Jason Abrahamson

It has been something of a year hasn’t it? 2009 ushered in the end of an era and the start of a new one. 2009 is the end of another decade, and much like another decade end 80 years ago, 2009 evaporated a significant amount of wealth in the world. Unemployment rose to a staggering and baffling 10%. The highest since Regan took office in 1980. We elected the first African American President — which though might not sound like a feat in the land of the free and home of the brave keep in mind, 50 years ago this country still practiced segregation.

2009 also brought us something else you never thought you’d see in the free-market home of Wal-Mart — nationalization of General Motors, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG. In an effort to keep the heavily over leveraged US Economy from collapsing — and taking most major world economies with it — the US government took over 4 of the largest corporations in danger of collapsing. Hard to believe General Motors — once the largest automaker in the world — collapsed. Though the government intervention has cost the US tax payer over $1 trillion dollars, it has seemed to stop the free fall it was on.

Fed Chair Ben Bernanke was named Time’s Person of the Year for 2009. Since he truthfully is the only person left who can make sense of the economic pickle we’re in.

Most importantly though is what 2009 has brought for me personally. It didn’t start out good with the passing of my beloved Aunt Pat, but, as she would so eloquently tell me, “I’m fine, how are you?” Having to recover pretty significantly both emotionally and financially I think it all worked out. 2008 ended with me pretty heavily battered from the stock crash of 2008, only to get even more battered from the stock crash of 2009. Investments I had made in some small businesses proved to tumble and collapse with me being left picking up the pieces. I came back though, secured steady *knock on wood* work for myself and started rebuilding. I recall words of wisdom once instilled upon me by a very successful and wealthy business man, “I made a ton of money in Oregon real estate when I was your age. I could walk into any bank in the state and secure a loan with just the grin on my face. I lost it all when the real estate market imploded during the 80′s. I picked myself up and told my wife that we were going to get wealthy the right way, hard work and real long time.” So I’m heeding to this advice, and to kick it off, the wife and I purchased our first home in Santa Clarita Valley. Which leads me to perhaps the most important and life changing thing that happened to me. July 11th, 2009 is the day I got married to the love of my life, Elizabeth. In 2005 if you asked me if I thought I was going to married in 2009 I would have laughed at you.

With that, I’m going to go reign in the New Year. Everyone raise your glass and drink to 2010. Happy New Year everybody, and God Bless!