Ellie's World: 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

For readers a day ahead, Happy New Year.
For everyone else, have fun on New Year's Eve.

We come to the end of another year as we mark events in our linear time experiment. Many didn't expect us to consciously be here this long, yet here we stand on the threshold of 2014 (7) as we move to 8. For many, the journey into awareness came to fruition years ago, while others still process the myths, metaphors, and messages. Patience down here is the learning lesson, while connections to consciousness allow us to understand it is ending.

Here in the city, we wait for Times Square celebrations, and the end of the 12 year reign of Mayor Bloomberg - the man who came to office after the 9/11 insert created the beginning of the end. What comes next? If you are a player, you will follow the events and argue the facts, if not, you will relax and wait for zero point.

The Reboot

An interesting thing happened when I rebooted my cable box Monday night. The word "boot" initially comes on divided horizontally with the letters not aligned, then it reboots. I've seen this before, but last night, it triggered something. I generally sleep 9 hours uninterrupted, don't remember dreams, then wake up with my consciousness rebooted back into my Ellie body. On rare occasions, I come back into my body too quickly - the images in my mind resembling this phenomena of not horizontally aligning properly.

Conclusion: When the images are not aligned, my consciousness needs to be rebooted or reset for my Ellie physical experience or the projections are off. For me this is rare, but for others with faulty brain circuitry, this must happen often, causing further dysfunction in physical processing. Further, with inserts changing quickly as linear time comes to a close, every day will have unexpected, unplanned, and often unexplained events. In 2014 you will more consciously be aware of moving in and out of ... linear time, different realities, and grids experiences, so as you sit there, as if in a virtual reality chair, brace for impact and remember none of it is real.

Monday, December 30, 2013

2014 Won't Be Easy

2014 begins with a New Moon 10° Capricorn whose energies have already begun.

One of the major issues is health insurance - or lack of it for some people in 2014. It will take a long time, if ever, to get the Affordable Health Care Act in an acceptable place for millions of Americans, as there isn't that much time left in the hologram. I feel lucky to have Medicare, which my cousin Richard says is the best plan out there now. In November, I added AARP supplemental Plan F. There are many scared people who will lose their medical coverage on January 1. Others will lose extended unemployment. This and other factors will drive the economy and society into a dark hole as we begin the year. You know what happens when people feel frustrated and angry - they react violently.

Check out the Earthquake Map. I noticed a red circle in the middle of the US - Oklahoma to be exact - not that far from the New Madrid Fault Zone. Then there's Italy and Japan ... which never stop rocking. When it "hits the fan", you can pause and say, "I've been watching this for years and waiting for the big one". Climate changes and natural disasters accelerate as always, but now people understand these are not isolated incidents - they are all connected and ongoing ... going ... gone.

Video: Sun has 'flipped upside down' as new magnetic cycle begins Independent - December 30, 2013
The sun's magnetic field has fully reversed its polarity, marking the midpoint of Solar Cycle 24, which will be completed in 11 years.

Remember crop circles? They became less interesting from year to year as we discovered they were manmade though some researchers still maintain humans could not have created the more complex designs. I believe the consciousness hologram of our reality created them as inserts or planted the seed for their creation in the minds of the circle makers.

Photos: Snowshoes and Math Create Frozen Art Discovery - December 30, 2013

To most people, apres-ski means a warm chalet, hot drink, spa or dinner. To Simon Beck of Great Britain, it means creating intricate pictures in the snow. And not just snow angels: Beck's snow art involves mathematical patterns and often stretches the length of several soccer fields. "There's a frozen lake outside where I stay, and one day after skiing I thought, wouldn't it be fun to make a pattern?" he said. "I didn't have any snow shoes, just walking boots, but the snow wasn't too deep and it worked perfectly well." He's been doing it ever since, creating snow art so unique that he says Disney has asked him to create an image for its winter movie, "Frozen."

January is about award shows and the entertainment industry (see calendar above) - while February is about sports -- Superbowl Sunday XLVIII and the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi.
2nd deadly blast hits Russian city of Volgograd ahead of 2014 Sochi Olympics CNN - December 30, 2013
Another deadly blast has struck the southern Russian city of Volgograd, killing at least 14 people and further highlighting Russia's security challenges as it readies to host the Winter Olympics in less than six weeks.

I closed my eyes and asked about 2014. I saw an old fashioned child's desk like the one above. A large brown stately-looking boxer dog, wearing a diamond collar, was seated on the chair. The dog suddenly rebelled. Ah ... I searched the Boxer Rebellion. China is the country to watch. I also remembered other years where an end-of-year message referenced China.

China ... Tick tock ...

January 1, 2014

New Moon 10° Capricorn

Sunday, December 29, 2013

2014 Preview

Poll: Americans hopeful for a better year in 2014 Yahoo

Think 2013 was a bad year for health politics? Just wait for 2014 CNBC

Top 10 dumb debt decisions for 2014 CNBC

Top 10 Predictions For 2014 Forbes
2014 is shaping up to be a very interesting year- both politically and economically. A few months ago ...

More political drama ahead at the 2014 Olympics CNBC

Political stars to watch in 2014 NBC

Predictions for 2014 economy? Here are five. CSM
Predictions for 2014 economy are generally upbeat, with analysts seeing growing picking up and the bull market in stocks continuing. But the economy won't get back to normal in the new year, despite the positive predictions for 2014.

Military tech in 2014: Lasers, drones, and cyberops CNET
The Pentagon has plenty of high-tech advances on tap for the coming year. Think drones, of course, but also laser weapons, cyberwarfare, and the ageless B-52.

Amazon: 5 bold predictions for 2014 CNET
How will Amazon top online groceries and delivery drones in 2014? The online retail giant might just focus on getting your attention via some new devices.

New Year's Tech: What to Expect in 2014 Discovery - December 27, 2013
You'll be wearing the hottest thing in technology in 2014, but it won't be Google glasses or a smart watch. The New Year will be all about getting fit and staying healthy.

The ships that could take us to Mars New Scientist
In September, NASA will launch its Orion capsule on a 4-hour jaunt around Earth. Echoing the Apollo capsules that took humans to the moon, Orion is designed to carry people on long-range space missions. The upcoming tests will showcase Orion's flight worthiness and the ability of its heat shield to withstand a fiery re-entry.

First touchdown on a speeding comet New Scientist
In 2013, comet ISON flew into our skies. In 2014, we will return the favor when the European Space Agency's Rosetta craft begins orbiting comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko and touches down on its surface. That would mean two firsts for comet exploration plus the most ambitious deep-space landing ever attempted.

The key to surviving climate change New Scientist
Be prepared for anything. That will be the message of the next report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), its first attempt in seven years to forecast the impact of climate change on specific geographical regions. Due out in March, it will emphasize versatility over any fine-tuned mitigation measures.

First million-year-old genome New Scientist
The oldest animal genome sequenced so far is 700,000 years old. It came from the fossil of a horse found in north-west Canada and was published in June this year. That was a huge advance on the 110,000-year-old polar bear genome published in 2012. So what will grab the million-year-old crown? The big prize would be a distant human ancestor, such as Homo erectus, which emerged about 2 million years ago.

Lost world under Antarctica uncovered New Scientist
Last year a Russian team finally drilled into Lake Vostok, a subglacial body of water over 500 metres deep, buried under 4 kilometres of Antarctic ice. The samples they brought up are laced with DNA, which is now being analyzed to determine whether there is life in Vostok. Next year we will discover just what, if anything, lurks within the lake. Contamination from the drills could be an issue, but should researchers discover life unique to Vostok, what it looks like will be of most interest.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Teen Mayhem in Brooklyn

As the world - especially teens - go crazy - we find these stories about Brooklyn:

Kings Plaza mall is about 20 minutes from my house in another area of Brooklyn:
Mob of teens overruns mall in Brooklyn CNN - December 28, 2013
Imagine the chaos of Black Friday -- but worse. Every shopper's nightmare was lived out on Thursday when a horde of rowdy teens stampeded through a New York mall -- screaming, wreaking havoc and banging on shop doors.

A reader of this blog sent me this story
Teen gangs accused of playing "Knock out the Jew" in Brooklyn CBS - November 14, 2013
A rash of violent anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn, New York recently left a local rabbi wondering if the wave of assaults is part of a game of "Knock out the Jew."

2013 --> 2014

As 2013 comes to a close, people reflect on their experiences and what has changed. Patterns and predictability are often the key, but there does exist the element of the surprise that can change one's destiny in an instant. Think about your 2013 programming when many believed we entered a new reality. Of course, it was new as reality has always been in state of ongoing quantum flux - but in 2013 more people became consciously aware it.

I am about to replace my two 2013 calendars with 2014 - already in progress. Many people have switched from paper to electronic devices to that end.

One of the highlights for me in 2014 will be the World Science Festival NYC. I'm on their mailing list - checking off events I wish to attend - such as "Ask Brian Greene". You remember Brian - a physicist and professor at Columbia University. Read more ... Maybe I'll see you there.

This is the time of the year psychics in the past had hits and misses predicting events from year to year. No one predicts major events as they were meant to come out of the blue ... the element of surprise that keeps this programming running.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Way to go ...

As 2013 comes to a close, people reflect on their experiences and what has changed. Patterns and predictability are often the key, but there does exist the element of the surprise that can change one's destiny forever. Think about your ... relationship, if any, income, health, education, and anything else that was part of your 2013 programming - when many believe we entered a new reality. Of course, it was new - as reality has always been in state of ongoing electromagnetic change - but in 2013 more people became consciously aware of the changes. Keep it simple. All of the myths and metaphors, teachers and energy work you did until now ... that was then. Your road ahead can only go in one direction ... up.

We enter the final weekend of 2013, so make it fun in any way that feels right for you. If you have Amazon Prime, they now offer unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows at no additional cost. Enjoy.

Below are a list of the top news stories for 2013 and some 2014 Previews. I will be adding to the list as they are posted on the various news servers.

2013 in Review

Who changed history in 2013? CNN - December 24, 2013
Something was different in 2013. Unlike recent years, when some of the major events were powered by groups and movements -- think revolutions that seemed to materialize out of nowhere, public squares occupied without visible leadership -- this year, it was individuals who created the most unexpected or dramatic events.

Poll: Americans hopeful for a better year in 2014 Yahoo - December 27, 2013

2013: Dumbest moments in business CNN - December 24, 2013

The Most Unusual Flexible Jobs of 2013 Live Science - December 23, 2013
As technology continually makes remote employment easier, more and more individuals are finding that flexible work opportunities suit their personal lives and schedules better than a 9-to-5 office gig. Regardless of the reason, the number of people looking to work from home or on a nontraditional schedule is increasing, as is the number of available flexible positions for them.

Pick your top 10 stories of 2013 CNN - December 27, 2013

2013: The year in pictures CNN - December 27, 2013

Best and worst health trends of 2013 CNN - December 27, 2013

Top science and space stories CNN - December 27, 2013

Best Space Photos 2013: Awesome Year of the Comet Shines Bright National Geographic - December 27, 2013

From 2013 to 1963: Looking back at a pivotal year CNN - December 27, 2013

Can't miss op-eds of 2013 CNN - December 27, 2013

Best and worst food trends of 2013 CNN - December 27, 2013

Google's Most Popular Diet: 2013 Edition US News - Yahoo - December 27, 2013

Most popular Eatocracy posts of 2013 CNN - December 24, 2013
2013 was a big, beefy year in food news, from the downfall of butter queen Paula Deen and boycotts of Chick-fil-A over their stance on same-sex marriage to record levels of food-borne illness and some pretty public squabbles over how people treat restaurant workers.

13 stories we can't forget: The year of the personal essay CNN - December 24, 2013
There was the news that made the headlines. And then there were the personal stories that made a lasting impact on only a few people, but touched the lives of millions.

10 women who shaped 2013 CNN - December 27, 2013
The women of the year helped bring the economy back from the brink, worked against tyranny, and championed equality, education and justice. Most of all, they helped open our eyes to how much remains to be done.

2013: The year in video gaming CNN - December 24, 2013
It may be best known as the year the PS4 and Xbox One went head to head for the hearts and wallets of console gamers. But 2013 was also a pretty good year for the games themselves. Here are our 10 favorites.

2013's Wild, Unforgettable Weather: A Roundup Live Science - December 26, 2013
Floods, fires and typhoons - weather fueled by heat led the news in 2013. In Colorado and central Europe, tropical moisture fed heavy rains and floods. Australia was ravaged by heat waves and wildfires for much of the year. Warm Pacific Ocean temperatures fueled major tropical storms that devastated the Philippines and Asia.

Countdown: 2013's Wildest Weather Live Science - December 27, 2013
This year was one of the warmest on record. The extra heat helped fuel devastating weather worldwide, such as raging wildfires and widespread droughts. Typhoons and tornadoes took a terrible toll in 2013, despite a dearth of tropical storms and twisters in many parts of the world.

The year in evolution and life sciences New Scientist - December 27, 2013
2013 was a banner year for the study of evolution, with major discoveries in everything from human evolution to the origin of mammals and the first life.

The 13 Most Obvious Findings of 2013 Live Science - December 26, 2013
1. The Western diet is bad for you. 2. Sleeping beauty is no myth.

From Earth to Deep Space: NASA 2013 Highlights NASA - December 25, 2013
NASA highlights its accomplishments in air and space for 2013. YouTube

39 Brilliant Scientific Minds We Lost In 2013 That Changed The World Forever Huffington Post - December 25, 2013
The world of science and discovery lost some of its brightest lights in 2013 -- from the second American to orbit Earth to the physiologist who helped create the first test-tube baby to one of the greatest female math prodigies of all time.

2013 Top ten breakthroughs in physical science New Scientist - December 24, 2013
From time-travel movies to wormhole entanglement, 2013 delivered a load of mind-boggling ideas. It was also the year that several big experiments delivered the goods we were hoping for: the Planck telescope provided the most accurate map of the big bang's afterglow; the discovery of the Higgs boson was confirmed, winning those who first predicted it the Nobel prize; and neutrinos from outer space were finally glimpsed. But as attempts to solve a knotty problem known as the black hole paradox reveal, we're in no danger of running out of mysteries quite yet.

The year in health research New Scientist - December 27, 2013

The top tech stories of 2013 CNN - December 24, 2013
The biggest technology story of the 2013 is one of the biggest stories of the year, period. It has had serious implications in the United States and around the world, and half a year later its true impact is only beginning to be felt.

This Year's 5 Biggest Discoveries in Science National Geographic - December 24, 2013
Science mattered more than ever in 2013. Climate science questions raged after Super Typhoon Haiyan pummeled the Philippines. And scientific expertise figured in disarmament debates in Syria and in Iran's proposed halt to its nuclear activities.

Gallery: Zoo Animals Born in 2013 Live Science - December 24, 2013
A bevy of adorable baby animals arrived at zoos around the world this year, and from rare panda twins to fluffy swan cygnets.

Most Over-Covered Story Of 2013 MSNBC - December 25, 2013
Different stories and videos

Ten Weirdest Animal Stories of 2013 National Geographic - December 27, 2013

Thursday, December 26, 2013

I hope you are enjoying the holidays with family and friends. It feels more like Christmas in the city, now that winter has returned. It's funny how we are programmed to associated things in our lives by connecting the dots - or grid points - to verify experience. Most of the country has to deal with severe weather conditions which caused a delays for UPS and FedEx Christmas shipments. Never be a "last minute person". Always plan for the unexpected.

With the changing face of planet Earth, Christmas takes on a new look and meaning in many areas this year. People who live in local coastal areas are celebrating at home for the first time since Hurricane Sandy (much like a small tsunami) destroyed homes, churches, schools, and more, one year ago. December 26, marks the 9th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami caused by a 9.3 underwater earthquake.

I've been busy with family and friends. It's always nice to catch up with each other's lives, and what better time than the end of the year. I have two groups of friends. The first go back to childhood. I call them my mainstream friends - educated, no metaphysical background, no emotional problems nor substance abuse issues. Next, are the endless number of friends I've made in my 30-year journey into metaphysics, programmed for all sorts of dramas that set them on their metaphysical course. At the end of 2013 ... the first group have done their homework and are programmed to understand and accept the nature of reality as a hologram, often having questions about where it's all going. The second group - mostly wounded souls - have made the rounds of metaphysics but are still programmed to seek answers. Along the way, they discover they are too burned out to work and seek a way - any way - to create income within the overly saturated fields of healing. You know the patterns. It's never easy but you can sense where it's all going.

It's Always About The Children

About Santa ... most children no longer believe after a certain age, but some hold onto the notion a bit longer because they want presents and/or a sprinkle of magic much like belief in the tooth fairy. Of my grandchildren, only 8 year old Noah still believes.

Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

8:00 am ... Merry Christmas. I hear bells ringing from the local church 6 block away.

I hope you are enjoying the holidays with family and friends. It feels like Christmas in the city, now that winter has returning. It's funny how we are programmed to associated things in our lives but connecting the dots - or grid points to verify experience.

About Santa ... most children no longer believe after a certain age, but some hold onto the notion a bit longer because they want presents and/or a sprinkle of magic much like belief in the tooth fairy. Of my grandchildren, only 8 year old Noah still believes.

With the changing face of planet Earth, Christmas takes on a new look and meaning in many areas this year. People who live in local coastal areas are celebrating at home for the first time since Hurricane Sandy (much like a small tsunami) destroyed homes, churches, schools, and more, one year ago. Tomorrow, December 26, marks the 11th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami caused by a 9.3 underwater earthquake.

At the end of 2013 ... the first group have done their homework and are programmed to understand and accept the nature of reality as a hologram, often having questions about where it's all going. The second group - mostly wounded souls - have made the rounds of metaphysics but are still programmed to seek answers. Along the way they discover they are too burned out to work and seek a way - any way - to create income within the overly saturated fields of healing. You know the patterns. It's never easy but you can sense where it's all going.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Geri sent a magical Christmas Card - Enjoy

Twin Crossings

Children believe in Santa, while adults believe in Jesus.

Both are myths, as is your experience here.

The Virgin Birth: Why We Believe - The Brain Tells Us It's Real
Live Science - December 24, 2013

Once upon a time a time, in a remote part of the universe, children
gathered to hear about a holiday called Christmas on planet Earth.
The lessons were sharing and love ~ sent out across the universe.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year wherever you are.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Harbor Lights

Crystalinks Christmas Files

December 23, 1823

A Visit from St. Nicholas Google Videos

T'was The Night Before Christmas

The poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as "The Night Before Christmas" from its first line, was first published anonymously in the Troy, New York Sentinel on December 23, 1823, and was reprinted frequently thereafter with no name attached. Authorship was later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. The poem was included in an anthology of his works, but his connection with the verses has been questioned by some. Henry Livingston, a New Yorker with Dutch roots, is the chief candidate for authorship if Moore did not write it.

Christmas Eve

NORAD Tracks Santa

December 26, 2013

Boxing Day

Regifting

Regifting or regiving is the act of taking a gift that has been received and giving it to somebody else, sometimes in the guise of a new gift. One example of a formalization of this activity are the white elephant gift exchanges, in which items can be regifted from year to year. In the USA, "National Regifting Day" is December 18. In Canada, eBay marketed "National Re-gifting Week" as December 26-30 (December 26 being Boxing Day, a time traditionally associated with gift-giving). Regiving differs from straightforward giving in that goods are not acquired specifically for donation. Typically, goods that have been received as a gift are offered to others, unbeknown to them that it was originally a gift to the person offering it. Often the motives are principally charitable but also includes giving items which are surplus to one's needs. However, re-gifting also refers the means of giving away unwanted gifts as a way of disposing them. Consider the "fruitcake gift" scenario. Someone receives a fruitcake but they don't like (or want) fruitcake but think someone else might. They give it away to someone who also may not like fruitcake either. Regiving differs from recycling in that recycling is most often associated with breaking components down and rebuilding into new products. Read more ...

Born on a Holiday

People born on or around holidays often feel cheated out of gifts. I know the feeling being born on February 17th - three days after Valentine's Day. My ex-husband Ralph and I had a great system. There was a special present for my birthday each year - usually jewelry - and for Valentine's Day - a box of candy. As our daughters arrived ... there would be candy for each little girl accompanied by a cuddly stuffed animal. Ralph was a Capricorn, January 5th, so his big present came at Christmas and a date night on his birthday. Top that all off with our wedding anniversary January 26th and there was lots of gifts for all.

Christmas Gifts 2013

I spend a lot of my time just making people laugh and shifting their consciousness with positive energy in stressful times. I know I can't change anyone's programming, but a few good laughs are often a great gift.

Many more people shopped online this year. A gift card can be the perfect present as people like choices.

This was the year of security leaks from former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee and National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden - to theft identity as hackers get better at defrauding the system.

Target: On December 18, 2013, security expert Brian Krebs broke news that Target was investigating a major data breach "potentially involving millions of customer credit and debit card records." The report quickly spread across news channels. On December 19, Target confirmed the incident via a press release, revealing that the hack took place between November 27 and December 15, 2013. Target warned that up to 40 million consumer credit and debit cards may have been compromised. Hackers gained access to customer names, card numbers, expiration dates, and CVV security codes. Target is encouraging customers who shopped at its US stores (online orders were not affected) during the specified timeframe to closely monitor their credit and debit cards for irregular activity. The retailer has also confirmed that it is working with law enforcement, including the United States Secret Service, "to bring those responsible to justice." As of 2013, this theft is the second-largest credit card breach in U.S. history.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Good-bye Mayor Bloomberg

Next week, on January 1, 2014, NYC says good-bye to Mayor Bloomberg after 12 years in office. Like any other mayor, there were positives and negatives. He should have left after two terms but changed the laws to suit his needs. Bloomberg's website highlights his accomplishments. Time for change. FYI: With a net worth of $31 billion, Bloomberg is the seventh-richest person in the United States and the thirteenth-wealthiest in the world.

Crystalinks Christmas Files

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Between the Lines

Welcome to the 2013 Winter Solstice where modern-day folks sometimes look through ancient megalithic monuments - at the position of the sun in another timeline. There are other stone monuments built in more recent times that take the imagination through the wormhole of time. You can create a "window of opportunity" at the moment of the solstice by looking through -- two tall trees, tall mountains, two tall buildings, in my case the arches of the Verrazano Bridge, etc. Be creative. Today is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, which is usually means cold weather, but as we know, nothing is as it once was, so many areas will experience spring - or even summer-like temperatures. The Winter Solstice each year signals the start of Capricorn as we soon welcome in a new year. Happy Birthday to the readers born in Capricorn.

NASA Videos This Week

Be careful Santa

Friday, December 20, 2013

School's out for the holidays as families plan vacations and gatherings. There's not much to blog, the news bringing you the highlights. My family is busy with the holidays, as we make our plans. This is one of the great times of the year to live in NYC as there is always something to do. Saturday is the shortest day of the year, which is usually cold but will feel more like spring in the city. Children still believe in Santa Claus ... as do some of us adults. Enjoy the holiday.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Reunions

The end of any year often elicits feelings of coming full cycle. Maybe that's the reason the alleged Mayan Calendar date of December 21, 2012 had relevance. The shortest day would signify the end of a cycle with a feeling of something new and more relevant to our physical journey beginning as the days grew longer once again. Someone showed the architects of ancient civilizations how to build great stone monuments to help them remember the beginning and the end - reunion. It wasn't anthropomorphic gods or aliens but the consciousness hologram itself. That wasn't long ago. That was This Day which make many wonder if December 21, 2013 is the real end of time. It's not. It comes out of the blue and does not follow the protocols of the original Master Plan. It will be a new insert.

Gifts

The end of 2013 has been a very interesting time for me. Former clients are returning after many years as well as friends who go back for decades. All have stories to share. Few are on the same page as me about reality, but with all the press about reality being a hologram, they are open. They all realize that something unique is happening. As December rolls along ... it's been more about catching up and looking towards the future than anything else. This time of the year taps into people's emotions, hopes, and dreams for something better. Wait for it. I spend a lot of my time just making people laugh and shifting their consciousness with positive energy in stressful times. I know I can't change anyone's programming, but a few good laughs are often a great temporary fix/gift.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Christmas Money Tree

Once upon a time, there was a tree that grew money every Christmas. People came from all across the land to share in the joy of Christmas and take money from the tree that would last for a year. If I was writing this program, that's the fantasy I would create, but alas, our reality doesn't work that way. Congratulations to the two Meg Million winners and their families who celebrate a special Christmas in 2013. For the rest of us, the dreams of what we would do with the money now fade from mind as we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Finance is the focus of the day. People ask questions about year-end bonuses and what the economy will look like in 2014 both for themselves and the world. Major changes in the way we do business - from the smallest retailer to international finance - will happen in 2014. Lots of revisions on all fronts will be implemented as once again you will be forced to adapt. People will read, listen, process, explore patterns old and new, evaluate, criticize, then make choices and decisions they may never have considered. Hang tough, don't overspend at Christmas and always be prepared as natural disasters and climate changes accelerate. I read too many people in 2013 who didn't set aside extra money for emergencies. You must prepare until the end.

CNBC News

CNN Money

6 retirement myths you need to ignore CNBC - December 17, 2013
Academic, institutional and media reports tend to serve up workers with warnings - often wrapping up with a "save now and save more" silver lining. It doesn't seem to be inspiring the masses. According to a Wells Fargo study, 37 percent of Americans expect to work until they are too sick to work or die.
Myth # 1: The 401(k) was created to boost your retirement dollars.
Myth # 2: You need 80 percent of your current income level in retirement.
Myth # 3: You're too young to start paying for long-term care.
Myth # 4: Don't ever touch your principal.