From the title of this post, I guess you can tell I’m in a silly mood, and feel like writing something.  So I’m gonna write something.

Something.

OK who didn’t see that coming.

Anyway, I know we’re only 7 days into the new year (8 if you live in Australia), but I thought I’d share some observations and goofiness from the past 7 days… or whatever.

Namaste, Bitches!

I just finished doing yoga 30 minutes before I started writing this post.  This is my 3rd session in the past 7 days.  This is not necessarily a new year resolution – I started doing Yoga in 2008.

I Love Yoga. I really do.  Now, if you know me, grew up with me, ever hung out with me or just saw me, you’d say, “There’s no way this bearded Ogre does Yoga.”  Well, F  you.  I do.  And I like it.  However, my biggest challenge getting in Yoga workouts these days is this “lifestyle imbalance” I have.

Due to my huge daily work commute, I have to get up at 5:10 AM every morning.  But by nature, I’m a night owl.  I love the night!  I like the dark, I like late night TV (Adult Swim!), I like to watch stars, planets and the moon, and I like the serenity of the world at night.  It’s nice.  But the downside is staying up late means waking up late, which I can’t do.  But, I can’t get to bed early.   Therefore, every day of my life, I never get enough sleep.  I know, you’re thinking, “well what about the weekends?”  Well, unfortunately, getting up at 5:10  and getting the dog fed and taken out by 6:30 4 or 5 work days a week means that my buddy has to wake my ass up no later than 7AM on the weekends.  Ugh!

But who can get mad at this face:

But seriously, guys, it is a great way to lose weight, feel youthful,  increase flexibility, reduce chronic body aches, and reduce stress.  And it’s very low impact on joints.  Take it from a guy who has had 3 knee surgeries on 1 knee, and is going to probably need a fourth this year.  Yoga actually helps reduce my arthritis pain. 

Ben Stiller.  Please go Away….

I saw Tropic Thunder 2 nights ago, and I can’t describe, from a comedic perspective, how weird this movie was.  Parts of it were hilarious.  Parts of it were awful.  Tom Cruise was funny, only because this was the last friggin character anyone would ever envision him playing.  Robert Downey, Jr was friggin hilarious in this movie, which goes to show how versatile he is.  Jack Black was funny, but there really wasn’t much to him in this movie, other than some funny fart scenes and a humorous portrayal of a coke head.  Thumbs in the middle for him.

Which now brings me to Ben Stiller.  Why doesn’t he just go away?  I can’t stand this guy playing the same whiny, bitch of a character in every fucking movie he does, while he uses the same 3 facial expressions in all his scenes.  I just don’t think he’s funny.

To Blu-ray, or not Blu-ray?

So, I’m thinking about updating my entertainment system later on this year, and I’m wondering if should I just get a new DVD player or should I finally jump on that realllllllly slow moving Blu-ray train?  Any thoughts?…..Any one?……..Bueller?  I know that if I decide a BR player is essential, then I will get a Sony PS3.  I don’t really need it for gaming, since I already xBox 360, but considering the price of a good BR player vs the Sony PS3, the PS3 is a greater value.  At least it was a year ago.

Obama worse President-Elect EVER!

I keep seeing people on the internets making these anti-Obama comments, like his administration (which isn’t even in power yet) will be one that creates American Socialism and that Obama is going to redistribute wealth.

Well, what about  the “Wealth” of our nation being stolen from US tax payers in the form of trillions of dollars in bail outs to banks and car companies under GW’s administration?  Instead of “Obama’s Redistribution of Wealth” plan, I think it would be more appropriate to call it a “Return on a Forced Investment in Corporate America” plan.

But I can see why you’d be pissed if you make more than $150K a year.  Your tax rate will return to the same levels under Clinton’s Administration, which also happened to yield 8 years of prosperity and a government surplus.  Man that sounds rough after 8 years of all those dividend tax brakes from Bush.  Sucks to be that guy, huh?

Well, I’m done here.

Thank you.  Please drive through.

I’m the responsible one.  I’m not the classic underachiever or quintessential slacker.  I don’t skirt my duties, nor do I underestimate the importance of the little things in life.  So, when it came to the question of  ‘do I enroll in cobra insurance’ after getting laid off in November, the answer was unequivocally yes!

This resounding answer was coming from someone that can count on one hand how many times he’s visited a Doctor in the past decade.  Still, I’m smart enough to know that sometimes things just happen and one stroke of bad luck can drown you in hospital bills.

After being laid off in Mid November and realizing that there wouldn’t be much available by way of work until after the New Year, I decided to take some much deserved time to myself and visit family in Florida.  My plan was to fly home on January 1st, a day after my insurance lapsed and immediately enroll.  Now, as I said, I never doubted that I’d enroll, I didn’t want to ever spend a day without coverage, but since I was away I figured I’d be okay with a day or two in between.  What could possibly happen.

Enter Murphy’s law.  On January 2nd, just 2 days after my coverage lapsed and still not in receipt of the Cobra package, I threw my back out.  This wasn’t new to me, I’ve had recurring problems for awhile.  While it can be quite debilitating, it didn’t normally require much more than bed rest.  However, as only my bad luck could have it, I started experiencing the most excruciatingly painful back spasms.  I’ve never had them before, I was completely unprepared for the intensity.  In fact, I wasn’t even sure what was going on, it was unlike anything in the past.  After a few moments of screaming like a school girl, I had to break down and call 911.

The absolutely irony of being covered by insurance literally my entire life and having to be rushed to the hospital in one of only two days without coverage just seems like a cosmic conspiracy.

I can’t even say this post should be a lessoned learned.  Anyone who turns down Cobra coverage is playing with fire. No, this little story is more about how life loves to slip in a nice kick in the proverbial nuts once in a while.

A lot of us tend to view diet and exercise as a temporary routine, a way to achieve a short term goal.  Whether it’s for an upcoming wedding or a summer beach house, we seem to program ourselves that this is a momentary sacrifice.  With this approach, a lot of the pre-packaged diet plans that focus on quick weight loss seem to be the most effective.  It will get your to the short term goal and allow you feel good about your success for awhile.  However, these programs will never transfer to a long term weight management solution, which is why most of us tend to yo-yo.

The question is, why live your life finding one reason after another to chase down the same 20 pounds when you can more easily find a way to change your habits and lose them forever.  Not only is it easier on your mind, it’s better for your body.  Weight gain isn’t just something that our bodies produce just to annoy us.  It’s a barometer for how well we’re treating ourselves.  Those extra 15 pounds are telling you that you’re not fueling your body properly.  While this might be most concerning for your self esteem, the real problem here is your long term health.

It’s not easy to blame ourselves for our malnutrition either.  Unless you have an advanced degree in nutrition, you won’t be able to see through the haze of advertising to see what’s actually good for you body.  In fact, those that do know the basic principles of eating right avoid 95% of what’s on the shelves at the supermarkets.

The food industry is a business.  The business, obviously, is making money.  What better way to make profits than to produce food cheaply and have customer’s buy it repeatedly?  How do you do that? Well, you cut corners in mass production, you make your foods as delicious as possible (which almost always means adding fat or sugar) and you make sure it can survive on the shelves long enough.  These myriad of ways to make food more profitable are linked heavily to the most common western civilization diseases.

Ever wonder why Cancer, Heart Disease, and Diabetes are so prevalent in our culture by not necessarily by others in the world or even our own ancestors?  Whether we are willing to admit it or not, our eating habits in this country are literally killing us.  You can reduce so many of these risks simply by returning to basic dietary principles.  Raw and wet foods that are delivered to your fridge the way they came from the earth are your best bet.  Severely limiting processed foods will not only shorten your waistline, but will lengthen your life line.

There is a ton of information available on the links of eating to the three major illnesses I mentioned.  Do your research and take care of your body so that, in the long run, it will take care of you!

I am Pro-choice. Very much so. I believe that there are far too many variables involved for anyone other then the potential mother to make the decision to carry a child full term or not. Current medical rationale is that a fetus becomes “a person” when there is detectable high level brain activity. Pro-life advocates would argue that it is a life from the moment of conception. Neither definition takes into account any emotional attachment, emotional trauma, financial burden, family situation, religious obligations, etc…

My wife has had 2 miscarriages now, and given birth to a beautiful son with a third pregnancy.
The first miscarriage was shortly after we were married. There was come concern that we may not be able to have kids and the miscarriage was very early into the pregnancy – a few weeks. Nevertheless, the emotional impact was devastating to both of us as we pondered whether we would ever have kids naturally. We spent a lot of time talking about adoption and fertility clinics. It would turn out that there was no need for either.

About 10 months later, my wife was pregnant again and this time carried full term and gave birth to a 9.5lb baby boy. It was a completely normal pregnancy with no real drama or notable concerns. Our hopes were renewed and we then began talking about how many kids we wanted and how far apart. We agreed that two was plenty and we would wait until our son was at least a year old.

Well, right around his 18 month checkup my wife told me she was pregnant again. We were elated. Everything was on schedule – if there is such a thing with kids and babies. Talks this time were more focused on finances, furniture, diapers, rearranging rooms and that sort of thing. We had no assumptions that there would be any issues with the pregnancy and remained cautiously optimistic. We talked about names and agreed that the middle name, should it be a boy, would honor her father. The first appointment with her doctor would be right around 8 weeks and we felt that it best to keep the pregnancy to ourselves until then.

That appointment was a little while back. We laughed in the waiting room as we recalled various moments from her prior pregnancy. Once in the exam room, the mood was still very light hearted. Her doctor examined her and I stood by cracking jokes about the birthing experience of our son. We thought nothing of it when her Doctor asked us to “head upstairs for a sonogram tonight.”

I stood behind the technician as she performed the exam and watched as she took measurements and zoomed into various areas. Finally, she focused in on the fetus itself to measure it’s heart rate. I marveled at the image. The head was clearly visible and small arms were forming – I am always impressed by these glimpses into the development. Even though it was still very “tadpole” like, I couldn’t help but view the image as a swaddled infant – recalling those early days with our son.

It was with that image in my head that I nearly gasped as she typed “NO FHM” over the image. She turned the probe and went from another angle – zooming in to the swaddled baby developing in my wife’s womb and once again typed “NO FHM.”

My heart sank. I wasn’t sure if my wife saw my expression change, but she said nothing to me.
The technician asked my wife to get dressed and turned to us and said “The fetus looks to be about 7 1/2 weeks, but I can’t detect a heartbeat. I’m going to bring the results down to your doctor, but you should head back down there from here.”

I knew what it meant; I’m sure my wife knew what it meant. Neither of us acknowledged what it meant. We simply went downstairs where her doctor confirmed it and scheduled the D&C to remove the lifeless fetus from my wife.

The emotions that I felt were hard for me to justify. This was not technically “a life.” This was just some cells in the process of developing. Yet I felt like I had lost a child. I felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment and loss over that swaddled infant I had seen on the screen.

Her doctor explained things rationally. 50% of all pregnancies result in miscarriages. There was nothing we could do to prevent it. I remained composed through it all for my wife’s benefit but felt very conflicted internally. I couldn’t understand my own feelings well enough to adequately understand hers at this moment. It was not the devastating feeling of hopelessness that accompanied the first miscarriage. This was anguish.

So when does a fetus become a “life” or a “person?” I would argue that a fetus becomes a “person” when a parent feels an emotional attachment even if that occurs prior to detectable brain activity.(*) An emotional attachment can be due to religious beliefs, personal beliefs or anything else. In my case it was nothing more then an image. It is then up to the mother to determine if she can adequately provide for this child, give it up for adoption or terminate the pregnancy. Government, state or federal, should not be making that decision.

(*)The caveat has to be made that once medically determined to be a “life” a mother’s emotional attachment is no longer a factor in that decision.

Happy New Year, everyone!

As we start our romp through 2009, I thought it might be a good time to think about home ownership.  Some of you GenXers might be looking to buy your first home and with all the foreclosures out there, 2009 might be an excellent year to find that dream house.  Good for you!

Then there are folks out there who might have to deal with a job loss, or some unforeseen issue that impacts your ability to pay your mortgage.  This is a tough situation, and considering the current trend of layoffs, one that many of us will have to deal with in 2009.

I have a couple of links here to help with either of these scenarios.  This first link provides info and advice if you suddenly end up in a situation where you cannot pay your mortgage:

Help for Home Owners Facing the Loss of Their Homes

This link will help you if you are lucky enough to be able to buy a home in these trying times:

Tips For Buying a New Home in 2009

I hesitate in giving advice on these matters, as I am not a professional financial planner, but one thing you might want to check out is services offered by Credit Unions.  Credit Unions offer some of the best financial products like no fee ATM usage, totally free checking with no minimum balance requirements, car leasing programs, etc.  They also offer hard-to-beat interest rates for all kinds of loans.  Credit Unions are usually pretty flexible with membership.  If you your job doesn’t offer a credit union membership, but a family member’s job does, that might be good enough for you to join.  And if you change jobs or move, your membership is unaffected.

Good luck and enjoy/save that Dream House!

With Winter now in full swing, many of us Northerners are forced to find more indoor activities.  If you’re looking for more smart and sexy shows that you can just jump in and enjoy without needing the backstory, check out some of the shows that make my weekly DVR list:

1) House – I don’t think this is new to many, this show is wildly popular.  However, if you typically shy away from shows reminiscent of E/R simply because you’re tired of the genre, I urge you to check this show out.  It will shock you how far from the norm this show can go.  The biggest draw for most is the Irreverent Doctor House who will find a new way to make you say ‘did he just say that’ every week.  However, beyond that, the show is smart and sexy, showcasing only the most difficult to diagnose medical conditions each week.  It’s also fun to note that Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) is actually a cheerful and very funny Brit.  It’s fun to watch him fake the American accent each week.  Catch it on Tuesdays at 8pm on Fox

2)  Chuck – This show is just pure fun.  Zachery Levi’s title character Chuck is a lovable King of the ‘nerd herd’. He’s the quintessential under achiever that you can’t help but root for.  In the show, Chuck was ‘given’ top secret government intel without his consent or knowledge.  By given, I mean this information was downloaded to his brain by an old college pal that had crossed him.  Now, the CIA  must protect chuck and his head full of secrets by any means possible.  Enter CIA Agents Walker and Casey who go deep undercover to keep Chuck out of trouble, while at the same time, Chuck uses his on-board intel to help them bust the world’s most dangerous criminals.  What’s magnificent about the way this plays out is how they can make it seem dangerous enough without taking it all too seriously.  Add to that, the campy machismo of Agent Casey and the delightfully beautiful Agent Walker (who also fakes an American accent by the way) who kicks so much ass she makes Buffy look like Barbie.  The cast is rounded out by Chuck’s uber geeky best friend and his gorgeous sister and boyfriend ‘Captain Awesome’.  check it out on Monday’s at 8 on NBC

3)  The Mentalist – This show is starting to take off, I ‘m seeing a lot of press of the main Character Simon Baker.  While it adds to a long list of ‘hour long murder mysteries’, Simon’s character a.k.a. the ‘mentalist’ is a new twist on an old story.  Simon uses his uncanny ability to ‘read’ people to help solve the weekly crime, but not in the same sense as  a behaviorist.  It’s almost like parlor tricks and magic in the way he can manipulate and interpret peoples minds.  The great part is, he’s not the serious and overly cerebral character you might expect, he’s charming and witty and most of the people he ends up with thinks he’s a quack.  That only adds to the fun when eventually his talents pan out.  You can see ‘The Mentalist’ on Tuesdays at 9pm on CBS.

4) Criminal Minds – This is everything ‘The Mentalist’ is not, but not in a bad way.  This show follows an elite Behavioral Analysis Unit around the Country as they use their skills to anticipate the criminal’s next move.  It’s a smart show with a dynamic cast that plays very well off of each other.  This show is a fun hour long ride of rooting for the good guys and watching the ‘I’m smarter than you’ criminals go down in flames.  The characters and diverse and somewhat deep, getting to know them is part of the charm of the show.  Watch ‘Criminal Minds’ on Wednesday’s at 10pm on CBS

5)  The Big Bang Theory – For the geek in all of us.  While at first I admit I watched the show for the sexy young neighbor played by Kaley Cuoco, it didn’t take long to find absolute hilarity in the characters of Jim Parons and Johnny Galecki .  The quirky ultra smart Physicists are a new breed of comedy team, taking all of our nerdy little tendencies and blowing them completely out of proportion.  There is a little bit of sexual tension between Galecki and Cuoco in the show, though it’s true they did go on one date in the past that fell flat.  Still, you can’t help but root for it, there is something wonderfully inspiring about the geek getting the girl.  Gotta love the underdog.  This is a very well written show and gets bonus points for being completely unique.  Check it out on Monday’s at 8pm on CBS.

With just 1 day left in the year, I ask you – Is there a better time to spotlight some great music that came out of 2008?  I think not!  So, I’m just going to run down a list of music that I thought really stood out in 2008.

Now, I know I can’t sit here and say that this list is as valid as a list from Rolling Stone or your “Precious Cream Magazines” (cryptic Kids in the Hall reference there), but I think you might be pleasantly surprised by some of this stuff I’m going to recommend.  Also note that this post will focus more on Rock – Indy, Alternative, and Hard Rock.  I’m not knocking on Country, R&B, Hip Hop or Pop, but I don’t really listen to much from those genres, and they certainly don’t need any more exposure from me.

So without further ado, here it goes…

Great New Artists of 2008 (in no particular order)

• Duffy, Rockferry - Is it me, or does Duffy do a wonderful job of taking a classic sound and moving it forward?  Her voice has a hint of Ronnie Spector, and all the soul and emotion to match.  I really enjoyed Duffy’s first effort, and this is as close to Top 40 as my list gets.  She was also excellent live.
• King Khan and the Shrines, What is?! – A great German based band producing straight forward garage rock that is inspired by bands like the Troggs, MC5 and the Stooges.
• A Fine Frenzy, One Cell in the Sea – Very Sarah McLachlan inspired set complete with nice piano arrangements and soothing vocals.  Don’t be looking for a fun night out after listening to this one.
• De Novo Sahl, Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound – Take punk, mix in some pop rock influences Like Marshall Crenshaw, new wave influences from Elvis Costello, and retro psychedelic styles ala Supergrass, Kula Shaker and Oasis. Though this is not their first album, “Move Every…” is pretty much their first recognized effort.
• TOBACCO, Fucked Up Friends – This just might be my favorite album of the year.  This is a trippy, synth soaked dance record that is just amazing.  The gratuitous use of synth reminds me of the Art of Noise.  A lot of fun to listen to.

Great 2008 Albums from Established Artists (in no particular order)

• M83, Saturdays = Youth – While writing this up, I really thought this was a new band, but it turns out they have 5 Albums and have been around for awhile.  M83′s sound is straight out of the 80′s, using heavy synth that will remind you of bands like the Flock of Seagulls, Missing Persons, Modern English and til Tuesday.
• Beck, Modern Guilt – Beck once again delivers a solid record.  On this effort, Beck follows the same path as “the Information” by taking elements from previous albums and applying those elements in each song.  A really nice compilation of sounds and grooves.
• Radiohead, In Rainbows – Just a good all around album from Radiohead.  If I have just one criticism, it might be a little over use of electronics, but still, they do a great job of staying current, and made a great album.  Especially since it was FREE.
• Nine Inch Nails, The Slip – A great, angry album, pretty much summing up the disasters of the past 8 years in music.  If your sick and tired of it, and your not going to be taking it anymore, this is the record playing in the background as you throw shit out your window, or storm the halls of a government building!  By the way, this album was FREE, too.
• Eric Avery, Help Wanted – Founding Bassist for Jane’s Addiction puts out the best solo effort of any Jane’s Member.  After disappointing deliveries from Perry Farrell’s “Satellite Party” and Dave Navarro’s “Panic Channel”, Eric steps in to show other band mates why they cannot call it a comeback without him.  An awesome set, heavily influenced by Joy Division/New Order, with some “help given” by Flea (on trumpet) and Shirley Manson from Garbage.  Great stuff here.
• The Duke Spirit, Neptune – Neptune is the Duke’s sophomore effort, but delivers just as well as their 1st album “Cuts Across the Land“.  You can’t help notice lead singer Leila Moss’s similarities to Grace Slick’s sound in early Jefferson Airplane, and you won’t be disappointed by that especially with the tremendous dark and grungy sound of the band itself.  The Duke Spirit are threatening to be my new favorite band, because I just can’t believe how good they are.
• The Raconteurs, Consolers of the Lonely – I once said to a friend that if the Beatles were still around today, this is what they would sound like.  The Raconteurs, thanks to the combination of both Brendan Benson and Jack White, deliver a pop rock sound that has never been successfully harnessed since the digital age began.  And while this decade saw some great (and not so great) homages to the synth sounds of the 80′s, straight forward late 60′s bred garage rock never got it’s due until this band formed.  Amen.
• TV on the Radio, Dear Science, – Apparently, no “Best of ’08″ list is complete without it, but honestly, it is a great record.  Hints of Prince, hints of U2, and hints of Beck.  Just fun stuff.
• Rodrigo y Gabriella, (Self Titled) – I first heard Rodrigo y Gabriella at the 2008 Virgin Mobile Festival, and I was hooked.  Beautiful Iberian/Latin based acoustic guitar tracks that includes a cover of Metallica’s Instrumental “Orion” off of their “Master of Puppets” Album.
• Kings of Leon, Only by the Night – Well, I have to say this record is very different than what they’ve released in the past, and that’s a good thing.  I remember everyone saying when this band first came out that they were a southern rock version of The Strokes, and their first record pretty much illustrated that.  This 3rd album really leaves that perception in the dust.  It’s a good rock album, daring to go in some different directions electronically, but nothing like the 80′s synth tributes we’ve seen this past decade.
• Deer Hoof, Offend Maggie – Really good art rock, reminding me of early Flaming Lips and Violent Femmes.
• Kaiser Chiefs, Off with their Heads – I know this band really digs their feet into that 80′s sound, but boy do they do it really well and balanced.  While you can certainly hear the 80′s influences in their music, they play it really tight.  Just a good sounding band that takes a cacophony of sounds and brings order to them.
• Blind Melon, For My Friends - No this is not a mistake, and yes, this is a great album.  Unfortunately, it looks like they might already be losing their new lead singer, Travis Warren (it seems Travis is having very similar problems handling the road as his predecessor), but we will see what happens.  I hope Travis can shape up and realize he’s blowing a huge opportunity. Anyway, check out this record.  Blind Melon was and is a great band, and should not vanish from this Earth.

So this is SA’s list of great music from 2008.  I know I hesitate in putting these in order, but if you said, “Hey SA, give me at least 3 records from above to check out”, I’d say Beck, The Duke Spirit, and TOBACCO.  3 very good and very different sounding records.

I hope my recommendations help you spend some quality time on eMusic, iTunes, Amazon or even a record store (if you still do that kind of thing).  Of course, I’ll go look at my iPod tomorrow and realize I left some great band/record off this ’08 list and kick myself for it.

Happy New Year, and Happy Listening!

With a new year on the horizon, most folks are beginning to map out their resolutions in hopes of making 2009 one of the best and most rewarding years yet.  Establishing a weight management program is normally a staple in the list, especially since we’ve all learned that life as a Thirty something can severely impact your free time and your metabolism.

Don’t give up though, with a few changes in your diet and exercise routine, we can all make some great steps in the right direction this year.  

1) Learn more about HIIT training.  High Intensity Interval training can blast through calories in a shorter time.  It’s been said to be the most efficient form of cardio exercise.  Of course, everyone has their opinion, but a lot of folks have found tremendous success.

2) Understand the difference between good carbs and bad ones.  Overly processed grains like white bread, pasta, white rice, etc have been stripped of fiber.  Once eaten, they quickly spike your blood sugar triggering a chain of events that quickly have you storing it as fat.  To slow the spike in glucose, choose grains that are high in fiber.  These are the whole grain counterparts like brown rice, 100% stone ground wheat breads (be careful not to be fooled by wheat breads that are still bad for you), whole grain pasta, etc.

3) Eat more raw foods – We’re starting to lose touch with foods as they appear in nature.  Everything we eat has been overprepared and stripped of vital nutrients.  Get back to basics in your eating habits.  Eat more vegetables and salads and go easy on the dressings. Stick to low fat or fat free oil based dressings. 

4) Adopt a strength training regimen.  Building lean muscle will help you burn more calories at rest, help prevent Osteoperosis, slow down muscle decay, and, not too mention, make you look better.

5) Give sugar and its substitutes the boot.  A lot of us are still under the impression that sugar doesn’t really harm our bodies (except our teeth).  This couldn’t be farther from the truth, sugar will actually make you fatter that eating fat.  Since it’s purely a taste thing, just give it up.  I guarantee that over time you won’t miss it from your coffee or soft drinks.  In fact, after a while you’ll find sugar to be rather objectionable.

The best thing you can do for yourself is get edcuated.  Once you properly understand how to eat and exersice you’ll find it easy to make the necessary changes in your life that will allow you to live longer, happier, and healthier.

Lastly, be sure to set some specific and measurable goals, both in the very short term and the long term.

2009 promises a lot of “change” and while we’re hopeful change will happen for the better, sometimes change sucks – like losing your job.  All of us here at genxls.com have had to deal with being laid off at least once.  It’s one of life’s “inevitabilities”.

Hopefully this article by John Rosevear over at Motley Fool will help with next steps if you’re already in this situation. And if your not, you might want to read this just in case.  Better to be prepared for change before it comes up on you bites you square in the arse.

We hope this helps, and we sincerely wish you all the best for 2009 and beyond.

Prepare to Be Laid Off

By John Rosevear
December 16, 2008 |

Take a deep breath. You’re far from alone. And really, being laid off isn’t so bad — you won’t starve, you won’t end up living in the streets, your family and friends won’t stop speaking to you, and unless your job was at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, the sun will rise the next morning. I promise.

I can say that because I’ve been through it, as have many of my friends. It seemed like it should have been awful at the time, but it wasn’t as awful as I’d feared. And it would have been even less awful if I’d known a few things beforehand.

‘Tis the season to be … job hunting
The list of companies that weren’t able to wait until the new year before announcing significant layoffs is getting longer by the day. Here are just a few from recent headlines:

Lots of folks, maybe including people you know, have recently had the difficult experience of leaving work for the last time. Chances are good that many more will join them in the coming months, unfortunately.

If cuts are looming at your employer and you’re worried that you’re not going to survive, there are a few things you can do in advance to manage the actual experience of getting laid off, both logistically and emotionally:

• Locate your copy of the employee manual and read up on severance policies, insurance coverage, and anything else you can find that might be useful to know if you get let go.
• Find out how to apply for unemployment payments in your state. No, it won’t jinx you, do it now! Here’s why: Getting signed up for unemployment is often a cumbersome, obnoxious, condescending, and completely maddening process. Knowing that in advance, and resolving — again, in advance — to endure it with good humor if it should become necessary is far better than getting hit with The Bureaucratic Stupid Stick out of the blue, while you’re still emotionally reeling from the job loss.
• Talk to anyone you know who has been laid off — if you’re sitting on a knot of unfocused dread at the possibility of losing your job, hearing what their day-to-day experiences are like may ease your anxieties somewhat. At least you’ll have some idea of what you’re dealing with, and some kindred souls to meet for coffee and commiseration if the worst happens. If they can deal with it, you can. (And if they’re dealing with it badly, learn from their experience and think about what you’d do differently.)
• Run the numbers. What would it really mean if you lost your income? How much would you get from unemployment insurance? How long would your severance run? How would you pay the mortgage and feed the kids? Again, this is about understanding the reality of what awaits, and understanding that no matter what, you can deal with it. If you’re married, absolutely do this with your spouse — the more information you both have, the better you’ll do at working together to find solutions.

Last and not least, if and when the big moment comes and you get called into the scary office, stay cool. Resist the urge to lash out at the person delivering the news — trust me, they aren’t happy about it either. Remember that you’re in good company, and don’t take it personally. It’s not your fault, and like I said, you have lots of company.

That said, if they ask you to sign anything, don’t — ask to take the paperwork with you, so that you can review it with a clear head in the morning. (This article explains why.) If they try to insist you sign on the spot, stay calm and don’t feel intimidated. They can’t stop you from leaving the building if you don’t sign, and they can’t deny you severance just because you ask for a little time to read the paperwork first.

To read more on avoiding and dealing with layoffs:

• What to Do When Layoffs Loom
• 4 Ways to Survive a Layoff
• Not Just Another Layoff Survival Guide

So it looks like GM and Chrysler received their $17 Billion Bail out.  Hey GM, Chrysler, you’re welcome!  And I’m sure there’s more to come!

I mean, I understand how much the economy relies on these companies, and I realize how many people would be affected by not receiving a bail out – from the assembly line worker to the guy who details the cars in dealerships just before they role off the lot (and depreciate 40% at that very moment).  I’d rather see these car makers who employ Joe Six Packs and Hockey Mom Husbands get bail outs before those scumbag investment firms and banks on Wall Street.

This being said, U.S. car makers have got a lot to change.  I know the current economic conditions are impacting all car makers, but U.S. car makers really need to do a better job keeping up with their Asian competitors in design, technology and quality.  It’s probably safe to say that the way these companies have been managed is also big reason why they are in trouble, and I’m sure both the unions and management have contributed to these conditions.

But their still is one thing that bothers me.  There’s still one “entity” that has greatly benefited from U.S. built gas guzzling SUV’s and V8 Sedans – Yep, you guessed it.  The Oil Companies.

With several consecutive years of record making profits, why can’t the profits from Big Oil go towards bailing out U.S. car makers?  After all, U.S. car companies help generate a good portion of their largest revenue stream, so why not? I know this will NEVER happen, but it sure makes a lot of sense to me.   Think of the positive spin the oil companies could put on this.  It might actually help improve their horrible reputation.

Anyway, I’m sure the $17 Billion for both GM and Chrysler is just the beginning.  I’m sure the next administration will be more sympathetic to their plight, but I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.  But at the same time, I couldn’t imagine a world without a Chevy Corvette, a Jeep Wrangler, a Dodge Charger or a Ford Mustang in it.