After getting reconnected to a friend from grade school because of my sister's blog and a little work on MySpace, I decided to post of list of people I would be curious to hear from.
If you are on this list, post a comment with an e-mail, and I will contact you from there.
Thanks.
Richie Hartzer - I was in 5th grade with him, and I think he moved to FL. We went to Aurora Christian Academy (ACA) together
John Garber - Although he was a year ahead of me, we became friends. He moved to Guam as his Dad was military. We also went to ACA together
Amit Patel - Friend from Troy High School in Fullerton California. Actually connected with him back in 2000, but we never actually got together. Would be fun to catch up.
Tuan Grogman - Friend from Troy High School as well. Moved to Arizona. We kept in touch up until about 1993.
David Brown - Friend from Skaneateles High School, class of 1992
Josh Watson - Friend from Skaneateles High School, class of 1992
Jason Highsmith - Friend from SHS, I think class of 1992
Mike Busher - Friend from SHS, class of 1992
Nick Ross - Teacher from SHS, we used to water ski together
Dave Perry - Teacher from SHS for my sophmore year, would be 89-90 I think
Carmen Ruggio - Teacher from SHS
Margeret Lund - Teacher from SHS - I taught your daughter piano lessons for a while
Mark Barnes - Guidance counselor from SHS
I think that is it for now, drop a line if you are listed above.
Thanks
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Would a $0.12 pay cut affect you?
Funny thought occurred to me this morning as I cruised through my local Starbucks for my Venti Latte. A couple of weeks ago, Starbucks raised their prices on their beverages. What used to cost me $3.88 with tax now costs me $3.99. I would always throw the $0.12 in the tip bucket assuming I paid cash when I went, but I feel stupid throwing the $0.01 in for fear of looking cheap. Now if I paid with a five dollar bill, the change would be $1.01. No matter how good the service is, it is not worth $1.01 in tip, however it must not be good enough to justify throwing the penny in the bucket.
Ironic, isn't it?
How much do the employees at Starbucks count on the tips they get as part of their regular income? I don't know that answer, but I can't help but feeling that the lousy dime that Starbucks raised their beverages is costing their employees heavily at the tip bucket.
Would be really curious to hear from a person employed at Starbucks to gauge their reaction.
For the rest of you, perhaps a thought to chew on tonight.
For now however, take care...
Ironic, isn't it?
How much do the employees at Starbucks count on the tips they get as part of their regular income? I don't know that answer, but I can't help but feeling that the lousy dime that Starbucks raised their beverages is costing their employees heavily at the tip bucket.
Would be really curious to hear from a person employed at Starbucks to gauge their reaction.
For the rest of you, perhaps a thought to chew on tonight.
For now however, take care...
Monday, August 27, 2007
Maybe the Apple should have fallen farther...
In response to my last posting as to the relevance of my postings, it was noted that I perhaps may be in love with myself. I would like to put this rumor to rest, and assure my reading audience that I am not in love with myself.
The fact that what I post spurs conversation around many a dinner table is not a fault of mine, but rather a gift.
A gift you say?
Yes, in that ones ability to provoke thought in others is truly that which not everyone has, and those who do possess that gift (as it is obvious that I do) should use to enhance the lives of others.
With that being said, and this is mainly for the "family," BRING IT!!!
For the rest of you, take care...
The fact that what I post spurs conversation around many a dinner table is not a fault of mine, but rather a gift.
A gift you say?
Yes, in that ones ability to provoke thought in others is truly that which not everyone has, and those who do possess that gift (as it is obvious that I do) should use to enhance the lives of others.
With that being said, and this is mainly for the "family," BRING IT!!!
For the rest of you, take care...
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Family War
My goodness, with the whole family blogging, it keeps me on my toes bringing to you the most relevant of information to share with you. Sadly however, I seem to be falling behind the rest of the clan in posting blogs.
Since this is sadly the case, and since it probably won't change anytime soon since unlike the rest of the family, I have 3 jobs that keep me busy, I will just simply remind everyone that while the posting ratio of my blog versus others is around 10:1, my postings are still by far the most rational, relevant and entertaining.
How is that for talking smack???
For now, take care...
Since this is sadly the case, and since it probably won't change anytime soon since unlike the rest of the family, I have 3 jobs that keep me busy, I will just simply remind everyone that while the posting ratio of my blog versus others is around 10:1, my postings are still by far the most rational, relevant and entertaining.
How is that for talking smack???
For now, take care...
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Staying Busy
This is one of the hard parts of small business ownership in that we have a job that is ending for our construction company, and while we have a little bit of work lined up, there is truly no guarantee for tomorrow. I spent the day out talking with a couple local builders, trying to drum up some business to keep our crew busy. The last thing I want to do is to have to lay people off, but the harsh reality is that that may happen if we don't have enough work.
Our construction project of 42 homes is drawing to a close this month, and since the housing market has slowed somewhat here, our new avenue of revenue is as a subcontractor for other builders. We have tried to build a niche product, but people are slow to change their habits, so I have been hustling talking to these builders trying to sell them on the service we are offering.
Time will tell, we are putting into play all the components we have in our arsenal to be successful at this thing, but at the end of the day, we are still at the mercy of others.
For now those of you with steady work, be thankful. For the rest of you, take care...
Our construction project of 42 homes is drawing to a close this month, and since the housing market has slowed somewhat here, our new avenue of revenue is as a subcontractor for other builders. We have tried to build a niche product, but people are slow to change their habits, so I have been hustling talking to these builders trying to sell them on the service we are offering.
Time will tell, we are putting into play all the components we have in our arsenal to be successful at this thing, but at the end of the day, we are still at the mercy of others.
For now those of you with steady work, be thankful. For the rest of you, take care...
Friday, August 17, 2007
A day in the life...
After taking the super hero survey a couple of days ago, and being identified as most like Batman (or the Dark Knight) I thought it would be fun to share with you a day in the life. To help in this process, I have a video that I will share with you as well that helps to give you a better glimpse at what my day looks like.
First let me cover the basics:
5:51 a.m. - This is the time I get up everyday, except Wednesdays when I get up at 4:51 a.m.
6:30 a.m. - This is the time I leave the house (except on Wednesdays when I leave around 5:30 a.m.)
6:45 a.m. - I am normally at work, making a pot of coffee, and checking e-mails (I do a lot of business in Hong Kong, and tend to have 15-20 e-mails waiting for me each morning concerning that business)
7:00 a.m. - The business day starts, well here, watch this...
Fusion Realty LLC from Fusion Realty and Vimeo.
5:00 p.m. - I normally get home between 5 - 6 everyday, we eat dinner and then hangout with the baby.
10:00 p.m. - I go to sleep. I don't really toss and turn, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am normally out because I am mentally and physically exhausted by this point in the day.
I hope you enjoyed this brief glimpse into me. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section, and I will get those answered for you.
For now, take care...
First let me cover the basics:
5:51 a.m. - This is the time I get up everyday, except Wednesdays when I get up at 4:51 a.m.
6:30 a.m. - This is the time I leave the house (except on Wednesdays when I leave around 5:30 a.m.)
6:45 a.m. - I am normally at work, making a pot of coffee, and checking e-mails (I do a lot of business in Hong Kong, and tend to have 15-20 e-mails waiting for me each morning concerning that business)
7:00 a.m. - The business day starts, well here, watch this...
Fusion Realty LLC from Fusion Realty and Vimeo.
5:00 p.m. - I normally get home between 5 - 6 everyday, we eat dinner and then hangout with the baby.
10:00 p.m. - I go to sleep. I don't really toss and turn, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am normally out because I am mentally and physically exhausted by this point in the day.
I hope you enjoyed this brief glimpse into me. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section, and I will get those answered for you.
For now, take care...
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Look what super hero I most closely resemble
 | You scored as Batman, the Dark Knight, As the Dark Knight of Gotham, Batman is a vigilante who deals out his own brand of justice to the criminals and corrupt of the city. He follows his own code and is often misunderstood. He has few friends or allies, but finds comfort in his cause.
Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com |
A letter to Bob Corker (US Senator from Tennessee)
The Honorable Bob Corker
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington , DC 20510
Phone (202) 224-3344
Dear Senator Corker:
As a resident of Tennessee and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue e Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance.
I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal
alien and they referred me to you.
My primary reason for wishing to change my status from a U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was
recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted.
If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five
years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years.
I know a "good deal" when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the
prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be
illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in
2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien, I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider.
Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000
a year.
Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her
law school applications, as well as "in-state" tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those
burdensome car insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively, if possible) and copies of the
necessary forms, I would be most appreciative.
Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent,
(My name withheld cause I don't want you stalking me)
Nolensville, TN
Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington , DC 20510
Phone (202) 224-3344
Dear Senator Corker:
As a resident of Tennessee and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue e Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance.
I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal
alien and they referred me to you.
My primary reason for wishing to change my status from a U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was
recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted.
If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five
years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years.
I know a "good deal" when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the
prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be
illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in
2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien, I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider.
Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000
a year.
Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her
law school applications, as well as "in-state" tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those
burdensome car insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively, if possible) and copies of the
necessary forms, I would be most appreciative.
Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent,
(My name withheld cause I don't want you stalking me)
Nolensville, TN
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Lead in the Paint of my Chinese made Toy made your Bridge Collapse
There are 6 miners trapped in a hillside that we truly don't know to be alive or dead.
The are still some people missing from a bridge that collapsed 2 weeks ago.
There is a soldier in Iraq RIGHT NOW fighting for survival from some extremist Muslim.
There are actual news stories being made throughout the country and the world.
And the fact that the Chinese are cutting corners in making the toys that our spoiled children are playing with, and it makes the top story on MSNBC.com.
The same toys that used to be made here in the USA with pride by US citizens who spoke English, and who took pride in the fact they had joined the great melting pot to get away from whatever oppressed their ancestors in their original country of descent.
The same people who refuse to pay an extra $1.24 for a toy made by US workers in the US because it is too expensive.
And yet they allow LEAD PAINT to be put into the mouths of their children because they saved that same $1.24 by buying a Chinese product over a US produced product.
I personally don't have a problem with Wal*Mart, I try not to shop there due to the lousy service you get, but as a whole they have done what capitalism is designed to do, allow those who work their butts off to get rich. Where I do have a problem is with people choosing to shop there solely for the purpose of saving what sometimes amounts to mere pennies. Let's put this into perspective.
At a Super Wal*Mart near my house, they have everything under the sun. Yes, the prices as a whole tend to be cheaper. But how cheap is cheap. You may be saving a dime here or a nickel there, but buy 1 12-pack of Coke, and I bet you lose most if not all of your savings that you achieved with the other items you buy.
Why is that, well soda in our area is ALWAYS the most expensive at Wal*Mart. And when you can buy a 12-pack for $2.50 elsewhere versus $4.59 at Wal*Mart, how much money are you really saving. If shopping at Wal*Mart saves you $2.00 on $100 worth of purchases, you save roughly 2% over a competitor. Add Coke to that equation, and I argue that in reality you didn't save any money, but rather ended up spending more money.
For arguments sake, lets assume that of that $100 purchase, you included 2 12-packs of Coke. (Just for the record, if you drink Pepsi, you deserve pay more for everything as all you need to do is dip your glass in any toilet and drink that to get the same flavor, but I digress) If you buy 2 12-packs, your actual purchases would be $90.82. If you have shopped elsewhere, bought the same 2 12-packs, your total would have been $95.82. Even if shopping at Wal*Mart would have saved you $2.00, and you add that onto your purchase elsewhere, your total would only be $98.82 versus $100 at Wal*Mart, which is 1.18% cheaper at the other store versus Wal*Mart.
Makes you think, doesn't it???
The smartest shoppers use coupons and only buy things on sale from the stores that have the items or brands they want on sale. We shop at Publix exclusively, but when a competitor has Coke on sale, we stock up on that item there.
Not sure if any of this makes sense to you, but it sure makes sense to me.
For now, take care...
The are still some people missing from a bridge that collapsed 2 weeks ago.
There is a soldier in Iraq RIGHT NOW fighting for survival from some extremist Muslim.
There are actual news stories being made throughout the country and the world.
And the fact that the Chinese are cutting corners in making the toys that our spoiled children are playing with, and it makes the top story on MSNBC.com.
The same toys that used to be made here in the USA with pride by US citizens who spoke English, and who took pride in the fact they had joined the great melting pot to get away from whatever oppressed their ancestors in their original country of descent.
The same people who refuse to pay an extra $1.24 for a toy made by US workers in the US because it is too expensive.
And yet they allow LEAD PAINT to be put into the mouths of their children because they saved that same $1.24 by buying a Chinese product over a US produced product.
I personally don't have a problem with Wal*Mart, I try not to shop there due to the lousy service you get, but as a whole they have done what capitalism is designed to do, allow those who work their butts off to get rich. Where I do have a problem is with people choosing to shop there solely for the purpose of saving what sometimes amounts to mere pennies. Let's put this into perspective.
At a Super Wal*Mart near my house, they have everything under the sun. Yes, the prices as a whole tend to be cheaper. But how cheap is cheap. You may be saving a dime here or a nickel there, but buy 1 12-pack of Coke, and I bet you lose most if not all of your savings that you achieved with the other items you buy.
Why is that, well soda in our area is ALWAYS the most expensive at Wal*Mart. And when you can buy a 12-pack for $2.50 elsewhere versus $4.59 at Wal*Mart, how much money are you really saving. If shopping at Wal*Mart saves you $2.00 on $100 worth of purchases, you save roughly 2% over a competitor. Add Coke to that equation, and I argue that in reality you didn't save any money, but rather ended up spending more money.
For arguments sake, lets assume that of that $100 purchase, you included 2 12-packs of Coke. (Just for the record, if you drink Pepsi, you deserve pay more for everything as all you need to do is dip your glass in any toilet and drink that to get the same flavor, but I digress) If you buy 2 12-packs, your actual purchases would be $90.82. If you have shopped elsewhere, bought the same 2 12-packs, your total would have been $95.82. Even if shopping at Wal*Mart would have saved you $2.00, and you add that onto your purchase elsewhere, your total would only be $98.82 versus $100 at Wal*Mart, which is 1.18% cheaper at the other store versus Wal*Mart.
Makes you think, doesn't it???
The smartest shoppers use coupons and only buy things on sale from the stores that have the items or brands they want on sale. We shop at Publix exclusively, but when a competitor has Coke on sale, we stock up on that item there.
Not sure if any of this makes sense to you, but it sure makes sense to me.
For now, take care...
Sunday, August 12, 2007
A thought to provoke, perhaps maybe even challenge...
One of the things I would like to see accomplished on this site is that what I write be not only relevant to the thoughts in my head at the time of posting, but that they be relevant in some way to you as well, so that the time you spend here is time well spent. With that in mind, what better way to kick Day 2 of this blog off with a challenge.
You know it is funny in politics, you have one side always wanting to take (the Democrats) and another side who occasionally gives (the Republicans) who at the end of the day still have their hands in your pocket. Funny how the Republicans make a tax cut sound so good, when the harsh reality is it simply means they are letting you keep more of your money that you worked for.
So I ask you this, what if there was a way for you to get more???
Huh, was that a thought provoking question? Get more, heck yeah, where do I sign up? How quick can I start receiving? Can I have it directly deposited into my account?
See, I think I got your attention.
So here is the time tested, and proven method to get more.
GIVE MORE
That's right. Give more. It is well known that some of the biggest "givers" in this world are the biggest "getters."
Don't believe me, let me give you a few second opinions.
David Bach in his book "The Automatic Millionaire" makes a point to reference that whether from a religious belief or a sense of humanity, those who give, get more.
Fascinating to me, that in a book written solely for the purpose of becoming a millionaire, the last and final chapter involves giving away that which you are working to amass. Those who give, get.
The Bible is full of references to money, and how it is to be handled. Within that context, the command is to tithe, which equates to 10%. Let's take a look at what that looks like. If you made $30,000 in a year, that would equate to $3000 to be distributed to people less fortunate than yourself.
Wow, $3000 is a lot of money, money that I need. You are right, based on a $30k a year salary $3k would be a lot, but have you ever put yourself in the situation to live in faith that if you give a little, you will receive a little more.
Whether you believe as I believe (another post, another time) or not, the fact remains that across our culture, from the Bible thumping Christian, to the non-believing Atheist, and everyone in between there is a certain faction that believes in the power of giving.
Now allow me to sidebar here for just a minute, giving isn't always about money, a lot of times it can be about time. The giving of your own time for the benefit of others has as big an impact as a financial gift. Often times the giving of time has a bigger reward as time, unlike money, cannot be replenished.
So what does this look like in a real world sense? That is something I cannot answer for you, but instead will share with you my own personal experience in giving.
About 2 years ago, we as family decided to start tithing to our church. Now since I am self-employed, I took a "paycheck" on a weekly basis, and tithed off that amount, but was quickly convicted of the fact that in reality I was taking a lot more than I was giving because so much of my stuff financially was being run through the company and as such I had a realized gain, without it appearing in the form of a paycheck.
I struggled with that for a while, and finally came to the conclusion that for me to be honest with myself, I needed to start at the source. The source in my case was my company. I set up a system wherein 10% of total company sales is given away. Not 10% of profit, 10% of TOTAL SALES. That means if I make a sale for $10k, $1k of it is given away. I am fortunate to be in a trade that sometimes sees profit margins in excess of 50%, and I really didn't have any overhead at that point in time, so to give away that 10% really wasn't affecting me adversely.
And you know what, sales increased. That's right, SALES INCREASED.
And I can tell you this, there is no logical reason why, as I in reality was working less time at that company, as I was in the process of setting up another company.
And yet SALES INCREASED.
And the second company got launched, and we started giving from that company as well. And that company flourished.
And we launched a third company. And we stated from day one that we would give from that company. And although it is still (the company) in its infancy, I will be happy to report to you at a later date of the success that we see. But even though money right now is tight in this company, when we make it, we give it.
So what am I trying to say here?
A little faith can go a long way. For you see, I don't believe the blessing comes when you give the gift, for me the blessing came in realizing how petty my problems seem when placed in perspective. Let me explain...
Last year was a banner year for my primary company. Everything we touched turned to gold. This year however has calmed down, and while steady, isn't as strong as 2006. And you are probably thinking, what about this whole the more you give the more you get thing you have been preaching. And you know what, you are right to think that. Except when placed into perspective.
I am a realist, and I knew 2006 was abnormal in the sense that money was being made hand over fist. Now 2007 has things back to "normal" which in my case is still darn healthy. When I start to lament about how sales are down over 2006, I am quickly reminded that in the first 3 months of 2007, I made more money than the average income in my area. That's right, in three months time I made what the average income is for Nashville in a year. And I did it in 3 months time. Which means I have 9 more months to do it again, and again, and again.
You want perspective, you got perspective.
When my sister talks of her troubles with her mortgage payment, it places my situation into perspective. Which is perhaps the best thing to get out of giving. The perspective to realize that no matter how urgent or critical your problem in life it, there is always someone who has a situation that is more critical than you own.
And the ability to be able to step back from your own worries and concerns is a gift that is given to you, when you invest your time and money in others. Because even though my sister's worries are real and legitimate, if she were to push back from the table she would quickly realize that in the grand scheme of things, she really has it pretty good in comparison to others less fortunate than herself.
If you don't stop and appreciate what you have, you will never be happy. But in that process, if you don't stop and give back some of what you have been given, you will never truly appreciate that which you have.
And along the way you will miss one of the greatest gifts of life, that ability to impact in a positive way another persons life.
That is it in a nutshell, the ability to impact in a positive way another persons life.
So be it money, time or a combination of them both, take the time to invest your resources into something other than yourself.
I think, no, I know you will be surprised at the outcome.
For now, take care...
You know it is funny in politics, you have one side always wanting to take (the Democrats) and another side who occasionally gives (the Republicans) who at the end of the day still have their hands in your pocket. Funny how the Republicans make a tax cut sound so good, when the harsh reality is it simply means they are letting you keep more of your money that you worked for.
So I ask you this, what if there was a way for you to get more???
Huh, was that a thought provoking question? Get more, heck yeah, where do I sign up? How quick can I start receiving? Can I have it directly deposited into my account?
See, I think I got your attention.
So here is the time tested, and proven method to get more.
GIVE MORE
That's right. Give more. It is well known that some of the biggest "givers" in this world are the biggest "getters."
Don't believe me, let me give you a few second opinions.
David Bach in his book "The Automatic Millionaire" makes a point to reference that whether from a religious belief or a sense of humanity, those who give, get more.
Fascinating to me, that in a book written solely for the purpose of becoming a millionaire, the last and final chapter involves giving away that which you are working to amass. Those who give, get.
The Bible is full of references to money, and how it is to be handled. Within that context, the command is to tithe, which equates to 10%. Let's take a look at what that looks like. If you made $30,000 in a year, that would equate to $3000 to be distributed to people less fortunate than yourself.
Wow, $3000 is a lot of money, money that I need. You are right, based on a $30k a year salary $3k would be a lot, but have you ever put yourself in the situation to live in faith that if you give a little, you will receive a little more.
Whether you believe as I believe (another post, another time) or not, the fact remains that across our culture, from the Bible thumping Christian, to the non-believing Atheist, and everyone in between there is a certain faction that believes in the power of giving.
Now allow me to sidebar here for just a minute, giving isn't always about money, a lot of times it can be about time. The giving of your own time for the benefit of others has as big an impact as a financial gift. Often times the giving of time has a bigger reward as time, unlike money, cannot be replenished.
So what does this look like in a real world sense? That is something I cannot answer for you, but instead will share with you my own personal experience in giving.
About 2 years ago, we as family decided to start tithing to our church. Now since I am self-employed, I took a "paycheck" on a weekly basis, and tithed off that amount, but was quickly convicted of the fact that in reality I was taking a lot more than I was giving because so much of my stuff financially was being run through the company and as such I had a realized gain, without it appearing in the form of a paycheck.
I struggled with that for a while, and finally came to the conclusion that for me to be honest with myself, I needed to start at the source. The source in my case was my company. I set up a system wherein 10% of total company sales is given away. Not 10% of profit, 10% of TOTAL SALES. That means if I make a sale for $10k, $1k of it is given away. I am fortunate to be in a trade that sometimes sees profit margins in excess of 50%, and I really didn't have any overhead at that point in time, so to give away that 10% really wasn't affecting me adversely.
And you know what, sales increased. That's right, SALES INCREASED.
And I can tell you this, there is no logical reason why, as I in reality was working less time at that company, as I was in the process of setting up another company.
And yet SALES INCREASED.
And the second company got launched, and we started giving from that company as well. And that company flourished.
And we launched a third company. And we stated from day one that we would give from that company. And although it is still (the company) in its infancy, I will be happy to report to you at a later date of the success that we see. But even though money right now is tight in this company, when we make it, we give it.
So what am I trying to say here?
A little faith can go a long way. For you see, I don't believe the blessing comes when you give the gift, for me the blessing came in realizing how petty my problems seem when placed in perspective. Let me explain...
Last year was a banner year for my primary company. Everything we touched turned to gold. This year however has calmed down, and while steady, isn't as strong as 2006. And you are probably thinking, what about this whole the more you give the more you get thing you have been preaching. And you know what, you are right to think that. Except when placed into perspective.
I am a realist, and I knew 2006 was abnormal in the sense that money was being made hand over fist. Now 2007 has things back to "normal" which in my case is still darn healthy. When I start to lament about how sales are down over 2006, I am quickly reminded that in the first 3 months of 2007, I made more money than the average income in my area. That's right, in three months time I made what the average income is for Nashville in a year. And I did it in 3 months time. Which means I have 9 more months to do it again, and again, and again.
You want perspective, you got perspective.
When my sister talks of her troubles with her mortgage payment, it places my situation into perspective. Which is perhaps the best thing to get out of giving. The perspective to realize that no matter how urgent or critical your problem in life it, there is always someone who has a situation that is more critical than you own.
And the ability to be able to step back from your own worries and concerns is a gift that is given to you, when you invest your time and money in others. Because even though my sister's worries are real and legitimate, if she were to push back from the table she would quickly realize that in the grand scheme of things, she really has it pretty good in comparison to others less fortunate than herself.
If you don't stop and appreciate what you have, you will never be happy. But in that process, if you don't stop and give back some of what you have been given, you will never truly appreciate that which you have.
And along the way you will miss one of the greatest gifts of life, that ability to impact in a positive way another persons life.
That is it in a nutshell, the ability to impact in a positive way another persons life.
So be it money, time or a combination of them both, take the time to invest your resources into something other than yourself.
I think, no, I know you will be surprised at the outcome.
For now, take care...
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Mortgage Mayhem - a comment I posted at another blog
The following was posted as a comment over at my sister's blog, here is the link http://pereiraville.com/scribble/ so you can read exactly what was being commented on. My sister is really big into this blogging thing, and for a while I was a guest blogger at her site.
Here is what I had to say regarding mortgages...
There is nothing wrong with Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM’s) if they are used correctly. I have never had anything other than an ARM on my personal residence. Now, on my rental properties, I have fixed mortgages. Why one way on investment property, and the other for my personal residence.
Well, getting the ARM for an investment property is actually more difficult than it is for a primary residence.
You ask the obvious question, “Why?”
Well, for starters, most of the people who are defaulting have 2 things working against them.
#1. They WERE NOT credit worthy to begin with. Let me reiterate, they WERE NOT credit worthy. What the media forgets to mention in all this hoopla of defaults is the people defaulting on their loans had in most cases already defaulted on most everything else they had ever tried to purchase on credit. It doesn’t take a rocket engineer to calculate the odds of default on a mortgage when everything else they had was paid late at some point in their lives. Hence their low credit score leading to the need for the subprime market.
#2. THEY SIGNED THEIR NAMES TO A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAID ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGE. No body forced them to sign. The bottom line is this, although they were qualified to purchase based on a “teaser” rate, the simple fact remains you can’t expect to keep making a “teaser” payment on a month to month basis as it will never pay off the loan. The simple comparison is a credit card. We all know that if we only make the minimum payment, it will take 20-40 years to pay off. Imagine making less than the minimum how long it would take. The “teaser” payment is just that, making less than the minimum. Example, a $125,000 mortgage. The “teaser” rate would be around $477 per month. Now the full payment needed to pay off the loan at last years rates (6.25% as an example) would be $770. That means for each payment made of $477, and balance of $293 would be added to the loan balance, and since the loan adjusts on a AGREED upon basis, that not only increases the balance of the loan, but that of the teaser rate as well.
What does that look like. I am glad, let me show you. Let’s assume you made the minimum payment for the first year. You would have added $3516 making your new balance due of $128,516 instead of the $125,000 you started with. Your new “teaser” payment would be $491 with your full 30 year PI of $791. Again, assume you made a full year of payments, your new balance at the end of that year would be $132,116.
Now, here is the killer. ALL loans of this nature have a clause that states that when you exceed a given percentage of the loan, you AUTOMATICALLY default to the new minimum payment equal to an amount that pays the loan off in 30 years. This amount is typically between 105% - 125% of the original loan value. So at 105% when your loan hits $132,150, your payments reverts to a higher payment. Most of these loans have values around 110% - 115% of value, but again that number is driven by the creditworthiness of the person.
And oh, by the way, your new payment in the given example assuming the interest rate doesn’t adjust is $813.
I don’t feel sorry for any of these people. They make great sob stories, but their own stupidity cost them.
Here is what I had to say regarding mortgages...
There is nothing wrong with Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM’s) if they are used correctly. I have never had anything other than an ARM on my personal residence. Now, on my rental properties, I have fixed mortgages. Why one way on investment property, and the other for my personal residence.
Well, getting the ARM for an investment property is actually more difficult than it is for a primary residence.
You ask the obvious question, “Why?”
Well, for starters, most of the people who are defaulting have 2 things working against them.
#1. They WERE NOT credit worthy to begin with. Let me reiterate, they WERE NOT credit worthy. What the media forgets to mention in all this hoopla of defaults is the people defaulting on their loans had in most cases already defaulted on most everything else they had ever tried to purchase on credit. It doesn’t take a rocket engineer to calculate the odds of default on a mortgage when everything else they had was paid late at some point in their lives. Hence their low credit score leading to the need for the subprime market.
#2. THEY SIGNED THEIR NAMES TO A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAID ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGE. No body forced them to sign. The bottom line is this, although they were qualified to purchase based on a “teaser” rate, the simple fact remains you can’t expect to keep making a “teaser” payment on a month to month basis as it will never pay off the loan. The simple comparison is a credit card. We all know that if we only make the minimum payment, it will take 20-40 years to pay off. Imagine making less than the minimum how long it would take. The “teaser” payment is just that, making less than the minimum. Example, a $125,000 mortgage. The “teaser” rate would be around $477 per month. Now the full payment needed to pay off the loan at last years rates (6.25% as an example) would be $770. That means for each payment made of $477, and balance of $293 would be added to the loan balance, and since the loan adjusts on a AGREED upon basis, that not only increases the balance of the loan, but that of the teaser rate as well.
What does that look like. I am glad, let me show you. Let’s assume you made the minimum payment for the first year. You would have added $3516 making your new balance due of $128,516 instead of the $125,000 you started with. Your new “teaser” payment would be $491 with your full 30 year PI of $791. Again, assume you made a full year of payments, your new balance at the end of that year would be $132,116.
Now, here is the killer. ALL loans of this nature have a clause that states that when you exceed a given percentage of the loan, you AUTOMATICALLY default to the new minimum payment equal to an amount that pays the loan off in 30 years. This amount is typically between 105% - 125% of the original loan value. So at 105% when your loan hits $132,150, your payments reverts to a higher payment. Most of these loans have values around 110% - 115% of value, but again that number is driven by the creditworthiness of the person.
And oh, by the way, your new payment in the given example assuming the interest rate doesn’t adjust is $813.
I don’t feel sorry for any of these people. They make great sob stories, but their own stupidity cost them.
The Pirate is back...
After being asked to leave my last posting spot, I am pleased to announce that effective immediately, when I have something to say, this will the forum to do so.
I welcome anyone who manages to make their way over here, and hope to truly challenge you on a frequent basis with thoughts that come from deep within. Of course although I think I am always right, the fact remains that you may have a difference of opinion and as such your option to comment is always welcome even if you disagree with me.
I will ask that you refrain from using profanity in your comments, and do reserve the right to edit or delete that which I don't feel is important or relevant to the topic at hand.
Welcome one, welcome all - I hope that this turns out to be a daily stopping ground for you.
For now though, take care...
I welcome anyone who manages to make their way over here, and hope to truly challenge you on a frequent basis with thoughts that come from deep within. Of course although I think I am always right, the fact remains that you may have a difference of opinion and as such your option to comment is always welcome even if you disagree with me.
I will ask that you refrain from using profanity in your comments, and do reserve the right to edit or delete that which I don't feel is important or relevant to the topic at hand.
Welcome one, welcome all - I hope that this turns out to be a daily stopping ground for you.
For now though, take care...
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