That is a phrase that I see every day, working with Property and Casualty Insurance. Fact is, we live in a society that lives beyond its means. WAY beyond its means. This morning I had a discussion with my supervisors about the economy and people who spend too much which ferments my belief that Kenny and I are part of a dying breed of people that will not manage their lives into ruin.
I have a close friend that lives like this. She works part time and spends more money in a month that I make working full time. She charges everything to her credit card, and will not deny herself. It breaks my heart but there is nothing I can do because my good advice falls on deaf ears. I tell her to cut the card up, transfer the balance to a 0% one year interest card and pay it off over a year. Yet each wedding, birth, family event, party, birthday, means a chance for her to expend more money that she doesn’t have!
The consequence of not showering her family with gifts, she says, is a downward glance from loved ones when she doesn’t meet their gifting expectations. I have always thought that as long as you show your family you love them on those special days, the amount should never matter. Friendship and love can never be bought.
I try to live my life as best I can, being stewardess over the gifts that I have been given. Trying to keep my chin up when I want to sit and count what has been given or gained, and to scrutinize the amounts that others have. It serves me well to think carefully, when I remember to do so, and I have the companionship of another even more thoughtful than I, and often to the point where I struggle with
Wanting to leap before I look, he holds me back.
Here is the key, I believe.
-Never spend more than you take in one paycheck if you can help it.
(I interpret this to mean, exceptions being your main source of transportation breaks down and no other is available, and that your health and safety is not in jeopardy)
-Don’t borrow more in a student loan more than your expected out of college income can pay off in 5 years after graduation.
- Don’t every buy a brand new car
- Keep the old car till you can’t push it, then buy a used one.
- Own your car as soon as possible
- Do not buy more house than you can pay off at your current pay rate in a 30 year mortgage. (fixed rate)
- Never take out an ARM in this current economy. (the fixed is fine anyway right now)
- Always put into your retirement what your company will match (free money that earns interest –heck yeah!)
- Start saving fore retirement at 22.
- Always carry some form of health insurance….always.
- Never go without car insurance.
- Trust in the Lord to provide for your needs.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Transformers 2007
My deepest apologies for being a year late, but out of all the movies that I saw in 07 this one was in the top 3. It deserves a review, and I am glad that I can provide a fresh one, having just rewatched it this week.
Do you remember Saturday morning cartoons? This was one of my favorite. Optimums Prime, in my honest opinion, is better than Batman (See: You Tube: The ultimate showdown, of ultimate destiny) I know this will spike some controversy from you Batman fans about there. Here is my defense. Batman, great hero, great toys, great story, great angst. Optimums Prime, great hero, leader of the auto-bots, great story, great angst - killed his brother with the all spark, and great VOICE!.
Like the James Earl Jones of Robots his voice commands men to lead and women to swoon.
But this movie is really not all about the robots. The human characters play a major, and very believable part. The movie sets the stage for the Transformers story but telling how transformers came to Earth, what happened when they encounter the American military, and what all of this has to do with high schooler Sam Whitwicky. (Shia Labeouf)
There are just a few movies that have the absolute, edge of your seat, oh my goodness, what will happen, anticipation to their action sequences. Transformers is one of them. Even re-watching, I found myself cheering for the autobots that I remembered from the 90's cartoons as they came on the screen, and was once again on the edge of my (beanbag) chair.
Transformers is a must see for the cartoon lover, and for the action lover. It has the best of both worlds.
Like the James Earl Jones of Robots his voice commands men to lead and women to swoon.
But this movie is really not all about the robots. The human characters play a major, and very believable part. The movie sets the stage for the Transformers story but telling how transformers came to Earth, what happened when they encounter the American military, and what all of this has to do with high schooler Sam Whitwicky. (Shia Labeouf)
There are just a few movies that have the absolute, edge of your seat, oh my goodness, what will happen, anticipation to their action sequences. Transformers is one of them. Even re-watching, I found myself cheering for the autobots that I remembered from the 90's cartoons as they came on the screen, and was once again on the edge of my (beanbag) chair.
Transformers is a must see for the cartoon lover, and for the action lover. It has the best of both worlds.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Callender Papers: Cynthia Voigt
"Think Carefully....., Jean, Before you become disheartened."
- Constance Wainwright, The Callender Papers
Anyone who read during middle school summers knows that Cynthia Voigt is best known for writing Dicey's Song. I had the dickens of a time finding The Callender Papers because everyone assumed I wanted Dicey's Song, and even tried (at Barnes N Nobody in Farmington Hills) to convince me that it was the authors better work. Finally I had to order it be shipped to me. God bless the world wide web.
I will resist a rant on how Dicey's Song is only "good" because it is about an impoverished and broken family, and most "educated" childrens book reviewers would never even think to dust of the cover of Callender Papers due to the lack of family drama, twisted individualisim, and the traditional snubb of the institutions of family and tradition.
God forbid we ever write a book about self-made rich people and their lives.
Whatever.
The Callender Papers is an edgy mystery at about the 10th grade reading level. (though that may have changed to pre-grad since I have been in High School) It was my absolute favortie to read on a long Saturday afternoon, and I wore out the unabridged casette version from the library.
The story is about 13 year old Jean Waingwright. A girl who has been brought up not to reject emotion, but to govern over it by thinking carefully about everything. She is an orphan who has been brought up by the loveable, but stern, Ms. Constance Wainwright; headmistrress of Wainwright Academy for Girls. It is the start of summer vacation and out of the blue Ms. Wainwright recieves a request from one of her biggest donors to allow him to employ one of his school girls at his Mansion for the summer to sort through and catologue the family papers. Although the request is open ended, the note specifically mentions Jean and she is given the opportunity to think carefully about the position. Deciding that employment would be benificial to her growth and allow her to pay back for the promise Ms. Wainright has given her to send her to a girls college, and for the hint of adventure that the request brings, Jean accepts and prepares to spend her first 2 months away from Aunt Constances' care in the Birkshire Mountians.
Her employer, one Mr. Thiel, is a hard and reclusive artist who remains in his large home in the hills most of the time. He is rejected by the people of the town for being a "hider" durring the Civil War, and for his general direct and offen offensive opinions of the state of things.
While sorting through the Callender family papers, belonging to the late wife of Mr. Thiel, Irene Callender Theil, Jean uncovers the family history and some of the family secrets.....one of which could even endanger her life.
I will be 82 and still wanting to be re-reading this book. This is where Cynthia Voigt shows her true strengths and passions as an author. I especially recommend this book to my more literary friends out there, Erin, Tabitha, Esther, Chris, and the rest. It is like a warm blanket and a cool glass of milk on a rainy day.
- Constance Wainwright, The Callender Papers
Anyone who read during middle school summers knows that Cynthia Voigt is best known for writing Dicey's Song. I had the dickens of a time finding The Callender Papers because everyone assumed I wanted Dicey's Song, and even tried (at Barnes N Nobody in Farmington Hills) to convince me that it was the authors better work. Finally I had to order it be shipped to me. God bless the world wide web.
I will resist a rant on how Dicey's Song is only "good" because it is about an impoverished and broken family, and most "educated" childrens book reviewers would never even think to dust of the cover of Callender Papers due to the lack of family drama, twisted individualisim, and the traditional snubb of the institutions of family and tradition.
God forbid we ever write a book about self-made rich people and their lives.
Whatever.
The Callender Papers is an edgy mystery at about the 10th grade reading level. (though that may have changed to pre-grad since I have been in High School) It was my absolute favortie to read on a long Saturday afternoon, and I wore out the unabridged casette version from the library.
The story is about 13 year old Jean Waingwright. A girl who has been brought up not to reject emotion, but to govern over it by thinking carefully about everything. She is an orphan who has been brought up by the loveable, but stern, Ms. Constance Wainwright; headmistrress of Wainwright Academy for Girls. It is the start of summer vacation and out of the blue Ms. Wainwright recieves a request from one of her biggest donors to allow him to employ one of his school girls at his Mansion for the summer to sort through and catologue the family papers. Although the request is open ended, the note specifically mentions Jean and she is given the opportunity to think carefully about the position. Deciding that employment would be benificial to her growth and allow her to pay back for the promise Ms. Wainright has given her to send her to a girls college, and for the hint of adventure that the request brings, Jean accepts and prepares to spend her first 2 months away from Aunt Constances' care in the Birkshire Mountians.
Her employer, one Mr. Thiel, is a hard and reclusive artist who remains in his large home in the hills most of the time. He is rejected by the people of the town for being a "hider" durring the Civil War, and for his general direct and offen offensive opinions of the state of things.
While sorting through the Callender family papers, belonging to the late wife of Mr. Thiel, Irene Callender Theil, Jean uncovers the family history and some of the family secrets.....one of which could even endanger her life.
I will be 82 and still wanting to be re-reading this book. This is where Cynthia Voigt shows her true strengths and passions as an author. I especially recommend this book to my more literary friends out there, Erin, Tabitha, Esther, Chris, and the rest. It is like a warm blanket and a cool glass of milk on a rainy day.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Drill Here, Drill Now!
Go Newt!
See this is the guy whom I wanted to run for President. He cuts right through the BS.
This issue, in off shore and restricted drilling, has made it to the floor of congress, forcing the Democratic party to focus on their failed campaign promises of 4 years ago. Here is the link to the petition.
http://www.americansolutions.com/actioncenter/petitions/?Guid=54ec6e43-75a8-445b-aa7b-346a1e096659
Here is the link to the fox news article.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,368762,00.html
Lets see if the drive by media can get the issue right. I am not holding my breath or anything.
See this is the guy whom I wanted to run for President. He cuts right through the BS.
This issue, in off shore and restricted drilling, has made it to the floor of congress, forcing the Democratic party to focus on their failed campaign promises of 4 years ago. Here is the link to the petition.
http://www.americansolutions.com/actioncenter/petitions/?Guid=54ec6e43-75a8-445b-aa7b-346a1e096659
Here is the link to the fox news article.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,368762,00.html
Lets see if the drive by media can get the issue right. I am not holding my breath or anything.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Tudors (First 2 Disks)
Well, how can I mention this series without first saying that there are large quantities of nudity. Like more than I ever wanted to know about King Henry VIII. I mean the very first scene brought forth questionable body parts....although I did not see the full scene, as I was preparing for a moment a dish in Kenny's kitchen, but he brough to light the appearance of said parts by verbally pronouncement and gesticulations.
Ah....so was the sordid reign of King Henry.
But the series is not without merit, again with the pure of heart holding closely to the fast forward. The depiction of Catherine of Aragon is very intriguing. As is the depiction of her nephew Emperor Charles.
And the scholar, Sir Thomas Moore.....and his ragings to the King about that blasphemous little traitor of a monk all of it is quite to how I have read it in History class and is most enjoyable. I shall post of how the series ends.
Ah....so was the sordid reign of King Henry.
But the series is not without merit, again with the pure of heart holding closely to the fast forward. The depiction of Catherine of Aragon is very intriguing. As is the depiction of her nephew Emperor Charles.
And the scholar, Sir Thomas Moore.....and his ragings to the King about that blasphemous little traitor of a monk all of it is quite to how I have read it in History class and is most enjoyable. I shall post of how the series ends.
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