'Congress: SHAME ON YOU!'

57)  Congress: SHAME ON YOU!

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f they were children they would have been given a ‘time out’ or a spanking.  If they were high school or college students, they would have been suspended or expelled.  If they were professional athletes or investment professionals, they would have been evicted and, maybe, banned for life; they, themselves, would have been having hearings.   If they were Employees at Will, they would have been fired.  If they were military personnel, they'd be demoted or even thrown in the brig.  In another country, they may have been overthrown or assassinated.

            Indeed, according to a New York Times columnist, a record number of politicians went to jail in 2012.

            They managed to destroy our credit rating, which made the US Government the safest investment on Earth.  It was thought so due to its power of taxation, never having paid interest late, never having defaulted on a debt, and, loosely, its supposed ability to ‘print money’.  Now there are for-profit corporations rated safer, and their responsibility is to their stockholders!  There's no transparency, and our civil liberties are smothered.  There was the Fiscal Cliff, tax change (the type I expected and to our benefit, but after such bickering) and now the Sequester.   Voters and residents are confused, upset, depressed, disillusioned, and demoralized, and Americans are forming militias and becoming Doomsday preppers.

            It seems as if we’ve switched from one step forward, three steps back, to one slow step at a time.  At least, the stock markets think so.  Employment’s slightly up, we’re most of the way through the winter, some holidays are approaching, and American morale may be a little better.

            But, it's still the other Golden Rule: 'The One with the Gold Makes the Rules'.  Money is so strangely intoxicating.

Many continue to suffer, whether it's not knowing how much tax to have taken out of their paycheck, or about unemployment, or having lost their home due to business & financial collapse or weather.

            Congress has become a childish power struggle, dividing the Union like the Civil War for which our entire society shall pay and suffer.  One of my friends also thinks it's racist.  It’s something we must overcome immediately before it escalates and something horrible happens; they are supposed to be working for us.

            How long are we going to trust them?  How far are we willing to trust them?  We can kick the out at election times.

            Should it return to being a volunteer position like when we were founded?

            When you look at the lists of the cities on Earth to live (based on factors such as happiness, healthcare, infrastructure), it's becoming more plausible to leave the US.  There's a whole community of older brothers and sisters out there from whom we can learn and with whom we can enjoy life.  So many speak English, balance work & play better than we, have excellent technology & infrastructure, are less crowded, and have daily flights to the US.  Some are much less expensive - further bettering your quality of life.

            Do you have a financial plan?

            Who's your Trusted Family Advisor®?

           

www.WomenAndMoney.TV

'Income Tax Reporting - Your Patriotic Duty'

56)  Income Tax Reporting

- Your Patriotic Duty



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ncome taxes are your patriotic duty.  It's just a shame it's so complicated.  And there's so much waste, and everybody tries to rip off the system rather than feeling they're supporting a government that provides valuable services to them.

            Other countries, such as Sweden, see millionaires returning out of patriotism, because they feel the way I want to feel.

            Nevertheless, we have to settle up on April 15th.

            A tax return is built from the bottom, up.  Information on lower pages, feeds information to middle pages, and eventually, everything gets summarized on the top two pages, of some version of the IRS Form 1040.

            You want to become familiar enough with ‘constructing’ a Return to take advantage of every tax saving tactic you can.

            On average, we all pay between 15 and 50% of our income in taxes.  You can't consistently earn that much on investments, so your first, best investment should be in tax management.

            Learn about what you can deduct (i.e. Adjustments, Deductions); learn about Credits.

            If you can't or don't want to do it yourself, then hire someone who knows.  Make that someone, someone who's patient, explains things clearly and repetitively and who will take the time to teach you to manage your custom taxes - not just someone to prepare them (which is what too many tax preparers do).

            Become empowered, save tax, file early and easily.

            Who's your Trusted Family Advisor®?

 

           

www.WomenAndMoney.TV

'Motivated by Goals, Not Fears'

54)  Motivated by Goals, Not Fears

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hat a shame to be motivated by fear - except, maybe, when safety’s at stake.

With the New Year, it's time to remember to set goals, and let them be your motivators.

You need to review your goals daily.  Maybe post a photo or display a toy or something that reminds you.

Also, use affirmations in the present tense that state the goal as already having been achieved.  This will help program your subconscious, or at least, help to manage expectations.

You must believe!

Goals can be achieved one step at a time.  Sort of, like how you eat an elephant - one bite at a time.  Or how a journey begins - by putting one foot in front of the other.

In WWII, MBO was developed - Management by Objectives.

For instance, if the goal was to recapture Paris, then the objectives were to first capture Hill 319, then Hill 320, etc.

So objectives are the step-by-step actions you take to systematically pursue your goal.

This calls for a plan - a financial plan.  Then you know what your goals and objectives are, what the time frame is, your risk tolerance, your liquidity needs (emergency plan), and other details.

Just like a jigsaw puzzle of your life, you start by framing the picture.  Then you start to fill in certain sections, such as credit, taxes, investments, insurance.  Eventually the picture starts to take shape.

And each piece has its place, so you don't want to jam it in where it doesn't belong.  This also means that, sometimes, you have to walk away and take a break.  You don't always want to plan without finally acting.

So what's your picture look like?  What's your plan?

            

www.WomenAndMoney.TV

'The Anxiety Society'

48) The Anxiety Society

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elcome to today's Depression Session, here at the Anxiety Society.

            Today we will cry and self medicate.  We'll bitch & moan, whine, complain and sleep.

            The only cost is your salvation.  No one can help you if you don't want to help yourself.

            If you're serious about ending it, and letting the rest of us down - friends, family, children - please do so quickly and quietly, and keep the line moving.

            If not, please hide your lethargy and temptation to complain.

            Reduce your sugar, caffeine, alcohol & drugs, and increase your sun exposure and exercise.

            ‘Fake it 'til you make it.’  Make yourself look decent since feeling good starts with looking good.

            Get out of bed.  Take a shower; regiment your existence.  Pace yourself.  Visit others.  Find a way to laugh frequently.  See a doctor, read, pray.  Repeat your affirmations three times daily - in the present tense.  Try standing and reciting them loudly.

            You cannot overcome or recover from this affliction by doing just one big thing; you must consistently do many small things.  We are biochemical beings in this incarnation, housing our essence; the correct mixture must be maintained!

            If you can't do the 'right' thing, it's better to still do some-thing, rather than noth-ing.

            Healthily help yourself.  Forgive yourself.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Give yourself permission to be human, and sad, and feel bad.

            Take what you need and leave the rest.

            Your journey may be long and arduous.  The light at the end of the tunnel may elude you for years.  Don't let this preclude your faith; knowing this can preserve it.

            In the pool, we teach the children, “What's worse than a drowning victim?  Two drowning victims!  Take care of yourself, first!  In an airplane, we teach you to put on your oxygen mask before that of the child next you.  You must save/protect yourself and then help others - and then, HELP OTHERS; it will help you.

            Heed well, or suffer the dark.  Learn well, practice frequently, and celebrate the light.

            The first step: dealing with daily survival.

            Once you deal with emergencies, you can get your daily survival under control.  You can look ahead, set long-term goals, make a plan; and find a way to execute it.  One step at a time; one day at a time.

How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.

            Emergency plan, Systems, Financial Plan.

            Are you taking care of yourself?

           

www.WomenAndMoney.TV

'Hurricanes in New York!'

45) Hurricanes in New York!

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urricanes in New York - again!  Halloween snow storms, Halloween Hurricanes!  (Does anyone remember the 'Procaccino for Halloween' buttons of the 1969 NYC mayoral race?  It looks like an orange Jack O ‘Lantern.)

            Actually, hurricanes have been in New York since I don't know when.  However, my point is, ever since 9-11, people like mobilizing.

            Mobilization gives people a sense of purpose, and feeling of not being alone.

            I believe many of us have become confused or deflated since 9/11.  What had been a life of relative luxury and ethnocentrism, has become a life of feeling lost.  Tsunamis, weather, war, murder, terrorism, politics, and 1%'rs have caused so many of us to either, lose our way, or sort of give up.  We walk through the day with little sense of purpose or enthusiasm, and few long-term goals.

            The future is so uncertain and not necessarily better for us, and our children; hope wanes.  Frustration, anger, depression, and anxiety take over.  If nature works against us, we're totally helpless, if not extinct.  When the power goes off, we're more helpless than animals surviving in the forest.

            Now, I've been around the block.  I grew up in the concrete jungle in the '60s.  NYC, racism, Show Biz, the tail end of Hippiedom, drugs, free sex, Viet Nam, JFK, Women's Lib, etc.; fast-forward: full life, 9/11.  But Hurricane Sandy has really started to bring it home.

            Remember, I'm a First Responder and the teacher of first responders including lifeguards, water being a special medium.  My Go-Bag lies ready, and I have an 'escape from New York' plan.  I'm a self-anointed quasi-Renaissance Man, and my fraternity dubbed me with a powerful moniker to which I must live up.  And before the hurricane, I had just finished blogging on life purpose.

            As one good in an emergency, I will you that, in the middle of an emergency is no time to question your mettle, abilities, ethics, skills, commitment, or ability to respond appropriately.

            You go on automatic pilot, and avoid questioning yourself; hesitation kills.  It's not time to Be, it's time to Do.

            I checked w/family & friends throughout the seaboard, as I was so proud of myself, for not only living in NYC, but the right neighborhood of Manhattan, where my response to the hurricane was a highly productive Snow Day, both professionally & personally, listening to Classical WQXR.

            The second day, I went to the coffee shop, and then watched Sci-Fi, the Science channel and way too much news.  All three channels showed me the destruction of the world over and over again.  I became bored and cycled to Bikram yoga, where the classes were full.

            I began to suffer ‘Survivors Guilt’, for having it so easy while everyone I knew in lower Manhattan, or CT, LI, NJ, PA, MA, etc. was in the dark, without heat and connectivity.  And I began to ponder my existence.

Think about it: what if much of the city was wiped out or the population decimated?  In Sci-Fi, we've seen the Earth end a dozen different ways, and the Science channel shows us what the Earth would be like, if humans disappear.  And life really has ended on Earth before; life that outlived us by many millions of years.

            If life as we know it really ended what would be my purpose then?  What would I do?

            The book, 'Where's My Cheese?', shows how rigid we are by nature, in just our everyday lives.  Forget about hunting, gathering, farming, starting a fire, making clothes and building shelters.  No radio, TV, phonographs, elevators, no 9-11, no refrigerators, heat, gas for cars, A/C, telephone, computers.  How many of us know smoke & drum signals, and Morse Code?  How many can start a fire, make candles, skin an animal, build a structure?  What would the young do without digital anything?!

            Where would I go?  Who would I be?  How would I eat, and protect myself from the elements, other humans, and animals?

            We would really need to expect that it would become dog eat dog, and survival of the fittest.  And I haven't been practicing using knives, spears and bows & arrows, nor do I own a gun!

            What loss would civilization suffer?  Music, art, movies, technology, etc.

            We are such a speck.  A speck in the Universe; a speck in time.

            Why are we here?

We’re taught to plan for the worst and hope for the best, or roll with the punches.  Murphy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong (and at the worst possible time), to which we add Schwartz’s Corollary: Murphy was an optimist.  Also, no good deed goes unpunished.  So even with a good attitude and good intentions and good plans (Eric plans, God laughs), it’s sometimes just too overwhelming.

            Yes, humans are survivors, but what happens when our spirit is gone?  How do we rediscover a sense of purpose, and recognize our place in the universe?

            Probably nothing you haven't heard, but it bears repeating:

ü  Never give up.

ü  Procreate.

ü  Live for today, plan for tomorrow.

ü  Enjoy each day as if it was your last.

ü  Use common sense, and don't be frivolous.  Make smart, conscious, deliberate decisions.

ü  Acquire, practice & employ the skills you need for survival.

ü  Acquire the resources you need for survival.

ü  Be motivated by goals, not fears.

ü  Learn, read, discuss, and explore your own philosophies and spirituality to develop a sense of self and a sense of purpose.

ü  Continue to be curious and learn.

ü  Play a responsible, ethical role in society.

ü  Fake it ‘til you make it - mobilize

            The end of the world may not yet be here (although 12/21 is just weeks away.  And what do we do if the world doesn’t end?!).  By managing expectations, and living life to the fullest, we can rediscover a life of purpose.  Without it, we do not truly live.

            Your financial plan should reflect your life:

Ø  Emergency Management (e.g. cash, water, blankets, first aid kit)

Ø  Daily survival (e.g. budgets, savings, systems)

Ø  Risk Management (e.g. emergency cash, credit, insurance, exercise)

Ø  Goal-oriented work, play, laughter & fun.

            Why are we here?  Why are you here?  What’s your purpose?  What’s your plan?  Is your financial plan a burden, or a survival tool?

           

www.WomenAndMoney.TV

Ichabod Crane - I Remember Him Well...

44) Ichabod Crane - I Remember Him Well...

           (A $7.99 + S&H Predictive Halloween Tale)

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he Crane family I knew, lived at the corner of my street.  Their property contained a pond with snapping turtles and a ranch-style house with a two-horse stable.  A wooden fence and thick Evergreens surrounded it.

            There were three brothers; I was friendly with Stuart, the youngest.

            Then there was Ichabod.  Poor Ichabod.

            Ichabod always wanted free food, wine, women, and a bed; and everyone knew it.

            In school, we called him 'Icky' because he constantly picked his nose.  And his hair was always unkempt, his fingernails filthy, and his clothes always wrinkled and disheveled; he was generally an unkempt slob.  He was skinny, scraggly, wore glasses, and walked pigeon-toed.  It was hard to move past his outward appearance.

            He moved into town during primary school, after many of our classmates had established 'elementary social circles', and was therefore, shunned.  He was a frequent guest of the Headmaster, who believed, 'spare the rod and spoil the child'.

Poor Ichabod.

  

            By middle school, he was a loner and quick to lose his temper.  Little did we know he'd also lose his head.

We never conceived he'd become a terrible, monstrous murderer, nor that he'd become infamous, after the newspapers serialized him along with the Revolutionary, Mercenary, Hessian, Headless Horseman who patrolled our woods after dark, making us respectful of our sleepy Hollow.  Yet, I suppose, the writing was on the wall - and the pumpkin shell - a spooky Jack-o’-lantern, was on the ground, across the bridge, poor Icky never to be seen or heard of, again…

 

            But bad things happen to good people and we just didn't realize what effect our behavior had on others.  Childhood learning and experiences have far-reaching effects and can scar us for a lifetime.  And scare us for a lifetime; to this day, you won’t catch me walking in the Hollows after dark.

 

(To boot, there was Horrible Hannah, who escaped from the mental asylum when it burned one year, who lived in the woods, came out at night, could run as fast as the wind, and could smell colors, leaving nowhere to hide!  A tale for another time…)

            Poor Icky.  What his youth must have been like.  And we feared he’d someday become a justice of the ten pound court; what would that have meant?

            We are most impressionable in our youth, and that’s our first exposure to money.

Historically money is 'dirty'.  Even Bugs Bunny spanks Babyface Finster for touching the dirty money ('Baby Buggy Bunny').  Parents tell children not to talk about money at the dinner table, and not to repeat things about it outside the home; spouses feel the need to hide or protect money from each other.  Money is hidden rather than explained, taught and integrated, which might lead to a healthy relationship with money. 

Later, as fairytales go, the boys learn business & finance, and go out into the world to ‘find/make their fame & fortunes’.  The girls go to the kitchen and learn homemaking & household budgeting, as they move from ‘Daddy’s House’ to ‘Husband’s House’.

 

Even fraternity Brothers who study business together and after college talk about their earnings, eventually stop doing so.  In spite of secrecy and loyalty, money becomes taboo and embarrassing - embarrassing about how much you earn and spend - embarrassing about how much you don't earn and can't spend.

            Friends won't invest with friends who are professional money managers due to attached stigmas and the potentially bad consequences.

Yet, in spite of similar privacy restrictions, people will confide in friends who are doctors, lawyers, and clergy, seemingly more intimate relationships.

People will share their secrets about sex, drug use, and health before they will about their money.

At best, having or discussing money is in bad taste; at worst, it’s a curse.

Do you share these values?

            So, if we all keep such secrets, and sow such seeds, teasing others, making ignorant value judgments and poor decisions, unhealthily inculcating our kids, living like greedy, amoral or immoral '1%ers', craving the greener grass on the other side of the fence, or even coveting another's belongings or spouse, do we not deserve what we reap?

            And what of the Grim Reaper?  You can’t take it with you.

Closed minds are more dangerous than closed purses and purposes.

            Money and Morality begin at home.  Their tiny buds can germinate at school, and eventually business and society.  The 'Haves and Have Nots' do not have to be measured in dollars, versus health, happiness, peace, creativity, family, friends, arts & entertainment, hobbies, and intellectual pursuits.  When we say someone is rich, we would need not qualify it by stating that we don’t mean money.  Wouldn't it be wild to have to qualify it as material wealth?

            So I tell my tale of an Icky Halloween.  Alas, poor Ichabod.  ('And what about Naomi?')

            Neighbors, heed well my hallowed warning: the Eve of All Hallows shall outlive your pursuit of currency.  Use your head, or lose it!  Make conscious, deliberate decisions about your quest for wealth; Icky rides this night!

            What's your relationship with money?  Is money a tool?  A prize?  A weapon?  Does it represent safety and security?  Do you use it for good?  Do you use it for evil?  Do you use it ignorantly or frivolously?  Is money, itself, good?  Or is money bad?  (‘The Shadow knows…’)

            What's important about money to you?

           

www.WomenAndMoney.TV