Club of Bala Cynwyd – Narberth.

·         $3 Million to pay off all debt and for some intense splurging throughout the rest of our lives (houses, cars, vacations, etc. would have to fall into this).

·         $20 Million Trust Fund for our son.

·         $10 Million each to Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

·         $10 Million to each of the Synagogues that have welcomed us and supported us over the years.

·         $5 Million to cancer research.

·         $1 Million for hiring genealogists to research all family lines.

·         $5 Million to the Monacan Indian Nation.

Adding all of these up it comes out to approximately $350 million. So, if you do a little calculating, it breaks down in the following way. When you look at the $1.5 Billion Powerball Annuity Jackpot, the lump sum option was approximately $900 million. Out of that $900 million you have to assume that you are going to lose about half to various taxes leaving you with $450 million. Once you subtract the $350 million in distributions above these leaves a total of approximately $100 million in the bank. It would be nice to sit back and relax never having to worry about finances again (especially without debt and with splurging already included into the budget).

Mortgage Monday: The Checks Start Now

With payment book from the bank in hand, the first of our many mortgage payments is due this week. While 30 years is a long time to be making payments at least we now find ourselves with an end date and with every payment we own a little bit more of our home. Of course, we hope that it doesn’t take us 30 years to clear this debt, at least this is the goal, so we are going to be sure to pay a little bit more each month toward principal.

Having already made an early payment it is a little disconcerting at first seeing the principal reduced by so little with every check. But, again, it is still giving us more equity each month compared to the simple evaporation of funds that we have experienced over the last several years. Now that is a disheartening number to think about. Even if your average monthly rent was $1200, over the course of five years you will have ended up paying $72,000 and have absolutely nothing to show for it. In the end, given the places that we have lived and the years that we have been renting, it is safe to say that our total is probably just north of $100,000. Seeing that principal going down by so little doesn’t seem that bad anymore.

Of course, now with us owning our home, we are also responsible for the maintenance of the house and surrounding property. A few other expenses should be expected and even with major repairs, it is still better than renting… and more cost effective given the amount of space that we now have. Each check brings us a little closer to what continues to be our goal… being debt free. While credit cards were the culprit in the past, at least now the debt is something tangible and something worthwhile.

And I will finish with this simple notion that seems to no longer be simple. While it is nice if our house increases in value over the years, all I want is the stability. If the value of the property were to stay the same I would be happy in the end. What is now seen as investment should be, once again, seen first and foremost as a home. That is how things used to be and how I view our new home. Paying interest is the price of being able to buy a home and have that stability. Our limited funds are now being applied toward a goal, something of value, and stability unlike the month to month uncertainty of the past. Now, each month, we can settle a little bit more.

Back To Zero!

The last time we have been able to experience a moment like we did today was right before our flight to Israel in the summer of 2011 (we were in debt once again before we even boarded the flight back to the states). After a couple of years of budgeting and chipping away at the payments, we got on that plane without the burden of debt. Today, while we still have other debts, we finally cleared the balance on our credit cards. Over four years later, after numerous struggles and setbacks, we have finally brought all those totals down to zero.

I must say this is a damn good feeling knowing that we don’t have to make those payments anymore. Well, at least not to pay down previous balances. We actually have a plan in place to keep these cards active having assigned specific charges, to maximize points, on each card. Order something on Amazon, use one card. Buy gas or groceries, use a different one. Go out to dinner, this third one will work. At the end of the month, we settle all the tabs. Heck, we are spending the same money but we are now getting points for the purchases we are already making.

Of course, as I stated before, we are not completely debt free. There are still a few other commitments that we need to take care of and, at the same time, we are looking to move by the end of the year so that means there is at least thirty years before we have to stop making payments on our debt. So, in reality, this is only one portion of our debt that had gone to zero unlike that short time in 2011 when, for a few months, we had absolutely no debt.

But, for now, we are just going to enjoy the feeling of those high interest pieces of plastic having been paid off. There is something uniquely satisfying about zero. I am also less stressed knowing that if something were to happen and we needed funds immediately, we have the credit to take care of most situations. Not the big stuff (the limits are still pretty low) but the moderate issues that everyone faces in life (i.e. something breaks, gets lost, needs to be replaced, etc.). And it is going to be that much more satisfying being able to focus on taking care of other debts rather than focusing on those high interest cards. It still isn’t going to be quick or easy but we can really start making some progress now!

Every Penny Is Part Of A Dollar

Over the past couple of weeks I have been taking advantage of a couple of opportunities that were presented to me in order to save a few dollars. Sometimes the numbers added up pretty fast while other times it was only a little here and there. Either way, they are all providing a little bit of a return and putting a few extra dollars back into our account. Actually, by the end of the week, all those small sums added up and turned into a rather nice return.

There were really two parts to this whole operation this week… price matching and a credit card promotion. While it did take some time this week, in the end it is going to save us hundreds if not thousands of dollars over the next year. It just goes to show that if you take a few minutes and put in a little effort, you can make things a little easier.

It started a couple of weeks ago when there were a few items that I had to purchase for the house. Not the cheapest things but not really high priced either. When I had a couple of minutes free in the middle of the work day, I pulled up the Sportsman’s Guide website to see if they had what I was looking for. It turns out that they did so I put the items in my shopping cart, typed in my coupon, and selected the 4 pay plan to ease the payment pain.

Everything went smoothly but I was curious to see if there were any other websites that were offering a better deal. Sportsman’s Guide offers a price match guarantee for 30 days from the time the order is placed. There were a few sites that had the same price, a few that were selling it for more, and a couple that were a dollar or two cheaper. I wasn’t about to call over a couple dollars. And there is was… a $25 difference. With website and item number in hand I called customer service and had the price matched within minutes. However, this was a onetime opportunity to save some money. My other call this week was more fruitful.

At some point during the day on Tuesday I got an email from a company regarding my credit card. The offer was for free transfers of other accounts (normally 3%) with a 0% APR for 1 year on those balance transfers. This particular card has the lowest interest rate so has always carried the highest balance… hence no room for transfers. So I gave them a call on Wednesday to explain the situation and to see if there was some way that I could take advantage of this offer.

It never fails whenever I call them, they found a way to make it work. Now, instead of paying a nearly 20% APR on a couple other cards, we are now paying 0% for the next year and, if needed, carry a 12% APR afterward. The percentages may not mean much at first glance but, over the course of a 12 month period this could potentially save us hundreds upon hundreds of dollars (it will also lower our monthly payments pretty significantly). I am sure that many of you may think that this is boring but it saves me money so I am very interested.

The essential thing to take away from both of these is that there are opportunities to save money / keep money in your pocket if you just pay attention. I am sure there are a number of opportunities that I have missed in the past but, in this instance, I was fortunate enough to catch them. When all is said and done, all it takes is a few minutes from you day and a willingness to work with the people on the other end of the line. It was a great week for saving money.

Where Did All Of Our Money Go?

Every couple of weeks I look at my pay stub and go through the growing list of deductions from my pay… taxes, 401K, and healthcare. Taxes have always been relatively consistent (too high and annoying but consistent), the 401K contribution is something that I set (this I hope to increase in the future), and the healthcare costs have gone up over time according to how many people are covered under my plan which now covers my whole family. However, it is this last significant deduction from my pay that is really annoying. Not because of the direct costs outlined in the deduction but because of the high costs that my wife and I have encountered recently.

For years, every month we have encountered a co-pay in one form or another, office or pharmacy, that is in addition to the insurance premium that we have already paid for that month. Over the past year, those required payments have become more frequently as we have had more doctor visits and prescriptions that needed to be filled. However, these last few months have been atrocious and it really makes you wonder where the money is going. Since our son was born, we have sent out checks for approximately $2500 just to cover the astronomical co-pays. I have seen enough doctors during my life that I have gotten used to the various expenses associated with healthcare but this is simply ridiculous.

I can hear some of you now saying this is why we need Obamacare. Well, in my experience, that is a load of crap! While the delusional utopian concept is intriguing to many it is not something that fits into the confines of reality. This is why we have seen those premiums increase faster since the bill was signed than at any other point in history. Additionally, due to the ridiculous requirements therein, not only have the premiums gone up but the co-pays have seen a sharp increase as well.

Of course, there is also the basic employment fallout. I know for a fact that many employers have set limits on hours simply to avoid having to offer healthcare benefits. Frankly, I have no problem with employers not offering benefits to full time employees so long as said employees understand that they will not be offered. So, instead of someone getting paid for 35-40 hours per week, they are limited to 29.5 hours per week. In the end, they still aren’t getting benefits and now have less money in their pockets.

Furthermore, there are some benefits that were being offered to those who worked 30 or more hours per week. A perfect example that I have seen is that of extended leave. However, because hours are now eliminated that benefit disappears as well. So not only are you getting paid less at the end of the week but you are also losing some of the benefits that you once had. An when you go back to the original gripe in this post, you are also going to pay more for insurance and more in co-pays. You couldn’t afford to get sick before and you still can’t afford it now. Thanks Obamacare!

Maybe we should focus on making sure people can have jobs where they can work full time hours. Maybe we should stop regulating and forcing coverage on people and stop strong arming companies to cover employees. Maybe we should address the high premiums and co-pays that have become the accepted norm in this country. Maybe we should provide a true freedom to choose to have coverage and what coverage to have, whether someone is willing to take a job without healthcare benefits, and whether an employer offers healthcare benefits. Maybe this is the change that we really need!

Black Friday Turning Grey

Every year the same pattern persists as Thanksgiving all too quickly gives way to the consumer holiday shopping spree also known as Black Friday. More so than any other year, the emails came heavy and soon filled my inbox with deals. Actually, the digital deluge began on Monday as pre-sales and teasers streamed across the screen. However, the fact of the matter is that the deals are not nearly as good this year as they have been in the past.

A few years ago I was one of those people who, eager to fill a few holes in what we needed for our new apartment, ventured out on Thanksgiving night to try and stretch our money as far as I could go. That trip was a success as lower prices combined with a few coupons I had on hand allowed us to completely furnish our place as well as check off most of the people on our gift list for the season. With the economy still recovering the discounts were deep especially for those of us who took the time to put a game plan together and leverage every discount available to us. This allowed me to get everything done all while not waiting in a single line.

This year was almost the exact opposite as there was nothing being sold that offered the same kind of bargain. Don’t get me wrong, we still spent a few dollars but not like the flurry of activity from just a few years ago. Everything has pointed to a resurgence in the retail environment and the lack of discounts reflects that change… although that fact didn’t seem to stop people from filling the stores and clogging the roads.

So this year my wife and I did exactly what the stores didn’t want us to do… we stayed home and kept our money in our pockets. The few things that we were keeping an eye on just in case didn’t seem to change much in price so why would we buy now? There is plenty of time for us to look for those things at a later date and there are definitely other things on which we can focus our attention. Maybe part of the equation is that we have changed and our priorities have shifted but at the same time if the deals aren’t there it is not worth the time or the money.

Passing One Thousand!

Last month I was able to mark the 500^th post on this blog. Today I was able to mark a slightly different but very similar occasion in that, between this blog and Getting Your Phil, I have published one thousand blogs since this all started in late May of 2013 (of course, there were a few blogs before that point as well). Obviously, the Phillies-centric blog came a little later and there were a few days missed here and there.

It’s interesting to think about all the different things that have been said, statements that have been made, and questions that have been posed throughout that plethora of posts. While there have been many occasions when I have repeated myself and even the entire subject matter of the post but there have been a wide variety of things that have been said. Some have been good, some bad, but they are all out there just for the heck of it.

Tonight I ran into the new guy working at the front desk of our apartment building and over the natural course of introducing ourselves we found that we had the common interest of blogging. However, it was interesting to hear the different perspectives that we each had for doing this. While I write this largely rambling posts for the sake of writing and attempting to maintain my creativity, limited as it may now be, he has diverged into the for profit model.

It was this shift in his perspective that has caused him to lose the passion he once had for sharing his art and perspective to his community. The graphic arts, like writing, requires a passion for the practice rather than a desire to get paid. If the money follows that is just a bonus, but it cannot be the motivating factor that keeps you posting blog posts day after day.

I really hate when I see this same thing happen to creative people over and over again. The money gets in the way of the passion leaving them grasping for anything that they can get a hold of and doing all they can to maintain an ember burning. All too often, I have seen heat within them completely extinguished. We must maintain our passions and focus our energy on the creative process not the possibilities of monetary gain.

Money is not the means by which to measure the creative process. If we lose focus on that which we are creating we can no longer truly commit ourselves to our art (regardless of media or genre). One thousand blogs and that remains my motivation… that and providing proof that yes I did exist. But you already read about my true motivation in keeping this daily blog.

Does It Make Sense?

In addition to the changes mentioned previously regarding the annual encore of this blog I decided to give something else a try… AdSense. While I have enjoyed an ad free environment during this past year it was time to face the reality that this simple inclusion doesn’t cost me a thing and doesn’t interfere with me posting content on a daily basis. Of course some people may be annoyed but this is the state of the internet and everything else on my blog is free.

We are in an age when browsing websites is quickly becoming passé. It seems as though every other site has a pay portal keeping me from taking a look at the content and reading what people have to say about different subjects. And while the other pages are littered with ads, some to the point of overkill, at least the content is still free and I can think about what people are writing rather than whether or not their work is worth reading before I have a chance to read it. If you couldn’t guess, I don’t do pay portals.

So, this is my way of finding a bit of a happy medium. There will be ads posted in a couple of spots on the blog. It will be minimally invasive and, for the most part, lost in a torrential river of free content. Keep in mind, this is something completely new to me so if the ads seem a bit odd in the beginning it is because I am still trying to figure out the settings. There are different ways to shape the ad content and with the little time that I have, I am unable to explore all the tools at my disposal to hone the content. Of course, you could also see the ads as an accompaniment to the randomness of my posts.

Over time, I hope to find the right mix to compliment the content I post. Maybe it might add value at that point and provide you easy access to various companies, products, and websites. Who knows but that is the goal. At the very least I had to make you aware of this possible change… Of course, all of this may be moot if the blog doesn’t pass through the review process. While I have looked at some of the no no’s in the user policy and I don’t think I am in violation of any of them, you never know and maybe you will continue to read this blog free of ads.

Where To Go? What To Do?

 

I have been having the constant debate with myself lately of whether or not we should move once our lease is up or whether we should stay where we are with the hope of saving enough money to buy our own place next year. I know which one makes the most sense but I also know what the best thing is for both of us. However, even with both of those considerations, it is not a clear cut decision as it would seem upon initial glance.

Where we are now is not a place where we are comfortable… we don’t enjoy the community that is around us and it leaves us needing to escape whenever we can by getting in the car and going somewhere else. The rent is great and the people we encounter in our own building are nice but the congested location and overall discomfort that we feel in the area doesn’t allow for us the relaxation that a ‘home’ should have. We know the area and it is close to family and friends but there is only so much that can tie us to a place where we are not comfortable.

We have looked for a place to move, somewhere that checked the majority of the boxes on our lists of what we are looking for in a community and a home. It has been a time consuming project that has occupied our minds and has put a number of miles on the car but it seems as though we have finally found a location for serious consideration north on Route 309. The prices are reasonable and the land, overall, seems less densely packed, both positives in our view. It is also close to all the stores that we would need on a regular basis which my wife prefers.

In the times we have visited is seems to be a comfortable area and also a location that meets our commuting requirements. While it keeps my wife’s commute the same, maybe a little shorter, it cuts my commute by nearly a third. However, when it comes to driving to work there are many more alternate routes for the two of us in comparison to our current location. As a bonus, there is at least one range about 5-10 minutes down the road which my wife is indifferent to by a definite perk for me.

What is overlooked time and again by many people is the simple cost of moving. We want to move north and be somewhere that is comfortable and convenient for both of us but it would seriously put a dent in our home owning aspirations and delay that goal by at least an additional year. But, the most important thing about a going home at the end of the day is being comfortable and looking forward to walking through the door. For that reason, it may be the most prudent to delay homeownership and move somewhere where we are comfortable and feel like we are at home.

But, really, it is still up in the air as I am sure my mind will go back and forth many times every 24 hour period. So, you are going to have to keep reading to find out if the move happens or if I will continue to write from the same apartment where this all started. What would you do in this situation?

It’s Baaaack…

Darn it! I’m getting sick again. Maybe this is what I get for not taking the time to recover after the last bout with whatever this is. Unfortunately, I find myself in the same position… there is too much stuff going on for me to miss a day. As the cliché goes, I don’t have the luxury of getting sick. However, this time it seems to be a little different. While the congestion is the same, my joints are beginning to ache especially my shoulders and knees. Its back and its pissed. Of course, this could just be a cold squared. Getting a cold and having the cold weather stiffen my already questionable joints. Either way it is time to double down. Cold medicine and Motrin.

I don’t know about anyone else but, for me, there is a certain amount of guilt when it comes to getting sick. As I have said previously, my energy and creativity is at a significant deficit when my body is trying to fight off illness. Pain only magnifies that effect. Knowing that I can usually accomplish much more in a day and not being able to is slightly disturbing to my determination. When something takes longer than it should and money equals dollars, when I am sick I am costing someone money. That isn’t right and it really bothers me. This is on top of the fact that if I am not getting everything done someone else is, most likely, going to have to assist me. We are all already working hard and I don’t want to put more work on someone else.

Maybe it is time that I really start focusing and taking better care of myself. The hours seem to be fine. Maybe a few too many in the office but not much. All my other activities seem to be working out on most days so I don’t see any great benefit to cutting back on those. However, my body needs a lot of work. It is time to really embrace the resolution that I keep making and reaffirming. I need to take care of my body which, in turn, will improve the abilities of my mind. Regardless of what you may think, I know this relation to be true.

So, in my recovery I think it is time to get a realistic plan together. Not just goals but logical steps which need to be taken in the coming months. So, add another item to the to-do list. Of course, when I am done I will post my plans but, in the meantime, I am open to suggestions as long as you keep them reasonable (i.e. I am not going vegan and running a marathon a day). Maybe you will see them implemented in my final plan (with proper credit given). We will see.

Promotion

After dinner this evening I was sitting and thinking about the day. I was also thinking about past jobs and different times in my life. It was at this time when I came to the realization that with all the jobs that I have had and all the places I have worked I have never received a promotion… until now. While this may bother some people it is something that is happening at the right place and at the right time of me. If I had been in this position in the past I don’t think that I would have appreciated it as much as I do now.

I have had many raises in my professional career but I have never been promoted during that time. While raises are nice there is something about changing your title that, for me, means more. There is only so much that money can do to recognize effort, when you know that you are progressing through the ranks in your chosen profession it really makes you feel that you are being recognized for all the work and long hours that you have put in. If I had to choose between the two I would pick the promotion. The money will come but the recognition is what keeps you pushing harder and harder. Although I will say that getting both would be the preferred choice.

I guess this is the perspective that you develop over the years. A way of looking at things, of appreciating where you are and what you do that at times is lost on the younger colleagues that I have seen come and go over the years. Like many of us in our zealous youth, more is expected than what we really deserve. However, what used to be kept in check so that we may be brought back to reality seems to now be more determined and stubborn than ever before. Too many young people are expected to be handed everything in the workplace, too many of them think that everyone should be equal, too few put in the time and energy in order to earn what everyone else has had to work for during their career.

I am proud of what I have earned and I am going to make certain I keep working hard to reinforce that decision. It has been a long journey filled with hard work and sometimes just getting by, but also one that has been tremendously rewarding and that has lead me to places and to make decisions that I would have never entered my mind a decade ago (or five years ago for that matter). While it has not been the easiest path to my first promotion I don’t think I would change a thing… that may be one of the first times I have ever used that overused phrase but it seems to sum things up nicely.

Are You Balanced?

I have gotten into the habit of stopping by the lobby in the morning on my way to work to pick up and packages and mail that arrived the previous day. It is a system that seems to be working so far at least as a means to keep our mailbox from overflowing but it also has its shortcomings. In addition to sometimes not having enough time or simply forgetting to stop by in the morning, there are weeks when the mail enters the black hole that is my work bag and doesn’t resurface until the end of the week when I try to clean it out. Sometimes the stockpile goes a little longer and doesn’t get addressed until the excess weight is substantial enough.

Today was one of those days. While it had only been a week since I last went through all of the mail, the stuff that could wait (items that did not require a check) had begun to put a noticeable bulge in my bag. So, not wanting to lug around the extra weight or bulk, I began sifting through the correspondences, solicitations, and promotions. It was a process that took place throughout the day whenever I had a minute here and there to tear open an envelope or two (usually when I needed to come up for air for a very brief time).

One thing I noticed was the number of items that I had missed, or entire days that had slipped by, that required the assistance of my check book. Nothing major and all well within a reasonable time of the deadline/due dates but an annoyance nevertheless. This added an extra step to the process as the occasional item that required a response and/or a check was put aside to be dealt with later in the day. This was the second round of sifting and sorting.

Again, when a minute or two was discovered during the late afternoon, the forms were filled out, replies were filled in, and surveys were taken. Lastly, the checkbook was pulled from its safe place where it lay cowering in the corner like and insecure puppy. As to not frighten it too much, I filled out the few checks needed and put it back in its safe place to recover for the next time it needed to be out in the light.

The work day done, it was time to head to the lodge for an early and, hopefully quick, evening of office work. A tax form, multiple calls to government offices, the signing of about a dozen checks, and 90 minutes later I headed out the door and made my way home to recover. I honestly can’t remember ever having to sign that many checks at one time in my life and it really made me think about how much money I was sending out that day. Then I had to stop because it was making my head hurt. But that is all part of life and part of my new responsibilities at the lodge. Essentially, what it really means is that I now have to keep two sets of books balanced.

Not Your Usual Forbes 400 Gripe

Yesterday I was reading about the newly released list of the 400 Richest Americans as reported by Forbes magazine. Shortly after browsing the countdown of the usual suspects I started reading comments across the web about the state of the country and the “greed” that is supposedly pervasive in our society. It never fails, every time a list like this is compiled, especially the annual Forbes edition, the same comments pop up.

Before I go any further (and really get into my rant) lets go over some of the broad strokes about the list. First, let’s briefly go over how the list is compiled. According to Forbes, they prefer to meet with potential candidates in person and, during this year’s process, spoke with nearly 100 billionaires (interviews with those in their inner circle and employees were also pursued in this annual endeavor). When calculating the bottom line they looked to numerous public sources including (i.e. Securities & Exchange Commission documents, court records, probate records, federal financial disclosures and Web and print stories) and took into considerations all assets including stakes in public and private companies, real estate, art, yachts, planes, ranches, vineyards, jewelry, car collections and more. Finally, just like anyone’s balance sheet, debts were taken out at the end to calculate the final figure.

I don’t know how I would feel having to calculate those gargantuan figures knowing the salary I would potentially be making as a columnist or editor but kudos to the people that put forth the considerable effort.

What made this year’s list particularly interesting, and which might account for the increases venom in some of the responsive commentary strewn about, is the tremendous growth that the overall list has experienced over the past year (approximately $300 billion). With a current total of just over $2 trillion, or roughly the equivalent of the GDP of Russia, the average net worth of the 400 currently stands at $5 billion with the cost of entry being a staggering $1.3 billion. The last time the average was this high was in 2007 and 2008 before the financial meltdown. Unfortunately, the list was limited to 400 which meant that 61 American billionaires were left out in the cold licking their wounds.  

Many people have read these figures and voiced their bitter opinions about these people whom they’ve never met. My view is very simple, good for you. The vast majority of the people on this list worked their tails off to reach that level of wealth paying more in taxes along the way than most of us will ever make in our lives. Good for them.

Despite what may have been preached to some, life isn’t fair and we are not equal. Some people are more fortunate than others, some get lucky breaks along the way, and others are never able to reach the one percent let alone achieve top 400 status. The majority of these people worked hard for what they have and have been smart with their money. The top two, Buffett and Gates, are prime examples in that they started with very little, worked hard, and were smart with their business and financial decisions. Good for them.

Maybe the problem in this country is not in the one percent, it is in those members of the 99 percent that lack a good work ethic and expect someone to take care of them. I am far from the one percent and I don’t expect to ever fall into that category (it would be nice though) but I want to work and I chose to earn my money rather than collect the same exact amount in unemployment. This is not to say that unemployment is a bad thing, sometimes it truly is needed, and sometimes it is unavoidable. But many people have the choice.  

Sometimes reality stinks but you have the chose to either accept it or work your butt off and change it. Many on that list did just that. So, to all of you out there complaining about the “one percent” in this country, stop it! The problem is not in those who chose to work and are successful in their endeavors, the problem lies in those choosing not to work. Let this free advice be your last handout.  

SIDE NOTE: If you have enough time and energy to protest, you have enough time and energy to work. All too often I have found myself watching reports on protests (on a variety of topics) which took place in the middle of the day and found myself wondering why those people weren’t at work. And many times those protesters have prevented others from getting to work and doing their jobs. You have the right to your opinion and you have the right to share it but, come on, this is getting out of hand.