Reboot

I'm at a starting point in my life right now. Life is broken up into different phases. Cycles. I believe, 30 years a piece.

Since college, my marriage, jobs, depression, quitting, another job, being laid off, freelancing, creating -- it's all lead up to this.

Obama Is A Grinch

What the hell is wrong with Barack Obama? Five weeks into his term and he’s actually doing something? He made all these promises during his presidential campaign and now he has the nerve to follow through! Preposterous! He’s taking away all the joy of bashing a new President; a politician. They seldom keep their word. What are the naysayers to do now? Debate how quickly his hair is graying? Suggest he walk with less swagger?


He’s spending too much money on this stimulus bill. Oh yeah? Well he has to undo the mess that the previous President caused, or saw happening and didn’t have the intelligence or balls to do anything about. As a leader, you have to do what has to be done. You won’t always be understood or have a lot of support (Guiliani, Bloomberg), but beyond listening to your constituents and taking into account their concerns (health care reform!), it still boils down to a leader doing what has to be done.


Five weeks into his administration, Obama has a plan and a date set to have combat troops home from Iraq: August 31, 2010. A war that frankly shouldn’t have been started. I’m not a fan a war, wasn’t a fan of George Bush. But I remember standing in the lobby of LIU, watching the Twin Towers crumple and thinking, “They just declared war…” So I understand the US going after who was responsible, Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.Saddam Hussein, I think, was a red herring that Bush willingly chased. WMDs were never found in Iraq. Instead we’ve had 35,000 total casualties (Iraq & Afghanistan combined). 


Obama’s campaign rival, John McCain, agrees with his plan to pull out from Iraq. And I think deep down, many other Republicans agree with Obama’s policies. But to just admit that and move on with running the country would be too easy. Red state citizens who can’t stomach the fact that their fellow Americans and the Electoral College put Obama in office won’t admit it either even when they start to reap the benefits. So what’s left to do? Pick on the Black man. Compare him (and all African-Americans, Africans, or people of African descent) to a chimp and shoot him up in cartoon form. Or bake drunken negro face cookies in the West Village or display books about the President and one about monkeys in the window of a Barnes and Noble (Coral Gables, FL). No worries, Obama isn’t consulting with Doctor Zaius over a plate of ribs and watermelon. It’s a shame that these comparisons and stereotypes, these attacks, have been going on for centuries. But you gotta feel sorry for the “other guy” if that’s all he’s got after all these years.

 

Find this blog entry elsewhere on the web on Mahogany Butterfly.

Financial Orgasm

“I’m living on less but I’m living more” - Dr. Phil subway ad


I read those words while I was traveling on the uptown B train one Tuesday night. And I totally identified with the statement. I’ve never been money-hungry or the gold-digging type. What is important is that I’m able to afford the necessities; that my fridge and cupboards are never bare, that I can treat myself to the occasional splurge and just be able to enjoy this rather expensive city of New York, without spending a lot. Simply put, comfort is always my goal.


My financial situation changed drastically in 2006, for the worse. It is so important for women to have money of their own that only they have access to and to manage it. And please stop giving your money to men (been watching Judge Judy and my man Judge Joe Brown)! A friend and I recently spoke about the all too important Fuck-you fund. That’s the stash of money you got for when shit go down and you gotta be on your own overnight. I’m finally rebuilding mine. My Fuck-you fund disappeared when the dude I was done fucking and was gonna fucking leave fucked me over and ran off with my fucking money. I’ve been playing catch up ever since. 2007 and most of 2008 I held back. That’s not Abigail.


Aside from building that fund, I’m saving in an ING account. I didn’t need a minimum amount to open with and in less than a month I saved $300. That’s $3600 by the end of the year. That’s a huge deal considering I was recently laid off. I am livING not just existING. It’s amazing how much more confident you feel when you know you have money to “fall back on.” I’m putting my travel wings back on, got my comfy shoes ready for my walks. I’m even considering looking into a career in advertising, PR or event planning because apparently my ability to persuade, sell, and bring people together has only merely been tapped into, and as you can see, I’m not above shameless plugs.


I also make wise “investments” and take smart “risks” (I haven’t tackled the stock market yet) Money spent on professional organization memberships will pay off. I still have two 401Ks from two of my past jobs that are slowly growing. The most clever and powerful statement I heard recently was from Suze Orman during a show I happened to come across airing on PBS. One of the mottos women need to live by is: I am not on sale.


Aside for these random essays and social commentaries I can’t help but write my writing is not free. Pay me what I’m worth. I do take the occasional free assignment only if it’s going to pay off big in the long run. If I don’t receive any monetary compensation the barter must be appropriate. I also create art with my body. That comes at a price as well. Once you start asking for what you’re worth and not accepting any less the money (in whatever form) will start rolling in.


Living on less but living more… and getting off on it every time.