Just like the document says, those that don't get it never will. Post 36 is spot on, and most the posts prove post 15 correct as well, especially with the ignorant and stupid comment.
Why do the people crying 'I'm poor and it ain't fair' do something to change their lives instead of trying to steal it by linching the folk with more money than them. Entitlement Mentality piece of s%#Ts, people aren't entitled to other peoples "stuff" including thier money. Whos the crook? America provides oppurtunity to correct your thinking, take chances and change your life if your not happy with it. or just move to canada so you can get your ass wiped for you.
When I started working at The San Francisco Chronicle, they offered a 6-month unpaid sabbatical after 5 years employment. I thought it was awesome. It certainly made sense for writers and seemed like it would pay of for the paper too, since if their reporters publish books it would give the paper more credibility.
Actually, come to think of it, I don't remember any of my fellow reporters who actually wrote books on sabbatical. Most of them didn't take advantage of the program, probably for financial reasons.
I had planned to take advantage of it, but then right around the five-year mark, I took a sabbatical of a different kind: a six-month maternity leave.
Yes, if you have enough saved/invested for retirement, emergencies, kids' college, etc. No, if you don't. But, rich or poor, it's still best to learn to love the free and cheap pleasures in life. To my way of thinking, after too many years of extravagant living and getting into huge debt to pay for it, financial security and freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want is the greatest luxury of all and worth adopting an extremely frugal lifestyle, which I finally did to get out from under my monster debts. I wrote about that in "How I Paid Off $50,000 of Debt in One Year" at http://shanelyang.com/2008/04/23/how-i-paid-off-50000-of-debt-in-one-year/
There's another reason to enjoy spending a little money and travel and experiences when you're very young -- if you subsequently decide to start a family, you won't be able to enjoy the same pleasures in the same way, or at least not for a long while.
Even if my husband and I could get away right now for one of the adventure trips we used to do, we wouldn't enjoy it as much because we'd feel guilty about spending the money. Before kids, we took trips we could barely afford, but we figured, what the hell? We'd be broke for a couple months until we'd paid off the bills, then we'd be fine. Now, every penny I spend on myself is a penny that hasn't been put toward my responsibilities -- maintaining our home, saving for college, putting healthier food on the table, saving for retirement.
That's not to say that when you have kids you'll never be able to have any fun on your own. But it's rarely as carefree, so I say enjoy -- within budgetary reason -- while you can.
I liked the test and I liked and agreed with the result. The only problem I had was with the part where you say what your current profession is. I'm in the legal field (paralegal) and I did not see that choice anywhere. I think it should have been under professional. It's late and I'm tired but I really looked and didn't see it. I can think of a lot of joke reasons that the legal field might be omitted but I'm assuming it's an oversight. I put in my side job instead. Pretty fun test. Thanks for posting it!
Money is not the fundamental unit here. What is? It is time. It may seem like the question is about money it is really not.
What do you want to do with your time? Retirement is the decision to stop spending your time on working for money.
The "pretty simple" subject is meaning a couple of things. 1) Your money ceases to have value to you when you die (i.e., "you can't take it with you") regardless how much you have. 2) You never know when you'll die.
Plan to live until your 100 but live like you'll die tomorrow. Meaning don't hoard but don't burn it.
ENJOY LIFE! There are no do-overs. That's my take.
My friend and I took the test, and he even chose different colors than I did and we were both pegged as creators and organizers. I think the whole thing is bogus.
I am in the same exact boat as you: Around same age (28), hardworking very educated guy, laid off same time as you (January 08), same thoughts/frustrations (especially waking up in the morning, which in my opinion is the f***ing worst.
Your notion of staying positive is extremely important. I also found a good stress reliever is working out. Go to the gym and kick the crap out of yourself like never before. It will ease the pain. Hang in there.
Unlike Guest #2, I had no problems being processed by Tutor.com. I have an M.S.Ed in secondary education and a B.A. in criminal justice. I despise Tutor.com and the bratty little students that connect to them. I just began using the Ziizoo interface, and at $25/hour (minus 15%) I am now making MORE THAN DOUBLE what I was making with the ridiculous Tutor.com. The rates are SET BY THE TUTOR. I am tutoring a college student in the area of criminal justice. So far, she is my first student. I am in the process of marketing myself and project that I will be able to make over $1,000/month if I take on four more students. My plan is to eventually purchase my own software and develop my own interface so that I don't have to give anyone a percentage of the money.
I am having a wonderful experience at Ziizoo, and the student really makes me feel that she NEEDS the help I am giving her.
Just my two-cents about using American Home Shield (AHS). I live in Southern California, in the Los Angeles area. I had AHS for the first and second years that I owned my home. In the first year, the policy came in handy for an electrical problem that would have cost me $800. So, it was money well-spent. But, the second year was another story. I had an air conditioning/heating problem and they sent out a service provider that was less than reputable. They told me that a part needed to be replaced, but before it could be replaced, they needed to clean the coils of the system, to the tune of $600! When I called around to get other quotes for cleaning the coils, I was quoted from $300-$400 for the service. I called AHS and told them that their provider was trying to rip me off. They offered to pay for the part and have my provider install it....at only $75!! That meant that I would have to pay for cleaning the coils plus the labor to install the part. The provider I chose came out, cleaned the coils, then pointed out that the part did not have to be replaced at all. Only an adjustment was necessary. When I called AHS and told them that their provider should not be used because they were not honest, they did not seem very concerned. I would never recommend AHS.
Same here; perhaps its the times we live in but I could never just let strangers stay in my house. Maybe if I ran a B&B full time and had locks on every single door but I just don't trust people enough to do this
I'm with you on swapping out ingredients, but please, not hoisin sauce! I love it, and it has plenty of uses!
Hoisin sauce thinned with a little citrus juice plus minced pickled or fresh ginger as a marinade/glaze for baked salmom or baked hubbard squash or grilled chicken or roast duckling or bbq spareribs . . . yummmm!
A little hoisin sauce to kick up the flavor of a vinaigrette salad dressing . . .super!
Hoisin-sauce carmelized onions to be served with pork chops are great!
Hoisin sauce added to any barbecue sauce is going to kick it up a few notches and give it a subtle asian flavor.
Just watch the salt levels, since hoisin is pretty salty, and for grilling, marinade then cook the marinade to use as a sauce, but watch the glaze as it has a fair amount of sugar and can scorch.
No, I don't own stock in a hoisin sauce making factory, but I do love the stuff and wouldn't want my pantry to be without it (or without a jar of pickled ginger, either).
I just don't feel right about inviting in strangers because I have two small children. However, I'd love to hear about others' experiences if they share here.
@Claire: Actually, the fridge is only four years-old and came with the house. It's beyond any warranty, but hardly old enough to get rid of (in my opinion). I'm not a big fan of side-by-sides, but since the previous owners left it I wasn't going to argue with them! Besides, ice through the door is such a nice luxury!
This is a good topic, but using the fridge is a bad example. It is well-known that refrigerators that are just a handful of years old use TONS more energy than newer models. Also, a side-by-side fridge is the worst as far as wasting electricity.
So, good topic & concept, but if your fridge is that old & keeps giving you trouble, it is probably worth it in the long run to buy a new one simply due to the energy savings.
I am certainly guilty of this when it comes to clothes. Most of my shirts get worn until there are more holes than fabric.
For people who like to make things last, perhaps a class or two in related skills (auto mechanics, welding, plumbing) could be a worthwhile investment. Even if the knowledge does not save you money over time, a night class in something like carpentry or small engine repair would be a fun diversion for those of us with office jobs.
I just bought 4 new tires, it was buy 3 get one free, the tire identification numbers are the same on 3 of them, but the other number is older, did they give me an older tire because it was free? Thanks :)
I have to disagree on Greenleaf - I don't think it's nearly as good at Tamarind Tree, and doesn't have the sheer menu variety. Maybe a bit cheaper, but just not as nice overall. Tamarind Tree does a fairly good job being affordable AND fancy. There's another rather nice Vietnamese place called Lemongrass that I recommend to friends and family.
For Chinatown, I recommend Sichuanese Cuisine - it's a little grimy, but the food is stellar.
All the dimsum places are awful, though. And pricey.
I wish more companies offered sabbaticals, because I think they are great for reducing burnout, and inspiring more creativity and productivity in a workforce. You are correct; convincing the boss may be the most difficult part of the process.
I just finished up an excellent book (AWOL on the Appalachain Trail) by a guy who had to quit his job to walk the trail because his employer would not allow him the time off. It was a great read by an obviously dedicated, intelligent individual, so it seems the employer lost a good one.
Just like the document says, those that don't get it never will. Post 36 is spot on, and most the posts prove post 15 correct as well, especially with the ignorant and stupid comment.
Why do the people crying 'I'm poor and it ain't fair' do something to change their lives instead of trying to steal it by linching the folk with more money than them. Entitlement Mentality piece of s%#Ts, people aren't entitled to other peoples "stuff" including thier money. Whos the crook? America provides oppurtunity to correct your thinking, take chances and change your life if your not happy with it. or just move to canada so you can get your ass wiped for you.
When I started working at The San Francisco Chronicle, they offered a 6-month unpaid sabbatical after 5 years employment. I thought it was awesome. It certainly made sense for writers and seemed like it would pay of for the paper too, since if their reporters publish books it would give the paper more credibility.
Actually, come to think of it, I don't remember any of my fellow reporters who actually wrote books on sabbatical. Most of them didn't take advantage of the program, probably for financial reasons.
I had planned to take advantage of it, but then right around the five-year mark, I took a sabbatical of a different kind: a six-month maternity leave.
I blog at www.shopliftingwithpermission.com.
Yes, if you have enough saved/invested for retirement, emergencies, kids' college, etc. No, if you don't. But, rich or poor, it's still best to learn to love the free and cheap pleasures in life. To my way of thinking, after too many years of extravagant living and getting into huge debt to pay for it, financial security and freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want is the greatest luxury of all and worth adopting an extremely frugal lifestyle, which I finally did to get out from under my monster debts. I wrote about that in "How I Paid Off $50,000 of Debt in One Year" at http://shanelyang.com/2008/04/23/how-i-paid-off-50000-of-debt-in-one-year/
There's another reason to enjoy spending a little money and travel and experiences when you're very young -- if you subsequently decide to start a family, you won't be able to enjoy the same pleasures in the same way, or at least not for a long while.
Even if my husband and I could get away right now for one of the adventure trips we used to do, we wouldn't enjoy it as much because we'd feel guilty about spending the money. Before kids, we took trips we could barely afford, but we figured, what the hell? We'd be broke for a couple months until we'd paid off the bills, then we'd be fine. Now, every penny I spend on myself is a penny that hasn't been put toward my responsibilities -- maintaining our home, saving for college, putting healthier food on the table, saving for retirement.
That's not to say that when you have kids you'll never be able to have any fun on your own. But it's rarely as carefree, so I say enjoy -- within budgetary reason -- while you can.
I blog at www.shopliftingwithpermission.com.
I liked the test and I liked and agreed with the result. The only problem I had was with the part where you say what your current profession is. I'm in the legal field (paralegal) and I did not see that choice anywhere. I think it should have been under professional. It's late and I'm tired but I really looked and didn't see it. I can think of a lot of joke reasons that the legal field might be omitted but I'm assuming it's an oversight. I put in my side job instead. Pretty fun test. Thanks for posting it!
Money is not the fundamental unit here. What is? It is time. It may seem like the question is about money it is really not.
What do you want to do with your time? Retirement is the decision to stop spending your time on working for money.
The "pretty simple" subject is meaning a couple of things. 1) Your money ceases to have value to you when you die (i.e., "you can't take it with you") regardless how much you have. 2) You never know when you'll die.
Plan to live until your 100 but live like you'll die tomorrow. Meaning don't hoard but don't burn it.
ENJOY LIFE! There are no do-overs. That's my take.
My friend and I took the test, and he even chose different colors than I did and we were both pegged as creators and organizers. I think the whole thing is bogus.
I am in the same exact boat as you: Around same age (28), hardworking very educated guy, laid off same time as you (January 08), same thoughts/frustrations (especially waking up in the morning, which in my opinion is the f***ing worst.
Your notion of staying positive is extremely important. I also found a good stress reliever is working out. Go to the gym and kick the crap out of yourself like never before. It will ease the pain. Hang in there.
Vic
Wow exactly what i want to do
What a great photo, Nora!
Unlike Guest #2, I had no problems being processed by Tutor.com. I have an M.S.Ed in secondary education and a B.A. in criminal justice. I despise Tutor.com and the bratty little students that connect to them. I just began using the Ziizoo interface, and at $25/hour (minus 15%) I am now making MORE THAN DOUBLE what I was making with the ridiculous Tutor.com. The rates are SET BY THE TUTOR. I am tutoring a college student in the area of criminal justice. So far, she is my first student. I am in the process of marketing myself and project that I will be able to make over $1,000/month if I take on four more students. My plan is to eventually purchase my own software and develop my own interface so that I don't have to give anyone a percentage of the money.
I am having a wonderful experience at Ziizoo, and the student really makes me feel that she NEEDS the help I am giving her.
I wouldn't wish Tutor.com on my worst enemy.
Thanks for sharing that recipe, Paul! I love fresh tomatoes this time of year, so I'll have to give it a try!
One of my personal favorite meatless dishes:
Cold Black Bean Salad over rice
other ingredients in salad: tomato, onion, celery, cumin, cilantro, lime juice, garlic
It takes juice from a couple of limes and is great b/c it can be thrown together in minutes
Also extreemly healthy
I certainly didn't mean to dis hoisin sauce!
Just my two-cents about using American Home Shield (AHS). I live in Southern California, in the Los Angeles area. I had AHS for the first and second years that I owned my home. In the first year, the policy came in handy for an electrical problem that would have cost me $800. So, it was money well-spent. But, the second year was another story. I had an air conditioning/heating problem and they sent out a service provider that was less than reputable. They told me that a part needed to be replaced, but before it could be replaced, they needed to clean the coils of the system, to the tune of $600! When I called around to get other quotes for cleaning the coils, I was quoted from $300-$400 for the service. I called AHS and told them that their provider was trying to rip me off. They offered to pay for the part and have my provider install it....at only $75!! That meant that I would have to pay for cleaning the coils plus the labor to install the part. The provider I chose came out, cleaned the coils, then pointed out that the part did not have to be replaced at all. Only an adjustment was necessary. When I called AHS and told them that their provider should not be used because they were not honest, they did not seem very concerned. I would never recommend AHS.
Same here; perhaps its the times we live in but I could never just let strangers stay in my house. Maybe if I ran a B&B full time and had locks on every single door but I just don't trust people enough to do this
I'm with you on swapping out ingredients, but please, not hoisin sauce! I love it, and it has plenty of uses!
Hoisin sauce thinned with a little citrus juice plus minced pickled or fresh ginger as a marinade/glaze for baked salmom or baked hubbard squash or grilled chicken or roast duckling or bbq spareribs . . . yummmm!
A little hoisin sauce to kick up the flavor of a vinaigrette salad dressing . . .super!
Hoisin-sauce carmelized onions to be served with pork chops are great!
Hoisin sauce added to any barbecue sauce is going to kick it up a few notches and give it a subtle asian flavor.
Just watch the salt levels, since hoisin is pretty salty, and for grilling, marinade then cook the marinade to use as a sauce, but watch the glaze as it has a fair amount of sugar and can scorch.
No, I don't own stock in a hoisin sauce making factory, but I do love the stuff and wouldn't want my pantry to be without it (or without a jar of pickled ginger, either).
I just don't feel right about inviting in strangers because I have two small children. However, I'd love to hear about others' experiences if they share here.
I blog at www.shopliftingwithpermission.com.
@Claire: Actually, the fridge is only four years-old and came with the house. It's beyond any warranty, but hardly old enough to get rid of (in my opinion). I'm not a big fan of side-by-sides, but since the previous owners left it I wasn't going to argue with them! Besides, ice through the door is such a nice luxury!
This is a good topic, but using the fridge is a bad example. It is well-known that refrigerators that are just a handful of years old use TONS more energy than newer models. Also, a side-by-side fridge is the worst as far as wasting electricity.
So, good topic & concept, but if your fridge is that old & keeps giving you trouble, it is probably worth it in the long run to buy a new one simply due to the energy savings.
I am certainly guilty of this when it comes to clothes. Most of my shirts get worn until there are more holes than fabric.
For people who like to make things last, perhaps a class or two in related skills (auto mechanics, welding, plumbing) could be a worthwhile investment. Even if the knowledge does not save you money over time, a night class in something like carpentry or small engine repair would be a fun diversion for those of us with office jobs.
I just bought 4 new tires, it was buy 3 get one free, the tire identification numbers are the same on 3 of them, but the other number is older, did they give me an older tire because it was free? Thanks :)
I have to disagree on Greenleaf - I don't think it's nearly as good at Tamarind Tree, and doesn't have the sheer menu variety. Maybe a bit cheaper, but just not as nice overall. Tamarind Tree does a fairly good job being affordable AND fancy. There's another rather nice Vietnamese place called Lemongrass that I recommend to friends and family.
For Chinatown, I recommend Sichuanese Cuisine - it's a little grimy, but the food is stellar.
All the dimsum places are awful, though. And pricey.
"Years later I finally broke out the ones she bought for me."
that is totally funny and awesome. great job!
I wish more companies offered sabbaticals, because I think they are great for reducing burnout, and inspiring more creativity and productivity in a workforce. You are correct; convincing the boss may be the most difficult part of the process.
I just finished up an excellent book (AWOL on the Appalachain Trail) by a guy who had to quit his job to walk the trail because his employer would not allow him the time off. It was a great read by an obviously dedicated, intelligent individual, so it seems the employer lost a good one.