The year 2008 was a doozie. The world flipped upside down as recession slogged around the world and the markets tumbled. The identification of the mortgage crisis was delayed. We just realized what happened when we should have been preparing for another wave of foreclosures. The banks were bailed out. Homeowners are still being shunned.
Detroit faced its biggest challenges since the riots. It is in deficit and still shows the scars left behind the mayoral scandal. Other scandals are still sprouting. People lost their jobs and and pensions. Their portfolios took a beating. Unemployment engulfed Michigan and predictions are dire for next year's numbers. People have moved out of the state.
These struggles are damaging to the state, but they have caught the attention of many foundations nationwide. And foundation dollars work. A study said the $42.9-billion awarded in 2007 produced $367.9-billion in “direct, economic welfare benefits.” Read more about this study and the numbers at "Foundations Create Large Economic Benefit, Study Says." Foundation giving has been strong in the Midwest. This interactive map tracks how foundations have responded to the economic crisis.
It wasn't all bad, 2008. The United States has a new leader who hasn't even stepped into office yet and has made a difference. Ideas have been spawned, but which will be pursued? How will this place we call the United States be well again? I suppose we'll start seeing some things rolling into action after January 20.
On the personal front, this last year was both tremendous and terrible. I work full-time at Wayne State University where I love my work. I've complete my degrees and certifications for a while and look forward to a nice, long break from school. I have discovered philanthropy and have been most intrigued by it. I have reconnected with old friends and business partners and made new sets of both. I have tried to improve my health by quitting smoking and exercising more. This year I rode 425 miles on my bike. My goal is a 1,000 miles a year, so I'll start again in 2009. I quit smoking, although I take a puff here or there. I'm looking forward to the smoking ban to eventually pass in Michigan (I hope).
The year ended on a dark note. I lost a great friend and mentor to breast cancer. She was only 36. It gave me a new direction for 2009. I'm going to join the Race for the Cure team at Southfield Public Library.
I'm not sure what else is in store for this upcoming year. I see challenges ahead, but I also have a lot of hope. I want to really start writing more and maybe get a business off the ground. I want to start giving more and getting back into volunteering. It's also about time to establish a homebase of my own. I'm also going to partake in the fire sale on Wall Street. I heard on NPR that when stocks go on sale, nobody runs to grab the deals. I'm going to grab the deals and do my damndest to make smart financial decisions. I'd also like to try and read more. A lot more.
What will be changing in your new year? What won't?
12/31/08
12/29/08
Book Review: Elements of Style
The Elements of Styleby William Strunk and E.B. White
In his book On Writing, Stephen King basically said that only good writers, the naturals, can become great writers. I don't know if I agree, because I think there's a lot of ways to improve your writing. Strunk and White covered all the fundamentals in this tiny writing treasure.
I'm disappointed in myself that this is the first time I read Elements of Style. It is a very concise reference tool that is easily read and makes grammar enjoyable. It also is a surefire way to start enriching your writing immediately. I've been writing since the fifth grade in multiple capacities, but when I finished this book I identified a million ways to tighten up my writing.
Although I love On Writing Well by William Zinsser, I think that this little dose of concentrated knowledge is the best writing book I've ever read. It's a handy little book and it reads very quickly, making it the perfect annual refresher for any writer.
12/14/08
A look at employment, or lack thereof
I caught up on my neglected RSS feeds and ran across some interesting information on Michigan employment. If you're not aware what's been happening in Michigan for the past half-decade, people have been losing jobs left and right. In October alone, unemployment rose 9.3%. GM is grinding production to a halt. People are moving away, especially out of Detroit. But I get the sense that there's light at the end of this tunnel.
The first interesting thing I came across was a Detroit Free Press article about how public projects in Michigan could put hundreds of thousands of people back to work. These projects are ready to go, but they need funding. The article began:
That could really offset all of these painful cuts and unemployment increases. There are ways Michigan can make it out of this, but it needs some money. So, perhaps the auto bridge loans aren't what we need, rather a comprehensive infrastructure plan to relieve Michigan's employment woes. Michigan really needs both, but no one's going to get that kind of cake and get to eat it, too.
The other interesting link I found (which I could've used about 8 months ago) was http://www.michigan.gov/jobs. I've got a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more resources similar to this appearing nationwide, along with personal finance and credit resources (I hope!) My hope is that libraries take the lead role on this. My hope is that libraries come out of this economic nightmare as significant solutions to the problem.
The first interesting thing I came across was a Detroit Free Press article about how public projects in Michigan could put hundreds of thousands of people back to work. These projects are ready to go, but they need funding. The article began:
Michigan has nearly 500 public works projects considered “shovel ready” that could start within 90 days of making money available for them, according to a national survey in support of boosting the economy through massive infrastructure spending.532,794 jobs?
Nationwide, more than 3,600 road, bridge, water and sewer projects totaling $15 billion would generate 532,794 jobs, the American Public Works Association announced this afternoon.
That could really offset all of these painful cuts and unemployment increases. There are ways Michigan can make it out of this, but it needs some money. So, perhaps the auto bridge loans aren't what we need, rather a comprehensive infrastructure plan to relieve Michigan's employment woes. Michigan really needs both, but no one's going to get that kind of cake and get to eat it, too.
The other interesting link I found (which I could've used about 8 months ago) was http://www.michigan.gov/jobs. I've got a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more resources similar to this appearing nationwide, along with personal finance and credit resources (I hope!) My hope is that libraries take the lead role on this. My hope is that libraries come out of this economic nightmare as significant solutions to the problem.
12/12/08
Classical Poetry Aloud
Do you know what's awesome? Free classic poetry read out loud by a British guy - that's what.Check it:
http://classicpoetryaloud.wordpress.com
12/11/08
Meetings
In my new job, our meetings are quick and we accomplish things. It is my recommendation to ALL management that you not call meetings "just because." Also, big back-patting lovefests are NOT reasons to meet, just the opposite. Before my current position, where we meet to share information and get things done, I basically went to meetings like this:
12/8/08
Book Review: On Writing by Stephen King
On Writing: a Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
My latest case of book lust has been quenched by books about writing. I know I should be writing more, but I consider this little stretch of books a warm up before the main event.
On Writing was recommended to me a while ago by T-Bone. We talk writing. We share poetry. We give each other recommendations. We love writing. We appreciate it. Appreciating good writing is something that Uncle Stevie recommends highly. This is one of the many glorious writing tidbits snuggled up with entertaining anecdotes jammed into this book. The stories he shares are vivid. Sometimes they are horrifying. Sometimes funny. They are always well told.
King's 2000 nonfiction release was one of my favorite writing books for many reasons. First, it gave me an in-depth look at King's development as a writer. It was great. I loved his candor throughout the book. The tone was that of a conversation with a mentor in his study. Those who claim King is a hack are totally nuts. I will never agree with that. In fact, after reading this book, I'm ready to get back on the Stephen King reading path. I must continue on to the Dark Tower. It calls to me like it called to Roland. And, even though it's a bazillion pages long, I'm going to read The Stand.
Initially, I didn't know why I loved On Writing, which made me feel ashamed. If you can't describe why you think something is good or bad, King advises another career path. After a solid minute of thinking, the reasons to read this book started flooding my mind. King instructs to read The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I'm still working on it, but it's brilliant. That tiny book is brilliant from the start of the introduction. I'm embarrassed that I have only recently picked it up. I probably should have been reading it annually since high school.
I tried to take notes, but I loved pouring through the pages, much like all the Dark Tower books I've finished. I can't review those yet because I'm not done with the journey. King's nonfiction has stories so perfectly spun that the book stays glued to your palms. I did manage to collect a few favorite passages, nonetheless.
King's approach to writing was very revealing. He considered the reader/writer relationship a form of telepathy. Later in the book he called the relationship a miracle. Clearly this sheds light on why he is so passionate about his craft. King was also humble and unafraid to talk about his writing struggles.
King was adamant about the story being the foundation for one's writing. He writes a story much like Michelangelo sculpted. King put his characters into a situation and watched them work their way out of it, just as Michelangelo chiseled his subjects out of stone. King observed and recorded his characters' progress. He believes the story always tells itself. This is an interesting notion, though I'm not sure if I am ready to adopt that as belief just yet.
An interesting part of the book was the advice on sharing your first completed novel. King discussed how long you should stay completely away from it; he recommended a minimum of six weeks. He also said that once you pass your first draft to the first reader, who he calls the Ideal Reader, you should notify them of how long you'd like to wait to talk about their thoughts.
At the end of the book the reader learns how important writing is to King. He turned to the craft in a time of great hardship. On Writing was halfway done when he was severely injured in a car accident in June 1999. He was going on a walk and a van blasted him 14 feet into the air and then deposited him on the side of the road in a crumpled heap. The injuries he endured made my bones ache with each word. It's incredible that he lived. His family and his writing helped him heal. He compared writing to water. Both are free and both quench their respective thirsts.
There's a pattern I've seen develop in all these writing books. Basically, they all say that if you're a poor or merely tolerable writer, there's not too much hope of being a great writer. You can become a better writer, but for the most part the good writers are those that become great writers. This is the only bummer in King's book, but I've read the same message time and time again. I can see how someone that isn't very good to start could be discouraged by various writing guides that echo this sentiment.
Great book for fiction writers, though. It was a delight and Stephen King has definitely got my attention. Some of Mr. King's knowledge:
by Stephen King
My latest case of book lust has been quenched by books about writing. I know I should be writing more, but I consider this little stretch of books a warm up before the main event.
On Writing was recommended to me a while ago by T-Bone. We talk writing. We share poetry. We give each other recommendations. We love writing. We appreciate it. Appreciating good writing is something that Uncle Stevie recommends highly. This is one of the many glorious writing tidbits snuggled up with entertaining anecdotes jammed into this book. The stories he shares are vivid. Sometimes they are horrifying. Sometimes funny. They are always well told.
King's 2000 nonfiction release was one of my favorite writing books for many reasons. First, it gave me an in-depth look at King's development as a writer. It was great. I loved his candor throughout the book. The tone was that of a conversation with a mentor in his study. Those who claim King is a hack are totally nuts. I will never agree with that. In fact, after reading this book, I'm ready to get back on the Stephen King reading path. I must continue on to the Dark Tower. It calls to me like it called to Roland. And, even though it's a bazillion pages long, I'm going to read The Stand.
Initially, I didn't know why I loved On Writing, which made me feel ashamed. If you can't describe why you think something is good or bad, King advises another career path. After a solid minute of thinking, the reasons to read this book started flooding my mind. King instructs to read The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I'm still working on it, but it's brilliant. That tiny book is brilliant from the start of the introduction. I'm embarrassed that I have only recently picked it up. I probably should have been reading it annually since high school.
I tried to take notes, but I loved pouring through the pages, much like all the Dark Tower books I've finished. I can't review those yet because I'm not done with the journey. King's nonfiction has stories so perfectly spun that the book stays glued to your palms. I did manage to collect a few favorite passages, nonetheless.
King's approach to writing was very revealing. He considered the reader/writer relationship a form of telepathy. Later in the book he called the relationship a miracle. Clearly this sheds light on why he is so passionate about his craft. King was also humble and unafraid to talk about his writing struggles.
King was adamant about the story being the foundation for one's writing. He writes a story much like Michelangelo sculpted. King put his characters into a situation and watched them work their way out of it, just as Michelangelo chiseled his subjects out of stone. King observed and recorded his characters' progress. He believes the story always tells itself. This is an interesting notion, though I'm not sure if I am ready to adopt that as belief just yet.
An interesting part of the book was the advice on sharing your first completed novel. King discussed how long you should stay completely away from it; he recommended a minimum of six weeks. He also said that once you pass your first draft to the first reader, who he calls the Ideal Reader, you should notify them of how long you'd like to wait to talk about their thoughts.
At the end of the book the reader learns how important writing is to King. He turned to the craft in a time of great hardship. On Writing was halfway done when he was severely injured in a car accident in June 1999. He was going on a walk and a van blasted him 14 feet into the air and then deposited him on the side of the road in a crumpled heap. The injuries he endured made my bones ache with each word. It's incredible that he lived. His family and his writing helped him heal. He compared writing to water. Both are free and both quench their respective thirsts.
There's a pattern I've seen develop in all these writing books. Basically, they all say that if you're a poor or merely tolerable writer, there's not too much hope of being a great writer. You can become a better writer, but for the most part the good writers are those that become great writers. This is the only bummer in King's book, but I've read the same message time and time again. I can see how someone that isn't very good to start could be discouraged by various writing guides that echo this sentiment.
Great book for fiction writers, though. It was a delight and Stephen King has definitely got my attention. Some of Mr. King's knowledge:
"I think I was forty before I realized that almost every writer of fiction and poetry who has ever published a line has been accused by someone of wasting his or her God-given talent. If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that's all." (p. 50)
"Someone out there is now accusing me of being tiresome and anal-retentive. I deny it. I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops." (p. 125)
"Being swept away by a combination of great story and great writing - of being flattered, in fact - is part of every writers necessary formation. You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you." (p. 146)
"Reading at meals is considered rude impolite society, but if you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be second-to-last of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway." (p. 148)
"All this suggested to me that violence as a solution is woven through human nature like a damning red thread. That became the theme of the stand." (p. 205)
"Writing fiction, especially a long work of fiction, can be a difficult, lonely job; it's like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub." (p. 209)
"(I hate and mistrust pronouns, every one of them as slippery as a fly-by-night personal-injury lawyer)" (p. 214)
"Writer's are needy." (p. 220)
12/5/08
Philanthropy Friday: good news in tough times
I thought that a good way to wrap up the week would be to provide you with some positive information on my new-found-friend, philanthropy. Check out some of the good things happening in the world of giving:
Charities Can Expect New Regulations and Increased Giving in an Obama Administration (11/5)- Charity leaders can expect President-elect Barack Obama and Congress to push for changes in the federal tax structure that could spur giving and add new regulations for charities and donors, tax experts say.
Wal-Mart Foundation Awards $3.6 Million for Veterans' Higher Education (11/11) - In celebration of Veteran’s Day, the Wal-Mart Foundation in Bentonville, Arkansas, has awarded a total of $3.6 million in grants to twelve organizations to support programs that offer educational assistance for veterans.
Gates Foundation Announces Expanded Education Grantmaking (11/13) - The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has unveiled several new education initiatives designed to build on its previous work in high schools, the Seattle Times reports.
Fidelity fund nears two-millionth gift (11/14) - The charitable-gift fund also lowered its minimum-gift amount and launched a new program, efforts aimed at broadening giving during the economic crisis.
Gates Foundation Awards $2 Million to International Center for Journalists (11/28) - The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) has announced a $2 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a fellowship program that will work to improve news coverage of critical development issues in sub-Saharan Africa such as agriculture, microfinance, sanitation, and employment.
NexGen Givers (12/1) - Behind the dreary headlines is a surprisingly encouraging trend that is taking hold: A new generation of donors is moving into place -- an energetic and highly creative crowd that eventually could reshape philanthropy.
National Christian Foundation sees jump in donations (12/2) - Though the economy has prompted many U.S. donors to tighten their belts, the National Christian Foundation has seen a 27 percent increase in contributions since last year.
Companies Increased Giving Last Year, SurveyFind (12/4) - Corporations increased their giving last year despite a mixed economic climate, according to a new report from the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, in New York.
Resources aimed at helping non-profits (12/5) - The Nonprofit Economic Vitality Center, a free online tool created by the National Council of Nonprofits, aims to help nonprofits navigate the economic crisis.
12/2/08
Today's Knowledge: Work toward better credit scores
I heard this great podcast on how credit scores are calculated. It's less than 5 minutes long and provides great information, like how one shouldn't use more than 35% of their available credit at any time.Credit Scores Even More Key In A Tight Economy
12/1/08
Today's Knowledge: find product reviews on Buzzillions.com
As far as I'm concerned, one of the absolute greatest ways to shop is online. I've had many positive experiences using amazon.com and half.com, especially when the respective sites drop the shipping costs.
I just discovered a new site that can help you decide on the best products before you embark on an online shopping spree (or any shopping spree, really): Buzzillions.com. It's comprehensive, easy to use and it's consumer-generated, meaning that people who bought the product are the ones commenting on it.
I just discovered a new site that can help you decide on the best products before you embark on an online shopping spree (or any shopping spree, really): Buzzillions.com. It's comprehensive, easy to use and it's consumer-generated, meaning that people who bought the product are the ones commenting on it.
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