Hey, it’s just dirt!

I feel lucky to be close to the financial industry at such a tumultuous time. No, really. It is not everyday that we have economic crises that are so deep and widespread. For those of us young Gen Xers or old Gen Yers, this is the first time that we have seen bad economic times that directly affect us. We were too young for the dot-com bust of the late-90s or the previous banking crisis of the 80s (if you don’t know, ask your parents or better yet CLICK HERE).

Perhaps it’s my cold-blooded side, but I do not feel sorry for those directly affected by the housing downturn. Those who are losing their homes either bought a home they weren’t actually qualified for, financed their home under terms that they really didn’t understand, were looking to make a quick buck on a flip or hold-and-flip, or simply trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. It is unfortunate that the correction in home values has to hit everyone, but that is part of living in a society.


If you own your home, are making your payments, plan on living there for the foreseeable future, and don’t have a job tied to mortgages, construction, or the buying and selling of real estate…just chill. Your home is somewhere you live and should not be seen as a ‘serious’ investment. After all, it is just wood and rocks on top of a pile of dirt.

Where She'll End, Nobody Knows

Man, the U.S. economy is in the proverbial toilet! It seems like everyday you hear about a new data release, and it’s almost never positive; unemployment claims are up, retail spending is declining, foreclosures are on the rise at unprecedented levels, and consumer confidence is at its lowest level on record. On the upside, the dollar is strengthening against other foreign currencies. Better put is that the dollar is not weakening as quickly as other currencies, thus creating the appearance of appreciating. Oh, and did we mention that the increase in the value of the dollar will have an adverse effect on commodity prices and the level of exports? Well it will. Every cloud has a silver lining, right? Or perhaps every silver cloud is followed by a bolt of lightning. And what do we do when the clouds come, go golfing.

The economic environment is truly amazing. Really! I was a student of economics back in another time, and the classroom discussions were always philosophical. Times were good; individual net worth was up, unemployment was optimal, and everyone was spending. I sometimes envy the economic and business students of today. I am sure that their discussions on various economic theories and principals are highly attended. It is an exciting time to be alive and a part of society. The next several years will shape our country’s future for some time. It is in hard economic times that people either make real changes or simply temporary accommodations to their situation. I am hoping for the former. We have a new incoming president with fresh ideas and a same party Congress. People are ready for something not the same. Be aware, be a part, and lets move toward real change that will last.

Appreciate...Emulate...Fascinate...Designate Your Love as Fate

So with everything that happened over Thanksgiving weekend I didn’t take a minute to declare my gratitude. I love my children. They frustrate me at times; but similar to what you may have heard it is worth it. To see their beautiful little faces running up to me when I get home from work, or their big smiles when playing games is enough of a payback. I may take that back when they get older, but for now…they are perfect.

I enjoy efficiency and convenience; the things that make my life easier: modern transportation, the huge array of electronics that fill our houses, progressive science. I am also thankful for the beautiful things in life; whether it is music, art, movies, poetry and prose, or nature. But all of these things loose their attraction without my best friend, lover, and companion to share them with.

My wife is the center of my support system. We have been married for a little over eight years now. I have to come to know her better over time; she is truly genuine and sincere. I awe at her ability to mind the kids day-in and day-out; often times with no break or help from me as I traveled for business. I have become even more aware of her value to me and her importance in my life. I love her dearly; wish to share our pain and laughter. And did I mention that she is gorgeous? The gods have been kind to me.

I Now Pronounce You Pumpkin and Wife

So, I just got back from one of the coolest weekends of my life! No seriously, this was one that I will remember forever. A few of my readers may recall that one of my first posts was about a concert that my wife and I attended last year by the Smashing Pumpkins (SP). CLICK HERE Well, we had the opportunity to make it all happen again. But this was like the same experience on steroids! We didn’t just go to the concert, but we got to meet the band, take personal pictures with them, stand in the front row, and all of this in Las Vegas!

Yes, on steroids!

Me chatting it up with the boys.

My wife playing it cool with the masters of rock 'n roll.

I know many have said it, and I will too, but Billy Corgan is one of the coolest people that I have met; very chill and on-your-level. You know, seeing him and Jimmy Chamberlain was like they had just stepped out of a YouTube video in front of you. I did notice being in person that Billy’s shoulders are really narrow; not something that I had paid attention to before; and Jimmy has huge biceps, but I guess that when Mr. Corgan writes songs that have you beating the drum heads for 9 min straight you need some serious muscle.

Ginger - a seriously cool bass-playing lady.

Being in the front row of the concert was awesome. I have never been that close to the stage and having done it as part of our SP experience made it that much better. The play list was fantastic. We got to hear many of our favorites along with several new songs. The stage set was great; the sound awesome; and the band was dressed as you would expect them to be. No disappointments.

I also got to meet several other fans that were SP VIPs. I can say that the Pumpkin fan base is diverse. We saw people from all ranges of the spectrum and many that were just like us; totally excited to be meeting one of their favorite bands and having killer seats for the show.

It is interesting what will bring people together; maybe it’s a religious belief, political view, or biological connection. It could be a certain person’s ability to unite others under a sense of oneness; to feel understood, important, and complete; Billy Corgan has that power. I thank God that I had this experience and that I was able to share it with the hottest Pumpkin Peep out there…my wife. Let’s do it again Babe!

Good day today

This morning, I attended a Thanksgiving picnic with my wife for my little boy’s preschool class. Tomorrow, we will go to my little girl’s Thanksgiving program and feast at the elementary. Little kids are so cute…when they listen to what you say. The work week is almost over and I am looking forward to spending some time with my family. Oh, did I mention that my wife and I are off to Las Vegas on Saturday to meet Billy Corgan and see the Smashing Pumpkins? It will be cool. Pictures to follow.

To my supa-hot loyal reader, Happy Thanksgiving and put a little extra cranberry on for me.

Motorists should be Pedestrians

We’ve all said ‘They shouldn’t be allowed to drive’. The typical scenario is one where someone with either a shizzy or really nice car performs a lateral maneuver that is not in the legal sense i.e. cut you off, short-stop, bumper riding, etc. If you are a level-headed person with good self control, you probably reposition yourself to be in a safe spot on the roadway. But the rest of us want to slam on the brakes, honk the horn, ride their tail, or at least give ‘em the bird; sometimes we do and others we don’t. On a short walk during lunch, I was almost run over on either side of an intersection as I crossed the street. I was in the crosswalk, had the right-of-way, and even made eye contact with the turning drivers before proceeding onto the asphalt. It didn’t matter. It was a close call on both occasions.

I thought about who would do such a thing. I don’t care what kind of driver you might be, but watch out for pedestrians! Just for fun, I decided to go through a few of the driving characteristics I associate with certain vehicles on the road. Feel free to comment if you agree or believe that I am mistaken.


The geriatric ‘I’m a heart attack away from a 5-car pileup’. The vehicle is nice, new, big and most importantly…slow. It is all that you can do to get around these poor souls as they putter down the street to the senior center for that bingo rematch that they’ve been looking forward to.


My truck is badass and there’s nothing you can do about it. These tend to be of the Chevy, Ford, or Dodge types with high ground clearance, balls hanging from the hitch, oversized tires, and window decals of that little boy pissing on the trademark of the other truck companies. They rumble down the street not noticing all the little cars driving around them; all the while throwing gravel and dirt onto the hoods and windshields of everyone else on the freeway.

The ‘I drive a minivan or SUV so as to endanger more passengers at any given time’. They have a third row that is always filled with little persons screaming down the road. The drivers tend to be a bit frazzled and distracted by all the noise coming from inside the vehicle as to notice that other cars exist. Blinkers are something they use in drivers ed; a head check is what I do to make sure my makeup and hair still look good. ‘Proud Parent of a (insert your favorite school here) Honor Roll Student’ bumper sticker is a must.

I would be a NASCAR driver, but they won’t let this tricked out sh*t on the track. The late-model sports car with more money sunk in aftermarket performance accessories than the car originally cost. You know it’s true because the brand names of all the gear is plastered all over the front quarter-panels of the cars. You can hear their exhaust from a block away. Again blinkers are so passé and we are all just keeping them from their next speeding ticket; so get out of the way!

This is just the beginning of what could be a very large list. But more importantly than what I think about people based on what kind of car they drive is how they actually drive. So heads up, phone down, and drive.

Bruce Dickinson says he's got a fever

As the elections came to a close I was sad, in more than one way. But mostly it was because Saturday Night Live would no longer be doing the Thursday Update shows. I was getting used to having the political satire on a semi-weekly basis. Political discussions were heated both in my personal and professional lives. But this show added some much needed jest at the whole process. Now, I’m not knocking our democratic method of electing officials in the least, but rather that people get so ‘into it’ for a matter of a few months and then return to being ‘neutral’. I can’t stand that mentality; that’s another post all together.

So, mourning my twice weekly SNL fix, I went in search of my favorite past skits. By the way, did you know that Amy Poehler will not be back after her maternity leave? Yep, unless they get her to come back like Tina Fey, we will no longer be seeing Hillary Clinton on the late night. Anyway. Both my wife and I are big Will Ferrell fans and Christopher Walken fans. So what better way to culminate those two favorites than a parody skit of an episode of Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult. Click HERE to see it. The best line is…’I’ve got a fever; and the only prescription is more cowbell.’ So, watch and laugh a little. Life is too short.