Driftwood

Swaying between two distant coasts,
Where the sun both sets and rises.
Touching beings unkown to each other,
Yet, they imagine, common horizons.

Career drives most in the beginning,
And can place you where you belong.
It's finding a fit that requires effort,
Making you dance to a re-mixed song.

At least I decided somewhere warm,
Not too far from the ever-calling shore.
A location to immerse in new culutres,
Befriending an expanded life-long lore.

I turn calm among present disarray,
Because I recognize the ultimate goal.
Never floating away from my fingertips,
Always offering its reassuring role.

Housing Bubble & Ebay

If you were over the age of 18 in 2006, you may remember the pressure engulfing you to purchase a home. Prices were skyrocketing and inventory couldn't stay on the market for more than a few days. It felt as if you didn't jump, you were missing out on the American dream. Phrases like, "You don't need money for a down payment, we'll just do an 80/20 loan," and, "No credit! No problem!" were heard and seen everywhere. New furniture stores were opening in anticipation, home improvement warehouses were stocked to the ceilings, and there was an endless sea of people waiting to help you plant your purchase from the local nurseries. Housing inventory was going so fast that even apartments gave up on renters and turned themselves into their version of a condo by repainting the front of the buildings, assigning parking spots and sporting a, "NOW FOR SALE," sign at the entrance.

With all of this surrounding people and the pressure to buy daily, people rush to their realtors to put bids on houses like ants running to sugar. They looked investor's bids in the spotty inked eye and offered a purchase price $20,000 more than the house was said to be worth just to be sure to win the bid. They got it and moved in to watch their equity skyrocket over a matter of weeks. Then of course, like all bubbles that get too big, it burst. Before they knew it, they were upside down in their homes blaming the bank for letting them borrow too much.

Despite what you think, things still have not changed for this person or for anyone at all. Humans instinctly want what someone else has. Analyze yourself using Ebay to purchase an item. You find a cheap price for what you want, even accept the extremely high shipping fee, and find comfort that you are the only bidder. A few hours go by and you get an email that says, "You have been outbid." You go back to the site to bid a little higher and think, "I will not spend any more than $10." You are once again the high bidder. Another hour later and you receive the same email, but this time when you go back to Ebay you discover it is a new person bidding on your item. There is only an hour left! As the time ticks away, you remember the One Click Bid button. You open the window and click away at the Fifty cent increments anytime it says you lost. Before you know it, you are at $25 for the item, but you don't care! You are too caught up in the bidding war. The last few seconds tick away and the bubble is burst. You don't win.

You can't help but feeling defeated. Someone else now will own your item even though there are probably five more up for bidding that same day. Even though you would have blown an extra $15 more than you wanted to, you would have felt great beating someone else to get it.

This is why we will never learn our lesson. We like competition and bubbles way too much.

Dedication

You will have a piece of my heart
As very long as I do live.
I will never forget about you,
Or the things that you did.

You were my rock when I needed to lean,
You were my shoulder to cry on.
You helped me through so many things,
You are the one that I rely on.

You have meant so much to me,
Words can't even describe it.
I hope that you have realized this,
And I hope you'll never forget.

You seem to understand me,
We are so very much alike.
I'm glad that I have met you
And you chose to be a part of my life.

People come and certainly pass through.
Some of their lessons I see,
No matter what happens in my life
Part of you will remain in me.

Memories are made and not forgotten,
A friendship that took long to make.
We have shared some time together
That nothing or no one can take.

I care about you deeply,
Pleare remember that today.
You are my very best friend,
Don't ever let that fade away.

Autumn

Look at these woods,

They're so pretty in the fall,

The leaves are all changed,

But cooler days are on call.

Birds are silent while leaving,

All the bunnies also gone.

Ever sooner comes sunset,

Even later there's dawn.

The winds are starting to chill

All of the flowers are dying.

Mother Nature's changing seasons

And all the bears are hiding.

Beautiful colors are thinning,

Flowing creeks starting to slow.

Winter should never come,

And fall should never go.