Tuesday, February 5, 2008

What happened to our road show business?

Whomp, the sub prime mortgage mess hits, and all our private equity guys disappear. Does that mean the financing dried up? I haven't seen any analysts lately, either. The analysts come out to give the big financial institutions the scoop on whatever their sector is; say software, metals, whatever people are invested in. Our business sucks, maybe partly due to crappy winter weather. Maybe the first thing to go, to cut costs, is the car service.

Just did today's exercise:
Yoga
Mini-trampoline
Treadmill

Monday, February 4, 2008

One more cup of tea for the road

Ugh, one of the NOT perks of my job is leaving the house at in insane hour on Monday mornings. I keep the Cadillac at home Monday through Friday. But on the weekends I bring my own car home. Vinnie kindly gives me starting trips near my house, which is 30 miles from the freaking office where I have to pick up the Cadillac. He always forgets that I don't have the car at home on Mondays. I have a 6:30 pickup today. Which is bad enough, but I have to leave my house at 4:30 for a ride 10 minutes from my house because I have to go get the( %*#)_@ car. Grumble done.

It's 3:15 in the morning. One more cup of tea. Then one hour of working out. Fifteen minutes to shower and do my hair. Today's workout will be: 10 minutes mini-trampoline. 20 minutes treadmill. 30 minutes aerobic ball workout. My leg and back are much better. I saw a sports medicine doctor. After two months of two to three times a week at the chiropractor doing nothing at all to help, the sports medicine doctor gave me Prednisone. After 6 days on the medication I have no more pain. I feel great. Counting my blessings today. I am thrilled that I have the good health and ability to pound my workouts. Yes, in counting my blessings, I am grateful to the universe that my life is so full of goodness.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Bored in Indiana

Bored in Indiana. The thing about Notre Dame is that the town looks exactly the same as Milwaukee. Which looks exactly the same as Madison. Which looks exactly the same as Indianapolis. I grew up in a college town, Evanston, Illinois. It was pretty sophisticated and cosmopolitan. I can't find anything to do here. Mommmmmy, I'm borrrrrrrred.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

TREADING WATER

These are the lessons I needed to learn today:
1. WHEN THE STUDENT IS READY, THE TEACHER APPEARS

I just met a homeless guy at Starbucks in Old Town. He was the most amazing artist. This guy was drawing highly detailed and colored cartoons. He handed me his book and let me flip through it. I was highly impressed. He told me he had sold a few books. I suggested to him that he give some of his work away. He looked shocked, and said that he couldn't do that. I explained further, that he could give some of his work away free on the internet. Just start a website with free comics people can read, then set up a PayPal account to take donations. Then he could make snippets of his other comics to sell. He said he would open a checking account so he can take PayPal. Wow, I'm great at thinking up ideas for other people, why can't I do this for myself?

2. GIVE IT AWAY

Giving it away is something I have been thinging about a lot lately. My entrepreneurial self wants desperately to get back into business for myself. Winter time is my natural time for incubating ideas. I am looking for the right idea, the right thing to give away to attract business.

The homeless artist started talking about why he was homeless. It was a lesson I needed to learn today He was homeless because he was carrying the paychecks for his boss, and he found out that someone had less seniority than he did and was making more money. He said that the price of apartments is too expensive. And he had to have two jobs just to afford the rent. I couldn't even answer. I just nodded. I realized that when I get to talking negatively about things in my life, all it attracts to me is negativity. Nothingness. Negativity keeps me imprisoned in a box of negativity

My spirit guide has been talking to me lately. I know you are going to think I am nuts for saying I have a spirit guide, but I do. This is what he has been telling me.

TREADING WATER: I have been treading water for quite some time. Neither moving here, nor there. I am in a state of limbo, waiting for my life to happen.

I AM THE CHOREOGRAPHER OF MY OWN LIFE

The universal spirit sends the ideas to me, I implement the plan, I come up with more ideas. I create the design.

EVERYTHING IN LIFE BOILS DOWN TO A CHOICE BETWEEN LOVE AND FEAR
--Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. (Thoreau)
So, do I want to keep on treading water? Or is it time to swim?



Monday, January 14, 2008

The Dentist's Accountant


The dentist's accountant
Originally uploaded by SandyJasmine
An accountant for dentists? Seen near the University of Chicago in a strip mall.

Beautiful church


Beautiful church
Originally uploaded by SandyJasmine
Hyde Park, Chicago, Yes, Chicago has a Hyde Park, too. The area around the University of Chicago has lots of gorgeous churches.

Friendly church


Friendly church
Originally uploaded by SandyJasmine
This church is in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago

Frank Lloyd Wright house


Frank Lloyd Wright house
Originally uploaded by SandyJasmine
Robie House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is across the street from the University of Chicago's business school

Shikago


Shikago
Originally uploaded by SandyJasmine
New restauran at 190 S. LaSalle Street. Finally someone pronnounces it right. Well, actually it should be Shi-Kaw-Go. They forgot the "w".

Chicago buildings from the bottom

Looking up from the bottom, I am humbled by the sheer size of these buildings

Monday, January 7, 2008

President Bush in Chicago

I watched Air Force One land at O'Hare Airport this morning. Whenever President Bush flies into Chicago from the airport in a helicopter, he has two helicopters surrounding his helicopter. All other air traffic is stopped.  

It seems like President Bush may be taking elocution lessons. Although, he did say that to improve the economy, we should using nuk-u-lure energy power.   Bush spoke today at a school about the success of his No Child Left Behind program.  Then he spoke to a group about the economy.  I didn't quite get what he said, (as usual) although an analogy to Winston Churchill was fairly funny.  Bush said that Churchill was known for what he did for the English language, while he (Bush) was know for what he did to the English language.  

Friday, January 4, 2008

Me with the band


Me with the band
Originally uploaded by SandyJasmine
I asked the jazz band playing holiday favorites at Midway Airport if I could take their picture. They asked ME to be in the picture :)