Part I

I took my mother to the bank today to give them her signature for our new joint account. It will really be her account, but I will manage it with all the monies deposited there, which go to support her, me and my two children. Our income comes from her social security, her teacher’s pension and when we need more than that from a brokerage account.  (And some income of my own which provides a few extras) She asks “Why are we doing this? Why are we changing banks?” Three or four times because she can’t retain the information. Why am I doing this? I re-ask myself. Is it worth it? This is hard, sitting here with the cute bank officer young enough to be my son. Well that part isn’t hard except that Im yawing and trying to stay awake, let alone focused on goal.

I am taking these steps to help pave the path that others haven taken and more will take after me. We have to come up with a new way to relate to each other economically, some way that does not finally in the end so damage our life support systems that we destroy the possibilities for our continued life, and that of the species that are left, here on Planet Earth.

That’s why. AND I’m doing it-- thanks to my perseverance and the following of my intuition over many years – because I believe that this is a path I must take.

Part II

I listened to some Abraham-Hicks today. I won’t go into why they bug me. Cause the parts that are important are way more important than the parts that bug me. And here it is. I can see I need to envision the better world my heart knows is possible to borrow a phrase from my hero Charles Eisenstein (http://charleseisenstein.net/project/the-more-beautiful-world-our-hearts-know-is-possible/)

So here goes: I know in my heart, that the possibility that humans live on this earth peaceably and where everyone has enough to eat and a decent environment to live in and with freedom exists. And I believe that there are technologies (and by that I mean inventions yet to come) which will make us understand why we’ve had to take this crazy journey here to the brink and stare collectively into the abyss.

It’s clear that we humans are causing the conditions which are causing this mass extinction, global warming, yah yah yah. And there is a big picture we are not privy too but that we are every last bit a part off. A-H says, think it, want it, desire it, know that it is done. So that is my task here, to see what’s possible, to dream it, and to trust.

My finance makeover, that’s all part it. It’s the part of the big picture being played through me. And it’s my honor and joy to play my role. Plus this makeover, it’s just kind. Putting money in places unconsciously, not knowing what it is doing? That is unkind, reckless and creates outcomes that I do not intend. These efforts remind me that I have compassion for all living beings. And compassion is true nature -- yours, mine and ours.

In 2002 I purchased 1008 shares of gold mining stock in Tanzania (and other places long forgotten) along with what was then worth about 20,000 dollars in physical gold. This was on the advice of a then fellow Sai baba devotee. The CEO of the Tanzanian stock company along with at the time Issac Tigrit of the House of Rock had both had interviews with Sai. Those details are to show just how my mind was influenced by the lure of wealth celebrity. And no doubt still is in parts more carefully hidden from the rest of me. Bow. Bow. Bow.

A couple weeks ago I finally sold what was left of the Tanzanian stock (about $1800, the rest including the physical gold is long gone) and yesterday I directed etrade to direct deposit the check in my soon to close Wells Fargo account….where I will transfer it shortly to my new account at Umpqua bank.

I’m free of that “investment.” That particular contribution of mine toward degrading Mother Earth is now complete. This little bit of self is no longer caught up in that particular web. She is liberated and now prays that those 1800 so called dollars find their way to an endeavor that nurtures and protects this gorgeous little blue dot in existing in space where we are living together.

Today I unloaded the car and brought the banking file into the garage.

Today I listened to more of Marco Vangelisti explain the Federal Reserve.

Today I talked to my friend and tried my best to explain some of these concepts.

Today I added a photos to my Finance Makeover page and worked on my description and thought about my purpose.

Today I wanted to get more done, but sometimes making a soufflé to please one’s mother, taking a son and his friend to the movies, and having tea with my sweetheart is most important.

Today was a Sunday.

#1) I went to Umpqua Bank. (www.umpquabank.com)  It took over an hour to complete the paperwork for seven accounts (one joint with mom, one checking for business, a joint savings, two kids accounts, an overdraft acct and a credit card.   I could have gone with the credit union, but they don’t download to Quickbooks and if I give that up then I give up keeping track of my expenses and until I figure out something as doable a Quickbooks, I need to stick with it. Plus I like the idea of a middle road. I may wind up at the credit union in a year’s time, but for now it’s  Umpqua. Because of its size, it can offer this Green Street program which makes loans for the various “go green” entrepreneurial endeavors. I want to see where it goes.

#2) Brought Mom to Umpqua bank to sign the papers. Yesterday she fell and was a little sore so the plan was for the banker to come out have her sign the papers while she sat comfortably in the car. Well, the papers weren't ready so we go back on Monday. All this reminds me how grateful I am to be in a position to have the time it takes to makes this sort of life change. No wonder I never did it before now.

ASIDE FOR THE DAY:  I had to edit what I wrote the last two days, because I wrote stuff that made me feel a little queasy when I thought about certain people actually reading it. Would I want to be them reading that? No. So here I am. Booorrrriinng myself.

Truth is, I want that person in me who is willing to stay grounded and focused on this process to speak and write here. Not the persons in me who are excited and passionate and hence reminded of all the previous excitements and passions I’ve lived in other forms. (ie, this ain’t gonna be about my relationship history even though I will likely be reminded as I go of every decision I’ve ever made along the way that brought me here, including all the financial decisions that were very much intertwined with my personal life.) 

Maybe I’ll change my mind. Who am I to hold back?

Here are my My Day Two Accomplishments:

#1) Sent an email to my wonderfully communicative investment advisor at Merrill Lynch and asked him to investigate www.rsfsocialfinance.org in order to move a large chunk of money that I have invested in things like AFLAC and EASTMAN KODAK and WELLS FARGO of course.

#2) Decided to go with www.umpquaonline.com  because they sound so cool and I can download my transaction into my Quickbooks file. I’ve been doing this for years and want to continue being able to track my life as if I were a business.

ASIDE: I fell in love with double entry bookkeeping when I was in college and I worked for a small business helping track their Accounts Receivables. We used an old-fashioned (no computers, just typewriters and fancy clickable books with snaps and carbons to keep track of all of the financial records.) I was in love with Harvey, even though he was married to Fran who told me “I lived through the sixties and believe me, it wasn’t like they say, it was just totally normal. I never even saw a hippie!” Harvey, though a Republican, would listen to me as long as I wanted to talk or argue politics. I lived above their store and painted a huge orange arrow in bedroom and the kitchen a salmon color. I was shocked later to find that this annoyed them. Harvey always had a smile for me though.

#3) I filled out a contact form with Lifescapes Landscaping. With some of the money I’m not investing, I’m going to invest in my yard. Add fruit trees and raised beds in the back for vegetable planting. I hope they call back.

#4) I made a face book page called MY FINANCE MAKEOVER and added a photo that a very wonderful friend took of me on my birthday celebration a couple years ago after plying me with champagne. (Twist my arm, I said) Those are his one dollar bills I am throwing up in the air. I like this fun photo. When he took it I was really considering what life would be like if I could play the stock market as well as he did. I knew he could teach me and I wanted to learn. Now, those bills being thrown up in the air have a different feeling. As if the lady throwing them in the air knows something about their lack of intrinsic value; and something more about real value which is intrinsic-ness itself.

#5) Replied to Marco’s kind reply to my ridiculous email thanking him for his webinar.

Note to me:  DON’T GET DISTRACTED. DON’T GET DISTRACTED. DON’T GET DISTRACTED. 

Did I know this would be Day One? 

No.

I did not.

I knew I would be listening to a webinar with Marco Vangelisti. (Also known as the fabulous painter, Marco Vangelisti). 

Here you can see him in a youtube. (
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=marco+vangelisiti+slowmoney&FORM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=D55612186E43A485B19FD55612186E43A485B19F

He is an ex-wall street nice guy turned www.slowmoney.org genius. 

He took the innards of my mind which have been swimming for a few years now in a brilliant and jumbled chaotic mess and made a presentation (of many of my exact thoughts) that was clear, to the point, easy to follow, dynamic and doable.

So Day One of My Finance Makeover begins right here.

Here are my My Day One Accomplishments:

#1) Investigated new banks. Made plan to change from old friend Wells Fargo.

(I’ll have to send thank you’s to the tellers for their service to me for the last 15 years, including giving me two little stuffed white horses as part of their gratitude to special customers like my mom who keeps a chunk there in our shared account -- two little stuffed horses that eventually became raggedy dog toys until finally their innards were completely eaten and the rest destroyed in the compost that feels like my entire backyard.)

#2) Download the past 90 days of all my account activity and highlight all auto transactions I will have to change to the new bank.

#3) Write Marco Vangelisti a thank you email for his amazing webinar.

Here are two more links, worth investigations.

www.rsfsocialfinance.org

www.transitionus.org  


Ciao for now!