Management Sucks

My child was four years old when I separated from her father, my husband. Due to life's circumstances, I became self-employed. With the help of my family a flexible schedule, taking care of my daughter was never an issue.

In my current role, my primary responsibilities is to manage a staff. Most of these employees either have children, are trying to make children or are the "go to" member of their family when problems arise. Family is important. Having a life outside of work is mandatory.

My management style is less rigid than many of my peers. My staff knows that we have to take care of our clients or WE don't have jobs. There are times when staying late or working a Saturday is necessary. If they work during their workday, overtime should be the exception not the rule.

However, life happens. Cars don't start, kids or parents get sick, friends and relatives die.

I have found that when the employees do not take advantage of my good nature and the good will of their peers, there is no drama.

. When one young lady buried ten members of her family in six months, she had to go.The key is not to take advantage of the freedoms granted.

The bitterness arises when people feel like that they are being "played."

Changing the rules: Male Masturbation illegal?

Maybe the Suburban Guerilla is on to something...........

Insiderism

Digby makes a wonderful point. I seek out the so called liberal media. I find it on the internet not the airwaves.

Like the spectacle of Anna Nicole's baby daddy drama being breaking news, journalists have lost their way. The media outlets are more focused on what's sexy versus what is news worthy. If the decision makers did their homework put out news, their profit margins would increase radically.

The pundits are more concerned about dinner party invitations that putting out real news.

For those who actually want to do real journalism, they should be given the resources to perform their jobs in a competent manner.

As for the dialogue of an old white man versus young rappers disrespecting black women, let's face facts, black women are on the bottom of the food chain. Throughout our history, we have been seen as objects to satisfy someone's sexual desire or held in contempt fear of being a sexual threat. I wish my sex life was interesting as many assume.

There is a reason we are so many different shades. Many of us have bloodlines that reach back to white slave masters.

The owners of the record labels are white men. Our young black men don't realize that once again they are being exploited by white men AGAIN. When they shit hits the fan, the first thing that happens is the "Insiderism" journalists blame you my young brothers. It is time to connect the dots.

Get it where you can, financial planning

It never ceases to amaze me how taboo it is to talk about money. It was not lost on me, the verbal fights my parents had about money. Bill collectors would call and it made my mom crazy. Raising a family of five on a steelworker's salary was a challenge. My dad refused to let my mother assist with the finanical planning. Remoldeling the house was my dad's drug of choice.

We never wanted for food, clothing and the occasional inexpensive restaurant dining. It was a really big deal to eat at Howard Johnson's. It wasn't until I got to college that realized how middle class we weren't. There was a chronic unspoken under current of financial strain. BUT you did not talk about it.

In my senior year, one of the popular girls suddenly put on weight. At first, pregnancy was suspected. Eventually, she broke down in class, and revealed her father had lost his job. The weight gain was the result of eating more potatoes because that was all they could afford. She said it would have been easier to be pregnant than poor. Dear God. These are the values we as a society we instill in our youth.

It wasn't until my father thought that he was going to die, that he had a honest conversation with my mother, his wife about little things like what bills needed to be paid. A little financial planning/management would have did my folks a world of good.

As a society, sex is discussed freely. Why on earth is it such a problem to talk about money? Why are those without money or get into a financial bind ostracized?

Financial planning should not be reserved for those making six figures. By learning how to manage money early, the credit card debt crisis could be mitigated early in some cases.

Bur the need for instance gratification is everywhere. We talk of values. What is so wrong with waiting until you can afford a luxury item like a HDTV?

Unfortunately, credit card companies, rent-a-centers prey on this itch that we have convinced ourselves needs to be scratched immediately.

Passing a financial planning course in high school should be mandatory for everyone.