We Can Change

It has been while since I have posted. It may be a little off-topic, but I'd like to comment. This day last week marked a very important day in the future of our country. Not only was an African-American elected president, but it appears as though the Regan era has ended. Mr Obama has a lot of work to do, but I feel more confident with a fresh, intelligent, mindful man running this country in 1 month...Who are we kidding, he began taking over last Wednesday. During the campaign, McCain and the right-wingers were accusing Obama of being a socialist. I may not agree with that 100%, but I do think we need a little spice of socialism to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression. There is no one to point fingers at when talking about this collapse of our economy, it was a collective clusterf*ck but I sleep better at night knowing who will be in charge of rebuilding this mess.

I told many friends that if McCain was elected I was gone from the US of A. That may have been a stretch, but I don't think I could've taken it any longer. To my republican friends who think Obama is going to take your money and give it to the poor, or we are going to lose out on even more job creation because we are going to increase taxes on the upper echelon of America, get real. I may not agree with spreading the wealth completely but if I had to choose between spreading the wealth or giving it to rich, filthy, pompous a-holes, I'd pick spreading it all the way. It feels awful that in order for us to get where we are now, things had to get soo bad. I don't know how John Kerry would've run this country, and I am not glad we had to wait another 4 years but if you would've told me 4 years ago that Bush would continue being president and America would be holding on by threads...but Obama would be elected president, I think I would've endured the hell of the past 4 years.

Obama is unproven in many matters of being chief of state, he is a junior senator, but I don't care. He is passionate at doing what is right for this country, and can back it up with genuine words. I was undecided on who I was voting for in the primaries until that day in Philadelphia when he delivered his speech on race. It was the best speech I have heard in my few years on this planet. From the moment forward, I wanted to find out as much as I could about Obama, and everywhere I looked nothing disappointed me. It's good to have such a diverse man at the top of the country who didn't work it way up through a family name. The hilarious Chris Rock said it on Larry King Live several months ago, he was voting for the man with 1 house, not 8. I think Obama is winning over many naysayers, and still maintaining enthusiasm in many races and demographics. I am excited for the next 4 years, and as I have said before, he isn't going to magical fix this country, but he is going to lay the framework that will help this country prosper into the next several decades.

Anyways, enough of the political comment. Last post was mid-August, before the financial meltdown. Bailout bill was passed and the money is starting to rescue many failed financial institutions. Stock market is more erratic than ever, but I try to ignore it and stay the course. Yes, I have lost several thousands of dollars over the past 3 months but investing is never a guaranteed return at all times. I wish more people were more educated on investments, and stopped trying to maximize their returns daily. This month I have dug myself out of the negative in networth for the first time ever. It feels good, but I can't stop now. I am on track to pay off my car by end of 2009. I will not be able to save any money the next two months because one: I had to get new tires today and it set me back $565 and I have to spend ~$400 on Christmas gifts for everyone. I think the only real positive to come out of this recession is the price of gas. Last night in South Baltimore I saw it at $1.89. Around here it is $2.12. The money I'll be saving is gas can go towards more saving. I will be getting $400 back in the next 3 months on an interest free loan I gave out to Ali to help her pay off her credit card a few months back. I'll try to stay on this more often, I have been really busy and lacked the motivation to write.