The times, they are a changing!
Its the economy, Stupid! Does anyone remember that? I know that the economy is affecting everyone in some way or another. I wonder what people are doing to make up for the added expense of the cost of food, gas, and services.
Ive actually been toying with the idea of getting a second job again. I know it sounds ridiculous when the kids are all practically grown and the needs in the house should be less, but, somehow they are not. Ive been looking at my budget and my gas budget has increased by almost a quarter. (Time to buy a new car.) I dont drive that much if I dont have too. I go to fewer events. I cancelled my vacation this year because I know that I cant afford the gas. Im seriously considering taking the bus to and from work, because in the long run it would be cheaper. I have issues with that though because the MAT Bus system is so undependable in the winter. Ive done this before and found myself late for work more often than not. Ive considered buying a bike, but, I havent ridden a bike for 20 years. It would be comical to say the least; not to mention painful for awhile.
I noticed that my food budget has also increased which is something that can be worked around. I dont eat out that much. I take my lunch to work with me to save money. My daughter eats at work in the summer and at school in the winter, but, Ive heard and need to check on it, that school lunches will also be going up this year. Thats going to be a problem. Not sure how to fix that one. And taking her lunch to school is not going to happen. Its so not cool.
I think that everyone is doing many things differently. Our lifestyles are definitely changing from one of instant gratification to patience and saving. I think part of the problem with the American society is we have planned to fail by failing to plan. We just do it and worry about the consequences later. Well, now the consequences are here. We need to change and change quickly. No dragging our feet. No making excuses or fighting it. We need to implement our just do it philosophy into the changing our behaviors.
I hate to say it, but, I may have to reduce my annual charitable giving too. I only give to two organizations outside of the one I work for: the Fraternal Order of Police and Clean Water Action. I also give to my church, but that is not something I consider charitable giving. Its a necessity.
Times are a changing; ready or not here we go.
Posted by: PrairieWoman on 7/26/2008 at 1:00 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Those who do not know their history...
My high school history teacher always used the old saying, "Those who do not know their history are destined to repeat it" but not in the sense as the general population would view it. He meant the class literally. Today, I am talking about history.
Does anyone remember reading about the stock market crash of 1929? Perhaps a memory is poking through about the run on the banks. Who would ever have imagined in 2008 the same thing would have happened? I read today that customers stood in long lines outside of IndyMac to withdraw what funds they could.
Has anyone ever wondered what caused some of the problems leading to the stock market crash? Now, I am not a economist nor am I a statistician, but, it doesn't take a genious to figure out that living on credit is a bad, bad thing and too much of it is going to cause a huge problem sooner or later.
You see, I recall learning way back in the day in the history classroom that one of the causes of the stock market crash of 1929 was the mere fact that creditors were handing out too many risky loans to unstable people to keep the market up. There were other causes don't get me wrong, but does none of this sound familiar in the days we live in now?
Subprime lending in an effort to save an ailing market. Now there was a great idea. Too bad creditors weren't looking at the longterm. You give loans to people with the promise of owning their own homes at ridiculous interest rates that can change with the market and expect them to be able to make the payments when the rates increase more quickly than you expected? Who's fault is this mess anyway? Do you think that it quite possibly could be those who did not do so well in history?
For heaven's sake the creditors were handing out subprime equity loans, credit cards, car loans etc. like candy and for what? Did they ever think this business practice might come back to bite them in the behind?
To say the least I am concerned about the reprecussions of what the IndyMac situation will bring. I do know that it won't be good for awhile...
What do you think about the IndyMac situation?
Posted by: PrairieWoman on 7/15/2008 at 10:31 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Monsters from the past live even today...
The weather is a strange thing isn't it? I read today that 2008 will set the record for tornadoes or is it tornados. Either way it's all the same. I was reading the rememberances of some of the bloggers regarding tornadoes. I have had some pretty hair raising experiences in my life with these sky devils. Growing up in Western North Dakota on the shores of a rather large lake makes for the perfect breeding ground for tornadoes.
I remember being a very young girl at one of our many summer family get togethers on the lake and having the beautiful blue sky turn black in an instant. Thinking back it was pretty cool as far as nature is concerned. We were all swimming and splashing about in the water, we being me and my myriad of cousins etc., when my Grandfather started yelling for all of us to get out of the water right now. He was frantically waving from the shore for us to hurry. I remember looking up at the cliffs on the opposite shore and seeing a great big black monstrous cloud rolling across the sky as though it were rolling right off the cliff itself. We ran like bunnies to be sure. We all laid flat in the ditch on the other side of the road when that devil set itself down right on the water in the middle of the lake. My ears were screaming in pain. To this day my ears hurt when a bad storm is coming. Anyway, the sound was horrible. It was a low rumbling growl that actually howls at the same time. I was scared to death laying there next to my mother. It came up off the lake a distance away and all of us except my grandfather started to get up and he yelled at us to get down and stay down cause it wasn't over yet. And then it happened. As it began it's ascent back up into the sky it dropped all that water like a bomb hitting the ground. There was tons of water hitting the ground so hard the ground shook. Then the rain came and the lightening and hail. It was horrible; horrifying. Ever since then I have been scared to death of bad weather, but, instead of heading for shelter I'm one of them idiots who has to see it coming. It's not that I am fascinated by the sight of the power of nature at all, it's the idea that I have to face the demon that still haunts me over 30 years later. I don't know that anyone will understand the true affect this has had on me. I survived many tornadoes out there on the prairie but the monster that rolled off the cliff sticks in my mind and probably always will.
Today my sister lives in Wisconsin and has been telling me about the devestating flooding out there. It's very sad. Very sad indeed. She lives outside of the Dells and the whole region is just a mess. And every time it rains here or close to here, two days later or less their mess just gets worse and worse. I pray for all of them out there. I wish I could read about it in the Forum instead of having to wait until Sunday to hear from her. There's a city not far from her that is under over 20 feet of water. Long time families of the region are having no choice but to move away. There's nothing left.
I guess we all just need to learn to live for today and be thankful for those days we have with those we love. I look at the world and have no choice but to trust that God knows what he's doing although I can't understand the infliction of pain and agony on people. It is not mine to know why just trust that there is a reason no matter what.
Posted by: PrairieWoman on 7/12/2008 at 10:03 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Turning the big 4-0
When I was a young girl racing around town on my bike with my sister and our friends I never thought about the day I would be 40 years old. That was a lot of years ahead and I had more important things to think about like why is the sky blue and those types of things. Here I am at the end of an era as far as I am concerned. Coming to the acceptance of turning 40 is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Back when I was a young mom, I flippantly looked forward to being 44 because all of my kids would be grown and I would have my life back. It's funny how life twists on you the way it does. I never thought back in the days of my youth that I would be a grandma at 38 years old. Of course it was possible I just never really thought about it at all.
Now you would think that it would be just a travesty to be a grandma at such a young age. After all 40 is supposed to be the new 30. I have my doubts about that sometimes. Especially as I have started to struggle with being able to read fine print, you know the kind on the back of the Excedrin bottle when the kids have driven you completely up the wall. LOL! I have found that I rather enjoy being a grandma. By the way I have two grandchildren now, an 18 month old grandson and 4 month old granddaughter. When this grandparent stuff started I was fuming mad because apparently I am too old fashioned for our modern world. But, as time as worn on, it's not so bad. I never had a son so my grandson is just a world of fun for me. We do lots of things together and we rather enjoy each other's company. He's learning new words everyday and it's just so darn cute. I think the thing about being a grandma at my age (not that I encourage it or anything) is that I have the physical endurance to keep up with my grandson. I think I better take some really good vitamins when my granddaughter gets old enough to play with me and my grandson. I've also found that I really don't care what other people think about my grandkids or my daughter for that matter. I look at them while they are sleeping and think how can anyone get so angry or upset over the birth of a human being? Children are a valued commodity in our family so it's not that big of deal.
I remember when I was young all the people who would make a big deal about how little my family had and how things would be so much better if we had more stuff. Now those same people are struggling with the fact that my mother has many grandchildren and several great-grandchildren that love her more than anything else and they don't. I think that children are a blessing and a gift no matter how they come about. I have to look at this young grandmother thing in the proper perspective. God gives many things to many people; some he gives material wealth and others he gives children. Maybe the lucky ones aren't the ones who have both, because if you have both how can you truly appreciate either. Maybe you will understand what I am saying, maybe you won't, but as long as I know it's ok.
Posted by: PrairieWoman on 6/26/2008 at 4:41 PM | Comments (4) | Permalink
License plates and God Things
It's a "God Thing". I'll never forget these words from Pastor, Bishop-Elect Bill Rindy. It was one of my favorite sermons of his. And he probably thinks that no one would remember it. Ha!
So anyway, Pastor Rindy was giving his sermon on how God works in people's lives without them knowing it and how things just seem to fall into place or the reason for one thing or another just reveals itself out of the blue. In his sermon he was talking about some technology equipment that was left in his trunk for whatever reason and lo and behold he was at a function where that very equipment was necessary.
I think we have all had some of these "God Things" happen to us in our life times. I know I have. Here's some examples: Once a few years ago I was really worried about something and I didn't know what to do. So, I'm driving along, all upset talking to God and I remember saying, "I need to know that it's going to be ok." You won't believe this, but, it's true. I was driving along 7th Avenue North. There was a car in front of me and car in front of it. Seconds after I made my statement me and the 2nd car in front of me moved into the turn lane to go onto 45th Street and I kid you not, the license plate on the car now in front of me said, "IT'l Be OK". How's that for a blatant answer from God? It was OK too. This was not the only time that license plates have played a role in my quest for answers. Another time, I was seriously doubting that God existed or even cared. As I was driving up North 10th Street, again a car in front of me and one in front of them, I said, "If you are real and truly care prove it." So the car in front of me changes lanes and the car in front of has license plates that say "Blu Baby" or some variation. I was born a blue baby back in the day. Coincidence? Maybe. Then yesterday, I was driving up Broadway and I was thinking about how I was going to get through something and I looked up at the vehicle in front of me and the license plate says, "F8th". Which I read as Faith. Pretty strange, huh?
One time one of my daughters asked me how come God stopped talking to people like he did back in the Old Testament Days. Well, seriously, I think I've said this before, I don't think that God has stopped talking, I think people have just stopped listening. Have you ever been listening to the radio and a song that is so appropriate for the situation comes on as though to answer the very question in your mind? It's definitely a God Thing. So yeah, I think that God is very active in our world today. If he wasn't I think that we would live in a much darker and uglier place. I have tons of reasons to believe that God does exist and that he does take an active role in our lives whether we know it or not.
The God Thing is right up there with miracles. We experience minor miracles every day that we don't even realize until well after the fact. We also experience or witness major miracles every day that perhaps we don't often give enough credit to the source. Maybe we should.
OK, next on the agenda of the blog is the impending election on June 10th. Do you ever feel as though you have become complacent with the whole process? I mean really, most politicians are equated to the top liars in the country. Do we really ever see the major claims of most politicians come to fruitation? No, at least, not in the original form and usually with enough bs attached to it that no one really cares anymore. I spoke to Dave Piepkorn the other day and he promised he would pursue a certain issue if he was elected on Tuesday. I truly believe that he will pursue it, providing he is elected, however, I wonder if his motivations for doing so are really for the people. I also truly believe that even if he does get elected and pursues this certain thing that it will come out as a watered down version with no real impact. If he does get elected I will hold him to it.
I think that the candidates for commissioner seats should seriously take a look at the state of Fargo from the average citizen's point of view. I'm pretty sure that there are many more of us who don't care than do about a 63 million dollar performing arts center that Fargo DOES NOT need nor could feasibly support. I learned this information at the 10 year planning meeting that was held last year. The consultants said we could not support another venue and it is my understanding that the performing arts groups here do not wish to share space. Maybe I'm wrong and I'll gladly accept correction for it, but, until then there is no way that I would support it. I don't think that there is a whole lot of support for using tax payer money for investment into private enterprise. Several little items on that agenda list.
What do we want:
We want our schools to reflect academic excellence without jacking up property tax every year.
We want adequate policing of our streets and neighborhoods.
We want accountability to all citizens regardless of where they live or work.
We want our city checkbook to be scrutinized and managed with discretion. Not just a continuous flow of blank checks signed by the tax payers and citizens for the willy nilly use of the city powers that be.
Well, I gotta go and think about some more positive things to say...Until next time look for the God Things in your life.
Posted by: PrairieWoman on 6/06/2008 at 4:00 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink