Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Ok, so this is my first attempt at blogging. I'm not sure where or how this will fit into the grand scheme of life, but apparently everybody is doing it. By way of introduction, my name is Stuart Fine and I run an investor relations/business development company Carpe DM. I'm also a founding partner of SEPA Capital an institutional investment bank. Heavy emphasis on the institutional part. I'm sure that over the course of blogging I will get into what my clients are working on or some projects that interest me, but today just isn't one of those days. Its nearing the end of the holiday season and for most of the year its a time that everyone looks forward to enjoying. Its been a real tough year for pretty much everyone and its kind of difficult to look forward to disappointment. Rather than looking at what we can or can't get for ourselves this year, we ought to try and see what we can do for others if we can. This all started from a simple story my wife had told me that happened at the Holiday Boutique at the Elementary School. My wife is very active in the parent teacher organization and she was assisting the children in their purchases of little knicknacks for the holidays. There was one little boy who didn't quite have enough money to purchase a little charm necklace for his mom. He was on the verge of tears, when my wife stepped over and reached into her pocket and handed the young boy a dollar or two to make the purchase. My wife told me the boy's face lit up and he was so excited that he was able to buy this beautiful four dollar necklace. It turns out his mother was at the event and immediately paid my wife back, but it got me thinking. How many of us would have done the same thing? How often will we walk away from a person who needs help because we don't want the obligation or to be bothered? How hard is it to really do something to help? How quickly do we change the channel when the feed the children advertisment comes on? Can someone explain to me why people are willing to spend nearly $30 a month to save a dog, but won't spend $20 to save a child? Most of are no longer in a position to spend that kind of money, I understand that and I'm in that position myself, but look around your home and see what can be donated or given to a neighbor. The week prior to Christmas our family donated 6 bags of clothing to the Salvation Army. Whenever we give our child a new toy we take an old one and donate it. In the past years we have donated new toys for Toys for Tots, but couldn't this year. Our daughter in her wonderful spirit, said why can't we do our own Toys for Tots? So next year we plan on organizing a program within the community to do just that. Its the little things that count. Even things that seem inconsequential to you might mean a world of difference to someone else. I wish everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year. Thanks for listening.