Top Ten Reflections on a 2,000 mile road trip

1. Amazingly, my trip of 2,053 miles across eight southern states in the month of June 2009 was without ONE drop of rain. Not even a threatening cloud! Bluebird skies with a few clouds, and some wind in Texas. Wow.

2. Most amazing road sign – seen on US 287 between Amarillo and Ft. Worth: “Hitchhikers on this highway may be escaped convicts.” Yep. That one gave me pause.

3. Though I know there are a lot of duplicate town names across our country, I was a little surprised to see Las Vegas, NM, just outside of Tucumcari, NM near I-40. Go figure.

4. I was prepared for the worst, but gas prices ranged from $2.41(AL) to $2.99 (AZ). For a long trip in the current economy, that’s not too bad. Also noted that diesel prices were consistenly about 10 cents BELOW regular gas. LOL

5. I love Hampton Inns. The one in Shreveport greeted me with free Beer, Wine & Snacks Happy Hour. Yeah, that hit the spot. And, they have the BEST beds, hands down.

6. I do NOT like seeing my Caddy grill & windshield covered with assorted colors of bug guts and parts. Gross. Four years in bug-free Las Vegas has dulled my memories of that aspect of eastern/southern living.

7. All these miles and not a single TOLL was paid. Five years in the northeast where tolls are the norm – the expensive norm – made that kind of nice – and notable.

8. To further the stereotype of the south: I stopped at a DQ (Dairy Queen) outside of Dallas, Texas. The cashier who took my order was Terri Jean. The teenager who prepared the order was Bobbi Jo. The senior citizen lady who delivered it to me – I kid you not, I saw the name tags – was Billie Jean. I was, for sure, in the south. Billie Jean told me to “have a nice day, honey.”

9. Scariest moment on a four-lane highway at 75 mph (posted speed limit): on I-40 in New Mexico, I watched a medium sized RV slowly drift from the right lane into my left lane then onto the left shoulder where the “ridging” got the driver’s attention. The RV then swerved back across from left lane, to right lane, to right shoulder very close to the dirt edge. Once again over correcting, the RV tilted left, then started back across the right lane and into the left, before finally gaining control. All this in just a few seconds. Yowzer.

10. Strangest moment on a four-lane highway at 70 mph (posted speed limit): on US 287 between Amarillo and Ft. Worth, TX, I watched a small, fast, yellow airplane streak at ground level from my far right to my far left, literally missing the top of the pick-up truck about 30 yards in front of me. Yeah – I ducked. I was very sure that plane was going to hit that truck. The plane continued on, buzzing a large herd of beef on the hoof. Texans. What can I say.

(Dis)Honorable Mention: A big thumbs down to Verizon for refusing GPS use to third-party software provider “My Mileage Genie” for Blackberry. Apparently other providers allow it. Thanks, America’s largest network, for restricting my access to apps while I pay for the maximum service plan.

The TripTik known as my life

I’ve been driving along on this TripTik known as my life, enjoying the scenery, keeping an eye on the signs, watching the mileage continue to build up, and as sure as Obama likes ketchup, and only ketchup, on his hamburger, I’ve come to yet an intersection. Like any safe driver, I’ve looked both right and left, and checked out the road ahead.

I’ve decided to take a right turn.

So, first thing tomorrow morning, (6/15) I will be on the road, driving 2,610 miles from Vegas to Islamorada, Florida. Self-proclaimed “Fishing Capital of the World,” Islamorada is where one of my brothers has realized a 20 year dream thanks to the state of the real estate market: he’s in the process of closing on a vacation house in the Keys, with a canal as the backyard and his boat tied up to his dock, right next to his personal tiki bar, and just minutes from the Gulf Stream and that fabulous fishing. It’s about the mid-point island of the 1,700 island “keys,” halfway between Miami and eclectic Key West.

You see, the house needs some tender-loving renovation so I will stay there to help supervise that work while my bro focuses on his job which includes frequent travel. It will be a glorious time in the land of flip-flops and fish, humidity and Rum Runners with Gran Marnier floaters, mosquitoes and slow-living, 95%-higher-than-the-average-US-cost-of-living and spectacular sunsets.

The only danger, if it is indeed a danger, is to become afflicted with the untreatable malady known as Keys Disease. If one contracts Keys Disease, one does not return from whence one came, becoming permanently entrenched in the Keys life. My doctor gave me a prescription for an antibiotic for “just in case” but it will be useless according to testimony from any Keys resident with origins from elsewhere.

My current plan is to stay a few months, at least through the best of the fishing season, unless the renters in my Vegas condo decide to stay longer. Having the mortgage paid is a nice incentive to let them enjoy Vegas as long as they want. J

Meanwhile, the new motto is “tight lines.”

Umbrellas melting in the rain

I'm doing my best to keep up with all the discussion on health reform.  The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that health reform will be a bigger boondoggle than the credit crunch reform.   I have learned volumes during this economic crises about how the financial world operates.  So much of it is not transparent, indeed hidden, from the great majority of us.  Same goes for the healthcare industry.   And it becomes more apparent every day that abuse and greed in healthcare, just like in the financial world,  is rampant. 

Here's an article today from Forbes about how medical bills are playing a big role in financially destroying those suffering from illness.   

My new favorite quote:  "Private health insurance is a defective product, akin to an umbrella that melts in the rain," (Dr. David) Himmelstein said.

Kinda applies to 401(k)'s, too and credit cards and home equity loans and.........umbrellas melting in the rain.

Realistic job titles

A friend connected with me on LinkedIN, asking me to "proof" her brand new profile for errors.  When I did I was intrigued with her new job title, and started bouncing around a bit looking at other profiles and job titles.  

One of my brothers is a Senior Solutions Architect.  Another friend is the "SVP of System Architecture Practice."  Huh?  The explanation for what those jobs entails is a Master's thesis.    What do you think of "Director of Word-of-Mouth Services," or the impressive "Senior Global Campaigns Manager?"  The list goes on and on.

A personal favorite of mine is from a guy I worked with back in Virginia.  He began as a maintenance man and gradually worked his way up through the company ranks to supervisor, manager and finally Director of Facilities.  When I asked him what his next title was going to be he said, "Shit Magnet."

Here's a few I'd like to have:  Director of Inspiration; Vice President of What If; Senior Vice President of Figure It Out; Executive Director of Make It Happen.  For a c-level suggestion, how about CGTP (Chief Go To Person)?   Now those are titles I can be proud of and understand.

What are your suggestions?

Stuff I'd rather not think about....but do

*The National Association of Colleges and Employers says that less than 20% of our 2009 college graduates who applied for a job had a job at graduation.  For 2008 - it was 26%.  For 2007 -  51%.   

*Las Vegas  remains #1 in foreclosures.  Let's make that statement a little more relevant.  In April 2009, 14,703 foreclosures were filed for Las Vegas alone.  Doing the math, that's 490 families A DAY that lost their homes.  Get this - that's down 18% from March.  On average, over 500 families A DAY have lost their homes in Las Vegas since January 1st, 2009.  And keep in mind, the most likely reason that April was less than March is the moratoriums on foreclosures by Fannie Mae, et al, and banks simply repossessing properties versus foreclosing.

*Property values have fallen so much in Las Vegas (30-60%), a new trend shows some homeowners who are "upside down" on their mortgages (owe more than the current value of the house) are purchasing a new home at a  record-low  price and then letting their current home foreclose.  Alot of people can make their monthly payments, but why do that when you can get the same amount of house for half the money?   Hmm...for every house sold another foreclosure?  Can you say "vicious cycle?"

*Various commentaries are out there about the "real" unemployment rate.  Since official unemployment figures are based on people receiving unemployment benefits, many feel that the official rate should be at least doubled to compensate for those unemployed without benefits (including all those college graduates!).  So, Nevada has an official unemployment rate of 10.4%.  Doubling that number makes it nearly 21%.

And we think this "downturn" will end soon?  Fewer people without jobs means less money being spent, or taxes paid.  Simple formula.

If you're thinking "thank goodness I'm employed!" -   How long will the employed be able to carry the unemployed?

I am shaking my head.

 Wall Street was "encouraged" today with gains in the DOW due to early numbers showing that only 500,000 or so people lost their jobs in April.  

Excuse me?

Reality check.  Ah - the excitement comes from a comparison to the official  job losses from March - over 700,000.  Alrighty then.   We're turning this thing around!  Maybe next month only 400,000 will lose their jobs.  Yes, sir, then we'll be on the high road to recovery.

Pardon me, but I'm not excited.  What silliness.   The banks are still in charge.

Unsettling Factoid

From the May 2009 issue of AARP Bulletin:  According to the latest survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the percentage of those (older Americans) "very confident" of a financially secure retirement has dropped from 41%  in 2007 to 13% today.

I'm thinking that 13% is mostly the financial executives who cleaned up 4th quarter 2008 and said adios.   I figure the other 87% of us are "less than confident i.e. totally stressed."

Soldier on!

Miracle Cure - I'm Healed!

I have been cooking for 50+ years.  I have been crying for 50+ years - every time I cut onions.  I love onions and use them alot, but I must be allergic to them because it's almost instantaneous when I make the first cut - WHAM- the tears start, and the stinging starts, and then the nose running starts - it's not fun.    The cooking comes to a standstill during recovery.  My mother used to make use of this technique when I was a child, to run me (and my mouth) out from under her feet.

I've tried lots of solutions, but none have worked, so I just endured the process.  Until now. 

Last week I watched a cooking show (before I cancelled my cable and gave up my beloved Food Network!) and the chef said she always threw the unpeeled onion into the freezer for a few minutes while she prepped other foods. 

I'm telling you, it's a miracle.  I tried it today, skeptical as always, and amazingly - not a hint of tears.  It was a joy to cut up an onion and not have to take a 10 minute break until my eyesight returned.  

Scientifically, it makes perfect sense.  The cutting breaks the onion cells, the cells release chemicals, the chemicals mix to make a sulfur-kind of gas, the gas hits the natural water in your eyes, makes sulfuric acid, and hence the stinging.  Tears are produced to wash the acid away.  I'm assuming the freezing reduces the release of the chemicals.

Live and learn.  Now I just have to remember I put an onion in the freezer.  :)

An Apt Metaphor

Two talking heads, one asking the other what they think of the recent "good" news from major banks on their "profitable" 1st quarters.  One says it's good news but lots of "totally legal" accounting loopholes were used to get the numbers "positive."

The other one says, "Kinda reminds me of my 3 year old's exclamation that she swam the whole length of the pool.  She doesn't mention that she was wearing her floaties."

I personally find that an extremely apt metaphor.  :)

Pulling the Plug

No - not THAT plug.  

I pulled the plug on my cable TV service yesterday.  And while I want very much to scream and rant from the rooftops "The cable companies are out of control!" - that would be wrong.  The fact is, boys and girls, it's not them that are out of control but us - the consumers.

I lost control when I thought I had to have the Food Network and movies and Discovery Channel and music channels and that it was okay to pay alot of money to see them.  Like a lamb led to the slaughter, I paid and paid and paid whatever they charged me.  $70  a month - that's $840 a year - for 250 channels and I watch maybe 15 at the most.  

The latest increase on my cable bill with no warning or reason was the straw that broke this camel's back.  I bought a $10 HDTV antenna.  It took longer to open the box than it did to hook it up.  It took a few minutes to re-program my TV.  I have about 15 channels now for free (I deleted from memory about 20 I won't watch) and they look fabulous in HD.  After June 12th, there will be more.  And, surprise, surprise, I'm still alive and functioning.  

Live simply.  Be happy.

Living Longer - my two cents

I watched a news segment today interviewing Dan Buettner, author of "Blue Zones...Where People Live Longest and Best."   One repeatedly proven factor, he maintains, to living longer is living surrounded by positive people.

I'm not so sure that you need to surround yourself with positive people.  My thoughts lean somewhat counterpoint.  I think that you should make a very concerted effort to eliminate negative people from your life.  Easier said than done, yes, and frequently with some regrets of benefits lost, but the times I've made that leap, and taken action, the positive benefits to me and sometimes mine, has been more than worth it.  

Just this week I had a conversation with a young woman, relating my story of one very strong relationship I finally ended when I realized the daily, constant, negative impact on my life, and loved one's lives, was simply not worth maintaining.  It was hard to sever, and had it's downsides, and I still think about it to this day, but with no regret.  I am convinced that it's one of the best things I've ever done, even though I fervently wish I hadn't had to do it.   It's a life lesson most parents want to pass along to their kids - the tried and true "guilt by association" lesson - be careful who you chose to be your friends.

It gets complicated when it's a family member that's "negative," since you don't chose them, but I'm a firm believer in biologic connection not being a "free pass" to abuse or down trod.

Just my two cents.

Big Girl Panties

Every generation/decade/era boasts timely collaquialisms, particularly those expressions that sum up the reason something happened or encouragement to face a less-than-tasteful task.  A few examples would be:  Sh$t Happens, Life's a Beach (and then you die), Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps, Get Over It, Suck It Up, Just Do It, and the ever annoying Git 'Er Done.  I'm sure you can name more.

Listening to a friend whining about telling her boyfriend she wanted out of the relationship, I told her to just put on her Big Girl Panties and tell him.  Not to be accused of being sexist, it's a simple matter to tell a guy to put on his Big Boy Panties, which is just what I did yesterday to my 50 year old male friend facing his first colonoscopy.

It's quite apt, as every parent has felt the extraordinary pride and courage when we declare that our little ones have proven they are ready for the world when they stop wearing diapers.  It's even been used as a bribe, such as "Don't you WANT to be a big boy/girl and wear big boy/ girl panties?"  It is a major turning point in our growing-up we sometimes forget about, probably because we're too young when it happens to remember it!  And if you do remember it, hmmm....late bloomer?  :)

Sometimes, no.   Sometimes reverting to those diapers looks rather inviting.

Out of nowhere...

Reading a girly, romance, beach-read novel today, I came across these words:  "What is past is prologue."  Turns out it's a quote from Shakespeare's The Tempest. 

My first thought was, "Oh, man, I detested reading Shakespeare in high school.  So much nonsense!"  

 Then I thought, "Geez, that's  a pretty cool quote."

Ah, the wiseness in growing older.  

Saving Time - why?

For some reason over the last few days, I've noticed so many references to "saving time."    Usually, the biggest selling point to any newfangled thing is how much time is saves.  

It's sweet that buying my orange juice in a carton saves me all the time of juicing oranges.  It's kinda cool that I pay my bills online, and most of those on autopay, saving goo-gobs of my time.   To buy a Starbucks I just swipe my debit card and the Tazo Tea is in my hands.  To make a sandwich I just open a loaf of already-baked-and-sliced bread, saving me the time in the kitchen mixing and waiting-to-rise and flour everywhere.  I've got a clothes dryer, so no hanging clothes on the line to dry.  A nutritious, delicious dinner can be nuked in the micro straight from the freezer and on the table in mere minutes.

Seriously though, is there a "saved time" bank somewhere I don't know about?  The  more I think about it, the "saved time" from modern conveniences should have me somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 or 5 extra hours in my day. 

Why, then, does it seem nobody has any time?  Do we squander the saved time?

Lately, I've been making my own breads, cooking full meals, even squeezing a few oranges, all stuff that takes alot of time.  But, there's still the same amount of time in the day.   Maybe that's something to think about.   

Nobody, but nobody, can change the amount of time in the day.  But, anyone can change how they use that time to enjoy the limited time you have on this earth.

When "close" is NOT good enough...

Striving for perfection is a natural thing.  My Dad's favorite saying, when I'd show him something and ask if it was "good enough" was "Close enough for government work."   

You'd think that being 99.9% accurate is a pretty good rating, but consider this:

*2,000,000 documents would be lost by the IRS each year.

*315 entries in Webster's Dictionary would be misspelled.

*5.5 million cases of soft drinks produced would be flat.

*18,322 pieces of mail would be mishandled every hour.

*880,000 credit cards in circulation would have incorrect cardholder information on their magnetic stripe.

Makes that "point one" percent look pretty major.  So, if you do something that requires extreme accuracy or the results will have similar negative effects as the list above, how accurate are you?

Birthday Advice

In honor of my daughter's 28th birthday today, I offer the following advice:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. 

Mark Twain

Happy Birthday, Jenny Marie.  

Love,

Yo Momma

Pennies for Peace (yes, you CAN do this)

I just finished reading Three Cups of Tea.  Do yourself a favor and read it.   There is also a Young Adult and a Children's version.

As an offshoot of that, I highly suggest you check out Pennies for Peace.  It's true, a penny surely isn't of much value, but lots of pennies can do wonders.

1.  I put a jar just for pennies on my home bookshelf.   Anyone who sees it can add to it.

2.  You could put a jar just for pennies in your workplace, and invite others to add to it.

3.  If you are a teacher, you could get your whole class/school to collect pennies.

4.  If you go to a church, put a jar in the vestibule.

The idea is not to just make a donation, but to reinforce the worth of doing the smallest thing to help someone else.  If we teach our children this principle, the world will be better.

Peace out.

Very Cool screensaver

This, in my humble opinion, is very cool, free, and certainly beats alot of screensavers I've seen for sheer entertainment.

PolarClock, available for Mac and Windows, represents month, date, day, hour, minute and seconds in concentric, colorful arcs that lengthen as time goes by.   Watching time fly - may have something to do with my last post.  :)  You can even play with the settings to customize.

Download it.  

Enjoy!

Where did February go?

Seriously. That's all I want to know.  How does time just seem to fly by?  We are fast approaching the last month of the first quarter of 2009.  Yikes.

On an up note - top ten weather day in Vegas today.  :)

Sunlight Deprived People - REJOICE!!

I am so impatient.  I get by in the cabin-fever times of February by looking forward to the days getting longer so there is more "evening" time with sunlight.  

I am joyful that Sunday, March 8, 2009, a mere three weeks from now, we will adjust our clocks one hour forward for Daylight Savings Time (except in Arizona* and Hawaii).  And less than two weeks later is the first day of Spring - Friday, March 20, 2009.

Here's a pretty cool website on Daylight Savings Time with more information than you probably even thought existed on the subject!

Yippee!!  (btw - we switch backto Standard Time on Sunday, November 1, 2009.)

*The Navajo Nation does recognize DST.  I have experienced the weirdness of this.  I stayed in a Holiday Inn in AZ on standard time but across the street the McDonald's was on DST as it was run by the Navajo Nation.  Somewhat surreal.   Residents told me they were simply used to it, that most things there are posted in both times.

A little Op Ed rabble-rousing

Reading and listening to the big "8" banks try to explain what they've done with the first installment of TARP funds has me thinking - these guys STILL don't get it.  

If a company is doing business in a way I don't like, or gets themselves in a "negative" situation, I simply stop doing business with them, and consequently move on to a company that has proven successful and responsible.  I think alot of you think the same way.

So, what would happen if people that have checking, savings, and/or money market accounts with these big guys (BofA, Wells Fargo, Citi, Chase, etc.) just closed those accounts and moved them to a locally-owned/managed bank or credit union that has been proven stable?  It seems like those big boys would become much smaller, more manageable, and - gasp - humble even maybe, and I'm thinking that would be a good thing.  

Who you entrust to hold your money is your choice.  Why not reward the guys who have acted responsibly by opening accounts with them?  Yeah, it's a bit of a hassle.  It might take you some time to accomplish, or it might mean you re-do your online bill-paying, have to go a little further for an ATM, but I think the effort would be worthwhile and send a huge message. 

And here's the thing -- as long as you have accounts in the big guy's institutions that continue to suck up our taxes to pay their overblown salaries, you don't have much room to complain about how they act.

Power to the consumer.

Canaries in the coal mine

Back in December 2008 this question was posed to James Poterba, Chair of MIT Dept. of Economics, and  president and CEO of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a private group of leading economists that dates the start and the end of economic downturns, and the group that says this current recession started in December 2007.

Q. What, if any, early signs should we be watching for to indicate that the worst has passed and the economy is rebounding?

A. I would look at the housing market. The financial crisis began with weakness in the housing market and a corresponding drop in the value of mortgages held by banks and many other financial institutions. The U.S. has been through a period of excessive leverage in which borrowing supported a wide range of investments, ranging from homes to exotic financial securities to consumer durables, and we are now witnessing a "deleveraging" in many markets. Because housing markets are very visible and construction employment is a major, but volatile, component of the aggregate employment, falling levels of housing inventory and stabilizing house prices may be "canaries in the coal mine" for stronger economic times.

For an interesting take on what that phrase - "canaries in the coal mine" - means --  Check out wiseGEEK or Wikipedia.

See if this gets your blood boiling

Seriously.  Read this story, first released yesterday, 2/9/09, and has over 1,000 comments, almost all in favor of Mr. Barnett who, at his own considerable expense and peril, has turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol over 12,000 illegal immigrants caught trespassing on his property to sneak into our country in the last 10 years.

As far as I'm concerned, the attorneys are the ones who should be punished.   Some of the comments are enlightening.

Editor's Note:  I got some great responses to this post by email with additional valid viewpoints that are very important to read concerning a past case involving Mr. Barnett, exactly how much of that land is his, and several legal points to consider especially involving "civilian" groups patrolling the borders.   

Blood boiling and thought-provoking; the balance between civil rights and vigilantes.

An interesting solution

This suggestion was in a long email rant from my normally sane, pacifist, environment-loving, marathon-running, way- too-skinny friend who wishes to remain anonymous:  

"I propose we pack up the management of PCA and give them a one way ticket to China, where the queue for the firing squad is long, but moves really fast."  

The "PCA"  he's referring to as the Peanut Corporation of America, recently-alleged disseminator of salmonella-tainted peanut products invoking thousands of product recalls.  The firing squad he's referring to is the recent death sentence judgments the Chinese handed down to those responsible for the melamine-additive food scares.

After checking the list of products currently being recalled - and throwing out about $15 dollars in protein bars alone - I'm kinda thinking my friend's got a good point.  My budget is stretched as tight as most others, but weighed against the medical cost of fighting off a salmonella infection, and hopefully winning, the money isn't worth it.  Oh, the anguish, though, as it's against every fiber in my Irish-frugal being to throw out food!

Take a minute.  Check the list.

A version of good parenting

I cracked open a bottle of red this evening (damn the diet!) and treated myself to a glass in celebration of the latest news from Washington that the Obama administration has given the financial wizards of Wall Street a serious, plain-spoken slap up-side their pointy, greedy little heads - finally!  I'm as unhappy as the next taxpayer about the lack of limits set on the money (our money!!!) that was given away only to see some of it used for ridiculous bonuses and "rewards" - for failing!  sheesh.

Moving forward, it's cause for celebration that hopefully those crooks on Wall Street will get the message that they can't get rich on us anymore.  If you don't want to be a "senior executive" of a failing company using taxpayer's money to survive for a measly $500,000 a year, than get the hell out of the way and let someone else do it.  They (a $500,000 salaried executive vs. a $20 million executive) can't do any worse.

It's just plain good parenting to set limits on children who don't seem to get it and need serious reining in.  And those guys on Wall Street are just not getting it.

Always learning more

Back in September I wrote about being prepared for an emergency (inspired at the time by a hurricane barrelling it's way thru Texas) - Putting Lipstick on a Pig.  

I followed thru on my goal to have a "kit" and basic knowledge.  Last night I was returning some books to my local library and two gentlemen were about to do a presentation on Disaster Preparedness.  One of them was Red Cross, the other from my local fire department.  I sat in, and got some cool freebies, and sure enough, learned about a few things still missing from my kit.

1. I had forgotten about including a ziploc bag with photocopies of my driver's license, passport, credit cards, medication list, insurance policies, birth certificates (mine and my kids even though they don't live with me), titles to other property (if I owned anything like boat, motorcycle), and important information on my contacts.    

2. I also hadn't thought about money in my kit - as ATM's may not be working - and include a roll of quarters in case a pay phone is the only way to communicate.

3. I know where the turn off valve is for natural gas to my house, but I did not have a wrench in my kit to do that job.

If you are looking for a great housewarming gift, or a wedding present, or you don't want to gather the stuff yourself, Emergency Preparedness kits come ready to go for purchase - from $20 to $70 - from the American Red Cross store.

Get a Kit.  Make a Plan.  Be Informed.

As a sidebar - yes, we have potential for disaster in Vegas - house fires, earthquakes, chemical leaks, and terrorism are the biggies here.  

No excuses

I've already written about the Whitehouse website, and yes, I've been checking every day to see the latest blog post, read the executive orders, etc.   I've even, for the first time, emailed an opinion on the Lilly Ledbetter issue.

Not resting on their laurels, the Obama team has the YouTube Whitehouse Channel up and running as well.  And, a new website, Recovery.gov, specifically targeted for information on Obama's steps toward economic recovery is set and ready to go, once the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is passed by Congress.

Seriously, no excuses not to see for yourself what is happening.  

I like it! 

Smelling the Roses

A friend sent me this feature article dated April 2007 from the Washington Post - "Pearls Before Breakfast" by Gene Weingarten.  It will take more than a few minutes of your time to read, and watch the video clips.  In fact, the author won a Pulitzer Prize for it.   In short, the Post decided to test the public's reaction to a violinist in a Metro subway stop in DC.   The violinist was Joshua Bell, a much-celebrated genius with the instrument.  The public's reaction is interesting, but I won't give that away here.  

The article reminds me of a solo trip I made to Key West a few years ago.  If you haven't been there, you should go, because there is a daily (every single day) tradition of Sunset on the Wharf.  This event is a loosely organized extravaganza of street entertainers, local jewelry artists, guys who weave palm fronds into silly hats, food vendors, and other silly acts that line the long docks where the cruise ships make port.  My personal favorites are the Cookie Lady - she rides an old Schwinn with a basket on the front, yelling in an spine-tingling screech every 5 seconds "Cookies - get your fresh-baked Cookies!", and the Cat Show - seriously - trained stray cats that really do amazing things.  I've seen them many times over the 20 odd years I've been visiting there.

Of course, I had a mojito in hand, and was strolling the wharf by 4 pm, thoroughly enjoying the craziness, when I noticed a young lady carrying a violin case and wearing a formal dress walking up to a set up steps.  She stopped on the second step, opened her case, tuned for a few seconds, and began to play.  My jaw dropped.  People, including little kids, stopped talking and walking and eating, and watched her with me.  It actually got quiet at this little corner of the bustling wharf.   I couldn't tell you what musical score she was playing, but it was classical and just beautiful.

She played for almost 10 minutes.  When she finished, the crowd was still hushed for about 30 seconds.  And then the applause started, and loud calls for more.  She quietly told us she was 17, and visiting her sick Grandma for a few weeks, and hoped we didn't mind that she practice her lessons some more.   No, we didn't mind.  I don't think any of us moved for the next hour.  By the time she packed up her violin, the case was full of money.  I never knew her name.

I was in Key West by myself on that day at the particular time because the ol' Fickle Finger of Fate had poked me in the eye.  But the reward of stumbling upon that young lady and her violin made it all worthwhile.  Just another case that sometimes things do work out for the best, and you just never know for sure what treats will happen when things aren't so good - but you better be paying attention.

Three Words

Good Morning America Weekend has a little bit they do, where people are invited to send in short videos or pictures with just three words.  Lost My Tooth, Finally Got Married,  Love Our Troops, First Time Voter, New Little Sister, Kicked Him Out, Got New Car.......things like that.

My three words, after watching over 12 hours of history unfolding in Washington, DC is -

Era of Responsibility.

That said - if you're reading this you have internet access, thereby negating any excuse for not knowing, clearly, without any shadow of prejudice by news services or special interest groups, what is happening in your government.  Bookmark this and look at it regularly - 

www.whitehouse.gov   

Pretty much sums it up for me.  God bless us all.

Another sign

Consider the true story of a young man, single, mid-30's, with a good paying job.   He was promoted a few years back with much better salary, so he joined the housing craze, and bought a nice place on 100% financing.  He's survived several rounds of layoffs, but knows the axe could fall at anytime.

Back in early December he learned the value of his home had fallen over 60%.  Like so many others, he owes more on the home than it was worth - way more.   He thought about it - thought about if it made sense to continue to pay that huge mortgage, mostly interest payments on such a young mortgage, knowing he'll eventually pay way more than he could ever get out of the house.

He got a lawyer, carefully planned it out and declared bankruptcy.   Told the bank - you can have the house.  Lives comfortably in a rented apartment now.   Only bump in the road for him is a few years without credit cards - and issues with buying stuff online (at online discount) without a credit card.  That problem is solved by tapping friends with credit cards to help him out, and paying them back in cash.  It's hard to do alot of things "cash," but with friends he can get by.

Here's the thing - it was a very smart financial move for him to declare bankruptcy and he - typical of his generation - as a rule - doesn't worry about the stigma that used to be attached to being bankrupt.   Actually, he looks good for protecting himself.   He figures it's no big deal, he's young, to go without credit cards for a few years.  In fact, no credit cards will be a big help in limiting his spending.  But like a basic law of physics (every action results in an equal and opposite reaction) - as more people do what's "smart" for them, what will be the longer term consequences?  

How many people will have no credit rating for five or more years due to bankruptcy?  Will that stop them from consuming?  Will it affect how credit ratings are figured?  Will anyone care about credit ratings for the next five years, and beyond?  What will happen when those of us from a different generation that keep paying our mortgage because we see it as our responsibility to fulfill no matter what, ends up with homes we've paid dearly for?  How many others have - or will - make this same decision to declare bankruptcy?  Couldn't those numbers be staggering, and dramatically effect/delay a turn-around in our economy?  Will bankruptcy rules be changed?  Do they need to be changed?

Food for thought.

  

What happened to accountability?

It struck me this morning, as an early Sunday morning news program reviewed the week's news of yet more layoffs, Chapter 7's and Chapter 11's, that the lack of accountability for the top-level managers of companies declaring failure and bankruptcy, is - well - appalling.  Seriously appalling.

What if, as part of any bankruptcy process, every board member and top-level managers were automatically subjected to a grand jury type of hearing?  In this hearing, the reasons for the failing of the company - really the failing of the leadership of said company - would be clearly stated and unprejudiciously reviewed.  If those reasons were found to be wanting, these individuals would be charged and tried in an open court of their peers.   If found guilty of mismanagement, they would be punished -- and I'm not talking about "three Hail Mary's, two Our Father's, and a sincere "I'm sorry" as they fly off to hide-out (lay low) in their second home in Malibu.  

I'm talking about immediate seizure of all personal assets, community service time, even jail time - perhaps flogging (not really flogging, but a civil form of flogging maybe).    Yes, their reputation will be hurt, their resumes permanently marked, and they will have difficulty getting hired as  a CEO again, but that seems fair when a well-trained, hardworking, loyal-to-the-company IT tech loses his job in bankruptcy and ends up stocking produce at the local grocer's.  (I'm not disparaging that job, just sad over the loss of trained ability being put to best use.)  It seems only right that the proven failed manager not be hired again in a position to once again mismanage, misdirect, and ruin, once again, more lives. It's a shame that CEO's family would suffer, but it's seems fair when the 30,000 employees who lost their jobs take their kids out of college or go without health care or lose their homes not to mention the future security of a well-deserved retirement. 

This is not about a feeling that "somebody needs to pay."   It's about accountability, and punishing those responsible when it's clearly shown the legacy they were paid (well-paid) to bear, the success of the company and therefore the lives of it's employees (not to mention the economy of our country) was not as heavy a burden to them as it appeared to have been.   I've never been a top 5, but I can tell you this - in every job I've held, it was very clear I was accountable every time I was reviewed for my performance.  And the consequence of determination of less-than-satisfactory performance was the loss of my bonus, my promotion, and/or even my job.  Why shouldn't it be the same for top leaders in a failed company?  If a teacher in an inner-city school where most of her over-crowded classroom students live in dysfunctional, unsupportive home situations, doesn't make sure a percentage of her student's make a certain grade on a standardized reading test, lives under the guillotine of losing his/her job, why not the same for the Chairman of the Board of a failed company?

Do you think such a "grand jury of accountability" might give every company leader, every board director, a moment's pause, to make them think they will go down just as hard with the rest of the ship, that they and their family will suffer just as much if not more as the rest of the ship's crew, that making more money is not the end-all, be-all of our short existence on this planet as much as stability, health and happiness? 

I do.  I most certainly do.   

A New Bone to Chew On

I participated in a great webinar a few weeks ago by an internet marketing company called Hubspot.  The very cool moderator, Dan Tyre, challenged participants to be interactive, and I was gifted two new marketing books in recognition of my comments.  I've read both books and they each presented interesting viewpoints on marketing strategies and these, combined with the points of the webinar (Pay Per Click marketing vs. SEO marketing), have been quietly simmering on the back burner of my brain.

Fast forward to yesterday -- I was  chopping celery for my homemade Cream of Celery soup, and the day's news -- the pending inauguration of our new President, yet another financial advisor revealed as a fraud, more retailers declaring Chapter 11, oil prices down again while stockpiles increase, the DOW taking yet another big dive, more layoffs announced, more banks screaming for more bailout money -- brought those marekting strategy thoughts back to the front burner.  Lots of thoughts were freewheeling thru my head and then - bam - the flash, the moment of clarity, the "ah ha," the epiphany - struck:  Consumer thinking has been forever changed by the events of 2008.   That premise led my scientifically-trained mind to the next logical "if...then" thought:  If consumer thinking has been forever changed, then marketing strategies must change, or even more companies will find themselves buried in the radioactive fallout of this recession.  

So, the question begs to be asked:   What are consumers thinking, and what strategies will marketers need to consider for future success?  Will what we've done before, or what we're doing right now, still work?

Will generations X and Y continue to "live for today?"  The twenty-somethings are already smirking at their elders who moaned over Christmas dinner about vanishing 401k's, IRA's reduced by 30%, bonuses denied, houses losing 50% of value, employer healthcare cost sharing reduced, pensions cut.   These young consumers will probably not stress, but instead go with the flow, continue to rent and follow other strategies so they can be fluid, be able to move where the jobs are almost instantly, re-train for new jobs, and not spend hours on the internet studying where to invest their earnings.

My own precious, ginormous Boomer generation is already thinking "hmmm....maybe my penny-pinching, spare-living, cash-in-the-mattress, stay-the-course, just-do-the-job, don't-rely-on-the-government-or-anybody-else, depression-era parents weren't so far off base."  Boomers are now incredibly suspicious of everything --- our investment advisers, our health care insurers, big business, oil companies, our employers and most of all our state and federal governments and the politicians running them.   When the economy does recover, Boomers will not be investing, and they will not trust the SEC or Treasury or any government agency to look out for our welfare.  It will be a long haul back for the Boomers.  And any purchasing will be very, very carefully considered.

The Senior generation is a real mish-mash of a mess.  If you were about to retire, no doubt those plans are out the window.  Many have been forced out of retirement and back to work to make ends meet.  Some have had to move in with their kids.  Some were prudent and got their house paid off, and their car paid off, and never used credit cards much, so monthly expenses are manageable on a fixed income, but they will certainly not take 5-star luxury vacations, and are inherently anti-gadget buying.  Their spending will be minimal in hopes of being able to handle it when that hip needs replacement, or the pacemaker installed.

I have one idea to offer in formulating new thoughts on marketing strategies to take into 2010.   I think marketers will need to consider three things to win a consumer's business.  

1.  Credibility - Marketers will need to get the consumer to trust that we are selling a product that performs as promised and we will be there for a long time to support that product.  I see a return to traditional CRM - the building of long-term, face-to-face, loyal relationships with customers instead of quick-hit profit taking.  

2.  Value - Consumers are savvy, and have become wise to use of the internet, so if the price isn't perceived as fair, they will negotiate, barter, seek out resellers, buy used, wait until the price goes down or - gasp - simply not purchase .  The old rush to buy now to "have the latest and greatest" will revert to the more patient strategy of "wait and see" what other consumers say about product usability and performance.  And if the product isn't long lasting, or at least hold it's value, it will be a tough sell.

3.  Relevance -  The biggest challenge is to tailor the marketing strategies so the consumer feels a "need" to purchase the product.  We already see that consumers have figured out they don't need 300 cable channels, or 20 MB download bandwidth when 5 MB will do, or an iPhone with 300 apps when all they want to do is call, text or email someone, or to pay $100 for a pair of jeans or $200 for a jar of face cream, or own a 2-ton vehicle that gets 10 miles to the gallon, or listen to XM/Sirius radio with 200 stations.  Marketers need to find the new "hook" - the relevant point - that attracts the consumer to want to purchase.  Is it organic/healthy? Green/good for the environment? Simple to use?  Low priced? Long lasting?  Improve their quality of life?  Safe?  Helpful to the American economy (versus some other country's economy)?  Help their company be more profitable, run more efficiently, convert more customers?

This dog will need to chew on this bone for some time to come, but I'm going to enjoy my soup for now.  Thoughts welcome.

Desert Cooking

No, the title is not a typo - I meant desert as in Mojave - not dessert.   Of course I know the desert is a very different climate, especially from the uber humid, buggy, rainy, cloudy northeast of my former home.  But that information didn't filter through my brain and how it affected my baking until this weekend.

I used to make my own bread for a long time, so it was more or less second nature with most of the recipes and the techniques right in my head.   My son recently asked me to try making English muffins, and I was struggling with the less-than-desirable results.  This weekend, the light dawned.  The extremely low humidity (10% yesterday!) was the problem - so I've had to do some experimenting and recipe adjusting to get the baking results I wanted.

He finally got a dozen beautiful, home-made Cracked Whole Wheat English muffins, and I got "relief" from the angst of thinking I'd lost my touch with yeast and breads.   

Just one of those little things that makes life in the dry Southwest interesting.

 

It's not Home Ec any more

When I went to high school (late 60's), I took a Home Economics class - Home Ec for short.   Topics covered from balancing a checkbook, to efficient grocery shopping, sewing, and of course menu planning and cooking.  Today my neighbor asked if I could pick up her daughter at school because she (the daughter) was worried about transporting her child safely on the bus.  I wasn't sure how to answer, because my mind was saying - what the hell did I miss?  Her daughter is only 13 and wasn't pregnant when I saw her just before Christmas, but, ya never know.  My neighbor must have figured out why I was hesitating and started laughing.

It turns out her daughter is taking a 21st century version of Home Ec under what is called the Family and Consumer Services Department - doesn't quite have that Home Ec ring to it, does it? The course she is taking is Chilld Development I (the Food and Nutrition course didn't interest her).   As an assignment, she is caring for a "baby" - a special doll - this weekend.   She could select either boy or girl.  The baby comes with clothes, diapers, safety carrier and built-in electronic  sensors and sounds.  Yes, they are expensive dolls (about $500) so the students pay $15 for this course.

As she juggled getting out of the back of my car with her book bag, diaper bag, purse and baby in it's carrier - a couple of things fell to the floor.  She looked a little panicked.  It turns out that one of the built-in sensors knows and records if the baby is dropped. Other sensors determine feeding, changing, etc.  They are programmed to be"normal" or "fussy" and have outright crying, screaming jags, as only babies can.   And the programming is for a 24 hour day, so, yes, they wake up and need feeding at night like most any newborn.

All I can say is, she's got a looooong weekend ahead of her.  And if this is how we're teaching kids to put off having babies any time soon, well - I kinda like it.  Maybe it should be mandatory for EVERY high school freshman.   

Bring It

2008 was not the best of my 57 years - it was fair to middlin' as the country saying goes.  It ended true-to-form when my flight home, from visiting family in Florida, on New Year's Eve was delayed at least 3 hours and I would miss the only connecting flight to Vegas - the every popular and well-known "mechanical problem" excuse that absolutely, positively had nothing to do with the fact there were only 8 of us booked for the regional flight and a less-than-half-full flight to Vegas.  Yeah, right.  I had no choice but to stay in Florida an extra night, and be thankful they got me on a flight the next day with mostly sold out flights.  

It wasn't a huge hardship (thank goodness for understanding family who made yet another trip to the airport to pick me up and put me up for another night), just irritating, like most of the things that happened to me in 2008.  I accepted it as the way things go sometimes.

I tried several avenues (gate clerk, counter clerk, Reservations call center), but was stonewalled by the airline for anything in compensation (overnight hotel stay? first class upgrade?  voucher for future travel?) and offered zip.  I was told I had to wait until their Customer Relations office re-opened January 2nd.  The only way to communicate with Customer Relations is by email (what about people without computer access?), so I fired one off and watched the ball drop in Times Square.

2009, however, started out with a pleasant surprise.  When I finally made it to the connecting flight on New Year's Day, fully expecting (and dreading) to sit in a middle seat on a packed plane for four hours, I learned I had been upgraded to First Class.  My first time, and oh, man, I LIKE First Class.   Of course, I figured that was my compensation and was happy with it.  (In reality, First Class was not sold out by the time the plane was boarding, so by upgrading me, that freed up a seat in coach to sell.)   But, the surprises continued when on Jan. 2, I got a response to my email to Customer Relations with an apology and a voucher for future travel.  Now we're talking!

I've been waffling on deciding on a New Year's resolution, trying to think of something different and positive to do.  After these two incidents, I was struck with inspiration.  I've set up a spreadsheet and every day for the rest of 2009, I will record at least ONE good thing that happened that day.  By the end of the year, I'll have a written list reminding me of 365 good things that happened to me.

So - 2009 - bring it.