I like you, here's a dollar.

I saw this in a parking lot a few weeks ago:


My first thought (obviously:) "Take a picture! That's SOMETHING!"

Then, I thought about the phrase "MONEY IS NOT SPEECH". Huh? Isn't it? Why not? And if I paid you, would you listen to me?

I've known many people with lots of money and many people with no money. Each has the same view of money: it's valuable. However, after getting into a huge debate with my father-in-law (someone with lots of money), he told me this - "I spend my money the way I do because I have families that I have to support."
Okay. Fair enough. My retort was - "Yes, but if you are more careful about how you spend your money, then you can support even MORE families."
His response was simple: "But I LIKE them."
Ah. Point. Match. Game Over.

And I thought about it some more. Isn't money a tool to tell someone that you LIKE them? That you APPROVE of what they are doing? Even if you have very little money, you may go to a fast food joint because it's convenient, and you choose that particular fast food joint because you like it. And you part with your money because you are getting something out of the transaction.

Money may not be speech, but it definitely is a signal. It's a sign that I like you.

I did nothing

I've been thinking and dreming about this blog for such a long time... I've wanted to say things about the economy, about family values, about monetary stewardship for so long.

But I did nothing.

I don't literally mean I did nothing. I mean, I went to work. I took my kids to school. I took vacations. I cleaned my house. I surfed the internet. (I need to clean my house again.)

But, in the greater aspect of my country. I did nothing.

I didn't involve myself in the Tea Pary movement. I choose NOT to occupy. I did however, write a letter to my Congressional Representative. That counts for something, right?

No, I choose a different path. And, as economists know there is ALWAYS another alternative. It's the alternative to do nothing. I continued my shopping habits as usual, always using coupons when possible. I went to theme parks with the family. I bought clothes.

However, I just heard about the fatal shooting of a man near the Occupy Oakland movement. This is the precipice. This is what gets me going. Now the internet shall hear my ramblings on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I am not happy with the state of things. But I am not looking for a big shake up. I'm not looking for a revolution. I'm not going to say "enough already."

I am just getting started.