Winter Break

Just turned in my paper and exam to finish off the semester. My eyes are weary from staying up late and my apartment is messy from neglect. I spend my first evening with no after-work obligations with a victory Big Mac and surfing the internet. I don't mean it sarcastically, it is a great feeling.

Time is easily lost without an evening schedule. I may have to re-ordain my tv and internet curfews to stay on task. The self-imposing limitations have worked well before.

Goodie Day

I actually made something for goodie day tomorrow!

Recession Bites Head and Tail

I see the U.S. recession second hand. I hear about it on the news, talk about it in class, and meet people who have their troubled stories. In my safe view of the world, I live comfortably and see my friends enjoy life as any middle class person would. Admittedly, I would continue my life not thinking about the recession if it wasn't for the media and the class assignments. To ignore the situation would be naive. If the recession does not pinch me now, it still could bite in the future.

The middle class seems to be the least effected with the current recession. The lower and upper classes seem to feel the most pain. For the lower class, it is obvious that a bad situation just got worse with the declining economy and their high susceptibility for unemployment. The upper class is undoubtedly able to survive, but it still hurts when their high dollar investment portfolios lost hundred thousands of dollars suddenly. The middle class has a better chance of keeping their jobs than the lower class, and the middle class have only modest investment portfolios that can be recovered.

What is a middle class person to do in this recession? Most are continuing with their lives as usual with little precaution. Is that ignoring what is going on or is it helping the economy with consumer spending? The government is taking measures to dig the U.S. out of this recession, but the individual contribution of partaking in this effort is muddied in the policies. It seems that all an individual could do is vote for the political figures that are most likely to resolve a major and complicated problem.

The U.S. recession is not over. With the current unemployment rate at 9%, everyone should care regardless of income bracket.

So. Much. Fun.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Ready for the Q.

Ready to party with friends.

Ready to hike a new mountain.

How To Become a Millionaire

Sifting through my junk mail, I found two interesting items. The first was a coupon for a free Wendy's breakfast combo (woohoo!... and not the point of this blog entry) and a flyer from my credit card advertising million dollar giveaways.

Million dollar giveaways sounds so enticing and at the same time sound like a fake, cheesy promo. It did make me think, "What would I do with a million dollars?" Before I got too far in my fantasies, I had to google what others advised on how to become a millionaire.

After ten minutes of searching and reading, I thought the article below from wikihow was interesting. Of course the point isn't just to be rich, it is to have money to spend my time the way I want to spend my time as much as possible and comfortably. Some of the advice is general and obvious, but I did like the suggestion of going on a game show. That's a new one for me.

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Millionaire

1. Open a savings account! Having a savings account is one of the many ways where you can set your money up to work for you. Your initial deposit of money grows whether or not you make additional deposits by interest. Learn the different types of accounts, including accounts like IRAs.
2. Buy stocks! If you are gung-ho for individual stocks, you should buy stocks of the companies whose products and services you use or purchase. One of the best ways to invest in individual stocks is through an investment club; you may want to consider forming one with your friends.
3. Buy mutual funds. Mutual funds are really an investment of other investments. When you own a mutual fund, you actually own the securities (stocks, bonds, cash) within the mutual. With mutual funds, you are pooling your money with other investors and diversifying your investment.
4. Audition for game shows. Game shows earn their money by the audience, not the contestants.
5. Find a "system" that has been proven to make people become millionaires. The top five producers of millionaires today are: technology - internet marketing, direct marketing, home-based business, product distribution, and investments (stocks, bonds, real estate investment / development). Usually, the most stable and reliable forms of income would be from internet marketing, technology, and real estate, with internet marketing, and home based businesses requiring the least money to set up. Investments like real estate and stocks are usually quite risky and time consuming.
6. Find a mentor who has walked the walk and seek advice. Surround yourself with already-made millionaires. They can be found in several places, there's even a private online club where you can have a millionaire mentor personally show you how to make money in many areas online.
7. Win who wants to be a Millionaire. If you don't know the answer to the question, just guess you have a 25% chance of getting it right, if you do know the answer, then say it.
8. Have Fun. When you become wealthy doing something you love, your life will be much better than if you were to do something you hate or don't care about. Make a smart decision.

Tips (I've put in bold the tips I liked the most)

• Don't use a credit card much, all of the excessive spending will come back to haunt you, and you may end up in debt. Try getting a debit card for daily purchases, they're a lot easier to deal with. Use your credit card only for emergencies, and to establish your good credit.
• Try not to take any big loans, because that's "big" money that you'll just have to pay back, and you could end up in debt for that also.
• Control your expenses. You get rich on the difference between that and what you make
• Make it a game. Looking for opportunities to make money is supposed to be fun. Never sweat it.
• Read. The more you know the more you will perceive to be possible, the more you can make.
• Make it about something else than money. It has to be fun. Fair enough you are doing it to become financially well off but few wealthy get off on that alone.
• Make friends with people who share the same goals and values. It will reduce your downtime, and give you pleasure when you are down.
• Make friends with people who are different than you. They can be the greatest source of inspiration and guidance if you are open to their different perspective.
• Help others. Learn to be a caring individual that makes the world better for people around yourself. It will lead to more positivity coming your way. Also, donating to charities can come back to you in the form of tax deductions.
• Plan. Define what you want, Act on it, and Evaluate often to see how you are going.
• It is OK to be cheap, but never be cheap on things that give you value.
• Never invest more than you are willing to lose. This is particularly important when you start. The older and more experienced you get the less risk you are likely to take, or the better you are capable of taking it.
• Think a lot on why you want to become rich, what exactly you want to buy, what lifestyle you want. Make it specific, and date your time for having it and why it matters to you.
• Money represents value. You might come to the understanding that you make money on giving something that other value more than what they pay. You spend the money to get something that is more valuable.
• If possible, make the maximum out your retirement fund provided either by your government or your work. Then proceed to put as much money in to an account like a Roth IRA.
• Whoever said money can't buy happiness has never driven a sports car!
• Money can never buy true happiness. Do not lose your friends and family over making money.

Warnings

• Unless you are the wealthiest person in the world, there will always be someone with more money than you; there will always be someone with less money than you.
• Be prepared to make choices that are different than most people around you.
• Keep riches and wealth in perspective i.e. don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg. In other words, avoid neglecting the source of the wealth e.g. decent health.
• Money doesn't always buy happiness (but it can take care of almost everything else).
• Never steal money. So don't get any ideas about robbing the bank.
• Do not brag about how much money you have. Thieves will be more likely to target you.
• Outside of saving your money, there is no guarantee that you will make money through stocks. You should be wary of anyone who tells you otherwise.
• The internet is full of scams. Do not invest any money in them unless you know they are legit.

Robot Zombie Brain Dumping

I'm back in the full-time job with two classes swing of things. I'm not quite swinging that high, and I'm kicking the gravel, but I'm definitely airborne.

You can tell I'm back in school because I'm blogging. It's amazing all the things I do to avoid homework. I really just need to get my mind off of everything right now.

I wanted to make my blogging comeback with a funny story, but that sounds like more brain power than I'm willing to give right now.

By the way, my blogging negligence has been outweighed by my new green thumb. I'd like to think my poor history in maintaining plants has made me a stronger person. Not many can claim that they had taken the lives of the easiest plants to grow- the cactus. I've had two failed attempts. This summer was a turning point, however. I'm most proud of my basil plant. It has flourished all summer.

Summer is essentially over, but I'm not ready. Fall is great, but it's like the Sunday Syndrome. You know the feeling you get on Sundays when you know there's still a full day of the weekend left, but you also know Monday and all its realities are at your front door. Winter is just like Mondays. They are both my least favorite.

What is the deal with this economy? I wonder if it's cyclical or a consequence of bad, political decisions. An economist might say both.

Team Conan

My VCR is Recording Static

This may be the next Ebay mugshot of my VCR. I've lived the life of cable TV, HDTV, and DVR. I have since down-sized and touted my need for only bunny-eared network television with its sidekick, the VCR.

I have argued that the absence of a DVR is made up in my VCR, but I realized last night that I can no longer record TV shows on my VCR. My TV show was on channel 5.1, and my VCR remote does not do fractions. Alas, the closest I got was channel 5 (or 5.0 in digital-speak), and I was recording static.

Hmm... maybe I need one of those converter boxes.

Apartment vs House Debate

Three preaching topics that should be avoided over a beer: politics, religion, and home ownership. Topics that invoke strong opinions from people are not shaken easily. The basis for these opinions revolve around a specific attitude of the world and a personal lifestyle that defines a person. To question a view of political belief, religious stance, or advantages/disadvantages of home ownership would be challenging what a person represents.

Over the past two years, I have been challenged with the question of home ownership with respect to its financial advantages. As an avid apartment renter in a time of low mortgage rates, home depreciation, and tax credit incentives, I often lost the argument to these good points. People would say, "How does someone who seems to have financial sense make such a bad financial decision?"

Today, I am raising my pint glass to my fellow renters. I ran the numbers to find out that it's not about the numbers. It's about lifestyle.

Renters aren't losing more money than homeowners. Try a quick calculation comparing the sunk costs of a house versus an apartment in one year. I'll use some representative numbers to make my point, and of course, there are many factors that can change this calculation.

Rent
Rent per month x 12 months= sunk costs in one year
$700 x 12 = $8400

House (Assume a $150k house with a 20% downpayment)
Taxes $3400
Insurance $920
Interest $4200
Maintenance, HOA,
increased utilities $1200
Tax Refund ($1500)
= $8220

Rent Sunk Costs - House Sunk Costs = $8400 - $8220 = $180

Only $180 would be lost in equity if someone rented an apartment instead of maintaining a house. $180 becomes negligible in a calculation like this one. Don't forget to factor in opportunity costs, meaning the 20% downpayment was kept as cash and invested through another vehicle. But what about house appreciation? This is true in the long term, such as 15+ years. This viewpoint is for the singles out there that don't want to narrow their opportunities because the biggest asset in their portfolio is immobile. Other advantages of renting include living in a preferred location and a maintenance-free standard of living.

Good reasons exist to own a house, however. If you...
- want more privacy
- want more space
- want to start a family
- host really awesome house parties

The decision to rent or buy is not about financial investment. It is all about lifestyle.

The Sing-Off

I finally got hooked on a a reality competition tv show. I didn't catch every episode of "The Sing-Off" but what I saw was very entertaining. I liked that it was only one week long. This may change after the pilot season.

I was surprised to discover that enough a ccapella groups exist to make a show. I was also surprised that the terrible host obviously reading the teleprompters was Nick Lachey!

Tonight's show caught my attention because Boyz II Men was performing a mash-up of their hit songs when I tuned in. Shawn Stockman is one of the judges, as is Nicole Sherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls, and (my favorite judge of the show) Ben Folds. I have to insert this interview quote from Ben Folds:

Did you ever expect to be working on a project with a Pussycat Doll?

I didn’t know what a Pussycat Doll was. I just met Nicole. We get along great. We don’t see the bands until they come up on stage, so there’s a lot of waiting time. She’s singing the whole time and she sings her ass off. Had I previously seen the Pussycat Dolls, she and her girlfriends on YouTube gyrating on top of cars, I’m not sure what I would have thought.

(Courtesy of the WSJ: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/12/16/the-sing-off-judge-ben-folds-explains-what-hes-doing-on-the-show/)

The two finalists, the Beelzebubs and Nota, were both great groups. I laughed out loud when one of the Beelzebubs members asked the backstage sound guy if he saw Nick Lachey because "he looked so hot!" Beelzebubs were incredibly energetic and must have a mastermind choreographer in their group. Each performance was refreshing and sharp. Nota offered the smooth singing, culturally influenced style of music. They were both very different.

Here's a sample of their performances.

Swell Season at Uptown

It was another evening escape from the daily grind of must work-must eat-must sleep at Uptown Theater in Kansas City. The charming theater with its bright, retro headline sign and ornate interior surprised me a second time with its selection of musical talent. An Australian Pink Floyd tribute band brought me to the theater the first time. An Irish band turned movie stars turned more popular Irish band, Swell Season, brought me to the theater this second time.

I didn't pay to see the theater, however; I paid to see Swell Season and consequently, the stars of the movie Once. It was worth it.

Glen Hansard, the lead singer, was impressive. Not only did he sing, he performed with the worn guitar featured in Once and simultaneously played the harmonica. The multi-talents were extended to the other band members. The entire band did a dance of musical chairs throughout the evening as they took on different instrumental roles.

Halfway through the show, I realized I was watching a live performance of the sequel to Once. It felt as if the ragged movie characters had made it big and were performing all over the world. To further toy with my imagination, the lead singer and star of Once was planning to return to Ireland to get married after the tour here in Kansas City. Very fitting.

Overall, the live show puts their cd to shame. The vocal and instrumental sound quality was incredible, as well as the thoughtful and entertaining anecdotal interjections. The song variety from the concert also outranks the limits of the cd capacity. I would love a live version of this night's musical performance.

9 Days Left in Albuquerque

There is so much left on the agenda in the final nine days in the desert.

Office Food

Once food enters the doors of the office, its appeal multiplies tenfold. It has now crossed from a world of vast food choices to a closed environment of vending machines. Something about the 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. tummy rumbles that make the day old donuts look so tasty. 10 seconds in the microwave softens up any pastry, right?

Office hunger stimulates an odd behavior too. No doubt, the food stash in an easily accessible drawer will be raided... slowly. So slowly that the missing goldfish crackers won't even be noticed for a few weeks or months. Not that anyone cares. Office mates typically gladly share anyway.

It's just so interesting that the enclosed work environment drives people scrounging for food in the office area, even if the food is stale and questionable.

Life in D.C.

I spent one week in D.C. and took maybe 15 pictures. I mostly bypassed the tourist hot spots and experienced the daily life in D.C., which was fantastic, aside from the nearly unbearable humidity.

I ate out a lot. A few signature places included Five Guys (burgers), Thomas Sweet Ice Cream in Georgetown, Etete (Ethiopian restaurant near Howard University), Rita's Ice Cream, and Au Bon Pain (bakery).

The metro was great. A trio of guys sang between the metro and my hotel in the afternoon rush hour that truly lifted the underground mood. I looked forward to their upbeat and talented voices on my way to my home base, but I didn't find them during my final days in D.C.

The best part of D.C. is its energy. Even if people are fighting for their one-sided issue, at least they are passionate about it. The atmosphere naturally encourages people to care about policy, economics, and all things secular. I can't help, but compare the Midwest mentality to the ones on the East Coast. Perhaps, Midwesterners feel so far removed physically from politics that they become complacent. It seems to take more effort to educate oneself in current events in the Midwest than it does on the East Coast.

I also had a personal realization during this trip. I am growing to like Modern and Contemporary Art. The Nelson-Atkins Museum and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City has planted this seed. After years of looking at the same works, I was excited to see different exhibits at the National Gallery of Art. I feel like it still wasn't enough. I'd like to find more.

You Twit Face

"In the year 3000 YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook will merge into one super-time-wasting website called 'You Twit Face'."

-Conan O'Brien

I love using Facebook, but Conan makes a hilarious and truthful statement. These social networks have heavily impacted the communication lines. I could go on about the advantages of these networks as much as I could discuss reasons for text messaging over calling. My point today is not to mull over the debate between technologies, but to rather point out a couple of human observations.

1. People are screaming for attention.

2. People demand privacy from others, yet keep none for themselves.

Why would anyone take the time to publish a 140 word description of the menial, daily activities on a regular basis? It's a desire to be noticed by someone and anyone. It's a time-filler when a person believes their time is more valuable spent impressing others, instead of facing a brief, solitary moment to themselves.

Updates that make me cringe the most are the bragging updates.

Example 1: "Enjoying the beautiful flowers my wonderful husband surprised me with today. I love you!!!"

My Response: Why in the world would you thank your husband online? He's sitting right next to you.

Example 2: "Another 'A' on my accounting exam. It's a straight-A record."

My Response: Yay. Now what?

On the flip side, I admit I'm pulling out funny ones as I'm looking some up to write this entry.

Example 1: "Writing this thesis is like passing a kidney stone."

Example 2: "Whoever hit my car will die."

Anyway, the truth is no one needs to know everything about someone else. In fact, it is advantageous to not reveal everything about one's self. Have people forgotten the attractiveness of mystery? How about the value of effort (as in getting to know someone over time)?

Keeping in touch is important, but people don't create memories through reading someone's wall or updates of their best friend online. Nothing would be left to talk about if the two people met up, except about what they read on each other's wall.

I wonder if people are losing the sense of privacy and self-confidence. In a way, these social networks promote people's need for validation from others. It's not the social networks' intent, but people have turned it into that. For example, I see a lot of, "Feeling down, need some cheering up." People are reaching out to the masses, instead of someone personally closer to them, such as a sibling, parent, or best friend that could offer more fulfilling encouragement.

I will be logging off next week to remind myself of life before my addiction to e-mail, Facebook, and all things google.

"Buying Stocks Is Like Dating"

I just finished reading Rich Dad Poor Dad's Who Took My Money book. Despite Robert Kiyosaki's consistent plugs for his other books and rhetoric against mutual funds, this book offers a nice balance to the stocks steroid-injected nature of Money Magazine and its kind. The book offers a general pep talk to the masses to financially educate themselves.

I particularly liked one paragraph from the book. I have made a comment before relating the commonalities in purchasing a house and being in a relationship. Kiyosaki, or rather his Rich Dad, has done a much better job in this comparison.

Rich dad used to say, “Buying stocks is like dating. You go to a dinner and a movie, and if you do not get along, you shake hands at the door and you don’t go out again. Buying real estate is like getting married. Before getting married, first there is generally a lot of dating… personally looking at as many properties as possible. Then after you find the property of your dreams there is a big wedding ceremony at the bank, and then you settle down and see what happens. If you and your property do not get along, and the marriage becomes a nightmare, getting divorced can be a tedious and stressful transaction.” When it comes to a business, rich dad said, “Building or owning a business is by far the most rewarding but also the most stressful of all the three assets. If investing in paper assets is like dating, and acquiring real estate is like getting married, then investing in a business is like being married with kids.”

On Happiness

A financial magazine featured an article on ways to ensure a happy retirement. One method was to surround yourself with happy people. Here's what they had to say:

"A 2008 study published in the British Medical Journal found that interacting with happy people increases your own chances of happiness. And the difference is quantifiable: Knowing someone who is happy makes you 15.3% more likely to be happy yourself, according to the study. In effect, happiness is contagious...

The study also found that coworkers have no measurable effect on individual happiness...

People who are in close geographic proximity spread their good cheer most effectively, so consider developing and nurturing relationships in your own neighborhood."

Memorial Day Weekend

When did Memorial Day weekend become a time to dust off the grill, buy beer, and invite friends and neighbors over? I always thought it was a strange concept to have so much fun on a weekend designed to commemorate those who have died in military service. It's a subject people don't like talking about.

The only major exposure relating to Memorial Day I've seen this year has been through the media. Even though the news is full of war updates and troubling events, the news sectors are one of the few that still recognize the holiday for what it stands for because of its ties to such events. The D.C. area also does a phenomenal job of recognizing Memorial Day. I spent last year's Memorial Day in D.C.

The bikers drove from all over the country to meet in D.C. They received a lot of cheers from the tourists and crowds.

The Vietnam War Memorial was simple and elegant. At the beginning of the walk, the Memorial lists the names of people who died during the first year. The wall continues to list names of the dead for the following years. The wall was constructed to show the growing magnitude of casualties throughout the war with its widening and lengthy list as the years passed.

Another observation about these weekends is that I always remember it raining at some point. I shrugged it off as coincidence in the Midwest, but sunny Albuquerque even had rain Saturday morning.

I don't know what I expect people to do, and I'm certainly not boycotting cookouts this weekend but I still can't shake off the thought of the strangeness in telling someone to have a super fun Memorial Day weekend.

Tiempo Perfecto

The Spring weather in Albuquerque is phenomenal. The sunny skies would put a smile on anyone's face. Capturing bad weather in a photo seems to express its danger or dreadfulness easily, as seen in photos of thunderstorms, tornadoes, or hurricanes. Great weather is not so apparent in photos, as seen in my attempt above.

Believe it or not, the sun was shining brightly this day. The heat of the sun was complemented by the dry breeze that occasionally and politely passed through everything in its path. The desert brown was overshadowed by the contrasting bright greens of the trees and the blues of the sky. The mountainous backdrop topped off the scene.

I got a call from someone in the Midwest and received a report of the rain in the region. I was so lost in the perfect weather, I had forgotten that bad weather even existed. It was difficult to imagine a stormy day at the time.

I also decided that Albuquerque in the Springtime is the best time to eat M&Ms. A bowl of M&Ms left in the house with no air conditioning, just fans and windows, will give just the right crunchiness to the shell. Just wonderful.