This, too, shall pass...

Neatorama has a great article about some of the big financial crises in the American market in the past 100 or so years. We've weathered them in the past, we will weather them again.

Here's the link

Of charity and giving...

BigCajunMan at Canadian Personal Finance Blog posed a good question in today's entry: "What is giving? What is charity to you?"

To me, charity is as much about the gift of time as it is about the gift of dollars. Dollars are the easy part... write a cheque, sign up for auto deduction during the United Way drive or hand twenty bucks to the kids who come to the door looking for sponsorship for their team. The gift of time can be more difficult because it involves getting out there, actually putting hands and heart into action in ways that may be outside our current realm of experience.

Being between jobs is a great time to do some volunteer work, any volunteer work. If working with the Shepherds of Good Hope or The Mission or at one of the women's shelters isn’t within your comfort zone, how about checking out Habitat for Humanity, or one of the local theatre groups, or your local church or service club, or the local animal shelter, or at one of the museums, or Meals on Wheels. There are a bazillion ways to give back to the community, whether for a few hours one time only or for a few hours a week on and ongoing basis. Volunteer Ottawa (http://www.volunteerottawa.ca/vo-clean/) and Charity Village (http://www.charityvillage.com/applicant/volunteer.asp) are two of a number of places to look for a volunteer gig. It feels great to get involved.

I’ve discovered that my project management skills (which are part of, but not the main focus of my for-pay career) are even more valuable when volunteering in the arts and for non-profits than they are when working for pay in high-tech!!! When we work in high-tech, we take certain organizational and office skills necessary for that job for granted... many groups outside of high tech could definitely benefit from these skills. It has certainly been eye-opening for me to discover that something as simple (to me) as a powerpoint presentation can make a big positive impact on the communication channels within a group that doesn't use a lot of powerpoint.

Also, it feels great to come home after a day of volunteering with the satisfaction that you accomplished something for someone else.

And you never know what contacts you will make… you will be exposed to a different cross section of the population than you are currently accustomed to. This is good for the soul, great for the networking, and an interesting topic of discussion at future job interviews when asked how you spent your time “in between”. Sometimes, helping others results in helping yourself, too!

Sour grapes

Every Saturday I read the Financial Facelift column in the Toronto Globe And Mail. I read this column as a combination of a bit of education, entertainment and schadenfreude. This past weekend was no exception.

The article I'm talking about is here

Basically, its about a fairly well-to-do couple who had saved diligently, invested conservatively, amassed substantial wealth, but were concerned that the income that their combined pensions, investments and other sources brought in would not support the retirement lifestyle that they were accustomed to or wanted. They were looking for a professional opinion, and likely some assurances that what they have been doing financially is sound and sensible and will carry them through their retirement.

It was refreshing to see an article that was not a doom and gloom scenario. What surprised me (but perhaps shouldn't have) was the vitriole left by some readers in the comments. The couple basically has had their act together for years, but some of the commenters were griping because it wasn't a hard-luck story. Geez, guys!!! Get a grip!!! Everyone needs advice, reassurance and a second opinion now and then. Personally, I'm happy that the Globe and Mail chose to run this story, because it shows a breadth of possibility, not just the "we've messed up our finances and need help" scenario.

Here's a situation that should be common, but sadly isn't: Imagine if you had maxed out your RRSP in your year of your first job right after university, and did so every year until you were 50. If you invested sensibly during that time, you could have amassed on the order of half a million dollars or more. Would you still need advice on your finances? Possibly . Would you benefit from a second opinion? Likely. Would your story be a appropriate for the Financial Facelift column? Definitely. Should you be abused in print by those who were financially irresponsible, lazy or spendthrift? Definitely not.

The nasty comments by the article's detractors (i.e."boo f'**in hoo") say so much more about the commentors than anything else. To those detractors I say: Why don't you learn from the actions of others instead of being jerks? Sour grapes, dudes. Sour grapes.

All these lovely people, where do they all come from?

Now that I have the perception of having more time (I don't, really, but I'll get to that in a moment), I've been spending more time at the gym during the day. It's a co-ed, with all sorts of cardio and weight machines, as well as a goodly number of group classes. When I used to (try to) go in the evenings, the place is absolutely packed to the rafters... 20 minute or more wait times just to get a treadmill or a recumbent bike! Now that I go during the day, I see that the place is still busy.... not packed to the rafters, but busy.

Where do all of these people come from?

Sure, there is the noticable crowd of seniors, and the moms who drop their kids off at the daycare so that they can get in an hour of selfcare, but the majority seem to be 25-50, well-dressed, professional-looking folks of both genders. Are there that many people out of work? Are there that many people who work shifts? Are there that many people who have planned their lives carefully and can retire early?

Shrug.

I tried my first group class this week... a combination of tai chi, yoga and pilates. I was always a big leary of attending group fitness classes... there's something about the really buff gym bunnies that I found intimidating (I am many things, but buff gym bunny is not one of them!). Must say that I absolutely loved the class!!! I wasn't the only one struggling to hold the balance positions, but the instructor was very encouraging, saying that it takes most people 6 or 8 sessions before their balance is improved enough. I will definitely be finding time in my busy schedule for this class!!!

So what am I spending my time on? Preserving fruit and vegetables (75 jars full of jams, salsas, fruit in syrup), volunteering with two different organizations, a couple of garden/yard projects, working out with a personal trainer a couple of times a week, working on my art, reading my favourites on the personal finance blog-o-sphere, reading books, listening to audio books, connecting with friends and family, doing a bit of contract webwork, meditating, and, oh, yeah... looking for a lucritive full-time-ish job. I start a night class in a couple of weeks time.

These past two months have definitely convinced me that I am on a good path... a life of financial independence allows one the ability to choose what she wants to do, when she wants to do it. While I am not yet completely financially independent, I am working on it DRIP by DRIP, little by little, one step at a time. The journey is a good one....

Thane's Thigh Memorial Team for the Terry Fox Run

Four years ago, Thane Eisener was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the same type of cancer that Terry Fox had. After extensive treatment, which included surgery, bone from a cadaver, a lot of metal and many months of physiotherapy, Thane is running again. He and his team will be again be running in the Terry Fox Run on September 14th.



http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=24126248324

To join the team click here: https://www.terryfoxrun.org/english/Corporate/Runner/Register/Runner/default.asp?s=1&CompanyID=9171

To donate click here: https://www.terryfoxrun.org/english/donations/donate/default.asp?s=1&RunnerID=52484&ForceTo=1

Those who can, run. Those who can't, donate! I don't run, but I am proud to support this team!

The joys of a forced "sabbatical"....

My last "sabbatical" was about five years ago. It was a tougher job market then, post tech bubble burst, and to be honest, I was more than a little burned out. Working 14 hours a day, seven days a week for that startup (I managed to get away for a 10 day vacation and came home to a pink slip. Nice!), coupled with post divorce upheaval, I was ready for a break. I needed the break. I didn't realize just how much I wanted a break.

After packing up my office belongings, I bought some groceries (I'd actually have time to cook now, instead of catching all of my meals on the run) and headed home to let the news settle in. To ruminate on my situation. To sit on my back porch, scritch the resident furball's head and to watch the hummingbirds at the feeder. It was the first time in a long time that I had had a chance to do that... to sit and just be.

It occurred to me that this would be my first summer off since the end of grade 11.

I called my folks and invited them to come tour the Maritimes with me. None of us had ever been east of Montreal, and it gave us a chance to spend quantity of time together. Cape Breton and PEI are a long way from my parent's Saskatchewan home, but the love of old time fiddle music drew them as much as the scenery, food and friendly people. We got to spent time together just the three of us, as adults... it was a learning experience for all of us!

At first my sabbatical was filled with a lot of "if I only had the time" type activities... clean the car, sweep the garage, build a compost box. I spent a lot of time volunteering with a local theatre company, helping out with props and costumes and whatever other support was required backstage. I read a lot. I napped every day and finally got enough sleep in a day. I actually used the gym membership that had been long since paid up but ignored. I treated myself to a visit to a museum or gallery once a week. I did a lot of work in my garden. I learned to meditate.

My summer off stretched into September. When my friend came to visit from Australia, we explored the hiking trails and coastal vistas along the Gaspesie. I started volunteering at one of the local women's shelters and eventually ended up on their Board of Directors. I dusted off my piano and started playing again. I watched three seasons of the Sopranos in two weeks. I canned tomatoes from my veg patch, and tried at least one new recipe a week. I was rarely bored, and joked with my friends that I would make a great "retired person".

I effortlessly dropped close to 50 pounds. A combination of home cooked meals, sufficient rest, more exercise and minimized stress were definitely contributing factors.

Summer became Autumn which drifted into Winter. Sure, I sent out resumes, applied for positions, and had a few interviews, but no offers resulted. It wasn't until Christmas time that I came to a conclusion that I was READY to go back to work. Early in January I had several interviews and two offers to choose from.

My summer off ended at the beginning of February. I was relaxed, refreshed and ready for the new challenges.

When I look back on that almost eight month period, I remember it as being one of the most positive experiences of my life. Yes, finances were stretched and there were times of concern, but I got to do the things I wanted to: I spent time with friends and family. I spent time by myself and for myself. I spent time giving back to my community. What could be more wonderful or joyful than that?

In praise of Fringe Festivals...

Just settling back at home after some time away. My family had a reunion of sorts out west. I usually make one trip back to the Prairies every year, but that's usually at Christmas time. I actually got to see Saskatchewan when the temperature wasn't -20C and the ground wasn't covered with snow!!!! It was fabulous to see old family friends and distant relatives for the first time literally in decades. A lot of chinwagging, reminiscing and reaquainting going on. It is always good to be surrounded by supportive friends and relatives.

I also got the opportunity to do a day at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival. I'm a big fan (can we say obsessed?) with Fringe! Once you fringe, you will become addicted. Not a bad addiction to have!!!

My sweetie and I are big into Fringing. In Ottawa this year, I managed to see 46 out of the 53 or so shows on offer. Some shows are incredible, others are more mundane. Occasionally one runs into a dud, but for the most part, they are entertaining, engaging and often thought provoking.

In Saskatoon, we lucked into a particularly exceptional show called "Spiral Dive", the story of a young man from the prairies who becomes a fighter pilot during WWII. It is the first part of a three part series... I can't wait for part two!

If you are reading this from Saskatoon, or Edmonton, or Vancouver or Victoria (or within possible travel distance to any of these cities)... there is still time for you to partake of some fantabulous live theatre, coming soon to your city! For the rest of us, we'll have to wait until next year.