Explaining the recession

As someone who is educated and attempts to keep up with local, national and international news,  I largely understand the how and why the economy has  changed this past year.  Today at work, I was having lunch in a co-workers office.  He's in his 40's and works a managerial position in our service department.   We were discussing the fact that most companies, including ours, were electing to not give annual bonuses.  Out of the blue, he looks at me and says, "I honestly don't understand why the economy is so bad, how did it all happen?"  

I looked at his eyes and he was genuinely asking for my help.  First, he didn't understand how the housing market had so many foreclosures, so we started there...with the bad loans (oh, those ARMs).  We talked for about 20 minutes and I used real world examples of how the housing foreclosures effected the financial sector which effected banking's ability to lend to other businesses and individuals which effected consumer purchase power, payrolls, etc. Basically we talked about the trickle down effect.  

After lunch, I felt good.  Not because I knew what was going on or could explain it in a synopsis.  But because he now understood why his life has changed.   He understood why I was cutting 10-15% out of his repair and maintenance budget.  He understood why it was necessary, for the first time, to cut out discretionary benefits like bonuses and profit sharing.  

This impromptu lunch/lesson led me to think that there must be so many others who don't understand the how and why of this recession.   Today, people work so many hours, even two jobs, so if someone at work isn't having a lunch and learn w/ them, who's explaining this mess to people who don't read the blogs I do, don't spends an hour a day reading online news chatter, or don't have my education/background in real estate?  I wonder how many people are frustrated, not only with the lack of bonus, but with not knowing why.

The American public is made up of such a melting pot of citizens, all should be educated on what is happening to them, shouldn't they?

Full disclosure

A recent conversation with a friend got me thinking about when your seeing a new guy and the question gets popped... "How many partners have you had?" And we are not talking about square dancing here.

So what do you do? If your, well experienced, do you give full disclosure? You could risk him thinking your "too experienced" or as a man would say,"a slut". If your a woman has only been with a couple partners, a man could read into that too...thinking that your probably a clingly relationship freak aka plays hard to get too often.

And truely does it matter? As long as you've played it safe, why does he care? I say tell the truth and roll with the punches wherever they may fall.

Bucket List Version 2009

This year, my friends and I decided not to make a New Year's resolution.  Instead, we put together a bucket list.  Yes, typically bucket lists are lists of things you want to do before you kick the bucket. Our list is titled "version 2009" as it only encompasses our 2009 goals.  

My list has a wide array of items, some for my soul, some physical and some financial.  Most of all, my list will guide me towards a bigger purpose for this year... to be happy being me.

My "BUCKET LIST - Version 2009":

- Volunteer regularly (minimum of once per month) at either the Red Cross or a non-profit which benefits homeless families.

- Participate in the Relay for Life this coming summer.

- Learn how to properly shoot a handgun and become good at target shooting (I know this is unusual, but always been something I wanted to do).

- Be able to run a 5k by year end.

- Go to Argentina for my 35th birthday w/ all my friends... no more backing out or making excuses why we cannot go.

- Maintain better communication with my father, making sure we speak weekly.

- Save enough money to purchase another investment property.

- Apply and start class for my CPM (Certification in Property Management).

- Complete my wine rack and install.

- Go to Carmel for a weekend since I've never been there.

- More intimacy (just leave it at that :-))

- Go skydiving

- Join Club One and attend 3x per week

- Read at least one book cover to cover

- Love myself for better or worse

Well, that's my list.  Wish me luck!

The First Question

For quite awhile, I have been curious how I could connect with others like me.  I'm typically a person who keeps their personal life out of public eye, but I've decided to see if blogging can be therapeutic or if somehow I can get answers to lingering questions.  Hmm, maybe I can even answer a few of my own questions.  

I think one of my most significant questions is, as a single 34-year old career woman, when, where and how do I find people I can form relationships with?  I don't like to mix business with my personal life, so where else does one find both friendships and love?