This post of mine might very well be off topic, and for that I'll apologize right now. As well, it's probably in the wrong place, but I didn't want to start a new thread because I didn't know if the mods would move it or not, and I wanted to make sure that at least the FedEx guys here had the opportunity to read it.

I used to work as a vice-president of a life insurance company, here in Hartford, and for the past 10 years of so, once a month, every month, I go to lunch with an old friend with whom I used to work. He was my insurance agent and financial planner, when I was at the life insurance company. We usually discuss financial issues, the world situation, the economy, etc, and I've learned a lot. What I thought I'd learned was that this whole financial planning stuff is very complex and difficult, and that I just don't have the desire to learn it all, and in some cases, to follow through on what I know is the "right thing to do", financially speaking.

Anyway, last week we were eating lunch and he suggested that I go out and buy a few books that he thought I'd be interested in. Books written by a woman by the name of Jane Bryant Quinn. The first one is "Making the most of your money" and the second is "Smart and simple financial strategies for busy people." He recommended I get them at Amazon.com. When I got home I searched the Amazon web site and found that both books could be had for only about $40. I then did a on-line search of my local library for this author and found that not only did they have both books, they also had the second one in CD form. That afternoon I paid a visit to the library and checked out both books and the CD's, which I've been listening to since then.

OK, here's the punch line. Everyone knows that things are tough out there, and that there's a possibility (although I still feel it's a remote one) that some of our pilot group will be out of work for a while. With that in mind, I'd like to recommend that everyone either get a copy of Ms. Quinn's books, or better yet, get the CD's, preferably at your local library for free, and then take the time to actually either read or listen to all she has to say. It's absolutely tremendous, and I know you'll get as much out of it as I have. She offers really great advice, in a very down-to-earth, easily understood manner, that could benefit any of us, from the guy at the top of the seniority list to the last guy. I'm sure there's plenty of other authors and financial planners out there, but this woman is HOT (financially speaking, that is.)

Again, sorry for the thread hijacking.

JJ