Without

With Black Friday around the corner and all the deals putting every new toy in arms reach, my question is...what can we do without?

Answer: Everything! However now that we've had it and have become dependant on it, there's no turning back for us now.

People strive for simplicity, yet keep adding more and more to their plate...be it tangible or intangible things. WE are driven by the immediate satisfaction that "things" provide for us and we've slipped into the got to have it now, want it now, "now" mentality, and unfortunately patience is a virtue that is being lost.

In Ecclesiastes 7:8 it states; The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Yet in this world we choose not to deal without, and so let pride take precedence over patience. Makes you think...

Not DUTY Free

It has been a while since I last posted anything, primarily due to my increase responsibilities at work. This has been a good thing though...I think...as it has provided me with a new opportunity to expand my horizons more globally.

My success in recruitment is being taken overseas as we look to increase our international student population. Although the travel excites me it isn't exactly a bottomless budget so we'll need to be creative and targeted on how we approach this. I've got a great team to work with so this should be a lot of fun as we move forward and accomplish this goal!

Perhaps I should polish up my Spanish, or take on more languages too...and I'm off!

Rainy Days

In a world where everything is go, go, go...now, now, now; the rainy day provides us with a moment to RELAX. The ability to sit back and let go, catch up with your thoughts, read a book, watch hours of television or movies, etc. So despite this gloomy weather there's a little part in all of us that enjoy it too!

Funny the Way it Is...

This is the title of a new Dave Matthews song (which is a great song...check it out), but not the focus of this post.

Yesterday Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest, but unfortunately in the past decade it wasn't his music that was the topic of conversation that surrounded him. Yet, all of a sudden this morning on every television and radio station, supporters come out talking about his music instead of his odd relationship with children. So why after someone is gone does support only then come out???

It makes you wonder what will be said when you leave this world...hopefully it just echoes what's being said while I'm here

Lost without Explanation

An otherwise reliable and experienced Air France flight crew are lost en route from Brazil to Paris after encountering "an electrical storm" ... oh yea and the flight pattern is just south of the Bermuda Triangle.

Although there are quite a few reported disappearances in that area, the two most notable aircraft mystery's are the Douglas DC-3 #NC16002 and US Naval Flight 19. The commonality in all of these, including the most recent Flight AF 447, has been related to electricity. Of course this poses a lot of new questions, but also possibly some answers to an industry always in need some refining. Engineers stay tuned!!!

Memorial Day

Every year this is the weekend I usually spend every hour of my day outdoors camping and fishing As I grow older I've learned to appreciate the beauty of these freedoms I have, and you can't put a price on something like that!


To the millions of people who have allowed me these opportunities, I say thank you!

BAIL OUT: Round ???

Unbelievable...specifically though I am going to focus on the banks;

The latest articles has BOA and Citi screaming for more funds. BOA is said to "need $34 billion of capital to withstand a deep economic downturn", yet "has already received $45 billion of government help"...Tough Shit!

Yes, this has struck a cord with me and for a long time I debated not writing about my current situation but the time has come...

TIMELINE
2004-Purchased a beautiful 2BD/2BA condo on an 80/20 loan from Wells Fargo
2005-Refinanced with a 'douche bag' loan shark (husband of my wife former employee) that slipped in an Interest only loan unannounced to me. Yes I trusted a mutual friend and banker...stupid I know I'll learn!
2006-Attempted to sell the condo after an inflated market drove our price up to nearly double what we paid. Awesome until....the market dropped quicker than we could drop our price
2007-Decided to rent our property
2008-REAL ESTATE takes the ultimate plunge and equally sized condos quickly are being placed in foreclosure or bankruptcy in our complex for half of what we paid

DO THE MATH: Yes you read correctly...hypothetically lets say we paid $100 for our house, which inflated to $200 and is now priced with foreclosures and bankruptcy at $50. Your starting to see my frustration with the banks.

The banks created loans for people who couldn't afford homes, and so more people with more loans = more money for the banks. Now the government is throwing money at the banks to help them stay afloat = more money for banks...meanwhile people foreclose and go bankrupt driving current real estate prices through the floor. We are seeing the next problem with banks now too stingy to loan or refinance people, even the responsible people, to hopefully avoid more foreclosure or bankruptcy's. Well, their cry for more money is not being heard by me...let them fail! Many of us will still be in the same situation either way regarding our loan headaches...heck, we may even be better off when they go under!