BACK IN THE SADDLE!

We'll I'm Back In The Saddle.............I've been out of touch for awhile, making some changes and pursuing new opportunities. In these difficult times, it's hard to determine which avenue to take next, and it's even harder to avoid frustration. But reaching that level never helps.

I've taken a couple of deep breathes, re-evaluated my working environment. Do you know what I came up with? Something I knew all along. It's not the system, or the bail outs, or the corporate bonuses, it's me.

I can't let things get me down. The pros's in my life far out weigh the con's, and my desire to succeed far out weigh any negativity running through my head. I'm a survivor (and very good at it)

So I decided, it's time to get BACK IN THE SADDLE and make my voice heard. Who knows what I'll come up with next? Until next time

HEALTHCARE

Health Care........short and sweet today. How can the most powerful, wealthiest country in the world have so many people walking around without Health Care? We live in what many people say is the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world, so how can this happen?

I live in the California Central Valley. In this part of the state, we have some of the highest foreclosure rates in the country, double digit unemployment, and thousands of citizens without Health Care. Many of the individuals currently without Health Care, lost their benefits as a direct result of losing a job.

But were not suppose to worry, because as now unemployed individuals, we have 'COBRA', available to us. I hear the word Cobra and just shake my head. So Health Care is now provided to you, (the same Health care you had available to you when you were employed) at three times the price. So let me see if I understand this: We're now being offered the same Health Care we had before at three times the price, but we no longer have a job or income coming in to pay for it? Am I missing something here?

I'm not asking for a handout, or suggesting that we give Health Care benefits away, but doesn't it make sense to offer people in this position an option they can afford? I know Congress is currently working on this very issue, but until I see it in action, I'll continue to ask the question.

AMERICANS NEED AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE. MAYBE A FEWER CORPORATE JETS, PENTHOUSE APARTMENTS, OR FANCY VACATIONS IS THE ANSWER............UNTIL NEXT TIME!

POLITICIANS

POLITICIANS....Love them or hate them, their here to stay. A position of power which goes straight to their heads. What's really frustrating, WE PUT THEM THERE! Throughout the campaign process (which I believe now last about 10 years), we listen to promise after promise as to how this individual is going to make our lives easier, how they'll implement concepts and ideas that will right all the wrongs that took place during his/her predecessors time in office. So we place our trust in them and elect them...................

BIG MISTAKE!............Once in office, there goes the power. You can almost see it working its way up to their heads. Suddenly, all those campaign speeches, promises, ideas, are just a faded memory. They don't even remember who we are. (Unless of course, you provided a significant campaign contribution), then you can just sit back and wait for your BAILOUT MONEY to arrive.

POLITICIANS, often they make me feel very insignificant, like they don't really care what I have to say, or about what I think. I was told, you should right your congress man, I did that 3 months ago. I'm still waiting to hear back. It's not that I don't like POLITICIANS, I just don't feel they show the American people the respect we deserve.

POLITICIANS across this great land of ours, two things to always remember; DON'T ABUSE THE OFFICE WE SELECTED YOU TO UPHOLD & DON'T FORGET, IT WAS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO PUT YOU THERE, AND IT'S US, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO CAN TAKE YOU OUT.......

Until tomorrow.

SPECULATION

Speculation......this is the word I hear constantly during my work day. It's the word you hear on all the television news shows, it's the word Wall St. throws around like it really means something. Let's call it what it is, an 'Educated Guess', (or more often then not, an uneducated guess).

Speculation......think about it, how many decisions do you make in a day based on speculation? How have those decisions effected your life, or the life of your family. The definition of Speculation in the dictionary is "an assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain", Now I could tell you what that means, but I'd be Speculating.

As far back as I can remember, Speculation has played a key role in how people spend, save, and invest their money. The money we all work so hard for. The money we need to provide for our families, put a roof over our heads, pay for our medical insurance (If you're fortunate enough to have it), educate our children, and so much more. Why do we do it? Then it came to me!

It''s not the topic of Speculation that draws everyone in, it's the individual doing the Speculating. I listened to two individuals at different times during the day discuss the same topic. As the first individual was speaking about this topic, I watched the stock market fall like a rock. But then not 15 minutes later, another individual was giving their thoughts on the same topic, I began to see the market move back up. Now I know in those 15 minutes, other things transpired that may have caused the market to improve, but I couldn't help but wonder. What did this one individual know that the other one didn't? More importantly then that, both of them were just Speculating on what they thought could occur, so why did the market react to one more so then the other.

I know we all have our own opinions as to why things happen the way they do, or why we do the things we do. But remember, the next time you make a decision, base that decision on what you believe is best for you and your family, based on your thoughts, your experience. Because when it's all said and done, your decision is no different from the professionals. It's Speculation, or an educated guess!

Let me hear from you!

DON'T GET MAD, MOVE FORWARD

I know, the phrase is 'Don't Get Mad, Get Even'. But what does 'Get Even' really mean? Does it mean we get revenge, do we physically hurt someone, do we emotionally humiliate someone, or do we take our anger out on just anyone or anyplace we can find? Seems like allot of wasted energy that could be better used in other ways.

In today's society, with the economy the way it is, it would be easy to get angry. There's plenty of reasons; Losses in our 401Ks, the lack of medical insurance, the housing crises, or the one that hit me personally, the loss of a job. What was my first thought, I'm going to GET EVEN for what my employer did to me. I drove 50 miles each way to work for two years to be called into an office and told I was no longer needed. What a slap in the face. I lost my job, my families medical benefits, and the most important thing of all, my self respect. I never did get even with my employer, but then again, I never really tried. What would that accomplish?

So after feeling sorry for myself for a good while, I decided it would be better to MOVE FORWARD, then to waste all that energy on getting even. What turned me around? What helped me see that I had so many things in my life that meant more to me then that job? COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS!

We're not alone in this world (although sometimes it may seem that way) we all have someone who loves us, people who care for us, family that relies on us, or friends who look forward to simply talking to us. These are strange and sometimes cruel times we live in, but the world's always been that way, and somehow we've all been able to make it through.

Remember, anger is an emotion we all encounter, but don't let it get the best of you. Talk it out with someone, or use this blog and talk it out with me. Until next time.