Determination

There is an old saying that is quoted as "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". I'm not really sure of it's origin, but it bottles the essence of those who have a nature of determination in their spirits.

Those who manage disasters, life crisis, more than just "bumps in the road" and do it well, seem to mange things in a methodical tick list fashion, all the while keeping their calm (or not). Moms seem to own the market on crisis management. They look beyond the crisis, beyond the immediate shock and once the original capture of the mind is taken in, within minutes, can foresee the outcome in a more positive light and express comfort to those who they are assisting, all the while saying "it'll be alright". When there seems to not be a positive outcome to be seen, comfort and compassion are always in the forefront.

There are some situations that the phrase "shit magnet" come to mind. That is where a person or establishment, seem destined to experience pain over and over again, and often, by no fault of their/it's own. Our Post isn't a shit magnet, but some days, it sure feels that way.

I volunteer for a local American Legion who has seen it's fair share of natural disasters. In 2003, the flood waters of the St. Mary's River rose within it's walls and the once debt-free Post, then became victim to a 364K SBA Loan. Some brilliant fucker on the Board of Directors only 7-9 short months prior to the disaster, decided they could save allot of money, by cancelling the flood insurance. What a mess that was when it was time to clean up from that mess, with no insurance company Adjuster to guide the process and limit the liability. Well that bit of shit that was dealt their way, was their fault. Dealing with it doesn't make that go down any better. As their current Finance Officer, I still want to take those fuckers to court that made that decision that ruined the spirit of the Organization, our mission to the Military and their families and has now left us scrambling , even now, to regain what we once were known for... the best and most bad-ass place to come in town to eat, play and have fun. I'm considering my options.

The night of June 23, 2010, we took another hit. This time, insured. A spot tornado took off the roof of the vestibule area, uprooted a tree, damaged our signs, blew the AC and Walk-in cooler covers off the roof and our electrical system from the vestibule to just inside the interior walls and everything along that panel are a cluster fuck.

The alarm company called me first at 11:48pm telling me that a window breakage sensor had been set off in the front area of the building. We were in the middle of what was the first of two solid rounds of 75 MPH winds, lightning and torrential rains. I couldn't go investigate just yet.

There was a calm in the storm for about a 30-45 minute time period in our location. Dick Arend, a good and kind man whose job I took over, lives about 3 blocks from the Post. The American Legion buildings are known as "Posts", for those who don't understand the lingo. Dick went to investigate.

Dick called me once he arrived to let me know the extent of the damage and said, "it's a mess". That was the understatement of the year. Like the good mentor he is though, he remained calm in the literal middle of the storm, and I took his lead and did so as well. He'd turned off the alarm, because the window sensor was now apart of the great outdoors and if we armed the building, it would just go off once again. This left us vulnerable. I called the Fort Wayne Police department and explained the situation, asked them to please keep their eyes on the Bldg as they were able, and gave them my home phone number to call in case the had information for us from later in the evening.

Round two came along, with winds more fierce than round 1. In between round 1 and 2, our Post Commander had come to the building and reset the alarm. Not knowing the conversation Dick and I had already had about that with the alarm company, the alarm company called be once again at 3am to let me know the alarm had triggered again, but it was the back door entry sensor this time. They informed me that the police had been dispatched and asked if I would be coming to meet them. I answered "no, but tell them to call me if they find a true breach has been made". I didn't see the reasoning of driving out in 75 mph winds just yet, and along with that lovely serenity prayer of mine, gave up something that was out of my control and gave prayerful diligence to asking the one that could, to act in my absence in our behalf.

I am a tick list kind of person. The first act as Finance Officer, was to place a call to the insurance company, which I did at 3:20am after the call from the alarm company and having Dick's verbal assessment of the situation. I left voice mail with the agent to please have the adjuster out first thing in the morning. I then returned to bed with no solid sleep to be had as my mind was restlessly reviewing the auto-formatted tick list now present in my head. Determination was on the job.

If I am nothing else, I am an American patriot. As I drove closer to the Post, the picture to the left here was my first visualization. Old glory, hanging upside down, ripped from the grommets that held her at the head of the majestic flag pole; my heart was heavy. Our POW-MIA flag, thread barren from the fight, display in tact, weathered from the storm and yet, on the flag pole, was proudly supporting our Nations flag as the men that it stands for have and are, serving our Nation today. To see this, was a moment in time that was filled with heart wrenching irony. This photo has not been retouched or edited in any way. Clouds were in the sky, yet it was dark and gloomy when I first arrived.

The Commander and I arrived ahead of the insurance adjuster and were calmly and methodically scoping out the damage. After the initial walkabout, I went directly to the cabinet where we keep our flags, and secondly to the flag pole to replace the tired, warrior with a new symbol of freedom and unity, lest we not forget. John Dudley, a member of the Sons of the American Legion , accompanied me to the flag pole where I bought down the weathered warriors. He was on guard so as not to let Old Glory touch the ground in any way on her way to retirement. We didn't have an extra POW-MIA flag, but we always have Old Glory on standby in various sizes and materials. We respectfully attached her to the halyard and slowly raised her into position. After securing her, I stepped back, and saluted her proudly.

Determination was on the job.

This may sound weird, fabricated, and just outrageous, but I need you to know that once she was in position, the clouds allowed the sun through and the original picture at the top of this blog, was taken at the base of the flagpole with the sun in full force. Irony? Perhaps. The timing of it all was spiritual.

The one thing current era veterans have in common with those warriors who built this Legion Post, is the determination to make a difference. If you've never been spat on when returning from a war, or walk in silence as your mind races back into the zones where you watched your buddy's arm being blown off or his brain splatter onto your uniform; chances are you don't "get it". If you've never been 18 years old and put on the front line as IED fodder and crapped your trousers knowing any minute you could roll over an IED that will end life as you know it; chances are, you don't "get it". If you've never been a military spouse, child, sibling or parent of someone in the military, you definitely don't "get it". The pride runs deep and to the heart. Only those who have been there and done that can know. The American Legion was formed in 1919 to unite a band of brothers and now, sisters, together to look out for each other and our families.

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans. - http://legion.org/about

Learn more about the American Legion .

On a personal note, it makes me sick that those who serve up the food (Haliburton) make more money than the people they serve it to. But that is another topic entirely.

I suppose I did fail to mention, now that I am reviewing my blog entry for the day, that Post 296, in 2005 was revisited by freakish flood waters, undoing the renovation we had just gone in debt for. Sigh. Shit magnet? Nah, just freak weather beyond our control. Surreal though, surreal.

Although my heart is heavy with this new crisis to manage and we only have a $1000 deductible for this incident to weather, this one is manageable. However, I still have $362K to go to make this place debt free again and to restore it to it's crowning glory. How the fuck I am going to do that? I have no earthly clue. Fact is, as much as I would like to say I am "all that", I can't do it alone.

I think big. I am a positive thinker. Nothing is ever a "no", until I hear it for myself, and then, I explore all possibilities and counsel with others before I give up hope. Wait, I don't think I've ever given up hope on anything, so scratch that last statement.

What we need, is a rabbit out of a hat. Maybe a cussy one. A power-hitter, or a combo of two or three that would do a benefit show for us and other Legions like us - we could get back to the business of our mission. Could Sid be our savior? (grinning, with a nod)

I am officially PLEADING with the Craigs, Randys, Carsons and Fallons of the world to come do a benefit show for the veterans and our Post in Fort Wayne.

December would good. I believe this calendar was left laying here on this month for a reason. Call me superstitious. The picture is worth a thousand words.

Our Post capacity is 380. All we're asking for is your time once, unless you decide it is worthy of more. Have your people call my people at 260-447-3777 if you can help.

If plastic is your weapon of choice, donate securely via PayPal to ParrishPost296@ymail.com You do not have to have a PayPal account to use your credit card to help us.

Determination is on the job. Ain't too proud to beg.

Leftovers

I'm not a fan of leftovers. I used to be alright with them, but a strange life event changed my mind, and fast.

Only a year after Mom died, my Dad remarried the woman he was married to before my Mom was on the scene. This is the woman who we heard horror stories about all of our life, and now, we were expected to accept her. Why? Time mellows the soul, or so I hear. I believe that, to some extent. In this case, I had no real personal reference point to really know if that was true with her or not, so I tried to just go with the flow. It sucked.

I am a fan of frugal spending. I think it's the Scot in the bloodline. I am a bigger fan of nutrition. Not just food, real fuel. My favorite vegetable is green beans. Fresh, steamed or flash fried green beans. There were many a day in the summertimes of my life where I spent it alongside my Mother as we snapped and de-strung bushels upon bushels of fresh green beans from the garden. My fingers were always sore for days after a snapping session like that. The best part was the rinsing and steaming within an hour of the pull and enjoying the fresh bounty of the harvest.

That was "before", and the "after" was an awkward adjustment for a 16 year old to make.

Every new "step-mother" does the suck-up thing to the kids to try to win their favor. You know it's true. So green beans was the thing "she" decided to leap into to gain my favor in a small, seemingly thoughtful way. She was the worse cook I'd ever come to know, even to this day. She tried though, I'll give'r that.

"She" was nicknamed "Bat-Woman" by my Brother and me. Or should that be me and my brother? Whatever. She would always keep the curtains drawn and keep it dark inside of the house that before her arrival, beamed sunshine to every corner and crevice. The only thing missing was her vertical reversal into sleep mode to complete the cave-like atmosphere.

I was a free spirit at 16. Great friends, Navy ROTC and the beach, made up the daily route. Being at the house was what I avoided most, for reasons obvious to those who would know how it feels to see your Mother's pseudo replacement fail miserably in the comparison department. Bat-woman wasn't trying to replace Mom. I know that. But damn, my Mother was beautiful and she looked like a prune. Seriously, a prune.

Her big effort of attempting to win me over with green beans, consisted of starting dinner at 9am and having it simmer on the stove all fucking day long. By the time Dad would get home (I tried to coordinate arrivals so he would be there when I got there too), the green beans were so shriveled and blackened from the burned, buttery simmer-fest, that they were unrecognizable. I wasn't going anywhere near that shit. Ick.

So with me not feasting on her failed effort for approval, she would whip out the Tupperware and reheat the same shit the next day for another eight hour simmer. She really thought we'd eat it eventually. I'm never that hungry.

After the simmer-fest day after day, I just learned to eat before I got home. There were a few occasions over the year and half before I went into the Coast Guard, where I would call Dad at the office and he and I would go somewhere to eat before it was time to make the afternoon appearance, just to avoid the food. Dad would call her to say he had a dinner appointment with a business friend "to close a deal", and would be home about an hour behind the normal schedule. No worries tough, the same shit that had simmered all day would be served again the next night.

Mrs. Hammond, who is the mother of my best friend back in the day, is also Charlie Daniels Aunt Geraldine. She always had an extra place at the table and understood my dilemma with the love and compassion that mirrored my Mother's love. I still call Mrs. Hammond every week to check in and see how her and Mr. Hammond are doing. They have a fairly big family. All of the major occasions of the year are always a gathering of my old pals at the Hammond's house, so that is when I especially make the call. I like checking in with everyone at the same time and laugh with my friends once again. It's food for the soul. If it wasn't for Mrs. Hammond and Mrs. Stinson, Jamie's Mom, I would have starved. The Stinson's (Savage surnamed family, remarried) and the Hammonds were my respite and soft place to fall whenever I felt like a 16 year old does when you are still enough to let the grief seep back in. I love those two families. Every single one of them. Charlie, he's just a regular guy. He may be a big deal to some, but he's just Charlie to me. I was invited to LaRue's (Charlie's late Mom) for Thanksgiving dinner in Leland, several times when Charlie was home, and it was always a great family experience. From Charlie's viewpoint, I was just another brat friend of Loretta's to him.

To this day, I am funny about leftovers; not in a humorous way, in a freaky kind of way. Some paranoia of bacterial ick keeps me from wanting to eat things once cooked, handled, then recooked or warmed up. It doesn't matter if I was the handler or not, I don't do leftovers. Bat-Woman tainted me for life. Ha! I said taint.

I'm sure at one time or another, I will scribe more about Bat-Woman, just for therapeutic purposes. Fanny's Crack is full of untold stories. Some funny, others tragically accurate.

I still enjoy green beans. I cook them correctly to preserve the nutrients. I like them crunchy with a touch of cherry tomatoes, fresh rosemary and thyme.

I can't believe I just blogged about Bat-Woman's fucking green beans. Take that, oh twist of fate! The rest of the Bat-Woman story is still in my head. It was never in my heart.

She died 6 years after my Dad by suicide.

The churches I attended, which were numerous over the years and of different denominations, teach that those who take their own life, rob themselves from eternal grace. I find some solace in that, actually. My Mom and Dad are reunited without interference from a cave dweller.

...or that is how I choose to feel it in order to cope.

In hindsight, Bat-woman herself was a reheated, shriveled up leftover. I think that's what initially stained my senses to the food variety of the same type.

I still have trouble reconciling my Dad's choice for companionship in his latter years. Just before he died, he was making arrangements to move in with myself and my son in Charleston. I think he knew something was up and he wasn't long for this world, and wanted to go out happy by choosing a sublime exit.

Sublime - [French sublimer, from Latin sublimare] a (1): to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor

He succeeded, and with dignity.

Now I'm a leftover. Cyclic shit just blows my mind.

Not a Political Blog

My blog is just a place for me to clear my head. Not a political blog, just a venting one. I'm a nobody with dreams. My dreams include living without the worries of eviction, having my Son succeed in life after being dealt a shit hand in the military and after, and finding my way back to my home town of Wilmington, NC and being able to afford to live and die there. More than anything else, I'd love to have my enthusiasm for life back. I lost it somewhere between 1998 and 2003. Suicide isn't an option. I can't even afford to die. My life insurance policy is three months in arrears. I'll probably lose that soon.

I have simple needs. I don't have a credit card, don't drive a fancy car, have used furniture and my only expenses are Rent, Food, Electric, TV rental payment, life insurance and car insurance. Not much, right? I'm drowning.

I could give a rats ass about the people of Iraq, Afghanistan or any other country that can't find it's way out of a wet paper bag. Billions of dollars our country throws at others to help or assist, when it's own citizens could use that money in assistance. Why should we bleed for them? They sure as hell don't bleed for us. Gratitude don't pay the bills.

I, I, I. Me, Me, Me. Damn right. Who else knows more about a struggle than I do when similar circumstances are relevant?

With a friend, yesterday, we went out to a local hangout that makes their own beer. There was a great band there as well. It was free to listen, but the food (one salad and a chicken finger platter) and three beers a piece came to over $50. WTF? Oh well. I haven't been out like that and been able to relax in over three years. I woke up this morning with no headache, my back didn't hurt anymore and maybe that was just what I needed. Relaxation. I tossed the worries of the world aside for 3 1/2 hours and enjoyed myself for a change. I chair danced and then got a waitress to shove some tables aside to clear a spot to dance, and other people joined me on the make-shift dance floor, to shake off the week's problems for however long it would last.

The work week should be 30 hours a week. Period. Minimum wage should be $12 an hour or commission based (performance based) only. Period. No one has time for their families, relaxation, recreation (unless the are rich). The unions are bleeding our country dry. Sending manufacturing and other valuable jobs overseas. Whoever gave them power, anyhow? Where else would a union worker go to find employment if their demands weren't met? Whiners, I say! A bunch of spoiled rotten self entitled whiners that once they are tenured, sit on their ass and earn $50 an hour for reading a stinking newspaper. That is outrageous! It goes on every day at the GM plant in my area.

AFLCIO. Fuck wonks. Atheists for Leveling Christianity, Inspiration and Occupations. Civil rights? My ass. If I sign a permission slip for my child to spend 30 minutes learning of the history of Jesus Christ, who the hell are they to step in and say it is wrong. History is History. So they want to cherry-pick what gets in and what is left out? Screw them. Civil Liberties include my freedom of choice. Again, another friggin union-type that wants to undermine decency whenever a whiner that hasn't signed a permission slip whines about it just for the attention getting factor. The next thing they will be going after are etiquette classes. How DARE classes be taught on good manners? "MY KID SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE AROUND SUCH THINGS!". Assholes.

I got an email blast from Newt Gingrich about forming some sort of coalition to disagree with everything we voted for.....change. Wasn't he an asshole to begin with? Arguing about everything that was good and laying down with the lobbyists for causes that best fed him and kept him well traveled? I blocked all future emails from that has been. What about CHANGE don't they understand? I guess he would prefer that we breathe the stale air from the past instead of get an infusion of opportunity. Speaking of stale air vs. fresh air, by all rights, Al Gore should have been our President for the last 8 years if the popular vote had anything to do with it. The Electoral College isn't that astute after all. Since when isn't the popular vote the deciding factor in an election? That is SO ANTI-DEMOCRACY.
Mr. President, look into that will you? There's something about the Electoral College that isn't quite right.

I'm done for now. Time to take a nap.
I'm accepting donations to keep my life insurance ($10 maximum) via Paypal to cathycross57@verizon.net

Warm and Buzzy

Democracy
Iraq has held it's elections with little to no disasters. Women have even ran for office, taking on a brave new stake in their government. Although this is an "out of culture experience", having the desire to want to lead, spring forward into new ideas and maintain a solid democracy, is a sure sign of nobility.

Choice
Being an American, we often take these things for granted. The majority of the citizens who have the precious right to vote, do not. This past election of ours collectively brought out a mere 1% more, countrywide to the polls. That 1% is a large number and made the difference between the same old same old in Washington, and breathing a breath of fresh air into the country. Imagine the impact, if every citizen actually voted.

Represent
I suppose that those who didn't vote, didn't care. Perhaps they feel like many of us do, that regardless of who gets voted in, it still reflects taxation without representation, as the politicians that win, vote however their personal gut tells them to without regard to their constituents best interest at heart. As advanced as we are, the District of Columbia has yet to earn a Representative, yet they are still taxed. This is outrageous!

Change
There seems to be a buzz now about how this administration will be different. We finally have a high tech President who uses the Internet to cast a large net of opinion gathering from the flocks of ordinary citizens. That is one noticeable difference among a sea of unusual, yet fresh activity at the White House. There are still disbelievers and those on the other side of the isle that would trip the new administration up just for cackles and grins. Thankfully, they do not hold the majority this time, and the best interest of the people will prevail, hopefully, in most cases.

Global Eyes
With the world watching, I wonder what they see? How do they view us? Is the proof that Americans have finally practiced what the preached and placed a man of color into the highest office in the land their new resolve to work with us? Or is it that anyone but Bush would do? China practically owns us. They have paid for the majority of the war expenses in Iraq. WTF is up with that?

The Price Of Liberty
We sit in our homes while losing our jobs, filing for unemployment and food stamps that merely make survival marginal, while the Wall Street Gurus get bailed out and pass out large bonuses to those who help put us here to begin with. Why give bonuses to those that lead to failure? In the absence of the bonus, where else will they go to work? It isn't as if another job is waiting for them in the shadows with the least of possibility of earning half of what they are already earning. So what if they don't get the bonus? Where would they go? If I were a betting gal, I'd bet they'd stay put and quit whining.

No Regrets, But Let's Be Real
In Iraq, their biggest moment of national pride is taking place. A new democracy, the right to vote, a new era of rebuilding. The ones who made it possible are on food stamps and unemployment back home. Ironic, isn't it? The military members who have protected them, trained them, helped to rebuild their country are the least of the earners in America. If any bonuses were to be paid out, it should have been to the American Military families. Particularly of E-5 and below. Please don't mistake that comparison or irony to be one of disgust. I'm all for any country who desires to have liberty and justice for all to have it. I think it is just time for whoever we help, to share the expense of it.

Reality
While most of us are warm in our homes, there are people in our country without electricity or homes, for that matter; living in shelters, standing in line at the soup kitchens and the number of children in foster care are in record numbers. There are those of us who have to decide between food or rent, medicine or mortgage, and living in the car or moving in with friends who don't really want you there. Times are tough all over. Jobs are scarce. A tax credit will take the next tax filing year to realize - we need money today. Any suggestions?

Employment
I decided long ago, that no matter the employment, I had to be doing good for others within it, or I wouldn't do it at all. This choice has been a tough one and has cost me much in monetary means. The compromise to do good though, has helped my soul stay welcomed into the kingdom I hope to reside in some day. I have worked for employers that openly ridiculed me in front of other staff, who have asked me to do fraudulent things in their behalf, who have asked me to lie to customers and coworkers and gone without paying me for weeks on end. I resigned each one of them. My refusal to participate in any of the above referenced situations has cost me dearly. The search for an overall honorable employer with an overall non combative staff has been a 31 year mission.

To Serve Or Not To Serve
My only honorable employer thus far has been the United States Coast Guard. I'm too old and fat now to ever go back, but for the youth of this country, the Coast Guard is now apart of the Department of Homeland Security. What a COOL place to be! In my day, it was the DOT. Now, more than ever, we need more guards on the borders, more rescues at sea, and more open shipping lanes kept open by the best of the best. There's nothing like chasing a cigarette boat in the Coast Guard's fastest jet boats and the smell of jet fuel in the morning! I loved it! There is always a job in the Coast Guard, and the rewards are spectacular. It was the Coast Guard who saved those in New Orleans from a miserable death. FEMA didn't do their part, but the Coast Guard always does. The uniforms are nice looking too!

My Son served 4 years in the Marine Corps. Another honorable service. He came out of it 50 +% disabled and can hardly make the rent. His back, knees and foot are ruined, which leaves him a difficult task to find additional employment where he doesn't need those three body parts in use every day. His foot was crushed by a Humvee in Motor T Convoy training preparing for deployment to Iraq. His own roommate ran over his foot as he served as a Ground Guide in torrential rains. I'm still steaming about that. Playing chicken with a million dollar Humvee with my Son at the front fender is not my idea of a Brotherhood of Honorable men. That's an entire other blog topic though.

The Army. Those brave and honoreded grunts. The first in and last out. It takes a cast iron set of balls to join the Army. These bands of warriors are the most in number and the least appreciated. Let it be said that I appreciate you! I am thankful every day that you all do what you do in the conditions that you do them in. I appreciate your families as well keeping the home fires burning for your safe return home.

The technology that is available to be trained in within any Military branch is mind boggling. Thing is, the kids graduating now can hardly spell or read. So much is available if the kids would pull up their pants, quit "putting out", put down the video games and hit the friggin' books.

Unfortunate as it is, the majority of those who join the military do so to escape poverty and are ill prepared mentally and developmentally for the tasks they will have to perform. The brave American Youth sign the contract, take the oath and go forth into death zones doing what they are told to do and pissing their pants all the while they are doing it. Being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared as hell out there. I take issue at our youth intentionally being used as IED Fodder.

Intentionally Using our Youth as IED Fodder
Science has proved that the brain of an 18 year old is not developmentally capable of signing such a contract to die for his country or for any other cause at that age. So why, since we know that, are they still allowed to join at age 18? 25 is the age when science shows is a more capable maturity to make such a decision. The majority of the military deaths in combat are those under the age of 24. This seems to bring to light that the science is real. When will the Department of Defense stop knowingly use our youth as IED fodder and change the age of enlistment to 25. Doing so, would encourage college attendance prior to combat fields, and result in a more mature military force that can make such a decision a more educated one.

If you are 25 at least, go to your local recruiter's office. Worried about being killed? Check out the Air Force and Coast Guard first. They are the safest branches. Why? In the Air Force, it is the Officers that go into combat. The enlisted crew stay on base for support. In the Coast Guard, you are always near the water and learn a more humanitarian approach to life. Saving lives, defending the borders and intercepting the illegals on sea and on land. Kudos to the Coasties!

What We Are Best Suited For
When I was younger, my Father told me that whatever type of job I went after, I had to really like it or it would not make for a good career. No truer words have ever been spoken! I'm 51. I still stick to my pledge that if what I do doesn't truly help people, I won't do it. In my next topic, I will go over the pros and cons of that with you. It's a goop of soup.

What are we best suited for? Those with an entrepreneurial spirit can't get loans to start a new business. Those that choose the work at home MLM or Consumer Direct Marketing Referral systems are labeled as scammers. (That's not true in at least 3 solid cases I know of). The best boss we can have is ourselves, yet we would fire ourselves if that rang true in most cases. Working from home brings about its own set of disciplinary restraints. Are we disciplined enough to get up and begin at 8am and work consistently until 5pm for our cause, or do we lack the stick-to-it-iveness to make sure we keep to a schedule?

So many work at home offerings on the Internet are not what they appear to be. The Nigerians have made scamming innocents in the United States their national goal in life via emails and part time job openings that bring the desperate into a losing situation and there's no way to prevent it. I know I haven't inherited millions from a long lost family member in Nigeria. Why don't you? There is no business on the face of the earth that needs someone from our country to deposit money into their personal account and then get a certified check to send somewhere else. Hello! VISA - it's everywhere you need to be! Don't fall for this crap. Desperate we may be, stupid we cannot be!

Back to the question, "what are we best suited for?". Think about it. Burn the fires of an entrepreneur in motion. Be creative! The part that we can do on our own in creating a new business that we love, can set many consumers in gear again.

ACCEPT THE WORKERS FROM HOME
Many look upon those who work from home as the lesser of the business people. I beg to differ. Those that work from home use the tools they have at the maximum level of creativity in order to earn enough to feed the family. Many companies such as the one I work for, offer an extremely good service to Merchants, and I didn't have to pay a dime to begin working. I'm fulfilling my goal to always be of help to others with full transparency. I love my job. It's commission only, but that is enough motivation to get me out there!

In this economy, many talented individuals can't afford pricey buildings (Brick and Mortar stores) and have found a unique way to offer quality products without carrying inventory. Listen to them. See what it is they offer. At least give them some time. Our economy depends on it.

If they are local, embrace a local representative that can offer you the service that has been missing from larger corporate firms. Get back to the neighborhoods and meet your fellow business people. Evoke a Small Business Co-op that isn't as costly as BNI.

There is so much potential in this country, your state, county, city and neighborhoods. Be warm with each other and start a business buzz. Form groups and bring back the bartering system (Trade for Services). Our country was founded on many of the concepts of neighborhood business co-ops. Let's put on our thinking caps and get back to the basics.

Stay Warm and Buzzy! Now go meet your neighbors!