Layman's Lessons

Lately, I have been very blessed to have individuals come into my life to teach me or reinforce important lessons. It's simple stuff but things that don't necessarily get enforced or even thought of often. For instance, my friend and I went out to dinner a few weeks back and she recounted how thankful she was to her family for supporting her through college. Something simple but again not on the top of my mind. As she was recounting the story of her family's assisting her for a far smaller amount of tuition, I thought of how little I really show my parents my appreciation for their generosity. Thanks Mom & Dad for supporting me!

This week, I had a colleague from work start talking with me about the benefits of having an MPA degree vs. MUP degree. Talk about Heaven sent. First of all, I have only seldom seen this woman at work. I have never spoken to her. Ever. At this crossroads in my career/education, I have been laboring over my decision to choose one degree over the other and the timing of meeting her and having this dialogue was uncanny. Second, this woman probably knows Christiane's family b/c she went to the same school that CC's dad teaches at and is around our age and is from Detroit. Coincidence? I think not. Anyhow we had a fantastic conversation and she and I were totally on the same page. We talked for my whole lunch break and as a result, I chose my school. I'm headed to George Washington University.

Lastly, as I have been focusing more on budgeting and making the most out of my money, I have seriously looked into how to redistribute me wealth (or lack thereof). We had a highly successful enrichment activity a few months back about investing, which really inspired me. However, I don't have the resources to invest yet. So, I have been trying to strategize. Enter Scott and the Cash Flow game. If you haven't heard of it, Cash Flow is a game invented by the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and it's goal is to help teach the players the basic principles behind money management using simplified examples. Brilliant! I just got back from playing a short game (4 hours) and have to say it was worth the time. I feel like I have a little more knowledge and confidence. I highly recommend it to someone who needs to learn a little more and wants to play with fake money and no real consequences. You can get it on Amazon or Toys 'R Us for around $40.