A friend of mine was offended because I wrote about a man I happened to meet who was intentionally walking away from his house. He was boasting to virtual strangers (us) that his wife's retirement and his salary are very good but since the economic downturn was the fault of the banks, he had the right to make them take it back. The right.
He bragged about knowing all the strategies to defraud the lender. Since some of the bailout money is coming out of my pocket, I am entitled to an opinion. I have the right to disagree when I know consumerism is about individual choice and individual responsibility. I have the right to be offended, and to say I am, even if others disagree. And I was and I am, for anyone who betters himself at the expense of the rest.
There is a lot of pain and suffering right now, innocent people being hurt in this fledgling economy. My heart goes out to those duped into believing they could afford things they clearly could not. There is appreciation in the people I meet, for a job, money in the bank, and stability even just in the moment. Humility is in the air.
Which was why this man's attitude was so offensive. As a country, where would we be and how would we survive if everyone did that? John Donne came to mind and I believe this to be true:
No man is an island, entire of itself.
Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less
As well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls:
It tolls for thee.
Dec 27, 2008
Dec 24, 2008
The Card
The family is expanding, and I'm going on a diet right after the holidays! But I mean, really, it is expanding.
Don and Jami have a basket of two daughters, two son in laws and four grandchildren. My basket now includes Erika, who is like a daughter, so our basket comfortably accommodates her two brothers, and parents. Randy's brothers and families include 11 more, not counting Aunts and Uncles and cousins which number in the low 20's. And to add Randy's brood is another 19 more. Does anyone have a calculator?!
Let's suffice it to say, the days of not needing to add a leaf to the holiday table are over. As such, we have had to be a little creative with family cluster gathering this year.
There is always a favorite moment in the day when I stop and look around and give thanks for the playful banter and laughter of a family gathered together. But this year just seemed especially joyful, with additions to the family tucked happily inside. The time we take to pause from our hectic lives is the real gift, but it's fun to watch the faces as we open each other's thoughtfulness being unwrapped.
Let's face it: there's always a favorite gift. This year, it was the card that was on the tree from my son. Can you believe he was thanking me for my love and support these years and how glad he was to see me happy. He said it was good to see me taking care of myself after all the years of taking care of him and his brothers.
Oh honey! It's always been a joy being your mother and that will never change. No matter where life leads us, I will always be there for you. Always.
Don and Jami have a basket of two daughters, two son in laws and four grandchildren. My basket now includes Erika, who is like a daughter, so our basket comfortably accommodates her two brothers, and parents. Randy's brothers and families include 11 more, not counting Aunts and Uncles and cousins which number in the low 20's. And to add Randy's brood is another 19 more. Does anyone have a calculator?!
Let's suffice it to say, the days of not needing to add a leaf to the holiday table are over. As such, we have had to be a little creative with family cluster gathering this year.
There is always a favorite moment in the day when I stop and look around and give thanks for the playful banter and laughter of a family gathered together. But this year just seemed especially joyful, with additions to the family tucked happily inside. The time we take to pause from our hectic lives is the real gift, but it's fun to watch the faces as we open each other's thoughtfulness being unwrapped.
Let's face it: there's always a favorite gift. This year, it was the card that was on the tree from my son. Can you believe he was thanking me for my love and support these years and how glad he was to see me happy. He said it was good to see me taking care of myself after all the years of taking care of him and his brothers.
Oh honey! It's always been a joy being your mother and that will never change. No matter where life leads us, I will always be there for you. Always.
Focus and Breathe!
I was watching the family last night, struck by transitioning lives as the new generation struggles free. Last Christmases for some, weddings, illnesses, and everyone was feeling the pinch of life striking out on its own. There were tears of joy and sorrow, struggles for others, but the undercurrent was change in all of its challenging and intimidating forms.
So many things about life are hard. Take for instance watching friends struggle with the sudden stilling of their business phones in this economy; laying to rest a beloved friend; accepting when a friend's life no longer intersect as it once did. There's a bitter spot at the bottom of your stomach when you know, you just know, the gig is up. Even before the emotional books balance, you begin to yield to what will come. It's easy to feel like life is a let down.
But last night, I listened to a duet of What Child Is This on the electric guitar and piano (grandma and grandson) that was amazing. I felt the warmth and thanksgiving of the family gathering and in the eyes of a happy teenager. I watched little ones clomping around wearing the Bride's shoes, playing hide and seek in the walk in closet, and picking off the good stuff on the top of the pizza. I was part of a family providing comfort to one another because work and home emergencies have taken their toll. I was moved.
What a great reminder that the only value that matters is our own internal assessment and place in the world. Yeah, it would be great to be hailed as the Next Big Thing, have an easy life and public accolades to stroke our egos. But when it's just you and God, it's how we mark our time that matters, the bridges we build, the lives we touch, the lessons we learn and pass on. A job is a job is a job, and we need them to get by. But Family, God's Blessings, Love, Health, now those things are worthy of prayer.
We are so blessed to have loving families and friends to stand with. As Colette used to say, we'll get through this: now focus and breathe!
With the contraction of our economy, our lives, our jobs, and our hope, I think that is excellent advice.
So many things about life are hard. Take for instance watching friends struggle with the sudden stilling of their business phones in this economy; laying to rest a beloved friend; accepting when a friend's life no longer intersect as it once did. There's a bitter spot at the bottom of your stomach when you know, you just know, the gig is up. Even before the emotional books balance, you begin to yield to what will come. It's easy to feel like life is a let down.
But last night, I listened to a duet of What Child Is This on the electric guitar and piano (grandma and grandson) that was amazing. I felt the warmth and thanksgiving of the family gathering and in the eyes of a happy teenager. I watched little ones clomping around wearing the Bride's shoes, playing hide and seek in the walk in closet, and picking off the good stuff on the top of the pizza. I was part of a family providing comfort to one another because work and home emergencies have taken their toll. I was moved.
What a great reminder that the only value that matters is our own internal assessment and place in the world. Yeah, it would be great to be hailed as the Next Big Thing, have an easy life and public accolades to stroke our egos. But when it's just you and God, it's how we mark our time that matters, the bridges we build, the lives we touch, the lessons we learn and pass on. A job is a job is a job, and we need them to get by. But Family, God's Blessings, Love, Health, now those things are worthy of prayer.
We are so blessed to have loving families and friends to stand with. As Colette used to say, we'll get through this: now focus and breathe!
With the contraction of our economy, our lives, our jobs, and our hope, I think that is excellent advice.
Dec 18, 2008
Bidding Adieu
Day 13:
All packed and ready to go, we dropped Flat Stanley with the US Post Office on the way to work. We double checked he had his itinerary, clothes and his little surprise. After that sushi dinner last night, we left him with extra change for postage, too!
It is always sad to say goodbye, but Flat Stanley was very excited to surprise Joey by being home by Christmas eve. We told him we would track his trip back online so we can imagine his adventures as he makes his way back to Florida.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Your family in California
All packed and ready to go, we dropped Flat Stanley with the US Post Office on the way to work. We double checked he had his itinerary, clothes and his little surprise. After that sushi dinner last night, we left him with extra change for postage, too!
It is always sad to say goodbye, but Flat Stanley was very excited to surprise Joey by being home by Christmas eve. We told him we would track his trip back online so we can imagine his adventures as he makes his way back to Florida.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Your family in California
Dec 17, 2008
Stan's Stand on Sushi
(This is me in front of Griffith Observatory in Southern California)Day 12:
No visit to California is complete without a dinner at Hisui, so after work we took him to our favorite Japanese restaurant in Fairfield. Have you ever had sushi? Flat Stanley hadn’t either, but we reassured him that if he tried it and didn’t like it, he could have something else on the menu like chicken teriyaki or tempura.
Flat Stanley liked the place right away! The first thing he saw was a stone fountain with koi fish (they look like fancy gold fish but are really big) and two turtles swimming around. We let him hang over the edge and held onto his feet so he didn’t fall in.
There is an interesting part of the restaurant where Japanese chefs cook dinner right at the tables (Hibachi cooking), and that is fun, too, but we were headed for the sushi bar. We know the owner and the sushi chef very well, and they seated us right away. At the sushi bar, there is a long oval counter with stools and in front is a moat filled with water. The sushi chef stands inside the circle and makes all types of sushi and puts it on plates on the little boats and they float along the moat with the food. If you see something you want, you take the plate and put it in front of you. It’s THAT easy!
Well, when Flat Stanley got a load of the boats, he got so excited he jumped right onto an open spot and floated away! We had to walk down to pluck him off the boat and explain it is only for food.
We tried a lot of sushi after that, and Flat Stanley really liked the rice and the cooked shrimp (ebi) but wasn’t wild about the tuna (maguro) or salmon (sake). He liked eel (unagi) a LOT and the California roll (avocado, crab, cucumber rolled in rice). He also liked gari, which is thinly sliced ginger used as a garnish. For dessert, we all tried a fried banana, which is a little slice of banana quickly deep fried and drizzled with powdered sugar and plum sauce. We all left very happy and full.
No visit to California is complete without a dinner at Hisui, so after work we took him to our favorite Japanese restaurant in Fairfield. Have you ever had sushi? Flat Stanley hadn’t either, but we reassured him that if he tried it and didn’t like it, he could have something else on the menu like chicken teriyaki or tempura.
Flat Stanley liked the place right away! The first thing he saw was a stone fountain with koi fish (they look like fancy gold fish but are really big) and two turtles swimming around. We let him hang over the edge and held onto his feet so he didn’t fall in.
There is an interesting part of the restaurant where Japanese chefs cook dinner right at the tables (Hibachi cooking), and that is fun, too, but we were headed for the sushi bar. We know the owner and the sushi chef very well, and they seated us right away. At the sushi bar, there is a long oval counter with stools and in front is a moat filled with water. The sushi chef stands inside the circle and makes all types of sushi and puts it on plates on the little boats and they float along the moat with the food. If you see something you want, you take the plate and put it in front of you. It’s THAT easy!
Well, when Flat Stanley got a load of the boats, he got so excited he jumped right onto an open spot and floated away! We had to walk down to pluck him off the boat and explain it is only for food.
We tried a lot of sushi after that, and Flat Stanley really liked the rice and the cooked shrimp (ebi) but wasn’t wild about the tuna (maguro) or salmon (sake). He liked eel (unagi) a LOT and the California roll (avocado, crab, cucumber rolled in rice). He also liked gari, which is thinly sliced ginger used as a garnish. For dessert, we all tried a fried banana, which is a little slice of banana quickly deep fried and drizzled with powdered sugar and plum sauce. We all left very happy and full.
(This is Randy with his favorite Aunt, Aunt Norma. She is Randy's mother's sister and he misses his mom so he spends a lot of time with her. )
Dec 16, 2008
The DeGol Family Park
Day 10:
Around the corner from the house is a neighborhood park which Joey and his brother and sister visited when they were here. It has things to climb on, and a xylophone made of wood, and slides and rope bridges. It was a beautiful day today, sunny and about 65 degrees, so Flat Stanley went there in the afternoon and had a lot of fun running around and working off some energy. Around here, we call it the DeGol Family Park because we were the only ones there.
After he returned from the park, he asked for a tour of the Bat Cave. It’s not really a cave, it’s a room in the house, but it is very full of interesting things from floor to ceiling so it feels like another world.
Randy and Flat Stanley talked a long time about music and sports, two interesting topics, and Flat Stanley picked out something for Joey. There were all sorts of wonderful vintage pictures of San Francisco to talk about, and lots of books to see. He liked The Beatles a LOT! But his favorite thing in the whole room was a bell casted in 1936 for the Queen Mary.
The Queen Mary is a luxury liner ship that is now docked in the Port of Long Beach Harbor, and is on display. Long Beach is a town at the bottom of the state. A friend worked on the docks and when the ship was renovated, he was given the bell as a gift. When you pull on the rope, it makes a very loud and clear ring.
Flat Stanley was a little sad this evening, and we asked why. Although it has been a great adventure, he was feeling a little homesick. We talked a while about Christmas and made a big decision on when he should head home.
Day 11:
Flat Stanley has been noticing that California's geography is very diverse, meaning there are a lot of different things to see. We have valleys and foothills and mountains and lakes and rivers, and one whole side of the state touches the Pacific Ocean. We explained this much diversity attracts a diversity of people, as you might expect, and California is known for that.
There are big cities for business, and rich agricultural land for farmers and cattle ranchers. Surfers and mountain climbers and environmentalists come for the beauty and mild climate. We have immigrants and tourists, just like he does in Florida.
Woodland is a suburb about 35 minutes north of the capital (Sacramento). It is called the 'City of Trees' because we have 10,000 trees! It has a nice downtown with restaurants and shops and is surrounded by open land. When you drive out of town, there are little fruit stands along the way selling freshly grown fruits and vegetables. If you ever have eaten a strawberry that has been warmed by the sun and just picked, you know how different it tastes than store-bought ones. Flat Stanley had TWO bites, it was so good.
Ten minutes away is Davis, which is the home of a very famous university and medical facility. Have you ever heard of the UC Davis Medical Center or the University of California, Davis? The college is best known for its Veterinary Sciences program. The medical center is one of the best teaching hospitals in the world.
Around the corner from the house is a neighborhood park which Joey and his brother and sister visited when they were here. It has things to climb on, and a xylophone made of wood, and slides and rope bridges. It was a beautiful day today, sunny and about 65 degrees, so Flat Stanley went there in the afternoon and had a lot of fun running around and working off some energy. Around here, we call it the DeGol Family Park because we were the only ones there.
After he returned from the park, he asked for a tour of the Bat Cave. It’s not really a cave, it’s a room in the house, but it is very full of interesting things from floor to ceiling so it feels like another world.Randy and Flat Stanley talked a long time about music and sports, two interesting topics, and Flat Stanley picked out something for Joey. There were all sorts of wonderful vintage pictures of San Francisco to talk about, and lots of books to see. He liked The Beatles a LOT! But his favorite thing in the whole room was a bell casted in 1936 for the Queen Mary.
The Queen Mary is a luxury liner ship that is now docked in the Port of Long Beach Harbor, and is on display. Long Beach is a town at the bottom of the state. A friend worked on the docks and when the ship was renovated, he was given the bell as a gift. When you pull on the rope, it makes a very loud and clear ring.
Flat Stanley was a little sad this evening, and we asked why. Although it has been a great adventure, he was feeling a little homesick. We talked a while about Christmas and made a big decision on when he should head home.
Day 11:
Flat Stanley has been noticing that California's geography is very diverse, meaning there are a lot of different things to see. We have valleys and foothills and mountains and lakes and rivers, and one whole side of the state touches the Pacific Ocean. We explained this much diversity attracts a diversity of people, as you might expect, and California is known for that.
There are big cities for business, and rich agricultural land for farmers and cattle ranchers. Surfers and mountain climbers and environmentalists come for the beauty and mild climate. We have immigrants and tourists, just like he does in Florida.
Woodland is a suburb about 35 minutes north of the capital (Sacramento). It is called the 'City of Trees' because we have 10,000 trees! It has a nice downtown with restaurants and shops and is surrounded by open land. When you drive out of town, there are little fruit stands along the way selling freshly grown fruits and vegetables. If you ever have eaten a strawberry that has been warmed by the sun and just picked, you know how different it tastes than store-bought ones. Flat Stanley had TWO bites, it was so good.
Ten minutes away is Davis, which is the home of a very famous university and medical facility. Have you ever heard of the UC Davis Medical Center or the University of California, Davis? The college is best known for its Veterinary Sciences program. The medical center is one of the best teaching hospitals in the world.
Dec 13, 2008
Stanley, the Scientist
Day 7:
Today, everywhere in the world, we were told the moon was at its closest distance to the earth. So of course Flat Stanley wanted to take a better look so after work we headed outside with a telescope. Once it was set up and adjusted, we had to wait a while because of cloud cover but the waiting paid off. The moon looked really big just looking at it, but when Flat Stanley looked in the telescope, well he was amazed to see all sorts of detail on the moon, craters and valleys and little mountains.
Randy told Flat Stanley all about the lunar landing in 1969 and the Sea of Tranquility. We were hoping to identify the Sea of Tranquility with the telescope and we DID! So Flat Stanley, on this day (December 12, 2008) saw the exact spot where Commander Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon for the very first time! That seemed like a long time ago to Flat Stanley, but Randy and I remember it like it was yesterday.
Day 8:
It was time for Randy to put up Christmas lights on the house. Can you believe he’s this old and hasn’t EVER put up Christmas lights before? Well, that’s absolutely true. Flat Stanley told him not to feel bad, he hasn’t put up lights, either, and so the two of them decided to work together. It was very foggy out and the air feels extra chilly when it looks gray and thick but they kept at it, putting up clips and spacing the lights just the way I like them. The house is now ready for Christmas! I made them hot chocolate as a thank you before we tackled the next project of decorating the tree.
The tree was already in the tree stand and filled with water, so we put on lights. Then we opened all the ornament boxes and admired each one as their stories were told. Flat Stanley climbed around in the tree and found just the right spot for each of them. Some had Joey’s cousins’ pictures from when they were his age. Some were from places we had been. Flat Stanley learned that Christmas ornaments are like looking at the happiest parts of a family’s life hanging on a tree.
Day 9:
Well it’s officially cookie season and you know what THAT means – it’s time to get to work making sugar and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, toffee bars and other goodies that make the house smell yummy. We want to have lots of things to eat when friends and family come over. Flat Stanley had a blast mixing the ingredients and baking the cookies and eating them, too. He liked cracking the egg over the bowl with a karate chop – hiYah! He liked sprinkling the cookies with cinnamon sugar. Don’t worry, Joey, we’ll put extra postage on the envelope when Flat Stanley heads home.
Flat Stanley the Worker Bee
Day 4:
Flat Stanley got up before me this morning, but we made it to work on time. Today was a busy day helping parents and students. We had one emergency call to 9-1-1 for a student who was doing jumping jacks and passed out right in class. We were worried until the Paramedics arrived. They took her in an ambulance with her mother just to check her out, and her mom called later to say she was okay.
After work we went to the Christmas potluck at an art gallery around the corner from the school. It is named 40 Acres Art Gallery and our students' artwork was up all around. Before we ate, an important man spoke to all of us, the man who imagined the school and worked hard to make it real. I will give you a hint: He was also a famous basketball player and played for the Phoenix Suns in the 1980s and 1990s when we lived in Arizona.
Have you guessed who it is yet? Why it's Mr. Kevin Johnson! And guess what else: Mr. Johnson is the newly elected Mayor of Sacramento but he still made time to stop in at our Christmas party to say hello. He is a very good man who has made a big difference. Flat Stanley didn't get to meet him but he did see him.
Day 5:
Flat Stanley was tired, so he decided to stay home with Sophie our Boxer. No, not a Boxer fighter, a DOG! Sophie and he hung out in the garage with snacks. The garage is piled high with all sorts of interesting things we are selling at a garage sale, so I told Flat Stanley he could look around all he wanted. Just be careful not to get stuck in a box!
There was a little bit of ice on the windshield this morning, can you believe that? Sophie hasn't been feeling very well lately, so I left them with blankets in case they were chilly. The pool guy came today and petted Sophie a while. He had to replace the pump and seals on the motor for the hot tub so Sophie and Flat Stanley hung out watching him work. After he left, George the neighbor came over and locked the gate and gave them a couple more snacks.
Day 6:
Flat Stanley had to drag his tired body out of bed this morning reeeeeaalllly early to go to work with Randy at 4:55 am!! He said it felt like it was the middle of the night. Flat Stanley perked up once he had a cup of java (that's 'Randy lingo' for coffee). The coffee Randy makes is sent 'specially from San Francisco's North Beach – the Italian District. Randy tells everyone Graffeo's coffee is the best in the WORLD!
Flat Stanley hadn't ever been to a company that sells roll up doors before. They make them in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, but Randy sells them to places like Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Port of San Francisco on the docks, and Treasure Island. Treasure Island is where they held the 1939 Worlds Fair and is in the middle of San Francisco Bay.
Randy had six jobs to bid (that is a LOT for one day) so Flat Stanley helped him with phone calls and crunching numbers on the calculator. They got it all done, though! Sales are up, thanks to Flat Stanley's hard work!
A lot of Randy's co-workers introduced themselves but there was one big SURPRISE in store: Joey's cousin Tim works there, too, and so they hung out together in the shop. After a long day at work, the boys headed home at 2:30. That seems early, but do you remember what time they left for work? Flat Stanley was so tired, he conked out right after dinner. He didn't even stay up for ice cream.
In new adventures, Flat Stanley will discover the moon and make cookies ...
Flat Stanley
My cousin's son, Joey from Florida, sent us a paper doll from his 3rd grade class named Flat Stanley, asking us to host him and journal his adventures. Thanks for picking us, Joey! We are enjoying having him as a visitor and he will return to Joey and his class with a lot of stories and memories to share.
And so, without further ado, I hope you enjoy the Wonderful, Marvelous, Fantabulous Adventures of Flat Stanley on the Occasion of his Sojourn to California, 2008.
Day 2:
After a good night's sleep, Flat Stanley traveled with us to hunt for Christmas presents. He snacked on free samples at Costco, helped us order gift cards at Target for the grandchildren, and looked for a Christmas tree.
He liked the scrawny one that was on sale, but we told him NO! This year we're going all out on the beautiful full one to set near the fireplace, in honor of his visit. After all, how many times do we have out of state friends of the family visiting for Christmas?
Day 3:
And so, without further ado, I hope you enjoy the Wonderful, Marvelous, Fantabulous Adventures of Flat Stanley on the Occasion of his Sojourn to California, 2008.
Day 1:
Flat Stanley breezed into Woodland, CA, flat broke and owing money (26 cents, to be exact). He did admit to eating a big hamburger on the trip and maybe that is why he was heavier on arrival than he was on departure.
He had an incredible trip, being tossed around in different cities and getting to know fellow travelers on the airline flight which, amazingly, was ON TIME!
Flat Stanley's luggage was lost en route so first up was making him a sleeping bag and warm clothes for his visit. By the time the airline finds his luggage, he'll probably be ready for home.
Day 2:
After a good night's sleep, Flat Stanley traveled with us to hunt for Christmas presents. He snacked on free samples at Costco, helped us order gift cards at Target for the grandchildren, and looked for a Christmas tree.
He liked the scrawny one that was on sale, but we told him NO! This year we're going all out on the beautiful full one to set near the fireplace, in honor of his visit. After all, how many times do we have out of state friends of the family visiting for Christmas?
Day 3:
Flat Stanley and I went to work together. I work in a high school in Sacramento, CA. It is a charter school which just opened another similar school in Harlem. This school helps students of all nationalities who want to work hard and go to college. It is in Oak Park, CA, where a lot of poor people live.
Flat Stanley was amazed by the diversity of the people he met. He had to be in uniform in order to come for a visit, so I made him a set in his size. At our school, all students – boys and girls – wear the same shirts, slacks and sweatshirts. It keeps them focused on working hard and the clothes are very affordable and durable, and the families appreciate that.
Stay posted for more of Flat Stanley's adventures when he hangs out with Sophie the Wonderdog and meets the Mayor.
Dec 8, 2008
Dust
It filters down from above, in our hair, shoulders, hands. The air is loaded with it, grainy and rough, carried on the strands of sunlight, blocking it with the grime and grit. I shield my eyes to glance up at the shards being swept off the edge and hear the quiet tap tap tap of life chipping away.
People are hunched over now, covering their noses and mouths with cloth from their shirts, dust accumulating in the creases of their exposed necks. They begin to wander around seeking cover, under a tree perhaps or awning, and try in vain to dust themselves off and also their companions' backs where they can't reach. Familiar things look unfamiliar as it is blanketed by the erosion of life.
My 401K - down 48%, to the original investment of 1999. Jobs in the balance, young people filled with dread. Even if we compassionately fall short of the doomsdayer projections of total economic collapse, it's unsettling to watch things erode. We now know we will all suffer for the blind ambition and unchecked greed of a few. We are here again because our country has not yet learned the lesson it needs to learn.
The best kind of national infrastructure is faith based, that is to say honoring and valuing that which is unseen. We the People believe it is there to sustain us without feeling confined by it. The lives we know and cherish, the freedoms we have so arrogantly come to complacently expect, is transforming. What will it be like, I wonder, and how long will we have to wait until the dust settles?
People are hunched over now, covering their noses and mouths with cloth from their shirts, dust accumulating in the creases of their exposed necks. They begin to wander around seeking cover, under a tree perhaps or awning, and try in vain to dust themselves off and also their companions' backs where they can't reach. Familiar things look unfamiliar as it is blanketed by the erosion of life.
My 401K - down 48%, to the original investment of 1999. Jobs in the balance, young people filled with dread. Even if we compassionately fall short of the doomsdayer projections of total economic collapse, it's unsettling to watch things erode. We now know we will all suffer for the blind ambition and unchecked greed of a few. We are here again because our country has not yet learned the lesson it needs to learn.
The best kind of national infrastructure is faith based, that is to say honoring and valuing that which is unseen. We the People believe it is there to sustain us without feeling confined by it. The lives we know and cherish, the freedoms we have so arrogantly come to complacently expect, is transforming. What will it be like, I wonder, and how long will we have to wait until the dust settles?
Nov 23, 2008
Balance the Drawer
I paid $1.75 the other day for gas and happily idled for 20 minutes for an available pump. How sad is that? The year I got the keys, a quick look under the seats and floormats usually scrounged up enough money for a few gallons of gas. Gas was about .40/gal, a little less than the two Jack in the Box taco deal that was offered until midnight.
My first job, other than cleaning my grandmother's house on Saturday mornings and babysitting, was at the Donut Wheel. The cinderblock building sat all by itself in a field with a short gravel parking area on a busy street. People coming in had to hurry off the road and screech and slide to a halt. But they did because John made the best donuts in town, an assortment of cake and raised donuts for $1.50 a dozen.
The Donut Wheel was pretty banged up and had field mice in the back. A friend from school literally handed me her job by telling me to show up. I worked alongside a great friend, Carol, and earned $1.60 an hour which seemed like a deal at the time. The hours were 6-11:30 am on Sat/Sun, which left time for a social life and practice.
I became very fond of the regular customers and especially of the crusty, philosophical donut chef John who taught me how to balance the drawer. He'd show how to use the fryer, flipper and glazer when it was slow. On Sundays, Carol and I would ride home on our bikes, singing show tunes and balancing leftover boxes of donuts on the handlebars for my mother's office.
It's been almost 40 years since we sat together at the speckled formica counter talking about life and the real joy you get from working hard, no matter what you do. The kids today wouldn't look for work at someplace like the Donut Wheel. What a chance they'd miss by not seeing John flip 36 perfectly shaped donuts in three turns of the wrist. He was a man in balance, to be sure.
My first job, other than cleaning my grandmother's house on Saturday mornings and babysitting, was at the Donut Wheel. The cinderblock building sat all by itself in a field with a short gravel parking area on a busy street. People coming in had to hurry off the road and screech and slide to a halt. But they did because John made the best donuts in town, an assortment of cake and raised donuts for $1.50 a dozen.
The Donut Wheel was pretty banged up and had field mice in the back. A friend from school literally handed me her job by telling me to show up. I worked alongside a great friend, Carol, and earned $1.60 an hour which seemed like a deal at the time. The hours were 6-11:30 am on Sat/Sun, which left time for a social life and practice.
I became very fond of the regular customers and especially of the crusty, philosophical donut chef John who taught me how to balance the drawer. He'd show how to use the fryer, flipper and glazer when it was slow. On Sundays, Carol and I would ride home on our bikes, singing show tunes and balancing leftover boxes of donuts on the handlebars for my mother's office.
It's been almost 40 years since we sat together at the speckled formica counter talking about life and the real joy you get from working hard, no matter what you do. The kids today wouldn't look for work at someplace like the Donut Wheel. What a chance they'd miss by not seeing John flip 36 perfectly shaped donuts in three turns of the wrist. He was a man in balance, to be sure.
Nov 14, 2008
Four Thousand Pennies
I did that dinner thing with my friends from college last week. I had been romanticizing about how it would be to enjoy a treat night of reminiscing. It turned out to be a reminder of the great distances we have travelled since we studied together in Fanjeaux Hall and gossiped over lunch in Caleruega.
One of us had lost a spouse, one recently lost a marriage, and the topic of the night was not light and carefree as I thought it would be. We talked instead about families in crisis and, although there wasn't much of the optimism and innocense of those early days when the chapters of our lives had not yet been written, that was okay, too.
I have a couple of nomadic girlfriends whom I adore. They boldly move wherever the wind takes them, across town or across the country. Both are single professionals who currently reside in Seattle and Reno. Reno is do-able on a weekend, so I drove on up to hang out, gamble away the $40 in my pocket, eat lunch and laugh. It sure felt like she was circling around looking for somewhere to land. I envy the wanderlust spirit of change the way they do, but appreciate the roots that hold me fast.
The best part about these visits was re-discovering that we are no longer unmolded clay. We have cleared our lives of debris to live it richly and are rougher, softer, and sadder by its imprint. Spreading our wings and focusing on the experience is as fun as seeing the result. Now we know all of it matters.
Would we change any step of the journey if we could? Probably. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to occasionally revisit a decision after learning how hard living with it would be. But doing that would run the risk of missing out on all the good and wonderful things it has brought. We are the lives we have lived, warts and all. To change any part of it would change us entirely.
One of us had lost a spouse, one recently lost a marriage, and the topic of the night was not light and carefree as I thought it would be. We talked instead about families in crisis and, although there wasn't much of the optimism and innocense of those early days when the chapters of our lives had not yet been written, that was okay, too.
I have a couple of nomadic girlfriends whom I adore. They boldly move wherever the wind takes them, across town or across the country. Both are single professionals who currently reside in Seattle and Reno. Reno is do-able on a weekend, so I drove on up to hang out, gamble away the $40 in my pocket, eat lunch and laugh. It sure felt like she was circling around looking for somewhere to land. I envy the wanderlust spirit of change the way they do, but appreciate the roots that hold me fast.
The best part about these visits was re-discovering that we are no longer unmolded clay. We have cleared our lives of debris to live it richly and are rougher, softer, and sadder by its imprint. Spreading our wings and focusing on the experience is as fun as seeing the result. Now we know all of it matters.
Would we change any step of the journey if we could? Probably. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to occasionally revisit a decision after learning how hard living with it would be. But doing that would run the risk of missing out on all the good and wonderful things it has brought. We are the lives we have lived, warts and all. To change any part of it would change us entirely.
Nov 13, 2008
The Alldredge Girls
Three traveling companions met for the first time in a hotel lobby in Philly the week before Christmas. They had been given each other's numbers because they were reluctant to travel alone in West Virginia in the dark and wanted to share a car. They came from all over the world.
They had no idea what to expect from the experience or each other, certainly not friendship. Their paths would never have crossed at all except for their sons entering the same rehab program at the same time.
Germany was early, nervous, and turned out to be a refined and insightful artist and scholar with a well developed sense of humor. She carried a neatly packed, organized suitcase and tote. She had the confidence in her step of having been down this road longer than the others. She brought the courage, the perspective.
California arrived in tennies, jeans and a Disneyland sweatshirt, the novice, afraid and wondering more about how it would play out with her ex than with the counseling sessions for her son. She brought the maps, the compassion, and an open heart.
Colorado breezed in last, with hair piled high on her head, dragging a suitcase, travel snacks and wearing boots, jeans, a long sleeve sweater and a down vest with gloves dangling out of the pocket. She was a jumble of spiritual, nurturing love with a whole face smile. She brought the confidence and car keys.
They listened and talked and laughed and cried on that six and a half hour drive, which included two detours and one rest stop talking to a man without front teeth. And together they literally and spiritually found their way. Now, three years later, the Alldredge Girls are still at it, talking about heady stuff like being who they are meant to be. They are each other's linchpin to the world they shared in those snowy months in a remote part of West Virginia. They have earned a place at the Thanksgiving table and their boys are in each other's prayers.
People say a crisis binds people together, and it did during those long, emotional days and weeks and months when the boys captured center stage. But philosophically, the real glue has been their shared belief that the journey never ends and when they falter, it is their Alldredge sister who will always be there to pick up the phone.
They had no idea what to expect from the experience or each other, certainly not friendship. Their paths would never have crossed at all except for their sons entering the same rehab program at the same time.
Germany was early, nervous, and turned out to be a refined and insightful artist and scholar with a well developed sense of humor. She carried a neatly packed, organized suitcase and tote. She had the confidence in her step of having been down this road longer than the others. She brought the courage, the perspective.
California arrived in tennies, jeans and a Disneyland sweatshirt, the novice, afraid and wondering more about how it would play out with her ex than with the counseling sessions for her son. She brought the maps, the compassion, and an open heart.
Colorado breezed in last, with hair piled high on her head, dragging a suitcase, travel snacks and wearing boots, jeans, a long sleeve sweater and a down vest with gloves dangling out of the pocket. She was a jumble of spiritual, nurturing love with a whole face smile. She brought the confidence and car keys.
They listened and talked and laughed and cried on that six and a half hour drive, which included two detours and one rest stop talking to a man without front teeth. And together they literally and spiritually found their way. Now, three years later, the Alldredge Girls are still at it, talking about heady stuff like being who they are meant to be. They are each other's linchpin to the world they shared in those snowy months in a remote part of West Virginia. They have earned a place at the Thanksgiving table and their boys are in each other's prayers.
People say a crisis binds people together, and it did during those long, emotional days and weeks and months when the boys captured center stage. But philosophically, the real glue has been their shared belief that the journey never ends and when they falter, it is their Alldredge sister who will always be there to pick up the phone.
Nov 12, 2008
Change-a-Comin'
Love is in the air and you know what that means ... change!
We knew our granddaughter Morgan was engaged but yesterday we learned her sister just got engaged. It looks like an exciting 2009! My brother and his wife return today from their Caribbean honeymoon and we had our first yard sale as partners.
It's hard to separate out things we don't need -- duplicate appliances and stuff we've dragged along through life that won't fit in the new plan. Like on TV, we had to decide which stuff to store, or display, or sell or donate. It's surprisingly hard to look at our lives that way after so many years, and I am currently better at the game of detatchment than he is, but we're getting there.
After several weeks of spot-targeting, there was enough for a garage sale. I made cute little signs which were totally unnecessary because we're on a major street and the minute you put a sofa and table on the driveway, everyone stops. He told me that: I didn't listen.
Yard sale day was a kick. One funny, spunky lady really got into it and sold stuff for us to a spanish speaking family. An older guy hung around a while and negotiated a better price on the sofa than the deal I had made. When they left, the sofa guy's wife gave each of us a homemade mexican pastry that was out of this world. In the end we emptied some of the storage unit and garage and have over $300 in the new sofa fund.
Our favorite neighbors were our best customers - isn't that always the way? But I'm sure they will probably make it back the next time we play Tripoley together. Another neighbor bartered with something we wanted for something we had. That was funny, as was the lady from down the block who came by just to tell us she loved the yard.
We had put an up-for-grabs list out to the kids beforehand, and Morgan and Jason came by to keep us company. They came knowing their apartment was full and left with glassware, dishware, a barber pole, a big old box of baseball cards and a full belly. That's just how it works at yard sales - you can't leave empty handed, especially when it's free.
It was the first time any of Randy's family had been here since the transition of households began, and I watched her look around, taking it all in. I know, honey, it's different than it was, and she said, but now the house has you in it and that's good. I just love that girl!
Yesterday, too, my sons got together and moved the last of furniture out of the house in Elk Grove and parceled out tools. We're hosting Thanksgiving for the Fassio Bros. and our eldest son has invited his girlfriend's family to join us. How very interesting! Who knows: maybe there's more change-a-comin'.
We knew our granddaughter Morgan was engaged but yesterday we learned her sister just got engaged. It looks like an exciting 2009! My brother and his wife return today from their Caribbean honeymoon and we had our first yard sale as partners.
It's hard to separate out things we don't need -- duplicate appliances and stuff we've dragged along through life that won't fit in the new plan. Like on TV, we had to decide which stuff to store, or display, or sell or donate. It's surprisingly hard to look at our lives that way after so many years, and I am currently better at the game of detatchment than he is, but we're getting there.
After several weeks of spot-targeting, there was enough for a garage sale. I made cute little signs which were totally unnecessary because we're on a major street and the minute you put a sofa and table on the driveway, everyone stops. He told me that: I didn't listen.
Yard sale day was a kick. One funny, spunky lady really got into it and sold stuff for us to a spanish speaking family. An older guy hung around a while and negotiated a better price on the sofa than the deal I had made. When they left, the sofa guy's wife gave each of us a homemade mexican pastry that was out of this world. In the end we emptied some of the storage unit and garage and have over $300 in the new sofa fund.
Our favorite neighbors were our best customers - isn't that always the way? But I'm sure they will probably make it back the next time we play Tripoley together. Another neighbor bartered with something we wanted for something we had. That was funny, as was the lady from down the block who came by just to tell us she loved the yard.
We had put an up-for-grabs list out to the kids beforehand, and Morgan and Jason came by to keep us company. They came knowing their apartment was full and left with glassware, dishware, a barber pole, a big old box of baseball cards and a full belly. That's just how it works at yard sales - you can't leave empty handed, especially when it's free.
It was the first time any of Randy's family had been here since the transition of households began, and I watched her look around, taking it all in. I know, honey, it's different than it was, and she said, but now the house has you in it and that's good. I just love that girl!
Yesterday, too, my sons got together and moved the last of furniture out of the house in Elk Grove and parceled out tools. We're hosting Thanksgiving for the Fassio Bros. and our eldest son has invited his girlfriend's family to join us. How very interesting! Who knows: maybe there's more change-a-comin'.
Nov 11, 2008
Forever Mine
I keep talking about my sons, and why not? They are wonderful men, completely transformed by life and on their own journey. I see glimpses of me in them, the way they lean forward and gesture during conversations or how they tease with a sidelong glance. Their dad is present in their charming good looks. Grandpa and Uncle Don's adventurous, playful side is there, and a daredevil spirit which I'm convinced Tim recycled through the family.
What I am most glad for is knowing I contributed to a home that gave them freedom to be themselves. They are as dissimilar in their style, interests and temperaments as brothers could be. But all are bound by a sense of right living and honest effort. All are smart, and interesting to talk to, stubborn and proud. It's a joy to watch them succeed, or face and solve challenges and talk things over with me when the time is right.
My favorite images will always be of three endearing little boys perched around the diningroom table on phone books or tucked under blankets on the sofa for storytime. It's not about running the herd anymore, or keeping them safe, clean, and filled with food. Now it's about finding a way to show them how much faith I have in them and how much they are loved.
What I am most glad for is knowing I contributed to a home that gave them freedom to be themselves. They are as dissimilar in their style, interests and temperaments as brothers could be. But all are bound by a sense of right living and honest effort. All are smart, and interesting to talk to, stubborn and proud. It's a joy to watch them succeed, or face and solve challenges and talk things over with me when the time is right.
My favorite images will always be of three endearing little boys perched around the diningroom table on phone books or tucked under blankets on the sofa for storytime. It's not about running the herd anymore, or keeping them safe, clean, and filled with food. Now it's about finding a way to show them how much faith I have in them and how much they are loved.
Nov 8, 2008
Keys on a Ring
I got a call from a really great college friend the other day. We keep in touch two or three times a year, and a little more than that after her husband died a couple of years ago. She was my college roommate, my Maid of Honor. Even though she's in the City and I'm in the Capitol city, we rarely get together except when one of us happens to be passing through.
I carry an interesting assortment of keys to the car, house, rentals, safe deposit box, mailbox, file cabinet, and storage unit. There's even a couple of weird ones that I have forgotten why they were important. They dangle from little pewter flippers that remind me of Colette and my happy snorkeling excursions. On a smaller key ring off the main are the things I can't part with: my brother's house key, although he doesn't live there now, and my dad's and mom's keys, who are long passed away. I guess you could say my keyring represents the Key Things in my life.
Alanna's call got me thinking about maintenance and how much I miss her on my Key ring. Like old stucco that chips away from a foundation, our Key relationships also erode (our spouses, our children, our friends) without noticing the damage caused by our lack of upkeep. And then one day, Bam! there's a big chunk of wall on the floor. The point is, change is inevitable if we do nothing to stop it.
Life is very distracting. There are a lot of really great things going on - new cars, new jobs, new friends, new towns - and it is easy to talk ourselves into thinking the old Keys will always be there. But it takes effort and passion to maintain anything, especially hearts, and family and old friends are part of our living heritage. More than any other, their stories and anecdotes punctuate our lives with warmth, humor and a sense of belonging.
I carry an interesting assortment of keys to the car, house, rentals, safe deposit box, mailbox, file cabinet, and storage unit. There's even a couple of weird ones that I have forgotten why they were important. They dangle from little pewter flippers that remind me of Colette and my happy snorkeling excursions. On a smaller key ring off the main are the things I can't part with: my brother's house key, although he doesn't live there now, and my dad's and mom's keys, who are long passed away. I guess you could say my keyring represents the Key Things in my life.
Alanna's call got me thinking about maintenance and how much I miss her on my Key ring. Like old stucco that chips away from a foundation, our Key relationships also erode (our spouses, our children, our friends) without noticing the damage caused by our lack of upkeep. And then one day, Bam! there's a big chunk of wall on the floor. The point is, change is inevitable if we do nothing to stop it.
Life is very distracting. There are a lot of really great things going on - new cars, new jobs, new friends, new towns - and it is easy to talk ourselves into thinking the old Keys will always be there. But it takes effort and passion to maintain anything, especially hearts, and family and old friends are part of our living heritage. More than any other, their stories and anecdotes punctuate our lives with warmth, humor and a sense of belonging.
Oct 27, 2008
Stuff
I tear through life like its on fire. Lord, there's not a minute to spare.
Ah: I know what this is! This is life in transition, with one foot in the old life and one in the new. The mail is forwarded, the dog is settled, and the mountain of stuff is somewhere or other, a storage unit, a flatbed trailer, at the old place.
Don and Jami just went through this. Don's been a confirmed bachelor all of his life until the girl down the block won his heart. He's a historian, a world traveller and photographer so his life is cluttered with the trappings of that: a shell casing from WWI, framed photos of exotic places, memorabilia from the Civil War, family heirlooms, a kayak.
He recently mentioned how much easier it is to let go of things when you are building a life with someone. In other words, the things that Don had attached such significance to have now become just things.
Wow. Loving somebody stretches us into new shapes. I suppose we're apt to feel a small twinge of nostalgia as the old patterns slip away but in its place is the excitement of making a new and better life. I was curious how Randy and I would get from here to there, somewhere I could crack open that book I've been neglecting. The answer is: we just will.
Ah: I know what this is! This is life in transition, with one foot in the old life and one in the new. The mail is forwarded, the dog is settled, and the mountain of stuff is somewhere or other, a storage unit, a flatbed trailer, at the old place.
Don and Jami just went through this. Don's been a confirmed bachelor all of his life until the girl down the block won his heart. He's a historian, a world traveller and photographer so his life is cluttered with the trappings of that: a shell casing from WWI, framed photos of exotic places, memorabilia from the Civil War, family heirlooms, a kayak.
He recently mentioned how much easier it is to let go of things when you are building a life with someone. In other words, the things that Don had attached such significance to have now become just things.
Wow. Loving somebody stretches us into new shapes. I suppose we're apt to feel a small twinge of nostalgia as the old patterns slip away but in its place is the excitement of making a new and better life. I was curious how Randy and I would get from here to there, somewhere I could crack open that book I've been neglecting. The answer is: we just will.
Oct 6, 2008
Before I Go
When my marriage ended, there were several minor things that took on huge significance because, contrary to popular belief, being the one left is just as hard as the one being asked to go.
I needed anchors. Right away, I bought a kayak, something I'd always wanted, and a patio set for the yard. Daisy the Wonderdog came inside to sleep that very first night and remained there until she passed away in 2005. She even slept on the bed once or twice.
That year I treated myself to acrylic nails and bought a car and a house entirely on my own. And that is how I eased from reliance to self-reliance and became an Independent.
My sons say, nearly 10 years later, how much calmer and more easy going I am now. I laugh good-naturedly at that, so unaware they are of the complexities of raising three rambunctious boys with a demanding job. It was a Team of One plucking them off the roof, fixing the sprinklers, running to the ER with stitches and broken bones, sweating the bills, and monitoring their school. I really missed life BD (before divorce) but it was a Needs -vs- Wants kind of existence and, frankly, I was grateful just to keep all the balls in the air.
There were catastrophically hard choices to make, the consequences of which are still felt. Moving an hour north had a significant impact as did the boys' choices for college and moving away. In the end, each of us had to shed a lot of the past to make room for the future.
As I pack seven years later, I am surprised by how significant those markers continue to be. I am deeply attached to the house and the accessories accumulated along the way. Some of it will move forward: the iron bed Michael made in high school, David's handwoven scarf and Tim's gumball dispensing machine. I linger here in the half disassembled livingroom, trying to swallow the lump in my throat as I memorize each detail. I will miss it.
I needed anchors. Right away, I bought a kayak, something I'd always wanted, and a patio set for the yard. Daisy the Wonderdog came inside to sleep that very first night and remained there until she passed away in 2005. She even slept on the bed once or twice.
That year I treated myself to acrylic nails and bought a car and a house entirely on my own. And that is how I eased from reliance to self-reliance and became an Independent.
My sons say, nearly 10 years later, how much calmer and more easy going I am now. I laugh good-naturedly at that, so unaware they are of the complexities of raising three rambunctious boys with a demanding job. It was a Team of One plucking them off the roof, fixing the sprinklers, running to the ER with stitches and broken bones, sweating the bills, and monitoring their school. I really missed life BD (before divorce) but it was a Needs -vs- Wants kind of existence and, frankly, I was grateful just to keep all the balls in the air.
There were catastrophically hard choices to make, the consequences of which are still felt. Moving an hour north had a significant impact as did the boys' choices for college and moving away. In the end, each of us had to shed a lot of the past to make room for the future.
As I pack seven years later, I am surprised by how significant those markers continue to be. I am deeply attached to the house and the accessories accumulated along the way. Some of it will move forward: the iron bed Michael made in high school, David's handwoven scarf and Tim's gumball dispensing machine. I linger here in the half disassembled livingroom, trying to swallow the lump in my throat as I memorize each detail. I will miss it.
Oct 4, 2008
Asleep at the Switch
September 30, 1.9.9.9.
Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending
By STEVEN A. HOLMES
In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.
The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.
Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.
In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates -- anywhere from three to four percentage points higher than conventional loans.
''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''
Demographic information on these borrowers is sketchy. But at least one study indicates that 18 percent of the loans in the subprime market went to black borrowers, compared to 5 per cent of loans in the conventional loan market.
In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.
''From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,'' said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. ''If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.''
Under Fannie Mae's pilot program, consumers who qualify can secure a mortgage with an interest rate one percentage point above that of a conventional, 30-year fixed rate mortgage of less than $240,000 -- a rate that currently averages about 7.76 per cent. If the borrower makes his or her monthly payments on time for two years, the one percentage point premium is dropped.
Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, does not lend money directly to consumers. Instead, it purchases loans that banks make on what is called the secondary market. By expanding the type of loans that it will buy, Fannie Mae is hoping to spur banks to make more loans to people with less-than-stellar credit ratings.
Fannie Mae officials stress that the new mortgages will be extended to all potential borrowers who can qualify for a mortgage. But they add that the move is intended in part to increase the number of minority and low income home owners who tend to have worse credit ratings than non-Hispanic whites.
Home ownership has, in fact, exploded among minorities during the economic boom of the 1990's. The number of mortgages extended to Hispanic applicants jumped by 87.2 per cent from 1993 to 1998, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. During that same period the number of African Americans who got mortgages to buy a home increased by 71.9 per cent and the number of Asian Americans by 46.3 per cent. In contrast, the number of non-Hispanic whites who received loans for homes increased by 31.2 per cent.
Despite these gains, home ownership rates for minorities continue to lag behind non-Hispanic whites, in part because blacks and Hispanics in particular tend to have on average worse credit ratings.
In July, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed that by the year 2001, 50 percent of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's portfolio be made up of loans to low and moderate-income borrowers. Last year, 44 percent of the loans Fannie Mae purchased were from these groups.
The change in policy also comes at the same time that HUD is investigating allegations of racial discrimination in the automated underwriting systems used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to determine the credit-worthiness of credit applicants.
Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending
By STEVEN A. HOLMES
In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.
The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.
Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.
In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates -- anywhere from three to four percentage points higher than conventional loans.
''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''
Demographic information on these borrowers is sketchy. But at least one study indicates that 18 percent of the loans in the subprime market went to black borrowers, compared to 5 per cent of loans in the conventional loan market.
In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.
''From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,'' said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. ''If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.''
Under Fannie Mae's pilot program, consumers who qualify can secure a mortgage with an interest rate one percentage point above that of a conventional, 30-year fixed rate mortgage of less than $240,000 -- a rate that currently averages about 7.76 per cent. If the borrower makes his or her monthly payments on time for two years, the one percentage point premium is dropped.
Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, does not lend money directly to consumers. Instead, it purchases loans that banks make on what is called the secondary market. By expanding the type of loans that it will buy, Fannie Mae is hoping to spur banks to make more loans to people with less-than-stellar credit ratings.
Fannie Mae officials stress that the new mortgages will be extended to all potential borrowers who can qualify for a mortgage. But they add that the move is intended in part to increase the number of minority and low income home owners who tend to have worse credit ratings than non-Hispanic whites.
Home ownership has, in fact, exploded among minorities during the economic boom of the 1990's. The number of mortgages extended to Hispanic applicants jumped by 87.2 per cent from 1993 to 1998, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. During that same period the number of African Americans who got mortgages to buy a home increased by 71.9 per cent and the number of Asian Americans by 46.3 per cent. In contrast, the number of non-Hispanic whites who received loans for homes increased by 31.2 per cent.
Despite these gains, home ownership rates for minorities continue to lag behind non-Hispanic whites, in part because blacks and Hispanics in particular tend to have on average worse credit ratings.
In July, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed that by the year 2001, 50 percent of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's portfolio be made up of loans to low and moderate-income borrowers. Last year, 44 percent of the loans Fannie Mae purchased were from these groups.
The change in policy also comes at the same time that HUD is investigating allegations of racial discrimination in the automated underwriting systems used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to determine the credit-worthiness of credit applicants.
Oct 2, 2008
The Hybrid
I listen to talk radio these days, flip on the TV when I awake at 6, think about things broader than my life, my home, myself. These are living history moments, today and in the days to come.
What will we remember most from 2008=09? Will it be the most historic Presidential election, with the choice of putting a Woman or a African American male in the White House? Or will America's financial industry's embarrassing scope of corruption which fueled the Wall Street and banking/housing debacle and subsequent grotesque bailout overshadow that? Families, it turns out, do not all deserve houses of their own, and that simple truth has taken our nation's economy nearly to its knees.
Legalizing Gay marriage is up for the vote, and that's momentus, but so is being on the brink of the Iraq war becoming a neverending saga. It is likely that auto manufacturers will have to shut down, along with a lot of other businesses whose names are household words: Washington Mutual, Lehman, AIG. How could we let Japan steal our thunder? Didn't WE invent the automobile?
I sat on the edge of my seat during the vice presidential debate tonight, not able to remember if I had ever bothered to tune in before this year. I found myself evaluating Biden and Palin's Commander-in-Chief qualities if their running mate was unable to complete the term of office. Remarkable.
Both candidates said the election is a clear choice. But a good one? McCain and Obama are uncomfortably divergent. I don't trust that they will be able to sit down together and craft solutions to very serious issues in a balanced, moderate way. I know I'd breathe a little easier if some of the candidates had more experience, or more demonstrated leadership over the long haul. When I was in Arizona, McCain did a whole lot of nothing that can be construed as Presidential or Maverick.
I don't want a President who's quick to anger and won't play by the rules even when he should; but I also don't want a wishy washy, Do-Gooder with untried philosophical principles to be played out on the world stage.
What we need is a Hybrid! An innovative, lean and mean, political team prototype that is scarcely reliant on fossil fuel and burns clean. Sleek, efficient and Eco-Friendly, they could effectively maneuver through rough political terrain with the onboard GPS system. Sound on or off, your choice.
What will we remember most from 2008=09? Will it be the most historic Presidential election, with the choice of putting a Woman or a African American male in the White House? Or will America's financial industry's embarrassing scope of corruption which fueled the Wall Street and banking/housing debacle and subsequent grotesque bailout overshadow that? Families, it turns out, do not all deserve houses of their own, and that simple truth has taken our nation's economy nearly to its knees.
Legalizing Gay marriage is up for the vote, and that's momentus, but so is being on the brink of the Iraq war becoming a neverending saga. It is likely that auto manufacturers will have to shut down, along with a lot of other businesses whose names are household words: Washington Mutual, Lehman, AIG. How could we let Japan steal our thunder? Didn't WE invent the automobile?
I sat on the edge of my seat during the vice presidential debate tonight, not able to remember if I had ever bothered to tune in before this year. I found myself evaluating Biden and Palin's Commander-in-Chief qualities if their running mate was unable to complete the term of office. Remarkable.
Both candidates said the election is a clear choice. But a good one? McCain and Obama are uncomfortably divergent. I don't trust that they will be able to sit down together and craft solutions to very serious issues in a balanced, moderate way. I know I'd breathe a little easier if some of the candidates had more experience, or more demonstrated leadership over the long haul. When I was in Arizona, McCain did a whole lot of nothing that can be construed as Presidential or Maverick.
I don't want a President who's quick to anger and won't play by the rules even when he should; but I also don't want a wishy washy, Do-Gooder with untried philosophical principles to be played out on the world stage.
What we need is a Hybrid! An innovative, lean and mean, political team prototype that is scarcely reliant on fossil fuel and burns clean. Sleek, efficient and Eco-Friendly, they could effectively maneuver through rough political terrain with the onboard GPS system. Sound on or off, your choice.
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