Way It Should Be

I was checking out the CFO's post Warning: Your identity as a parent is taking over your life. My husband and I are both guilty of this. By Choice!!

We spent all our non-working time with the kids. Doing whatever. One day we could be building a volcano in the kitchen, the next a 7 course meal fit for only children. The next day, we may have been found trying to master a BMX bike, like the tricksters at the fair or having massive neighborhood hide and seek games.

Looking back and even at the time, we can see that we were neglecting our lives, so to speak, to share in the kids life's. At the time, we were so busy, living the full life, that it didn't matter.

Now, as our family shrinks - at least the ones under our roof, we find ourselves with time. Time, that we need to fill with doing for ourselves and each other. It is a different life. Sometimes even sad.

We are getting better, but it is a daily job to learn to meet with friends again and to be ourselves.

I see the CFO's warning as a valid warning. It is so easy to focus 100% on the kids and lose yourself. Making it a tough transition from that all consuming parenting, to the sideline parent waiting in the wings. So, it is probably best too keep both sides of yourself moving forward at all times.

Of course, if I had it all too do over again. I would change it, just have more fun, hugs and laughter.

Book - 19 Minutes

Last night, I completed my current read 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult. With everything happening in our schools, I found it quite appropriate.

This book brings to life a school shooting. In classic Picoult style, each and every character is brought to life. Which for the first time, made me look at the shooter as human - instead of the monster I have to think they are to get through it.

As a parent, Picoult put a spotlight on my fears of parenting. I have to believe it is normal to question your parenting, it is the most important job we do. Leaving us constantly with fears that we are not good enough. Or that we might do or not do something we should or shouldn't.
We probably wouldn't be human, if we didn't worry a bit about this. A parent's goal is to always end our job, placing the child or children in a better place then where we are at.

The sober awakening, is when you see you can do everything and nothing and sometimes things just are.

This was my 10th Picoult book read. I have about 4 more to complete, at some point. Maybe it has been the break in between my last book or hers to this one, but I think this was the best book since My Sisters Keeper.

Prosper Baby Stepping

I don't have a good history with this company. Yet, I still have that last lonely "paying as agreed" loan floating out there. Each month I receive like $1.87.

My cash account at Prosper, which still doesn't earn interest (bummer) was sitting just above $20 and I had a bit of the temptations brought back. So, I have transferred in another $30.

I'm going to give this a go again. But in smaller increments. Not that last time was a huge amount of money, but I need to build some faith.

I have made 3 bids so far and lost them all, up till today. I am bidding on another one today and we will see if anything comes from it.

My only strategy is:

• Select from only A or Higher credit scores
• Select from only those without delinquencies
• Select from only those with manageable DTI ratios
• Select from only homeowners
• NO Business loans - too easy for a business owner to go bust without a care to personal credit

Not rocket science, but hopefully a safer path. I think???

Deposit Crazy!!!

I have a customer, that is slowing the money flow in their business. I am more closely involved at the moment, because one of the partners is in Italy. So, I am seeing the lag in timing from their system. And frankly, it is driving me bonkers. This is no way to run a business. Especially a new and growing one (under 5 years).

They are receiving customer payments at one location and then mailing them to another to be deposited. How crazy is that? This is creating a 3-5 day lag in their money clearing the bank.

While I completely understand the why they do it, I'm determined to find a better way.

Which had me remembering that mailer from my bank a while back. Where they were going to let us test drive a "deposit from home/office" system. That is just what these guys need.

I was totally excited when I saw that DepositNow has a system that would work wonders with their Quick Books Manufacturing program. The first guy that receives the check, could just scan it in and get the money to the bank. The DepositNow system integrates with their software so the other office would see (and me too) the money and deposit through QB. SWEET!

My next task is to determine how cost effective it is. Because in a young business it all goes back to dollars and cents. Okay, in all businesses.

The initial unit (scanner) costs $225. The only extra plus here is that this scanner is not for checks only and could be used in other areas of the business. Making it even more cost effective.

There are immediate costs with every check they currently receive:

• Postage to 2nd location - 42 ¢
• Trip to bank estimating 10 miles round trip in a big Buick - I'd say 1/2 gallon of gas - $2.00
• Time - depending on schedule and location always a variable.
• Money saved on paying bills without delay and penalty - variable.

So, if we just say $2.50 per deposit, with an average of 2 a week, that is $20 a month. $20 that could go to other things. And could more likely, looking at the past, grow into much more based on fees.

The only loose end for me, is the cost to have this system up and running. They say it has too many variables to provide numbers online. Which means, I need to make some calls.

For the moment though, I am going to email a page link to them to check it out and see how it is received. Wouldn't want to waste my time, if it is a NO GO from the start.

Hey - if you need this system too put my blog site name into the referral box and they will give you $25 off the scanner. And let me send you a big thanks, because I will also receive $25.00. I need to figure out how to get my company to sign on this system, earning me the referral, without revealing my blog. I don't suspect this will be possible. :-(

"You didn't do it right"

What in the world is wrong? Why can't I be assertive when it comes to me and my needs? Should the same thing happen to someone else I would be the first to tell it like it is? Yet, I fail for myself.

Yesterday, after 3 months without a hair cut, I ventured out to get one. My hair grows like someone is feeding it miracle grow while I sleep. So, after 3 months it isn't anywhere close to how it should be.

So as I enter the salon, this is knowledge I feed to the stylist. Followed by EXACTLY, what I want. No wishy washy. No way to misunderstand. Exact info on the front, back and sides.

As I am in the chair, she is just trimming. Did I say 3 months? After a few snips, she is reaching for the hair dryer. Her mouth was running full speed and I couldn't get 2 words in. So, she kept drying.

Then, when she is done and going to take that bib off, she shuts up.

I tell her, that it isn't short enough. And instead of fixing it, she tells me "if you go home and your not happy, come back and we will fix it for free."

COME BACK - are you out of your mind! Do it NOW. Is what I would have said for someone else.

Instead - I walked out. It totally ruined my day. What a waste of money.

My fault - for looking for a cheaper alternative for my hair care.

To make it even more terrible if it is possible.......I headed for Micky D's to get my free Chicken Sandwich and an Iced Coffee only to see the line resembled more of a parade then the drive-thru. I couldn't even get into the parking lot to park and walk in.

So, I didn't get my free sandwich!

On the upside - TODAY IS GOING TO BE 100% BETTER THEN YESTERDAY!! The sun is already shining!

Romanticizing Retirement

It's seems just like yesterday, when I was content on eating cat food. Okay, a bit farther back it was April 1st. 360 payment (30 years x 12 months) of $89.30 to live on was going to be hard, but I made my bed.

Getting old sucks!

We didn't contribute to retirement accounts in April. I made this executive decision, when plotting the rest of our annual bills. I just would rather insure that all of them that are due before September end are covered without financing.

I really don't think that is too much to ask.

This month though, it may have been a wrong decision, but I contributed a bit. Why can't I stay on a path. I swear at some point in my life, I was fed those Mexican Jumping Beans. I'm bouncing all over the place.

With a bit of guilt resting on my mind, I thought I would do that quick calculation again. Just for fun. This is fun - Right?

And folks, our standard of living in retirement is going up (with out growth & without inflation considered). Taking our current cash investments (not savings or checking) our new monthly income will be $97.99 per month.

This means we may be enjoying a little coffee with our cat food. Well, if we make it ourselves. With a cheap brand. And limit ourselves to a cup a day. :-)

"I don't know why, but I'm supposed to be mad...."

I have to keep myself from reading about Maynmar and what is happening to the people, since the cyclone. With the estimate death toll and more to come from what the cyclone left behind; I find myself upset that the ones that be don't move forward.

Which got me thinking does hate truly exist?

Is it possible to hate someone so much, that you have never met, that you would let them suffer and die? In fact, I have a couple people (I know I shouldn't) that frankly, I despise in my real world, but I would hope I would not let my feelings determine my position, if they were in need.

Now, this is totally outside of a massive event, that creates hate - like murder or something terrible.

Do the people of Maynmar know that we don't hate them? Do they know that we want to help? Do they know that we care? Or do they think we are like their overseer's full of uncontrollable hate. Do they not know that whatever our differences it doesn't matter, when it comes to life and death?

When I was younger and maybe it is still the same today, a friend said to me - "I don't know why, but if you call me a Puerto Rican or a Cuban, I'm supposed to be mad." She's a Mexican. I remember being puzzled by this and asking others if this was the case. I even went so much as to ask our other friends that were Puerto Rican and Cuban if this was the same for them. I was shocked that they all were taught the same thing.

The most powerful lessons seemed to be taught by the Puerto Ricans and Mexicans - I learned never to assume when asking a nationality.

My friends and I were so young, that we thought we would fix this thing of hate, by not getting mad if someone said we were a different nationality. Of course, I didn't feel the twinge that had been erected in them. It didn't bother me if some one asked if I was Russian.

Which makes me wonder - this whole thing. Do we really truly hate people? Or are we told and taught we do?

A face to face encounter could change the whole thing, as in most pre-set judgments. We all have them until we take the time to meet one on one. Then magically, these things slide away - at least for the one that we are talking too.

Have the governments made us (all the people of the world) hate each other, for no good reason? So much that these people are being written off. What kind of government would allow the people to die like this, out of pride? Please hate us all you want, but help your people or else you will only be governing over yourself.

How do we the people of the world - take back our feelings and be as one?

Maynmar and people of the world - I don't hate you. Never have.

Security Alert: 83486

Hillarious!! I received the folling email and am forwarding it from my email. Hope it works. :-)

This is a Security Alert you requested to help you protect your account. Your account has been blocked. 966 You have exceeded the number of three (3) failed login attempts. To unlock your account, please your account Thank you for your cooperation. Sincerely Yours, Hollie Herndon Hollie.Herndon@citibank.com

This e-mail is intended only for the use of Citibank, N.A., Member FDIC Citibank.com is the source of information about and access to domestic financial services provided by Citibank retail banking and the Citigroup family of companies. Citibank, N.A., Member FDIC. Citibank Credit Cards are issued by Citibank (South Dakota), N.A.

Maybe you can scroll over the links - not even close to what Citibank would use for an address.

PS. I logged in just fine.

Warning for all.

910 Miles in 12 days

Amazing, when you pay attention, to see how many miles you drive. These aren't frivolous miles either. Unless you consider visiting my grandfather frivolous - which I don't.

My last mark to goal was 152,758 on April 30th.

With 910 miles under my belt so far, since. I'm guessing by tomorrow when I get home from Chicago, I will be closer to the 1200 mark. Since, today I will run my errands, while out after my trainer. Then tonight my DH will use my car to visit a friend in the hospital. And tomorrow I will add another 139 miles or so to visit my grandfather.

Current distance to goal of 250k Miles - 151,848.

I could have used the What Ifs & the Bastards post last weekend

I just read Financial Fitness' post Ignoring the What If's and the Bastards. Read it, if like me you have the negative thoughts creep in a bit too much. I can't help but think how much time and energy I waste with the both of them. And how Financial Fitness must be a great friend, in the friends eye.

Thank Financial Fitness!

Passive Income Update

It just occurred to me, that I make more in passive income in 6 months then the majority of Illinois residents earn a year from working. If memory serves me right - the median income is somewhere in the $30k range. I'm going to hit that in June.


To get to this level, it was not without risk. Although, as time progresses the risks diminish and the rewards become more apparent.

Some day, in the not so distant future, I expect these dollars to be a replacement for our working income. That will definitely be a day of FREEDOM!

After all my numbers are in for the rate adjustments, I will be able to adjust my Monthly Goal with the new lower amounts. Just making the gap shrink.

I'm Impatient!!

Yesterday, we met with our banker and signed the documents for the rate adjustments. Due to the size of the 2 loans, this is quite a sum to be saved monthly. After re-couping our $100 modification costs, I can't wait to see our balances go down faster then ever!!!

Although, it will only be a quicker a payoff on the oldest note, it will mean substantial savings on the newer one for years to come.

I have logged into my online banking, like a zillion times (slight exaggeration). I wish the changes showed automatically. Although, they will be effective from yesterday, I still would like to see them with my own eyes.

I guess bankers are like turtles.

Problem Solved With A Move

When I first saw the words Planet Fat Loss, I was thinking, how do I get there? These last few months have been a ton of work for me, but worth every drop of sweat. I still believe it is impossible to put value on health.

My issue continues to be with the number that is on the scale. I feel better, I look better, but that number reminds me of the journey ahead. Sure, they can tell you don't pay attention, but their wasting their breath. It does matter, for reasons we may never know. The mind is a confusing thing.

Weight Loss, overall, has to be the number one reason women get active.

It does matter too. People can say that weight doesn't play apart of their judgements, but they are wrong. I am treated much more differently, then when I was twice my size. Of course, I can't forget that my confidence has also shot up. (thankfully)

Anyway, for those of you, like me, that need some helping points - YOU HAVE to go to Planet Weight Loss. This site is full of quality information. From Weight Loss to Nutrition. They cover all aspects of the person.

I've come across main sites since my journey began and Planet Weight Loss has a bountiful of information. Yes, there are products to purchase on their site, but you are not forced to purchase, to share in the learning. And the tools are there if you need or want them.

One more thing, it isn't just for those that struggle with weight. Planet Weight Loss, contrary to its name is for anyone looking for a healthier life style. Anyone, with questions on their exercise. Anyone, that can't decide what to eat.

4 Year Plan Changing

I hate change, most times. I am one that wants a plan. Thus why I am searching everyday for a mode of transportation that does not take place for months. I just like to know everything is set and ready to go.

Today, my DS1 has made a decision to change his 4 Year College Plan. I think it is a wise choice, but I am shocked by the choice. The amazing thing is, since he settled on NIU, I waited to see a peace in him. The knowing where and what will be. It never came. In fact, he has been moody and irritable.

I thought the moodiness may be a result of all the changes in his life now. With the new job and graduation and college on the horizon.

Today, by the grace of an unseen hand, he has been freed from his burden. I'm shocked by how much this changed him. He told me that instead of heading for the 4 year University, he wanted to go to the local community college for a year.

For some reason, I believe this was hard for him to tell me. And it shouldn't have been. I am a firm believer in getting the first 2 years of gen eds at a more affordable cost. Although, I think it is important that each child chose their path. If it was my dollar, I would go this route though.

My son is back though. From where ever the burden was keeping him. He is for the first time in months, happy - almost giddy and excited about his choice.

I just hope it works out for him. I'm sure it will.

15 Passenger Van

Were still toying with the transportation issues for our vacations. I never dreamed car rentals would be so tough. Price is an issue, I don't want to blow all our available funds on a rental. And most sites offer great discounts when you rent a car, but these passenger vans are like mortgage payments. For very large homes.

No free days, no $19.99 special fees, no anything but taking me to the poor house. How come the costs are so extremely high? After all, I'm going to be paying for that big boat to have fuel. The more I look, the more convinced I am that my large family needs to purchase a used vehicle for these 3 trips.

When it is just us, then we will relish in the rental fees that so low.

Spending $200 Today

All the paperwork is completed and I am heading to the bank today to sign our loan adjustments. Before the next month's accrual of interest is over, our rate reduction will make this a no cost adjustment.

The commercial loan, will see the smallest reduction, since the loan is dropping below 6 figures with the June Payment (which is actually July - I pay everything a month in advance). This is going to be a huge mile stone for us.

By adjusting these loans there will be no maturity date change, automatically. Yet, if things maintain as they are, I will maintain my prior payment amount. Making our monthly principal payments more. :-) Without this we have 106 payments to go.

Extra payments will be determined by funds available after college. I would hate to finance more at higher rates. Seems foolish.

The other mortgage adjusted is for the residential rental. With the way it is going, I may enjoy the smaller payments - we will see.

I need to Purge some Credit Cards - Again!

Doing my regular check on the cards to make sure all is accounted for, I see that my Available Credit amounts are increasing again. When I was young, this was a good thing, or at least I interrupted it that way. Now, for some reason, it drives me crazy.

I never utilize the full available balance. For obvious reasons, if I did there is no way possible I could pay it off monthly. Plus, where would I keep all the junk that would accumulate from that spending?

I'm a purger! I feel less is more in the home. Makes the home cleaner and easier to maintain. Maybe I am lazy, not a purger. Something I definitely have to consider. :-)

Quicken, sometimes, displays too much information (sarcasm). A couple clicks and there are tally's of all your available credit and the amount you are using. There is no hiding from your spending, with this page. Anyone using Quicken, should make that page their home page when they open up - might serve well to keep your debt payoff in line.

As my Total Credit Lines Increase, I have the same uncomfortable feelings now as being in debt.
To me, more available, is not a status symbol. It resembles more of an AT Risk position.

Imagine the damage that could be done with one of those cards if it got in the wrong hands.

Oh wait, it isn't a debit card - I do have some protections. LOL!

Next week, I will pull my quarterly credit report. I believe this one will be from Experian....hmm. I better check before I pull, don't want to have a fee. After I see that all is well, I'm going to start the credit card purge again.

After all, I only use 4 cards - 2 are running the 0%'s, 1 Discover where I am using to record household purchases - earning cash back, and the other a Visa that I have traded out DH's GM Card to earn Cash, we have more then enough earned GM Dollars for future purchases and no purchase in the forseeable future.

I'm thinking of saying good bye too:

• JC Penney - I haven't used in a long time, since it has been more financially sound to get cash back on the other cards.
• Kohl's - Again, I've been using other options for the cash back. We don't seem to use the savings they give as much as we used too. So hardly worth it. We buy when we need.
• Macy's - only took it, because of my huge clothing purchases - there was a 30% discount. But this card is useless to me now.
• American Eagle - Not worth those measly things they call perks. Easier for me to use my cash back cards.
• CitiCard - open for the 0%, which is over.

I have 1 more unused card, but I hesitate to close it and instead feel more inclined to go use it ONCE. This is my Walmart Card. It was my first credit card, but initially a Montgomery Ward Card, until it went out of business and they transferred the credit to Walmart. This credit history is 21 years old, just old enough to drink. :-) I think I should keep it, only for that.

Anyway, buy purging I don't have to worry about someone buying a house on my credit. Why in the world would the credit companies give me enough credit to buy a house. If I was buying a house, I'm sure I could find cheaper loans.

A True Day of Rest

Just what the doctor ordered.

Being Mother's Day yesterday, I think I was bestowed more decision power for a while. There were definitely less negative sounds when I made choices. I expected to hear a lot, when I changed our plans of going to the theater to going to the rental store and picking a few movies to watch. After all, everyone loves the movie going experience. I just wanted to watch from the comfort of my own living room where a pause is available if I need a bathroom break.

I was tired and needed some time to regroup.

My DH made breakfast, which is so nice and not something that happens often around here. He attempted my waffles and although they weren't perfect, he gets an A for trying.

After my run on the treadmill, my brother called. And when he calls it is hours on the phone. My DH was already stuck on the phone. :-) I did a great job of hiding my issues the day before, because my brother (who is the only one in the world that knows how this feels) said he missed it completely. He did a great job of talking me out of it though. I'm lucky, I wasn't an only child through this parenting nightmare.

After going for a visit at my M.I.L's and helping clear her house for new carpeting, we made it home for a video movie marathon of nothingness.

Well, almost. I did do a load of laundry. I have issues! I can't miss a day of laundry or in my house I will suffer. :-)

Then, after the first flick - which wasn't good, but something I was curious about, I made Spinach Ravioli. I had a craving and DH doesn't know how to make these or I know he would have cooked.

The first movie was the BEE Movie - save your nickels here.

The last movie INTO THE WILD - was fabulous! Based on a true story, you can't help to be entranced by the events. Has to be one of the better movies I have seen in a while.

I picked one more chick flick, that I probably would not be able to see otherwise (if it wasn't Mothers Day) - Juno, but we didn't have time to watch. My Ravioli time went a little long. I was enjoying the cooking time. Especially, when the whole family joined me in the kitchen to talk.

I'm so lucky! I love my family! A perfect day, is an understatement!

I'm sorry

For that depressing post.

I sometimes feel, if you say it, you can then let it go. I'm not sure it works, but it needed to get out of my insides. I definitely, didn't want to let my kids hear or feel it. So, you poor people got it.

I'm moving on to enjoy Mother's Day. Focusing on the good in my world:

• My husband
• My children
• My dog
• My husbands parents
• My home
• My work
• My community

I'm so blessed. Sometimes you grow and mature in your life, not due to your parents, but in spite of them.

Prying Eyes

Most small businesses worry about having their numbers in view of employees and subcontractors. We just like privacy as humans. Many require detailed time and expenses when billing customers. For these reasons the logical choice is Online Time and Expense software. Where everyone can access and then the head cheese can download the information into their accounting software and follow through with billing.

The best records, mean the most in sales.

Ever fallen and had the air knocked out of you?

I didn't fall yesterday, but I experienced this. The tightening of your chest. The burning in your lungs. The feeling as if all time and space has stopped. A kind of limbo, where you question your reality.

At my age, I should have been prepared for what happened. I have had the majority of my life to deal with it and live it. I'm almost mad at myself, for how it made me feel.

As most of you know, my baby, my first born is graduating high school this year. He is in the top of his graduating class. He is a pride for me. He, like all my children, is/are my life.

As most parents do, I am planning a party for anyone and everyone on his graduation day. I'm sure you noticed, I am a less frequent poster. Between work and all of this, I am finding less and less time to post. I'm okay with this, this is a big day for me too.

Anyway, I just assumed, being my first born and the family's first grand baby, that the family wouldn't miss this for the world. Invitations have all went out and I never gave it a second thought.

Until yesterday.

I brought it up, and never completed a full sentence about the purchase of Gentleman Jack. When I was cut-off by words that made the rest of our 4 hour visit disappear in my memory banks. I was surprised 4 hours later when I climbed in my car, to come home and realized so much time had passed. The words that cut me off in mid-sentence -

"We're not coming. We're going to Jersey."

It hurt beyond measure. The words were from my father, who was just in Jersey 2 weeks ago to visit my little sister. This day will never come again - and a regular visit is more important. I guess it was just another painful reminder of how divorce (my blood parents) is forever a thorn that says - you are insignificant. Worse yet, your child is insignificant.

My DH thought I should have said something. I didn't. I backed away, trying to catch my breath and talked to anyone, but him, for the rest of my grandfathers birthday. I did not let him know the immediate pain he caused. I struggled to hold it together, especially in the car for our long trip home.

It wasn't the first time. I'm pretty sure it won't be the last. I really just wish I could not care.

Mother's Day Movie

Friday, May 9th, marked the opening of a scare the crap out of you flick. If you enjoy horror movie's, this is a flick for you. Totally uncut and full of the true horrors of the real world, that you will second guess the ones around you.

There appears to be a controversy revolving around this new film Frontier, because of its all revealing film. No sugar coating a murderers ways. No making you believe it is done by folks that we would see at first glance, as being monsters. When it comes down to it, this is what terrifies most, to believe it could be that normal guy, next door. I know it scares me.

My family is taking me to the movies today, for Mother's Day. So, they are allowing me to pick the flick. Which almost never happens. Since it is pouring down rain here, I am really looking forward to an indoor movie theater.

I thought about this movie as my selection, then realized the DVD is coming out on Tuesday, May 13th. The mother in me, did want to torture the majority of my family, by making them watch this flick. I only have 2 daughters that would enjoy this. So why waste all those dollars. The financially savvy girl that I am, I will wait to rent the flick later this week. :-)


Interested in Frontier(s), check out Bloody Disgusting a site that will keep you in the know, for all horror flicks. Note: some scenes may be to graphic for small eyes.

Yo, no one told me the recession was over

Okay, maybe not in those words, but on the streets in my area - this is the news.

We have never slowed down in work. For this I am grateful. When work ran low, it was because of timing, not a lack of. Being in the construction business, this is awesome. Especially, when speaking with others in the business.

February, March and the first half of April, I was hearing nothing but sob stories from the folks in the business. Or out of the business, if you know what I mean. Complaints were everywhere. The biggest ones of concern, in my eyes, were from the cement heads. When foundations are going in, building isn't going up. Just a way to keep a finger on the pulse.

Again, this doesn't apply to us. We are more into commercial, although currently we are remodeling an old farm house into a fabulous show piece. These are my favorite jobs. One's in which the owners are cash flush and want only the best. And one's where I get to see the beauty of a restored building. I just love those old farm house - high ceilings, built in cabinetry, and huge rooms.

Well, I'm happy to report, just like the farmers and weather, our construction friends are all back to work. Now they complain about the huge pile of work coming in.

To me, this is a fabulous sign of a country (or our area) on the move. Good-bye recession, we are making money!

A diamond in the rough??

I'm doubting anyone outside the Chicagoland area has heard of St. Francis Hospital. Although, I think everyone should - not because it is special, but because I think it reflects our health care issues. The ones that are almost drowning folks in the working class.

Back in April, St. Francis Hospital announced that they would be closing. This would be a tremendous hit to the area. Many are employed here and many need the medical services provided here.

Like most hospitals, that can't turn away the sick, they were drowning in unpaid medical visits.

SSM has invested more than $75 million to upgrade the hospital, but still lost millions per year. Since 2002, the hospital has lost $40 million, and it is projected to lose $20 million this year alone, SSM said.

My question is how did they hold on for so long?

Today, it was announced in the Sun Times, that this hospital WILL NOT CLOSE. No lie, read it with my own eyes. Instead it will be purchased by some investment group, that will change the name and make it a for-profit hospital.

Evidently, they, the investment group, has done this before. My thoughts are - HOW?

Won't the same area residents need care there? Aren't these the same folks that can't afford to pay? Is the hospital allowed to turn unable to pay patients away if it is a for-profit?

Fascinating how these people can see the potential. Since the first news broke about the closing, I have been saying how you would need to be an idiot or rich eccentric with nothing to do - to buy this place.

Higher Rates from a Week Hold?

There is one thing that drives me crazy about ING Direct's Orange Savings. One thing that taunts me every day I log in to see my interest accruing.

I made my last transfer to ING Direct on 5/2/08 and it is showing "not available" until 5/12/08. The "not available" part isn't where I get upset. In fact, there probably needs to be a temporary hold, to ensure all money becomes real. I'm sure there is some crook out there, looking to play the "get rich off of transfers" game.

The thing that irritates me is that my checking account was drafted the dollars on 5/5/08. That means for 7 days my cash is floating in limbo somewhere. It is not working for me, earning interest, because ING is not calculating interest for me on this sum. It is not accessible for me to be used as I see fit.

Instead, for 7 full days, ING has my money somewhere working for them. I am making a loan to them and they aren't paying.

I just feel they should be accruing interest from the moment they get the cash in their hands. They can keep a hold on it, just let it work for me.

Not that I am so mad I will stop using them. They are basically like all other online banks. I'm just interested in more! I want MORE.

I have referrals if you need one - just email me (see side bar).

Does a cheap, quality MP3 player exist?

My trainer is riding me about adding music to my workout. And it makes a lot of sense, being able to pace yourself to tunes, is a fabulous way to succeed on a 5k. I have purchased high quality players for the kids, but I have a lot to learn about MP3 players.

I decided to read up at Shopwiki, not only for the education, but to take advantage of their web crawlers that find the best price. I don't want to buy one today and read tomorrow that I paid double. Which has happened before. I'm kind of looking at Scandisk ones, they kind of look affordable.

Anyone use a Scandisk MP3? Could it take the jiggling of a runner?

I also found some Prada Handbags, while checking out the Seasonal Section. I can blame it on Mother's Day, but I don't really have enough time to order at this point. Hope the mom's like cards, candy and flowers - cause I have had no time to shop for them. :-( I'm liking this Shopwiki site.

Wonder if Shopwiki can help me to find a music site and download tunes for my MP3 when I get it?