My daughter just informed me that I've been "way too serious" lately in my articles about business matters. Her statement and its underlying perspective both have a lot to do with the fact that she's out of school and headlong into her summer vacation. While my work week continues without let-up, her attitude and all-day presence does affect how I approach my work. So I'll migrate from business matters for a bit while I inch into her summertime world.

To begin, Cora recently was accepted at a special high school for the arts, and I'm very proud of her achievement. She was presented with a brochure about the school about two years ago, and from that moment she focused on how to become accepted with a full scholarship at this school. She had to realign her school subjects so that she had the classes she needed for acceptance under her belt. She also had to maintain a certain GPA (grade point average). And, she needed to take a number of art classes to build her resume and to design a portfolio for the entrance qualifications.

Her parents tried to guide her, but Cora knew exactly what she had to do ("I read the instructions, mom!") and she did it without prompting. At the end, she endured a three-hour exam where she was tested on the elements and principles of design, sweated through a twenty-minute interview in a hot room, and her artistic skills were examined in an on-site one-hour still life drawing. She came through these tests with flying colors, as she was accepted by phone just three days after this heart-stopping and gut-wrenching experience (at least that's what I experienced during those three days?).

Amidst her worry about whether to take her "things" to school in boxes or suitcases (boxes, please, as there's limited room for suitcases), and whether she will have the right clothes and peer-related attitude toward art and life, she still thinks about how to mark her presence through an unmitigated drive toward achievement. How to do this over the summer? Well, one course is to take an online class in an elective offered by that school so that she'll have more time for art classes when she arrives this fall (talk about a vacation?).

Her choices for these classes were somewhat limited, but intriguing: Web design, English III, chemistry, and economics were among her choices. I was all over the Web design class, as I knew I could help her ace that course with my knowledge in this arena. I was just as happy with English III, but I vetoed chemistry. I've never had a course in chemistry, and I knew that I would do nothing but help her fail in that endeavor.

After a talk with the school's guidance counselor (who advised Cora to slow down a bit and take it easy for now - thank you, guidance counselor!), Cora decided on one class for summer - economics. While I was happy about this choice, I'm a little leery about how much I can help as I'm not sure how much I know about economics. I never took a class in that subject, although I've written about financial matters for BUYandHOLD for over five years now. Will my experience hold water if I try to help Cora with her summer course?

First, a definition of economics from Wikipedia:

Economics is a social science that typically studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The word is derived from the Greek ????? [oikos], 'family, household, estate', and ????? [nomos], 'custom, law', hence "household management" and "management of the state."

Ok - I'm game so far. I know about the customs and laws involved in household management even though my household looks like it hasn't seen a manger for several years. I'm sure that my skills in that area can be applied to the "state" as well?Next:

Since the early part of the 20th century, economics has focused largely on measurable variables, and employed both theoretical models and empirical analysis. Economic logic is increasingly applied to any problem determining economic value (such as politics, religion, psychology, history and social interaction).

Wait a minute - I thought Cora was taking a course in economics, not in politics, religion, psychology, history, and social interaction! But, when I read on I realized that I do know a bit about economics, since the stock market is based on supply and demand, open-market prices, and an exchange of values in the purchases and sales of equities. I even know about Adam Smith, who is generally regarded as the "Father of Economics," and John Maynard Keynes, the man responsible for Keynesian Economics, because I watch the game show, Jeopardy, regularly.

Seriously, and I mean "summertime serious," it might be fun to follow along with Cora in her economics course just to see if we can pick up a tidbit or two that might help to strengthen a few portfolios. But, I also want to include our regular "summertime reading" critiques, where Cora and I analyze money magazines for their content - especially when these magazines focus on women. And, while I've vetoed any extensive summertime travel because of gas prices, we'll still look at how people in the U.S. have modified their travel plans. Additionally, we'll focus on what we can do to fill up that travel time here at home and, in the process, save some dollars for investments instead.

On that note?we'll see you next week!

Linda Goin