I have become a guest blogger here due to personal reasons, as well as just being too busy, but as I write here this weekend, I want to share some thoughts about a topic on everyone’s mind - the economy.

People are often confused by me; just when you think you know me, I can surprise you. The fact that I am fiscally conservative may surprise many. I also like to see things from both sides of the equation, which is handy considering I teach global economics. So, let me start by telling you that I no longer watch the news on television. I do, however, read newspapers from all over the world every day, and there is a very good reason - television is for drama.

Television news is overly dramatic for a reason. Now, I am not saying there is no economic difficulty before us, but I am saying that broadcast news has a singular responsibility to get ratings and not to inform you. That, my friends, is lesson number one.

Lesson number two? Be wary of what those around you say. Remember the old adage about screaming fire in a theater? There is a good reason it is illegal to do so, and it should similarly be illegal for network news to overly dramatize the world economic situation. Again, I am not saying we don’t have a situation, because we do, but I remind everyone that this is a cycle. It is only a little scarier because we are being told to be scared.

Economics, as a whole, is a confidence game. If Warren Buffet told us things would be all better in six months, everyone would start down that road the minute he stopped talking. When the pundits, news stations and even friends cry disaster, guess what - disaster looms.

Yes, Mervyn’s is going out of business. They couldn’t compete anymore. Yes, Circuit City is going under. Best Buy out-advertised, out-marketed and just simply outdid them. Yes, GM, Ford and Chrysler are headed down the drain, but perhaps they shouldn’t have been making Hummers when Toyota was selling the Prius like hotcakes. And, yes, many banks have gone under. We all know the golden rule of not buying what you can’t afford and, similarly, not loaning what you are pretty sure will never be paid back.

So, I conclude with a few important questions. When do bad management and bad business decisions become the responsibility of a nation of taxpayers? When does it become crucial to put common sense first in lieu of high television ratings? And, perhaps more importantly, when do we stop blaming the other guy for our failures, suck it up and start over, just like our forefathers?

-Morissa Pawl, consultant, Western region

Last week I started telling you about Tanzania, but in the short blog format I wasn’t able to expand my discussion to the Masai tribe. I have met a lot of interesting cultures over the years, but the Masai seem to stick out in my mind. They are one of the last remaining primitive tribes in Africa, and despite having some very curious traditions, they are very warm and welcoming.

My first meeting was an invitation from the women of the nearby village. They had been taught how to grow vegetables, and the garden they created in only one year was remarkable. Everything from tomatoes to cabbage, corn and onions were being nurtured into colossal proportions in this fertile land, shielded by sturdy fences from elephants, wildebeest and many other typical neighborhood creatures. As I arrived, the women greeted me with a welcome song and when I demonstrated my talent at creating some of the same vocalizations, they rushed at me with laughter and screams of “mzungu masai,” or “white masai” - for those of you not fluent in Swahili. It was an incredible morning punctuated with the women wanting to give me a gift of a giant head of lettuce. One I had to unfortunately decline, but the moment was extraordinary none the less.

After leaving the garden, I headed to one of the family corrals, where I had the chance to meet some warriors and go inside a manyatta. The small, smoke-filled hut had me instantly claustrophobic yet still fascinated, although I was not going to drink the chai tea with goat’s milk being offered. The entire village had turned out to meet the visiting mzungu, and I was overwhelmed with their welcome, but the finishing touch was when I was presented with a traditional beaded bracelet as a gift.

These are uncomplicated people. They do not measure time with a watch or show much emotion. They are content with their existence and fiercely proud of tradition and customs. They live a meager existence and yet are some of the most resilient people on our planet. Most importantly perhaps, they measure success not by bank accounts and big houses, but by family and herds of cattle and goats.

- Morissa Pawl, consultant, Western region

I just came back from Tanzania in East Africa, where I had the chance to check off one of the items from my “bucket list” (if you remember back to a blog I did earlier this year). What an amazing sight! The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra is absolutely breathtaking, and the people are so warm and friendly.

My first lodge was the Serengeti Under Canvas, owned and operated by CCAfrica. This was a first-class experience with butler service and gourmet meals, but the best part was sleeping in my luxury tent (and I mean LUXURY!) while hearing the Great Migration taking place not too far away. I have been in the African bush before, but this was different. It is something I recommend that anyone who loves wildlife do at least once. It is something that you will never forget.

My second abode was the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, which sits right on the rim of the crater. The crater itself is a World Heritage site and is believed to actually have been higher than Kilimanjaro before it erupted millions of years ago. This is a completely different landscape from the Serengeti, but it is actually still part of the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem. The lodge itself is stunning, and each 5-star chalet is well-appointed. The coup de gras for me was a lovely touch - after spending the entire morning on the crater floor, we returned for a fabulous lunch in the lodge, and upon returning to the room, I found the free-standing tub full with a bubble bath and rose petals. Talk about room service!

I want to give a shout out to my new friends, Asheri and his team from Under Canvas and Beata and her team from the Crater Lodge. I miss you all terribly! I also want to thank the fabulous Ian Procter from Ultimate Africa Safaris in Washington for his help with all the last-minute plans. If any of you get the chance to visit the wonderful country of Tanzania, give Ian a call - he is my hero!

-Morissa Pawl, consultant Western region

Despite the fact that I have been in corporate America for more than 25 years, I have a pet peeve I must share with all of you corporate raiders out there reading this. Since most of you are the movers and shakers I am begging you to hear me out. What is my pet peeve? Corporate-speak!

I was in my local bookstore and picked up a book that caught my eye called “A Dictionary of Bullshit” by Diane Law. I have been laughing from the moment I picked it up because it addresses my annoyance at the plethora of business “buzzwords” that have permeated our conversations for decades now. So, before I lose my mind completely I want to share some of them with you and plead with people to embrace the English language as it was designed and throw these silly phrases to the wind. Some of my favorites:

“Due Diligence (noun): the failure to spot blindingly obvious contractual, legal and accounting nightmares prior to a takeover.”

“Blowback (noun): the inevitable consequences of a foolish business decision, generally dealt with by other parties after the person responsible for the decision has safely left the scene of the crime.”

“Benchmarking (noun): the corporate equivalent of waterboarding.”

“Behavioral Competencies (noun pl.): personal idiosyncracies yet to be crushed to nothingness by the corporate behemoth.”

“360 Degree Appraisal (noun): an attack from all sides.”

“Robust (noun): a doormat, which holds up well to being stood on, repeatedly, by many different people.”

“Third Generation Contingencies (noun): things that might go wrong, but not until years in the future, by which time you’ll hopefully be far away and beyond the reach of blame.”

And, on the top of my list:

Vice President (noun): a corporate drone who accepted a fancy job title instead of a pay rise.”

-Morissa Pawl, vice president western region

What is an oasis? According to the American Heritage dictionary it is “a situation or place preserved from surrounding unpleasantness; a refuge: an oasis of serenity amid chaos.” Webster’s defines it as “something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change from what is usual, annoying, difficult, etc.: The library was an oasis of calm in the hectic city.” All of this aside, we each have our own definition of what an oasis is.

When I was in Mexico City last week there was a delightful Starbucks across the street from my hotel. The coffee was good, the atmosphere relaxing, and the location divine. For me that was my oasis both before and after a long day of meetings. Not that Mexico City needs an oasis as it really has become one of my favorite places, but before hitting the road every day I found myself escaping to this refuge; a refuge from the hustle and bustle of a busy city.

Yesterday I decided I needed an oasis where I live. Now, let me start off by telling you that where I live is an oasis all its own; a scenic canyon overlooking a suburb of Los Angeles that has become my refuge from the world for the last eleven years. The most dangerous element in my neighborhood is the occasional rattlesnake or the frequent coyote snooping around, but I digress. I still needed a personal “refuge from chaos” that exists in my life for a variety of reasons, part of which is the fact that I work from home. So I created a couple of Zen gardens on my front porch where I sit with my computer and morning coffee. You would think the view and the coffee alone were enough, but add in the gardens complete with a smiling and a reclining Buddha and I have the most peaceful oasis from this crazy world!

- Morissa Pawl, vice president western region