I think the outsourcing trend is coming to an end, as the dollar looses value - it no longer pays. As far as outsourcing your life tasks, that doesn't work either because working at home includes time with your family and gas and taxes are driving up the cost of outsourcing. For example, your can cut your grass or clean your house with your family vs. going to work and hiring it out.
So, the more you work outside the home, the more you get behind with your family and your money. This trend is likely to reduce the service sector of the economy that has been growing for decades. Outsourcing your life is part of the old economy. The new economy is about doing more for yourself.
I too think this really depends on where you live. The quality where I am (Washington DC) is really much higher than in any grocery store. I spend about $20-$25 a week for produce, including tomatoes, apples, pears, strawberries, cantalope, potatoes, red and green peppers, grapes, occasional watermelon, and other non produce like fresh pasta, sauces, and bakery items. I know that whatever I pick up is going to taste great when I get home (which I can't say is true for store bought items). For me where I live this is the best option for us. I also however spread out my shopping, between generally 4 places none of which only one is a large chain store and then it's only for frozen items (my son loves waffles) and beverages. I spend about $100 a week on groceries for my family of 4, and we usually only eat actual food, not processed - no boxes or cans for me!
I agree to nothing on the spot. That goes for donations, petitions or political action. This seems to make phone and street canvassers really huffy, even if I do it in a polite way.
We ditched out landline recently. Even with an unlisted number the cable company sold our number to a bunch of places. We were getting telemarketing calls the morning our phone was turned on. So after six months of telemarketers and "unknown number" calls on a line that less than 10 people had the number for we ditched it.
Now I am getting this junk on my cell phone. I made the mistake of giving a political campaign my phone number so one local organizer could contact me. Now with an upcoming primary my phone is ringing all the time with unknown numbers that don't come up on an internet search of the number. I only answer numbers I already have in my phone book.
It really depends on the item and time of year. The organic stand at our farmers market that carries lots of heirloom items is usually much higher than the grocery store. But you also can't find many of those things at a grocery store.
But in August you can get an apple box full of canning tomatoes for $20 from the same stand. Most of the tomatoes are perfectly good for slicing, the rest we roast in the oven covered in olive oil and freeze if they last long enough to make it there.
We find zuchinni and cukes dirt cheap around the end of the summer. It seems like there are some items that are way higher just because they are not quite plentiful.
Don't worry, the prices will get better. I'm a regular farmer's market shopper for a reason. This is a really bad time of year to do a comparison.
I like the idea about asking about damaged produce. Here's another: Go right before closing. Some items may be sold out or picked over, but generally farmers would rather sell them at a lower price than pack them up and take them home.
There is a year-round farmer's market very close to where I live. One day I decided to write down the prices and then compare them at my normal grocery store (Meijer).
On the whole, most produce was much more reasonable than the chain grocery. However, there were some items (such as bulk portabella mushroom caps) that were a lot more pricey.
For the non-produce items that the market has, Meijer wins hands down.
My strategy has been to get produce from the market and the rest of my items from Meijer. However, with gas prices going up I may try to get everything at the farmer's market--it's probably no more than a 10 minute walk from my apartment.
I find that my family becomes invested in what we find at the farmer's market. We'll make a concentrated effort to make delicious things with these ingredients, and to make sure not one bit of it goes to waste. Since we are also building better meals than we would otherwise, we are learning to cook with vegetables we wouldn't necessarily try otherwise, and it becomes a fun, family event to do so, I don't mind the slight increase in price for local, organic food.
It's important to remember that not all price rises are inflation. Inflation is the money becoming less valuable. Sometimes, though, price increases are something different. Sometimes, they're an indication that people are becoming poorer.
Right now, for example, a good bit of the price increase that we're seeing is not inflation--it's the US domestic price effects of formerly poor countries like China and India becoming better off due to trade and investment. In a world where there are resource constraints (i.e. the real world), that inevitably results in formerly rich countries getting a little poorer.
Since the symptom is the same in both cases--rising prices--it's hard to know which of those two things is happening. And, in fact, I've got no doubt that both are going on. (I don't have a good handle on how much of the present surge in prices is due to which cause, though.)
To the extent that it's just inflation, we know how to stop that--reduce the growth in the money supply. That was proven in the 1980s--if they want to, the Fed can always stop inflation, no matter what's happening with other factors. (In particular, the government deficit hit record highs all through the period when the inflation rate was being brought down.)
The problem is, to the extent that what we're seeing isn't just inflation, but rather is an actual decline in standards of living (due to globalization and resource limits), shrinking the growth in the money supply won't help. (In fact, it'd do a lot of harm.) Since it's hard to tweeze those two things apart, the Fed is really groping for the right policy.
I think 20% inflation is very unlikely. Thirty years ago, an inflation rate well under 15% was enough to produce a dramatic change in monetary policy. I don't think the economy (or political system) is any better positioned to tolerate such high rates of inflation now than it was then.
Whoever's getting 3 kohlrabi for $1 (as in the picture), I'm jealous. They're usually 69 euro-cents a piece here (in Munich). Sometimes as low as 39, but even that's over 50 US cents.
Another thing that should come into the equation is nutrients. A locally-grown veggie is fresher and therefore likely to contain a lot more of the good stuff your body needs than the store vegetables which were shipped in from far away and are old. So in theory, you should be able to make do with less of the farmer's market stuff and still give your body what it needs.
You can definitely expect to see prices. For example, tomatoes always start out high when they begin coming in around very late July or early August, and then drop when the supply increases into August.
Another possibility of getting a better deal is to ask farmers if they have some damaged produce they'll let go for a lower price. Often the damage is just cosmetic.
my coworker and i was just talking about the farmers market today and this evening i stumbled upon your post.
very interesting. :) i love to shop at our local farmers market too and i pay less than my average groceries stores. like strawberries are $1 to $1.5 a basket and cherries are $1.99 a pound, asparagus $2 a brunch and baby bokchoy $1 a brunch.
Wow, Nora, I'm really impressed with what you've done. You always challenge me with your articles, and with how you live. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts!
Thanks for the analogy, Curt ...and the "shadow" link.... It seems right on.
The chart with the synthetic M3 spike tells the story.
I believe that the 8% is probably right for today, but in the geometric progression scenario, it might become 20%, or 40% or more.
The government numbers do not address the actual debt, and don't even take into consideration the forward budget deficits. Even worse, there is not even a "shadow" figure for the potential dollars in hedge and derivative funds. While no definitive offical estimate exists, some of the "bear" experts suggest a probable additional downside of 500 Billion to 1.3 Trillion in unresolved debt in the private sector.
As the Fed "talks" a rational policy, the facts say differently. The FED "Rate" as a means to influence the economy may be passe.
We'll have to watch the commodity markets for the coming weeks. If the current speculative growth should continue, double digit inflation may end up looking good. Some parts of the commodity market have reached 100% to 200% increases, in less than 2 years. These increase do not exist in a vacuum.
There are many ways to say that everything is going to become more expensive. Devluation of the dollar, increased personal debt, reduction of asset values, inflation... words that lead to the same end.
Crystal ball? My guess is 20% inflation by years end. Eventually, wages will rise... The losers will be those on fixed income.
The best indicator will be whether the banks and brokers can weather the storm. All bets are off, if the hedge funds deflate, and credit derivative swaps implode. In that case, buy a wheelbarrow to carry in the money for that loaf of bread.
If galloping inflation happens, it may be 7 to 10 years before the US economy recovers.
An interesting example of a culture that has actually _lost touch_ with its frugal, healthy roots is Greece. The Greeks traditionally ate mostly vegetables, including a lot of legumes, and also a lot of fish if they lived on the coast, while eating meat only occasionally, like on holidays; cheese and eggs would supplement the nutrients lacking in vegetables. Half the year they would abstain from all animal products except seafood for religious reasons. But as they became more affluent, they have started eating meat every day, and I think this is because there was never a principled objection to meat; rather, meat was associated with prosperity, so as people got more prosperous they ate more of it simply because they could.
That being said, the Greeks still have a strong tradition of good vegetarian and seafood dishes to fall back on when they decide to stop following the American trend of constant meat-eating.
I don't plan on ever paying tax on my traditional 401(k) plan withdrawals.
Well before I need to start withdrawals, I'm expatriating to another country with minimal residency requirements - and once you've been there 5 years, you can apply for citizenship.
After I get my second passport, it's good bye to U.S. citizenship.
Like most countries other than the U.S., my new home doesn't tax pension or other retirement income, and it doesn't tax any income earned outside the country.
I'll have my 401(k), Social Security, any pension, and *all* the earnings from other investments completely tax free.
There are many countries out there who want first world (U.S, Canadian, European) retired expats for the steady income they bring.
I had never heard of this website before and so i went and had a look for myself as i liked the idea that the goods were not the usual run of the mill mass produced items.
I really liked it and think that i will put it on my favourite list. Thanks for letting us know about it.
4% in 2006 - and this is the product, not inclusive of CEO salaries and all the junk that political pundits will tell you.
The 4% is largely due to better than expected underwriting [some companies have negative experience, some have positive] or from investment income derived by the timing of receipt of premiums and payment of claims.
Insurance is so high because (i) our administrative costs are almost 25%. Taiwan has a system where they put your medical history on a credit card and you use that - completely paperless and their admin costs are about 3%. and (ii) malpractice insurance is 10X more than our European counterparts. All doctors must carry this insurance. This gets passed on to the consumer eventually, through our premiums. Eliminate frivolous lawsuits, and you decrease your premiums substantially.
"Government care (at least in America) is not the same quality of care you'd get through private insurance"
I'm wondering what support you have for this statement?
My mother is permanently disabled and on Medicare and had a $100k surgery paid for by the government, at a cost to her of just $2k. This was a surgery directly related to improving her quality of life, in association with her disability. She had this surgery at the University of Pennsylvania hospital.
Subsequent to this, the government paid for her to go to the Princeton Drug Rehabilitation center to eliminate her dependency on pain killers she took for said disability. This cost her just $1k.
The quality of care she has received under the government tab is equal to the best care you can possibly receive in this nation. I'm afraid that you have not a clue to actual facts when you made this statement.
Having lived in the UK, there are 2 systems, the NHS [government system] and private insurance that anyone who can afford gets. Separately from this, the entire system is a post code lottery. The better hospitals are in the rich areas. Even still, these "rich" hospitals are nothing in comparison to even your mid-level hospitals in the US.
To get this sub-par system, the UK citizens are taxed at 11% [Medicare is at a rate of 1.45%].
I suspect you have absolutely no real idea of what a national healthcare system is, other than watching some lame, one sided movie.
Admittedly, I am conservatively leaning in my political views but even my most liberal friends who live here in the UK and Europe in general largely agree that a national healthcare system is NOT superior to the system we have in the US and is not the cure to the US's woes. Some simple internet searches will do more than prove this statement accurate.
College tuition will not cost $400,000 in 18 years.
Kids don't need their own room, nor do they need to live in the "right" school district to get an education, though parents often use those reasons as excuses to buy that McMansion they've been craving.
Yes, your kids will treat college as a 4, 5, or 6 year vacation if they have nothing invested in it.
I went to the most expensive college in my state (http://www.davidson.edu) and saw plenty of unmotivated kids waste their parents' money year after year.
I adore Etsy. I started out as a buyer several years ago. I love that everything is unique and that the money goes directly to the creator of the object. It made me feel good about buying presents again. Then I decided to start selling my stuff and I'm having a lot of fun designing and creating.
I think the potential for profit depends on what you are selling however. I sell baby accessories like diaper bags and baby blankets; I'm certainly not the only one either. I have to market my shop considerably. It's not without efforet, but it is enjoyable.
Hydrogen peroxide on blood stains works very well. Just pour on stain and it will start to bubble and you will watch the stain go away. Then throw in wash or give a rinse.
Hairspray works really well on ink stains. Just spray and you will see the ink go away.
If you have black streaking on your trailer it is because water is dripping from the roof of your trailer onto the sides. If you create a ledge from the roof out an inch or so then the water does not have the opportunity to drip down the sides.
Sometimes it can be as simple as clothes pinning or clamping a plastic card in the spot where water is dripping down the side.
Thank you Emma. Your point does not go unnoticed. I guess you can see I could still stand to learn from my own lessons! It is one of the hardest things I've had to learn yet, and I'm still a student. It gets pretty lonely here in this corner of the world.
I let one of these organizations "connect me to my local Congressman." I figured it would be his office phone, where I would politely leave my thoughts on the matter involved. Turns out it was his personal phone. I heard his kids in the background. How embarrassing. I apologized profusely and warned him about what was happening.
Nora, sorry to be dumb; what is ngo?
I always enjoy your posts and learn a lot also.
The last time I bought it at the farmers market it was a bunch of 3 for $2.99, i.e., $1 EACH!
I think the outsourcing trend is coming to an end, as the dollar looses value - it no longer pays. As far as outsourcing your life tasks, that doesn't work either because working at home includes time with your family and gas and taxes are driving up the cost of outsourcing. For example, your can cut your grass or clean your house with your family vs. going to work and hiring it out.
So, the more you work outside the home, the more you get behind with your family and your money. This trend is likely to reduce the service sector of the economy that has been growing for decades. Outsourcing your life is part of the old economy. The new economy is about doing more for yourself.
I too think this really depends on where you live. The quality where I am (Washington DC) is really much higher than in any grocery store. I spend about $20-$25 a week for produce, including tomatoes, apples, pears, strawberries, cantalope, potatoes, red and green peppers, grapes, occasional watermelon, and other non produce like fresh pasta, sauces, and bakery items. I know that whatever I pick up is going to taste great when I get home (which I can't say is true for store bought items). For me where I live this is the best option for us. I also however spread out my shopping, between generally 4 places none of which only one is a large chain store and then it's only for frozen items (my son loves waffles) and beverages. I spend about $100 a week on groceries for my family of 4, and we usually only eat actual food, not processed - no boxes or cans for me!
I agree to nothing on the spot. That goes for donations, petitions or political action. This seems to make phone and street canvassers really huffy, even if I do it in a polite way.
We ditched out landline recently. Even with an unlisted number the cable company sold our number to a bunch of places. We were getting telemarketing calls the morning our phone was turned on. So after six months of telemarketers and "unknown number" calls on a line that less than 10 people had the number for we ditched it.
Now I am getting this junk on my cell phone. I made the mistake of giving a political campaign my phone number so one local organizer could contact me. Now with an upcoming primary my phone is ringing all the time with unknown numbers that don't come up on an internet search of the number. I only answer numbers I already have in my phone book.
It really depends on the item and time of year. The organic stand at our farmers market that carries lots of heirloom items is usually much higher than the grocery store. But you also can't find many of those things at a grocery store.
But in August you can get an apple box full of canning tomatoes for $20 from the same stand. Most of the tomatoes are perfectly good for slicing, the rest we roast in the oven covered in olive oil and freeze if they last long enough to make it there.
We find zuchinni and cukes dirt cheap around the end of the summer. It seems like there are some items that are way higher just because they are not quite plentiful.
Don't worry, the prices will get better. I'm a regular farmer's market shopper for a reason. This is a really bad time of year to do a comparison.
I like the idea about asking about damaged produce. Here's another: Go right before closing. Some items may be sold out or picked over, but generally farmers would rather sell them at a lower price than pack them up and take them home.
There is a year-round farmer's market very close to where I live. One day I decided to write down the prices and then compare them at my normal grocery store (Meijer).
On the whole, most produce was much more reasonable than the chain grocery. However, there were some items (such as bulk portabella mushroom caps) that were a lot more pricey.
For the non-produce items that the market has, Meijer wins hands down.
My strategy has been to get produce from the market and the rest of my items from Meijer. However, with gas prices going up I may try to get everything at the farmer's market--it's probably no more than a 10 minute walk from my apartment.
I find that my family becomes invested in what we find at the farmer's market. We'll make a concentrated effort to make delicious things with these ingredients, and to make sure not one bit of it goes to waste. Since we are also building better meals than we would otherwise, we are learning to cook with vegetables we wouldn't necessarily try otherwise, and it becomes a fun, family event to do so, I don't mind the slight increase in price for local, organic food.
It's important to remember that not all price rises are inflation. Inflation is the money becoming less valuable. Sometimes, though, price increases are something different. Sometimes, they're an indication that people are becoming poorer.
Right now, for example, a good bit of the price increase that we're seeing is not inflation--it's the US domestic price effects of formerly poor countries like China and India becoming better off due to trade and investment. In a world where there are resource constraints (i.e. the real world), that inevitably results in formerly rich countries getting a little poorer.
Since the symptom is the same in both cases--rising prices--it's hard to know which of those two things is happening. And, in fact, I've got no doubt that both are going on. (I don't have a good handle on how much of the present surge in prices is due to which cause, though.)
To the extent that it's just inflation, we know how to stop that--reduce the growth in the money supply. That was proven in the 1980s--if they want to, the Fed can always stop inflation, no matter what's happening with other factors. (In particular, the government deficit hit record highs all through the period when the inflation rate was being brought down.)
The problem is, to the extent that what we're seeing isn't just inflation, but rather is an actual decline in standards of living (due to globalization and resource limits), shrinking the growth in the money supply won't help. (In fact, it'd do a lot of harm.) Since it's hard to tweeze those two things apart, the Fed is really groping for the right policy.
I think 20% inflation is very unlikely. Thirty years ago, an inflation rate well under 15% was enough to produce a dramatic change in monetary policy. I don't think the economy (or political system) is any better positioned to tolerate such high rates of inflation now than it was then.
Whoever's getting 3 kohlrabi for $1 (as in the picture), I'm jealous. They're usually 69 euro-cents a piece here (in Munich). Sometimes as low as 39, but even that's over 50 US cents.
Another thing that should come into the equation is nutrients. A locally-grown veggie is fresher and therefore likely to contain a lot more of the good stuff your body needs than the store vegetables which were shipped in from far away and are old. So in theory, you should be able to make do with less of the farmer's market stuff and still give your body what it needs.
You can definitely expect to see prices. For example, tomatoes always start out high when they begin coming in around very late July or early August, and then drop when the supply increases into August.
Another possibility of getting a better deal is to ask farmers if they have some damaged produce they'll let go for a lower price. Often the damage is just cosmetic.
my coworker and i was just talking about the farmers market today and this evening i stumbled upon your post.
very interesting. :) i love to shop at our local farmers market too and i pay less than my average groceries stores. like strawberries are $1 to $1.5 a basket and cherries are $1.99 a pound, asparagus $2 a brunch and baby bokchoy $1 a brunch.
Wow, Nora, I'm really impressed with what you've done. You always challenge me with your articles, and with how you live. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts!
Thanks for the analogy, Curt ...and the "shadow" link.... It seems right on.
The chart with the synthetic M3 spike tells the story.
I believe that the 8% is probably right for today, but in the geometric progression scenario, it might become 20%, or 40% or more.
The government numbers do not address the actual debt, and don't even take into consideration the forward budget deficits. Even worse, there is not even a "shadow" figure for the potential dollars in hedge and derivative funds. While no definitive offical estimate exists, some of the "bear" experts suggest a probable additional downside of 500 Billion to 1.3 Trillion in unresolved debt in the private sector.
As the Fed "talks" a rational policy, the facts say differently. The FED "Rate" as a means to influence the economy may be passe.
We'll have to watch the commodity markets for the coming weeks. If the current speculative growth should continue, double digit inflation may end up looking good. Some parts of the commodity market have reached 100% to 200% increases, in less than 2 years. These increase do not exist in a vacuum.
There are many ways to say that everything is going to become more expensive. Devluation of the dollar, increased personal debt, reduction of asset values, inflation... words that lead to the same end.
Crystal ball? My guess is 20% inflation by years end. Eventually, wages will rise... The losers will be those on fixed income.
The best indicator will be whether the banks and brokers can weather the storm. All bets are off, if the hedge funds deflate, and credit derivative swaps implode. In that case, buy a wheelbarrow to carry in the money for that loaf of bread.
If galloping inflation happens, it may be 7 to 10 years before the US economy recovers.
I really hope I'm wrong!
An interesting example of a culture that has actually _lost touch_ with its frugal, healthy roots is Greece. The Greeks traditionally ate mostly vegetables, including a lot of legumes, and also a lot of fish if they lived on the coast, while eating meat only occasionally, like on holidays; cheese and eggs would supplement the nutrients lacking in vegetables. Half the year they would abstain from all animal products except seafood for religious reasons. But as they became more affluent, they have started eating meat every day, and I think this is because there was never a principled objection to meat; rather, meat was associated with prosperity, so as people got more prosperous they ate more of it simply because they could.
That being said, the Greeks still have a strong tradition of good vegetarian and seafood dishes to fall back on when they decide to stop following the American trend of constant meat-eating.
I don't plan on ever paying tax on my traditional 401(k) plan withdrawals.
Well before I need to start withdrawals, I'm expatriating to another country with minimal residency requirements - and once you've been there 5 years, you can apply for citizenship.
After I get my second passport, it's good bye to U.S. citizenship.
Like most countries other than the U.S., my new home doesn't tax pension or other retirement income, and it doesn't tax any income earned outside the country.
I'll have my 401(k), Social Security, any pension, and *all* the earnings from other investments completely tax free.
There are many countries out there who want first world (U.S, Canadian, European) retired expats for the steady income they bring.
I had never heard of this website before and so i went and had a look for myself as i liked the idea that the goods were not the usual run of the mill mass produced items.
I really liked it and think that i will put it on my favourite list. Thanks for letting us know about it.
"Private insurance pulls 40% out of what we all pay in for profit and insane CEO salaries. "
This is a lie, where is the support?
http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services/4552511-1.html
4% in 2006 - and this is the product, not inclusive of CEO salaries and all the junk that political pundits will tell you.
The 4% is largely due to better than expected underwriting [some companies have negative experience, some have positive] or from investment income derived by the timing of receipt of premiums and payment of claims.
Insurance is so high because (i) our administrative costs are almost 25%. Taiwan has a system where they put your medical history on a credit card and you use that - completely paperless and their admin costs are about 3%. and (ii) malpractice insurance is 10X more than our European counterparts. All doctors must carry this insurance. This gets passed on to the consumer eventually, through our premiums. Eliminate frivolous lawsuits, and you decrease your premiums substantially.
"Government care (at least in America) is not the same quality of care you'd get through private insurance"
I'm wondering what support you have for this statement?
My mother is permanently disabled and on Medicare and had a $100k surgery paid for by the government, at a cost to her of just $2k. This was a surgery directly related to improving her quality of life, in association with her disability. She had this surgery at the University of Pennsylvania hospital.
Subsequent to this, the government paid for her to go to the Princeton Drug Rehabilitation center to eliminate her dependency on pain killers she took for said disability. This cost her just $1k.
The quality of care she has received under the government tab is equal to the best care you can possibly receive in this nation. I'm afraid that you have not a clue to actual facts when you made this statement.
Having lived in the UK, there are 2 systems, the NHS [government system] and private insurance that anyone who can afford gets. Separately from this, the entire system is a post code lottery. The better hospitals are in the rich areas. Even still, these "rich" hospitals are nothing in comparison to even your mid-level hospitals in the US.
To get this sub-par system, the UK citizens are taxed at 11% [Medicare is at a rate of 1.45%].
I suspect you have absolutely no real idea of what a national healthcare system is, other than watching some lame, one sided movie.
Admittedly, I am conservatively leaning in my political views but even my most liberal friends who live here in the UK and Europe in general largely agree that a national healthcare system is NOT superior to the system we have in the US and is not the cure to the US's woes. Some simple internet searches will do more than prove this statement accurate.
College tuition will not cost $400,000 in 18 years.
Kids don't need their own room, nor do they need to live in the "right" school district to get an education, though parents often use those reasons as excuses to buy that McMansion they've been craving.
Yes, your kids will treat college as a 4, 5, or 6 year vacation if they have nothing invested in it.
I went to the most expensive college in my state (http://www.davidson.edu) and saw plenty of unmotivated kids waste their parents' money year after year.
I adore Etsy. I started out as a buyer several years ago. I love that everything is unique and that the money goes directly to the creator of the object. It made me feel good about buying presents again. Then I decided to start selling my stuff and I'm having a lot of fun designing and creating.
I think the potential for profit depends on what you are selling however. I sell baby accessories like diaper bags and baby blankets; I'm certainly not the only one either. I have to market my shop considerably. It's not without efforet, but it is enjoyable.
Hydrogen peroxide on blood stains works very well. Just pour on stain and it will start to bubble and you will watch the stain go away. Then throw in wash or give a rinse.
Hairspray works really well on ink stains. Just spray and you will see the ink go away.
If you have black streaking on your trailer it is because water is dripping from the roof of your trailer onto the sides. If you create a ledge from the roof out an inch or so then the water does not have the opportunity to drip down the sides.
Sometimes it can be as simple as clothes pinning or clamping a plastic card in the spot where water is dripping down the side.
Thank you Emma. Your point does not go unnoticed. I guess you can see I could still stand to learn from my own lessons! It is one of the hardest things I've had to learn yet, and I'm still a student. It gets pretty lonely here in this corner of the world.
I let one of these organizations "connect me to my local Congressman." I figured it would be his office phone, where I would politely leave my thoughts on the matter involved. Turns out it was his personal phone. I heard his kids in the background. How embarrassing. I apologized profusely and warned him about what was happening.