My wife checks TRowePrice and other sites constantly as well, but we don't sweat it. As you probably know, one of the first rules is to not let your emotions rule your financial decisions.
Good to see you're in the TSP as well. I always advise our younger troops to invest, even if it's only $50/month. I had mine set up to put in 10% of base pay, and 100% of special pays and bonuses. Maxed it out fairly quickly. The next time you deploy I would highly recommend the SDP as well.
As for Asians, well...
My wife is Asian. Until I started doing contract work she was the big earner. My Army pay was for toys, (I still tell people I'd do it for free) and I pretty much let her run things. Now that I'm about to incorporate, I'm going to hire a tax attorney to oversee the LLC.
Luckily, the world is not coming to an end. As I sit here in Breckenridge today, things actually look quite bright. That and I'll be visiting Colpar Hobbies today. Great place. (the one on Havana)

You're right about getting emotional over the market, I used to check it like a hawk and whine like a child whenever I lost on it. Getting older, wiser, and working in a great Federal job helped alleviate a lot of the problems. Money is an emotional issue for many, but I never get tired telling my cohorts about the long term. Those Ipods and designer clothes only go so far in life. Pleasure should be used as a treat, not a lifestyle. Or so my mommy says.

It's really pretty simple if you live within your means you should be fine.

The Government, one party primarily believes everyone should own a home regardless if they can afford it or not. The facts are some people just can not afford a house and this "entitlement" "share the wealth" mentality is going to be the death of this country if we do not get it under control.

I believe that hunger is one heck of a motivator, let a few people go hungry for a while and they'll take those jobs that "Americans don't want to do."

I hear all this political mumbo jumbo about fairness ... well guess what, life is not always fair.

My business hasn't slowed much, mainly because I'm out there getting jobs to do (I work on houses) and if it does slow I'm perpared. I will not be standing around expecting the government to help me.

Monday I drove down to my closest LHS and, guess what,.....sign in the window that says "For Lease". It's in a strip mall in a fairly affluent area and the entire side of the mall had similiar signs in the windows. As I recall, all of these shops were specialty shops - i.e. shops that didn't deal in neccesity items ....flower shops...decorative lamps..etc...and of course my closest LHS.

I guess it's partly my fault. I buy a lot online. Mostly because there's a lot online the LHS doesn't stock, but I can't help but feel that the economy had even more to do with it. The first thing to go in a downturn are the non-essentials.

The other LHS was still going, but there were bare spots on the shelves and the place was beginning to look a little run down. Normally, on a weekday, it's fairly busy. Not Monday....I and my wife were the only ones there. I'm afraid it may not have much longer.

If this sort of thing keeps up, the only place left will be online. Unless they're feeling the pinch too.

Sad, very sad.

Don't blame yourself. I've seen a lot of hobby shops go by the wayside in the DFW area. Poor customer service had a lot to do with several of them.
In the past few weeks, I've visited hobby shops in North Carolina and Colorado, and not Hobby Towns either. These shops are flourishing. One of the reasons (other than a knowledgable friendly staff) seems to be the "D" word again - diversification.
I buy online whenever I like. And I shop the local shops wherever I go as well. I'm trying my best to keep thiungs going...

I haven't felt the pinch that every one seems to be complaining about or so this is what the news tells us . My Job is fine , I don't have to worry about getting laid off at all . I don't own my own house and I 'm fine with that . Car is paid for , so no car payment . Even with the gas prices falling , I don't do a lot of driving any way . My spending on kits has slowed down do to that I have gotten the ones that missed out on years ago , so it's just new releases which I work on and others that are still able to get . there is no slowing down at the LHS and there is eight of them here in the city . I do shop on line . I see something that I want , I send a money order or I have many friends in the states who help with this as as well .

True that there are families out there who have a hard time making ends meet , but life is not about money or how much of it you have or don't have . It does seem that the less you have the happier you are and less stress in ones life . The more money we have the problems and issues just seem to follow the cash flow . Are governments do have to change for the better , which will never happen in my life time . But we do have the power to vote ! We just don't exerices that right ! or at least here in the great white north where we still live in igloo's and have dog teams !