The Monkey is Happy...

While today marks the big 3-0 for me, I've never really made a big deal about my birthday & I tend to shy away from that kind of attention.

Still, I recognize the significance of the milestone & I'm so very happy to see another year - incidentally, sex is wonderful after 30, so I'm really looking forward to that :-D

But while today should be a joyous time, it's really a reminder of my very dear friend. We had SUCH big plans in regard to our 30th birthdays, since they're just 4-weeks apart, but she passed away just days before her 29th & honestly, it's something I've been a little bitter about ever since.

I know I'll have to let go of Vam at some point (& that she's in a better place), but I'm still not ready to. She'd be the 1st to point-out how I've always done things on my own terms, so I guess this would be another example of such, lol. But she'd want me to enjoy myself so I will - just wish I could tell her how loved she is.

The past year has been turbulent at times indeed, but fuckit - I'm here! As I think of the many things I expected to have accomplished in life by now - certainly, I've fallen short of many of those self-prescribed goals & expectations, but I've also managed some pretty remarkable achievements & for those, I'm very proud, cheers...

Feature Friday: Mother to Son

It's my goal to post a Feature Friday blog the 1st Friday of each month. Any great literary, vocal or otherwise artistic works you'd like to see shared? Perhaps you've got some good stuff yourself. If so, shoot me an email at Ghostwriter28@me.com & I'd be glad to post it.

This week's selection comes courtesy of the late Langston Hughes and was written in 1922. My mother always used to recite this poem when I was a child & today, for no reason at all, it popped into my head while riding into work n the train (I guess a few things actually stuck to the wall afterall). It's crazy how words she intended to find my ears more than 20 years ago finally ended their journey today. 'Mother to Son' reads as follows...

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor – Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now –
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Money Matters...

For more than a year I've been attempting to plant the seeds among a few friends to start an investment group - but no takers so far... It would be kinda cool to find another casual investor who shared my enthusiasm for the ups & downs of Wall Street.

I was thinking maybe a group of 5 or so buddies willing to invest $100 per month. As a team, we could decide which stocks to invest in on a bi-annual basis & watch our money grow.

I've done pretty well in gauging the potential success or failure of common stocks, especially tech related companies like Intel, Sony, Apple & Google. Since my goal is NOT to get rich overnight, so outside of tech related holdings, I pretty much invest in obvious, no-brainer stocks like Nike, McDonalds & Walmart.

Another simple strategy that has worked for me since starting to experiment with online brokerage accounts about 5 years back is to invest in products/companies that I frequently use - stocks like AT&T, Verizon, Netflix & Honda.

When Ford stock hit rock bottom, I took advantage & invested. The stock has has recovered well since that time. At this point, I'm becoming hooked! I now find myself checking to see whether the various stock markets (even markets in other countries) have closed above or below their daily averages.

When the recession took hold, sending the economy into the shitter promptng many to pull their money out of stocks, I bought, bought & bought! After all, that's the name of the game - buy low, sell high!

By no means am I a day trader, but every pay period, I set a little bread aside to invest. Fuck waiting for Uncle Sam to pull the rug from beneath me by announcing the termination of social security benefits - I'm growing my own nest egg!

Between my personal portfolios & 401(a) retirement plan, I hope to be taken care of should the US Government decide to hand me an IOU when social security benefits would normally kick in. Are you planning for your later years? It's never too late to plan for your future - you've just gotta start now...