2011: Notes at the End of the Year

This has been a very crazy but productive 2011! Here’s what I have learned this year: • Change is the only constant • Regardless of income always have an emergency fund • Become more financially literate by knowing what’s in my retirement • I am more resilient than I give myself credit • Holding grudges are counterproductive for my health and happiness 2012 will be a very good year because I have finally realized what I am doing and am ready to take it to the next level. I will live my life to the fullest by becoming more creative. I will also resolve my living situation, remove any and all grudges and increase my productivity by earning my PMP and SAS certifications and start my own business.

Celebrating New Year's Eve 2011

I ate at McCormick & Schmicks this evening. I have a lot to celebrate this year. Regardless of my personal life, I have managed to earn my CAPM certification in the middle of an earthquake! If I can achieve this distinction during a natural disaster, certainly nothing can stop me in 2012! Cheers!

Wishing Everyone a Very Merry Christmas!

I am wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Financially Speaking

Finishing the analysis and valuation for stocks final has taught me a new set of finance skills. I am better equipped to decide my future including retirement. I am developing investment strategy which’ll provide me with more income. Since next year, I’ll deal with more intellectual property with songwriting, magazine articles and TV pilot. Moreover, I can read financial statements, calculate ratios and uncover deals. I will do these checks on firms that interest. Next year I’ll celebrate my 10th year MBA reunion and even with marriage and child rearing I’ll be sitting on a Fortune 500 board by my 20th year MBA reunion. Tomorrow I will open a regular savings at PNC. I’ll deposit what I can into it. Right now I want to create a habit. The statement savings requires $200 floor and my life isn’t stable enough for this account. Once it does then I will upgrade accounts. Right now I want to create a savings habit. In addition, I want to reconcile then close my HSCB account because I am no longer using it. Furthermore, I will read my retirement statements and reassess my diversification because it will start working for me in 2012. I’ll fax the HQ office for more 2012 investment information because I make my retirement decisions over the Christmas holiday break. Thanks to the two finance courses, I will be more astute next year. I have taken analysis and valuation of stocks to decipher venture capital deals and become an angel investor. I possess sufficient business knowledge to advise new start-ups. Acquainting myself with the value side will help grow businesses. I am also big on microfinance because I know that offering small businesses these small amounts stimulate the economy pulling America out of the recession. Next year, I will focus on realizing all of my business goals.

Good News

I have a multitude of good news. First, my George Patton Memorial Scholarship check is in the mail and I should receive it by Tuesday. I have pestered HQ for nearly one month over $200. Still it is a scholarship and I have earned the money. In even bigger news, I have won a personal victory which I cannot comment on only to say that I am very proud of its results. I can breathe and enjoy Christmas, New Year's Eve, MLK Day, Presidents' Day and the Cherry Blossom Festival. Most importantly, I can be still listening to intuition. Tomorrow I will restart my project management studies by purchasing another notebook, buying PMP Certification for Dummies and Headfirst.com PMP Certification books, rereading PMBOK and start reading PMI Scheduling practice guide. I have three months giving me more than enough time to focus on obtaining my PMP certification. Attaining the PMP separates me from everyone else; and, that's exactly what I want. In addition, I will pay the SAS' base SAS certification e-course tomorrow because I know that I can master the material WAAAY before March 2012 when Rockville holds its base SAS certification class. I want to do more than stand out! I must be ahead of the curve! Come spring, I will possess two certifications. My future has become brighter and there is no limit towards achieving the life I want to live.

White House Tweetup Photos

Here are the Monday, December 5, 2011 White House Tweetup photos

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

Eisenhower Lobby Christmas Tree

Brad Cooper

Macon Phillips

White House Holiday Open House and Christmas Tree Tour

White House Holiday Open House and Christmas Tree Tour
I follow the White House on Twitter and when it posts the Tweetup link, I click on it registering for the event. I am thinking ‘What the heck?’. The last week of November I received an email saying to respond by noon; however, my boss and I were so busy with the deadline that I didn’t see the email until 12:15pm. I feverishly completed the registration form praying that the White House would had penalize me for my tardiness. When I received the confirmation, I jumped for joy running out to buy a new digital camera specifically for this event.

The instructions told us to meet at 17th and State Place NW to pass security before entering the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. After going through the turnstiles and obtaining our passes, we walked through a maze from the Eisenhower building to the South building where lo and behold there was no wi-fi for the Tweetup. Luckily, I had my small notebook where I jotted down notes and photographed all of the White House staffers: Tina Tchen, the First Lady’s chief of staff; Brad Cooper, Executive Director of Joining Forces non-profit; Jon Carson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement; Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to the President for Technology and US Chief Technology Officer; Macon Phillips, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy; Laura Dowling, White House Florist; and, Bill Yossess, White House Pasty chef. I asked Jon Carson about if the Administration considered nationalization the $50 billion infrastructure program to reduce unemployment like FDR did with the New Deal and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Carson thanked me for mentioning the American Jobs Act provision then explained that FDR didn’t solely rely on the federal government to create jobs. He partnered with private companies to hire workers when unemployment was 25%. He also mentioned that President Obama was trying to broker the same deal with the American Jobs Act.

The Tweetup ended with all of the participants leaving the South building for lunch and upload photos and post tweets. I ate at Café Soleil right down the street off of 17th street NW. Afterward I walked through Executive Park to 15th and Alexander Hamilton Place for the Christmas Tour. Receiving this invitation was awesome because normally you must contact your elected official to obtain approval for a White House tour. I was on the grounds with the other Tweetup participants and several others. After going through three checkpoints, we entered the White House. Every single room contained Bo, the Obamas’ pet dog. The Florist and Pastry Chef said that Bo was a big factor in the Christmas designs. There was Bo made of recycled material and another one constructed from marshmallows and licorice. Finally, the high school choir sang Christmas carols in the foyer next to the White House front entrance.

This Tweetup and Christmas tree tour were more than just goodwill promotions appeasing people. They were informative granting us access to key White House personnel. The Christmas Tree tour embodied the season presenting ebullient decorations throughout the House. I loved both events and couldn’t wait to register for another Tweetup!

White House Christmas Tree Tour Photos

Here are the White House Christmas Tree Tour photos that I have taken on Monday, December 5, 2011.

The White House Blog Has Published My Tweetup Photo!

Yes! The White House has published my White House Tweet up photo of Macon Phillips on its blog! This past Monday I and 150 others attended the Holiday Open House Tweet up where we met with Tina Tchen, the First Lady’s chief of staff; Brad Cooper, Executive Director of Joining Forces non-profit; Jon Carson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement; Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to the President for Technology and US Chief Technology Officer; Macon Phillips, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy; Laura Dowling, White House Florist; and, Bill Yossess, White House pasty chef. When the White House posted my picture I was surprised because when I took it, I didn’t think that it was clear. Regarding the Tweetup I asked Jon Carson a question about if the Administration would nationalize the $50 billion infrastructure jobs program to reduce unemployment similar to FDR’s New Deal. He thanked me for mentioning the American Jobs Act then told the room that the New Deal partnered with private companies to hire workers reducing 25% unemployment during the Great Depression. Carson mentioned that the Obama Administration was trying to accomplish the same things.
Attached is the blog.

Something Big is Coming My Way

Change is the only constant and through it is December, I feel that something big is coming my way! For this past week, I have awaken in hustler mode thinking of the next big thing. Even though the New Year is next month, my mind is percolating all new kinds of things. I am very excited at the prospect of receiving a promotion and attending numerous Christmas parties. This year these events are higher caliber than last year. Meeting newer people enables me to expand my professional network. I am ready to break free of the monotony and this is the season for achieving this. Financially, I am in a better position courtesy of my very good performance appraisal and earning my CAPM certification. These two things position me to earn more money. In 2012, I will pass my PMP certification exam allowing me to vie for more senior position. Possessing an MBA and six years’ experience, I am ripe for a manager or director position. I know that by ending 2011 on the right note, 2012 will be a dandy!