Shopping and Consumerism

I'm confused about an economic concept.  The masses, who really don't hold the bulk of wealth, are encouraged ad nauseum to go out and "spend, spend and spend MORE" money they don't really have to "stimulate the economy."  IMHO, it's a directive to apply the redistribution of wealth (or in this case non-wealth).

Take it one step beyond.  Wouldn't this same concept work better if the redistribution of wealth actually applied to the top 1% that is holding the rest of the population hostage? 

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Stuffed

Once again I went overboard on the food front for Thanksgiving.  I can't help myself.  There is nothing like a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings that fills the house with wonderful odors.  Like my son said, "It's the smell of mom's cooking that makes a house a home."

Granted, it's taken me a few years to nail down my rhythm but one little trick I've learned is to cook the turkey upside down about 3/4 of the way through.  Flip.  The breast gets browned nicely and the meat stays juicy and tender. 

Full Circle

Exactly 28 years ago I packed up my belongings in the back of my car with $500 at the age of 19 and left Minnesota for California with a guy I barely knew.  Needless to say, my family was not pleased.  I never went back.  There were strained relations for years after I moved away. 

The events that preceded my leaving and the events that followed shaped my life.  Was it all bad?  No.  Despite the upheaval, so many good things came my way that probably would not have otherwise.  Yes, it was a HUGE gamble for me to take off.  It could have easily ended in disaster.  According to some, it did end in disaster.  Now that I have kids of my own I can understand the emotions from the prospective of a parent. 

In one week I know of two teenage girls who are basically reliving and re-enacting my state of mind as a teen and replaying my life.  I think the trick for parenting teen girls is to *really* listen between the lines as to what they are saying (or more importantly what they are NOT saying).  Talk TO them and not AT them.  Giving belittling lectures with the tone of "I told you so" will only drive them away.  Truly acknowledge and validate what they are feeling.  Their emotions and issues are very real to them although adults often flippantly dismiss them as "typical teen drama." 

Thanksgiving

They are trying like crazy to commercialize Thanksgiving and change the day to emphasize Black Friday.

Don't buy in.

Literally.

Job Creation

I think I'm beginning to figure it out.  The only way to job creation is to invent meaningless bureaucratic, paper shuffles and shell games.  Without government manufactured-sponsored-bullshit-laws and regulations, what else would people do for jobs? 

Oh, there's the financial sector which thrives on similar tactics, but the end end result is still the same:  dependance on taxpayer money. 

Emotional Vomit

I'm not sure exactly what it is about this time of year that brings long dormant emotions bubbling to the surface.  In one nano second I have seen my life from the vantage point of teen, parent, aunt, friend, and grandparent via my 17 year-old niece. 

What prompts teens to make the decisions they do?  What are they thinking?  Are they thinking at all?  Concerned adults wring their hands and cry with worry.  Teens are nonchalant thinking that everything will fall into place and life will be happily ever after.   Teens know EVERYTHING, right?

In the meantime the mom and dad are going out of their minds on how to deal with teen years gone haywire. What happened to their innocent little girl?

The only thing I can think of is to return to my diaries of when I was that age.  I'm immediately in the mind set of a 17 year old girl.  The trick is to bridge the 17 year old mind set to the parents.  I don't claim to have any magic answers that will guarantee smooth sailing for teen years.  I do, however, have strong, living emotions and memories from when I was "that age." 

Social Club

I thought the "who's who at parties" ended in high school.  Wrong.  Tonight was like walking into a bee hive of Sonoma County soap opera drama as to whom is fucking whom, divorce proceedings, business bankruptcy proceedings, tech start up proceedings, etc.

I was already dizzy by the time I walked through the front door to the time I reached the bar area.  To make matters worse, the lead guitarist of the band looked EXACTLY like my older brother to the point where I was staring and taking pictures.  He probably thought I was some freaky groupy but the likeness was too much to bear and I had to send proof to my brother of his "twin." 

Like that was not enough.  Blasts from the past kept walking through the front door. 

Airport Experience

.....and you all thought Quiet Rage had anger issues.... Jenna Marbles makes me TAME in comparison.  Still, I LOVE this video as it has some very valid points and I do share her anger in regards to things that piss me off about the airport.

Unclip My Wings!

Ever feel like you're wings are clipped?  I *really* just want to live life and have fun!  The day to day responsibilities of my job, family, chores, blah, blah, blah, blah, are wearing on me.  Just when I think I've dumped some responsibility, more comes at me. 

100 years from now nobody will care that my checkbook was always perfectly balanced, bills always paid, and the front lawn was mowed, and I always tried to do the right thing.  Being uber responsible gets you nowhere. 

It's my turn to be irresponsible and not care.  I've bailed out everybody else, now it's their turn to bail ME out. 

I'm a snaaaaaaaaake

One guy gets 12 million hits on this video.   The 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address goes by basically unnoticed.  What can I say? 

The Next Economic Time Bomb: Retirement

Still reeling from the last economic depression featuring $12 per hour jobs (no benefits) and the housing crisis?  Fasten your seat belts as we are about to enter.....(dramatic music).....THE RETIREMENT ZONE .....(timpani drum booming)

There are so many tangents I could go off of, but for today I will center around personal finances and refrain from underfunded pension plans, social security and such.  Not even I could handle that much bitching in one day. 

I've noticed a disturbing trend that the media is not addressing head on as it would cause unpleasant feelings.  More and more retirement age adults are bankrupt.  Why?  The reasons are varied, but in my experience the reasons are generally:

1.  Lack of contributing to a 401(k) or SEP or equivalent:  Maybe your employer did not offer it.  Maybe if your employer did offer it you did not participate or participated at a measly 3%. 

2.  "Put it all on my Paycheck" mentality:  During the 80's and 90's employers thought they were doing employees a favor by putting what used to be retirement contributions "all on the paycheck" for the employee to be personally responsible for squirreling away for retirement.  Nobody did.

3.  Tapping home equity:  Using the home as a piggy bank is generally not a good idea.  Granted, there are reasons to get a home equity loan but at the moment I'm drawing a complete blank.

4.  Disability:  We all plan to work as long as we can.  However, illness and injury often pop up at the most inopportune times. 

5.  Putting kids through college:  Nothing will drain your life savings faster.  Unless you happen to have a kid who is super focused on a major with expected employment opportunities that will exceed the debt to education ratio, be very careful of this money trap.  I'm not anti-education - I'm PRO education but not at the expense of derailing your retirement plans. 

6.  "The Government will Save Me":  Bullshit.  

There's my top 6.  Damn, I sound like Suze Orman. 

Veterans' Day

I don't care what political beliefs you have.  Show some respect for veterans on Veterans' Day.  Many have suffered and died so we can bitch openly about this country and file trite litigation over the neighbor is using a leaf blower.

Mother Grandma

I'm at the age where I don't know what to say on Facebook when one of my old classmates make a birth announcement -- they could be parents or grandparents (or both). 

An old classmate of mine recently blabbed about giving birth to her 102nd kid complete with hospital pics.  Glad it's hers and not mine.  Whatever.  Time is a blur and now there she is again with another sonogram.  This time she's "grandma."  WTF?  Not only is she still popping them out like a pez dispenser gone wild, now her kids are mimicking her human mass production. 

I guess I'm too old, lazy and like my independence too much to even want to babysit for one night.  I can't see the glory in pumping out yet more humans in an already over populated world.... especially when there are things available at the local drug store without a prescription that prevent it. 

Scorpio

What is it with Scorpios?  I'm surrounded by them!  In one week I've recognized more Scorpio birthdays than I can count and next week I have three more.  Maybe it's just a coincidence, but all my friends/family seem to be born the first part of November. 

The Birthday Gift

I'm learning to turn the bullshit people put on me back to the source.  Granted, it takes practice to recognize it and react.  Here's the scenario du jour....

A friend of mine is turning 50.  A party has been planned.  The party is tomorrow evening.  I get a text message late this afternoon from another friend who is attending the party chirping, "What are you getting X for her birthday?" 

I replied with a text stating, "Oh, probably a bottle of wine."

A couple of hours later I got another text from the same person stating, "Do you want to go in a message $25 each?"

I replied, "sure."

She then texted me asking if I wanted to be the one to go and purchase the gift certificate for a message from the both of us.  That's where I drew the line.  Don't text me pawning off your gift giving obligations onto me.  I was happy with the thought of giving the birthday girl a bottle of wine.  Don't initiate this wonderful 'joint' brainstorm idea *you* had and then suggest *I* do the legwork.  You just want me to do your shit work.  Fuck you. 

Fat Leonard: US Navy

The news reports of how a military contractor known as Fat Leonard bribed US Navy Officers with money, concert tickets, and prostitutes.  Fat Leonard bilked millions of tax dollars from us to fund his lifestyle.  It's disturbing to me that our national security can be compromised for tits and ass. 

Bruce Jenner: WTF happened???

Ummmmm...  How does a good looking guy turn into my junior high school lesbian gym teacher? 

Mercury Retrograde

No wonder I've been feeling like I'm in quicksand.  Nothing is going smoothly.  Technical glitches are galore, and people are pissing me off more than usual.  I over heard somebody saying that all this unsettled, frustrating stuff is because the planet Mercury is retrograde.  

The Photographer

I was at a high profile business function recently.  I loathe such functions as it's all about being seen with certain people.  The general assumption is that everybody is thrilled to be there rubbing elbows.  I am, of course, the exception. 

Everything was tolerable until the photographer came 'round (unsolicited) wanting to pose us for pictures.  There are several reasons why I don't like my picture taken.  I don't need to go into it here.  Additionally, I feel I don't need to explain to complete strangers as to why I don't want my picture taken and to please remove the lens from my face. 

The photographer was absolutely astounded that I declined to have my photograph taken.  He naturally assumed I was a camera/attention whore and that I would be thrilled.  Wrong.  The idiot did not take a gentle 'no thank you' for an answer.  The photographer's request then became sarcastic and surly and demanding that I pose.  I finally got sick of him prodding me and said, "It's against my religion to have my picture taken -- the image steals my soul."

He then proceeded to gather up the group for a picture sans myself.  After he was done he turned to me and said in a tone, "By the way, I've seen the wanted posters out for your arrest."

Intuition Overload

I don't ask for it.  My intuition/psychic abilities comes and hits me like a ton of bricks every so often.   I'm like an antennae.  I pick up on people's vibes -- for better and for worse.  I then get the movie version via dreams.  I wish I could control it.