Financial Uncertainty...

Amazing how things change... Last year, at about this time, I was retired and siting pretty on investments that were performing less brilliantly than in previous months but still doing quite well... Since then, and under the suggestion of our financial advisor, I had to go back to the workforce and take a job in - again - Technologies. Our savings have been depleted by about 31% and I needed the 'predictability' of a corporate job.

However, something else has come about: as I took this new job, I realized that I was putting on hold what I really wanted to do, coaching, because I needed the previously mentioned revenue predictability. Now, the idea of diversifying one's income was floated in front of me this morning and since then it has started to take hold... Maybe I can still bring back to life my coaching dream and, with a little extra effort, start building a coaching practice...

We have a 13 years-old German Shepherd mutt that has been wonderful and has some very good habits - like barking up a storm when someone or something approaches the back or sides of the house (not the front though...). She is also very calm and gentle. Being that old, she does not have too much left in the old tank. So I decided to convince the family about adopting a younger pup to be trained by Lola on the good habits...

Yesterday, while driving around town, Jan and I went to the Broward County Humane Society and found three possible candidates; but as we 'interviewed' the first one, we knew we had found it... He is 2 1/2 years old Border Collie mutt - temporarily named Buster - with a great disposition, very docile and affectionate...

After a 'doggie meet' with old Lola went very well, we brought him home last night. He does not know how to go up/down stairs; so I spent the night with him downstairs and he behaved well.

We still have no name for him and are debating between Chico, Burt, Manolo, Louie, Frankie and Nigel.

Life after AMEX

A good friend of mine, Tim Halleran, sent me an e-mail today asking me to look over the requirements for a piece of work he has lined up... I critiqued it and sent it back; he asked me if I would consider managing the project... Not only is it flattering, but it is also scary since I have not had hands-on experiences with a projects since 1991... So, I said yes...!

First thought

This is the first entry into this journal... It's been 9 work days since my last day of employment at American Express and it cointinues to feel more and more weird...