current mood: sentimental.

Trailer: Confessions of a Shopaholic!

I read the whole "Confessions.." lot one summer and absolutely loved them. I'm hoping the movie does the author justice. (LoL, at her putting her "magic card" on ice.. too funny!)

What do you think of the trailer?

Quotables: Warren Buffet

"Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre."

EEK-ONOMIKS!

Last week an economist at the Bank of Canada officially acknowledged that Canada was entering a recessionary period, and the share price of some of Canada's major financial institutions fell.

The Globe has now reported that 3 of the 5 'big banks' have issued common shares in recent weeks.. effectively selling off a portion of the companies at current (and arguably questionable) market valuation -- this has allowed those banks to essentially cash out of the company in hopes of a turning a profit by selling to investors like you and me.

What's going on, here?

Normally, companies sell shares to accumulate cash for expansion and long term projects. This doesn't seem to be the case per Mark Carney, Governor of the BoC, who is not particularly pleased with the industry's (albeit if only in appearance) movement to raise their capital cushion (i.e. ratio of: Tier 1 Capital - to - Investments and Debt) to between 500-600 basis points above global requirements of 4%.

All this info got me thinking about an article I read browsing Reutor's last week where the writer effectively delivers points which suggest bank bankruptcy and economic failure in the US financial markets:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jim Rogers, one of the world’s most prominent international investors, on Thursday called most of the largest U.S. banks “totally bankrupt,” and said government efforts to fix the sector are wrongheaded.

Speaking by teleconference at the Reuters Investment Outlook 2009 Summit, the co-founder with George Soros of the Quantum Fund, said the government’s $700 billion rescue package for the sector doesn’t address how banks manage their balance sheets, and instead rewards weaker lenders with new capital.

Dreadful. This market is making our banks lose their shizz, apparently. On the flipside, I wonder if our banks are truly liquid? If our banks are in fact "cash poor", we are in for a bumpy ride.. I really hope this is not the reason behind the Bay St posse's lack of cooperation.

So, what do YOU think?

Should the banks loosen up on lending terms to credit worthy applicants, or should they hoard cash in investments, and effectively magnify the impact of Canada's recession?

This is a big decision and will influence the direction of our markets in the short-term, and possibly determine the length and severity of this financial downturn!

Oh and yes, Obama's my homeboy.

;)

Until next time!
xx

London Calling….And it’s bloody expensive!

Seasons Greetings Nerdy Girls

Being that I am in what most like to call a “Transitional Period” right now, it can be said that I have a lot more “available” time on my hands.

So I decided to take advantage of this time and jumped on a plane to England. I figured why not cheer up this holiday season and go home to the family for some much needed R&R (Renewal & Revival).

My family, of course, are so happy to see me and are all trying to convince me to stay and work out here for a bit but bloody hell living in London Town is expensive.

• Economic crisis over here too so jobs are still hard to get.

• Big items prices are some what dropping (property) but the mundane everyday items of luxury are still up (50p for a pack of cheese and onion crisps??? Are you kidding me?)

• Single bus fare is ₤2 and NO! This isn’t the GTA where you get a transfer.

• Most affordable living option would be to rent a room. How does ₤100/week sound? Yes Ladies that would be about $800/month just for a ROOM.

EXPENSIVE! Not really feeling like the grass is too much greener on the other side

However, there is a solution to every problem and you just need to find it. Now I have not decided if I will stay in the UK for a bit longer but I like to know there are better options for me.

• No permanent jobs available – try getting some temping work.

• Buy in bulk – There are discounts of the larger value packs

• Get a travel card – In London it’s an Oyster card. With the card single travel is 90p

• Do some research – Look into a cheaper area even if it is just for a short while. Ask for a better deal. Sometimes the landlord needs a tenant just as bad as you need a place.

The wonderful part is – you can take this advice with you to any country. Use that big beautiful brain of yours and be financially smart.

xoxo

Multiple Roles

Women often stretch themselves beyond belief. The woman of today is supposed to be it all. Bring in six figures, be the sexy wife, the tireless mom of two, entertain, volunteer, and oh did I mention have great culinary skills. She’s not just the woman, she’s the superwoman. She does it all with her endless well of energy. Like the triple and quadruple superstars of today. Sing, dance, act, produce, design and manage spare time to save the world. And I thought I had a lot going on.

As the gender with a higher YES to NO ratio, it isn’t surprising then that we often feel exhausted. The dangers of our many responsibilities often registers after we crash and burn on our superwoman quest. The thought of forgetting to give oneself a break may sound laughable but in our society it is more common than not. So much so that a conscious effort is made to fit me-time in the schedule.

The set-up of our society may seem like there is no other option, however one simple way of dealing with this is knowing the many roles you have and the expectations/responsibilities they come with. We are all daughters and employees/ers. Have been or are students and will most likely be wives and mothers in the future. The clearer you are of your many roles, the easier it is to prioritize and split your energy. Stephen R. Covey (The Seven habits of Highly Effective People) suggests identifying your roles will enable you to clearly see all that you are responsible for and choose how you spend your time.

For example a ‘sister’ and a ‘friend’ role identification may go like this:

ROLE RESPONSIBILITY
Sister To aid my siblings with anything that they may need help with
Friend To be the supportive yet honest friend that I seek for myself

It’s not an instant fix to the constant doing and going, but as a starting point, it’s sure to have you make better use of your not-so endless well of energy.