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Times, they sure have changed. Gone are the days you can count on being employed at one company, as long as you want to stay there and do a good job. Gone are the days where there is any security in doing a good job. Gone are the days of saving for the future with any regularity.
Growing up we didn't have a great deal of money, but we never really wanted for anything. Even during the years my father was on strike at Stelco, we still had food on the table and clothes on our backs (for a family of 6, that is no small feat). Today, with my family of six, albeit a split family, it becomes increasingly harder to provide the necessities for the family. I'm doing it, but the pressures increase almost on a daily, and certainly on a monthly, basis. Gas prices have risen to a point where my monthly gas expense is equal to a car loan. Food prices are ridiculous, and entertainment costs (that includes all the electronics --TV/Comp/DVD/etc.)are rising even though most of the technology is getting cheaper to make. Vacation? Forget about it. At least on the trip front.
Generally speaking, I'm not whining or complaining. There are trade offs that we all must make going through life. I've made many. Outside of finances, I'm happier now than ever before. I've got much to be thankful for: a well-paying job, my health, and a great family top the list. The realist in me, however, knows that the entire thing hangs by the slimmest of threads.
Having a positive attitude can help. Not listening to that negative voice most, if not all, of us have in us helps. Believing in "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, And It's All Small Stuff." helps. How do you cope?
The Raptors are playing pretty well since the All-star break. Jalen Rose has been terrific, being named player of the week. Not doing anything at the trade deadline was probably the right thing to do if there was nothing promising coming back. I don't like their chances of making the playoffs though. Philly looks pretty good with their trades, and Iverson is playing unbelievably now.
The hockey lockout is pathetic. A disgrace. Somehow the balance of power should not be resting in the hands of the owners that can't afford to be in the league. A 20-team league would be fine. Imagine how much better the games would be with more talented players out there. Not only that, some of the first line players wouldn't be first line players anymore, so couldn't demand the kind of money they're getting. Things would start to come in line with the real economics of the league and not the artificial ones the GMs and players have created the past 10 years, nor the artificial one the owners are trying to put in place now. I believe the answer is a reasonable cap with luxury taxes, less teams, and call the rules the way they were intended to be called.
What's been going on with me? Not too much. I've been doing a few minor house renovations, which means spending more money than I have. What else is new!
I've been playing around with some digital photography stuff. Trying to put something together as a video slideshow to view on the TV. So far, I haven't been too happy with the results. I'm still searching.
The weather has been very snowy lately. I've pretty much had my fill. My neighbours are terrific. Both have snow blowers and both regularly do my sidewalk for me. Living on a corner equates to a whole lotta sidewalk. Having to do a two car driveway and large porch is all my back can take. I don't ski, so snow, to me, means work and lousy driving conditions.
Speaking of driving, I've had some pretty crappy luck lately. I've gone 20+ years without any traffic violation tickets. The past three months I've got three. One for turning left on a yellow (technically called failure to stop at an amber), one for not having my updated insurance card on me, and the last for speeding. I guess I owe something for all the years of not getting caught speeding, and minor violations but damn, it seems like too much all at once. The worse part is the insurance angle of it. People gripe about the banks and their service charges. I think the insurance companies are way worse. They make billions of dollars yet can send you packing as "high risk" because of one ticket. They have all the power. Ridiculous. Fortunately, I'm not in that situation. I think of the mounds of money I have sent to the insurance companies over the past years, and I know they've made plenty off me.
Work is alright. Rumours are still flying about layoffs and work being sent over to India. Sometimes I think companies make money in spite of leadership, not because of it. I still think the worse thing in the economy is the stock market. In and of itself, it's a great vehicle to make (or lose) money. The problem I have is that companies have lost sight of the human side of things in search of improving the bottom-line (read: share prices). The rich get richer and we get moved closer to poverty. The one's making the big decisions already have their wealth guaranteed. Look at HP's recently released CEO. She doesn't have to work again. She made 85 million to sign on back in 1998 (I think) and was given a severance package worth over 21 million (some reports have said it was over 40 million). She'll probably end up in politics and sink her teeth into that healthy pension plan too.
Wonder if she needs a cabin boy/boy toy/leech?
That's it for now. I've been thinking about a good deal more things, but, right now, will leave it for another day.
Peace.
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