Daily Intent

It is awe inspiring to know, on a cellular level, we humans have memories far beyond the years in which our individual brains have been conscious.   25  years.  50 years.  75 years.  However ever old you are, your cells are older and wiser.  Your brain is no match for your cell memory of thousands of years.

Sunday night while at a concert, Kings of Leon, I felt this sensation.  I had known but two of their songs, however my cells quickly found rhythm with all of them.  There was an overwhelming cellular attraction to move in unison, unison with both the music and with thousands of concert goers to a beat founded upon a drum.

It is tribal.  The beat of the drum; the energy of a mass of people; each the basis for unified nodding, swaying, humming, clapping, chanting, singing, jumping, and dancing.

Our heart cells have been proven, when set alongside another heart cell beating at an entirely different beat, to soon find a shared beat, both pulsating at the same exact time.

Remember this minuscule fact when living out your days.  Our cells are eager to get tribal.

Take time away from your desk.  Find rhythm with the world around you.
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SAVE THE DATES:
First Time Homebuyer Seminar.  This Wednesday, May 20th.   6pm. Santa Barbara College of Law.  I’ll be teaming up with Goodwin and Thyne Real Estate Professionals and First American rep, Judy Ratrray to bring you a comprehensive look at buying a home for the first time.

Dealing with Emotionally Charged Situations / People. Monday, June 1st.  6pm.  My office.  Sean Mason will be drawing out the skills necessary to operate appropriately during emotionally charged situations.  Continue bettering your abilities.  Of interest to all.

Buzzword: Halo Effect
“The halo effect is a term used in marketing to explain the bias shown by customers towards certain products because of a favorable experience with other products made by the same manufacturer or maker. The opposite of the halo effect is “cannibalization”.

For example, if a customer buys product C which is made by company X, not because of the attributes or benefits of the product, but because he or she had a favorable experience with product D - another product made by company X, the purchased item is said to be prospering because of the halo effect.

A classic example of the halo effect is the relationship between the Mac notebooks and iPod. When the iPod was released, there was speculation in the market place that the sales of Apple’s Mac laptops would increase, because of the success of the iPod. The suggestion was that people or rather customers who had a great experience with the iPod would buy a Mac computer simply because it is made by Apple Inc.” -Investopedia.com

  Six Points to Ponder:

   1. Jesusita Fire nears 100% containment.  Community bill estimated at $125million.
   2. Markets levels are slightly lower than the beginning of last week. Though the Dow is up to start the week, 8476.  S&P 500 at 907 and the Nasdaq at 1724.  Oil in at $58.
   3. First class airline passengers were down 19% in March.  Economy class were down 8% as global citizens continue pulling back on spending.  JetBlue extends refunds to those that have lost their jobs.
   4. Homebuilding fell to a record low in April, falling 12.8% from March.
   5. LIBOR experiences large declines in the last two days and inter-bank lending confidence grows.
   6. Western Conference Finals set for tonight: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets. Eastern Conference Finals - Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers.  UCSB to play host to the 2010 Men’s College Cup.

Positives:

    * The firefighters hard work is coming to an end.  Our community has suffered, however their work mitigated the true risks that were upon us.
    * Flying first class may just get cheaper in the coming months as passenger demand is down.  As Beyonce says, “Upgrade YA”
    * Markets continue fighting upward.  Your 401K, at the moment, isn’t deteriorating quicker than the money you’re putting into it.
    * The LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate), a key indicator of banks confidence in other banks ability to pay back funds borrowed, has dropped dramatically over the last few days.  This proves their belief in one anothers viability in a seemingly unstable market.  My money, checking / savings accounts, feels a bit safer as a result.
    * The Lakers are going to dominate the Nuggets tonight.

Negatives:

    * Construction starts often offer a good future indicator of the housing markets progress.  If construction companies aren’t seeing the demand, they won’t start new projects.  The recent data proves their uneasiness to get going with any new developments, whether risky or not.  More tough times could be ahead.
    * Lower flight usage means people are staying home.  They aren’t seeing the world.  They aren’t stepping outside their bubble to connect with those different than their selves.

Services: $8000 Credit at Closing
The US Government is now allowing first time home buyers to receive their tax credit at closing rather than wait until filing their taxes in April of 2010.  This will be helpful to many.  Might it help you get in the running for a home?

Local:

Catalyst for Thought: Peter Matthies founder of the Conscious Business Institute
Where: Canary Hotel **New Location** 31 W Carrillo.
When: Tonight, May 19th.  6pm
Cost: $10
Why:  Invest in yourself while investing in your community.  Surround yourself by local, great business minds.  All door proceeds go toward a local non-profit.  Go online by noon today and by your ticket or pay $5 more at the door.
http://www.CatalystSB.org

Live and Be Well,

Jeff Bochsler