Disclaimer: this post it not for the faint-of-heart – read at your own risk!

One of my favourite bloggers is Merlin Mann, who among other blogs such as 43 folders (productivity) has a fun blog “5ves“. Here are his suggestions for 5 things to say to telemarketers or collections calls:

1. I’m sorry, but what does this have to do with human sacrifice?
2. Seriously, will you still be this interested in me after we’ve dated for a while?
3. Would you be able to tell if I were defecating right now?
4. I am French. Your money means nothing to me.
5. I can smell your panties through the phone.

We’re midway through the summer, folks, and there are still lots and lots of free or nearly free events to indulge in. Let’s max out on summer!

1. Illuminares Lantern Festival, Trout Lake Park, this Saturday evening. Mysterious, enchanting, it’s another world altogether.
2. Cultural Islamic Festival July 27, 28 11am-7pm by the Vancouver Art Gallery, celebrating diversity.
3. Caribbean Days Festival this weekend at the Waterfront Park in North Van. Huge turnouts, crazy fun.
4. Fireworks! Starting tonight (Wed., then next Sat., Wed., and Sat) over English Bay.
5. and then of course, there’s a simple glass of lemonade on the deck, with a magazine and some great tunes on the stereo.

We have a red hot economy, a sustained red-hot real estate market (just because it’s not white hot doesn’t mean it’s anything like ‘normal’… whatever that means, these days), the olympics coming, and we’re starting to come apart at the seams.

Vancouver city staff are on strike. One of the biggest provocations – and frankly, I’d be choked too – is that in today’s tight labour-market, the city wants to offer significantly higher salaries to attract new workers, while keeping current staff at the same rate.

And meanwhile, disaster, utter disaster, in Burnaby. For 25 minutes, a ruptured pipeline shot oil 30 metres into the air. It rained down on homes and also Burrard Inlet. Kinder Morgan, an energy transportation company, broke the line. The Tyee pointed out Kinder Morgan as having a history of negligence way back in 2005, when it was attempting to take over Terasen Gas. Kinder Morgan is blaming city contractors for poorly marking the line.

These are the ways in which the bigger economy is directly impacting our backyard.

Practicing what I preach.

Money and politics and values are all entwined. Here’s a wonderful opportunity to discover how your food purchase habits can radicalize towards sustainability.

The 100-mile diet is all about encouraging those of us in the lower mainland to have plates full of locally produced food. Did you know our average meal travels 2400 kms from farm to your plate?

I’m going to give this a go, myself.  Frankly, eating properly for my body, much less for the planet, is a real struggle for me.  I eat on the fly, have a lot of packaged food, and rarely shop in any organized fashion.  As mentioned in previous posts, this costs my wallet, and more, costs my sense of well-being.  I’m hoping taking this kind of challenge with others will help me be more thoughtful and orderly in this area.

Here’s an event to learn more:

100mile challenge networking event

Rhizome Café at 317 E.Broadway

Thursday, July 26 between 6-9pm

Eleanor has an income in the low 70K range from her work as an engineer. She is about 15 years away from retirement, and while she has little debt, she has no assets either. She does have a pension, but no rrsps of her own, no savings, no property. She is utterly baffled where the money goes. She does rent an $1,800/month apt in Kits (Vancouver) which she shares with her college-age son.

While successful professionally and working very long hours, Eleanor is chronically and seriously disorganized. Brilliant, yes. Competent yes. But require or suggest structure and she runs for the nearest exit.

What would you suggest to help Eleanor take control of her money so she can start building the assets she could have, with her income level?

Disclaimer: as usual, these case studies are based on real-life people and/or issues I’ve encountered, but details are altered to thoroughly disguise the identity of the individual.