I like the title, "Visions and Delusions for a Mythic City", that's why I read this blog. The subtitle was " A Good Place for Filmmakers" and that interests me, so I read on. Movie Magazine says we are, " among the top places to live, work and make movies." A lot of agrument could be given for the living and working part including crime, not enough good paying jobs and poverty. But I still love Memphis. It is always, if nothing else, a city that intrigues people from all over the world. Of course, there is Elvis, Beale Street and Sun Studios but it is something more. Our history is extremely rich and our citizens are interesting. Memphis has a certain feel or aura to it.
Some of that aura is pretty dark but it is also fascinating. I think that is one of the things that brings filmmakers here. That and some really good locales. We are centered right here in the middle of Mississippi and Arkansas too and that makes for some really different landscapes really close together.
I volunteer at WEVL on South Main and I remember when they were making, "Walk The Line" downtown and South Main was totally transformed in to the fifties. It was great watching that. And all the movie makers seem to love to use Earnestine's and Hazel's.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
What To Blog?
I read one of the local blogs on our list today, "A Field Guide To Urban Memphis." It was entitled, "Don't Dream It. Be It." Sounds like a very inspiring and deep subject matter. The blog was actually rather light-hearted, which is all right by me. I need some light-hearted now and again.Lately I could use a lot.
The blogger was actually blogging on what stores she and her friends would like to come to Memphis. At first I think, should I not be reading something deeper and more important to our society as a whole? Nah, I really need some light-hearted and I agree with her, I really do wish we had an Ikea store here. Maybe the Mayor could build one in the Pyramid.
Oh, by the way, I am getting the IMac. I hope it gets here soon because my current computer has started making a strange buzzing sound, like cicadas.
The blogger was actually blogging on what stores she and her friends would like to come to Memphis. At first I think, should I not be reading something deeper and more important to our society as a whole? Nah, I really need some light-hearted and I agree with her, I really do wish we had an Ikea store here. Maybe the Mayor could build one in the Pyramid.
Oh, by the way, I am getting the IMac. I hope it gets here soon because my current computer has started making a strange buzzing sound, like cicadas.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Smart City Memphis
So I went to the Smart City Memphis blog and I read the blog (rather long, but there was a lot to say) about Mayor Herenton's latest "if you build it, they will come" idea. He did not get the stadium he wanted so now, how about a new convention center?
This blog does lay out some unconventional thinking and different ideas. I also agree that the Cook Convention Center is really ugly. But that, to me is not a reason to build another one. Face it, Memphis does not have a really good track record when it comes to these sort of projects. We have more than one huge empty building in our city. And there always seems to be some sort of scandal or drama attached to every project. And why on earth did we build something and call it Mud Island? There's not much to it and then to name it after wet and sometimes slimy dirt?
And then there is Main Street downtown which (was it the late seventies?) they covered in cement and called a mall. I remember, they had to go back and replace most of the cement blocks after a year or two (maybe less) because the contractor had used a cheap grade of cement and they were cracking and breaking up. Of course, the repairs came out of the public till.
All these projects cost money, lots of it, and we are the ones who pay for them. I am all for improving our city and making it beautiful and a place people want to visit but I agree with the blogger that maybe there needs to be a fresh perspective. I am tired of throwing money at projects and then more money and then they raise property taxes again. In the meantime, our leaders want to abandon the buildings that have been built. Let's build a bigger one, by God!
If they want people to bring their conventions here, our leaders need to look more intensely at improving crime, poverty and the problems related with these issues. There needs to be some money thrown in that direction.
This blog does lay out some unconventional thinking and different ideas. I also agree that the Cook Convention Center is really ugly. But that, to me is not a reason to build another one. Face it, Memphis does not have a really good track record when it comes to these sort of projects. We have more than one huge empty building in our city. And there always seems to be some sort of scandal or drama attached to every project. And why on earth did we build something and call it Mud Island? There's not much to it and then to name it after wet and sometimes slimy dirt?
And then there is Main Street downtown which (was it the late seventies?) they covered in cement and called a mall. I remember, they had to go back and replace most of the cement blocks after a year or two (maybe less) because the contractor had used a cheap grade of cement and they were cracking and breaking up. Of course, the repairs came out of the public till.
All these projects cost money, lots of it, and we are the ones who pay for them. I am all for improving our city and making it beautiful and a place people want to visit but I agree with the blogger that maybe there needs to be a fresh perspective. I am tired of throwing money at projects and then more money and then they raise property taxes again. In the meantime, our leaders want to abandon the buildings that have been built. Let's build a bigger one, by God!
If they want people to bring their conventions here, our leaders need to look more intensely at improving crime, poverty and the problems related with these issues. There needs to be some money thrown in that direction.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Apple or PC?
Apple or PC?
I think, no, I know my computer is about to die. It is sooooo slow! It is as slow as dial up and I am on broadband. I took a bunch of stuff off of it to free up some memory. It didn't really help. Could it be that it is ancient and operating on Windows 2000 Pro? I realized when I was fighting with it a couple of weeks ago that that meant the operating system was actually nine years old and maybe it was time to consider a new system.So, PC or Apple? My daughters love the Macs! My sister is a Mac person and so are several of my friends. Ariel and I went to the Apple store last week and browsed. I was amazed at the new IMac and ever since then I have been coveting one. It does so much! Plus, the whole thing about it, I am told, they rarely, if ever get viruses and that is a real selling factor to me.
The problem is, there are several sites I use in my business that require Internet Explorer and I don't think Firefox will work with some of them. I have tried to use them on Mozilla before and it just did not work. I know you can run Windows/Internet Explore on a Mac, but my question is, does that open up your Mac to a higher risk of getting a virus?
If you have any opinions, comments or experience you would like to share with me, please do.
I really like that IMac......
Friday, January 25, 2008
Intuition
Is intuition real? I am convinced that it is. I am also totally convinced that I (we, all of us) should pay attention to it. Because many times in the past i chose to ignore it and calamity always followed, eventually.
I don't think that intuition just in itself is enough. But when you get that feeling that something or someone is not just right, listen to it and follow up. Find out, ask questions and probe the situation. Believe me, a lot of hard feelings and hard times can be avoided if we would just listen to that inner voice. Maybe it is God talking to us, all I know is it is there and I have heard it. i am going to do my best to pay attention from here on out.
When you hear this voice and it is telling you something you don't want to hear or believe, what we do is shove it waaaay to the back of minds. I know I have made excuses for behavior or a situation that was not quite right. This is especially true in relationships. You want to believe in someone so you ignore the warning signs. Sometimes other people tell you out loud what you are thinking. That may help to put a name on. Still we ignore it, hoping it will just go away. It's silly and ridiculous.
Are women better at intuition then men? I don't know. I'm sure there have been studies, I'll have to check it out some time. It is possible that women are some what more intuitive because we tend to have a nurturing nature. I'm not going to argue that nurturing is born in us or taught, I just think that the two go hand in hand.
But everyone gets those feelings. Sometimes they are very small and quiet and sometimes they are screaming in your head.
I don't know why I focused in on this subject. It has been in my head a lot lately so I thought why not blog on intuition... Any thoughts?
I don't think that intuition just in itself is enough. But when you get that feeling that something or someone is not just right, listen to it and follow up. Find out, ask questions and probe the situation. Believe me, a lot of hard feelings and hard times can be avoided if we would just listen to that inner voice. Maybe it is God talking to us, all I know is it is there and I have heard it. i am going to do my best to pay attention from here on out.
When you hear this voice and it is telling you something you don't want to hear or believe, what we do is shove it waaaay to the back of minds. I know I have made excuses for behavior or a situation that was not quite right. This is especially true in relationships. You want to believe in someone so you ignore the warning signs. Sometimes other people tell you out loud what you are thinking. That may help to put a name on. Still we ignore it, hoping it will just go away. It's silly and ridiculous.
Are women better at intuition then men? I don't know. I'm sure there have been studies, I'll have to check it out some time. It is possible that women are some what more intuitive because we tend to have a nurturing nature. I'm not going to argue that nurturing is born in us or taught, I just think that the two go hand in hand.
But everyone gets those feelings. Sometimes they are very small and quiet and sometimes they are screaming in your head.
I don't know why I focused in on this subject. It has been in my head a lot lately so I thought why not blog on intuition... Any thoughts?
Blogging
I am still trying to get comfortable with this whole blogging thing. Like I said before I have never really done any thing except for posting my Pathways playlists from my program on WEVL (Shameless self promotion, listen and become a member). I have also never been really very consistent with journaling. Even in high school when I asked for and received a diary with lock and key, I would start writing in it, then just forget it or neglect to. This still did not keep my younger brother from breaking in to it and trying to find something juicy. Alas, I did not lead a juicy life at fifteen so I am positive he felt that was a worthless endeavor.
Do teenagers even have actual diaries/journals anymore? I guess that is all done online now with Livejournal, Myspace, Facebook, etc. etc.. And I am sure that is fine but people need to be careful what they blog/journal about online. You never know who will see it, future employers, teachers,crazy ex's, your parents.
And yes, I have checked out both my daughter's various pages. I did not really expect to find anything I would not want to see and they knew because I told them.I only joined Facebook really so I could see Rachel's(my oldest) pictures while she was in school in Germany last summer. My younger daughter, Ariel is a more private person. Of course, since she is so private, she would never give out personal information online. Overall I trust both my daughters and I believe they are pretty darn intelligent. Sometimes I would say they have more common sense than their mother.
So this is the morning blog, one more today and I will have my five in.
Have a good day!
Do teenagers even have actual diaries/journals anymore? I guess that is all done online now with Livejournal, Myspace, Facebook, etc. etc.. And I am sure that is fine but people need to be careful what they blog/journal about online. You never know who will see it, future employers, teachers,crazy ex's, your parents.
And yes, I have checked out both my daughter's various pages. I did not really expect to find anything I would not want to see and they knew because I told them.I only joined Facebook really so I could see Rachel's(my oldest) pictures while she was in school in Germany last summer. My younger daughter, Ariel is a more private person. Of course, since she is so private, she would never give out personal information online. Overall I trust both my daughters and I believe they are pretty darn intelligent. Sometimes I would say they have more common sense than their mother.
So this is the morning blog, one more today and I will have my five in.
Have a good day!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Bankruptcy Fever
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Bankruptcy Returns Part 2
My issue for my paper is debt, credit and bankruptcy. Actually, I have already wrote on yesterday's blog about these issues, primarily bankruptcy.These issues are important to me because, of course, they have impacted me directly. But also I think that the problems that we see now show a picture of the attitudes we have developed and our values.
We are a very materialistic society. We want things and more things. The prevailing attitude seems to be that having "things" is what it takes to reach a state of happiness. Singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman wrote a wonderful song about this issue. It is called "Mountains O' Things". If you have never heard it, give it a listen. The Canadian band, The Duhks also have a great cover of it.
This attitude and message is poured out to our society from a very early age. The media is one major culprit in this. Commercials constantly encourage us to spend, spend and spend some more. Also buying big, expensive and the best is most important. Having more makes us more of a person and a better one according to all the hype.
If a child grows up in a family where they see that the important values in life are to always have the biggest and the best, generally they are given everything they want. Even if the parents cannot afford it this occurs because parents want the best for their kids. However what they are interpreting as the best can actually cause children to grow up with a sense of entitlement. People believe they deserve it by birth and it should be handed to them because they want it.
As these children grow up and become adults they carry this attitude of entitlement with them. The problem grows up with them and becomes a larger problem. They may get jobs and work (or not) but they think "their money" should be spent on what they want.
Eventually they get credit cards and then the real fun starts. I believe the practice of these credit card companies sending credit applications to college students is from the devil. Supposedly they would say you need to develop a credit history. Well yes, but charging up a bunch of credit cards is going to create a bad one.
From there you may decide to buy a house. Well, your credit history is not that great because of the credit cards and that bankruptcy you had to file because of all the credit cards. The sub prime vultures are ready and waiting to swoop down and help you get a house that you cannot afford. High fees, hidden costs and variable rate loans where the interest rises (along with your monthly note) after two years. Then you have to file bankruptcy again to try to ward foreclosure or you just let the house go. A hard lesson to learn.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Bankruptcy Fever In Shelby County
The state of the economy in Shelby County, Tennessee, like that of the rest of our country is presently in a downward turn. You can see every day in the news about a bleak housing market and the subprime mortgage crisis. Bankruptcy goes hand and hand with this scenario.
Tennessee has the largest rate of bankruptcies in the nation and it is centered in Shelby County. This is in spite of a law enacted in 2005 to make filing for bankruptcy more difficult. At first the new law did slow the tide of filings, at least Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcies. But filings actually started increasing in 2006 throughout 2007 in the form of Chapter 13 filings. Chapter 13 bankruptcies are where you pay the debts you owe instead of wiping them out as in a Chapter 7 filing. The debtor, through the bankruptcy court, works out new terms to pay back their creditors. Chapter 11 bankruptcies are corporate filings.
According to several articles I found the reasons for the high rate of bankruptcy in Shelby County, as well as the states of Georgia and Alabama which are also sited has having high rates of foreclosure and bankruptcy, are varied. One of these is of course are more people living below the poverty level and the predatory lenders who actually seek these people out. There are not a lot of pluses in the current economic crisis but one that I see is that a lot of these lenders have disappeared. There has been also more attention brought to the fact that laws are needed to control predatory lending.
Other reasons that were given for the high rates of bankruptcy here in Shelby County are the number of people who have no health insurance and a close proximity to gambling casinos. An example is the state of Nevada where residents have a higher average income than Tennesseans but a lot of uninsured. They also have an extremely high rate of bankruptcy. I understand the housing market really sucks there.
Another interesting observation was the role of religion in a area being a reason for the acceptance of Chapter 13 filings because you do pay your debtors back. Also, as former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan as stated, there is an attitude of acceptance of bankruptcy now that did not use to be the case. It has lost it's social stigma.
After years of doing foreclosure reference letters for attorneys I have noticed that in the cases of bankruptcy, it becomes a pattern or habit for some people. I have seen the same names filing again and again year after year. This tells me that the social stigma has definitely wore off.
I think better education in money and finances would help people make better choices about their purchases and investments. That and remembering that we don't have to have it all now. It is wonderful thing to have a home and be financially secure. It would be nice if we could learn to take life a little slower and remember that we are supposed to give, not just take.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Manifesto of Nancy
The Manifesto Of Nancy
Blogging? Manifesto? The only blogging I have ever done is the playlist that I post for my radio program, “Pathways” on WEVL. That’s just a playlist…I don’t know how to blog! And who would even be interested?
Well, someone might, we as a society do seem to have a fascination with other people’s lives. Hence the concept of reality television shows, which I really do not care for at all. Well, maybe one, I have occasionally caught and snickered at at an episode or two of “Wife Swap”. But that wore off pretty quickly. The fascination we have with the lives of others has been evident long before reality shows came along. We have always been fascinated with celebirties and their lives, what with fan magazines, papers like the National Enquirer and gossip columnists in all forms of media.
A manifesto is supposed to state my beliefs so I’ll state a few. Some days I don’t even know what they are. But I do have core values that I have pretty much held on to for most of my life now. I don’t always live by them but I don’t know many people who do on a daily, hour to hour basis. If there is such a person, I don’t know if I even want to know them. Too much perfection gets on my nerves.
My own life has been pretty much a train wreck for several months now. Oh hell, honestly, probably for years. Things have just escalated over the past three or four months. I have been through trials before and it does not get any easier the second, third, fourth or what ever time. But it is true it can make you a stronger, better and wiser person. But that’s if you pay attention and do not forget the lessons you have learned before. I thought I did that but I obviously had some more learning to do.
I am a Christian and I do believe that God is in control of my life. I also believe I have the free will to make my own decisions. If I make the wrong ones it’s not God’s fault, it is mine.
Getting through trials is a process. After you go through one when you hit the second one you have the comfort of knowing you can weather through it. There is another side that you will reach. I wish I could transfer this “knowing” to my daughters. I know there will be pain in their lives but I guess they will have to find their own paths to the other side.
On a more positive and hopefully, less boring note, I have many, many blessings in my life. The number one being my two wonderful daughters, Rachel and Ariel. So if teacher wants to talk about her daughter in class I completely understand. Mine are a little bit older though. Rachel is twenty-three and graduated with a Major in German in December right here at University of Memphis. She is now in Germany, in fact, she left on December thirteenth. She couldn’t wait. She is getting a certification in English as a second language and hopes to teach. Ariel at nineteen is a freshman here and still searching for her major. They are both fantastic and I love being around them.
So why am I here at this university? Why now? I have been involved in the real estate industry in one form or fashion for many years. So with the current economic conditions I decided it was time for my second life. I applied for and received a grant so I decided that was a sign from God I was headed in the right direction. Not everyone was excited with my decision, but the people who mattered and cared about me supported me.
My original thoughts were to possibly go for a degree in law. I have since started looking at other possibilities. I actually think I would make a pretty good attorney but I will have to wait and see if I want to go to school that long. Right now I am enjoying the new experience of going to school and living my life, at least in some small way, for myself. As a mother and wife you forget that you are part of the equation. Taking care to take care of yourself makes you better for everyone.
I have also have my family who are very supportive. I have girlfriends who I have known for a very loooong time. They are as close as sisters to me. There have been long periods of time when we did not see or talk to each other for whatever reasons. Moving away or getting married, but when we see each other again it is like we saw each other yesterday. It is great to have friends like that. Everyone needs a couple.
In conclusion, I hope my manifesto is not too rambling or boring. I decided to just think out loud on paper, or blog.
Blogging? Manifesto? The only blogging I have ever done is the playlist that I post for my radio program, “Pathways” on WEVL. That’s just a playlist…I don’t know how to blog! And who would even be interested?
Well, someone might, we as a society do seem to have a fascination with other people’s lives. Hence the concept of reality television shows, which I really do not care for at all. Well, maybe one, I have occasionally caught and snickered at at an episode or two of “Wife Swap”. But that wore off pretty quickly. The fascination we have with the lives of others has been evident long before reality shows came along. We have always been fascinated with celebirties and their lives, what with fan magazines, papers like the National Enquirer and gossip columnists in all forms of media.
A manifesto is supposed to state my beliefs so I’ll state a few. Some days I don’t even know what they are. But I do have core values that I have pretty much held on to for most of my life now. I don’t always live by them but I don’t know many people who do on a daily, hour to hour basis. If there is such a person, I don’t know if I even want to know them. Too much perfection gets on my nerves.
My own life has been pretty much a train wreck for several months now. Oh hell, honestly, probably for years. Things have just escalated over the past three or four months. I have been through trials before and it does not get any easier the second, third, fourth or what ever time. But it is true it can make you a stronger, better and wiser person. But that’s if you pay attention and do not forget the lessons you have learned before. I thought I did that but I obviously had some more learning to do.
I am a Christian and I do believe that God is in control of my life. I also believe I have the free will to make my own decisions. If I make the wrong ones it’s not God’s fault, it is mine.
Getting through trials is a process. After you go through one when you hit the second one you have the comfort of knowing you can weather through it. There is another side that you will reach. I wish I could transfer this “knowing” to my daughters. I know there will be pain in their lives but I guess they will have to find their own paths to the other side.
On a more positive and hopefully, less boring note, I have many, many blessings in my life. The number one being my two wonderful daughters, Rachel and Ariel. So if teacher wants to talk about her daughter in class I completely understand. Mine are a little bit older though. Rachel is twenty-three and graduated with a Major in German in December right here at University of Memphis. She is now in Germany, in fact, she left on December thirteenth. She couldn’t wait. She is getting a certification in English as a second language and hopes to teach. Ariel at nineteen is a freshman here and still searching for her major. They are both fantastic and I love being around them.
So why am I here at this university? Why now? I have been involved in the real estate industry in one form or fashion for many years. So with the current economic conditions I decided it was time for my second life. I applied for and received a grant so I decided that was a sign from God I was headed in the right direction. Not everyone was excited with my decision, but the people who mattered and cared about me supported me.
My original thoughts were to possibly go for a degree in law. I have since started looking at other possibilities. I actually think I would make a pretty good attorney but I will have to wait and see if I want to go to school that long. Right now I am enjoying the new experience of going to school and living my life, at least in some small way, for myself. As a mother and wife you forget that you are part of the equation. Taking care to take care of yourself makes you better for everyone.
I have also have my family who are very supportive. I have girlfriends who I have known for a very loooong time. They are as close as sisters to me. There have been long periods of time when we did not see or talk to each other for whatever reasons. Moving away or getting married, but when we see each other again it is like we saw each other yesterday. It is great to have friends like that. Everyone needs a couple.
In conclusion, I hope my manifesto is not too rambling or boring. I decided to just think out loud on paper, or blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
