I Won!!

I found out yesterday that I won a pennyweight of gold in a raffle that was held in California. I contributed to the legal fund of a club named "The New 49'ers". I won one of the consolation prizes of 1 pennyweight of gold. I called them and they said that they would be sending it out next week. That is the first time that I've won anything for the last 30 or 40 years. A pennyweight is 1/20 of an ounce of gold and worth about $64.
I'm hoping that this shows a turnaround in my life. I've been doing a lot of spiritual studying lately and maybe it is starting to show.
I was also told that my school will be paid for by Experience Works; and I'll be getting paid to learn Spanish. I figure that Spanish will help me wherever I end up.
The other night I went to Wal-Mart and bought a .22 rifle. I now have a complete arsenal. I can use the .22 to hunt for rabbits and squirrels if it comes to that. The Mosin is too large for squirrels and is most useful if there is a war. I might need it for bears that I might encounter panning for gold. The 12 gauge shotgun can be used for pheasants and rabbits, as well as geese and ducks. I need to get some ammunition but that is relatively inexpensive.
I'm taking a lot of test for Experience Works. So far, I've passed them all except for the English test (which I retook and passed the second time).
I'm going to mark down the etchings that I'm showing at Java Johns for "Ridiculous Days". That's an annual celebration we have here where the merchants take their goods out to the streets. I'm marking them down by about thirty percent to move them.

Collier and Focus

I've been reading "The Life Magnet" by Robert Collier. In a few of the later chapters, he discusses the importance of having focus in one's life. He seemed to feel that it's important to keep a goal in life to maintain your health and youth. In fact, he believed that the key to longevity was to be future-oriented.
His position was that as long as you kept working for something in the future your body would regenerate and you would stay young. He maintained that since every cell in your body would be replaced in 11 months, that you are constantly renewing anyway. He felt that the reason we got old and sick was that we lost our focus on the future. When we lose our hope and focus our bodies start to betray us. It might be small at first but it accumulates and eventually we get old and die.
I feel that I've been going through that process, lately.
It started when I lost $7500 on the stock market. Of course, I've been losing large sums of money on the market for some time, but things really deteriorated when I borrowed money to trade the market, last year. After losing that money I came down with shingles. Then I had to move while I had shingles.
Life has been pretty adverse since then.
It has forced me to go back to studying Christian Science and to read a lot of metaphysical books, like the ones by Collier. The process of becoming more spiritual has been similar to steering an oil tanker. It takes a while for the changes to become apparent. I do think I'm making progress.
I have a new job and I'm making headway on paying down my loans. I have more silver and gold for the pending economic collapse. I now have 2 guns, again for the economic collapse. I'm seeing 2 counselors. One is a wellness coach and the other a counselor at the VA. The VA counselor had me start an account at a website called OKCupid. That is a dating website. All sorts of good things are happening and I'm very grateful.
I have to make a little more money by selling my etchings and also the Nook. I've decided that I've had it with the Nook. I can't seem to do any blogging with it and it's really no better than my old Macintoshes. I'm going to see if I can barter it for something more useful.
I tried to post one of my newer etchings but it didn't take. I'll just post a picture of Java Johns instead. That's where I've been blogging and spending this afternoon. And now that I think about I spent most of the morning here as well.

One negative book cancels out ten positive books

It seems that one negative book "Aftershock" by Weidermeyer has canceled out several books by Collier, Eker, and Dyer. I find myself shopping for food, guns, and gold on the certainty of a coming depression.
He makes a compelling case for a depression based on the devaluation of our currency. We are over 17 trillion dollars in debt as a country. He feels that we will have 50% unemployment, 100% inflation, and a housing market that will go to 30% of it's present value.
I've been basing my purchasing decisions on fear. That is why I bought a gun and gold rather than using that money to purchase more etchings by Malcolm Childers. I probably missed an opportunity to triple my money because it was tied up in survivalist things. By the way I missed the opportunity to buy 3 of Malcolm's expensive etchings for $150 each. I did buy one for $100 but I was bidding for some gold at the time this opportunity came up and I was afraid to bid on the etching since I might have had to pay for a bunch of gold as well as the etchings.
Collier's book "The Life Magnet" points out the parable of the Prodigal Son to demonstrate that God loves us no matter how far away we move from him.  When the son came back he was rewarded with all sorts of gifts and such. It implies that God just wants us to turn to him for our sustenance rather than  depend on ourselves or material means.
I think I've been relying on the book "Aftershock" for my financial decisions, lately. I'm probably making bad purchases based on the fear that he is drumming up. I suppose he is just selling gold or books or something. Ten minutes ago I bid on a 10 ounce silver bar. I hope that I don't get it. I've got to quit buying things on E-bay. I just don't have the money. All that I can hope to do to get ready for the financial collapse is to hang on to my job and hope for the best. I've done fairly well,so far.
Later




 

Mosin-Nagant

Yesterday, I bought a Mosin-Nagant, that's a Russian, military rifle, from Cabela's in Prairie Du Chien, WI. I needed something that would work on bears in case I go West to pan for gold in the mountains. The only thing I still need for my arsenal is a .22 rifle for snakes, and maybe rabbits for food. I do think that people should be prepared for the financial collapse.
When I got home I went to Culvers for a burger and ice cream. While I was there I checked the Malcolm Childer's etchings on E-bay. I was surprised to find some that etchings that normally go for between $2300 and $4400 were going for $150. At least that was what the seller was asking for.
 I saw one that I really liked and offered $75. He came back with an offer of $100 and I took it. There are still some that he is asking $150 for on the market. I made a bid of $75 for another one. I haven't heard back from him, yet.
I'm wondering if it would make sense to go even more into debt and buy the rest of those etchings. I don't think they will be there for long, and I could hold onto them until the depression is over and have something that will appreciate in value. I still need to find a way to sell some of these etchings at a good price.
I'm sorry that I haven't been talking much about metaphysical things. I feel that part of the "Law of Attraction" is the opportunities that you are able to perceive. When we are attracting things into our lives it is often in the form of opportunities that we don't get, normally. Of course, I may be fooling myself and am just getting into debt over something that will not pay off. Only time will tell.
Later

Robert Collier and the "Law of Attraction"

In his book "Riches Within Your Reach" Collier quotes Jesus: "Unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance, but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."
This has always struck me as being basically unfair. It seems to work out in real life, but it has made me feel hopeless.
It seemed that no matter what I do, my money is always taken away.
The way that Collier explains it is that like attracts like. It's similar to magnetic attraction. If you think wealth, more wealth will come your way. If, on the other hand, your thoughts are about poverty and how you will pay your bills, you will get more poverty.
I guess you have to change your thoughts to thoughts of wealth. Start dressing better. Eat at a fancy place now and then. Save up some money to just blow extravagantly.
T. Harv Eker talks about this in his book "The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind". The "Law of Attraction" is mentioned in many of the books I read.
Another metaphysical law that Collier writes about is the "Law of Multiplication". It was demonstrated by Jesus when he multiplied the loaves and fishes. It was also demonstrated by various prophets by increasing the supply of oil for a widow and grain for another widow.
This indicates that you take what you already have and multiply it. Keep in mind that the prophets and Jesus demonstrated these things for all of us to do as well. They meant for us to take up where they left off.
I haven't posted any pictures lately so I'll post a picture of one of my etchings by Malcolm Childers. I would sell it but I want at least $1000 for it since it is one of his lower numbered editions. It's named "Some with Strong Backs Waning".
 Malcolm has a tendency to make long titles for his etchings.

The President's Speech

Yesterday, the president came out strongly for natural gas to reduce carbon emissions. That was contrary to what I hear around the Peace and Justice Center where I work.
I'm the only one, seemingly in this town, who favors the development of natural gas drilling and frack sand mining. Now the president has come out on my side. Good for him. He may not be a total lost cause after all.
I bought a 1/10 ounce gold coin a couple of days ago. Now gold is going down in value. That happens every time I buy something. I think the bottom is close. Gold is selling for $1239/ounce and it costs around $1100 to mine it. It could go below the cost of production but it probably won't do that for long.
I was talking with Holly at the Waterloo branch of the VA hospital. She said that she was glad that I seemed to be focused on something rather than money in my long-term goals. The thing I forgot to mention is that a few months ago I was focused on money because I didn't have any. It's related to Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. Since my debt was overwhelming, all I could focus on was money. Now some of the pressure is off. I still think I'll do the gold panning thing and live in my car, but we'll see.
I'm reading a book by Robert Kiyosaki named "Why "A" Students work for "C" Students", It lays out what Kiyosaki sees as wrong with our financial education system and how to correct it. I'm going to loan it to Jim. Maybe it will help him see what he has been doing wrong with his investments and how to correct it.
I've also been reading Robert Collier's "Riches Within Your Reach". I think this is the third time that I've read it. I'm hoping that something soaks in that will help me break the grip of poverty. Unfortunately, I will probably have to actually do something. I mentioned that in a recent blog.
Well that's all for now.
Later 

Two Topics Today

I've got two topics I want to talk about today. The first is the stock market. And the second is goal setting.
The market seemed to be coming back after two terrible days in a row. It looks to me like the book "Aftershock" is accurate. The authors were predicting a stock market crash after interest rates go up. Well, the interest rates are going up, no matter what the Fed does. That seems to be crashing the stock market.
After a 350 point or so move down, yesterday, the market is up about 60 points. To me, it looks like a dead horse bounce. I expect the market to go down again, later today, but certainly on Monday. If I had any stock I would be selling it now. If "Aftershock" is accurate, the housing market will go down to 30% of its present value. Gold is the only thing that might keep it's value. Platinum might be a better buy since it's used in cars.
I haven't been able to move any money into my E-trade account. I think the VA might have sabotaged my moving money from my credit union to E-trade. They seem quite determined to prevent me from trading. They had me put my money into a Payee account and give me an allowance. I really chafe at this treatment, especially when I think I know where the market is moving. Oh well, I guess I'll just buy gold or platinum from a coin shop.
My other topic for today is goal setting.
Robert Collier in his book "Riches Within Your Reach" tells the story of a Buddhist master who takes his student out on a lake in a boat. He throws the student overboard and holds his head beneath the water. Eventually the student is brought back to the boat and revived. The master then asked to student what he thought about while underwater. The student said that he could only think about getting a breath of air. The master said that he should use that kind of focus to achieve his goals.
The book "Antidote" is the opposite of this kind of attitude. The author of that book disdains the idea of an overwhelming focus on a goal. In fact he feels that a too great of a focus is harmful. So now I have two opposing views.
I'm leaning towards Collier's viewpoint. I just have to find something that will be worth that kind of focus.
I'm torn between 3 different goals:

1. Becoming an IT tech with Experience Works
2. Getting my Social Worker degree or working in that field.
3. Metal detecting for rings at the Pacific Ocean. 

I probably will go for the IT tech job since it pays and I'm doing it now. I do intend to take some Spanish classes at a junior college, not far from here. I would need them for a Social Work degree. Of course, Spanish would be good to know whatever I do.
Well the market is heading down and I think I'll sign off for now.
Later