Invocation & Pledge: Jeanne Thorsen
Greeters Kaj Pedersen & Jeanne Thorsen
"When I was young, I thought money was the most important thing in the world. Now that I am old, I am sure that it is." ~ Oscar Wilde
“It’s funny how a dollar looks so large in the collection plate and so small when you take it to the store.” ~ Unknown
Introduction of Visiting Rotarians & Guests: Kaj Pedersen
Jane Kuechle
Jane Kuechle rolled out a new logo for the Bellevue 5K Run/Walk ( April 26, 2009). A flyer was distributed announcing three goals for the event:
- 100% participation for all our BBRC members;
- provide fellowship within our club and promote the BBRC and Rotary throughout our community;
- The flyer encourages BBRC members to: (a) recruit runners, walkers, and volunteers for the event; (b) volunteer on the day of the event; (c) participate in the Run/Walk with family, friends, or a team; and/or (d) serve on a committee.
Volunteers are need before the event for community outreach, promotions, registration data entry, and brochure placement/pickup. On the day of the event, volunteers will serve as route monitors and in registration. We want to see 1,000 people there. Registration will be available online next week, and an email will be sent to all.
Tim Johnstone
Although sponsorships are a major component of our success in the event, President Jenny wisely did a little sandbagging in raising a $2,500 pledge from Overlake Hospital. Had she landed a $5,000 pledge, Jonathan Koshar was poised to sing for our meeting. The club seemed grateful for her prudence.
Koshar announced that Katherine De Stephano has succeeded in finding $5,000 for both the Bellevue 5K Run/Walk and the upcoming Golf Tournament. Tim Johnstone, resplendent in running shorts and a jacket, pointed out that “our event is the only running event in the City of Bellevue, so runners are very interested. Many people run this much in daily exercise preparing for marathons and half-marathons.”
Hal Teel
Hal Teel asked “Where are the kids? We want kids involved, so we have put together a call to action.” He drew the Club’s attention to a flyer on the table, asking members to partner with another club member and work in two-person teams to select an organization form the list of schools on the flyer, go talk to the school authorities face-to-face, and do 5 things: (1) leave brochures; (2) secure an agreement to get publicity in their school newspapers; (3) put us on their calendars of events; (4) put a link on their websites to our registration; and (5) solicit volunteers. Rourke O’Brien, from the floor, suggested contacting cross-country coaches at local colleges and schools.
President-Elect Margie Burnett drew the Club’s attention to a green Pledge Form on the tables. “These are tough, tough times,” she said, “but I’m here to remind you that when we joined the Club, we all made a commitment to raise money. Each member should set a goal of $800 per year. The Pledge Form asked members to commit to sponsoring or recruiting sponsors for the Bellevue 5K Run/Walk and the 2008 BBRC Golf Tournament."
Chip Erickson & John DeWater
Jonathan Koshar announced that the Ballard Agency (Chris) has agreed to sponsor the 5K Run/Walk. Christine Addision added that those who want to have a booth at the 5K should contact her. Our own BBRC Band composed and offered an original song in support of the Bellevue 5K Walk/Run. The singers, accompanied by electric guitar and bass, encouraged the Club with the refrain:
“You better run 5k if you can, Rotary walk 5k if you can, Rotary Kindering needs our help. That’s the plan, Rotary.”
SAA David Bolson
It is rumored that some Club members were moved to tears. Sergeant at Arms David Bolson called up all those members who work in different areas as financial advisors. A total of eight people dared to come forward and each one told who they were, who they work for, and how they seek to help them. Despite the clear commercial benefit this exposure provided for their businesses, the Sergeant At Arms demonstrated a shocking laissez faire posture, and no fines or charges were levied.
Recognizing a threat to the future order and discipline of the Club, President Jenny Andrews called for fines and promised that lawyers will be next. A public outcry of support for her proposal ensued, and a $10 fine was assessed on all the advisors.
Alan Pratt, Jim Carney, Elena Howell, Jim Gordon, Jeff Cashman, Mitch Freedman, Ryan Scharnhorst & Hal Teel
Valentine Dine-Around: Another Successful Event!
Another successful Valentine Dine-Around has come and gone. Margie Burnett had 11 guests at her home, a tight squeeze, because she doesn't have a very big dining/living room. "Of course," Margie said, "the close proximity just added to the fun."
That's for sure! I'm sure they had to be turned away from Margie's this year. You might recall the events of last year's Dine-Around. You don't? Well, here is a photo we'll just call it ... ahem ... Exhibit A:
Let's see, that would be Marlene and Jim Kindsvater, Ginny and Ernie Hayden, Margie Burnett, and Stella Black. I guess Ron was taking the picture.
Margie's house was the designated "singles" house this year, with four uncoupled people. They capped off the evening with Esther Moloney's flaming cherries jubilee and Q&A's to test the married couples' knowledge of their spouses.
We can only guess what other kinds of Valentine hi-jinx they were up to this year, but sadly, we didn't get any pictures of it.
Jane and John Kuechle played hosts at their home. Be sure to look at the slideshow below to see how Jane channeled her inner Martha Stewart. Seems a shame to let anyone eat on that beautiful table! (Photos courtesy of Margie Burnett and Norm Johnson)
Hover your mouse over a photo to pause the slideshow.
New Members Proposed: Parail & Nierman
Sam Parail lives in Burien with his wife Cynthia and works for Ronald Blue and Co. in Bothell. Previously, Sam was with Key Investment Services, LLC. He is sponsored by Alan Pratt, and his proposed classification is Wealth Stewardship Advisor. Sam's interests outside work include international traveling, cycling, soccer and cooking. Sam has visited our club six times and has had an extensive conversation with the chairs of Membership Coordination and Membership Support. He has studied what Rotary is all about!
Lynne Nierman is a self-employed interior decorator/real estate stager. She has an eye for beauty and is full of energy. She lives in Bellevue with her husband Greg. Lynne's proposed classification is Interior Design. She is sponsored by Chris Monger and has visited our club three times.
"What the Financial Meltdown Means for Your Retirement," Paul Merriman, Founder, Merriman Berkman Next
According to Rotarian Jim Owens, Paul Merriman is a living legend. This week, the BBRC was reminded why, as Merriman, the founder of Merriman Berkman Next, made a lively, humorous, and simple presentation on personal finance and investing. The speaking talent he has exhibited for eight years on his weekly radio broadcast, "Sound Investing," (570 AM KVI. Sundays at 10:00 a.m.) was on full display.
Merriman’s main point in the presentation was to try to point investors in a positive direction in the middle of the current financial meltdown. In discussing today’s changed financial environment and its consequences for retirement, he said, “Everything was always growing 6% to 10% per year, and we thought things would automatically keep getting better. Over half of us were expecting to work part-time during retirement if we undersaved,” but “over half of the people who were retiring were living on as much or more than they were making while they were still working.”
Elena Howell makes the introduction
The environment has changed now, and Merriman pointed out that everything — the value of real estate, securities, and work — has been tested. He said, “We don’t trust the future as we did before. We also know that you don’t trust Wall Street either.” Nevertheless, he recognized, “You do trust your friends who came up here today,” referring to the financial advisors who had been singled out by the Sergeant at Arms.” We will put our trust in a person for advice, and that will be the basis for our decisions.
After recognizing the role of financial advisors, Merriman went on to discuss the role of books in helping people prepare financially for retirement, among them being his own latest book, Live It Up Without Outliving Your Money!: Getting the Most From Your Investments in Retirement.” He also recommended several times throughout his presentation former BBRC member Bill Schultheis’ recently revised book, The New Coffeehouse Investor. Other helpful books that he recommended were Mutual Funds For Dummies by Eric Tyson, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle , and Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich by Jason Zweig.
Money Quotes to Live By (from Merriman’s handout)
President Jenny Andrews & Paul Merriman
1. “Rule #1: Never lose money. Rule #2: Never forget Rule #1.” —Warren Buffett
2. “We investors, as a group, get precisely what we don’t pay for. So, if we pay nothing, we get everything.”—John Bogle
3. “Don’t look for the needle. Buy the haystack.” —John Bogle
4. “The stars produced in the mutual fund field are rarely stars; all too often they are the comets.” —John Bogle
5. “The investor’s chief problem, perhaps his worst enemy, is likely to be himself.” —Benjamin Graham
Free Workshop: Are You Ready to Retire?
Paul Merriman talks with Ernie Hayden after the program.
The innovators at Merriman have designed a brand new workshop to help guide you from work to retirement. Are You Ready to Retire will provide you critical information on Social Security, long-term care, and the best ways to create a retirement portfolio, what you should do with your pension, and what documents you need to keep handy. You’ll also discover how to deal with the emotions of leaving the workplace and get advice on what you should look for in a financial advisor.” Workshop info: Saturday, March 28th, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Bellevue Courtyard Marriott, 11010 NE 8th Street, Bellevue, WA 98004, Ph 425-454-5888.
Courtesy of Phil Salvatori
Here is the Washington Post's Mensa Invitational which, once again, asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
The winners are:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people which stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13. Glibido: All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
• • •
The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. And the winners are:
1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.
6. Negligent, adj. Absent mindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown .
7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
