What better way to start the year, but with an online interview with myself?
Q. Tom, how is your health?
A. Good. Very good as far as I can tell. As a matter of fact, I am seeing my lymphoma Dr., Dr. Zelenetz, the day after tomorrow. Our meeting was scheduled for three weeks ago, but had to be postponed because of bad weather. But I feel fine - no lumps anywere - and if my CAT scan that I had four weeks ago in anticipation of my appointment had revealed anything, I'm sure I'd have gotten a call from Sloan Kettering with some sort of message like "Uh, Mr. Faranda, we'd like you to come down to see us tomorrow." So no news is good news. And this month I'll ber having a general physical with my internist, Dr. Sheehy.
I'm a little irritated that I've gained three or four pounds in the last five or six weeks, despite maintaining a good schedule at the gym. I need to eat less.
Q. And the family?
A. Brigid is great. She's a star. How in the world I ended up with her is one of the great Mysteries of the Ages.
Tim is doing quite well at school, has a million friends and plays all sports. A great kid. We hope he'll lose some weight this year. He's definitely too thick around the middle.
Joe is doing nicely at Fordham Prep. It's a tough transition from jr. high to a high school you have to commute to by train. His grades are OK, and we expect them to get better. Joe had a good cross country season, and may run in the spring outdoor track season. I'd like him to join the school rowing team as a coxswain. We'll see if he does that.
Q. What are some goals for the coming year?
A. Well, I'd like to grow my financial advisory business a bit more this year. It's funny that 2005 was the best year I've ever had, even though I was undergoing chemotherapy from September to January of '06. And in fact had been hospitalized in July '05 for four days. Business-wise 2006 and 2007 were solid, but not as good as 2005. So I'd love to grow the business, by say, 15 or 20% this year.
And my family will continue with our projustice/prolife/consistent ethic of life efforts. To be honest, it takes up a lot of time and money, but it's part of us. It's worth it. You meet the greatest people.
I've got this huge stack of books to keep working my way through. Also, some more hiking in the Hudson Highlands and the complete length of the Appalachian Trail in NY State. The AT in New York is a total distance of 87 miles. I've already done part of it, and want to finish the rest this coming year. I've just got a bug in my head about it, but it will have to be done in bits and pieces. It's hard to find time for it on weekends because of Tim and Joe's sports. We try to not miss any of their activities.
We will certainly be going to England sometime this year, baring something unforeseen happening. We are way overdue for a visit to Brigid's family.
Q. doesn't this weblog take up a lot of time?
A. Well as you know, I started it when I had to begin my chemo back in September, '05. People seem to think it takes lots of time, but it really doesn't. Most of what I post now are articles I've read, and that really only takes a few minutes. Something like sitting down for this interview and talking to myself, takes more time - it will take close to an hour. But that's unusual.
Q. Let's get back to your business for a minute. What do you think is going to happen economically this year?
A. Oh I think the economy will continue to stumble along as it usually does. There's always some crisis du jour, and this year it was sub-prime mortgages. But the U.S. economy is massive and resilient. I expect interest rates to trend slightly lower and the stock market to rise in 2008 by some low double digit number - say 10-15%. The markets almost always do well in an election year, and I don't think this one will be any different. The Fed will be accomodating and all the incumbents want to be re-elected, so they won't rock the boat. There's always the possibility of something totally unexpected happening which could cause an economic crisis, but assuming no big blow-up, things should be good. Of course that's a big assuming!
Q. What about American politics? How will that affect things?
A. I don't think the election will have much of an effect at all, beyond the point I made, that the markets almost always do well in a Presidential election year.
If someone told me a year ago that I'd be rooting for Mrs. Clinton, I'd have been rolling around on the floor laughing, but of the three main Democratic candidates I think she's far and away the best on substance and I hope she's the Democratic candidate. Obama scares me. His qualifications are he's young, a mixed race guy, and a smooth talker. But his substance is non-existent. And Edwards is a populist phoney.
On the Republican side, I won't vote for Giuliani, and have doubts about Huckabee, but most of the other major candidates I can support.
Right now, I'm leaning toward John McCain. I hope he's the next President. While I hope Clinton is the Democratic candidate, I would never vote for her. If it were Hillary vs. Rudy I'd have to do a write-in.
Q. Tom, it's been a pleasure sitting down and talking with you.
A. Hey, it's been a slice! Doing this does help me get my own thoughts in order. I've had fun and I think we should do this again next year.
Why a coxsawin?
Posted by: Phil Faranda | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Because it's nice work, if you can get it. "Stroke, stroke" instead of actually rowing!
Posted by: tom faranda | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Very funny.
Posted by: Phil Faranda | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Well this is a first.
More interesting than linking to other publications. But the interviewer was throwing softballs.
Seriously, great post.
Posted by: Maria Abonnel | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Here is a good one to munch on. A speech printed and taped in everyone's cubicle at the Bank here... was given in March this year.... A case in point of the old say we used to be taught at school, "don't write you can speak, don;t speak if you can nod, and try not to nod too much"
Cannot resist on the quote "In addition, the Fed has long been involved in promoting financial literacy efforts for borrowers."
I vote For Tom to take over chairman Bernanke's leathery seat.
This last one is actually more interesting and makes -no kidding- almost sense:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_53/b4065048242547.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_top+story
Posted by: charles Abonnel | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 03:08 PM
Oooops. less fun without the URL of the Fed's message... http://www.chicagofed.org/news_room/speeches/2007_03_07_juf.cfm
Posted by: charles Abonnel | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Stephen Colbert is sure to steal this routine when he gets back to work, Tom! But thanks, you covered just about everything that's been keeping me up at night, except for the economy. Sorry, it has sedative effects on some. Here's to a great 2008!
Posted by: Judith Anderson | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 03:53 PM
Add Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder to your list of books. Its about Dr. Paul Farmer and his work in public health in Haiti and other places. Normally not a fascinating subject but the man is a genius and he has an important philosophy regarding third world and development.
Posted by: Jeanne-Marie | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 08:01 PM
Jeanne Marie, thanks for the recommendation, especially since Brigid and I spent some time there a long time ago - 1979 I think. I looked the book up on Amazon and will get myself a copy.
You may be interested to read some of the 121 reviews that were posted there by readers of the book. In fact you may want to write one yourself.
TF
http://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Beyond-Quest-Farmer-Would/dp/0812973011/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199332943&sr=8-1
Posted by: tom faranda | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 11:07 PM
tom, glad you are feeling good. happy new year! love thea
Posted by: thea mcginnis | Thursday, January 03, 2008 at 02:31 PM