Don't Do This!

Yes, I know the Swine Flu is serious. That's why I had to post this photo to lighten the mood up a little. Plus, it's just the cutest!

Not A Baby Anymore

I was cleaning out some of the junk I have on my work computer....yes, I have personal stuff, probably too much personal stuff, like resume and cover letters....not good. Anyway, I came across Mattie's first picture. This was taken by F.L.A.G., the adoption agency. She looked so pathetic, frail and afraid. Who would have thought she would have blossomed into such an amazing creature, craziness and all!

Isn't she just the cutest!

Irish Eyes Are Smiling

On this St. Patty' Day, I think back to five years ago. The Hub and I were in Covington, Kentucky, which is just south of Cincinnati, Ohio. This is where my parents were born and raised, where we would spend Christmas with family, and where we buried my Grandparents. Five years ago, my last remaining Grandparent passed away and March 17th was the date of her funeral.

Nanny, as we called her, was my Mother's Mother. She always said that she wanted to live to 100, but in the last few years of her life, she decided it was too much work and too exhausting. She had lived her life, seen all she had wanted to see and was ready. Her body finally gave in to what her mind wanted; she was 94, 6 years shy of 100.

A few years before she passed away, Nanny decided to "divvy up" most of her jewelry. She collected lots of stuff, some expensive, some costume, but it was 100% Nanny! She loved jewelry - the flashier the better! Being the youngest grandchild, I was last in line to receive the "good stuff" but it wasn't the "good stuff" I wanted. I wanted the fun costume stuff. These are the things I remember most.

When the Hub and I were packing and getting ready to hit the road for the 9 hour drive from Richmond to Covington, I realized that the funeral was going to be on St. Patty's Day. I had an immediate recollection of Nanny wearing her flashy shamrock pin. This was one of the pins she gave me a few years back.

At the time she gave it to me, I thought I would never wear it. It's large and made up of green Austrian crystals. But, it was one of those items that was quintessential Nanny. I was proud that she gave it to me....it could have been because no one else wanted it....but still, I was excited. So, I packed the pin with the rest of my stuff and we took off on a road journey through the Virginia/West Virginia mountains, all the way up to Covington.

The day of the funeral, I donned the pin with such pride. When my Mother saw it, she had her own memories of the pin and of her Mother.

So, today, again, I donned the pin with pride; pride in my memories, pride in my family and pride in the pin!

Mother Nature Must Be Having PMS

March, the gateway month to Spring, has been quite confusing. We began with 8 inches of snow, freezing temps (literally), followed by 5 days of 70+ temps, trees budding, daffodils blooming, opening windows, wearing sandals and thinking we have broken the groundhog's spell. Think again.

It's now Friday, March 13th, and it's snowing again. Not heavy, but the fact that the white stuff is falling from the skies, is enough to make me not want to get out of bed. But work takes precedence, of course. So, instead of putting on a pair of sandals, I have on wool socks. Instead of a short sleeved shirt, I have on a turtle neck and cashmere outer sweater; basically anything to keep warm. It's 35 freaking degrees outside! My heater is on at my desk. My coffee mug is full of warm, bitter office coffee (beggars can't be choosers) and I'm wishing and day dreaming about a warm tropical beach. Hmmmmm....

Introducing Dinky Pottyboob

The following is excerpted from a children's book, “Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants”, by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...Here's how they came up with their new names:

1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:

a = snickle; b = doombah; c = goober; d = cheesey; e = crusty; f = greasy; g = dumbo; h = farcus; i = dorky; j = doofus; k = funky; l = boobie; m = sleezy; n = sloopy; o = fluffy; p = stinky; q = slimy; r = dorfus; s = snooty; t = tootsie; u = dipsy; v = sneezy; w = liver; x = skippy; y = dinky; z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = dippin; b = feather; c = b atty; d = burger; e = chicken; f = barffy; g = lizard; h = waffle; i = farkle; j = monkey; k = flippin; l = fricken; m = bubble; n = rhino; o = potty; p = hamster; q = buckle; r = gizzard; s = lickin; t = snickle; u = chuckle; v = pickle; w = hubble; x = dingle; y = gorilla; z = girdle

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

a = butt; b = boob; c = face; d = nose; e = hump; f = breath; g = pants; h = shorts; i = lips; j = honker; k = head; l = tush; m = chunks; n = dunkin; o = brains; p = biscuits; q = toes; r = doodle; s = fanny; t = sniffer; u = sprinkles; v = frack; w = squirt; x = humperdink; y = hiney; z = juice

Put them all together and you have a new name. The Hub's new name is Crusty Pottyboob... now, that's funny and kinda fits! Wiggles' new name is Dumbo Pottyboob and Mattie's is Tootsie Pottyboob...not quite as funny, but cute.

And remember that children laugh an average of 146 times a day; adults laugh an average of 4 times a day...Put more laughter in your day!!!

Stimulate This!

I found this interesting "letter" on one of the Hub's blogs that he follows and I can't agree with this person enough. Who is stimulating the economy? Well, our pathetic government better wake up and realize that it's not the poor, it's not the folks on welfare and it's not the middle income families. It's the American businesses, large and small alike. It's the wealthy who spend more money and pay more taxes that the rest of us. With the amount of money they "stimulate" into the economy, the average middle income American would have to live 100 lives just to come close. Now, that's some serious stimulation. Give these companies and people tax breaks...they will spend more and more. Then the whole "bail-out phenom" will ceased to exist. But, what then will our pathetic government do with all the free time? God only knows....

It's a little long read, but quite thought provoking, so read on!

"To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you. My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time.

On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple.

If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.

Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about..."

Monday's Forecast: Rain...

Last summer, the Hub took a consulting gig with a small and growing local employer with the agreement of temp to hire. He was painted a very Monet-ish picture of his future with this company; lots of happy colors, idyllic scenes and gilded frames. The Hub is a proud and determined man. He saw nothing but blue skies.

Three months into the gig, he was told that all permanent hiring had been put on hold, only to find out that another temp consultant was permanently hired....HUH? Say what? Basically, Virginia is the "right to work" state, so basically any agreement you have with your employer is crap. And crap is what he got.

The Hub and I have have been married for over seven years. It has always been our goal to retire young (before 60) and enjoy what life has to offer. In the 7+ years of our marriage, we have been diligent savers, 401(k)s, IRAs, SEPs, savings and other investments; saving not only for retirement but for that proverbial "rainy day".

Well, get an umbrella, because the forecast for Monday is rain with no end in sight...

After the Hub learned that he would not be given a permanent position at the small but growing company, he had a gut feeling. His gut was telling him to look for another job. So, on the hunt he went. Not a full out, "guns blazing" hunt, but a "take a snack" type of hunt. And he continued to consult for this small but growing company.

About two months ago, the gut feeling turned out to be correct. He was told that the small but growing company had hired a permanent person to replace him and his services would be terminated at the end of February. Oh yeah, and he will need to train his replacement...HUH? Say what?

So for two months, the Hub has been on the job hunt 110%. Resumes, cover letters, networking, cold-calling, web searching, etc. Basically anything to get his name out there. He's had lots of phone interviews, some in person and lots of "thanks for your resume" crap.

OK, so I'm a little bitter. I could go on a rampage about the economy, banks, executives, mortgage companies, home buyers who couldn't afford their mortgage from the get-go...Which, when all rolled into one, equals human greed. But what good would that be? All I know is that our life has been changed by this human greed. All Americans' lives have been changed by this human greed. Have we learned anything? Or will it take more destruction?

The Hub is a smart and talented man - he would be an amazing addition to any employer. The problem is that the Richmond market is saturated with lots of amazing people; soooo many amazing people, soooo many resumes and soooo little jobs. Good thing we have an umbrella...but will it be enough? That's the part that scares me to death; the unknown.

The Hub is the major bread winner in our family. Without his income, things will change, BIG-TIME. In fact, we began to change the way we live over six months ago. At first, it was a bit difficult. No trips to the mall, Target or internet shopping. Going out to eat would be a luxury and generic brands at the grocery would become the norm. So, we stay at home instead of going out, take the dogs to the park, read, basically do activities that are free.

Monday is the first day of his unemployment. I hope and pray the rainy season ends soon...