Simple Life Up

Time as An Asset

2010-03-21T01:06:00.004-04:00

What is the one thing all people claim to not have enough of? Would you say time? Some would say money, but that's a whole other discussion for another time and place.

I often wonder why it sometimes takes us most of or 75% of our lifetime to figure out what we love to do and have the time to do that. Why not choose to do that now and make the time to do the thing (s) you love? Why do we Americans wait until retirement to pursue our passions?

My life pursuit is to make the time to do the things that I'm passionate about. My job is a day job, and nothing more. That doesn't mean that I don't give it my all for that time being, but it also means that's not where my passion lies. I play music, I write, and I create. Those are my passions. I have ways of tying those obsessions in to my job as well. Remember, I'm creative and get creative where need be. :-)

I made a commitment to myself early on that I would never look back on my life and say I wish I had done this or that. I am traveling the world, I'm playing music almost full time, I'm writing and getting paid for it, and have a great group of friends and family. All big goals in my life that I'm attaining or exceeding in my wildest dreams. Life is good.

That doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement. I would love to play music full time and make a living completely from doing it and it alone, but we'll see what the future has in store for me. I am working very hard to attain that goal. I love the challenge of continually creating, challenging my norm, learning, growing, and progressing as a human being. I'm continually inspired by some incredible people and one lately that got my creative juices going and got me off my duff was the book, "The War of Art." It asks the reader the question, "Why are you not doing what you love?" To paraphrase one of the most powerful lines in the whole book, "If you're not doing what your most passionate about and were born to do, you're not being fair to yourself or anyone else." Imagine if we all created and were doing what we were born to do...Powerful stuff. How many artists are out there that have never fully developed their craft? How many composers exist that work 60 hours at a factory and can't perform? How many wonderful cooks spend time in their family kitchen and wow everyone that comes in contact with their creations? I ask this stuff of myself constantly and like to challenge the status quo with regard to standards, norms, and societal barriers.

What inspires you and why aren't you doing it (unless you are, in which case, keep on keepin' on brother or sister!)?

Art and It's Place in Our Culture

2010-03-11T03:33:00.005-05:00

I'm going to wax philosophical today; simply because I feel like life is making me really contemplate this stuff. I just finished reading the wonderful book entitled "The War of Art," written by Steven Pressfield. It's a great way to self reflect and begin to understand the creative individual, whether that be yourself or someone else. Essentially, it's a great book to get you off your butt and in to action. To stop procrastinating and do what you were meant to do.

I have to admit that I inherently like books like this because I, for some reason, I occasionally need self validation with my endeavors in the arts. Anymore, it's so uncommon to meet other individuals that are completely consumed with their artistic work. To find a full time musician/artist/writer that isn't living in New York, Nashville, or LA is uncommon, if not challenging to find. Most musicians and artists that I know have to supplement their artistic side with a day job or side gigs that help pay the bills. I'm this way as well. It doesn't mean that I lose focus or put music/writing/art on the back burner, it just means that I have health benefits and a pay check that affords food on the table and a roof over my head.

Getting back to the topic at hand: finding our true calling is what I'm encouraging all of us humans to do. What if everyone that we encountered in our life was doing what they were meant to do? Would people be happier? Would we all get along? Would the world be a better place? Would we have wars? Tough questions to answer, but I think overall, people would be happier and more fulfilled. I don't think we would have a culture that values monetary things, material wants, and plastic surgery. We would value things like: how great our meal was, or how wonderful an art show happened to be, or how we can't wait to play music with our friends, etc. Not saying that we can't value that stuff now and really make them priorities, but somehow it's easy to lose sight of that stuff when we have other distractions.

Looking within ourselves and being completely honest with ourselves about what our strengths are and our true God-given talents can be an awakening. You may already know what yours is, but if not, I highly recommend and encourage you to do so. It's not always easy to take this path, but it's extremely rewarding. Finding a way to make a living doing what you love will bring you so much fullfilment in the long run, and life is all about the long run. Who wants to be happy when they are 62 and can finally enjoy life after putting the good years behind them? Do it now!

Have a great week!

Being Inspired With Creativity

2010-03-04T09:30:00.004-05:00

I hope you're having as great a week as I am. I am traveling this week and am with my parents in Mesa, Arizona. I happen to love the weather in Arizona for obvious reasons, one: it's such a contrast from what we're used to in Indiana. It makes it much easier to be optimistic when the sun is shining every day.

Something occurred to me as well. I'm a creative person and while at home I am creative, however, my creative well is overflowing out here. Being in a different environment, especially one that is condusive to better moods really helps your creativity. I find myself wanting to play more music, writing, etc. It's great! As a result, I'm going to try to take advantage of as much of this spring of creative juice as I can.

I realize that it's not practical for everyone to be in another climate or environment to just be creative, but maybe consider just changing your surroundings in a small way to open up the creative floodgates, that is if you're feeling stifled. If not, keep doing what you're doing. I find myself getting in ruts occasionally and traveling/changing things up really gives me a different perspective from which to draw from.

Part of the excitement and inpiration is also the fact that I'm seeing people that I don't get to visit with all the time as well. My parents live in Mesa, AZ, so I don't see them as often as I'd like. They are great about living life to the fullest and experiencing everything they can. That has guided me throughout and life, and now is no exception.

I wish you the best in your week and your journeys in general. Mix it up this week and try something/somewhere new. Get inspired!

When to Put Yourself In Time Out

2010-02-23T09:30:00.003-05:00

Stress is an unbelievable thing when it bears down on us all. It can come in the form of work overload, home life financial issues, emotional scars and get opened up, or just plain exhaustion from all of life's challenges. Pressures from many different angles can bring the worst out in all of us, but there are healthy ways to deal with it and go on with life. We don't have to take this stress out on other people (easier said than done, I know).

Ev and I have a fun way of dealing with this. We put ourselves in a time out and take some time to reflect on why we're upset. We don't each go to our respect corners and put our noses in them, but we do remove ourselves from the room and just take a bit of downtime, then meet back up after we've calmed down. This seems to help both of our "bull headed" approaches that we sometimes take. If we take the time to think about where the other is coming from and how we can better deal with the other, it usually gets resolved in a peaceful manner.

As we get to know each other (this can apply to friends, partners, lovers, husband/wife,etc.), we understand why the other one gets upset as well and that usually makes each party more patient with specific situations. If you know what their anger triggers are and you consciously avoid them, it helps tremendously. How do you deal with anger and stress with your partner, friends, family members? I'd love to hear other angles.

On this similar topic, I read a great article entitled "How to Travel the World Together Without Killing Each Other" . I found this article very uplifting and inspiring. The reality of relationships is that no one is perfect and no relationship is perfect. It takes unwavering patience and love to keep it going. It can be done and all it takes is willingness and fortitude to keep it going.

Have a great week!

Taking on Challenges

2010-02-17T10:24:00.003-05:00

This is a fun topic...right?

Sometimes in our lives, we hate challenges and just want to norm to come back. I know I sometimes feel that way. But the norm gets boring and we all like a bit of a road block to steer around from time to time, or a nice incline to get up so we can see the road ahead (a lot of alliteration, I know). Challenges keep us happy and healthy and make us grow. They force us to reconsider the mundane and trivial things in our life, and even the big picture as well.

My challenge right now is trying to balance a work life that I've enjoyed for a long time, with a company that I'm frustrated with. I've found that some of the ideals and morals that I believe in, aren't exactly the same within my corporation that I work for. This can be common when we're subjected to corporate America, but it gets very tiring when the company you work for puts themselves and their interest (monetarily and otherwise) above all of their most important asset: their employees. I see this time and time again with large corporations like Walmart, and other banks or large conglomerates, but haven't had to deal with it as much until now. My previous employer (prior to being bought out) was not as blatant about being in it for number one.

So, what I've done to vent and deal with my frustration is focus solely on my music. I've been composing and playing like crazy. I love it and am glad that it's become a huge focus again. I've never stopped playing music, it's just that sometimes I don't feel inspired to write and compose, but right now I do. I'll take it while it's here.

My challenge has been to grow as a musician and to deal with the challenges at work the best I can. I'm doing my part in the way I feel is right and that's all I can do. If I get to a point where I feel that I don't belong, I will leave. It's that simple. I'm not there yet, thankfully. I'm hoping that it's just temporary and will pass.

What are your challenges and how have you overcome them? How do you grow from them?

Planting Your Seeds

2010-02-09T11:36:00.003-05:00

Hey all,

Another snow day today here in central Indiana. We've gotten a crazy amount of snow in the last month and today we got 3 more inches. Plenty of precipitation!

Evelyn has been planting her seeds for the vegetable garden already and the little seedlings are starting to sprout in the trays that she has designated for this. It's pretty cool and it's also cool to see her so excited about it. We're doing everything 100% organic this year and I love how enthusiastic she is about it all. She's really the gardener in the house any more. I love to garden but don't take the necessary time to do so. I usually get side tracked by music, running, kayaking, cycling, or something else.

This whole seed planting activity is a bit symbolic at the same time. When Evelyn starts doing all this in preparation for spring, it plants the enthusiasm and the energy that she needs to get through the season. She gets extremely excited and this creates momentum to get her through to the harvest of the vegetables. It's a great thing.

This whole concept can be looked at in a parallel way in many aspects or degrees of life. Essentially, any network that you create is done so by planting a seed with a person (s). This can be a simple as helping someone out, doing a good job at work, joining an organization, just making a new friend, socializing at a community event, etc. You "plant a seed" when you build that connection. This helps you out in so many ways that you maybe don't realize too. I'm sure there are many times in your life that people pull through that you would never have expected to need. People and relationships are great for that.

Here's to Spring and the hope that all the seeds in your garden or life will sprout and grow like crazy.

Cheers!

Do What Works (If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It Edition)

2010-02-01T22:19:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!

I hope this post finds you well. My Monday was great and I've ended with a wonderful band practice.

So, I got to thinking today about how people can over think decisions like doing their taxes, and keeping their "books" in general. There is a lot of advice out there with regards to this stuff right now. It can be confusing and overwhelming quite frankly. The truth is that it's all up to you and what your comfort zone entails. I happen to like going to H and R Block to the tax guy that I've gone to for a few years because he knows my situation and the whole mess that is "my taxes." I have rental properties, self employed income, W2'd income, income from playing music, etc. It all gets convoluted and interesting, but having someone that has done this stuff for years makes it much easier and much less stressful for me.

What I'm getting at here is that do what works for you. Find your comfort zone with this stuff. If you have easy returns, just do them yourself if you know how. If you're not comfortable with that, do like I do and have someone do them for what you think is worth the price. For me, the $300-400 that I pay some to do my taxes is worth it because I usually get the money back in some kind of write off or depreciation that I would have never thought of.

This applies to all aspects of your book keeping too. If you have a system for balancing your checkbook that's outside of using the ledger in your checkbook, keep doing it. I find that an excel spreadsheet works for me and then I just balance it up with my online statements and online balances. That's what works for me. What works for you for your book keeping? I think of it this way: If it's too tedious and I'll never get back to doing the task, then it's not for me. The excel spreadsheet is laid out very simply and it works for me because it's easy. If it was time intensive and difficult, I frankly would not do it.

Good luck with this tax time and I wish you all the best!

Because You Never Know

2010-01-26T09:17:00.004-05:00

I hope this Tuesday finds you well. Here in snowy, cold Indiana, life is good.

I was thinking in my sleep last night (I tend to get most of my deep thinking done then, Ha) and just reinforced my ideas that I've been having. I've had a sort of epiphany at the 30 year mile marker in my life. I realized that it's now or never on certain goals, not that I don't have time left in my life, because that's not the case at all. I just realized that if I want to make an impact or reach a certain level, I need to really focus now. I want to be the best that I can be at my goals. My caveat: I know that perfection is the enemy of good, so I am keeping that close at hand as well. I just want to attain the level that I know I'm capable of.

What do I want to attain? Well, in pretty much all aspects of my life I want to be the best that I can be. Music and writing being my main focus, but keeping my career at center as well is important. I want to continue to grow as a person and develop as a person. That will come as I throw myself in to new challenges and situations. I firmly believe that the only way anyone can grow is to meet adversity, or at least a challenge of some sort, and then overcome it. It's certainly not always easy, but the general stuff in life isn't always easy either. I like this quote from the singer Bono of the band U2, "I'm tired of dreaming. I'm into doing at the moment. It's, like, let's only have goals that we can go after."

Man, I can agree with that statement. It's so important to dream. It's important to have lofty goals that are hard to attain, because it stretches us as intellectual people. This is what makes us differ from all the other animals on the planet. We are intellectual and think deeply. We need to be stretched from time to time. That's the only way we change and grow. Have you ever met anyone that has the same, boring, non-fulfilling job and doesn't step outside of that life ever? How is their personality? Do they inspire you? Now, don't get me wrong, if this is you or someone you know, I'm not criticizing. I simply challenge you to rise above the status quo and find a line in the sand that is hard to cross. Then go after it! Find that long lost goal and make it a priority.

I've been to some motivational seminars in my life because of my sales background in the Real Estate business, and while sometimes very cheesy or sale-sy (not a word, but I'm making it one), there are some good points that I've picked up. The main one that really sticks with me is that in order for us to make a goal real, we need to write it down and make it real. Write down all that you want to accomplish in the next 12 months, in the next 2 years, in the next 5 years. Then, take a course of action to make those goals happen in that time. Put yourself in a position where it's practical for those goals to happen. They will if you apply your time and energy in earnest. That's not to say that goals are always easy, that's why they are goals. But, how do you feel when you meet large life goals? It's a great feeling!

I'm Thankful

2010-01-19T23:07:00.004-05:00

I've taken a bit of a break from posting lately, but wanted to share my thoughts on the situation in Haiti while I've got a sounding board.

First off, I'm very thankful that I am where I am right now. Don't get me wrong, I love Caribbean countries and I'm fascinated with Central America, The Caribbean, and South America, so Haiti would be some place that I would travel to, if I could do so safely. That's remains in question naturally, but right now especially, safety would be questionable.

I feel as if the country has big enough problems that this became a "straw that broke the camels back" sort of scenario. Haiti has really steered clear of UN help recently and is obviously in need of it. There are many reasons why Haiti is struggling economically as of late, but here's a bit of a window in to why and how Haiti got to be so poor. There seems to be a common them of imperialism that pops it head throughout Haiti's history, and then abandonment after. Those two things have worked in other countries, but there is a bad cocktail of combinations that occurred in Haiti.

Slave labor created a great productivity during the French Colonial period. This left a lasting population of freed slaves that were uneducated, unemployed, and socially inept after the French backed out of Haiti. That's a powerful combination when you consider the social and economic implications. Combine that with the incredible amount of debt that Haiti incurred with their desire to be recognized by Europe on an governmental level. This debt plagued the Haitian government for almost 100 years. Imagine the amount of interest that they payed the French government to do so.

Then you come upon the U.S occupation of Haiti, which adequately did it's part to create the downward spiral that we're now seeing in Haiti. Guilt may play a big part in our agenda with regards to aid relief and assistance during these major earthquakes that rocked Haiti as well.

The US Marines took over the banks, revenues, government servants, and created a new constitution for Haiti in 1915. The Haitians have never really recovered from the creation of aid relief and the governmental influence from US backed governments. This has been a pretty lethal cocktail.

Then we have something similar to what's going on in Jamaica. Exporting food crops instead of relying on their own resources and planting techniques. This has caused prices to increase as the fuel costs and transportation costs rise with importing/exporting. Couple that with low income wages and you get a pretty disastrous scenario as well.

So, why am I thankful? I'm thankful because I've been fortunate to be born in to the US economy and be well educated. With that, I've not been stuck or without options in my life. For that, I'm very thankful. I do feel great empathy for the people of Haiti. I hope and pray that things stabilize and life gets back to some sort of normalcy for them. God willing, it will.

Finding Balance

2010-01-12T10:10:00.003-05:00

What is it about the work/play struggle that seems to get us tangled up? It seems like I get on a roll where I have a good work/play balance and everything is right with the world. At other times, one side of the pendulum is weighed heavily (my play refers to all my hobbies and free time expressions). For example, I can get absorbed in work for a couple weeks at a time and somehow lose a bit of focus on the passions that are so important to me. I don't ever lose sight of the passions completely, it's just that sometimes I devote a lot of time and other times, it's average.

So, this leads me to my question. How do we find this delicate balance? At what point do we realize our sweet spot with these things? As humans, we are prone to error and mistakes happen. We learn from them and move on. It seems like balance is one of those things that seems to constantly challenge us though. I am happy with my life, don't get me wrong. I am extremely grateful for what I have and what I've been given. It's the fine tuning aspect of life that I'm after. I like to fine tune all things in my life and this is just another facet.

Learning: I'm beginning to understand some things about myself and ways to keep myself in check. If I write myself daily notes to remind myself what to do and how to allocate my time, it helps. I don't like daily planners (to each their own, if they work for you, great!) because I can't seem to force myself to write everything down. I like to keep some of it in my head, otherwise I drive myself crazy trying to accomplish absolutely everything that I write down. That's not good either. Perfection is the enemy of good. Although I always strive for very lofty goals, knowing that good is enough helps me.

What works for you? How do you find balance?

Snowed In

2010-01-07T10:46:00.003-05:00

Happy Thursday to everyone!

Indiana is being blanketed by snow as we speak. To the tune of 4 or 5 inches and I can't help but think about warmer weather and beaches elsewhere. :-) The snow is beautiful and looks very nice outside, but the reality of it is that it's exceptionally cold.

So, with the abundance of snow, I've decided to work from home today to avoid the drivers in Indianapolis that don't necessarily practice rational driving methods when winter weather bears down. I have 4 wheel drive, but that doesn't save me from bad drivers. Ok, enough ranting.

What to do? Well, I'm working first and foremost, but in my free time I'm writing (i.e. here) and playing some music. I've mentioned in previous posts that I've been working on jazz guitar skills and I plan on doing some more of that today. I recently got Band in a Box so I can practice full band arrangements by myself with my laptop. It's wonderful and I can program exactly the way I want. Technology is wonderful!

So, while some of you are cozy and warm in your home, I'm right there with you. Some of you may live in warmer climates and for that, I'm a tad jealous. What do you do on snow days (or just off days if you live in a warm place)?

Challenging Status Quo

2010-01-05T20:38:00.003-05:00

Ruts happen and life can sometimes get stagnant. It's easy to do and for a lot of people, it takes a New Years Resolution to break away from it. I have some resolutions that I've made for myself and I truly plan to meet or beat them. Mine aren't the lose weight or stop this or that resolutions. Well, not true. I want to try to work less hours, but that's an over time goal. Mine involves music and my goals with music.

For too long, I've been side lining my music aspirations and that's no more. I'm going full force with the blues band, continuing to learn jazz guitar and mandolin (I want to be very proficient with jazz guitar; to the point of playing some jazz gigs), and generally just making the move toward playing music as a part time job. Every inspirational book I read says that I should get paid to do what I love. That's music. I like to do other things as well (like write, paint, run, hike, kayak, cycle, travel), but my true love is music.

I feel that setting realistic, but challenging goals is a great way for me to feel like I'm progressing and meeting my expectations. I have loved jazz for a long time and have been playing it in some capacity for a while now. I really want to be a "pro" at it though. Being a hack is no longer acceptable to me. I'm tired of being at a level that I feel confined by. Learning many more scales and techniques will put me out of my comfort level and make me better. Period. I am still excited about this too, and I've been at it for a few weeks now.

What is it that you can do to challenge your status quo? How can you grow with your hobby or passion? Do it!!! You'll not regret it, I promise.

Avoiding Post Holiday Doldrums

2009-12-30T09:42:00.004-05:00

Hey all. Happy Wednesday to you.

The Holidays aren't quite over yet, but the nearness of the New Year has me thinking about post holiday slumber and peace. Sometimes that peace can lead to doldrums if not harnessed in the proper way. :-) In other words, if we don't have the positive attitude that comes with Christmas and the New Year celebration, we can sometimes get depressed. Why does this happen and how can it be avoided?

Well, I think part of this is a double edged sword. There is the hurrying and festivities that surround the Holiday time, along with seeing family and being in the giving spirit. That always brings happiness (or usually) and the residual good feelings tend to last through the Holiday period. We also tend to get some time off work (if we're lucky) and we look forward to that time like it's the Holy Grail of the work year. We get much needed rest and mental release from our jobs and the stress that is right behind our job. So, again, why do we sometimes get in to the New Year with a bit of a low or melancholy?

I equate this to a similar feeling that comes with separation anxiety. We are separated from the family that we see 2,3,4, or more times a year. We have that good feeling that comes after seeing said family and now it's over until next year. Or, at least until our family gets together again, but the Holiday time is over until next year. That's okay though. We can all find our own ways to keep that cheer in our lives. Find the positives like we do so easily during the Holidays. Keep those with us through the rest of Winter and in to Spring, and there's always next year to look forward to for another Holiday.

Giving throughout the year can also have similar effects as the giving that we experience at Christmas. Find a charity to help with, even if it's just your time. Those experiences and feelings can have lasting effects, and people will benefit as a result.

I hope you have happiness all year long. All the best!

Resolving New Years Resolutions

2009-12-27T17:06:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

I have taken some days off from posting here lately, but am back now and just wanted to explore the topic of New Years Resolutions.

First off, what qualifies as a New Years Resolution and how do we narrow things down to a substantial resolution? I guess it doesn't have to be that seriously pondered, but if it's going to get resolved, it's got to be something that we want to improve right? Well, I have some goals that I'd like to reach, but nothing as far as losing weight, or stopping smoking (don't smoke), or any other normal resolutions that people have. Mine involve things like: getting a proficient understanding of complex jazz improvisation for guitar and mandolin and being able to open my musical vocabulary a bit more. Other than that, just traveling more and seeing/experiencing new things.

I really feel like the older I get, the more important my family and friends become. I also plan on spending as much time with family as I possibly can. After the X'mas Holiday, I look back and think, it is wonderful to spend all that time with family that I get to see twice a year. Maybe I can bring that up to three or four times a year.

My new goal each year also is to see a new country every year. This year it will either be Thailand and Southeast Asia or another country in Central/South America. It depends of friends' schedules and plans as to what we do. I can't wait. I love the excitement that comes with seeing new places and people. I love to immerse myself in new (to me) culture. I love trying new foods and drinks in new places as well. That stuff gets my creative juices flowing.

What is it that you value and want to resolve in 2010? What can you do to make it happen?

Here's to the Holidays and the news years...Cheers!

Avoiding Burnout With Your Career

2009-12-18T09:43:00.003-05:00

I think everyone, at one time or another, feels that burned out feeling from over working and trying to make sure things are squared away at the end of the year. So, what do you do to avoid getting burned out doing the same things day in and day out?

Change up your routine- This seems like a no-brainer, but some people get stuck in their rut and forget to spice up their life a bit. This can be easy. Just do a couple things differently in your day to change things up. Take your lunch break for the full hour, or go somewhere different for lunch that you wouldn't normally go to. I like to go to the library and browse the Cd's, movies, books, magazines, and newspapers. Just depends on my mood and what I'm interested in that day. It's a great way to get your mind off of work and away from the stress that work can place on you.

Take little breaks- Make time to pull away from your most stressful patches of work. If you know that between 10 am and 2 pm is your busiest time, then plan 5 minute breaks for every hour to walk around the office, or step outside for minute, or just surf the web mindlessly. This allows you to regain your composure and decompress a bit to allow yourself to better complete your task at hand. Everyone operates differently though. Some people prefer to just put their nose to grindstone and get things accomplished and out of the way, that way they're done for the day. Some people prefer to take breathers in between their tasks to avoid getting over stressed and spreading out the work for the day. Neither is right or wrong, one just may work better for you.

Make your tasks meaningful- I like to make a list and use it as kind of a daily goal planner. I can check off my tasks and make it feel like a game. It's like a personal game that you can play with yourself to feel like you accomplished your goals and gave yourself a purpose for the day. If you approach your tasks with a sense of purpose, you'll feel a bit better at the end of the day. On the other hand, don't take your tasks too seriously. If you approach them with too much importance, if one task doesn't get done, you'll get down on yourself. This defeats the purpose. Keep positive.

Have fun with your co-workers- This isn't always possible in every work environment, but in most, you can find ways to have some fun with your co-workers while getting your work done. At my workplace, we all tell jokes, tell each other our debacles in life, share our own shameless screw ups, and just generally shoot the breeze. This can be done while getting work done if you instant message, sit close to your co-workers, or if you get regular breaks. If you get one of these, email works well too. Just find ways to add some humor and fun to your work bubble.

If possible, do some work from home- Don't do this in your "off" time. In other words, if you work allows you to, work from home as a substitution from you office work time. This allows you to change up your sterile work environment for your cozy home. Just make sure that you stay productive so your boss doesn't regret letting you have some at home work time. This helps me greatly as it allows me to get more done by focusing on my work away from office distractions. The nice trade off here is that with that focus, I can get my work done quicker and have time to do the things that I want to do around the house, etc. It's a great trade-off.

I hope you effectively avoid burnout while you press through this end of the year work quarter. Good luck and have some fun.

Getting Away to the Desert

2009-12-15T23:04:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone. I've been away in Phoenix, Arizona for the last 5 days and haven't been keeping up with my blogging in the meantime. I did want to post some reflections on the trip and how it made me think differently about certain aspects of my life.

First off, we went to Phoenix to go celebrate my father's 50th birthday party and I couldn't be happier that we did. It was great to see all of my parents' friends and our family come celebrate with him on his milestone birthday (although in my mind it's just another day, as Dad would say as well). My parents are both very young to have a son that's 30 (that's me) and 27 (my brother), but it works out well for all of us as they are very active and adventurous. Not only were they up for whatever we want to do, they even come up with their own crazy agendas. I love that about them. My brother is very cool as well and I love counting my family as my best friends (along with Evelyn of course).

Secondly, my parents surprised my brother and I with some tunes that they've been learning on the banjo (my Dad) and the fiddle (my Mom). Needless to say, I was stunned and so proud. I think it's awesome that they're learning these very difficult instruments and I'm so proud that they've made such progress is so little time. They were playing old fiddle tunes very well for the 5-6 months that they've been playing them. My jaw was on the floor when I walked in the house from the airport and saw them playing them. I always knew that I got my musical abilities from somewhere and I think my parents are realizing that they have it in them as well. That's so inspiring. My brother and I have been playing for some years, and we are now complete with the "Stackhouse Family Band." :-)

Thirdly, going back to that adventurous part: my parents and I went hiking Monday in Usery Park outside of Phoenix, and we did some pretty intense hiking. We climbed roughly 2000 vertical feet and a trail that was at least 3 miles (although we dispute that as it seemed much farther and we're not just saying that because of the elevation gain). Seeing the panoramas and the views of the Arizona valleys was stunning to say the least. It's a mental health wonderland up their on the mountain and I literally am excited about the next visit out there so I can do it again somewhere new. I love the crisp air and the warm sunshine when you're trekking up the mountain. There's nothing really that compares to that feeling of reconnecting with the outdoors.

Lastly, I'm grateful. I'm grateful that I get to spend such great times with my family while I'm young. I'm also grateful that we can put any differences aside and just love each other no matter what. That is great when you think about so many people out there that just can't seem to get along with their family because of petty differences. During the Holidays, I'm thankful that I have these things. I think I will always be grateful and thankful for that.

Making It Through the Holiday Stress

2009-12-08T09:18:00.003-05:00

If you are like most Americans, you are freaking out about how you're going to get all your Holiday shopping done and how you're going to travel everywhere you need to go over the Holidays. Trying to overdo it is a normal situation for all of us and sometimes we all just need to take a step back and realize that the Holidays are about family, friends, and being with the ones we love, not impressing them. I think we all sometimes work a bit to hard to make sure every detail is perfect for our family and really, our family just wants to relax and be with everyone.

Perfect is the enemy of good enough. It's taking me a long time to realize (30 years of my life) that being a perfectionist is not always a good thing. Sometimes, we all need to step back and accept good enough. Having the "perfect" Christmas is sometimes as simple as just having family over, eating together, and then enjoying each others company. Really, do you remember a gift that you received 5 years ago that really changed your Christmas day. There are some exceptions, but we are all so conditioned to give and receive gifts that we really tend to overlook or glaze over with all the gifts. I'm not saying that we don't necessarily appreciate them, but it's almost like over stimulation of the senses and we get overloaded. I'm of the opinion that one great gift is enough and especially one that has meaning.

So, when you're preparing for this Holiday Season, keep in mind the importance and the point of this great time of year. Don't get too caught up in the hoopla that can create stress in an otherwise fun time. We don't get to see the whole family (or the vast majority hopefully) all the time, and being appreciative of this is good for the soul.

Good luck with your shopping and preparations for the Holidays. Good luck if you have a challenging family also! :-)

Doing What You Love

2009-12-05T17:17:00.003-05:00

How is it that we convince others to pay us for the things that we love to do? How do we go about it? Is it just sheer determination or is it the fine art of marketing? Is it networking and using contacts that you have to create your ultimate business? Could it be brute force and the force of just putting your nose to the grind stone?

I happen to believe its a bit of all the above, as you might have guessed. Timing can also be a factor as well since we don't always have the time to pursue our passions, and given that time, we may come across the opportunities that we didn't have before. For example, you may work a job now that consumes 60 hours of your week. God forbid, but let's say your employer cuts back your hours to 35 hours a week. With all that time that you have, you may pick back up your passions and or find new ones. Who's to say that won't turn in to something that goes to a full time gig? I used to think this mentality was for dreaming about when one retires, but now I realize that we all can make our own realities with some hard work and determination. We just have to try. That's the biggest part of the equation that a lot of people miss!

Trying. Be it as it may, trying can be very difficult. Difficult for our egos (especially when we fail), and difficult for us on a physical level. It's easy to sit around and do nothing about change or creating change, but taking that first step or just jumping in head first can be scary. The funny part is though, once you dive in head first in to crazy challenges, they all become easier and more manageable through time. Even when approaching new challenges. The skills learned from the last big challenge can guide you through the current one.

That's the wonderful thing about us humans. We adapt and grow with change. We naturally don't like change, but we do deal with it in our own ways. We can choose to fight it, but change always wins. When we create and make the change, we get to guide our own destiny. That's the cool part. How do you think that you'll guide your destiny?

De-Cluttering My Life

2009-12-03T00:17:00.003-05:00

Well, we made it through another Wednesday unscathed. I have been having a pretty good week so far, and tonight I played a gig to top off my "hump" day. Can't say that I'm not happy about that.

I have been seriously planning and scheming (in my head) all the ways that I can de-clutter and lessen the amount of "stuff" that I (we) have. One of those approaches involves selling the stuff that is of use to others, but of no more use to me. I have some pretty expensive (well, it used to be anyway) music equipment that I haven't used in years and could be sold on Ebay to generate some additional cash flow and make room for less clutter. Other ways that I'm approach are to decide what has been used in the last 4-6 months, and if it hasn't, it's got to go. Minus the camping stuff, kayak, and other stuff that I know I'll use when it's warm again.

So, why the reasoning for this? I feel that I need to simplify all aspects of my life so my mind is less cluttered. Plus, it's good for your mental health to de-clutter and streamline all the stuff in your life. This is evident when you see elderly folks that tend to clutter stuff after their spouse passes away. They do so to "hold on" to the memories and the tangible from what was in their life.

Another reason for this mode of getting rid of stuff is because I have become very anti-consumer in philosophy as I hit this 30th year mark in my life. I hate consuming things and buying things just because I can. It drives me nuts to see an over abundance of packaging used on items, people running up credit cards and the banks charging F-U interest rates, the gluttony of collecting junk, and then going back for more. I'm not in any way saying I'm "better than that" or "holier than though," so please don't take it that way. I'm just saying that I refuse to be like that and it depresses me that so many are trapped in that mode of addictive behavior. I want to help those people and heal that emotional wound that causes them to do this.

Do you have ways that help you de-clutter your life so you can think more clearly? Do you have traditions or ritual times of the year when you do this? I can't think of a better time than the holidays, given the fact that we'll probably all end up with more than we had after it's all over, said and done.

Winterizing the Home

2009-11-30T09:51:00.002-05:00

Well, the Thanksgiving Holiday has come and gone and now we're on the downhill slope to the Christmas Holiday. With that, we have colder weather as well, and it's already starting to show it's ugly face. Surprisingly, we've had pretty mild weather so far this fall and approaching winter. It's been pretty common to see it hit 50 degrees every day or every other day. For that, I'm not complaining. That does bring me to my next topic: Winterizing and cutting heating costs.

We bit the bullet last year and got new windows for our house (we didn't really bite the bullet too bad as they were a Christmas present) and that has really cut down on our overall heating bill. That, combined with monitoring the thermostat more regularly and turning it down when we're not at home, etc. I would suggest that to anyone that doesn't do that now, as it saves you quite a bit of money that you wouldn't imagine. Another good way to save on your gas bill is to turn your water heater down to 140 degrees as that is more than sufficient for heating your water for your personal needs. That will save a good chunk of change as well. So, what if you can't do new windows or need alternative options.

There are other options for winterizing and saving money, even if you have an old house with leaky windows. Start by going up in your attic and checking out the insulation that is present. If there is minimal insulation or it's less than 6 inches thick, you may want to consider getting more and lining the attic with it. This will save the most money and keep you the warmest in the winter as heat rises and without adequate insulation, your losing a lot of heat. Another great way to keep from losing heat in your home is to buy plastic window insulation that will provide an airtight seal against the drafts that might plague old windows. 3M makes a good product that I have used in the past and it does work quite effectively.

There is always the tried and true method of using more clothing in your home and just turning down your thermostat too. Wearing slippers and sweaters around the house will save you some pennies too, but can get old pretty quickly.

If you have a wood burning fireplace in your home, this would be an additional way that you can create heat without using the furnace. We do this in the winter with our fireplace and have to secure wood before the cold sets in to do so. This isn't so hard being in the Midwest though. Right now, there seems to be an abundance of firewood suppliers trying to earn extra money or doing it as a living with the job market being as thin as it is.

Lastly, check around the seals and the trim on your windows and you can caulk any areas that need to be airtight. Make sure you don't caulk the area that will need to move when opening and shutting the window though, unless you want it shut for good (or until you cut it open with a utility knife anyway). This is a really great way to cut down on drafts from the windows and can save lots of money as well. Check the doorways also and see if they are in need of caulking.

Good luck and I hope that this winter will find you safe and sound.

Oh Black Friday...

2009-11-28T09:53:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving and is having a nice, relaxing weekend spent with family and friends. The holidays are always an interesting time and this "Black Friday" was no different. I chose to be less than wise and go to Guitar Center yesterday on "Black Friday" and found quite crowd of teenage boys playing all sorts of metal and hard rock tunes on guitars in the store at just below ear blasting levels. Now, this by itself wouldn't be so bad, but then throw in the same number of kids trying out drum kits, running around the store with their parental counterparts, and then trying to check out. What that leads to is irritation of many levels. I managed to stay calm and collected without freaking out, but that was not the case with other shoppers. Some left after waiting in line for 15 minutes because they just needed small items.

Evelyn is an enthusiast about "Black Friday" and all of it's shopping grandeur. She's become quite the frugal queen and finding the best bargains has been the challenge for her shopping adventures. This includes grocery shopping with coupons, as well as using fliers to find the best %50 off deals possible. The other perspective on this is that she probably wouldn't have bought some of things she bought because she wouldn't have been in the store to be lured in to other "bargains." We try to stay focused on what we go to the store for, but we all know that sometimes the lure of other sales or specials are too tempting to pass up. This is the result of constant exposure to marketing that we are all bombarded with and the spending is the after effect.

Now, when it comes to Christmas (and we're really only buying for close family and a charity family that we "adopted"), we don't mind being generous and getting people more than they expect, but we really try to keep the spending reigned in so we don't have holiday spending regrets. Evelyn and I are not the typical consumerists, but we do like to treat ourselves and others well with gift giving.

Is "Black Friday" worth the effort? This is a very subjective question, of course, but do you feel that it's worth it to spend the effort to wake up early, go shopping for bargains, and fight the mass onslaught of the holiday crowds? I don't. I would rather pay $5 more on a gift that spend my time that way. That's my priority. Yours may differ and I accept that whole heartily. Regardless, we all need to keep in mind that we're all out for the same purpose.

I hope your shopping experience this year, whatever it may be, is not a stressful one. Good luck! Just a reminder, there's always the online shopping option. :-)

Some Thoughts on Giving Thanks

2009-11-25T09:19:00.003-05:00

Another Holiday year is here again, and just the same as last year, the madness and hustle and bustle of it all is making it fly by pretty quickly. Already we've got Thanksgiving knocking at our door and Christmas is right around the corner. I truly don't know where the year went.

With that said, I do have a few things that I'm very thankful for. My health has been mostly good this (very good relative to many) and for that I'm thankful. I have a wonderful girlfriend that loves me unconditionally, and I'm grateful. I have an awesome and inspiring family for which I am thankful. I'm been blessed enough to still have a great job and a wonderful home, with plenty to eat, and a warm bed in which to sleep. For all those things I am very thankful. Since I've begun this blog, I've made it my priority to see the lighter side and the simpler path in life. In doing so, it makes me really put a microscope to my own behaviors and actions, as well as the components of my life. This has given me all the more reflection time, resulting in more appreciation for the gifts and blessings that I do have.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am really excited about giving thanks tomorrow for the celebration of our ancestors making the trek from Europe to Plymouth Rock. Whether it means gorging myself on pumpkin pie and turkey, or just appreciating good conversation with my family members, I will be in the spirit of giving thanks. I know that not everyone has the blessings that I have and I must not take any of it for granted. As we all say, "life is short" and "this too shall pass." I don't want things to change, but life happens and things do change. All the more reason to enjoy what we have now. In the here and now.

Please enjoy what you have and count your blessings this Thanksgiving. By all means, have a wonderful one!

Cheers.

Very Affordable Housing

2009-11-22T19:01:00.003-05:00

I always thought that Indiana was a pretty cost effective place to live and work, but I just needed some real numbers and data to back me up. I found that backing when I read this article and found out that Indianapolis, IN is the most affordable city in the country to live in right now, with a median home price of $107,000.

What's also pretty amazing is that the median income is $68,100. That's pretty high considering the low prices in the housing market. Our dollar goes a lot farther here and on the flip side, homes don't appreciate quite as aggressively as in other areas. The positive to that argument is that we don't have the bubble bursts in real estate to the extent that California, Florida, and other major areas experienced. The benefits that I experience here in Indianapolis are in my business of owning and managing real estate. With low home prices, I am able to create more residual income as the mortgage payments are less as a consequence of a lower purchase price. This goes hand in hand with the fact that I can apply extra money to principal as well and pay off the houses quicker. It's a win/win all around.

On the other end of the spectrum, not all surprising, is the least affordable place to live. New York City. As seen here, the median home price is $425,000, while the median income is $64,800. That is a huge differential between home price and income! No wonder so many people rent in the Big Apple.

The interesting part of this article that isn't mentioned is the fact that when you go outside of these cities, prices tend to be even lower (with the exception of high end suburbs, which can be higher on average). When you look at housing costs in rural areas, especially in Indiana, you see even lower housing costs than in the major cities. You also see slightly lower median incomes, but that's not always the case.

The trade offs. You know there are always trade offs. Of course, we have the Indianapolis Colts, the Indianapolis Pacers, The Indianapolis Indians (minor league baseball team for the Pittsburgh Pirates), The Indianapolis 500 race, Wes Montgomery came from Indianapolis, Dave Letterman went to Ball State, Don Mattingly grew up in Evansville, Indiana, and many other notable events, sports, and people. But, Indiana is cold and located in the Midwest, where there aren't movie actors, we don't have an ocean or beaches, no mountains, lots of corn fields, and very little in the way of entertainment industry. Those are the trade offs.

So then the question becomes "What's it worth for you to live where you live?" If you love the location, weather, features, people, network, job, etc. that you have and live in, then no price tag can be placed on that (within reason of course). Happiness is paramount and affordable housing can be found nearly any place.

Have a great week everyone!

Pareto's Principle

2009-11-19T23:50:00.003-05:00

How is it that the most productive and efficient 20% of the population creates 80% of the wealth and prosperity (in philosophy of course)? The Pareto Principal attempts to explain this phenomenon and can be applied to many other aspects of life and work. I tend to apply it in my career by keeping my focus on my 20% most loyal customers that refer 80% of the business to me. This philosophy can be applied to many aspects of our lives though, but it's not something that should be thought of as an exact science (of course), but more a concept and direction for applying our energy and focus. If you think about your most loyal friends that encompass the most enriching aspects of your life, you might be able to apply this rule.

Why am I bringing this up? I am constantly striving to improve my efficiency in life and work, along with that finite balance in living. If I apply my energy to the most effective parts of my life, most effective friends, most effective partners (business and relationship), and most effective experience, I get more out of life in general. What I mean by the word effective: most enriching, rewarding, caring, and abundant. To find the 20% (of whatever it is you need) that are the most effective, makes you 80% more effective and abundant (in life, love, and happiness, at least that's the goal). I know this seems like seriously over thinking life, it's really not. It's simply learning how to put life on auto pilot and learning to use your energy in the most effective way. This leads to more mental and physical energy for the things that matter to you.

Things that matter to me are spending time with family and friends, being able to travel the world, playing music, helping others, experiencing new food and culture, and staying fit and healthy. The more efficient I am in choosing how I spend my time in my career and personal life, the more time and energy I have for these things that matter. How do you spend your time and energy? Do you find that you are constantly fine tuning your approaches to all aspects of your life? What in your life is worth putting more time towards? How can you find more time for that?

Check out the Pareto Principle and see if it can help you focus on the things that really matter in your life. Good luck!

Cheers!

Set Backs in Life

2009-11-17T22:42:00.005-05:00

We all will run in to challenges in life that will test our will and our patience. Why is it that the challenges in life can create the most upheaval in our moods and routines? Change seems to be hard for us as humans to grasp a hold of unless we are accustomed and used to change on a regular basis. But, as we all know, challenge and adversity give way to strength and life lessons.

How is that some people are just more adaptable to change and are more patient with the tough stuff in life? I think we can all agree that living our lives in certain ways can add to or take away from our energy, outlook, and overall way of dealing with adversity. We can choose to approach things in a positive light or a negative light. It's our choice. I'm constantly trying to learn from others that are so adaptable to change and so flexible with challenges. I really strive to remain positive through adversity, and also keep in mind that I've never experience REAL adversity the way some have. I've been pretty fortunate and lucky in my life.

What do you find throws you off your game? How do you deal with the big challenges in life?

What do you consider a big setback? This differs with all of us as well.

Life is sometimes like a marathon. We have to keep our heads in a happy place to make it through the long haul. What I like to keep in mind is that there are always different approaches to the mundane and the common adversity in life. Why not take the road less travelled and even the higher road? We all know that's better for our mental and physical health anyway.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

2009-11-15T22:35:00.004-05:00

What is it about desperation that forces us to reinvent ourselves and ultimately follow our muse?At other times we do things that just allow us to skate by, but when we have nothing, we have nothing to lose, right?

Throughout the economic downturn that our country has been experiencing, I've been reading countless stories about people that have reinvented themselves after being laid off or downsized from their previously stable jobs. They are now working for themselves and doing what they love. One blogger that I read occasionally has recently gone through this and you can read his story here as he's finding ways to reinvent himself, creating new sources with which to support himself. Others that I read about are doing freelance work in fields that they always wanted to. Viable fields are photography, graphic design, web design, consulting, writing, and editing, along with many other ways that you can work physically in your area to keep yourself afloat.

For another example, a friend of mine here in Indianapolis has begun a business doing painting and power washing for large apartment complexes and is doing quite well for himself. He will switch to plowing snow in the winter, which usually picks up in January, February, and March here in Indiana. He has chose to do this as his career in the business world became very disappointing for him and unreliable. If you're miserable in your job, I think this is the way to go. Why not take the leap of faith and work for yourself? If you have the self discipline and the tenacity to do it, I think there is no better way to employ yourself than being your own boss.

This topic is something that I've been researching pretty extensively over the last year as I'm trying to create other businesses that will take over my current day job. I do enjoy my current day job and it's as close to self employment as I can get (with outside sales and a very laid back manager that doesn't micro manage), and I also have my business with real estate rentals as well. However, my ultimate goal is to create a successful online business that can and will support me from any location.

If you have ideas or suggestions with regard to this topic, please email or comment to let me know. I am eager to get the wisdom from others that are doing this currently.

Have a great week everyone!

Financing From the Old School

2009-11-13T19:19:00.003-05:00

There used to be a time when people bought Christmas presents with cash and saved all year to do so. There wasn't an abundance of store credit cards that offered 0% financing for 12 months and there weren't credit card offers being sent to 90% of the homes in America. If you talk to the older generation of Americans (depression era folks), they didn't use and probably most haven't used credit cards much in their lives.

There is and has always been an alternate option that many stores still employ as a technique to sell their wares. Layaway. Kmart is king for the layaway and I'm sure you've all seen the Christmas commercials that highlight their layaway program since the credit card companies have tightened up their card requirements and approval processes (no financial interest of course). The important part to remember though is that layaway is interest free and allows for a purchaser to buy something over minimized payments without paying financing fees and crazy interest rates that credit card companies charge. It really is a fiscally smart alternative for the holidays.

Sears also has a pretty reasonable layaway program as well, along with some Best Buy stores, Burlington Coat Factory, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and some local stores that you may not even expect to offer layaway. A music instrument and supply store that offers layaway is Sam Ash in case your doing some shopping for a musician in your family.

So, if you don't want to pay cash for your Christmas presents, use layaway. In case you haven't caught on to my contempt for credit cards, now you know. The more I can steer people away from their evil ways, the better I'll feel.

Good luck with your holiday shopping!

Of Utmost Importance: Health

2009-11-10T22:08:00.004-05:00

We've all heard the phrase, "If you don't have your health, you don't have anything" and I think we would all agree with this statement. If we're not in good health, every effort and every task seems like a great one.

Every time I get sick, I really appreciate this bit of truth a bit more (and my flu bug, or whatever cold is really nothing big picture). But some times, someone comes across my path that really hits home to me and makes me really appreciate the health that I have on the grand scheme of things. I don't have a life threatening illness, I don't have a disability, I don't have a physical impairment, and I'm a socially adept person with a lucky job, life, and group of friends/family. What I'm getting at is that I have my health.

I ran in to a guy through work that really made me think about this and made me realize that the big man upstairs put him in my path for a reason. This guy has had trouble with his health for the last 5 + years, lost his job, is losing his home to foreclosure, lost his mother to death a year ago, and just struggles in general. He has friends and some family left, but I can see the struggle in his face.

These types of situational encounters make me realize my fortune in life and the great cards that I really have been dealt. It makes me stop and take inventory of the things I'm lucky to have. With the holidays coming up, in particular Thanksgiving, we all begin to reflect back on what's awesome in our lives and what we're grateful for. I'm grateful for the people and opportunities that I have had in my life. I'm really am truly blessed and I feel I've been given extraordinary circumstances for the good.

Do you feel like when the timing is right, people come across your path to teach you a lesson? Are you grateful for your health? Lets all help each other remember how lucky we are to be here for this short time on this big, blue planet.

Is Blogging Really Work?

2009-11-08T18:34:00.003-05:00

Well, some people seem to think so and I happen to agree that it's work. It takes upkeep and constant intellectual work to write the posts and to continue coming up with blog topics for the future posts. I'm not necessarily saying that it's real hard work, but it is work regardless.

As far as whether it's technically considered a job, the state of New York happens to think it is and they also feel it's a viable income source as well, as witnessed by the decision to cut unemployment benefits for one laid off attorney in New York. The article is found here, which talks about this particular case. This is a particularly interesting case as the laid off attorney is making a paltry $1.30 a day in income, which in no way supports the blogger in food or living expenses (it doesn't say this, but we can clearly assume).

This will be interesting to see how this actually turns out given the magnitude of this decision. We are in a generation where many bloggers are actually making decent livings from their blogs, which can in turn lead to book deals, freelance writing, advertising, and guest posting that all pay pretty well when, as a writer, you're well established. The site jobs.problogger.net is a fine example of how one can make a living from blogging, not to mention getting the benefits from your own blog (advertising, Google Adsense as the example article above represents, etc.) if applicable. In my opinion, there should be an income limit that is applicable to qualify someone as being truly able to support themselves on a blog alone. For instance, one does not need to file a tax return if earning less than $400 of self employed income for the year. In this case, this person should not have had to file a tax return when making $1.30 per month, but maybe we're not hearing the whole story.

What do you think? Is blogging for $1.30 a day a living and should it disqualify someone for unemployment benefits?

I find this a hard pill to swallow considering the fact that our government has extended unemployment benefits for 14 additional months. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the writer of the article (linked to above about extended unemployment benefits) that unemployment benefits are not incentive to find new work, however, let's be fair across the board for all employees/people.

People are finding creative and new ways to make a living and put food on the table in addition to their unemployment benefits, because we all know it would be difficult to live on just an unemployment check. Is that really fair to someone trying to eek out an existence?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for incentive to work and for people to support themselves in society, but I think we all need to be a bit compassionate given the hard economic times. I'm curious to see how other states take issue with blogging income. New technology brings new income sources, and states have to adapt to this new income in their own ways.

Some Thoughts on Holiday Sales

2009-11-06T20:40:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday everyone!

I hope this day finds you well.

The holiday commercials that are beginning to be played everywhere and on everything are always interesting to me. From the television to the radio, to the internet, and text messages; they surely are driving home their message of, "since you're going to spend massive amounts of money at Thanksgiving and Christmas, lets make it easier to swallow." From 30% off sales, to buy one get one free sales, to free shipping here and there, it's all marketing and they speak to our American consumer sensibilities as a society.

People are back to spending again now that the media has stated that the economy is on an upturn and the recession is almost over/over/lessening/and other varying degrees of improving. What does this mean? Fear is loosening and people aren't so scared to charge on their charge cards, and spend their savings. They are feeling more secure about letting go of their hard earned cash.

Is this good? That's debatable by any ones standards, but a lot of analysts see it as a good thing as the wheels of the economy are turning again. One problem that is a natural reaction, many stores have reduced inventory and it's likely that supplies will run out if spending continues to increase along with demand. It turns out that some retail stores over estimated the downturn that 2009 would experience, but then again, time will really be the teller.

My real rub with the holiday sales slogans and marketing ploys are the fact that a lot of stores try to justify and instill in us the idea that saving money through a 30% off sale for something we don't really need (by need I mean, really need) will really be beneficial for us in the long run, especially when they promote their store credit cards and their 0% for a year promotions. Isn't that what got our society in to this economic mess?

I don't mean to harp on the negative here, because I do like the holidays. I do like the decorations and hoopla that comes with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It's like, people take on a better spirit toward the end of the year to get in the mood for the holidays. I love seeing family and friends and reconnecting with loved ones.

I don't think things will ever change here in America with regards to psychological marketing, but that doesn't mean that I won't continue to be amazed. What about marketing amazes you? Do you ever feel like you are constantly barraged by intense marketing during the holidays?

Good luck with all the commercials out there. Stay strong my friends, stay strong. :-)

Finding Common Ground

2009-11-03T20:58:00.005-05:00

When it comes to friendships and relationships in general, there has to be common ground to make it work right? I think so and I think most would agree. What about when it comes to hobbies and extra curricular activities? Do the same rules apply. I would apply the old adage, if you're going to spend your down time doing something you love, why not with the people you enjoy?

So, that leads me to my next topic and item that I've been pondering. When you're indulging your hobbies, do you have to have absolute common ground or is it okay to be quite different in your beliefs, ideals, and taste? I am finding that the older I get, the less I can tolerate the opposite of me. I'm a pretty open minded, accepting individual and I can't stand ignorance and narrow mindedness, especially when it pertains to things that I love. For instance, music.

The more I play music with other people, the more appreciation I have for musicians of extremely varied backgrounds and musical taste. I like to play a lot of styles of music and can "get down" with others that are the same. That doesn't mean that I won't or can't accept someone just because they only choose to play classical music, or jazz, or insert musical style here. It just means that I get bored with monotony and repetition. My only exception to this is The Blues.

I'm in a place that I haven't been in for quite a while. I'm playing music with 2 different groups right now pretty regularly and am about to start playing with a 3rd and see if the fit is there. It seems like it may be upon initial discussion, but we'll see. It's got me thinking hard about what I want to spend all my free time on and whether I really do want to devote more time to another musical project.

I have been contemplating putting together a band of my own for a while now and it seems like the more I get involved with, the further that gets out of the realm of possibility. I want to keep that at the forefront and make it happen soon and I know if I don't, I'll fill that time or energy with something else. Oh, priorities.....

Do you find that your hobbies involve a lot of common ground with others? Do you grow from the differences? Learn from extreme differences? What can we learn from all these differences and tolerance?

Here's to hoping things work out for the best and everything is creatively inspiring!

Instant Movies on the Flatscreen

2009-11-01T10:18:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a wonderful Halloween!

Evelyn and I have recently spent the money necessary to hook the laptop (Macbook) up to the LCD flat screen TV in our living room so we can watch movies and tv shows on it when we wish. It's really been quite a novelty lately and the initial fun hasn't wore off just yet. We had a movie marathon yesterday, taking a break from going out and from Halloween parties. We're signed up with Netflix and we've got the plan where you can watch movies instantly as well. That's been the coolest feature that's available as of yet. We watched everything from documentaries, to romantic comedies, to stand up comedy, and a drama. We can also catch up on tv shows as well if we have time (depends on the work week).

The way you go about doing this is first, you have to buy a cable that will hook your computer up to your tv. This can be done with a vga cord or an hdmi cable, depending on which your computer has. HDMI is better quality and allows for a digital signal to be transmitted from the laptop to the tv. The other cords you will need is for your audio. We have a separate set of computer speakers that we hook up to the laptop (in to the earphone or audio out 1/8" plug in) and that works magnificently. The only other cords or additional accessories that you may want are a wireless keyboard and mouse, which I picked up at Best Buy (no financial interest of course) for about $40-50 and that allows me to sit on the couch and surf that web without having to get up (oh yes, sedentary American-ism).

So, all told, this set up cost me about $119 (had to buy an additional converter cable for my Mac to VGA cord) and I feel that it's been well worth the cost. We no longer have a cable bill, so that pays for the upfront cost in a couple months as it is. Plus, it's just kind of fun to be able to surf the internet from your couch in your pj's on a big screen tv. It's cool for listening to music as well. You can just flip on the computer speakers and have music in the living room while cooking or cleaning up the house.

That's the latest in our home/tech forays.

Have a great Sunday.

Self Worth in Every Day Life

2009-10-29T21:46:00.003-04:00

Well, tomorrow if Friday and what a week it's been. Month end in the mortgage business can be a real treat (I hope you can sense the thick sarcasm that I'm laying on here).

What is it about our jobs and our role in our jobs that gives us confidence and self worth? Is it the accomplishment that we feel when we complete a task or the notice that we receive from our management/co-workers? Or is it the fact that we feel important in our purpose in our job place and feel like we're really needed?

I believe it's all of the above. Along with realizing our true talents, we get to validate ourselves in some form or another and that makes us feel like we're important. It's critical to feel that importance in our lives to feel like we're worth our weight. Self worth is important to mental health and especially to confidence. We need to feel accepted and like we're the perfect person for the task at hand. We need all these things to carry ourselves with personal conviction and understanding of our self worth.

The other side of self worth is in our God given talents. We all are blessed with talents that may or may not be on the surface of our personalities. Some of us may have developed these talents and others will find them at the opportune time in their life when the moment realizes itself. We all have them and it's all just a matter of developing these talents to realize our true potential. Whether it's public speaking, art, writing, accounting, law, finance, riding a bike, swimming, or just talking with people; we all have within us a natural inclination to excel.

Try new things if you don't know what yours are. Get out of your comfort zone. Really venture in to the unknown with your personality. I talked about this in a previous post here and discussed the possibilities of opening up new opportunities by challenging yourself.

At some point in time, we all question our self worth to some degree. It's important that you find your voice and your channel so that you can show the world what you have to offer. Not that we need to prove ourselves, but to keep us in the right mental place where we feel good about who we are and what we contribute to humanity.

Have a great Friday!

Cheers.

The Life of a Lottery Winner

2009-10-27T00:25:00.004-04:00

So, I'm sure we all have thought of that age old question at some point or another: "What if I won the lottery?" I am fascinated with the psychology that goes along with people and their money and naturally that dichotomy is far from black and white when it comes to lottery winners. Some feel that is makes their life easier and gives them everything they dream of, while others feel that it imposes an unnecessary burden that they never would wish upon their worst enemies.

I find some of these stories inspiring and quite positive for the human spirit. For example, I came across this story recently when doing some reading about lottery winners (I get on weird kicks with my reading, I will admit). This man, Solomon Jackson Jr., won the jackpot in the Powerball game and won $260 million. He basically said that he had retired early and has a blessed life, so his life won't change much, if at all. He goes on to say that someones life will be blessed from his winnings. That's commendable and hopefully it works out well for him.

Do you think that it would make your life easier? Would you just create new problems for yourself? Ideally, I think we would all like to think that we would invest wisely and live off the interest for the rest of our lives, but emotions get involved and guilt becomes a factor in how people use their money as well.

The not so glamorous side to winning the lottery is when humans get greedy and take advantage of winners and their financial windfall. This article illustrates that point very well. A successful construction company owner, Jack Whittaker won $314.9 million only to have his granddaughter (the apple of his eye) become hooked on drugs, spending frivolously until she got herself killed and others around her killed as well.

Money can do strange things to us and cause an emotional strain on us as humans. It can come from the stress of making ends meet or the pain of not being able to feed your family. When a large financial windfall comes and the "high" from spending that money comes in to play, all bets are off and emotions really take over. There are interesting stories abound about people who have had it all and then lost it all in short periods of time. I think we as humans will continue to be fascinated by the winners themselves, the situations that drive them to "spend it all," and also by the winners that manage to have the dream life as well.

What would you do if you won? One can fantasize right? I would travel the world and make sure my family was taken care of. Here's to wishing in one hand and ....well you know the rest. :-)

Redefining Your Career

2009-10-24T16:41:00.003-04:00

Happy weekend everyone.

In the uncertain economy and even more uncertain job market it's important to define yourself and make yourself stand out in your career. We all have our individual talents and unique characteristics that make us who we are and help us define our roles in the work place. It's important to not get stagnant and let your career go on autopilot once we get a good job. I'm guilty of this at many times in my current position as a mortgage banker and have found myself in places that I didn't want to be in as a result. Like a place of boredom or a lack of challenge in my workplace. It's up to me to make myself better and we all have to take that initiative sometimes to develop as a person.

How do we do it? Reading books on topics that relate to our weaknesses is one way. For instance, I'm not so good at cold calling and making unexpected visits to business partners and potential clients. I find that cold calling isn't really my strong suit, so I try to read books about it and listen to other people that are good at it. Don't get me wrong, I'm good with people and can talk with just about anyone, but when it comes to getting down to the point of the call, I sometimes trip over words. We all do at some point, but we get better the more we do it. Which leads me to my next point.

Just do the things that you're afraid of and make you nervous. Breaking through that barrier of fear opens up new worlds of opportunities that wouldn't have otherwise shown themselves. One example of this in my life is performing music. I used to be afraid of getting up on stage and singing/playing guitar when I was much younger. Now, after doing it for two decades and playing out regularly, it's become a sort of second nature. Don't think I don't get butterflies in my stomach still though. It's still a rush to have a crowd of people watching you and you're every move.

So, in challenging yourself, personal growth comes as a pleasant result, which in turn gives you new talents to bring to your career, thus redefining your place in that given career. Give it try and see what opens up. Could be a raise, or a promotion, or even a better job offer. You never know until you try.

Simply Live

2009-10-22T22:31:00.003-04:00

As I approach the big 30 mark in my life, I am constantly contemplating how I want to spend the years of my formative adulthood (ha!). I keep debating how I'm going to pay for traveling around the world, how I'm going to fund my pension, my 401k, my IRA, etc., etc. and sometimes lose track of today. I'm sure we all do that because it's easy to do when you get responsibilities and a career. But it's almost important to just live.

I'm reminded of that every time I talk to Evelyn about this stuff (she is the yang to my yin) and try to be the planner of life. She reminds me that it's about l-i-v-i-n and there's no better time than now. I have my own moments as well where I'm in touch with the moment, but she's good at reminding me when I get out of touch. What a great thing right?

So, since I'm 9 (almost 8) days away from turning 30 (I know it's just a number and I truly feel that way, really) I resolve to hold myself accountable for simply living. Not worrying about the tedious minutia in my life, keep things in perspective, and living for the important stuff: life, love, and happiness. I think that's a fair goal and instead of a New Year's Resolution, I'm making it a 30-40 decade resolution. I figure if I can get that figured out and live that way for 10 years, by then it will be a habit and I'll just keep it going until my formative elder years (yeah I like the word formative). Here's to living and living well!

Remind yourself why you are happy and healthy, but most importantly, keep in perspective all the things in your life.

Cheers!

Housing Tax Credit: Keep or Throw Out

2009-10-20T20:29:00.006-04:00

Most if not all of you know that my day job is in the mortgage business, so I keep a good "pulse" on what's going on in the real estate world and especially with real estate legislation.

For the past year, we've had the $8000 tax credit for new home buyers and I've definitely had a spike in new home buyers in that time. This has been great for business and also great for these new homeowners as well. I don't really look forward to my generation paying for the tax burden that will be a result of this $8000 tax credit for all new home buyers, but if it spurs the housing market back to where it needs to be, then it needs to happen, period. My only wish is that I could take advantage of the credit, but alas, it's not to be as my first home was purchased more than 5 years ago. I don't regret that one bit as I've learned a lot and gained equity in the meantime. I've also purchase other homes in the meantime and learned from them as well. Wouldn't trade it all for any other way.

So, what am I getting at? Capital Hill is talking of extending the $8000 tax credit to new home buyers until June of 2010 and I am in support of this, to be honest. This article explains that the Obama administration wants to see more data about what the tax costs will be for us tax payers before signing off on it. Some members of Capital Hill feel that the tax credit has had some very positive effects on the housing market and buying stopping it on November 30th, 2009 could undo a lot of the positives that have come from the initiative.

I can tell you this from my experience in mortgage banking: It is definitely impacting buyers' decision to purchase a home now or later. Many buyers are taking advantage of the tax credit as they see it as "free money," and they are right. It's essentially free money now (with a tax bill that will have to be made up for down the road of course from all tax payers) that helps Americans gain some extra tax refund money for improving their new home, paying off debt, saving, or spending to stimulate our still lagging economy.

Time will tell but we should know soon as our administration is saying that it should only take a few weeks to determine whether the future tax burden will be too significant or not.

Have a great week!

More Benefits of Not Having Cable TV

2009-10-17T10:42:00.003-04:00

Happy Saturday to everyone. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am.

I was reading an article about someone that just got new cable service recently and how they truly enjoy the DVR options that come with it, etc. They went on about how they can fast forward through the boring stuff and just watch what they want. The best part, the bill is only $17 a month for now (promotional deal, etc. for a limited time).

This got me thinking about our decision to give up our cable at home. I don't regret the decision one bit as a matter of fact. I reflected on what I've been doing with my time without cable TV. I've been playing more guitar, which I don't regret one bit. I've been learning a lot of new songs and getting a lot of new ideas as a result. I've begun writing songs again, which is something I haven't done for a while. I don't regret that one bit. I've also been reading a lot. Whether it's an online article, blog post, a book from the library, or an interesting magazine that I come across. I am learning all kinds of new bits of information for conversation pieces and just general useless knowledge. :-) I'm actually reading three books right now, which cover a gamut of topics from history (about Cahokia), psychology of happiness (Happier), and The Millionaire Next Door (a book about finance and average habits of people that are millionaires, almost done with this one). Mostly, I just enjoy thinking more and not zoning out in front of the TV feeling like a zombie.

I figured that we're saving a pretty good chunk of change as well per year by not having cable TV. To the tune of over $400 per year. That's money that we can use for vacations, road trips, and other various activities that we enjoy (Evelyn and I that is). A better use of the money to me, I think. Your mileage may vary and if you enjoy what cable TV brings you, more power to you and keep on keepin' on. One of my favorite blogs constantly talks about finding things that work for you in your life to simplify and not worrying about what others are doing. This applies to many aspects of life and it's important that we all take this approach.

Have a great weekend. Headed up north to go to a surprise birthday party tonight.

Cheers!

Without a Job...How 'Bout the Military?

2009-10-16T15:19:00.003-04:00

Well, that hopefully got your attention.

With all the news about unemployment this and downsizing that, many people are turning to the military in this uncertain job market. What better way to secure your future than with the US government defense right? Well, some believe this to be true so much that they're staking their future on it. A Cnn Money article today said that the Department of Defense has "met or exceeded their recruitment goals for all branches of the armed services for fiscal year 2009," (http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/16/news/economy/military_jobs/index.htm?postversion=2009101612). The pros being a consistent pay check, no taxes paid if in a combat zone, and free health care benefits. Not a bad gig, except the sacrifice that you make in possibly fighting in the War in Iraq or Afghanistan. That comes with the territory though and is to be expected if you're signing up.

Just as with the Great Depression, government work and resources have pulled us through this recession, whether it be through bailing out the large banks, Wall Street, or subsidizing stimulus packages. These "fringe benefits" of being American come with a price tag of course, but why not take advantage of what we can. That seems to be the motto with the individuals signing up for military jobs. Why not take job security/certainty over struggle and financial strife. I personally am old enough that I think I would shy away from joining the military to ensure my job prospects, but I must admit that if you are well educated, you have good job options in the military that pay well and set you up nicely for the future, without putting you on the front lines of combat. I'm not going to get in to personal beliefs about the war and our defense spending, etc because that's not my purpose of this post, but suffice it to say that when opportunity is knocking, it's fair to open the door when it's needed. I'm happy for the people that can and do serve for us in our defense departments around the globe!

With that said, I hope you have a happy and restful weekend. I also hope your job prospects and career opportunities are on solid ground.

Cheers!

The Big Freeze

2009-10-13T22:06:00.004-04:00

It's definitely Fall in Indiana and with Fall comes much colder temperatures. They come strolling in hand in hand. This week we found ourselves rushing outside on Sunday night to pull all the fruits and vegetables that were still on the vines and pulled them inside to give away, or consume. This included 13 watermelons (give or take 1 or 2, I lost count), a bunch of tomatoes (green and also ripe), peppers, eggplant, cabbage, onions, and we've still got a bunch of herbs out there that can still be used until frozen off the plants. We hate to see the fruit of the labor go to waste so we're trying to use everything. That means even the green tomatoes that Evelyn has so inventively used in Green Tomato Cake, which doesn't happen to be my particular cup of tea, but she loves it, and I'm thrilled for her. I do happen to truly enjoy fried green tomatoes and that's where I'll do my part. I love making green tomatoes, along with rapidly consuming them shortly afterward. Here's the recipe I used in case you have an abundance of green tomatoes that need eaten.

Our work was not in vain as it turned out. On Monday morning we had the first frost that we've seen for the fall season and it's a good thing that we got what we did because the tomatoes at Evelyn's parents house were shot when we got to them. Oh well, life goes on and there's always more to grow next year. It's nearly unbelievable to me that summer has come and gone and fall is here, with winter quickly approaching. It seems surreal.

Now, we just wait for Indian Summer. :-) One can wish and hope.

Have a great week!

When is Enough Enough?

2009-10-11T23:41:00.004-04:00

We live in a consumer oriented society, there's no question about that. Part of a Capitalist economy involves competition, healthy and otherwise and with it comes that ever present question. How much is enough? When I acquire this amount or these things, when am I going to be satisfied?

I feel the best way for us to approach that is to look at our individual goals and aspirations and be realistic and accountable for them within ourselves. Being a good human being is a given when thinking about how you live your life in relation to these goals as well. For example, we could accumulate all the money in the world, but if we're greedy and self absorbed, not giving any of it away or helping others, then it's all in vain. Right? We all know that giving makes us feel better, but there are psychological effects that are clear results of giving. This article talks about the "the helpers high" and goes on to explain why and what it is that makes us feel the way we do when we give.

Having clear cut goals allows us ultimately to look at these goals individually and keep a tally of our progress toward those goals. This gives us a way to visibly and tangibly see that a goal is reached so we can mentally let the goal go after it's done. We as humans are always going to have a feeling that we will want more, whether it's wanting more money or wanting more in our job, family, or status. It's our human nature. If you have a grip on that, more power to you and I congratulate you. Most don't.

The best thing that we can do is to just make our goals in a visible format (i.e. write them down and keep referencing them periodically) and make sure you congratulate yourself when you reach these milestones. This allows us to free ourselves (even if momentarily) from the grip of want and makes us realize that we can reach our goals, and let go of those wants. The great thing about writing down our goals is that they become real at that point as well. Mentally, we make them real and then we make them happen. Which is always a good thing.

Here's to your goals!

Saving Money with New Habits

2009-10-09T09:53:00.003-04:00

Hey all, happy Friday!

Holding myself accountable has been a goal of mine for quite a while now, especially with regard to this blog. One of those accountability measures of mine is being more conscience of what is going out and what is coming in in terms of income and spending. I'm always looking for ways to get things cheaper with minimal effort as well. I've been changing my own oil in my Jeep for years now, I buy from the on sale items at the grocery, stopped using certain products that I feel are excess in my life, cut my own hair, etc. These measures aren't necessarily to make myself miserable, quite the contrary. I have a great sense of accomplishment doing things myself and being a self sufficient engine. It gives me a sense of pride to change the oil and fix things around the house. I'm not paying some else $20-$40 per hour to fix the things that I can just as easily do. That gives me that money to do what I value, such as travel, save, or not work forever. The latter being the big one that I'm focusing on. I don't want to work the rest of my adult life and I'm making sure that is in order.

Today I stumbled upon a great article about saving money in your day to day life. It's over a CNNMoney and the article is here. There's some great advice and reality checks if you're interested. I enjoy personal finance blogs and news sites, so I come across these often. Some of the suggestions are easy and some are honestly life changing or rather, lifestyle changing. I especially like the page about Twittering for savings. Twitter and technology in general have come so far that we can now quite easily use them as financial and business tools in our life. When people say, "technology will change the way we live," this is no joke. We have channels of communication all around us that allow us to feed each other ideas and suggestions at all times of the day or night.

The article also mentions ways that college students can save money by renting books online as well. That's a great option for people that aren't in college and love to read all the same. This page has the link to their websites, but another great one is PaperbackSwap.com. This site allows you to buy points and then trade paperback books for others endlessly. It's easy and free after the initial points purchase. You trade a book for another, etc. It's basically an online book bartering service that connects people all over. Of course, you always have the local library as well that your tax dollars support, so use that resource too.

Have a great weekend and I hope this helps to tighten your budget a bit and help you save some pennies! :-)

Staying Happy Through the Tough Stuff

2009-10-07T10:07:00.003-04:00

Hey all, happy Wednesday and middle of the week.

I hope this finds you well!

My inspiration for this post comes as a result of starting a new book. It's called "Happier" and it's written by Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph. D. Mr. Ben-Shahar is a Harvard University professor that has taught a class on positive psychology since 2002 and this class is now the most popular and largest class on campus to date. People seem to be seeking a specific goal of happiness and contentment in their lives today.

The gist of the book is about finding fulfillment in the aspects of life that are most important (such as love, relationships, goal setting and meeting, non-material aspects) and pursuing these channels more to find greater personal happiness. I'm finding the book very interesting as he is already hitting home with a few of his fundamental ideas, for example: he has a Hamburger Model that he uses to explain personality types here in America and how we approach life and work. There are four types of hamburgers that that he explains that we as personality types choose (of which we may all have multiple aspects of within our personalities), the first being the Hedonist type of person, which lives by the ideal that they need to live in the now and seek gratification in the now. This person would ideally choose the tasty junk food hamburger with a quick gratification and a later detriment. The Second type being the Rat Race personality which chooses to find gratification in the future and finds detriment in the present. This person would ideally choose a vegetarian burger. The Third type being the Nihilist personality type. This person would ideally choose a tasteless, unhealthful burger that would provide no future or present benefit or pleasure. The last type being the Happiness personality type that would ideally choose the hamburger that would be as tasty as the first option (the unhealthful, tasty junk food burger) but as healthy as the vegetarian burger.

I find this model interesting because we all choose one or multiples of these personality aspects in how we approach life. I happen to be a "rat race, hedonist" type that teeter-totters between immediate gratification and future gratification. I'm learning through this book that being happy is more about being grateful for everything that we already have and to look at happiness as a currency that can never be too abundant. As I keep reading the book, I'll share more, but these ideals stood out to me and made me reflect on my own life and my own approach to the life/work combo.

One of the exercises in the book that he suggests is writing down in a journal what I'm grateful for every night. He mentions that his students who have done this in his class experience a greater level of happiness in their life. I can definitely see the logic in this and we, as Americans in general, sometimes fail to see the good in our lives and be content with what we have. We are a consumer society and we are constantly seeking new stimuli. I've been trying to get myself out of this pattern of behavior for the last few years, and this book is helping me to understand why and how I should do this.

Feel free to check out the book at Amazon here or at your local library like I did. Hope you enjoy it too.

Have a great week!

Using Office to Organize My Life

2009-10-04T23:21:00.004-04:00

Happy Sunday everyone. Sunday fun-day is what we say around

here. :-)

For the past couple years, I have been using the Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet program extensively to organize my financial life. I have made charts that detail my bills and allow me to keep track of what's paid and what's not. When something gets paid off, I simply delete. Adding something is just a matter of creating a new column. When I'm keeping track of multiple mortgages from rental properties, this provides some serious peace of mind and ease with which the monthly bill paying takes place. This is definitely not anything new, but a revisit to the software that's been around for over 20 years. Here's a link to an interesting article about Excel's history and how it came to be what it is today.

My reason for bringing up Excel in my life: it simplifies it and makes my life much easier. I no longer struggle to remember what's been paid, what's even needed to be paid, etc. As I've mentioned earlier in my blog, I am creating simpler ways to do the everyday routines in an effort to make life easier. I'm also holding myself accountable by writing on this blog as well.

Do you have an organization method for your life or business that you feel is better? Please let me know if so as I am always looking for good ways to keep track of this stuff and make life easier at the same time. Spending lots of time on the routine stuff in life is not my end goal. I'm really trying to automate my life so that I can spend time on the quality stuff in life. It will come eventually, it's just a matter of practice and technology.

Have a great week and a fantastic Monday!

Cheers.

Grocery Store Mayhem

2009-10-03T16:05:00.004-04:00

Happy Saturday all!

I hope you're having a fantastic weekend! I know I am.

Today we chose to go to the grocery store to stock back up on the essentials, and I love that we're getting better about just getting things that we need, and not all the other fringe junk that can sometimes make it's way in to the shopping cart. This saves us money and makes us eat healthier as well.

Today there happened to be a meat sale, well all weekend it's going on at the local grocery chain that we happened to go to. I find humor in events like this because I don't involved myself in the rush and craziness that people get in to. I get my needed items, then make my way to the checkout line, patiently waiting to pay and leave. I am amazed that the simple notion of a sale on meat can turn the kindest people in to crazed "meat grubbers" that will elbow their way in line and generally just turn on you. Ha...I think it's hilarious and also a bit of irony. It's apparent that all the people in the store need to cooperate and get along to make things go smooth, but that's not possible for some people. That for me, is entertainment and I don't think I'll ever stop being entertained by it.

Lesson learned for me: just go at night when the people are gone. I know this and keep telling myself that I should do this anyway, but I can't ever seem to get it through my thick skull. It makes life easier and the shopping a lot easier and forgiving.

At any rate, we had a great lunch of on sale New York strip steaks and some shells and cheese. We fired up the grill trying to relive the glory days of summer. It's not cold enough yet to take that wind out of my sails. :-)

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Cheers.

Useful Links

2009-09-30T10:19:00.002-04:00

In regard to my previous post about preparing for emergencies and not "Sweating the Big Stuff," I have some useful links that you might enjoy.

The first is about 10 small business ideas that could help provide supplemental income or employment if the need or want should ever arise. These are all free or very low cost business ideas that could give you a great little extra boost to the monthly bottom line. Hopefully you find these useful.

Also, on a positive note, the unemployment rate has fallen below 10% in many metro areas around the country. This is good news and with the stock market rising, we're seeing a recovery in the economy. We're not completely out of the dark yet, but it's coming!

Some Thoughts on Good Neighbors

2009-09-30T08:34:00.005-04:00

Happy Wednesday everyone (otherwise known as hump day)! I hope everyone is well today.

Having great neighbors has it's many myriad of benefits, not the least being kindness and help in times of need. Our neighbors are no exception, and in the 2 years that we've lived in our house, we've had the good fortune of getting to know all of our neighbors. We are lucky, I just want to preface with that.

We have a neighbor across the road that, should anything drastic happen or fail in the house, he's always been available to help. There really is no price for that and the amount of thanks never seems adequate. He enjoys it the same way I like to help people and I've come to accept that. Our neighbor right next door has become a pretty good friend and when he's in town (lately he's been traveling to Miami for work) we often will grill out and share dinners, etc. Occasionally I'll hop the fence and have a couple beers talking as well. Our other neighbors are all kind and we'll occasionally get an invite for dinner or to come over and have a beer. Some have even brought plants over for Evelyn because they know of her love of gardening and want to help her out.

In the past, I have been friends with my neighbors and even to the point of dog sitting for each other when we went on vacation or just out of town for the weekend, but we seem to have hit the jackpot with great neighbors this time around. One of the main reasons that we love our house so much is because of all of them. It makes living here that much better and you never have to worry about what you're neighbors are going to do, or think, or say. In fact, not once have I worried about this.

We're also not a "keep up with the Jones's" kind of neighborhood, which is also quite refreshing. I have no desire to keep with others' appearances, possessions, or whatever it may be, so this works out well for me. We enjoy a life of friends, family, and enjoyment in each other, so this all is great. Modesty is a quality that I never knew I enjoyed so much until we were surrounded by it. Good stuff.

Have a great rest of your week and happy October tomorrow!

Cheers.

Don't Sweat the Big Stuff

2009-09-29T09:30:00.004-04:00

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances" ~ Martha Washington

Easier said than done, I know! But, what if we could all just let the big stuff roll off of us like the small stuff (or try to any way)? That would make our lives much less stressful right. Well, setting ourselves up to deal with the big stuff makes that a lot easier. If we all prepare (again, easier said that done) then we can potentially deal with the big stuff much easier.

For instance, a big ticket problem could be a car breaking down. If we set up an adequate savings for emergencies, we don't sweat this car breakdown nearly as much. It still stings to have to spend the money to fix a car, but it's not as bad when we can actually pay for it. This can be as easy as taking $50 per month and just stashing it in a savings account where you don't look at it.

Another example would be losing a job. Again, having adequate savings could relieve us of this big problem, but also having other skill sets (going back to school, taking certification classes, apprenticing, freelancing, starting your own company, etc.) can help offset this major problem that could rear it's ugly head. Having a source of secondary income is also a good way to offset this, but that's not always practical for every person or family. Right now is a fantastic time to start a company with the economy in the shape it's in. It doesn't cost nearly as much to be a competitive player in the economy today. Competition may be stiff, but you'll never know until you try. Trying is the hardest part.

The dreaded "big stuff" that can't be so easily dealt with is tragedy within your circle of family or friends. This is where other relationships and your faith (whatever it may be) can get you through. Have a solid foundation with your family, friends, etc. and they'll be the rock that you lean on.

As I hold myself more accountable as a result of this blog, I learn more and apply more all the time. I've got the savings in place now, I have a secondary source of residual income in case I lose my job, and I'm trying to lean more on others for support. Life is good and hopefully the big stuff (and the small stuff) won't affect me like it has in times past.

Here's to overcoming the big stuff!

Cheers!

Lonely Planet Cycling Guides

2009-09-28T00:18:00.002-04:00

If you love to travel and love to take your bicycle along, check this out: Lonely Planet Cycling Guides for Britain, France, and Italy are out now. Pretty cool and what a fantastic way to see these countries!

Social Networking

2009-09-27T23:50:00.003-04:00

Hey all! Happy Sunday to everyone.

I am a big user of Facebook and Twitter because they allow me to stay apprised of the happenings with the people I care about. This includes people outside of my circle of friends and family with the intended purpose of learning more and having links to other items of interest. I really truly feel like I learn a lot from the networks that I'm in as my peers (and non peers as well for that matter) let me know or will just post bulletins of items that may interest me. This usually leads me to read or discover something I wouldn't have otherwise explored. Pretty cool.

The other great benefit to these social networking sites is that you become regularly engaged with a lot of people who are employed or have connections in fields of interest. Right now that's especially important as our nations unemployment levels rise and many are finding themselves without jobs. It's all about who you know out there and being able to notify friends, family members, and business peers immediately on social sites such as Facebook and Twitter gives you a unique advantage that is a larger scope that we probably realize. Your friend could tell others and the circle of separation could grow to include important people that you may have never even had a chance to meet otherwise. Pretty cool technology that we have out there now!

I was very resistant to Twitter initially because I thought, "why would I want to follow the ongoings of so many people?" Well, as it turns out, you can pretty much find a wide scope of people that share the same interests as you and people post links to articles, blogs, videos, music, ideas, sites, etc. The potential is huge. Since I've started this blog, I've met so many people through Twitter and this that I wouldn't have otherwise crossed paths with. That's cool because I'm an admitted "life learner" and love to read and absorb new information.

Check these sites out if you haven't already and start building your network of people. You'll be surprised what you discover and really, you don't have to spend a lot of time on either to get your money's worth (which is no cost of course). In fact, I spend little time on twitter and see big rewards with it and I'm also finding some cool links that inspire me in many facets of my life. Have fun!

Have a great week!

I Just Run

2009-09-24T18:32:00.005-04:00

Hey all! Happy Thursday to you. I hope this day finds you well in mind and spirit.

As a runner, I have a mantra that I use while in my "zone." I tell myself that the pain of running for 30 minutes is only a small portion of my day (when the pain gets bad anyway, otherwise I just think about my day and what's going to happen) and it will be worth it after I'm done. This "mantra" can be applied other places in life as well though. When having to go to meetings that waste your time, or going to activities that you don't really want to do, just think: it's only 30 minutes of my day and it will pass on just like the previous 30 minutes. Running is something that I enjoy quite a bit (weird, I know) because it's my meditation time and my reflection time. I get my blood flowing, my brain thinking, and my body in motion to get through the day. It's good for me in my body and mind. Cycling is similar as well. I connect with that sport nearly the same way as running, but the aspect that I like best about running is that it's simple and pure. You only need your running clothes (for whatever season or place) and your running shoes. There are things that you can add (like an mp3 player, or sweat bands) but their not necessary to running. This simplicity goes right in line with my philosophy of un-complicating life.

An awesome tool that I find handy when running is here at WalkJogRun. You can map out your routes and figure out how far you are running anywhere. Pretty awesome.

Just like all the successful people in this world tell us, anything worth attaining is worth working hard for. I've definitely found this to be true, of course, but I think you really get it the older you get. The closer I get to 30 (next month), I understand that life's got some serious challenges and speed bumps but nothing is really too difficult if you surround yourself with the right people and the right attitude. Would you agree?

Do you have an activity that you do that puts you in your mantra? What challenges you and inspires you?

Have a great rest of your week!

Life of Dogs

2009-09-23T10:34:00.003-04:00

Hello and happy Wednesday (otherwise known as hump day)!

"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience."
~Woodrow Wilson

Dogs have it made! They lay around all day, doing not much of anything and have us, their care-takers to make sure their lives are good. Walks when they want them, go outside and chase squirrels when the moment calls, eat their food when they please, etc.

My thought regarding this, other than my own jealousy at not being brought in to the world as a dog ( Ha... :-) ), is that we could learn a thing or two from our "man's best friend." First, they love unconditionally and I know that all of us could benefit from some unconditional love from time to time. Who wouldn't. Secondly, the live their lives in the moment. If something happens, they get excited. If something doesn't happen, it's not like they get in a huge uproar about it. Point being, complications aren't really an issue with dogs because they don't really have them. My whole idea with creating this blog was to find simplicity and peace in my life through streamlining it. Finding the basic needs and obligations and sticking to them. It seems that a dogs life is all about this.

This is not mentioning the fact that dogs get about 14-16 hours of sleep a day. We could all use more sleep. Maybe not that much, but definitely more.

Oh to be a dog. :-)

Cheers!

Networking in the 21st Century

2009-09-21T17:56:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend and the beginning of this week is finding you well.

I had a great little weekend getaway in Nashville, TN and had a fantastic time playing music, visiting friends, visiting my brother, and just generally taking it easy. I love the music scene down there (not just country) and always have a blast, coming back more inspired than the time before.

Upon coming back to Indy, I had a 5 hour drive by and got to thinking about how networking has been a wonderful part of my friendships and business world. While in Nashville, I ran in to friends that I met through other friends, which in essence is my personal network. I had a blast with those particular people and that might not have happened had I not known those friends that introduced me to these people. In my business world, right now I'm finding that I've gotten pretty good at keeping my customers and also growing my business through networking and simply asking for referrals. It's as easy as telling my customer, "hey, if you have friends or cohorts that you think could benefit from the offer that I gave you, let them know and I'll give them the same deal." This has been very successful. I have to give credit where credit is due as well and mention that you have to have a great management structure in place as well and I do. My regional manager is incredible at giving us the opportunity to attract business if we manage the profits in a reasonable manner. Lehman's terms: we can discount costs and pricing as long as it makes sense and we're making money. Great stuff.

What I've learned: As a result of some great referral sources lately, I've found that treating each as an equal is a great idea when the people you are dealing with have referred friends and they will more than likely compare their deal. Be careful about this because it can bite you in the rear if you don't treat them the same. I find this pretty easy as I have a set offer that I give them and have little wiggle room from there. If you offer the best deal you have up front and tell them that you're a no-nonsense sales person, they respect that and understand when you're pricing is much better than the competition.

At any rate, I am really enjoying the fact that I'm meeting tons of new people and finding great new ways of creating business. This is the stuff that makes me excited about my job and keeps me going strong.

I hope you all find that networking will help you and let me know if you have something to add.

Cheers!

Mini Vacations

2009-09-19T11:17:00.003-04:00

Happy weekend everyone!

I don't know about you guys, but I love having weekend getaways where I just drive about 3-5 hours and get out of town for a little bit of time. That's what I'm doing this weekend and I'm already feeling much better. Sometimes just looking at the same scenery and doing the same routines can wear on me and make me a bit frustrated. So, I took charge of my situation and did a mini vacation. When I'm feeling this rut I usually will drive down to Nashville, Tennessee and see my brother and his friends. Sometimes I'll venture up to Michigan or go to Kentucky camping, but the lure of the music scene in Nashville is too tempting sometimes for me to pass it up.

The great aspects of Nashville are too vast to mention in this little blog post, but my key components that keep pulling me back here are: the music (and not just country. There's everything from Indy rock, singer/songwriter, rock, folk, etc.), the Yazoo brewery, the cool trails and parks that are all over Nashville, the restaurants, the music instrument stores (there are some incredible instruments in this city).

The great thing about mini vacations is that patterns of behavior are interrupted. Taking a step out of the monotony that is life is a great way to keep happy and healthy in my mind.

I hope all of you can enjoy a mini vacation, even if it's just around the corner. Get out of that rut!

Invest in Your Community

2009-09-16T20:39:00.003-04:00

Hey all! Happy Hump Day. I hope everyone is happy and healthy today.

In my readings today, I found a great article about investing in businesses in your own community. The article can be found here. This is a wonderful thing that has happened as a result of the economic crisis and the resulting tightening of guidelines among banks. If there's something that's great that has come out of this downturn in the economic culture of America, it's the togetherness that has been created and the "lets turn to our community" attitude that has come about.

Necessity is the mother of invention. That's the truth and when businesses and people need the resources, why not turn to your community and friends to help you? I think that's awesome! Banks today have tightened guidelines for credit cards, home equity loans, personal loans, mortgages, etc. I work for a major bank and can attest that this is true to the nth degree. It's tough to get a loan now. It requires more money, more financial resources, more patience, and more energy.

This is not so different from the new trends in lending that exist on line now. Sites such as Prosper.com offer borrowers and also investors great opportunities to help peers that need financial assistance/ are looking for good returns from their peer group. Another great site that I've read a lot about and have seen others have good success with is the Lending Club. It's great to see that people are banding together to create solutions to economic problems that exist. If you can't tell, I'm excited about where things are going with all this bonding and community gathering. This may not last forever, but I'll bask in the energy for now.

With that being said, have a great end of your week and help out in your community where you can.

Cheers!

A Happy Place in Your Life

2009-09-15T09:58:00.004-04:00

Hey All! I hope your week is off to a good start. The weather here in central Indiana has been beautiful and I'm just soaking it up before winter gets here.

Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build their philosophy of life.
-- A. J. Cronin

Sometimes we all forget to be thankful for all that we have. I know I do. It takes despair, loss, or a major tragedy a lot of times to kick us in the rear to realize the greatness that we are surrounded by. We all work very hard to get ahead and in the process forget to look around and see what we already have. Life is good and we should all be grateful for the luxuries that we have here in the United States.

I watched an interesting documentary about Afghanistan this past week and it made me really see that there are places that are still out there where people live hand to mouth. Check out the documentary if you have a moment (it's free on hulu.com and I linked it above). It's very awakening and makes me appreciate our immediate safety here in our country and within our government (even with all their questionable decisions that we all question from time to time).

This documentary just reassures my belief that when people are given the basic necessities and nurtured in a family-centric environment that great things can happen. People have a greater appreciation for life and the "little" things when living in this basic environment. I saw it in Honduras when I travelled there earlier this year in February. People are just people at the simple basic level and they need food, water, shelter, and love.

Have a great rest of your week!

Keeping True in Your Career

2009-09-13T10:01:00.003-04:00

Happy weekend all. I hope your weekend has been enjoyable and relaxing!

I was riding my bike the other day, taking advantage of the thinking time that I get when doing so and another blog topic came to mind. I thought about how careers can change us and define who we are. I think some people get caught up in letting their career define them as a person and as a status level. I know that I've been guilty of letting my career mold me in the past. Now, it's a different story.

Something that I've learned through 8 years in the mortgage finance business: there is a corporate culture that is in place to define a certain way of business for it's employees in the 8+ hours that you're at your work place. This eventually becomes part of you. I have found that I can separate this culture now (wasn't always this way) when home and away from the work place. This becomes so important when you are in a relationship and have a family, friends, etc. It's easy to get caught up in our work and let it affect our moods and behaviors. This is one of those "delicate balances" that is something that we continue to learn about as we grow and age.

So, while riding my bike I made a personal goal for myself. To not let my career define me as a person and continue to be passionate about my hobbies and goals. I want to gain a positive balance in my work/home life and how my career(s) affect me as a person. Continuing to learn, read, play music, paint, travel, explore, and grow will continue to drive me on a personal level and I'll strive to keep at it.

Here's to your hobbies and goals and how you "balance" them. Have a great Sunday!

Cheers!

Buying Your First Home in Today's Market

2009-09-10T21:20:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Hope all is well on this almost end of the week day.

So, I work in the mortgage banking industry and get to see this stuff every day, but none-the-less, I would like to indulge myself in this topic.

Most finance websites and finance "gurus" are saying that right now is the time to buy your first home because of the $8000 tax credit and because of the interest rates that are available right now in the mortgage market. I totally agree and would support the cause 100%, if not for 1 little thing: Most people that are buying right now are extending themselves to the same extent that got us in to this little housing mess in the first place! This blog is my soap box, so excuse my blatant opinion and bias considering the fact that my career is deeply entrenched in this topic, but I can't help myself in speaking up. I was reading the other day on www.cnnmoney (which I happen to respect and get a great deal of news from) and found an article about some first time home buyers that have stretched their budget to buy their first home. While I feel that home buying is a great investment (if I didn't I wouldn't own the amount of real estate that I do), it shouldn't be done without some seriously calculated risk and some seriously financially wise moves. For instance, home buyers don't take in to consideration the cost of repairing the big stuff in a home. If you have to replace a roof, the average cost in doing so is about $6000, and that's if your house is 1000-1500 square feet. Beyond that and you're looking at tacking on thousands of dollars. Or, lets consider a big plumbing issue like a sewer line failing and the replacement cost of digging it up and re-running a new line to the city sewer: a cost of about $5000. Those are major expenses that can put someone deeply in debt if they aren't prepared. These are the issues that I refer to when I talk about first time home buyers being ill-prepared.

With that being said, I don't want to scare away everyone that may be financially and intellectually capable and responsible for buying a home for themselves. This is a calculated move that should be done at some point in ones career/life. Building equity in a home is far more valuable that building a nest egg for your landlord (no bias here even though I am a landlord). Just make sure that when you're preparing for this major leap that you take the calculated risk and have the savings to ensure that no emergency is too far beyond your reach. Taking on a new debt load should not be your goal along with owning a new home. That just extends you further in your financial outcome and makes little sense in the long run.

Final message: The real estate market has never seen the lows that we're seeing right now in regards to present day values. There are bargains out there that are far more reaching than we can even imagine. With that being said, shop wisely and be financially astute. Don't be short sighted and use your better judgement when picking your next home. Take advantage of these low rates (low 5% range by the way) and the $8000 tax credit to get a home that fits you perfectly. Most importantly, find a house that can become your home. That's far more valuable than any financial gain that can be had.

Have a great rest of your week. Salud!

Entertainment Values on the Internet

2009-09-08T21:53:00.006-04:00

Hey all,

I hope your week is going well after the Labor Day weekend. I know I was off to a slow start, but eventually found my speed again and got back in to the groove.

I have been contemplating the real values that can be found and had on the Internet. Lately, I have spent a lot of time browsing Hulu.com and finding some great shows, documentaries, and movies that are all free and "on demand." The reason I enjoy this more than usual is due to the recent decision that Evelyn and I made to cut our cable television all together and we haven't been happier about a decision in the recent past. This is not due to a financial strain or a need to cut bills, but more of a decision that we made based on our lifestyle. We want to save our money for more adventurous endeavors such as traveling, great food, and just saving. Being thrifty doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing at all. We have found that we now go to the library and read more, watch more shows or documentaries that are of interest and just convenience, which in turn feeds your mind even more. I've discovered that I'm a lifelong learner and I constantly yearn to learn something new. I really enjoy that I can go to Hulu.com and find these options.

Other great options for value on the Internet can be found at Netflix.com as well, which I'm sure everyone is familiar with. For minimal cost per month you can rent DVDs that are mailed directly to your house and you can also watch films online immediately on your computer as well. We set up my Macbook on a TV tray and enjoy whatever tickles our fancy within the realm of Netflix. Pretty cool.

I've spoke about the site that is Pandora.com as well. Another great site for free music that is determined by the artist, song, or style that you choose is LastFm. I alternate between these two sites and find that I'm rarely listening to my Itunes, except for the occasional desires to hear some obscure or random artist that I'm wanting to hear. There isn't much that I can't find on these two sites though, along with the great opportunities to hear other artists that I may have never heard of before as well. That's worth it's weight in gold right there. I love hearing new artists and these sites do a good job of throwing some variety (more so with LastFm than Pandora) so you can find new artists and new songs that you might also enjoy as well.

Feel free to share your discoveries with me and others as well. I love finding new sites that have great stuff that I might have missed.

Have a great week!

The Human Element

2009-09-04T08:58:00.002-04:00

Hey Everyone!

Hope you're having a wonderful Friday and you're ready for a 3 day Holiday weekend. I know I am. I've been battling a sinus infection that last week and am finally on the back end of it. You don't realize how much you appreciate being healthy until you aren't.

Which brings to my topic for today that I've been contemplating for a few days now. The importance of social interaction.

I like being independent and having the flexibility to work from anywhere, however, when I'm sick and can't really leave the house much, I tend to get lonely and crave human interaction. It makes me miss the office and the interaction that I have with other people when there. There are many ways that human interaction and friendships in general can be beneficial, but some of them include: keeping you challenged mentally and intellectually, challenging your vocabulary, inspiration for creative thinking, correcting and normalizing your thought patterns, creating a more positive mood (this can be negative also given the wrong group of people). This is a good article that talks about the benefits of human interaction as well and how it has many health benefits.

So, with this Labor Day weekend upon us, have fun interacting with the important human beings in your life. I hope your weekend is extremely enjoyable.

Cheers.

Self Employment: Rewards and Challenges

2009-09-01T07:03:00.002-04:00

Good morning everyone!

Tuesday is already here this week (it feels like Monday flew by me), and I'm already in to the work day, planning it out. The awesome thing about being self employed and in a nearly self employed sales position is that I get to essentially manage my own day. That is rewarding in itself, but there are other rewards as well. I'm not going to glorify the work that I do or the approach that I've taken, but I wanted to share some of the ways that I find fulfillment in my work and give others insight in to how to "be your own boss" in ways that fit the bill.

The opportunities that exist today with the technology that we have available to us are really vast. There are people making money doing nearly everything online and they're paying the bills with it! Whether it's blogging full time, doing online marketing for other businesses, building web sites, designing web sites, consulting, or just selling goods on EBay, it's happening. Which leads me to my next point: there is something for everyone.

I chose a career in mortgage banking and real estate, both of which don't necessarily require my physical presence to do the job. This doesn't mean that I don't have to show up to work or be present intellectually to do the job. I do! In some capacity or another I'm working throughout most of my day. The difference for me though is that it doesn't feel like work. I have surrounded myself with people that are my friends and I share work space with them or I subcontract them. This makes "work" not so work-like.

With the management of rental properties, I have a very dependable contracting crew that I can call at pretty much any time of the day or night to fix whatever problem may arise. This makes my life much easier and it was through trial and error that this network became what it is today. With the mortgage banking side of my life, I have a great network of Realtors and business referral partners that I have had the pleasure of working with and along side for the duration of my 8 years in the business. These people have also become my friends and make "work" seem a lot less like a burden.

So... what am I getting at? Surround yourself with the people and challenges that will make you better at what you do! Make your life what you want it to be by bringing those aspects in to your life.

Why am I posting about this? I have been reading many blogs for quite a while now and I feel the knowledge and information that is lacking with a lot of them is how they got to where they are now, and what really set them apart. Many of the "bloggers" that I follow make a living doing what they do. They talk about getting advertisers, freelance gigs, etc. but don't really talk much about the relationships that they have cultivated through the years to further their careers organically. I think this may be the most important part of a career. It is with mine!

So, with that in mind, I hope you take your dreams seriously and follow every passion you have. There are ways that you can make a living from it in today's market. Don't let the economy stifle you and your creativity. Push on!

Cheers!

Libraries in the 21st Century

2009-08-30T15:37:00.003-04:00

Hey all,

Happy Sunday to everyone and I hope you had a great weekend! We have beautiful weather here in Central Indiana right now and I'm just relishing the nice breeze blowing through the house with the windows open. I hate being cooped up all summer with the ac on because it's too hot. It's a catch 22; while I love the heat and the warmth of summer, I don't like the closed up feeling you get by running the air conditioning all the time. I guess that's the sacrifice we make for our creature comforts.

On a different note, I was browsing my libraries' website today and I absolutely love the fact that I can reserve multiple books and have them sent directly to where I want to pick them up, which happens to be the library directly down the road from my office. Very convenient and instead of perusing the shelves of the library, I peruse the online shelf and have them sent to a location convenient for me. Check it out in your town or if you live here in Indianapolis as I do, check out the link above and take advantage of the tax dollars that you spend to have this great resource. The fact that you can rent music Cd's, videos, movies, books, etc. makes it a very useful and productive resource that is not utilized nearly enough. We love our Netflix and the fact that we can watch movies instantly on our computer (replacing our cable TV bill that we dropped due to frustration with our local cable company + the ridiculous amount we were spending on TV = much happier people with "on demand" options).

I'm not saying that dropping your cable bill and relying totally on the library (and/or Netflix) is for everyone, but it's working for us and it gets us out of the house more, reading more, and talking more. All good things. We've just decided that we get more value from traveling and experiencing things tangibly. Scuba diving in the Caribbean is better to me in person rather than watching someone else do it on TV!

Hope everyone is well and you enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Cheers!

Being Content

2009-08-28T08:38:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

Hope the end of the work week finds you well.

I've been reading and researching the phenomenon that is ever present in our American culture as of the last 2-3 decades: Consumerism. It's really got me thinking and self-reflecting regarding "how much is enough?" and "when do we become content?" I am reaching that peaceful ground as I approach the 30 year mark in my life and I'm realizing that I don't care about keeping up with the Joneses. I'm more concerned with socking money away for later and for the dreams that I want to pursue, such as traveling, spending long periods of time with family, and just being free with my time (the most valuable asset we have). I'm realizing quickly and repeatedly that time definitely is all we have and it's our most cherished "possession," whether we realize it or not. Making the best of it is really our only insurance for a better tomorrow and a more fulfilled life.

Obviously we all have choices in life and we all have paths that we've chosen, thus making the decisions that we make on that path appropriate or inappropriate in some cases. Do you find that you make "time" a priority and your relationships a priority? This is tough and requires a lot of self reflection. Sometimes I don't always want to look in the mirror and tell myself, "hey, you need to spend more time with the important people in your life, not the ones that won't be there when everything else falls apart."

On a lighter note, the final countdown to watermelon picking is very close. We're within a couple weeks of picking the big ones and we're going to have a whole lot of watermelons. Can't wait to share them with friends, neighbors, and family. Our cantaloupes are already ripening and I'm told they're some of the best around (I'm not a fan of cantaloupe, but am taking Evelyn's word for it). You have to love free watermelon at the end of the summer. Not much better in my book (all about the little things in life right?).

Have a great weekend and be content!

Cheers!

Out of Your Comfort Zone

2009-08-26T08:33:00.003-04:00

Hi All,

Happy Wednesday to you.

I got an email yesterday and of course it got my creative juices flowing. It was an email about a job opportunity and I immediately was skeptical, but it's actually a very viable and possible job opportunity. I've been contemplating it over the last 24 hours and I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but I've decided that I'm going to keep my mind open and try to think outside of my comfort zone a bit. The job is based in the degree that I have, which is graphic design, but would require basically working up the ladder again in a new company. Thus the reason for my hesitation, however, it's exciting to think about new possibilities and what could come with them.

So, with this in mind, how do you feel about getting outside your comfort zone? Do you have a comfort zone with your career that holds you in place? Have you ever tried to step outside of it to get a fresh perspective and/or explore other options?

My source of contention is the fact that my career that I'm in currently is going very well and I have all the flexibility in the world. How could I give that up? That's my dilemma. I want to at least think outside my normal zones of comfort though to ensure that I'm making a decision based on what's good for me and not what's the most convenient. My other dilemma is that a friend and I are working on a start up company doing graphic design, multimedia design, freelance audio work, etc., which overlaps with this new job's functionality as well. I've been thinking that I might be better off just focusing on that in my flexible time (what there is any way) and working for myself. I've done freelance for a while now and I quite prefer it any way.

So, all this online transparent brainstorming has me weighing my options and thinking about my future. I hope that you all will think outside your comfort zone when it comes to life decisions as well. Challenge your norm and keep yourself inspired!

Have a great day!

Cheers.

Embracing Seasons

2009-08-23T17:23:00.003-04:00

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

-Robin Williams

Hello All,

I've lived in Indiana all my life, with brief traveling stints all over the place for periods of time, but I've grown up with seasons. After a solid (nearly) 30 years here, I've become a bit complacent with winter and cold weather. I do enjoy Spring, Summer, and Fall though. Winter is so dreary and gray in Indiana and I have a tough time with a lack of sunshine. However, it's a bit nice to have a change in seasons and it creates an "absence makes the heart grow fonder" attitude towards summer and all the sunshine that comes with it.

The reason I bring this up is because it cooled off quite a bit this weekend and it got me thinking about fall, which is right around the corner. I like the changing of the leaves, but I'm never quite ready for the temperature to drop drastically.

The conclusion/life lesson that I've come to in my own life is that I need to embrace change more and be more accepting of things that I cannot change. The one thing that I do have control of is that I can travel and be in other places on the globe that bring sun and an environment that cheers me up in the winter. I like being active and outdoors and I find that hard in the winter in Indiana, however there are some fun activities that I can look forward to.

I can ski in Michigan, hike in southern Indiana, cross country ski in Northern Indiana, among other things. I've decided to see the glass half full and approach the cooler weather in a pleasant light.

Another upside: football season. I can't wait for some good Colts football this season, although I'll miss baseball season again.

Enjoy the rest of summer and have a great rest of your weekend!

Cheers.

It's Fun to be Frugal

2009-08-22T15:08:00.003-04:00

Happy Saturday to everyone!

So, in the past I've talked about do it yourself projects and generally how much money you save by doing things yourself. I found another great article here that highlights some great things you can do yourself that save you money. These are basic at home projects that any hack can do and you'll see some dollars added to your budget. One of the things that was a stand out to me was the "rent don't buy" section. I think as consumers, we tend to think that we need to just buy that tool for a job that we're only going to use 1 time this summer, then relegate that tool to the shelf in the garage for the next 4 years, or until we move. That's probably not the most financially fit move you can make. Trying renting and you'll save space and money in the long term. Clearing your garage of clutter is never a bad thing either.

A couple other things that can save some cash that are easy to do on your own with regard to car maintenance:

Fill your tires with air every other time you get gas. This is one of the biggest drainers of gas mileage that you can have, not to mention contribution to the life of the tires as well.
You can change your own oil if you know how to unscrew the drain plug underneath your car, and if you have a drain pan (both are very easy and cheap). This saves me about $15 each time I change the oil.
You can wash your car yourself in the drive way. This one really adds up quick. Mike's Car Wash here in the Midwest is expensive. $7 for the basic wash and that doesn't really include any extras. I can wash my car for pennies at home. Buy the soap, a sponge, some Turtle Wax and you're good to go with minimal expense and effort. Sure it takes getting out of your car and some manual labor, but well worth it.

I was feeling frugal today and just thought I would share a bit. Hope this finds you all well.

Cheers!

Backyard Abundance

2009-08-19T21:45:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

As of lately, we've had an incredible abundance of fruits and vegetables from our backyard garden. I've talked about the garden in the past, but wanted to touch on it again because of the pure joy that I get from seeing the 8 or 9 organic, tasty tomatoes on my counter each day. Evelyn is awesome at finding recipes (and just generally making some up) to use up our rapid abundance of produce. August is unquestionably the month in Indiana where the combination of the rain and sun make gardens very fruitful.

We've been harvesting tomatoes, green and red peppers, yellow peppers, eggplant, cucumbers in rampant numbers, cherry tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe (a week away), green onion, bulb onion, mint, peppermint, cilantro, basil, lavender, and jalapenos. Lately it's been pico de gallo, ceviche, roasted tomato salsa, grilled eggplant and squash, breaded eggplant and squash (from a friend), zucchini bread (from a friend that gave us some zucchini), and various other concoctions. There's nothing better to me than homemade zucchini bread and some fresh salsa in the fridge for eating. I have been spoiled and had both over the last week (thanks do doubt to my tireless and experimental cook of a girlfriend Evelyn).

My point in all this talk is going back to simplicity. I started this blog to make me accountable for a simpler life since work, self-employment, career, and school had been getting in the way of life for a long time. I'm making priorities for my life and realizing that it's way too short to complicate it any more.

Having a back yard garden is one extension of this change and the ultimate change in thinking/philosophy. The garden grows with work and toil, however, there are large time lapses where it needs to be left alone to be rained on or watered, and then drenched in sun. Our lives are not so different. We require some tending to, but not too much to make us wither away. We need some simplicity to keep going and thriving.

Keep on fighting your fight!

How to Get Inspired With Your 401k

2009-08-17T22:38:00.004-04:00

Happy Monday everyone. Well, as happy as they can be I suppose. The weekend never seems long enough, but alas, that will always be the case.

Combing through my daily reading today, I came across a good article about how 401k's are regaining momentum and people are back to contributing to their 401k's, instead of pulling money out. Being a finance guy, I am amazed that a large percentage of Americans actually wanted to pull their retirement savings out during one of the lowest points in the stock market in the last century. The fact that we could buy stocks at 100 year lows should be enough inspiration for the general population to pump all the money they can in to their 401k's, but people panic. I'm happy to see that the general confidence in saving for retirement in a 401k is coming back. That's good for Americans and good for the financial planners of the country as well.

We as a society are not a bunch of savers in general terms. Americans love to spend and consume. The debt treadmill seems to be the norm in most American households. Are we in sight of getting rid of that philosophy? Many economists say that the rate of savings in todays' recession is in jeopardy of stalling the recession and not getting us out. That argument can be made, but isn't our household financial health more important, especially when we all got ourselves in to this mess in the first place?

The lack of spending, while creating less cash in the economy, is creating a safety net for middle class Americans to fall back on in times of need. I think this may be the best thing that could have happened to all of us. How long could we all continue to live or depend on our credit cards or home equity loans?

If you haven't set up your 401k at work, I encourage you to do it. The compounding interest is really amazing as it accumulates through your lifetime, especially when you start young. Check out this calculator here and see what I mean. I put in some general numbers that can give you an idea of how powerful this really is if you leave this money alone and keep contributing to it. Let's say you start off with $10,000, you contribute $5000 per year for the next 30 years (assuming you have 30 years to retire), you gain 6% average in compounding interest every year (that's conservative historically speaking), the interest compounds every month, and you end up with $480,866 when you get ready to retire. What could you do with that?

Have a great rest of your week!

Cheers!

The Value of Ditching Monotony

2009-08-15T19:17:00.003-04:00

All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within.

-Horace Friess

Hello everyone.

I spent my Saturday today kayaking on the White River north of Indianapolis, ending up down the road from our house. All in all, it was between 15-20 miles that I traveled. It doesn't seem like that far, but when you're paddling the whole time, it sure is. It was a gorgeous day today for being on the river as well. I saw a lot of wildlife and really got the essence of slowing down in to my system.

This activity made me thing about the fact that we as humans have to take a break from our routines and responsibilities to cut the monotony from time to time. That's essentially what makes the weekend the weekend, but doing something different and out of the norm really makes life more colorful. The clarity that I get from being in nature by myself is unrivaled. I find time to think and relax, breathe and take everything in. It helps me gather my thoughts and ideas, as well as plan for the future, surprisingly.

The cool thing about this kayak trip is that it's free, well, not including the gas to and from the drop off and pick up, or the peanut butter and honey sandwiches that I took with me. We already had the ingredients and the gas, so I didn't really include those. My point being, it was an inexpensive day with great enjoyment gained. What's that cliche old saying, "The Best Things in Life are Free." Definite truth in that.

Have a wonderful Saturday and I hope you break the monotony as well!

Cheers.

Cheap Labor From..Myself

2009-08-13T20:53:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Happy Thursday to you. I was talking with my neighbor this fine evening and have been following his outdoor living space project that he's doing and got to really thinking about how much money we all save by doing this labor on our own. He's put in a coy pond, natural stone with mortar joints, a wall that is covered in natural stone, outdoor lighting, and a fountain. All very, very nice and very cheap based on the fact that he's doing it all himself. He estimated (he's in commercial construction and I know the cost of labor, materials as well) that it would have cost him upwards of $12,000 to do this project had he not done it himself. All told, he's only got about $2000 in the whole thing, which is really quite cheap given the space and vibe that he has created.

I grew up watching my Dad do home improvement projects and eventually chipping in when I was old enough or when he'd show me how to do the work. It's very rewarding and something that I'll use the rest of my life. When you really stop and think about this though, that's a lifetime of work that costs you nothing but the time involved, and sometimes it's downright therapeutic working on those projects.

This topic got me really churning the wheels in my brain and thinking about all the lawn work, painting, cleaning, woodwork, handyman work, etc. that I've done through the years and I'm grateful that I can do it myself. I find more reward in being a "do it yourself-er" anyhow. So thanks Dad, for the drive and the inspiration to get these things done myself.

Evelyn, my partner in crime is quite handy and willing to do home improvement projects as well. She's helped me on many occasions as well as repainting the majority of our house recently.

I have to hand it to my neighbor for his tenacity with his projects. Not only is he doing this outdoor living space, but he has remodeled his whole house on his own as well, not to mention building his own furniture. Quite impressive and handy.

The point in all this: next time you think you might want to hire someone to build that patio, or paint that bedroom, do it yourself if you're capable. You'll enjoy the rewards, both monetarily and in your pride of accomplishment.

Cheers!

$2 Billion More for Clunkers...Auto Bailout #2

2009-08-11T22:25:00.003-04:00

Just as quickly as the "Cash for Clunkers" program was nixed, it was put back in to action on August 7th with $2 Billion more in funding from the Federal Government. Apparently the 1st weeks running gave the auto industry that much needed shot in the arm that was required to resume business in a grand fashion and American consumers found the $3500 and $4500 rebates very appealing as well. There was mention that the car dealers over sold the limit in automobiles eligible for the program as well, so the timing was impeccable.

Now it seems that the interest in the program is waning back to pre-Cash for Clunker status and the "gold rush" may be over for the auto makers. Speculation seems to be that the rush to take advantage of the federal government money has become less pressing with the additional funding. I think it can easily be said that this program is saving the big American auto makers though. We probably would have seen more bankruptcies ensue had something not been done to spark interest in the auto market again.

My problem with this whole program still lies in the fact that our wonderfully resourceful government did not think to deal with the motors and transmissions of our "recycled" vehicles that will be deemed "Clunkers." This not so green "green" approach is quite a juxtaposition if you ask me. Oh how lovely are the contradictions in the political arena.

Speaking of financial thoughts in the midst of a recession, here's a fine article on how to continue to be thrifty and thrive post recession.

Good luck with all your recession proof goals and have a great mid-week!

Cheers...

Music and Social Past Times

2009-08-09T23:47:00.005-04:00

I spent my Sunday today doing what I love to do; tending to the garden, playing music, relaxing, and watching music documentaries on my laptop. Sounds funny but I have discovered so much cool stuff on Hulu that is free and very accessible. I am literally considering cutting the cable in our house in favor of Hulu because a) cable is the biggest rip off ever and b) there is just as much cool stuff on Hulu and c) I don't follow any shows religiously, so what's the big deal if I have to watch them a week or two after they've aired?

Or, in the case of the "Buena Vista Social Club," I watch the musical documentary and became inspired and rejuvenated musically again, and for free. I have seen this documentary in the past, but I love to venture back to great musical performances for inspiration and a bit of enlightenment when needed. These guys do it. Here's a video clip of them if you'd like to check them out as well: The Song Chan Chan. The sad thing is, most of the guys in this movie are now deceased, but Ry Cooder saw it fit to record them and keep the candle alive. The spirit and energy in this documentary are awesome. I found myself at times thinking about my own social "club" that our friends have with our music. We have found our little niche and occasionally have people that jump in our musical group that bring new flavors. Last night at our get-together at our house we had that happen. It's always fun to play music with new people and experience that new energy again. Can't wait to do it again.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

~Berthold Auerbach

Any great music or social environs that have inspired you lately?

Hope all is well and you have a great new week!

Cheers!

Mountain Tops

2009-08-07T22:52:00.004-04:00

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

-Harriet Tubman

When we indulge in our passions and our truest talents, doesn't it seem like time flies by us? I find that when I'm doing something that I truly love, like playing guitar, or scuba diving, or hanging around awesome people, time just gets by me and there's a certain ease with which life passes. This ease is something that some may call the "zone," or a flow, but whatever you call it, it makes us forget the time and space that we're in and focus on the now. Isn't it funny that it takes certain events to make us get to that part of our self? What if life were always like that? Do you think that we'd take things for granted?

I think those talents that we are given and those moments that we have that give us the ease in life are the moments that make us appreciate the life we have. If we did have those "flow" moments all the time, we may let life pass us by without knowing how much something meant to us. It does take the valleys to really appreciate the mountaintops.

Here's to hoping that you experience a lot of mountaintops!

Have a great weekend!

Making It Count

2009-08-05T11:16:00.003-04:00

"Lost time is never found again."

-Benjamin Franklin

Hey All...

Another great day in Central Indiana. Beautiful weather after lots of rain yesterday. I had some serious challenges yesterday with work and my business, but today is a new day and this too shall pass. All is well in my mind again. Isn't it funny how we can get so bogged down with life's challenges and we can't see past the current situations and how they affect us now? I am constantly amazed by it and am constantly learning how to better cope with every one of life's challenges.

In thinking about all of this everyday life stuff I thought back to a speaker that I saw a while back. The guys name was Brian Tracy and while I'm not necessarily crazy about his approach with selling all his wares to you in his seminar, he did have good messages and great approaches to sales and life. One of the things that I took from his seminar was that you need to write down your short term and long term goals to make them "real" and physical. I totally agree with this and did that on the day of the seminar. I've been using this approach for the most part prior to the seminar, but really took serious action that day and have kept to it since. I write down everything that I want to get done and then get to it in my current day or week. I find that it holds me accountable for my goals and dreams. If I have something physical and tangible that I look at all the time, it constantly reminds me that I need to keep working at these things. This approach can work for your work life, finances, traveling, relationships, etc. It really all depends on your needs and goals for the moment and/or the future.

Another personal challenge is perfectionism. I constantly am my own worst enemy and I'm learning to slowly let that go as well. Not to the degree that I accept mediocrity, but to the point that it doesn't eat me alive. Anyone else struggle with this and find great ways to overcome it?

Have a great week everyone!

Surfing in Indiana

2009-08-04T20:56:00.004-04:00

I bet your laughing at that one.

If you know me, you know that I like water sports and especially surfing. I really enjoy it when I can get to a place that has big waves (read California, Central America, etc.) even though I'm really not good. I do enjoy being in the water though and the workout that comes with trying to put yourself up on a board on a wave and then continue to stay upright. Lately I've been wake- surfing behind boats here in Indiana since that has been my only real option close to home. Luckily I have friends that own boats and wake-surf boards, so I can stay practiced up fairly well. So imagine my surprise when I starting looking for cool places to surf around me and found Lake Michigan to be a hot spot. I know, crazy. Check this out though. Apparently there's a whole culture of surfers in the Chicago-land and northwestern Indiana region. I can't wait to get up there now and find out where these surfer dudes go.

The thing about surfing, and scuba diving for that matter, that really draws me back to the earth and how cool it really is. The power of the waves really push you along and keep you going on a small chunk of wood. I think I was just born to be a fish with no gills. I love the water and am drawn to it but I want/need a tank of oxygen, my swimming trunks, or a surf board to navigate it.

I found a pretty cool surf shop in the region of Southern Lake Michigan call Third Coast Surf Shop as well. They also have a cool video on their site that talks about the beaches in Chicago where you can now surf as well. Chicago...a surf town. Who would've thought? Check it out...

Surfs up.....Cheers!

Exploring Your Backyard

2009-08-02T22:25:00.002-04:00

You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
Mohandas K. Gandhi

I had a great weekend traveling around my old stomping grounds in Northeastern Indiana and even played golf at a place that I used to play in high school. Had some trips down memory lane but most of all I had a reawakening of inspiration. The reason for the trip is because an old friend from back in LaGrange that I played baseball with and went to school with has a disease that is challenging him. The golf outing was a charity event to help him and his family out. The hope and tenacity that he has is incredible.

It seems lately that I've been in the path of some pretty incredible people and events that shape how I'm thinking. I'm constantly reminded of how fortunate we are to have the people we have in this short span that we live here.

The drive home today got me thinking about exploring places that are close to home as well. With the economy the way it is, it's trendy to do "stay-cations" and one tank get aways. Driving around Indiana can be pretty cool. I tend to get caught up in saving to travel around the world, but there are some awesome places to explore in Indiana and your own proverbial backyard. I enjoy kayaking and saw some really cool places that I could have kayaked this weekend. Lakes, the Wabash River, ponds, wetlands, etc. Lots of places that would have been really cool to explore. I can't wait to take some free time this fall (yeah, that's easy to say right) and go check these places out.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoy your Monday. Cheers!

No More Clunkers Being Taken

2009-07-30T23:00:00.004-04:00

I hesitate to get political in the Internet format, but couldn't resist upon reading the news today.

If you live in the United States and you've watched TV for a 10 minute segment or even possibly read the news, I'm sure you've heard of the "Cash for Clunkers" program that our US government came out with to encourage the sales of new vehicles. This program has been suspended as of today because of the massive demand for the rebates that come with the program. The program offered rebate coupons of $3500 and $4500 for vehicles that met specific criteria (Mileage specifications, etc.).

The initiative only has a $1 billion limit per the congressional officials that put the delay on the rebates (link to a great article for details here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090731/ap_on_go_ot/us_cash_for_clunkers;_ylt=AvzH44l9JyGCyQUCllYMIsOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTM2ZzE2dW4zBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNzMxL3VzX2Nhc2hfZm9yX2NsdW5rZXJzBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDOARwdANzZWN0aW9uc19jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2Fwc291cmNlc2dvdg--). There was also an expectation of 250,000 vehicles sales that were to be accounted for with the $1 billion of earmarked funds for the "Cash for Clunkers" program. It's thought that of the 2000 dealers that are involved with the program, they've possibly over sold the 250,000 limit that the government expected.

I have mixed feelings about this whole program and how much it's really going to help our economy and the auto industry in general. We're getting rid of vehicles on the road that could conceivably be fixed and or maintained for much more use and mileage. Instead, we are "recycling" these vehicles (read, crushing and disposing of properly, not efficiently) to be reused when and where convenient. An article that illustrates that complex deficiencies can be found here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090731/ap_on_go_ot/us_cash_for_clunkers;_ylt=AvzH44l9JyGCyQUCllYMIsOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTM2ZzE2dW4zBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNzMxL3VzX2Nhc2hfZm9yX2NsdW5rZXJzBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDOARwdANzZWN0aW9uc19jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2Fwc291cmNlc2dvdg--. Apparently our government didn't account for the fact that many companies can strip cars of transmission and motor parts for use in parts sales, etc. This somehow got neglected, even in the midst of the "green" initiatives that drove this program.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think our government is headed in the right direction with "green" intentions, however, when we get politicians involved in the auto industry, and the many intricate facets of it, we're going to get convoluted results. I just hope that we continue to move in positive directions in the future, stressed out economy or not.

Give a Little Bit

2009-07-28T23:23:00.003-04:00

What is it about giving that makes us so happy as humans? I find that every time I give something, I get so much in return emotionally. I'm sure everyone can relate to this sentiment. For example, lately we've had a surplus of produce from the garden and I'm finding great joy in taking things to work and surprising people with something that they enjoy. Cucumbers, a tomato or two, etc. It's fun and a cheap way to give gifts. Let me just preface this by saying that I live with someone that loves to gift give and surprise all of her friends/companion with gifts to enrich their lives. Evelyn is a very giving person and an inspiration in that department for me. She gets it honestly as her parents are the same way as my family is too for that matter.

I was also reading today about experiences and how spending your money on experiences seems to have a much longer effect on you than the money spent on material possessions. Do you find that your life is more enriched by experience as opposed to things? I happen to truly find joy and happiness in traveling, which falls in to the category of experience, which I feel leaves a lasting impression and ultimately changes us in who we are for the long haul. We react differently to people, come back with more tolerance, and maybe are a bit more outgoing than we were previous to a traveling experience. I feel that these life lessons are good little steps in simplifying my life and making a more meaningful existence. The article that inspired these thoughts can be found here and I encourage everyone to read it if you can find the time: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2009/07/28/do-experiences-lead-to-greater-happiness-than-material-purchases/

On a side note, I'm finding that I enjoy my job a lot more when I work with first time home-buyers. They seem to really grasp the innate joy of homeownership and the freedom that comes with it. That almost childlike energy is contagious and I'm really growing to love these experiences.

I hope everyone has a great mid-week!

Having Hope for Anything

2009-07-26T23:40:00.005-04:00

Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.
-Mary McLeod Bethune

I spent the weekend in Chicago and just returned this evening and have been reflecting on it. It was naturally a great time and we got to reconnect with friends that we haven't seen for a while. We also went to a Cubs game and enjoyed the game from a rooftop that is across the street from the stadium. A great venue (for a reasonable cost) with unlimited food and drink, no bathroom lines, and great company.

Picture from: http://chicago-cubs-tickets.com/images/clip_image001.jpg

Let me just say, I love Wrigley Field and the Cubs and my reason for writing about this is because of mine and my friends faith in the Cubs. Every year we hope it's going to be "that season" and we'll get another playoff opportunity, and maybe even a World Series win if we really do well. What is it that makes true, hard core fans keep believing and keep supporting teams that have losing streaks or have adverse outcomes in their seasons? For me, it's the atmosphere of Wrigleyville and especially the field with ivy growing on the walls, the spirit of the years of baseball there, the vibe of Chicago, the people, and of course, the Cubs players and announcers. Oh, then there's the epitome of cased meat; the great Chicago hot dog. It's fantastic and is not to be overlooked when in Chicago. If you're not familiar with Chicago "dogs," check this site out (http://www.hotdogchicagostyle.com/chicagodog.php) for the ingredients that go on it.

Driving out of Chicago this morning, I couldn't help but enjoy and envy the Chicago residents and their great Lake Michigan drive on "Lake Shore Drive." The running/biking paths that go along the beach, with the numerous volleyball courts, outdoor restaurants, sailboats, and other spectacles that make up the Lake Michigan shoreline in Chicago. I love to run and cycle and I couldn't help but wish I could have that ride/run every day.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Have a great Monday.

Secrets About Paying Your House Off

2009-07-22T20:50:00.001-04:00

Hello all!

So, if you know me, you know I'm a finance guy and with a career in real estate finance. I am constantly calculating ways to get my mortgages paid off (rental properties and owner occupied house all the same). I've found some easy ways that you can make this happen a lot sooner. Some may argue that having a mortgage is good for tax reasons because of the mortgage interest that you can write off, etc. but what's better than truly being free of debt?

So, here's the easiest and laziest way that you can pay off your mortgage sooner without changing too much about the way you're doing it now. My first piece of advice is to round off the check to the highest tenth of hundredth dollar. For example, if your payment is $893, make it $890 or even $900. This is an obvious way that you can apply extra to your payment every month to pay the loan down without strapping the budget. My second piece of advice is very, very easy as well. Set up bi-monthly automatic deductions for your payment. Your bank with automatically withdraw your normal payment at 2 intervals in the month, both of your choosing if you want to set the exact dates. What this effectively does is that it cuts the compounding interest that occurs throughout the month on your mortgage and you end up paying far less in interest over the life of the loan.

Here's a numbers-centric example of this in action. Take a mortgage amount of $132,000. Let's assume we have a 30 year mortgage at 6.5%. If we make these bi-monthly payments every month, we'll cut 5.67 years off our mortgage. It also saves approximately $36,953 in interest over the life of the mortgage. The normal payment is made, you just happen to cut it in half at two intervals in the month. So, if you normally get paid on the 15th and the 30th (for sake of argument), have the automatic withdrawals made on these dates and you'll find an easy and no hassle way to pay off your mortgage in 25 years (as opposed to 30) and save you over $36,000 over the life. That's a lot of savings!

If you wish to plug in your own scenario in to a calculator to see how much this will save you, see here: http://www.hsh.com/calc-amort.html. Just put your loan amount in, if you pay extra each month, add that as well, put the years left in on your loan, and wa la... you'll find out when you'll pay off the loan.

Nearly every loan company or bank has the option to do bi-monthly automatic payments. Just give them a call and they'll let you know what the procedure is. If you have questions about this, shoot me an email as well. It's what I do.

Have a fantastic Thursday!

Thrifty Friends

2009-07-21T22:47:00.000-04:00

Hey All,
It was a beautiful Tuesday here today, full of sun and 80 degree temps. I was thinking today about how our groups of friends are really good at coordinating activities that are not expensive and are quite fun. For instance, over the weekend we participated in a group outdoor fun day which involved adult kickball, relay races, corn hole contests, among other activities. I felt like a kid again and it was good moving around and being active. I love that.

We also went to a birthday party for another friend and really we all like to find reasons to throw a party and get together. My favorite part of all the get togethers is the food that seems to show up from each person or couple. Man there are some wonderful dishes that I've been a part in destroying.

Both of these groups of activities don't have to cost a lot of money and can be great social events that bring friends together to create closer friendships. That's really the awesome part. I've made some life lasting friendships with people in the last few weeks and years that I wouldn't trade for anything.

This topic has given me great inspiration for growing older as well. It seems that as I approach the milestone of 30 years of age, I had worried about becoming less active. That's seems to not be the case at all, and quite the opposite actually. My weekends are booked up until September with fun stuff going on. I hope to keep at this pace for a long time. Cheers.

Have a great Wednesday everyone and keep on keepin' on!

Optimism on a Grand Scale

2009-07-19T23:58:00.000-04:00

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces,
I would still plant my apple tree.
Martin Luther

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I know I did. Had a great birthday party with friends and also had a great outdoor field day in which our friends competed in different outdoor events, including: kickball, soccer kicking courses, relay races, etc. The fun was really in hanging out with friends that are fun and make life happier and more uplifting.

On that note, I've found a great TV show that really inspires me. I don't like watching TV unless I can get something out of it, and this show is awesome. The Adventures of the Incurable Optimist (http://abc.go.com/specials/michaeljfox/index) is a wonderful show in which Michael J. Fox travels around the country and the world to exploit optimistic groups and individual people. Just hearing Michael J. Fox's outlook in inspiring to say the least given that he has Parkinson's Disease (more reading available here if you're not familiar with Parkinson's: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm). He talks about people that have a natural inclination toward being optimistic and different aspects of a society that create the optimism. I found it very inspiring and hope you will too. I found it on the cable station TLC (http://tlc.discovery.com/) and you can check the site for the channel schedule to watch it in your area if interested.

I always find inspiration in people that seem to overcome struggle by being unwaveringly positive. It's so easy to become jaded in this world by challenges and then some comes along that really puts you to shame in regard to the level of challenge that you face. Life isn't a competition and it really helps to have perspective when seeing others' challenges and how your diminish in size and scope.

Have a great week everyone! I hope you make it a great one.

Home Grown Produce

2009-07-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

Oh wonderful, beautiful Saturday morning. I love the peace and quiet of my Saturday mornings. I find that my creative mind is in full gear on Saturday mornings when I am relaxed and unworried/unhurried. So, this particular morning I was strolling around the yard weeding around plants, checking for ripe vegetables, and checking progress on others. I harvested two large tomatoes, two cucumbers, some husky cherry tomatoes, and some basil. Nice day really for the home garden.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

When doing the math online for how much money that just saved us I came up with about a little over a $5 savings. The basil can drastically differ in price depending on where you go. Tomatoes are about $.80 per pound for the organic, yellow variety that we grow. The cucumbers are on sale for $1 a piece right now. Our cucumbers are the pickle variety and a massive variety that is bigger than anything I've ever seen. It's probably 2-3 pounds on its own. My point in all of this is that it's pretty easy to grow your own food and save money without a lot of effort. It's great food too. Nothing tastes better than a home grown vegetable that you grew with your own hands.

So, with all that in mind I've been looking up some good pico de gallo recipes because nothing on earth is better than pico de gallo and salsa in my mind, and we have a ton of tomatoes that need to get used. We also have some jalepenos that will be ripe soon, as well as onions and cilantro (although the cilantro is fading fast as it flowered when we were away for the weekend). In the spirit of pico de gallo, here's a recipe that I found online that I plan to use:

Ingredients
* 6 medium Tomatoes diced
* 1 medium Onion diced
* 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro chopped.
* 2 to 4 Fresh serrano or jalapeño seeded and minced
* garlic powder just a pinch * Salt to taste
Put all ingredients in a bowl add 1/2 cup of cold water, mix well. Let set a few minutes. You will find a lot of recipes in this site, where we can use the pico de gallo for cooking and a garnish.

I got this recipe from: http://www.mex-recipes.com/pico-de-gallo-recipes.htm

The simplicity of pico de gallo and Mexican food in general is what makes me to drawn to the cooking. I love that you can use tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and peppers in so many different ways. You just add tortillas and meat and you have tacos, or many other Mexican dishes in different variations of the same ingredients.

I hope you all can enjoy a garden or at least some tomatoes this summer that someone grew with their own hands. Have a great Saturday!

Creating a Mood

2009-07-16T22:16:00.000-04:00

Sweet Music.

I consider music a vital part of my life and I'm sure most of you do as well. I can't imagine a life without it as I've been intertwined with it for the last 20 or so years of my life. I know that picking up my guitar or mandolin can have great calming effects on me and how I deal with stress. Music can actually help to secret endorphins in your brain that make you heal quicker as well. Here's a great article that supports this: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/effects-of-music-on-the-mind-and-brain.html

He who sings scares away his woes. ~Cervantes

I also find that music is a great social ice breaker. When you meet up with friends and they play an instrument also, it's a great way to find an immediate bond. Especially when you find a common musical thread. Friends can meet to see a band that they all like together. It can be a social glue that brings a group together.

I like to think of music as my happy place that I go when life gets to be stressful or overbearing. I find my music that inspires me and create my musical bubble that makes me happy. I also love to help others get in to music. I used to teach guitar lessons regularly and I miss that feeling of seeing someone "get it" and begin to find their musical muse.

The reason I bring all this up is because I'm beginning to get back in to a musical realm again within a band setting. I don't want to discount the playing that I frequently do with my very good friends as well, which provides an awesome musical outlet too. We have this cool, folksy vibe that we revel in and I look forward to growing that musical side as well.

I'm getting together with friends to jam next week (drums, bass, guitar, singer setup) and am really looking forward to it. I began playing in bands in high school and really included that as a part of my life. Music has shaped how I think and become inspired. I can't wait to be immersed in this environment again and welcome the journey that's a part of it. Music and performing do wonderful things for self image, personal growth, inner peace, and life inspiration. It can give you a renewed sense of purpose and reconnect you to the passions that you have taken for granted.

I hope that everyone finds their musical happy place and you explore your musical muses. Have a great Friday!

Paperback Trading

2009-07-14T22:26:00.000-04:00

Hello to everyone from my couch. So, if you know me, you know that I like to read and I've been reading a ton since I've been done with school this time around. I like to use my tax dollars and utilize the Marion County library and it's online reservation options that allow me to 1.) reserve the book online and 2.) get it routed to your favorite or most convenient library. I love this as the Nora library is close to my office and I can run there at lunch and grab my books off the shelf in the reserved area. I encourage everyone to use their local library, if nothing more than to rent movies or get music cd's as they are a great resource for that as well.

The reason I bring this up: I found a great alternative to the library if you have a bunch of books that you have around the house that you aren't going to likely read again and they're taking up space. The site is called: http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php and you can trade books, hard back and paperback, as well as audio books and textbooks as well. Pretty cool when you consider the service is free. This is another way to beat the recession and have some free entertainment. Enjoy!

In case you're artistic and trying to hawk your wares, I really like the website http://www.etsy.com. It is a great alternative to EBay and allows you a more soulful way to sell your artistic wares without compromising your integrity. It's also a great place if you're looking to buy handmade arts, crafts, etc. as well. Pretty cool stuff for pretty cheap. I've been surprised at the quality of work you can buy for really low prices.

For the Love of Online Bill Pay

2009-07-14T00:38:00.000-04:00

I'm sure everyone is very aware of the options that exist within the realm of online banking, but I happen to really love the option to pay my bills online. I pay everything online...and I do mean everything. Even when it seems like I can't pay a bill online, there are round about ways to actually pay that bill all the same. For example, my Forum Credit Union has one account number for my checking, savings, and home equity loan, so when I send the online bill payment to them, it automatically goes to the checking account. Luckily for me, I just go to the Forum online account and transfer the money over to the equity line and ta da...the bill is paid and all is well in the world.

Even better, I have found a great way to monitor your mail online when your not around to get it from your mail box. A website and service called "Earth Class Mail" will do it for you. Check it out: http://www.earthclassmail.com/. This site has a couple different levels of service options but the overall concept is that you can monitor your mail from any location, at any time, without having physical paper in your hands. Pretty cool stuff. This makes international travel and international living more practical and makes the world just a little bit smaller.

Credits: Photo taken from http://www.carolina.org/pics/forever-stamp.jpg

Everyone have a great Tuesday!

Dogs Like Cookies Too

2009-07-12T20:14:00.000-04:00

Hello to everyone. It's been a great weekend for me, even though I was working through most of it doing home improvement projects on properties, however, it was fun working with Evelyn. She provides entertainment in many ways and we just generally have a good time working side by side. We are now "pro" painters having painted quite a few rental properties now. It's getting fun turning a nasty looking property in to a nice, clean living area. Tearing up carpet and restoring hard wood floors, revamping kitchens, painting, and fixing problem areas are just a few of the challenges that we faced. All in all, we made it and we're back home on Sunday evening.

Recently (read a week ago) we came across the idea of making dog treats at home because of the fact that dog treats can be either a.) extremely unhealthy for the canines, or b.) extremely expensive if organic and all natural. So, in the essence of being frugal and health conscience for our mutts, Evelyn, being the "Susie home maker" that she is decided she would make some. Here's the recipe in all it's glory in case you have pups that you wish to spoil from time to time:

To make this organic, just buy the ingredients in organic options. Whole Foods usually has most of the items in organic form. Lots of chain grocers are carrying them now also though.
Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 375'F. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container. --- This is the original recipe, but I have found the cookies burn easily. Here's where we got the recipe from (there are tons more on the site): http://www.bullwrinkle.com/Assets/Recipes/Peanut%20Butter%20Puppy%20Poppers.htm

I want to give credit where credit is due so, in full disclosure, we got the idea from the show called "The Lazy Environmentalist" in which he discussed organic options for pets in an episode. We love to watch the show and get ideas. We're implementing ideas in to all facets of our life and are trying to be more conscientious of our actions and purchases that we make.

Have a great week everyone!

Streaming Radio

2009-07-10T08:32:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone! Hope it's a good one for all. I've got a pretty great day planned so far and was getting my daily dose of music in the morning, which made me think about the resource I use frequently. I love the site www.pandora.com for the free music that can be streamed based on an artist or song that you choose. Pandora will then put together a streaming playlist based on your selection(s), which is equivalent in my mind to your favorite playlist on Itunes that seems to go on forever. I absolutely love the site because I get new artist info when I hear a new song, then go find that artist on my favorite music download site. It's great for that.

So when I read that the www.pandora.com site may be going to the way side recently, I got a bit bummed naturally. But, all is well in the land of streaming music thanks to a recent agreement that the site made with the music industry securing a long time royalty agreement that concedes to pay 25% of it's overall profit from the U.S. This is much better than the 75% total profit sharing that was thought would come about, thus putting the site in to the ground. Here's the link to the news if you're interested: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/07/pandora-and-other-internet-radio-has-officially-been-saved/ .

What this means? Well, potentially this sets a precedent for streaming radio on the internet, but it only protects www.pandora.com for the time being. Other sites could be vulnerable to the music industry and their shrewd, royalty driven operatives. It's understandable that the music industry is seeking alternative sources of revenue given that cd and other physical media sales are down (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/arts/music/01indu.html). This is an article from the end of 2008 but the info is still relevant.

My advice to you: enjoy these streaming music sites now while you can! I love Pandora, but you may find another that's even more to your liking. Have fun.

Riding My Bike to Work

2009-07-09T08:40:00.001-04:00

Well, I rode my bike to work on Tuesday and was going to do so again today (Thursday), but rain prevailed and I don't like being soaked when I get to work. My goal for myself is to ride at least 2 days a week, if not more if my schedule allows it. I figured up the distance from my home to my office and it's officially 9.32 miles one way by the route that I take. I like to ride most of the distance on the Monon Greenway Trail (http://www.indygreenways.org/monon/monon.htm). It's peaceful and there's minimal traffic to contend with until I get to 86th St., which is a different story altogether. My reasons for riding are twofold: 1) to be more healthy and feel good at work and at the end of the day when I ride home and 2) to be a bit more green and save some gas. I figure that it saves me roughly a little over a gallon of gas (pending that I don't go anywhere once I get to work and no side trips) from my home to work and back. That's only about $2.50-3 or so per trip, but added up it will be good. This doesn't really account for the stop and go traffic which eats up your gas mileage too, so that's something I probably should consider as well.
All in all, I just prefer the lack of traffic jams, hurried people in their cars, and stop lights every corner to riding peacefully on a path intended for bikes and people. A great alternative.

Cool Ways to Save Money and Be Green

2009-07-08T09:35:00.000-04:00

I found some ways to be lazy and still be green at the same time. Buying the compact florescent bulbs is a bit more expensive now, but saves money over the long run. Check out the site for other money saving tips as well. http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2009/05/27/pf.hw.lighting.moneymag/

There's also a cool video about collecting rainwater from your gutters, etc. to water your lawn with. This requires a bit of work upfront but could be very useful and resourceful. Here in Indiana in the spring, we get a ton of rainwater, so it would be pretty plentiful.

Another helpful tip that I have acquired is to lower the temperature on your water heater down to 120 degrees from 145 (if not already turned down). 145 is pretty standard so there's a good chance that that's where its at right now.

I found some pretty sweet deals on flights if your looking for a weekend getaway from Indianapolis or other midwest cities. You can also plug in your current city and find other specials as well. No financial interest for me, just sharing: http://travel.southwest.com/specialoffers/topOffers.html

Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday!

Hello From Planet Indiana

2009-07-07T21:11:00.000-04:00

So....this is my first attempt at blogging, but I have been writing more and more lately, so this is a natural progression me thinks.

What this blog is about: Everything in my life that is geared toward enjoyment and creation of a more rewarding and "simple" lifestyle. I enjoy the finer things in life, but only if they don't create detrimental by-products that harm others, hurt others, etc.

My life has been pretty complicated up to now (and still is really), but since I've finished up my college degree I've found that I have some time to do things that I want to do, read books I want to read, and generally indulge in things that I haven't had time for in a while. Mainly playing my guitar more, listening to more music, reading books, and writing. I'm reading a couple books right now as a matter of fact. One is "Marco Polo Didn't Go There" by Rolf Potts (the author of the Vagabonding, which changed my whole perspective on travel and long term travel in general). I also just started an awesome book called "The Sex Lives of Cannibals" written by J. Maarten Troost. This book is fantastic so far. I really love travel writers and these two are some of the finest. I've read books by these authors before and wanted to get more of their ideas and thoughts, thus the interest in these....

Simplifying our produce selection: Evelyn and I have been harvesting out of our garden in the back yard lately as well. We've decided to grow organically and we're grateful for the results. I'll admit, I thought that she was getting crazy with the amount of plants that we have accumulated but I'm thankful now. I love, I mean love, the home grown tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and herbs that we've been able to enjoy. We have egg plant on the way, zuchini coming, and lots of others as well. This has saved money, made our life a bit more connected to the ground, and made us more concientious of what we put in our bodies. All good stuff...

So I really love island music. Lately I've been listening to a ridiculous amount of reggae music, surf music, Jack Johnson, and other such island or tropical music types. It puts me in a great frame of mind and reminds me that I can live in the Caribbean in my head. This helps me keep a good perspective on life's pressures as well. Running a business with rental properties and being a mortgage banker in today's economic climate can be a bit stressful and happy music seems to help me transcend this.

This weekend we spent time on the lakes up in northern Indiana and also went on a canoeing/kayaking trip on the Pigeon River as well. I remembered why I love kayaking and being in nature again. That place is beautiful and I totally took it for granted growing up around there. You don't realize how beautiful a place is until you have perspective. Living in a city for the last 11 years has given me a different view daily. It's nice to step away from that and see the other side from time to time. I still like the options that a city provides though.

That's it for now..... Stay tuned and let me know if something strikes your fancy...