Increasing Wealth

Is to be wealthy everyone's dream or everyone's problem? I say it is both. It is a dream because nobody wishes otherwise; and it is a problem because to get there is easier said than done.

One statistic shows that in every sixty-four (64) persons who aspire to get wealthy, only one person succeeds. That is a .015% chance of success. It is funny the word "chance" was used in the preceding sentence because "chance" may be misunderstood as the only reason why one gets rich. Moreover, "chance" may be construed within the same context as "luck" or "destiny". But in order for somebody to make a difference, the word "chance" must be interpreted within the same lot as "opportunity" and "choice".

Last Monday, I went to a seminar which aims to financially educate those who were in attendance. The purpose of which was to enhance one's financial intellect. In the first place, what is financial intelligence? According to Wikipedia, financial intelligence is the knowledge and skills gained from understanding finance and accounting principles in the business world. From the definition alone, it is apparent that to gain the same, one must be familiar with the technicalities involved in accounting and finance. And it is axiomatic that one can never be able to master the technicalities of one field without knowing the elements and fundamentals thereof or the basics, so to speak. The seminar was just that, a presentation which highlights the basics of financial management.

I am grateful I attended the seminar. My time was not wasted considering the amount of financial knowledge I gained therein. The most important was discipline. Discipline in oneself to stick with his conviction to improve his financial status. Once a person is able to maintain discipline in himself, all things which can be learned as skill will free-flowingly follow. For it is written in the bible that "Poverty and shame come to him who neglects discipline." But one must be careful as not to let his success get the best of him because when pride comes, then comes dishonor.

Apprehension

Apprehension may not be the exact word I am looking for to describe my feeling moments ago but I'm sure it is pretty close. While I was preparing dinner, my wife told me that she could not find her wedding ring. Could it have happened on other days, I wouldn't have minded it at all. But today is a Sunday, and our daughter's nanny for just 2 weeks was on her day-off since last night. Moreover, she just asked for a 1 week cash advance before leaving the house yesterday. Was the ring stolen? Was there premeditation and its execution flawless or were we just too trustful and stupid? And to even strengthen my theory, my prime suspect was not yet home when she was suppose to be home 30 minutes earlier.

Hatred and the need to be vindicated were the next things on my mind. Should I go to the house where her live-in partner resides? Should I go to the police and have the incident recorded on their blotter? Should I go to my daughter's nanny's hometown and look for her? or Should I hop from one pawnshop to another to look for the possibly pawned ring?

Elated and somewhat dumbfounded were my final reaction when my wife eventually found her wedding ring. Grateful, glad and ashamed. Mixed feelings that need not be shared nor exposed externally but experienced just the same.

It is funny how fast we react during stressful situations. Perhaps survival instinct or maybe it is a reflection of one's ability or inability to suppress shallow or impulsive reactions to conditions that need to be weighed and contemplated heavily. Think before you act, and before you act, think it over one last time.

An Impossible Dream Fight

It came out in the news a couple of days ago that Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jr. agree to an Olympic style drug testing to be conducted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The test includes the taking of blood samples from each fighter unannounced and as often as the agency deems it proper before and after the fight. It is the same test why the Pacquiao-Mayweather did not push through.

It has been said that the Olympic style drug testing issue was used by Floyd Mayweather Jr. to run away from a possible fight with Manny Pacquiao which will inevitably result in destruction from the hands of the latter. Since Mosley agreed to the same test, Mayweather can always use the argument that "if other fighters can agree to same, why not Manny?". And if Manny remains superstitious, negative and adamant against the test, the dream fight will never happen.

Manny Pacquiao doesn't have to prove anything; he is the best and he is the pound for pound king. But the fight fans want this fight to happen and right now Mayweather has the right card for the same to remain an illusion. Manny has to give in to the Olympic style drug testing, unless his superstitious stand on it is also nothing but an excuse not to face Floyd because he is also scared of him.

So it all boils down to following: Floyd is scared of Manny as evidenced by all his demands not even necessary nor required in traditional boxing rules and regulations just to make sure that the fight will not fall through. Manny is likewise scared of Floyd, cause if he were not, he would've agreed to the same test. Because if it were the contrary, the fight would've pushed through last March 13. Let us just wait and see what happens after May 1.