Benjamin bailed- It's OK to be different

I just saw the Benjamin Button flick. Great film, awesome acting. So... what do people think about Benjamin's choice to leave when his daughter is one? I think he should have stayed and trusted it would work out. I am sick of people, characters, movies playing it safe, doing the martyr thing and then saying they did it for the kid's best interest. Gimme a break. Why are people so afraid of stepping out of the box? He would have been a great dad. What about the effect of Cate Blanchett's character still being in love with Benjamin and not her husband. Do we honestly think that that does not effect the child- that the kid would not pick up on that. What are they modeling for their child- selflessness or self-denial? I think he just could not stand being happy and this gave him a way out. It's OK to be different Benjamin!

Swimming with the sharks

At a commercial real estate training in Seattle, my instructor informed the class about the new high-rise deal that Donald Trump is doing is Chicago. She explained that he purposely is building it on an angle to block the view of all the other buildings around it so that he would have the only building with a view of the water. People had to deal with him if they wanted a view. This impacted me. I could see that it was smart and strategic. But I am also realizing that he definitely plays with a different set of rules then I do. I am not saying one set of rules is ethically superior to the other, but they are different. I am realizing these big moguls play hard ball and are sharks. As I start to invest in commercial real estate, it is good I realize how aggressive some people are. I likely would have approached it as let's figure out how we can all see the water. I feel naive. What can a say I am a social worker in the world of investment. No wonder our financial world is in crisis. I just saw a rerun of the movie Pretty Woman and it reminded me of how Richard Gere's character changed from a shark to building a project together with the guy and helping him out-like I would naturally do. Can that be good business?

Ultimately, I am defining my set of ethics for commercial real estate investing and I will not be that aggressive. But it is definitely a good idea to know where the guy at the other side of the table is coming from.

But still it makes me sad. Part of me still says why can't we work together and all benefit. Naive yes, but there is still hope- not everyone is Donald Trump.

Bank, credit card accountabilty

I loved that Obama is trying to crack down on bank's fine print, bait & switch, and exploitation games with credit cards. Come on congress, let's pass it through. Yes, people need to held accountable with their credit card use, but the banks can be held accountable as well. I have felt that this has been predatory for a long time.

I played a game called Cash Flow the other night created by Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad, Poor Dad). It was fascinating. It is kind of like Monopoly- only designed to teach financial literacy. You play the game right off your game financial statement. You get a career and paycheck, buy doodads (like big screen TV's), get laid off, have kids, and make investments in real estate and stock. When your monthly cash flow from your investments is higher than your monthly expenses, you are financially independent or free from the "rat race." After several hours I was able to get out of the "rat race". I did this by buying and selling a 3 bedroom, 2 bath rental home and some stock- and then buying an apartment building that had a lot of cash flow. Now I just need to pull that off in real life! I have played about ten times now and I can sometimes notice how it has subtly changed my thinking toward being more financially independent.

You can buy the Cash Flow game at www.Rich Dad.com- it is an investment in itself- but well worth it if you play it. Or you can find Cash Flow groups in your area. We have a Cash Flow group that meets monthly in Yakima, Washington on the first Tuesday of the month at 8003 Tieton, Yakima, WA 98908 at 6:30pm. We are looking to add a second time on the third week of the month based on popular demand. Come out and play!