$5 Off Glidden Paint – Expires July 5, 2009

I came across a $5 mail-in rebate for Glidden Paint through Home Depot. If you have a project you have been putting off, this may be enough incentive to get you to get it started.

glidden-paint-rebate

Enjoy.

The Wall is Finished…

So we finally finished the front landscape (save a few minor exceptions). Because of all the buzz around it, I decided to make a PowerPoint to show off the work. Click below; push “Open”; start the slideshow (Press F5) and enjoy.

533 Catawba Ave – Front Landscape (Large File – For High Speed Connection only)

533 Catawba Ave – Front Landscape Small (Smaller File – For Slow Connections)

Thanks to all those who helped!!

Reflection:

After having finished the wall and looking back I would definitely do this again. Although it was A LOT of work, the payoff is evident. But I don’t think I could do it for anyone else… it’s different when it’s your own house and you will get the enjoyment (and equity) out of it. I can help design, plan and lend a hand here and there but don’t come asking me “how much” because it isn’t happening (unless you’re loaded, money changes everything doesn’t it?).

We were deciding between the standard grey and “autumn blend”. I think I’m glad we went with this brick color.

Buy one get one F-R-E-E (T.G.I. Fridays)

Just print this off and go in to get a free meal. That’s it. Maybe invite some freinds or you could just order 2 meals and have one as a midnight snack or for lunch tomorrow. Maybe if you’re lucky you might get invited to go with me, MAYBE… or you could just invite yourself along like most my friends do.

Click Here for Coupon!

Enjoy.

Humans: Robots or Plants

Robots

I have come to find that humans look and act more like robots than humans lately. Think about it…  5 out of 7 days you probably get up at the same time do a similar routine for getting ready, drive the same route to work, do the same work, take the same drive home, prep dinner at the same time, watch the same shows, and go to bed at the same time to do it all over again. Your life is planned out until you retire. Have you ever seen an automated assembly line? It is a harmony of machines calibrated just so they will perform the task desired over and over and over and over. You, my friend, are a robot.

Plants

I have also seen how humans are more like plants. We need sun for vitamin D but also for emotional health. We need water and nutrients to survive and thrive. For a plant every day is a new day that holds a world of promise, mystery, surprise, excitement, new experiences, growth, and so many other things. Maybe today it will rain giving you life-giving water. Or maybe a grasshopper will come visit. Or perhaps a gardener will prune you for optimum fruit production. Or maybe it’s a windy day and you hope that the roots you have sent into the ground will be deep enough and strong enough the weather the storm! We can also wither. Become weak. Lose hope. Die. See our friends die. Have our lives change completely from one day to the next. we can have offspring. “Pollinate”. Are resilient. You, my friend, are a plant.

So which is it? Are you the type of person that likes the same thing day in and day out or are you someone that sees life and energy in everything and needs variety?

The World We Live In

There are certain things in our lives that we have come to accept as normal or even take for granted. Some of them are good, some are bad. More than likely the things I’m about to talk about you are indifferent to but I shall make my opinion known.

The Doctor’s Office

How is it that they can even afford to close their doors for a solid hour while everyone has lunch. Are they from France? Did you know that full-time in France is considered 35 hours? Can you imagine if the rest of America was like that? You couldn’t do your banking, pick up groceries or heaven forbid, go shopping.

The Digital-Analogue Switch

I just heard that an extension was put in place. Who the hell uses an antennae? Those 13.5 old folks out in the country? Come on! You can buy the converter box, buy a new tv, get cable, or stop watching all together. Why do we need an extension!? This was mandated as a part of The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. 2005! That was 1,2,3… 4 years ago. I guess all I want is to stop hearing and seeing those stupid commercials. What if we spent half the advertising, manpower and money we have on this project, on things like, I don’t know, helping the homeless, volunteering, alternative energy, saving the rain forest, etc, etc. We would have answers to all those issues. Ok maybe not but it would go to a more worthy cause than TV.

Touch-Tone Prompt Menus and Call Center Help

Americans are amazing at eliminating (smart) humans as much as possible. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. This idea wouldn’t be so bad IF:

1.       You didn’t have to sit there and listen to 15 different prompts. It should be a limit of 3 and you can hit 0 any time to get in line, the one you will end up in anyway.

2.       The person that is finally able to help you speaks English. Yes, that’s you HP.

3.       You don’t need to put in your account number through the automated system, and then do it again with the person on the phone. Why even do it the first time?!

a.       Not to mention you have to verify 6 pieces of information.

b.      And if you are calling on behalf of someone, like your wife, and you aren’t on the account, forget it. And even if you are and it’s a medical issue no dice there either. I can understand this to a point. But we are so sue happy, we have to jump through 17 controls to get information that would take 10 seconds to say.

I swear these people live to piss you off and enjoy it…

4.       And finally, that person can do more than read from a script! In most cases, I know the script, I need someone with specialized knowledge, that is what I am paying for. Not some drone able to pick a topic off a FAQ. Isn’t that why we have the internet?

Ok, I’m done.

Top 10 Words I’m Tired of Hearing in the News

Top 10 Words I’m Tired of Hearing in the News:

1.       Bi-Partisan

2.       Change

3.       Obama

4.       Recession

5.       Credit Crunch

6.       Bail-Out

7.       Unemployment

8.       Bernie Madoff

9.       Mortgage

10.     Iraq

We get it…

…We are in a recession and Obama is going to change stuff and fix everything.

…If you put all your money in with Madoff, well it’s your own fault – diversify. As a side note, I love the fact that the guys name is what he did – Bernie Made-Off (with your money).

…and for the rest, sorry about your luck, look for a job in a growth sector like Pharma, Tech or Energy.

…Get some new material.

Movie Review: “Wanted” – Dead or Alive?

**Some friends and I have been getting together regularly to watch movies and I thought this would be a good way to keep fresh content on my blog. So here is my first review.

Movie: Wanted

This movie was a nice blend between action and plot. They did good job with balancing the setup with the “meat” of the movie, I’d say a 1/8 ratio without timing it. In beginning you basically you find a typical disenchanted office worker with a totally obnoxious boss, so you are instantly sucked in hoping revenge is on the way. This is what I think is so appealing about the movie, it is basically fantasy of the cubical worker being groomed by highly trained professionals to do what he was born to do and he does it better than anyone else. Add in Angelino Jolie, ability to curve bullets and lots of action and you get a great guy movie.

Man vote: 5/5

Woman Vote 3/5

Seven Deadly Myths of Job References

[JM] I had one of my readers contact me about talking about references in the process of job hunting. She graciously accepted my invitation to be a guest blogger about the subject. Heidi provides some good, conservative insight and offers some good tips to follow. I like to err on the safe side. Enjoy, and let me (and Heidi) know if you agree, disagree or just have general comments.

If you have something you would like to publish, email me at jmccleery@columbus.rr.com for review and approval.

Do You Know What your Former Boss Will Say About You? – Find Out!

By Heidi M. Allison-Shane

Thinking about your prospects for landing that new job? You should think first about what your former boss and other references will say about you. There is no doubt that for many job searchers, a person’s past will have a direct impact on their future success.

No matter what the nature of your job or pay scale, you should take your references very seriously. They can make or break a hiring decision.

It is time to dispel a number of myths about job references:

Myth No. 1: Companies are not allowed to say anything negative about a former employee.

Reality:

While many companies may have policies that dictate only title, dates of employment and eligibility for rehire can be discussed, people do break the rules every day. It’s human nature, and providing a reference may be an emotional call for some. How about the boss with whom you had philosophical differences, or the supervisor who sexually harassed you? Maybe a boss was just jealous of you? Half of our clients at Jobreferences.com receive a bad reference, despite the strict “company policies” in place.

Myth No. 2: Most companies direct reference checks to their human resources departments, and these people won’t say anything bad about me.

Reality:

Most human resources professionals will follow proper protocol. However, in addition to what is said, reference checkers often evaluate how something is said. In other words, they listen to tone of voice and note the HR staffer’s willingness to respond to their questions – both critical factors. One other note, the human resources department will divulge if a person is eligible for rehire. Are you?

Myth No. 3: If I had any issues with my former boss, I can simply leave him or her off my reference list and nobody will ever know.

Reality:

Many companies actually check references without an official list or you even knowing. They conduct what is know as a “social security check” to determine where you have worked in the past and then call the human resources department or office administrator at each employer for a reference. This practice also is in place to see if a prospective employee has left any significant places of employment off of a resume – another bad move that should be avoided at all costs.

Myth No. 4: I should have my references listed on my resume and distribute them together.

Reality:

Your references should be treated with kid gloves. Only provide them when asked. The last thing you want is a number of companies that may or may not have a real interest in hiring you bothering your references. What’s more, you want to meet with a prospective employer first to leave a favorable impression before any reference checks take place. If you suspect a less than favorable reference from someone, you can use the interview to address the situation proactively, from your perspective.

Myth No. 5: Once a company hires me, my references really do not matter anymore.

Reality:

Many employment agreements and contracts include a stipulation that says the employer can hire you with a 90-day probation period. Not only are they evaluating your job performance but, in some instances, checking your background and references. During this time, your new employer may call your former companies and, should the results be less than expected, they have the legal right to fire you.

Myth No. 6: I sued my former company and they are now not allowed to say anything.

Reality:

They may not be able to say anything definitive, but do not put it past them to carefully take a shot at you. There have been plenty of instances where a former boss or an HR staffer has said, “Hold on a minute while I get the legal file to see what I am allowed to say about Mr. Smith.” Many employers may be uncomfortable hiring someone who has a legal history, dashing your job prospects.

Myth No. 7: There is really no need to stay in touch with my references.

Reality:

As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Honor these etiquette guidelines, and your references should continue singing your praises for a long time.

First, call your former boss(es) periodically and update them on your career, asking them to continue being a reference for you. Make sure you thank them for their time. Next, as you move further up the career ladder in your profession or achieve new educational goals, make sure your references stay abreast of your success. As you progress, a reference is more inclined to see you in a positive light.

Finally, acknowledge your references with a personal thank you letter or email; offer to take a former boss to lunch or dinner; or send them a thoughtful gift.

——————————————————————————–

Heidi M. Allison-Shane is a principal at Allison & Taylor, Inc., headquartered in Michigan. The firm operates www.jobreferences.com and www.allisontaylor.com and has been checking references for individuals since 1984. Its services have been listed and recommended in best-selling books by Martin Yate, www.knockemdead.com. In addition, numerous articles have been published about the Allison & Taylor reference-checking service in magazines and newspapers across the country. For more information, please visit www.jobreferences.com or www.allisontaylor.com or call 800.651.2460.

The Job Seekers Outline

Day 1: Emotion

So you have just been let go, downsized, riffed, fired, outsourced, insourced (if you are the consultant), or whatever other words they come up with for termination. Now what? You probably have a bunch of emotion right now: Shock – Excitement – Anxiety – Hope. All of those are ok to experience but you cant let them take hold of you. Take 24 hours to do what you need to do to cope then move on and get down to business.

Day 2: Focus and Organize

Whenever you lose your job for whatever reason, you invariably are “hired” by you to find another job. You are now working for yourself 8 hours a day until you find your next source income. Here are some things to do to get you set up for success.

1. Gather work examples, resume, cover letter, thank you notes, notebook/portfolio
2. Make sure you have interview appropriate clothes
3. Here is a list of some places to start, but check out a more thorough list here – http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco20042.htm:

• Read tips such as this: http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search-starting-points/home.aspx
• Books – job search, career change, personality
• people – mentors, family, friends.
• websites: http://career-advice.monster.com/Home.aspx
• library
• trade publications
• networks – LinkedIn, Facebook, church
• organizations – AmSpirit, Conusultant agency, placement agency

A quick note: bls.gov (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and dol.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) are great, reliable additional resources; I would use them whenever possible.

One CRITICAL piece that some people don’t take into account is not that they now have $0 coming into their bank account but rather what their bare-bones budget is. Pull together bills and know what you can do without in case you can’t find a job right away. These are non essentials like subscriptions to newspapers or other media, cable, savings, investments, and paying extra on other bills like mortgage (see my post) or something you might have financed.

Day 3: Define your search

Know what industry to target and what job(s) you are looking for. This may be more difficult for some more than others because of the line of work you are in. The message here is to narrow your focus as much as possible in places that will make the most of your efforts.

Know your min salary. This will help eliminate jobs and keep you from accepting the first thing that comes along (assuming it wouldn’t fit in your criteria otherwise).

Know your time frame. This will be most likely driven off of how much money you have to live off of. Do some math and determine the maximum amount of time you can wait, based on your money stores. Then create a green, yellow, red scale. For example, green may be the next 4 weeks, if you received a severance, it may be 6 or 8. Then, yellow would be the next 3-4 weeks. Then, red would be your final 2 weeks. This is when you need to start considering temping or other means to get by until you find something more permanent. Remember, this is a guide and will vary, significantly in some cases, depending on your cash reserves.

Day 4 – Part 1: Resume/Cover Letter

You may have thought this would have been the first step when you started reading but it is important to set things up before you hit your resume. This way you know how to structure it and what things to highlight. There are tons of opinions when it comes to resumes so I wil leave this one to Monster.com. for tweaks and updates see these sites. In general, I would familurize yourself with this site, you will be spending a lot of time here and other job sites.

• http://career-advice.monster.com/resume-writing-basics/Common-Resume-Blunders/home.aspx
• http://career-advice.monster.com/resume-writing-basics/Resume-Presentation/home.aspx

Day 4 – Part 2: Interview support documents

This is another good but often overlooked step; gather and polish work samples and things you are proud of. This will not only allow you to speak more confidently but give the interviewer something tangible from your past that is reliable. You will also gather and list possible references. Be sure to cal these people before you list them to give them a heads up and in some cases to catch up a little bit on their lives. The last thing you want to do is make it sound like your using them, so get personal first then down to business.

Intermission

Phweew. That is a lot of work. Good thing you are motivated and working at this just as if it were you job, otherwise it would take much longer. Now maybe you’re reading this and are like “uh, I’m not motivated and I have no idea what you are talking about”. That’s ok. Maybe you will need to do some extra research, get more personal guidance or maybe a combination of the two. Feel free to contact me and i should be able to point you in the right direction – Jmccleery@columbus.rr.com.

If you have gone through these steps and finding yourself successful thus far in the process, congratulations! Take a minute to indulge yourself. My guilty pleasure is cold Coke straight from the can over crushed ice. Mmmm.

Day 5 – Part 1: Network

This will be one of your most successful methods to finding a job, period. Gather contacts, update information, and outline a plan to engage them, even if they might not be a influential decision maker, they may still know someone who is or have some insight.

That is the easy part, now you will need to sound sincere, personable and friendly. If someone thinks you calling them just to use them, you might as well not call. It is important to first learn about them and how things are with them and build some rapport, especially if you haven’t talked to this person in a while or they are a “loose” contact (someone that you don’t know well or through another person).

Day 5 – Part 2: Publicity

You need to deploy your persona like you are trying to get people to visit a grand opening of your store. Remember, it’s your job to find a job. You will need make sure you a cordial, mannerly and polite. In other words professional and as my mom would say “on your best behavior”. If you have trouble “selling yourself” or lack confidence it will hurt you in this process. Make sure to have arrived early and orderly, have practiced at least in the mirror or with someone ideally, and just be yourself. For more tips check this article out: http://www.jobbankusa.com/interviews/articles_tips/tips_to_boost_your_job_interview_confidence.html

Final Thought

You have now completed a solid plan to success in your job hunt. Remember this is a process and will take more than 5 days to get an offer, your ultimate goal. Below is an article that talks about the average time to get a new job is at 4.4 months. Hope you got money! At least now you have a plan.

Something that I have been doing is learning more about myself through myers-briggs assessments, self examination books and the like. It helps me have a better idea of what I like doing and what I may be good at that I didn’t realize before. Often, getting terminated from a job is just what people need to fulfill what they were truly meant to be doing. If this interests you check out “Please Understand Me II” by Dr. David Keirsey, creator of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter.

Additional Articles:

• http://www.biojobblog.com/2008/10/articles/general-job-stuff/some-interesting-statistics-for-job-seekers/
• http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-811-Job-Search-Best-and-Worst-States-for-Jobs/?ArticleID=811&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=3fc0da06ff024ed1af9be3881267194f-278341165-wu-6&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_percent_how_people_fi_
• http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/17/pf/saving/willis_tips/index.htm
• http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/careers/2008/02/21/5-tips-on-finding-a-new-job.html
• http://www.pinnycohen.com/2008/01/24/psychology/why-most-people-end-up-hating-their-job/

How to save over $100,000 with $100!

Ok, so maybe that statement is a little… incomplete.

Most of us have heard mixed things about your mortgage. It’s good to pay off early, it’s bad to pay off early. It’s better to put an extra $100 in an investment over your mortgage. Well I am going to debunk some of these conceptions and show you the truth the way Einstein did it, good ol’ Mathematics.

It is true that if you put $100 for the same amount of time in an investment vehicle earning 8% that you will come out ahead over putting that same amount into your mortgage. HOWEVER, in order to do this you will incur capital gains tax (15% currently), broker fees, you need to know how to invest, and may not even see a profit. I know my 401(k) looks more like an altitude chart of a plane landing than an investment. On the flip side, you get a tax deduction for interest paid, it’s easy to do, there is no risk, and there is no charge to do it.

So let’s do the math. I am taking my own mortgage and putting it to the test. Example 1 shows results for $100 for 24 years or about the time it would take to pay off a 30 year, $173,000 mortgage given the extra payment. And no I don’t mind sharing because anyone can get online and see what I paid for my house.

So at first glance one would think the earnings from the investment make sense, but after analyzing the real costs it’s no contest. I subtracted 15% (Capital Gains tax) and $3420 ($12 per month for 285 months or the cost for a cheap ShareBuilder investment account) from the investment side. Then added in a conservative 15% (current income tax rates are 10-35%) tax write-off amount for the interest that would have accrued over the life of the loan to the mortgage side.

Now, just for fun, let’s see what we would have if we invest $200 for 20 years (about the amount of time it would take to pay off the mortgage). Remember, I keep comparing to the mortgage because that is really the choice I am analyzing; pay off mortgage early or invest.

So here we have an even bigger gap. Again, I subtracted 15% (Capital Gains tax) and $2868 ($12 per month for 239 months or the cost for a cheap ShareBuilder investment account) from the investment side, and then added in 15% to the mortgage side.

Although for the “biggest bang for the buck” and taking into account current economic climate, I would stick with the $100 extra and maybe just save that other 100 or invest it while stocks are cheap (unless your goal is to pay your mortgage off as early as possible). Here just a little more math to show you why. The total, actual dollars you put into your mortgage in example 1 is (100×285=) 28500, for example 2 it’s (200×239=) 47800. So you would be investing 60% more into your mortgage but only seeing a savings of an additional 33%. This is because of the compounding interest and the time you are cutting from the mortgage. But don’t get me wrong, you are putting in 47800 and seeing a “return” of $141,884.17 or 296.8% over 20 years or 14.84% yearly averaged still pretty good. However, the $100 a month example will yield you an effective annual rate of 15.57%.

One thing for sure is doing nothing will net you the biggest loss: a $173,000 mortgage equals 360 equal payments of $1,065.19 and $497,375.00 of interest paid to the mortgage company. I can’t afford half a million dollars, can you?

P.S. If you are in an ARM, refinance. It may be expensive but it will cost you way more when your rate goes up. And if you are anything but an investor considering an ARM, don’t.

Additional Resources:

• http://www.thedreamguardian.com/income-tax.html
• https://www.sharebuilder.com/
• http://finance.google.com/finance
• http://finance.yahoo.com/
• http://money.cnn.com/