Let's Try Again with the Ox

QUIETLY, the rat is leaving us and the big ox is taking over. Comes January 26th, the Ox will step in to plow the way in Year 4707.

The little brown rat made a big mess - worse than the golden pig. Hope the earth ox will guide us with strength and endurance and show us how to do things right. This is the year to rebuild and work extra hard - no time for play. If you don't put in the effort, you won't enjoy the fruit of your labor.

Let's hope that the rat took all the bad luck with him. Please take it and go, little one. We are ready to start over.

No, Oil is Not Gold (Not Now)

Ups and Downs of the gas prices: classic example of SUPPLY and DEMAND at work (so we were told). If so, then what I've learned from my Economics class is really true. Ugh!

I vaguely remember the graphs and charts that the professor made us memorized. When this is up, that goes down. When that shifts, this changes. Hmmm... should have paid more attention then perhaps I'll have a better understanding of our mess.

Reality Check: Doesn't matter what the economists say though, the proof is in the pudding. Just look at my world and how the gas price is impacting me. See the pictures that I took at the pump last year and this past weekend? Same stinky tank of gas but it cost less than half of last year. I'm not complaining, but how can we live with this wild fluctuation? Where does my income line fit on the chart along with the interest rate and inflation?

I don't expect that we will ever have cheap gas again. However, those who are manipulating the oil prices should learn that people, when push comes to shove, will find alternatives thereby changing the demand line on the S/D chart completely. If so, then what?

I really need to go dig out my charts.

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When Is a Sale a Sale?

SALE SIGNS EVERYWHERE. I never have seen so many sale signs in my life. Everyone knows, our economy is going way down and retailers are doing all they can to make people spend.

Walking down any street, it's amazing to see the percentage of the discounts displayed. I don't see anything less than 50%. 50%, 70%, 75% is the norm. Scary isn't it?

Saw a confusing sign the other day: pre-sale sale. So, should I go before the sale for the great deals or wait for the sale? Then another sign that is equally confusing today: after-sale sale. Heck! When is the real sale? And, what kind of discount do I get before and after the sale?

I should have taken pictures of all these sales signs I saw along the way - it's the sign of the time. Kind of funny yet sad.

It’s a Blurrrry Cold New Year

We are eight days into 2009, and it’s been cold and foggy the whole time. It’s not a pretty picture for the country and the world and we get lousy weather too. It’s like Mother Nature is depressed too. Misery loves company.

2008 ended miserably – worse than 2007 – and 2009 is not looking too good so far. Bad news continues everyday and everywhere. Why is that? Don’t we know that bad news feeds itself? It’s going to get worse if we keep focusing on the bads.

There must be something good, happy, and positive in the midst of all these. I’ll have to find it and I’ll share. We, somehow, have to turn this ship around. Good news feeds itself too. We just have to get it started.