Respect for our Military and their Families

Today while meeting another military wife for coffee, we were discussing our husbands, their service during deployments and all the challenges that a military wife endures.  A gentleman sitting next to us couldn't help but overhear our conversation.  Originally from Mississippi, he kindly thanked us for all we are doing in dealing with our husbands and our families.  He commented how 1 in 6 people serve in the military from the state of Mississippi.....not many in Manhattan nor New York can make that same claim.  The irony is how in touch certain folks are  from what's considered a poor state and how out of touch many are from a wealthy state. 

I appreciated this gentleman's insight.  So often, many endure hardships from family members serving in the military.  Whether you are from the country or the city, it's wise to respect those willing to sacrifice for your freedom. 

For my international readers, it's important to understand that even though we as a nation are divided, we have citizens willing to serve in our armed forces and do what is needed through hard work and toil. 

Nagging is NOT Profitable

Is nagging a marriage killer????

According to the Wall Street Journal's article on Nagging in Marriage is More Common than Adultery, I find it interesting how nagging is just as toxic for the relationship as is alcohol, adultery, drugs or (not even mentioned but should be) computer addiction.  Yet, nagging has been going on for many years.

Let's define nagging as the grounds where one person in the relationship seeks something from the other but the other person ignores that request thus prompting another request then ignore....the circle continues until something has to give.

Yet a marraige killer, I am not certain how farfetched this idea is.  Nagging certainly is no fun for either person.  It is a clear sign of a communication breakdown between two people.  The possible solutions to solving the problem will vary according to what's being ignored and what the request is all about.  For two people who love each other and have made a commitment, it is an ongoing challenge because over time, there is a certain level of comfort knowing that you don't have to do much because your spouse will still love you and be around. 

Liken this to couch potatoes who have developed large guts, it's time to change tactics.  Nagging is a problem to the marital relationship.  What I am saying is that even though you ask your spouse to take the trash out and they continue to say In a Minute while watching tv, you know that if you make the request again, it is STILL not going to happen and you've increased the perception of nagging.  Getting someone to do what you desire especially when you've become their warm, fuzzy comfortable bedroom slippers means a definite change in tactics.  Now this is not easy for those of us whose husbands go away on deployments for long periods of time. 

NAME THE PROBLEM is one way to start the process of addressing this negative behavior issue surfacing in your relationship.  By naming it, you redirect the focus from the other person in the relationship to the issue.  No one is being blamed. 

TALK THROUGH THE REQUEST is recommended.  Even though one person does not see why this request must be done immediately, it is wise to have empathy and find out why.  Perhaps your spouse had a horrible day at the office and doesn't want to burden you with it all and just needs a moment to regroup before engaging in home life.  Perhaps your stay at home spouse dealt with a screaming child all day and just needed to feel a little bit of love in the form of taking out the trash.  Perhaps you both endured hardship with a child neglecting their studies for other activities and just need to realize it's not your parenting style but a different problem at stake.  Whatever the situation, it is wise to step back, name the problem (not the sympton) and understand more of the big picture.

LISTEN MORE & TALK LESS is a wise approach when resolving conflict.  It's good to hear the other side talk.  So often, it's easy to talk and dominate the conversation to get our point across.  This isn't a win win approach.  Perhaps allowing yourself to listen to the words being presented will clarify what the matter is truly about.  You both may be upset about an unpaid bill (i.e. the sympton) but the real problem is about NOT doing a household chore or you hurt my feelings on the phone earlier today or lack of sexual interest. 

Marriage seasons like wine over time,  and as the years add up, there will be more and more issues to surface for the different seasons of life you both live.  Nagging is easy and quick to make known a hurt.  Yet it's not profitable to your marriage and over time, the negative effects of nagging do add up to a negative balance....ultimately you may divorce because of no resolution and irreconcilable differences. 

For military marriages, nagging can hinder growth in many ways.  For example, when your spouse returns from a combat zone, it's easy to nag him to do household chores and other things.  Even though it takes time to reintegrate from a deployment, many military have just experienced a life-changing experience that few can understand. To reintegrate back into society it takes time.  Nagging is more harmful because two people are overcoming separation and reuniting to start a new lifestyle.  It just adds to the pressure rather than lift both partners up.  If you add children to the equation, it adds another level of challenge.

The financial perspective here about nagging is to watch yourself and don't do it because the negative effects are more costly than what's been realized to date. Even if you do nag (which we are all guilty of at some point in time), it's good to revert back to being kind, saving face and taking the higher road.  More important, your request of the other person matters because you matter.  If possible, reassess your request and reask it rather than nag. It is amazing what is accomplished when you change yourself and your approach.

Written by Stephanie Arredondo
(c) 2012

Post-Holiday Finances for the Christian Marriage

This article was published on Wives of Faith web page and was written by Stephanie Arredondo. 

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces” Proverbs 3:9

With the holidays past us and a new year upon us, it is crunch time again for our household finances. Savvy marketers know how the consumer behaves during the holiday season. As a result of these tempting sales such as buy two and get one free to save $5 when really you are spending $10 more than originally intended, these sellers convinced you to part ways with your dollars for this must-have product/service. Past activity at the mall and/or AAFES is now appearing on the credit card bills. Those little unforeseen extras from the holidays such as travel expenses or last minute gifts are a part of mounting expenses. Just when you feel like you can slow up and ease into the New Year full of promise, New Year resolutions and a clean slate for 2011, it’s a realization that past spending behavior is directing you differently than desired. There are bills to pay, and the total amount is higher than you anticipated. Panic can set in, and financial pressure is trying for a marriage especially for military marriages that endure enough stress as it is. Is this how our Lord wants us to honor Him as a result of this holiday season?

Have you and your spouse honored God with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce? This question offers a rhetorical reply of yes! Yet, the credit card bill can bring reality to your homefront. In fact, more than 55% of divorced couples cited money problems as the primary reason that they had marital problems (Citibank survey). Mismanaging your finances reflects directly on your marriage and ultimately your relationship with God. What is yours, mine and ours represents this family unit. Even if the head of household is in a combat zone, we wives are to manage well our household affairs and wealth.

Most women defer money matters to their spouse. Most wives do the bulk of household buying. With more women working in the workforce and earning income, there is more emphasis on the part of marketers to target women because of the increase in buying power. As time constraints hinder couples from having effective budget meetings to see what’s going on with the household finances, women can be intimidated by the topic. Sometimes the wife feels lost as to how to manage the household. Fear can set in along with anxiety.

This sentiment is not what God intended for us and our marriage. Fear is the opposite of what God desires for us. Our finances may cause anxiety, and this is the critical time when we are to seek God.
During one deployment, my husband was overseas for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. I managed our household finances and would correspond with him via e-mail about them. He wanted to be involved and yet did not want to worry about the details. These e-mails ended up stressing him out because we were discussing our household finances, and he had to keep his head in the game. So, I stopped these e-mails and instead worked hard to make him proud. I paid the bills. I watched the spending. I tithed. I saved. I did the grocery shopping. I worked the budget. I gave my best when it came to managing our finances.

Prior to his departure, we developed our financial game plan so that I would confidently manage the day to day knowing what our goals were. Eventually, we learned how to coordinate our efforts. This took a lot of pressure off of him while humbling him to depend on me. I felt engaged and more of an active participant in the deployment process. It made me get closer to him and strengthened our marriage even though we were miles apart. We would pray about our finances in addition to other prayers. As a result of our efforts and upon his return home, we agreed to celebrate by making a donation to The Salvation Army. It felt so good to give our best.

What is the best part of everything you produce? Take it and honor God with it.

Regardless of your financial situation, today is a good time to talk and pray with your spouse about your finances. Even if there’s credit card debt or other financial hardship, I can promise you that if you both give your best and honor God with your wealth, you will see a direct benefit to your marriage that you’ve never experienced before. It is an amazing blessing to you and your marriage.

* * * * * * *

Should you need more financial resources, there are many that I have listed below. While this is not an endorsement of their products and services, I offer these resources as a way for you and your spouse to consider options that best fit your needs. In my opinion, there are limited financial resources available to the Christian military marriage/family.

• The one that I believe is best for many is the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University link Introduction to Dave Ramsey Military Edition as well as the Dave Ramsey Military Resource Center for Military Families that is offered through various bases or FRG programs.
• Military OneSource Financial Services offers financial consultation via phone.
• DoD Article on How To Confront Financial Issues Early is a good read for both the military member and spouse to understand why it is important to manage your finances soundly.
• USAA is another pro-military financial resource company to consider as they are not just an insurance company but also offer banking, financial counseling and other financial services.
• Military Money offers an interesting online resource of information for military families.
• A few books to consider are Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, Money and Marriage God’s Way by Howard Dayton, Family Money Management God’s Way by Mahlon Hetrick, The Household Money Organizer, and A Woman’s Guide to Family Finances by Ellie Kay.
• Your local library or bookstore offers simple financial educational resources.
• The best resource for further financial understanding is you educating yourself. That means spending your time calling, asking questions, doing calculations, and even attending classes or information sessions.

Best Wishes to you and your spouse as you both embark on a journey well worth it to your marriage and ultimately to honor God. Please post below any resources worthy to share.

Stay at Home Moms ARE Worth It

This Yahoo! Finance article affirms How Much is a Homemaker Worth.  $96,261 per year according this article and yet I've reviewed other sources where stay at home moms are worth $120,000 plus.  For example, the article pays a yard man $30 to mow whereas many charge between $65 to 125 so it depends upon the cost of living in certain areas of town. 

RESPECT is as high as one might think for the individual being the stay at home mom.  I think that respect is returning to this less than prestigious profession.  The original thought that you can have it all isn't true for everyone.

Drawbacks to being a stay at home mom are:

• no paycheck
• financial dependance is necessary
• few sick days or vacation days are offered. 

One can speculate how this is the worst job to accept based on these drawbacks, and yet it is THE MOST IMPORTANT undertaking of any job in the world.  I highly respect anyone willing to give it all up and stay home to provide your husband the means to do his job so that you can create a wonderful home environment. 

Let's examine the job:

Cooking - With a 70% markup at local restaurants, this is the biggest area to save money and yet it can have positive health advantages.  Many women dislike cooking; however, there are many home delivery companies as well as prepared foods sold in grocery stores and commissaries to help the cooking challenged person. 

Cleaning - More like picking up prior to cleaning is the essential part of this job.  Your family's health mandates at least once a month cleaning.  Basic cleaning is cleaning bathrooms and kitchen, sweeping and mopping floors, dusting, wiping surfaces and taking trash out.

Laundry - Gathering all the clothes, sheets, towels and other washables and then washing them in the washing machine, dryer and then folding, sorting and putting clean clothes away.

Shopping - Buying provisions for the home is a frequent activity.  Considering the auto fuel involved with driving around town, it's important to take a list along with coupons to the store (sometimes several stores) in order to make purchase.  This takes more time than what folks realize because of huge square footage, crowds at certain times of the day and towing kids along.

Paying Bills - Paying bills such as household, medical, insurance and other expenses is important. 

Home & Yard Maintenance - It takes time to mow the yard or maintain a house, condo or townhome.  Certain basic maintenance is mandatory yet there is seasonal maintenance as well as remodeling or repainting.

Child Care - This is a super important part of the job because children under age five require close supervision.  Feeding, changing diapers or potty training, laundering clothes, picking up toys and other items are just a few of the job to dos.  Reading to your child/ren, playing music, taking them to the park, doing a craft project, or other important activities help children to develop their minds and prepare for education. 

As you can imagine, each aspect of the job when singled out is simple and easy to do.  The trick is to multitask and accomplish it all every day with no days off and hopefully no sickness.  The stay at home mom who can master managing it all and still look like the 1950s woman impeccably dressed with makeup on is unique (there are some that exist but they are in the minority!). 

Military Stay At Home Moms really are challenged with fulfilling all job requirements while the serviceman is deployed for a LONG time. 

This is a brief overview of some financial perspective so that when you mop that kitchen floor again and wonder why did I give up my high paying job to do scully maid work, you look at your family and realize it is all worth it in the end.

Copyrighted 2012 by Stephanie Arredondo aka Alfa Sugar

NOTE: For those moms who must work and raise children, I know that this article is limiting.  The advantage you have is you can have adult conversations during the day, make connections, and have time away from the children and home.  The stay at home mom is lucky to have an adult conversation, is rundown working day in and day out, and is eager to get away from the house just to get a break.  I believe that each family is unique and must function as the head of household feels it must.  Working two full-time jobs is never easy. 

MIL & Your Mighty Marriage

(Article NOT published on Wives of Faith web site page even though submission was made over 60 days ago so I am posting it here on my blog in hopes that it provides a nonmonetary financial perspective for wives and mother in laws (mil)).

MIL or mother in law jokes abound in ways we least expect.   The newly wed wife said to her husband when he returned from work: "I have great news for you, Honey. Pretty soon we're going to be three in this house instead of two."  The husband started glowing with happiness and kissing his wife said: "Oh darling, I'm the happiest man in the world."   But then she said: "I'm glad that you feel that way because tomorrow morning my mother moves in with us."

"Have you not read,"  said Jesus, "that he who made them in the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Mark 10:9.

Jesus addressed the importance of marriage between a man and a woman.  There is a third party involved with each marriage, but it’s not our MIL or somebody else.  It’s Christ himself.  Military marriages benefit from a distance factor when forming their family unit.  PCSing to different bases around the world forces the husband and wife to depend on one another as well as Christ.  Though lonely at times, this opportunity directly supports scripture and helps couples to submit to one another. 

A third of many marriages dissolve because of interference by parents or other family members unconsciously.  This is a staggering statistic that puzzles many; however, over 80% of the in-law complaint letters that Ann Landers receives deal with mother in law problems, specifically the husband’s mother.  Call it a clash of cultures or power plays but the fact remains that it is a challenge for many marital relationships to form their family unit.

The in law relationship can be a great blessing or a toxic relationship depending upon the two women.  Obviously, both have in common one thing – they love the man who is son to one and husband to the other.  Two is company and three’s a crowd can definitely challenge things.  What’s remarkable is when both enjoy the in law relationship as did Ruth and Naomi.  While not all mother in law relationships evolve this way, according to Terri Aptner’s What Do You Want From Me? , the issue at hand for MILs is vulnerability and the threat that this mother/son relationship is changing. 

Change is inevitable, and seeing your son off on a deployment is difficult for MILs.  Marriage can provide a blessing or another threat to the MIL.  PTSD is on the rise with husbands returning from the combat zone, and many MILs and/or family members feel the need to step in and do something, especially when it is a young marriage.  This is when tempers flare, words are spoken and unintentional pain is inflicted upon many. 

When a baby is born, it can be tricky because MILs want certain family traditions passed on.  Sometimes, the new mom experiences doubt and confusion as she gets critiqued by her mother in law.  The MIL sees an inexperienced mother making many mistakes and feels she needs to step in for the sake of her grandchild.  The husband may be deployed or on TDY orders thus adding concern and stress because he is not present.  Around the holidays is when stress levels increase. 

Do you have a MIL situation?  Is your marriage challenged as a result of a MIL or another family member?  What to do?  How do you maintain some form of sanity? 

 First, it is important to be in prayer about your circumstances.  You and your marriage matter.  Communicate with your husband, mother in law and other family relationships that your marriage is between you and your husband (not anyone else) and that you and your spouse will make your family unit’s decisions, albeit finances, estate planning, parenting etc. 

Next, it’s important to set certain priorities to where your spouse is at the top of the list.  Badmouthing your mother in law is not on the list.  Focusing on your husband and what is needed for your marriage is THE priority in addition to prayer. 

Finally, having an exchange of mutual respect with your mother in law is recommended.  You want what is best for the same person as well as for the children. 

Forgiveness is important especially when feelings have been hurt, and while no situation starts off great, perhaps with time, you and your MIL will improve your relationship in such a way that it will blossom and benefit so many around you. Perhaps it’s hard to smile at a person who has deeply hurt you.   While no relationship is ideal and setting aside the MIL jokes, the important point is to have faith that God is with you and your spouse as you walk this wonderful journey of marriage.   

by Stephanie Arredondo

Time is THE currency of your world

Checking out at a local grocery store, I overheard a school teacher comment about how nice it was to shop in a small square footage place where none of her students nor their parents were there to interrupt her shopping experience.  While I thought how odd it is that she doesn't want to make that connection with her students (after all she is a role model), it dawned on me how those interruptions along with all these other interruptions such as e-mail, text messages, phone calls, and such take time away from us getting done what we need to do for daily living. 

Back during the era of Little Women, the joy of socializing with others much less receiving a letter was priceless.  Wall Street began underneath a tree and evolved from bucket shops into this mega computer world of finance today.  The classic movie It's a Wonderful Life brings a stark reality to time spent developing relationships versus time spent on the bottom line.  Certain priorities are the same and/or change depending upon a person's goal in life.  Today, people are in such a hurry to move on if not steer clear of someone just so that they don't have to speak is a polar opposite of the time before computer domination.  Perhaps our social skills are declining, and many military wives are practically screaming for a face to face connection. Perhaps many are too busy to realize what is really going on.  Perhaps many are challenged with the varying demands upon their time.

There is only 24 hours per day seven days a week.  With that limited amount of time, some folks suffer sleep deprivation in order to achieve more.  Sleep disorders are on the rise because of an imbalance in present day lifestyles.  I usually react negatively to my children getting sick and having to cancel activities for a few days; however, I surprise myself with how positively happy I am to slow up and enjoy living life.  There is something to stopping and smelling the roses.

Time management especially of self is super-critical of anyone at any stage in life.  It is not how much you accomplish in one day or pack as much as you can in one suitcase for the day.  Rather, it is focusing your time on the top priorities in your life for that day. 

Investing your time into something remarkable such as your marriage, your children, your education, your ability to be a better worker amongst peers or whatever you name is well worth it in the long haul.  Some folks take pay cuts to work less hours or even get more vacation time so that they can enjoy the life that God created for them. 

Time is the currency of your world.  The key point to determine is how you self-manage yourself and your time to achieve your goal(s).  Though time is precious, time is fleeting away at record breaking speed.  It is important to make the most of it.  As us finance gurus love to analyze the time value of money equation, it's even more important to consider the nonmonetary forms of success that lend to creating a life worth it in the long run.

Veterans Crisis Line

1-800-273-8255
Veterans Crisis Line  web site page
TXTed to 838255
24 hour 7 day a week

This is a wonderful opportunity to reach a veteran.

HONOR OUR VETS!

 Fundraiser for Our Veterans Music City Style! 

Rock Benefit Show @ The Hard Rock Café Nashville TN

Sunday, January 15, 2012

8pm Midnight

All Ages Welcome (under 18 require parent/guardian)

Benefit Rock Show to Support Returning Troops and Their Families

8:00 pm – Marlee Scott (country/pop)

8:40 pm – Sharif Iman (pop/rock)

9:20 pm – Magician/Illusionist Carl Michael

9:45 pm – Shawn Mayer (indie rock)

10:30 pm – Kris Bell / Dav Mikals / Matt “Lig” Knabe (ROCK!!)

$5 cover

FREE Passes for Military veterans with proper ID courtesy of HonorVet.org

Reserved Tables for 5 people available $

100

Proceeds to benefit HonorVet.org

4Q2011 Results for Alfa Sugar

During Alfa Sugar's inception year as a blog, it has seen 2,327 all-time views from an international audience (such as USA, Sweden, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, India, Romania, Singapore, Latvia and many others).  Positive feedback has been strong regarding the content of this blog as I believe that it discusses financial perspective in such a way that many seek without realizing the need.  For veterans, many have been able to gain some current information regarding their situation; though limiting, it is a key resource to filter through the red tape online.

Top three articles of interest for the quarter and year are:
1) No Pay if Fed Shutdown Occurs
2) Concurrent retirement and disability pay for our veterans
3) Veterans, the public is outraged at your cost of coming home

Many of our articles get posted according to the financial perspective that seems relevant at time of publication.  Our top article categories include military money, financial food for thought, personal spending, retirement and big picture (economy). 

Alfa Sugar represents a former financial advisor who is completely independant of any and all financial insitutions.  This autonomy enables her to post relevant financial perspective that is unbiased yet current marketplace perspctive based off of over 20 years of experience and knowledge.   Please see disclaimer note.

Thank you for making 2011 a great year for Alfa Sugar.   

2012 May Be a Financially Great Year

2012 may be a financially great year, that is IF you are willing to do something about it. 

It's important to keep in mind that things just don't happen. You have to take action and make things happen.  So why does this bit of perspective help me out financially?

In the wonderful world of finance where everyone must do basic math on up to advanced math albeit with your income, investments or other means of support, there is action happening.  Your spending behavior is directly reflected in your wallet even if it is buying food or fuel or other.  By not paying attention to your budget or how you spend your money, you are taking action. 

Perhaps you are neglecting your finances.  It's easy to do because many folks dislike the accountability factor involved with budgeting, reconciling your accounts and making financial decisions.  Sometimes financial hardship resurfaces hard times from your past and can cause you to turn the other way  or can cause you to get intense when it comes to your money.

Perhaps you are a good steward of your money, track it and live within your means.  This routine action of managing your finances deserves a pat on the back AND a time to reassess your financial goals.  Are you interested in a return on your funds?  Are you going to take a risk and step out of your circle of comfort?  Are you willing to do more work for more financial gain or are you determining your retirement options?

Perhaps you are in between where you earn income and yet just can figure out why the money was there and is now gone.  This constant merrygoround gets old, discouraging and lackluster.  This is when taking a personal finance class or something related to the topic will help jumpstart you back into action.

Perhaps you have been in recovery.  For many veterans and military personnel coming back from the combat zone, they are faced with medical costs that wipe out whatever savings and/or income that they have.  The financial hardship on the families is difficult.  For some the physical disabilities create challenges including finding a job, keeping a job, and dealing with certain limitations.  For many, they are dealing with PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder.  It's a major issue that few talk about nor the negative effects it has on many military families.  Sweeping it under the carpet is difficult when a military member dealing with PTSD  has a hard time getting out of bed to go to work or to even funtion in American society. 

I write that 2012 may be a financially great year because it can be if you take action.  One problem is the word may, and I specifically use this word to make a point.  Many want to live up to doing a good job and yet they (especially the men) feel that what they do is not good enough.   Bosses and/or supervisors provide negative feedback, expect more than what is realistic and pass judgement on subordinates that beats them down.  Few workers underestimate their ability to do a good job yet most question their superior when it comes to job performance and evaluation.  Yet employment provides a financial means to support the family so many workers just grin and bear it.

Today is the day to take action even if it is a baby step in your financial affairs.  Perhaps you organize your bank accounts into a notebook and your bills into another notebook.  Perhaps you learn about a new financial software via your financial institution's web site page or Internet or package.  Perhaps you pick up a book from the library to read.  Perhaps you cut up your credit card and start paying it off.  Perhaps you open a new account to help jumpstart your financial future with just $20 a month. 

Little steps of action will enhance your financial situation.  Balancing your life and keeping hope abreast will help you navigate through this tricky time.  Perhaps reducing or cutting back in certain areas is a necessary action to help your family go forward.  For example, buying a frozen pizza versus ordering a pizza for delivery is a small step to save some outflow.  Now, if you are on TDY orders and/or PCSing and don't have access to a kitchen, it is wise to eat healthy, drink lots of water instead of sodas or alcohol and make practical choices.  Ask for the military discount when possible and seek restaurants who do give it so that you can cut back on this eat out expense.  Also, during lonely times it is easy to spend money to compensate for not having someone around.  This is when it is very important to do a low cost activity such as a craft, sign up for a class, exercise, attend a church social function or go to the local library for free events (sometimes they are posted on their bulletin boards more so than on the web).

Just taking action to do something will help you come alive with life, venture out, learn something new and gain a whole new perspective on life.  It is so much better than watching tv, playing a video game or anything else via your couch.  Act and see what great possibilities lie ahead. 

   

Out with the Old and In with the New

New Year's Resolutions abound in ways we least expect.  Everyone has something new to do this year whether it's losing weight, doing better in an area of life, getting pregnant, finding a special love, making more money, or on and on and on.....

This year, it's a good thing to focus on out with the old and in with the new.

Instead of dwelling on past failures or past life experiences, it is important to embrace the present like none other.  So often we blame ourselves for what's happened and yet we forget to forgive ourselves and try to do better by starting with the little, insignificant, detail stuff that matters in more ways than you'd expect.

For veterans and those dealing with PTSD, it is important to try something new that blesses you. 

The financial perspective here is to clean up your finances, prepare taxes and get control of your financial affairs.  Kind of like weeding a garden, it's good to let go of investments where the return is lackluster and redirect to a new investment instrument that better meets your needs.  It's an arduous task that few enjoy; however, it is a great necessity should you desire to change your family tree.

Embrace the new and try something new in your life.  This is your year, and according to Dr. Seuss' book Oh The Places You'll Go, you will succeed indeed!