Dollar Signs
My mom and I talk on the phone every Sunday - sometimes hours at a time. Topics range from my job to her health situation and mostly we drill down on Turkish politics and economy. She asks me about my life here and takes me by surprise with how much she knows about local and national affairs. Many people read or talked about the Fed rate cut. I heard it from my mom. Wolfowitz visit to Ankara, I learned from my mom. The election outcomes -- my mom had a few things to say. Hillary's candidacy; again: mom!
Nowadays, she's most concerned about the mortgage market. She keeps asking me how much of my 401K is sunk in real estate funds. 'I dunno,' I say, trying to remember what funds I am in and with which investment company I am. I pull up an image of graphs and bank lingo printed on off-white paper, stapled for my recycling taste. 'I don't think I am in any mom...In any event, I am diversified," I say trying to calm her down. I remember the man who came to the office to coach us about our retirement investments had said diversification was good. "Well, what sorts of funds are you invested in?" "Uhmmm, some Fortune 500, some mid-size, some small, some international...don't worry," I say diversified and all.
"Anyways, I saw it on TV. People are losing their houses and crying..." And Gungor Uras (mom's favorite columnist and TV commentator in Turkey) said that housing prices may come down. You just be careful!" she says as moms often say.
"So, what is the sentiment in New York?"
"Uhmm, it's really hot. People were sick of the rain but the heat now is unbearable," I offer.
"No, I mean the housing issue. Are people selling? Holding on? Are they able to get mortgages?"
"I dunno Mom..."
"How can you not know? Even I know more than you do about your own country's situation!"
I laugh, impressed with my mom's wits. "Well, how do you know so much?" I ask, egging her to tell me more.
"We live by the dollar here. Dollar goes up, dollar goes down. Bush said this, Condaleza did that. Fed cuts, NASDAQ, it all affects us. Everyone's eyes are on the dollar - how can I not know? You guys are not concerned?"
I think about friends who avoid the city heat by taking the jitney to the Hamptons. On slow Sunday mornings I contemplate going down four flights of stairs to pick up the Times. I usually fill time watching Mun2 -- awesome music program on Telemundo-- and pretend I am in the Carribean or in Mexico. My mom on the other hand, keeps tabs on America.
Nowadays, she's most concerned about the mortgage market. She keeps asking me how much of my 401K is sunk in real estate funds. 'I dunno,' I say, trying to remember what funds I am in and with which investment company I am. I pull up an image of graphs and bank lingo printed on off-white paper, stapled for my recycling taste. 'I don't think I am in any mom...In any event, I am diversified," I say trying to calm her down. I remember the man who came to the office to coach us about our retirement investments had said diversification was good. "Well, what sorts of funds are you invested in?" "Uhmmm, some Fortune 500, some mid-size, some small, some international...don't worry," I say diversified and all.
"Anyways, I saw it on TV. People are losing their houses and crying..." And Gungor Uras (mom's favorite columnist and TV commentator in Turkey) said that housing prices may come down. You just be careful!" she says as moms often say.
"So, what is the sentiment in New York?"
"Uhmm, it's really hot. People were sick of the rain but the heat now is unbearable," I offer.
"No, I mean the housing issue. Are people selling? Holding on? Are they able to get mortgages?"
"I dunno Mom..."
"How can you not know? Even I know more than you do about your own country's situation!"
I laugh, impressed with my mom's wits. "Well, how do you know so much?" I ask, egging her to tell me more.
"We live by the dollar here. Dollar goes up, dollar goes down. Bush said this, Condaleza did that. Fed cuts, NASDAQ, it all affects us. Everyone's eyes are on the dollar - how can I not know? You guys are not concerned?"
I think about friends who avoid the city heat by taking the jitney to the Hamptons. On slow Sunday mornings I contemplate going down four flights of stairs to pick up the Times. I usually fill time watching Mun2 -- awesome music program on Telemundo-- and pretend I am in the Carribean or in Mexico. My mom on the other hand, keeps tabs on America.
posted by Mimi Media @ 8:40 PM
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