Youth Appreciation Week

This last week was "Youth Appreciation Week" at our church. What this means is that each teenager is paired up with an adult for the week. The adult prays for the teenager every day of the week, and on Sunday there is a luncheon for all the teenagers and adults to sit together, chat, and listen to a guest speaker.

Craig and I were each paired up with someone. We prayed for them all week. Neither of us had met our teenager before, so it was different praying for someone that you couldn't put a face to. Unfortunately, our two teenagers were not able to come to the luncheon (they hadn't been to church in over a year...so we were expecting this...), however, we went to the luncheon anyway and "adopted" a teenager whose adult match couldn't make it.

We sat with another older couple and "their" teenager, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. It was fun talking to them and getting a teenager's perspective on things...sports, school, teachers, life, etc..
Craig and the teenage boy we "adopted" really had a great connection because both of them played basketball and tennis. They talked...pretty much the whole time about sports. It was really neat to see, as I saw both of them truly enjoying eachother.

The guest speaker was the area director of Young Life, and her speech was excellent. It definitely hit home for me. She talked about what a difference church youth groups made when she was in high school. I can definitely relate to this, as I too had a wonderful youth group growing up in middle school and high school. Young Life was a HUGE part of my life, and it really made a big impact on me as a teenager. I was so excited that the kids from our church were getting the opportunity to go to Malibu, Canada to a Young Life camp that I went to for two years in high school! I was so excited!!!!

The Youth Leader at our church wants to meet with Craig and I to get involved in a new Youth Program that is starting up at our church. I can't wait! I can't think of a better way to spend our time! I think of all the adults that invested time with my friends and I in middle school and high school...and what a HUGE difference it made, and how blessed we were.... and if I could pay that forward...I would in an instant!

Masters in Teaching Program Interview

On Saturday, I had an interview with Seattle Pacific University for the Master in Teaching Program. The interview lasted 4 hours and it was very different than a typical interview. There were a total of 68 people there, and we were divided up into groups of ~10 people per group. The interview was separated into three parts:

Part One: Everyone had to come prepared with a 7-9 minute "mini lesson" to teach the class. I taught a 2nd grade lesson on "How a Community Works." I taught the students what a community is, how a community makes money, what a government does in a community, and what taxes are. That is a lot in 9 minutes, but, with some fake money, a huge poster with an illustration, and a really simple breakdown, it was 2nd grade ready. Overall, I think it went pretty well.

Part Two: During this part of the interview, each group was given a scenario in which we all had to agree on a solution. The facilitator observed us during the discussion making notes on how people interacted etc.

Part Three: The Facilitator asked questions to everyone. Some people were asked the same questions and some were not. Questions like, "What do think makes a good principal?" and "Do you consider yourself organized?"

Overall the interview went really well. I have to say, I was EXTREMELY impressed with all the aspiring teachers. They all came with impressive backgrounds and they were all truly there for the right reasons...wanting to make a difference. I met people that were lab scientists, software engineers, physicists, etc.. It definitely gave me a good feeling about the future of education. I really do believe education is going to make a turn.

The program is at a private University and is quite competitive. Over 100 applicants applied, 68 were invited to this interview, and 37 make it into the program.

This was my first visit to a private university...and wow...can you say nice! geesh. Any university that serves starbucks for free...has some moolah.

So, I was originally thinking elementary education, but, after some thought, I think teaching algebra might be a better option because...

1) Math is a shortage area which means that more than likely, I can get the whole thing paid for.

2) Job prospects are waaaay better after graduation.

3) I have more of a chance being able to work right here in Anacortes, or closer at least.

But....working with little kids was really why I wanted to teach in the first place, although middle school...I guess they are still "little" kids...

For now...I'm anxious to see if I get in.... :)

***Really!

Have you heard? Yes, AIG employees are getting HUGE bonuses! Do you know how AIG is paying for these bonuses?...yes indeed...with your tax dollars. I agree, get mad!...but..watch out, because this irritating story is merely a smoke screen. Guess what?...the Federal Reserve is in deeper shananagens then AIG! Whoa! **Deep Breath** What I am about to tell you was "quietly" announced on Wednesday.. It's Friday...and chances are, you haven't heard a thing about this. Listen up, as I am going to try and explain this in terms we can all understand, because honestly, I am beginning to think that people (myself included) do not understand 90% of the financial talk constantly being thrown around, and therefore remain ignorant when it comes to national debt and why this effects everyone...whether you realize or not.

AND THE QUIETLY ANNOUNCED ANNOUNCEMENT IS.....

The Feds are pumping an additional $1 trillion into the economy. Keep in mind this is in addition to any previous bail-out money you have heard of. This money will be used to buy mortgage securities and U.S. Treasury bonds. Don't get caught up in this language but rather understand what the goal is. The Feds goal: To reduce mortgage rates. Sounds great!!! We could use a drop in mortgage rates? But wait....where in the world are the Feds getting this money?????

Well folks, it is quite simple. The government is lending it's own money to itself. Hmmmm? What? Wrap your brain around that for a second. Pretend that you had a money making machine (which the government has). You could print however much money you wanted. So, one day you wake up and you want $1 million.

So, you ask yourself, "self, could I borrow $1 million?"

You reply back, "sure self, let me run off and print you up $1 million dollars, but you have to give me an IOU."

And you respond, "okay, an IOU for $1 million. Sounds like a good deal."

This is EXACTLY what the U.S government is doing. It is literally printing off a $1 trillion dollars to give itself. Keep in mind, the U.S. dollar is not backed by gold, so there is no limit to the amount that can be created....but like anything else, the more there is, the less it is worth.

To drive the point home, after this was announced on Wednesday, the value of gold shot up $75 in 18 hours. This is unbelievable.

This is another "last" ditch effort to stimulate the economy. Could it recover the economy, well, yes, anything is possible, but never in history, has self borrowing worked...never in history! Therefore, chances are, we may end up in a depression anyway, and we will not only be suffering from a depression, we will also be suffering from HYPER-inflation. Keep in mind, the Great Depression took 20 some years to recover from.

Word to the Wise: Get your wheelbarrows ready, because you will need a wheelbarrow of money to buy a loaf of bread!

With that, I'm going to leave you with a quote from Thomas Jefferson.

"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows us that as a government grows, liberty decreases."
— Thomas Jefferson

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

In celebration of this green day, I am roasting up some corned beef and cabbage and....I looked up some St. Patrick's Day facts. Enjoy!

________

St. Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. St. Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century. He is most known for driving the snakes out of Ireland; although that is probably more symbolic of him putting an end to pagan practices involving snakes. St. Patrick did however superimpose a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is known today as the Celtic Cross.

Shamrocks
According to Irish legend, St. Patrick chose a three leaved clover as a symbol of the church's Holy Trinity because of its three leaflets bound by a common stalk. He used the tri-leaved plant to help illustrate the idea of the holy trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. A shamrock is not a four leaved clover, contrary to popular belief. When a four leaf clover is found it is said to represent God's grace. The good luck attached with the four leaf clover predates Christianity in Ireland back to the ancient Druid priests.

Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage is the traditional meal enjoyed by many on St. Patrick's Day, but only half of it is truly Irish. Cabbage has long been a staple of the Irish diet, but it was traditionally served with Irish bacon, not corned beef. The corned beef was substituted for bacon by Irish immigrants to the Americas around the turn of the century who could not afford the real thing. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbors.

Leprechauns
As a St. Patrick's Day symbol, the leprechaun is a smiling, merry little elf. However, legend tells us that leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very tricky. Leprechauns are believed to be little old men who make shoes for fairies and are usually about two feet tall. The legend says that if you catch a leprechaun, you can force them to tell you where they hid their pot of gold.

The latest...

For those that have asked, or for those that are wondering...I have made *some* progress on what in the world to do with myself. ;) Here are my current thoughts...

1) Photography business. Well "Tulip Town" has agreed to allow me to set up shop and offer family portraits amongst all the beautiful tulips. Tulip town is a tulip farm http://www.tuliptown.com/ . When the tulips bloom it is absolutely magnificent, with rows and rows of colors....a photographers dream! People come from all over to visit the farm (and others in the area) during the month of April. I spoke to the owner of Tulip Town and she said that she has had really terrible experiences with photographers. She said they tend to be extremely pushy and they can never make it work because there are waaaay too many people, and no good place to set up shop. But....we met, and she has a good feeling about me...and she wants to give me a try. So....I have some work to do to get prepared for that (business cards, a sign, and I need to get some hay barrels). I'm not sure where I'm going to take my pictures but I need to go there to scope it out and find a place that is out of the way, yet amongst the tulips. It will be a challenge, but I think I can make something work. With a little luck, I might be able to get some clients in the area.

2) FBI. Put to bed for now. Moving around at any time, all the time, isn't what we want and it isn't fair for Craig, as he would have a difficult time with his career with this kind of lifestyle.

3) Nursing. Golly, I had to put this one to bed...again. I had all my pre-reqs lined up, application in, and then, the school called and said, "we can not accept your statistics class you took in engineering school." Great. As much as I have attempted to make this work, no matter how hard I try, it never works out. Maybe later, but for now, I have to leave this one alone.

4) Hold out for an engineering job. This one is becoming extremely frustrating. I can not tell you how many jobs I have applied for. Some...I have gotten as far as a second interview...and then, the job is closed because the company goes on a hiring freeze (sigh). Other jobs...well, for some reason, they don't need someone with space suit experience...geesh. On the other hand, I am not taking just anything. Anything with HVAC, is out! I don't want to find myself in a miserable job like my last one. I have no interest in air conditioning, and I never will. The other problem, the large majority of engineering jobs are a good 1.5-2 hours away from here. So even if I did get a job at one of these places, we would have to move from Anacortes, and ...living in Anacortes is the very reason we moved here.

5) Last but not least...teaching. The good news, I have been asked to come in for an interview for the program. During this interview, I have to teach a 7-9 minute lesson....so they can see that I am capable of teaching etc. I'll be needing to pull this together this week. I have a few huge fears about pursuing this option. First, our area is going through massive teacher lay offs next year, because of the huge drop in student attendance. I can not imagine going back to school for another year, without a salary, and acquiring more student loans, just to come out and not get a job at the end of the day. At this point, I will be an unemployed engineer for 1.5 years...which will not do me any good on the job hunt.

The bottom line, I am completely and utterly frustrated in every direction. When moving out here, there were a lot of good scenarios.
1) The Naval Air Station would be a great job....didn't work...at all
2) I would get a job at one of the four local refineries.....well....all 3 of them are on a hiring freeze, and the fourth wants 20+ years experience in all engineering positions.
3) Boeing had many job opportunities...however, they've been laying off more people than they've been hiring people this past year...with no end in sight.
4) Go back to school....well...

So....that leaves me where I'm at. We sincerely love Anacortes. We love to hike, bike, fish, etc., and I am trying really hard to make something work out for me, but with every passing day I'm getting more and more frustrated. With all the scenarios, you would think one should work out. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I do know one thing for certain...God certainly has a way of making me learn patience (sigh).

***Ten Years Ago

I really try not to put political rants on my blog, but every so often I feel compelled.

(Note: For all political rants, I will put a few asterisks in front of the Blog title, so you can easily skip these posts :). My intention is not to offend any one)

Below is an article from the New York Times. You can also find the actual article on the New York Times website here: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260&scp=1&sq=query&st=cse


I think it is EXTREMELY important for folks to take a minute and read this article. I've bolded some points of interest. This article is a good look back on how we got into the mortgage crisis we are in today. The bottom line, the "economic crisis" we are ALL living today, was brewing for us back in 1999. So predictable with the words, " But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue...."

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Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending
By STEVEN A. HOLMES
Published: Thursday, September 30, 1999

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.

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Hanging a Bird Feeder

Even the birds were laughing.

Needless to say, the bird feeder was never hung on this particular tree. Two trees later, and a 1/2 of bag of bird seed later, the feeder was hung. :)

Fetch

I came downstairs, and this is what I saw. Craig and Maverick playing fetch, with a Goose observing. Very Strange... ;)

Inches!

Have you heard of Inches???? One of Craig's co-workers brought this "new" craze to my attention. An inchie is a piece of art that is a square inch in size. An inchie can be made out of paper, fabric, or any other material. Inchies are made and then traded amongst fellow inchie makers. The inchie world is up and running. The inchie world has even expanded to:

Rinchies: A one inch round piece of artwork.

Twinchies: A two inch square piece of artwork.

Moos: A 1-1/8 x 2 ¾ inch piece of artwork.

There are even local places that are offering inchie classes!


Here is a picture of a bunch of inchies! Do a google search on inchies...and you too can jump on the inchie train! Might be a great creative outlet! :)