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Mary Kathryn Johnson
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You Made Your Bed Now Lie In It

10/14/2013

4 Comments

 
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Living in California, I have an advantage...a crystal ball of sorts...in seeing the direction this ship called The U.S.A. is headed.
  
Let me look into my crystal ball, and tell the future for you.

California has the highest income tax rate of all the 50 states.  


California is also the largest employer in the state.  Yes, the state government employs more people than any private or publicly traded business in the Golden State.


California has two cities so far that have declared bankruptcy.  The main obligations the cities of Stockton and San Bernadino are failing to meet are government employee pension and benefits programs.


Unfortunately, there are not enough people paying California's highest tax rates to supply the union negotiated contracts for public employees to receive their guaranteed retirement benefits.


Let me be more specific.  


Every union represented employee of the State of California, and every union represented employee of each city in California receives a guaranteed lifelong retirement pension if he/she completes the contract negotiated time filling the chair in the job, no matter how well he/she performed it.  


This pension is not tied to any Mutual Fund or Stock Market Investment.  

It is 100% GUARANTEED. 


Don't you wish your IRA or 401K didn't fluctuate with the market? 


Consequently, CalPERS (Public Employee Retirement System) is $87Billion (yes that's with a "B") underfunded, because the funds collected and invested are nowhere near the $225Billion guaranteed in the union contracts.

Some teachers in my local school district are a perfect example.
  • One Kindergarten teacher receives over $80,000 in pension PLUS over $25,000 in fully paid medical, dental and vision benefits each year.  
  • Two other married retired school teachers received over $170,000 a year in their combined pension. Unfortunately, the wife recently passed away, but her husband continues to receive her full share of the pension - still $170,000 a year total.  

Gee, I wonder why the husband is currently looking for some tax breaks, because he now is in the upper-middle class - the very socio-economic class his angry, anti-CEO union reps have fought against. 

This pensioner is now trying to find ways around the very taxes that continue to pay his pension.  


Taxes in the state of California have had to increase to try and catch up to the bleeding that is uncontrolled spending.


Consequently, large and small businesses are leaving the Golden State in droves - actually they are being enticed to move by other states like Texas and Arizona.


How does this relate to my crystal ball, you ask?


California is the golden canary in the economic underground mine shaft, and that canary is suffocating, because the mine is quickly spreading the toxic fumes of government overspending dictated by lobbyists and unions.


The Federal Government is going the way of California.


The foggy mist in my crystal ball whispers the following in my year:
  • The Federal Income Tax Rates must increase for everyone (not just those making over $250,000/year) in order to keep up with the raising of our debt limit.
  • The Federal Government will become the largest employer in the country.  How many jobs did Obamacare create in order to double my personal healthcare insurance?  Yes, my coverage stayed the same, but doubled in premiums and yearly cap, but my Federal Government can give me a handout to bring them back down to the same affordable level prior to The Affordable Care Act.  (Thanks for your willingness to help me pay for my healthcare increases with your taxes.)
  • Taxes will continue to increase, but won't be able to keep pace with spending and pensions.
  • Large and small businesses will flee to other countries (wait, isn't that already happening?)  Can you say "苹果"?  That's "Apple" in Chinese.
  • The U.S.A. will go the way of the Roman Empire, and implode under it's own weight.

I know I sound as doomsday as Professor Trelawney, but I don't just whine.  There are a few ideas I have to pump fresh air down this mine shaft, and they are all centered around what I learned raising my kids - People rise to whatever expectations you set, and are more confident when they are more self-reliant:
  • Ban all unions from any public employment organization.  We have a choice to shop at companies whose union employees contribute to their products.  We don't have a choice to pay the taxes that support the salaries, and union dues that give a guaranteed pension even beyond death to someone who also can't be fired for poor performance.
  • Ban all lobbyists (retired politicians will then be forced to get real jobs at normal salaries.)
  • Transfer all government pension plans to IRA's, 401K's or Social Security like every other American.
  • Transfer all medical, dental and vision plans held by government employees to the same private payer insurance plans held by every other American before Obamacare became the "UnAffordable Care Act."
  • Fundamentally change the welfare and disability systems to include temporary benefits that are paid during an equally paid re-training program to get individuals with able bodies and minds to work, and on the road to self sufficiency.  Every part of the government that relates to government assistance, welfare and disability must talk to every other part, so they all work toward the same good for people in need.
  • Workers whose unions have negotiated them out of a job, and sent their jobs oversees can ask those unions for some of their dues back for re-training.
  • No government employee, from the President on down to the last Federal/State Project Manager has a guaranteed pension.  I'm sure a good book deal can be had, but I would self-publish if I were you.
  • Politicians are required to have worked a "real job" in the private sector for a minimum of 10 years prior to holding any public office.  Hopefully, this will give them some idea what kind of life their constituents live.

When the State of California goes bankrupt, I'll know the nation is not far behind, but I won't say I told you so. 

I'll just start learning Chinese.

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left
4 Comments

Five Tips for Living the Mom Solopreneur Dream

8/22/2013

3 Comments

 
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Ask any new mom who consciously made the choice to stay home and raise her own kids if she is 'living the dream,' and I guarantee her answer will be, "ABSOLUTELY.....except when I'm not."


Once the bills settle in from the change in lifestyle required for a one income household in the 21st century, this dream mom job might shift, and cause her to become a solo-entrepreneur to make ends meet.


I've been living that dream (that has sometimes felt like a nightmare when I've had only three hours sleep) for the past 10 years, and I have some tips for success I outline in my Yahoo! Voices article:


  • Prioritize throughout your day, and use the kids' needs to your advantage.  



  • Let your goals evolve alongside your kids.



  • Organization is key...except when it's not.



  • Read on for a new definition of yourself.....



Are you a solopreneur mom?  If so, or if you want to be, please share your ideas below!

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left


3 Comments

What Do You Do with Your Freedom?

7/3/2013

1 Comment

 
American Flag over San Francisco Bay
In no other time in history, and in no other country but the United States have women enjoyed the same freedom as men.  Only 39 years ago, women were finally given the right to secure credit in their own names without the signature or approval of their husbands.  Couple that with our ability in 1920 to finally be counted as true citizens of this country who enjoy the right and responsibility of the vote, and we are poised to rule the world

Oh, wait...we already rule the world by creating and nurturing the next generation!  :-)

Well, here is my
article for Yahoo! describing what I choose to do with my freedom.

What about you?

What do you do with yours?


Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left

1 Comment

My Pixel Pal - Caleb Pirtle III

4/10/2013

6 Comments

 
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Whatever you do, don't call him a "Writer!"
He is a thief, and a damn good one.
He is the only thief I know (all the others have not revealed themselves to me as thieves, or at least I haven't tied them to anything missing yet).
He steals the stories of lives, and tells them amazingly well. 

He is a Storyteller, and I would love for you to meet him.

Caleb Pirtle III

The picture to the left is quite misleading, because it looks as if this guy is retired, his only job now might be rocking on the porch or fishing.  Actually, he is one of the most prolific, engaging writers of blogs and books in my Tribe.

Caleb researches, writes and publishes blog posts daily - sometimes two or three a day - and somehow finds time to also write and publish fiction.  I love his writing style, and never stop reading one of his posts once I start, no matter the length.  In a time when lack of time is the driving force, his posts are a relaxation and a discovery all at once.  He always hooks me...always, and I stay to the end and often comment, because he also touches some emotion that makes me want to share.  How could you stop reading a post entitled The Secret of a Long Marriage with the line.... “It’s simple,” he said. “Me and my wife don’t play volleyball.”

Caleb's style is direct, and he hooks his readers with amazingly engaging sentences like, "He knew where the dirt lay and owned the shovel to dig it up" or, "Henrietta Lacks died in anonymity. Her cells were going viral......The men and women in the white coats became famous. The men and women in the gray flannel suits became rich" or, "Life is a cruel and terrible author. But life doesn’t write the final chapter."

I could go on and on, but that would rob you of the discoveries that await.

All of my favorite posts have an "aha" moment - Caleb is very good at creating these, and needs very few words to catch me.  

So, I invite you to sit back and read some stories.  Start here, and just click on a title that sounds interesting.  Before you know it, you will be looking at the clock and cursing.  It's not his fault you missed that appointment, because you were so engrossed in an amazing tale.  I know, I once forgot to pick up my youngest from school for that very same reason.....oops, did I just type that?!


Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left


6 Comments

 Creating Content from Facebook

3/26/2013

2 Comments

 
Creating Content from Facebook
Every time I visit the social media giant with a face, I find something that opens my creative book. Whether it's a SomeECards.com cartoon or an Albert Einstein quote, something stirs, and I must write.


I think it's the common thread running through all human life.  All moms go through the same choices and emotions, but some of us do it with more sass or grace than others (guess which group counts me as a member).  All writers go through the same angst, excitement and hope, but some are more commercially successful, some are more tribally successful and some are more poetically successful than others (again, I'm in there somewhere).


Because of the common human thread that weaves this world, we writer-types can always find something to write about while trolling facebook.  I bet you can find lots from that book on this blog if you just read the archives or search the categories, but I want to read what you have written, and I can't wait to weave myself into your thread.


What content have you created from Facebook?


Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left


2 Comments

Hold On 10 Years

2/19/2013

3 Comments

 
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The business I started after breaking both my legs at 8 months pregnant will turn 10 next month.  Many waves have crashed my bow, but the resulting rainbows have made the storms worth the energy!
Join me for an amazing celebration with giveaways worthy of any birthday party.  Keep an eye on the horizon, and hang on for the ride!  The rainbow is forming...


Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left


3 Comments

Depth and Beauty

9/16/2012

6 Comments

 
Crater Lake Depth and Beauty
Yes, Crater Lake in Oregon holds the Guinness World Record title for the deepest Lake in the U.S., and the clearest lake in the world!  I took this picture in July, 2012 while on a trip to Crater Lake National Park with my family.  Wizard Island beckoned to us, and we took the boat tour around the lake in the early morning light.  We were dropped off on the island with 12 other people, hiked to the top amidst the trees, rocks and Bald Eagles, and breathed in the freshest, most beautifully deep perspective.  Almost as beautifully deep as you.

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
MommyLoves to Chat!
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left
6 Comments

Mindful Me

8/20/2012

4 Comments

 
My oldest under the Christmas Tree
Life-changing milestones just around the corner are making me more mindful of the time I have in front of me.  The hourglass is running out, and if I live to 100, I'm half way there.  Yes, I'm in my 50th year on this planet...if I lived on any others, I don't remember.

I also have a child just starting high school.  Talk about a milestone...letting go.  I feel very strongly the lyrical meaning of "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" by Sting.  I am preparing to set him free, and it's scary and exciting all at the same time...just like when gave birth to him.

I now understand I must be more mindful of my actions, not just in parenting, but in everything I do.

I am one of those types who can get sucked into the black hole of links imbedded in everything I read online, so my day could easily pass by me faster than a toddler escaping his mother.  Consequently, online is the one area I must fight to stay mindful every minute.  To this end, I have started putting every little thing I need to accomplish each day on my calendar, and I adhere to my "social media posting/reading" time slot more strictly than any other.  Because there are several wonderful writers whose posts I visit and comment often, I will need to make time to seek out, and read new writers weekly in order to expand my mental horizons with new information and opinions.  I now know why posts and books are getting shorter and shorter - supply is following demand.  I also use HootSuite to schedule regular postings to both Facebook and Twitter, and keep them scheduled at least 5 days in advance.

My mindfulness is also being applied to my writing.  I have always been a "project" person - I get ideas, and if I don't write them down or record them on my iPhone while driving, they are lost forever...or until I happen to experience the same impetus to think of them again.  This more than anything else has allowed me to get more writing done in a shorter amount of time!  Since I am sort of a procrastinator...okay a lot of...even though I love to write, it is much easier to read.  I can use a deadline as an excuses to lollygag all day, and power through my work at the last minute.  With my new mindfulness that life is running out, I only allow myself this laziness occasionally, rather than weekly.

Back to my 14 year old...I only have 1460 days until he goes to college.  Actually, I only have 12,030 HOURS of my son's time over the next four years until I let him loose on the world to make his own mark. (Yes, I'm also showing my OCD in having calculated this number four years in advance, considering extra time for weekends and holidays and only 6 hours during the school days, but if I'm confessing my procrastination, I might as well go all the way.)  This number really made me sit up and say, "What?!" like I did when I heard Bill say what he did with Monica was not considered sex.  I must have heard that wrong, I'm sorry, calculated that wrong...I don't understand...How could I only have mere hours left for my son to wake up every day to a breakfast I make, and go to sleep every night to my "L'amo"...?  What about my youngest?  He's turning 11 next month, and middle school goes by in a blink!

Hence, my mindfulness in everything I do.  I won't overreact to this realization that I'm like Wile E. Coyote chasing after my Road Runner of a life.  I won't wait outside the bathroom door while my oldest is inside taking a shower just to say, "I Love You" when he comes out - he told me that was creepy.  I won't write for hours on end because I have so much to say, and so little time - my weak bladder muscles won't allow that.

I will simply be mindful of my thoughts and actions, and exercise my power of choice.  I don't have time or energy to waste on petty thoughts, conversations and deeds.  Life and love are too beautiful to cast a shadow on the world through my heedless actions.


How do you keep yourself mindful of all you want to accomplish and enjoy each day? 

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
MommyLoves to Chat!
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left

4 Comments

Idea Digestion - Calling All Moms (okay Dads Too)!

8/15/2012

6 Comments

 
I have an idea!
I have an idea!

I know what you're saying..."So what else is new, Mary, you get ideas all the time. How do we know this one is any different than all those others written in your little notebook?!"

First of all, my notebook isn't so little. Secondly, I'm totally devouring and digesting this one until it becomes...no not that...a book full of Everything Mommy Loves. 

I need your help, however. This idea isn't about me, it's about all other Mothers who can express themselves and Everything Mommy Loves in 140 characters or less.

If you are up to the challenge, and want your Mommy Love shouted out to the world, please visit MommyLoves140 and find out how you can contribute.  (The title of the actual book will be much more glamorous and catch, I promise!)  Pass this on to every Mom you know, and let's see how far around the world the Mommy Love spreads.  Love is the universal language, after all...or is that music?

If we get enough Moms to participate and share meaningful, insightful, snarky, loving, sarcastic, nurturing, funny (you get the picture) messages about Everything MommyLoves in 140 characters or less, I will do all the work to publish the book created by all the amazing messages by amazing mothers, and all those contributing get their name/twitter/facebook/business name/website/etc. included!  I will donate all profits to a children's charity, and would love some ideas on those you love!  Just give me some suggestions, and together we can make a difference in a few more lives.


The page listed above says it all, and if you have any questions or comments you know where to find me, right?!

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Mom ~ Entrepreneur

Tweet Me
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Read Me like a Book


6 Comments

My Pixel Pal, Jo

7/30/2012

5 Comments

 
Jo VonBorgen
Jo VonBargen...her poetry is as musical and resonate to me as the Italian language and my fingers on my cello.  On second thought, my fingers are nowhere near as moving as her words.  Thankfully, I found her through my first Pixel Pal, Bert, and she has welcomed me into her world with the natural, raw language that is uniquely hers.

Like all true voices of the human spirit, her work cannot be easily explained.  Adjectives like transcendent, deep, soulful, beautiful, heartfelt, scary, painful, peaceful, moving and intimate are used, but to really understand, you must experience.


The Day Will Come, when you hopefully visit Jo in Texas through the pixels on your Kindle, Nook or computer, and you will use those same adjectives and know that she is "seasoned and wise."

Pick up any of her books, especially the latest, and you will wonder how you ever got through life without her words.  Here is her Amazon page, Twitter handle and Blogs, so start following!  Go ahead, I dare you.  Open your mind and heart and you will certainly follow it to her, soul open in awe.

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
MommyLoves to Chat!
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left


5 Comments
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    Hi, I'm Mary, a woman constantly working toward becoming a Master of herself and all things named Duane, Evan, Riley, Seren, Linus and Katie ~ that's why it's so messy around here.


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