Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Random Musings from Today

It's been an eventful day...most days usually are. However now that my brain is slightly scrambled, I don't think I can write a lengthy coherent post so here are a bunch of random musings from today:
  • When you have to go through hard times, I would rather do it with poor people than rich people. Seems odd...wouldn't one rather hang out with rich people instead of the poor? From what I have seen, poor people who have hardly anything will give those in need half of their hardly anything while rich people usually don't go THAT far out of their way for anyone.
  • It is quite a valuable, useful thing when you have people you can call on for help at any time of the day or night.
  • Parents set the example and the standard for their kids. I see three kinds of kids coming through the court system--those whose parents do everything for them, even filling out their paperwork and signing their names; those who could care less and dump their kids on the steps of the courthouse if they even bother to drive them to court at all; and the regular parents in the middle who don't seem to do too much or to little for their kids. I have serious concerns about how the first two groups of kids will turn out.
  • Simple preparedness activities can go a long ways towards keeping you healthy and comfortable. Might rain? Bring an umbrella. Weather may turn cold? Dress in layers. Walking outside at night? Bring a reflective vest or band? Long stretch between meetings? Toss a couple granola bars in your briefcase. All of these situations can be "toughed out" but why? With a little pre-planning you don't need to be inconvenienced.
  • How happy am I to be self employed? Let me count the ways...(you can tell my mind drifts during long commutes)... Being an employee with annual leave and sick leave gives people a false sense of security. It is not always easy to be self employed and if you want benefits you have to pay for them yourself but at least when you are your own boss, you know the score and you also have the ability to do something about it. If I had a dime for every employee I knew who a) came to work and the doors were padlocked shut, b) got laid off, RIFed, or fired, and/or c) was under paid, over worked, under appreciated, and over qualified for the work they were doing, I would be a very wealthy person. For people who are self employed, I think times of economic turmoil are less scary--they are already used to rolling with the punches, finding or developing new opportunities in response to the current political/social/economic climate is the norm, and most importantly, they love a challenge.
  • I read this article and had instant admiration for this guy who lost his entire family when a fighter jet crashed into his house. Someone who can have compassion for the pilot of the jet at the height of his grief over the loss of his family is utterly amazing to me.

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful musings, especially the two on self-employment and rich/poor people in difficult times. I am self-employed and can't imagine working for someone else anymore - in most situations. And poor people are where you'll find those rare gems called "the salt of the earth." My customers are rich and poor, but the poor have most often offered me water on a hot day or coffee on cold mornings.

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  2. We are self-employed and after getting over that initial "what if this doesnt work, I can get a job at Target to feed and clothe the kids" phase, we have never looked back.

    I agree that weathering the hard times is different. We have always lived under our means because you just never know whats down the road and so being prepared makes so much sense. Cash is king in our house.

    It makes me sad to know that so many work for someone else because they have to have the check because of bills and they fear having to do it all themselves.

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