Sober October

This post is a bit overdue as the country’s economic situation has slid from bad to worse in a matter of weeks causing a trickle down affect that hit home as staff cuts were made at the office of yours truly. Three people in my office have been laid off with two other people required to reduce their hours and status to part-time employees. The challenge of establishing a lifestyle calculator still remains however I was able to find online the site, http://www.lifestylecalculator.com/. The formula is very basic and there is a disclaimer that results are an approximation (translation: unrealistic).

Warren Buffet did a last minute interview with Charlie Rose as the impending Congressional vote on the $700 billion bailout of the economy loomed. Buffet quoted a surprising statistic. He said that 20% of the U.S. population has a household income about 20 thousand dollars a year. Talk about an unrealistic lifestyle. Buffet also summed up the housing bubble well by saying it was caused by three I’s; Innovators, Imitators and Idiots. Mr. Jones saw an opportunity to make a profit in residential housing considering the low interest rates and easy loans. He may have even made some money in the market but then all of Mr. Jones’ neighbors wanted to keepup with him and get in on the action. The idiots are the ones who bought houses they couldn’t afford and then couldn’t sell. Make something idiot proof, be sure, they will make a better idiot.

While the Waltons, Keatons and Huxtables were broad demographic profiles from my last post, it helps narrow down psychographics, an important consideration of DONE DOT COM. How much is enough? What are your values? What are your priorities? What are your future goals and plans? The link below is a timely Q&A with my girl, Suze Orman that appeared in The New York Times Freakonomics column this September. Check out comment #30 in the reader responses. Yes, it’s ME!!

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/suze-orman-answers-your-money-questions/

Being DONE DOT COM and staying done means being prepared for hard times. I’m really hoping my colleagues will land on their feet soon. Buffet cautioned that unemployment will continue to go up before it goes down and that even with the bailout things may take anywhere from six months to five years to improve. Almost Done is about volunteering and remaining engaged in civic or charitable causes. If you read Obama’s speech or have been following his campaign, AmeriCorps plays a big role. There’s an expression that in your 20s you take, in your 30s you begin to give back. Why not get a head start? Also, anyone facing unemployment in a slow job market-volunteering can be gratifying on many levels and is also a great way to network. People looking to give back in the NYC area should check out www.nycares.org which offers incredible flexibility and a variety of options for retirees, job hunters with extra time, full-time workers, anyone really who wants to give back.


Incidentally, Sober October isn’t just a commentary on the economy; it’s literal for me as well. This is the fourth year in a row where I go dry for the month of October. That means no booze for 30 days. It will actually be 32 days as I plan on holding out until after the marathon on November 2. I ran an 18-mile race on Sunday. It was unseasonably warm and the current stress at my job made it a HARD three hours and twenty-four minutes. I want to thank the guy who told me to keep going when I stopped running to squat down and stretch my weary back and knees at mile 16. I’m eager to get my life back; I’m looking forward to a week(s) with no running. I’m looking forward to spending more time with my manfriend who continues to amaze me with his random acts of sweetness. The past four months have been some of the most physically challenging of my life. I compare it only to when I complete a four-month long yoga teacher training course in 2001 (yes, I’m a certified teacher). I am probably in the best shape since I completed that course almost 8 years ago. I realize my experience teaching yoga profoundly affected who am I today. I think this marathon will have a lasting impact as well. And I’m also thinking my manfriend is a keeper, too.