UNCOMMON CENTS 90

WHAT USE IS SCHOLARLY JARGON? READING IT I JUST PICK AND CHOOSE THE WORDS THAT LEAP AT ME OFF THE PAGE. A SHAKESPEAREAN SCHOLAR CRITIQUING ANOTHER SHAKESPEAREAN SCHOLAR SAID, "ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO SEEK PLEASURE FROM PLEASURE. YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE DESTABILIZING TRUTH OF BEAUTY. THE PRICE IS TOO HIGH, THE ABYSS TOO TERRIFYINGLY BOTTOMLESS. " WHAT DOES THIS ACADEMIC’S OBSCURITY MEAN? I NOTE THE WORDS, HOPE, PLEASURE, TRUTH, BEAUTY AND PRICE, WHICH ROLLED INTO ONE EQUAL THE ENTERPRISE OF MAKING MONEY. WHAT A HIGH THAT CAN BE! WHAT A HIGH IT COULD BE FOR YOU TOO. FROM MY FIRST DOLLAR COLLECTED AT A YARD SALE THROUGH THE FIRST HUNDRED EARNED FROM A RETAIL SALE TO THE LAST MONTH’S INCOME AFTER THE STATE BUSINESS TAX WAS PAID, EARNING MONEY SANS DEBT WAS HIGHLY PLEASURABLE!

THE COMPULSION (NECESSITY) TO MAKE HONEST MONEY WAS INGRAINED IN THE PIONEER SPIRIT OF AMERICA. SAVING WAS EMINENTLY HARDER THEN THAN IT IS TODAY. TAKE AN EXAMPLE OF MULTIPLE B'S. THE 5TH CHILD OF A PIONEER FAMILY OF 9 WAS A BOY. IN 1825, THE BOY GROWN INTO A MAN KILLED 58 BEARS TO MAKE A LIVING. IN 1826, THE MAN ALREADY A FATHER, COMMISSIONED BOATS TO TRANSPORT 30,000 CYPRESS BARREL STAVES THAT HE CREATED TO MARKET. STAVES AND BOATS TRAGICALLY DROWNED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS ENTREPRENEUR WAS NOW BANKRUPT, SO HE KILLED 48 MORE BEAR TO KEEP HIS FAMILY AFLOAT. EFFORTS TO MAKE A LIVING PERSISTED UNTIL DAVY CROCKETT VOLUNTEERED TO ATTEND A STANDOFF AT THE ALAMO, WHEREUPON HE ENTERED HISTORY AND HIS PERSONA BECAME A LEGENDARY MONEY MAKING INDUSTRY. THE STRING OF B'S - BOY, BEARS, BARRELS, BOATS, BANKRUPT - REPRESENT ANOTHER B, THE BEAUTY OF PERSEVERANCE.

HINT: MAKING MONEY, SAVING MONEY, INVESTING MONEY IS EASIER THAN EVER IN 2007. STUDYING HISTORY AND THE LIVES OF EARLY PIONEERS AND FRONTIERSMAN SHOULD INSPIRE US SPOILED AMERICANS WITH HOPE. THE PRICE OF ADMISSION TO THE PLEASURE, TRUTH, BEAUTY AND A BETTER LIFE NOW AND IN RETIREMENT IS MANAGING YOUR MONEY.