Nov
11
Government Bailouts
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Company after company is seeking money from the government taxpayers. It’s really starting to make me mad! I found a great website that gives a visual representation of our tax dollars the government has chosen to put at risk. Here’s a nice little list compiled from that website for 2008:
- Bear Sterns – $30 billion
- Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac – $200 billion
- A.I.G. (American International Group) – $150 billion
- Auto Industry – $25 billion
- Troubled Asset Relief Program – $700 billion
- Auto Industry – $50 billion AGAIN?!
That’s a whopping $1,155,000,000,000. If you’re wondering, that massive number to the left is TRILLION! What about that auto industry on that list again? Yes, AGAIN! In September, our elected officials decided to throw what U.S. News decided to call “A $25 Billion Lifeline [to] GM, Ford, and Chrysler.” Now, ailing U.S. automakers are still struggling and are asking for an additional $50 billion. $75 billion in taxpayer money in the course of a few months.
What would happen if we didn’t bail them out? Let’s pretend they fail and close their doors. A lot of people will lose their jobs. Are we going to stop buying cars? Not the way I see it. Cars still get old, break, and need to be replaced. Just because the options of GM, Ford, and Chrysler are not available does not mean people will stop buying cars. Where will they get those cars? The remaining car companies that have done a good job at 1) managing their finances and 2) producing a car of quality. Obviously, these car companies will have an increased demand and will subsequently increase their production of automobiles. How will they increase production? Easy, there will be an overabundance of skilled laborers as the “Big Three” will have closed their doors. Of course, people may have some change in their lives, but hey . . . life = change.
I don’t know how accurate these figures are, but I was looking on Wikipedia for the factories of Ford and Toyota as a comparison. Ford has 133 plants total. 42 of those plants are located in the United States. That amounts to 32%. Toyota, as far as I could find, has 13 plants total. 8 of those plants are located in the United States. That amounts to 62%. Who is the more “American” car company? An article from Forbes magazine gives more detial about production on U.S. soil and the difference in profitability of domestic and import auto manufacturers. This article does an exquisite job of detailing the difference between the ailing U.S. manufacturers and the profitable foreign manufacturers. Quality and efficiency vs. complacency and stagnation. I echo the articles closing line, “I think that it is better to work at expanding the growth than always complaining and blaming others for your misfortune”
Apr
25
i’m home
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Well, after an entire day of traveling . . . we’re back in the good ‘ole U.S.A. I’ve not been shocked at what I’ve experienced, but have certainly noticed a few things. My first comment comparing the U.S. to my experience on Saba was in the Miami airport. We purchased some food at a little stand. I got a club sandwich. It was pretty reasonable in price and was HUGE. I had a hard time getting my mouth around it for a bite. My first comment? “Welcome to the U.S.” I didn’t see a sandwich that large my entire time on Saba.
My second comment came during our drive from the DFW airport. One lane is the width of the road on Saba. Yes, in the U.S. a car has that space all to itself. In Saba, that same space is shared by two cars traveling in opposite directions with a rock wall on either side that will tear up your car. Then, on further comparison of roads here and there, the tiny roads I thought we had in the development from which we moved felt incredibly wide.
Last night, when we laid down to go to sleep, I mentioned to Emily, “I miss the tree frogs . . . and the wind . . . and the sound of the ocean.” Sounds I have grown to love . . . sounds which lulled me to sleep each night. Exhaustion finally took over and I fell into a deep slumber, until Hannah woke me up in the morning.
This morning, I took my dogs out and decided to walk around a bit. One word. NOISE! It is so noisy here in suburbia. Saba has a peace and quiet for which I long.
I knew things were going to be different. I figured once I got back here, I’d just get back in the swing of things, but as I have a direct comparison . . . the differences are, for the time being, quite noticeable.
Apr
19
another chapter comes to a close
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When I arrived on this island I had a hard time believing I was going to live in the Caribbean for nearly two years. Now my time is up, I’m having a hard time picturing my life in a place other than Saba. This island has truly taught me many life lessons. My experiences have been wide and I’ve met so many wonderful people. This experience has truly enriched my life.
I’ve wanted to write something about how I’m feeling as I close this chapter in my life, but as I sit and think about how to put into words the experience I’ve had, it’s hard to formulate just what to say. Life in the Caribbean has certainly been interesting, and I can’t believe I’m ready to leave. I already miss the way of life to which I’ve become so accustomed. The one thing that is helping me feel excited to leave is that we have been car-less until today. Our friends have gone to St. Maarten for a week and were very kind to let us borrow their car until we leave (they secretly saved our love of the island). I think if we had been car-less for our last 10 days on the island . . . we would have left with a sour taste. The same could probably be said about anywhere we felt confined. However, I still can’t believe I’m actually saying, I’m bored. I still love the view. I still love the pace of life, but it is certainly true that a person should be anxiously engaged in a good cause. Purpose is a good thing. It helps get a person out of bed in the morning and gets them through the day. I guess I have just felt like we’re flying in a holding pattern.
I’m determined to do better with my remaining four days on Saba. I haven’t regretted any time I’ve spent on this island . . . what a shame it would be to regret the end.
Mar
31
i finally have an ally!
Filed Under emily, family, hannah, life, medicine, my little man, saba, thoughts | 2 Comments
There was actually a time a little over a year ago I jokingly threatened Emily to take her blog off the internet because she wasn’t using it very often. I’m totally pathetic. I’ve obviously been less than consistent with mine, but seriously . . . I’m going to do better. Just the other day, Emily flicked my little statement back in my face . . . “Do you want me to take down your blog? You don’t seem to be using it very much.” I guess I deserved that.
We visited St. Maarten this past weekend. The primary reason for our visit was to visit the doctor to get an ultrasound on Emily’s pregnant belly. Emily had been looking forward to this little “get away” for quite sometime. I could tell she was excited by the way she kept describing how cute Hannah would be swimming in the ocean on a beach that didn’t have an 80 foot, rock-dropping, cliff overshadowing your every move like the Saba beach. Granted, the sand was quite a bit softer than the sand found on Saba, but I love our little here-it-is now-it’s-not beach. I think the coastline of Saba is one of the reasons it can truthfully be called the “Unspoiled Queen” of the Caribbean. Who plans a vacation to an island that may or may not have a beach? Not many!
We visited the doctor and he asked what we thought we were having. When Emily was pregnant with Hannah, she started calling her a girl well before we found out. I told her I didn’t want our little kid to get a complex if it turned out to be a boy, so I called it a boy. I was wrong. Once again, Emily demonstrated how connected she is with our child and started calling this kid a boy well before we found out . . . and once again, I wanted to add a little balance to our relationship. I called it a girl. I was wrong. Maybe I’ll listen to her next time . . . then again . . .
As Dr. Tjon moved the ultrasound probe to the other side of Emily’s belly he said, “Let’s see which one of you is right.” It was the most clear ultrasound picture I think I have ever seen. We could have grabbed the guy that was stumbling in front of the hospital to read the ultrasound . . . it was unmistakable!
Just like with Hannah, I’m excited to meet this kid, and just like Emily, I don’t think I know what to do with a little boy. You see, I’ve been swimming in a sea of estrogen my entire life. Let me explain. In my family growing up, there were two boys, three girls, then me at the end. My closest brother was 12 years older than me, so you can see there was a lot of estrogen surrounding me. Then, I got married and there was balance between the hormones. The balance was short lived as we added a dog to our family . . . a female dog. A short while later we added another female dog. I was losing this battle, and quickly. We then moved to Texas to open a wedding gown store. Um, can anyone say estrogen? Loads and loads of estrogen!!! If that wasn’t enough, Emily’s sister moved in with us. Then, her friend also moved in. Let’s pause and recap. On Team Testosterone . . . me. On Team Estrogen . . . Emily, Kyaha the dog, Paris the dog, Charmain the sister-in-law, Stephanie the sister-in-law’s friend, and ALL THOSE BRIDES (oh, and their mothers, grandmothers, bridesmaids, and other girlfriends). Yeah, I was truly losing the battle. Well, Stephanie moved out, then Charmain, then we got out of our wedding gown shop. The tide was starting to shift in my favor. Of course, that couldn’t last too long. After nine years of marriage we finally got a bun in the oven . . . it turned out to be a girl! I was certainly not disappointed in the least. Hannah has been and is the greatest blessing in my life next to my sweet, darling, sassy wife. I’m amazed at how much she has added to my life. However, in terms of my lifelong battle to even out the hormones in my life, it was just another nail in the coffin.
By the way, if you’ve ever wondered what specialty I’m going to pursue in medicine . . . it will NOT (can I make that any bigger?) be OB/GYN!
I finally have some help on the way to balance the hormones in the Lesher house!
Mar
13
mmm . . . i’m gonna miss the view
Filed Under family, happiness, life, saba, school, thoughts | 1 Comment
As my time on Saba draws to a close, people keep telling me to enjoy the time I have left. I understand what they’re saying. Many, if not most, students who come to this island to study medicine view Saba like a prison . . . something akin to Alcatraz. Now, if I were in San Francisco Bay, on Alcatraz island, locked in a cell . . . I’d be counting my days to get off. I do admit, I am counting the days a bit, but it’s not with excitement to get off this “rock”. I am excited for a few things back in the States, but for the most part I’m going to miss everything about this island . . . well not everything.
Emily wrote a post about things she’s going to miss and things she’s not going to miss. Here’s my list.
Things I won’t miss:
- The so called “fast” internet they have on Saba
- Not being able to buy fruit & vegetables every day I go to the store (only once a week – if you make it to the store before everyone else)
- Sitting in a classroom all day long, with the storm shudders closed, freezing cold air conditioning blasting, sitting in a seat built for a high school student
- Not being able to see my family with a greater frequency
Things I will miss:
- The view
- The warm weather
- The view
- Sitting on my patio watching the sky (and it’s reflection in the ocean) change a million different colors as the sun goes down
- The view
- Sitting on my patio at night under a cloudless star-filled sky – truly it’s AMAZING
- The view
- The quietness of this island
- The view
- The calmness of this island
- The view
- The fact that it takes 20 minutes to drive from one end of the island to the other
- The view
- The fact that there is no traffic whatsoever (unless you count getting stuck in Windwardside for 30 seconds while everybody figures out who gets to go first at the corner by Big Rock)
- The view
- Watching the sun rise over the ocean and then being able to go to Wells Bay later that day and see it set on the ocean
- The view
- Really, there are just too many things to list – I could go on and on
- I hate to be cliché, but did I mention, the view is INCREDIBLE?!
So, I love this island and feel, as my time grows to a close, I’ve really taken advantage of pretty much every day I’ve been here. I don’t think one day has passed that I haven’t paused for a moment to appreciate THE VIEW!!! I do have to say, though, that what I treasure most about this island is the perspective it has taught me about life and family. This will have to be another post by itself, but Saba has taught me what is most important in life and how to appreciate it.
That’s St. Barths on the horizon . . . yeah, I’m gonna miss that view!
Mar
8
the inside of my head
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There’s only been one time in my life I’ve been consistent at keeping a journal. Right now, that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but the other day Emily was explaining to me how she envisions her blog in the future. A record for our kids to read about the early part of their life. It will also provide a window into our lives for them to see us as something other than parents.
This conversation really got me thinking about the direction of my own blog. Although I’m currently just writing to the empty space of the internet, I’d like for it to hold some actual value and purpose . . . something other than taking up space in the nebulous world of cyberspace. That purpose, as I see it (and inspired by Emily) is a record for my children. My life as I see it.
I remember reading a few journal entries my mom wrote around the time I was born. It was really fun to peek into her mind at a time she didn’t know me. It really meant a lot to me. So, hopefully someday in the distant future, Hannah and her siblings (number to be determined) will be reading these posts and will be able to appreciate who I am as seen from a different perspective – one that’s a little closer to the inside of my head.
Feb
19
I took my fifth semester, block two exams today. It seemed kind of monumental as I thought about it. I have one block left on this island of paradise. After all the time we’ve spent on this island, our time is quickly growing to a close and I’m starting to get a little nostalgic. Emily has been talking a lot lately about how our time is growing short. In fact, just the other day we were taking a little walk down the road and she said, “You know, we don’t have too many more opportunities like this.” Step out the door, and walk down the street with a billion dollar view! It’s hard to believe our time on Saba is drawing to a close. We’ve extended our say on this island by splitting up a couple semesters and I know I’ve certainly enjoyed the extra time I’ve been able to spend with my family in the Caribbean (especially as our family and friends are getting dumped on with snow). I am excited, however, to be moving on to the next phase in our lives. The next chapter . . . a new adventure.
I’m sure in many ways, it will still be exciting as we move back to the United States, but I will alway look back on our time in the Caribbean with fondness. I’ve really tried to take the proverbial time to “smell the flowers”. The journey has certainly been sweet. I’m going to make the best of my time left!
Jun
19
healthy body
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Wow! What a day. I had another round of exams today. It wasn’t pretty, but I’m getting through. I’m currently taking Pathology, Pharmacology, and Physical Diagnosis. Pathology and Pharmacology are both very difficult classes due to the shear volume of material I’m expected to internalize within a three week period of time, (the length of our blocks). Physical Diagnosis is a bit easier for me as it’s a little more hands on. It adds another mode of learning for me that I feel comes a bit easier than gleaning all my knowledge from a book. The classes have been very interesting. I’ve learned a lot, but have struggled at times with the tremendous amount of tiny details, (but I guess that’s why I grow in knowledge). The big picture has become more and more clear as my time in basic sciences has progressed. The human body is truly an amazing thing. I marvel at the way it is able to, when functioning normally, maintain our temperature, pH, and all the other inter-environmental factors in line as we go throughout our daily lives . . . not giving two thoughts to our breathing . . . or our heart beating, etc. Truly spectacular! It really makes me grateful to be healthy.
Jun
11
misc hello
Filed Under emily, hannah, happiness, thoughts, weather | Leave a Comment
Another beautiful day in the Caribbean! Over the past several weeks, I’ve been saying that to myself at least once a day while looking out over the ocean from our patio. The weather has become a bit warmer during the day, but it usually cools down as the sun ducks behind Mt. Scenery. The clouds are starting to produce a bit of lightning and thunder. The sky, ocean, and view are just breathtaking! I still find it hard to believe I live in the Caribbean. I’ve certainly become accustomed to this simple, slow-paced lifestyle in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It will be hard to leave.
This semester has certainly taken its toll on me so far . . . and I’m only five weeks into it. I’m completely overwhelmed by two of my classes . . . Pathology and Pharmacology. The good thing is that Emily has dedicated herself to helping me learn the endless list of drugs, their applications, side effects, and all the other minutia required by the curriculum. I’ve really enjoyed having her help me study. It reminds me of when we worked at our wedding gown store together. I love spending time with my wife! Anyway, it’s really been helping me remember the drugs as I have someone to which I can explain the mechanisms etc. Studying with her has also freed up a bit of my time as my studying has become more efficient.
Hannah is growing faster than ever! She’s about 10.5 months old. She’s got two teeth visible on the bottom, and two on the top that have recently broken the surface. They’re not quite visible without close inspection. She’s not yet walking . . . but she’s getting close. She pulls herself up on anything she crawls up to . . . the couch, chairs, the wall, and even our sliding glass door. (That’s one of my favorites!) When she pulls herself up to the chairs around the table, she likes to yank on them and move them around. She doesn’t move them very far, but she gets the most triumphant look on her face . . . kinda like, “Look Dad, I’ve just moved the house!” She’s added so much joy and depth to our lives. I can’t imagine not having her in our family.
Well, that’s about all the free time I have today. From the Caribbean . . . smile!
Mar
21
the journey
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Just a quick note about my little friend at the top of the page. It is a Saban Anole. There are many different kinds of Anoles in the world, but this type is unique to Saba. Monday morning last week I was enjoying the beautiful morning weather when I noticed this little critter in a bucket we use to capture condensation from our air conditioner. At a first glance, I thought it was dead. I nudged the bucket and it started moving, (I actually think it’s a female . . . so I’ll call it a she). I was amazed how she was just floating . . . trying to keep her nose above the water. I imagine she had been there for quite a while. She must have been trying to leap from one surface to another when she lost footing and did a swan dive into our little bucket. The overnight temperatures right now are dipping to a chilly 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Being a cold blooded creature she was getting pretty lethargic in that nippy water. I started to pour out the water to save my new little friend. Once she hit the ground, she just sat there . . . motionless. I reached down to see if she’d run away, like they normally do, but she actually crawled up on my hand. Then, I tried to get her to crawl onto the railing in the sun so she could warm up, but she wouldn’t move. I placed her on the railing and decided to take advantage of a perfect Kodak moment.
I was able to get many close-up pictures of her, but something seemed to be amiss. She was moving slower and slower and although she was getting warmer, she wasn’t becoming more alert. I became concerned for her and tried to find a nice spot for her to convalesce. I came back in a few minutes and she hadn’t moved. In fact, I was unable to detect any breathing which had been previously evident. My heart sank. All the knowledge I’ve been gaining in medical school couldn’t help her live. I started thinking about how long she must have spent in the bucket of water . . . trying to get out with all her might. Draining from her muscles every last molecule of energy. I imagine I’d do the same thing finding myself in a similar situation.
These thoughts made me think about situations I will encounter as a future physician. If not in my practice, I will encounter death during my clinical rotations. Death is a large part of medicine. We do everything we can to push it back as far as possible. We learn and study about how the body functions from the smallest known particle through the interactions of humans and the world around them. One more day. One more week. One more month. One more year. Life expectancy has certainly increased in the United States, but one thing is certain. Everyone will eventually check out of this life. I’ve often heard the phrase, “. . . the only things constant in life are death and taxes.” A true statement, but it still doesn’t make the transition any easier. Nobody can explain to you what it will feel like to die. Where you will be focusing your attention and thoughts when death is knocking on your door. Although, I imagine I’ll be thinking about my loved ones . . . which reminds me of another trite expression. “When you’re lying on your death bed, I doubt you’ll be wishing you spent more time at the office,” . . . or working on your hobby . . . or watching more TV. It may be trite, but I’d imagine it can’t be too far off base. I guess what I’m trying to say is . . . take a few minutes and think about your life. Stop whatever you’re doing and ask yourself, “What is really important?” Is it your status at the office? Is it how you compare to your neighbors? Is it what you do and don’t have in your possession? We’ll all be a little better off if we appreciate the things we have and express our gratitude to those who mean the most in our lives. Enjoy where you are and slow down a few notches. The world is passing by far too quickly, and the journey can be truly amazing!