Business, Money, Life and more

Time for a rant.

2007-01-26T14:52:00.000-05:00

I'm only here for one reason, and that's to answer two of life's important questions:

One: Why can't people get tan on their palms? Two: Can good looking Eskimo girls be called hot?

Not to go on a rant here but...

Most people think life sucks and then you die. I beg to differ. Life doesn't suck, it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. Ever. You may run into a few snags along with way. Your dog dies, you see loved ones die, you owe debt collectors, they take your house/car all the while someone rubs your back telling you everything will be all right, and then your rich parents bail you out again, which is only temporary. Then come the shitty medical problems. Cancer, heart attacks, strokes, broken hips, macular degeneration, allergies, pneumonia, leg stints, arthritis, migraine headaches, hemorrhoids, osteoporosis, muscular sclerosis, that sort of thing. Doctors poke you. Probe you. They tell you they just have to do a "few more tests" and they give you a little orange bottle of pills "for now". Jesus, that sounds like something to look forward to, but you know life goes on, but you better get ready if you think your life is bad already. As a senior citizen, you keep that medical pager around your neck if you fall down and can't get up. Never give up. Fight everything that tries to bring you down.

Lets hypothesize about a scenario of what your life might look like: You follow everything your parents tell you. Go to school, get good grades, stay away from drugs, graduate college and then comes the real world, working 50+ hours in a climate-controlled office cubicle (you better hope you get shotgun on a window seat). You start buying things you really don't need, the big house with wood floors, flat screen televisions, that bangin' stereo system, a little condo that overlooks the ocean, a bread maker that sits like a prop on your kitchen counter for 10 years, and you may even splurge on an automatic can opener. You get home from work maybe cut the grass, clean the house, play with the kids, get chatty with the spouse, have a little dinner then it's off to bed to wake up the next day for a repeat. The years pass with this routine day in and day out. It's not really all that bad because you are used to it. After all it's what you made for yourself.

Truth is you are only a product of your environment. Think about it. Everything you think and do is a compilation of everything that has happened to you and decisions you've made. Choose your decisions in life wisely, everything will change who you are today: the people you hang out with, places you visit, the people you date, the person you marry, the jobs you take, that fancy sports car you drive, the fuc*ing clothes you wear, that shiny ass watch, the money in your wallet, the things you read. Don't sacrifice your character for anything. Don't settle for less then what you deserve, the best. Very few people in your life give a shit about your future and you've already figured out who the important ones are. You are your own responsibility. Laugh at the bastards that say you can't do it, they are the ones who already gave up.

Warren Buffett Interview

2006-11-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

Interview / Documentary of Warren Buffett by Charlie Rose.

Video 1 of 3
Video 2 of 3
Video 3 of 3

The videos have lots of good advice and go into different aspects of his life.

Sharing Ideas

2006-11-10T09:25:00.000-05:00

All too often I hear of people keeping ideas to themselves in fright that someone else will steal them. Let people know your ideas so you can get feedback on them. I have been recently reading a lot about communication and interacting with people. A great book is Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. I believe the book absolutely changed my life in the way I talk to people everyday. I was talking to a friend the other night and she wants to go into Family Counseling as a career. The book is similar to her interests in the regard that it strives to make you a better person and be an influence in other’s lives. I was going to hold back and not let her know because it was my “secret” to how I talk to people everyday. I thought about it and decided if the book changed my life, it might change someone else’s so why shouldn’t I let her know? Let’s see how long it takes her to read it or if she even does. Let people know your ideas, people may give you feedback or look at you differently for helping them in some way.

Self-Esteem

2006-10-19T08:57:00.000-04:00

What is self-esteem? In a broad sense, self-esteem is the way in which someone sees themselves as positively or negatively. In more depth, it is composed of three parts:

Internal locus of control. Defined by your sense of internal "cause-and-effect" and orientation toward your own personal responsibility. It is the degree of control that we feel we have over our own lives. Someone lacking in this area could possibly see life as a series of accidents or things that happen where they feel they have no control.
Sense of belonging and acceptance. The degree of which you feel accepted as part of the group and also how much you like and accept yourself. Someone lacking in this area usually has a compulsion to please others.
Sense of competence. Relates to how "good at things" you think you are. Someone lacking in this area usually has a need to brag or show off or they give up on things very easily.

If you feel you are lacking in any of the categories, do something to fix it. Read books, find new people to hang out with, do things you are good at or improve on things you aren't, keep a positive attitude and accept responsibility over where your life is going, etc.

If anyone is ever rude or cruel to you, they have low self-esteem for that moment. If they had high self-esteem they would be positive and not have the need to be cruel to you. If you point out someone's low self-esteem, you are doing them a favor. Maybe they didn't realize it and because you said something, they may want to try to fix it.

Influential Forces That Changed My Life

2006-10-18T16:41:00.000-04:00

These are some of the major events or things I have done in the past few years, which have been instrumental in changing my life. I have always been a happy and positive person but apparently you can take life to new heights and these are a few of the things that have helped.

The Breakup

Separating from my girlfriend of 5 1/2 years had a huge impact on my life. It made me look at my life and decide what I really wanted for myself. I realized what I had become is not what I wanted or saw myself as (I'm not saying I was a horribly bad person, it's just not what I wanted). I spent too much time and energy on making money and school, leaving less time for other things in life.

Books

Reading books have opened my mind to new ideas. I usually read about relating with people, finance, business, management, leadership and anything else interesting.

College

Where do I start? College is an eye-opening experience. Partying, meeting new people, joining clubs, responsibility (at least the school part), being broke, I could go on forever. There's going to be no other place like it and the experiences and people that I have met there are priceless.

Interviewing

It really makes you brag about yourself. I am not one to talk about myself or think I am better than anyone. When it comes to interviewing, you are forced to. You have to convince someone that you are the best person for the job. It forces you to organize your thoughts about what you have done in the past, want to do in the future and what you are now. It's a great way to look at yourself in a new light.

Career

Interviewing for a career is challenging enough, getting the job is another story. I needed a job that was challenging, fast paced, changing, and rewarding. I wanted a job where I would fit in perfectly with the people and wanted my limits tested everyday. I got lucky and found something fitting and it has shaped me and will continue to in the future.

Eddie Lampert - I Like This Guy's Style

2006-10-05T10:02:00.000-04:00

I've posted previously about Eddie Lampert as one of the businessmen I would love to meet. Looking into what he did with the Kmart turnaround, he's good at making money and I like his style. As chairman of Sears Holdings Corporation (SHLD), Sears Holdings currently owns Kmart, Sears America and Sears Canada. I believe he is going to keeping strengthening SHLD into the future (somewhat like Berkshire Hathaway's plan).

What I like about Eddie

Excellent manager / top-investor
He writes to his shareholders quarterly
Long-term, value-investing
Doesn't pay himself a salary
Big thinker / hard worker

With economic indicators showing a slowdown for the U.S., retail is usually safe bet in these times. I'm throwing some money into SHLD for the long-term and can hopefully keep adding to my position later. Lampert will probably be looking at other business targets in the future and I have faith in his ability to make money. Will Eddie be the next Warren Buffett?

Investing in Gold

2006-10-04T14:02:00.000-04:00

I have been contemplating the thought of investing in gold over the last few months and have decided to turn down the idea for a while. Gold has had a recent run-down in price as a result of what many people think is profit-taking. Gold is up near a 80% gain this year and has pulled back about 35% in the last month (these are approx. figures).

Where is the upside?
Some think it's time to get in... I'm going to wait. The Fed recently held interest rates steady so does this mean inflation is dwindling? It's possible. Gold is great to hold when there are strong economic inflationary powers because it's a great hedge against it. The Dollar's strength is also stable or increasing - another downside for gold. I'll wait to invest in gold, the risk is larger than I am comfortable with, while the upside doesn't look very promising.

What I Do - Business Valuation

2006-10-02T09:48:00.000-04:00

It's tough to explain to some what I exactly do for work. I work in the area of Business Valuation. Business Valuation is a broad category but the general idea encompasses estimating a market value for a financial asset or liability. Asset valuations include stocks, options, business enterprise values, or intangible asset valuations including trademarks, patents, customer relationships, etc.

The Purpose of Valuations

Uses: Investment analysis, capital budgeting, merger and aquisition transactions, financial reporting, tax related events and litigation

Since the values of things fluctuate over time, valuations become necessary. Some things are simple to value, for example, a piece of machinery. Intangible assets (brand names, patents, etc) become more difficult - how do you put a price on something you cannot see or touch?

There are multiple ways to do an analysis and each case is always uniquely different. Market methods and income methods are the traditional approaches. Many assumptions go into valuing complex assets like intangibles. Assumptions can be made as long as you have adequate support for what you are assuming. Support can be past transactions in the market, government rates, or historical performance of the company, projected into the future, etc. It sounds complicated but it isn't really that difficult. Once you learn something it sticks with you for a long time and as you work repetitively on similar projects, it becomes very easy, as with anything in life.

First Month of Work

2006-10-02T09:22:00.000-04:00

I have just finished my first month of working already, it has flown by fast! I couldn't be happier with my job. The people here are great and the work is challenging. I've worked a few late hours some nights but it doesn't get to me at all, I'm happy as long as I'm learning. I enjoy waking up everyday to goto work and there is really a lot to be said about that. I have been contemplating over taking the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Exam lately which will be difficult but I am up for the challenge.

European Vacation.

2006-08-03T14:45:00.000-04:00

Europe was amazing. We got back over a month ago with 800 pictures and tons of stories. Traveling is my favorite thing to do and will be doing a lot more of it. I want to take at least one vacation a year out of the U.S. Other cultures are really interesting and you really do get a different perspective on life. Overall the trip was an experience of a lifetime and I am incredibly glad that I had a chance to do it. What other time would I ever have the opportunity again to travel for a month?

Digg.

2006-08-03T14:43:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how popular www.digg.com is but its worth visiting. It finds popular webpages based on how many times people visit them in a day. It's a great way to find interesting articles or top news stories. Check it out.

Globalization

2006-05-12T14:51:00.000-04:00

A global world.

Without a doubt we are moving to a flat world. China and other countries are producing goods at a fraction of the cost that the U.S. is able to. The internet has unlimited information and provides a connection to the rest of the world. The list goes on and on and globalization is increasing dramatically every day.

How do you survive.

Business owners. You need to be aware of globalization and the benefits and risks, and then adapt. If you can produce your product in China more cheaply, then you must, or you won't survive long. Pay attention to changes or opportunities and capitalize on them as quickly as possible. Competition is fierce and you have to stay ahead.

Employees. Many jobs are being outsourced to other nations. To avoid or hedge it, you must continually educate yourself and become a more valuable asset in your company. You must realize if your job can be outsourced in 'x' years and if it can you need to change, whether it be a change in your career path or moving up the ladder.

Service industry. I think services are key to making a good living or having a job in the U.S. in the future. This involves direct communication with people (something that is very difficult to outsource, as opposed to a product, which can be easily outsourced). I see consulting and other service businesses as very profitable and steady. The nature of these careers involve complex problem solving and customer contact which are both very difficult to complete overseas.

It's going to be a scary future for the U.S.

Finally Graduated

2006-05-12T14:47:00.000-04:00

It's finally here. I graduated last Saturday and it's a little scary. It's off to the real world now. This Summer should be the best yet, backpacking Europe, concerts, sports events and hanging out with friends that I haven't seen in a while. Hopefully the Summer doesn't fly by. I am really looking forward to working in August so work won't be bad at all.

Body Language

2006-05-03T16:11:00.000-04:00

It's all about the body language.

7% of your communication are in the words that you use and the other 93% is your body language and voice tone. This seems hard to believe because everyone is always concerned with what they say to others. If you appear nervous, you make the people you are talking to nervous also. A comfortable or fun tone has worked the best for me.
Confidence goes a long way. Even if you are not 100% confident with yourself, you can appear as though you are. Either work on the issues that make you unconfident or present yourself in a more appealing way. The way you stand, sit and present yourself in general has a huge impact on how people see you. For example, don't slouch, keep your head up and arms back. When you are sitting, lean back and keep your arms out.

Reading books to brush up on your relationship and communication knowledge is a great way, as well as practice, which is definitely the key to improvement.

Jealousy in Relationships.

2006-05-02T16:16:00.000-04:00

Jealous fool. If you attempt to stop your girlfriend from talking to or meeting with her guy friends - you will lose. People don't like to feel trapped and that is exactly what you are doing to her. Don't be controlling.

The good news. If she cheats on you, then you have a reason to get rid of her. Maybe she is the girl of your dreams, thats fine but it doesn't do much good if you aren't the guy of her dreams. Get a clue.

How to approach it. So how do you react when she wants to go out with her guy friends? You be supportive and let her know you want her to have a good time. This also means that you can enjoyably go out with your girl friends and she should also be fine with that. It's a two-way street and it works out better for everyone.

Everyone Has Flaws

2006-05-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

You're not the best at everything. You're not perfect. Deal with it.

You may be better at some things then others but you are not the best at everything. If you get the attitude that you are, people may start to dislike you and label you as a know-it-all. I have known a few of these people and it really starts to get annoying when they think they are the best at everything.

Fixing your flaws:

Think positively. It's important that you keep a positive attitude throughout the whole process. If you ask others for their opinions you need to be open minded and take it into consideration. If you don't think positively about improving yourself, then what is the point anyways?
Identify your flaws. This is the most important step. You may see yourself as something totally different then others do. It is important that you get feedback from others if you want to improve. If they say you are 'too cocky' then don't get angry at them. It's how they see you and maybe it is something you can brush up on.
Write them down or remember them. If you have a great memory then that works, if not then jot them down. It's important to keep focus on your goals.
Determine if you have improved. You have to have a benchmark to determine if you have improved. If you have noticed certain aspects of your life get better, like relationships for example, this could be a way of determining your gains. You can also ask others if you think you have changed at all and if it was for the better.
Continuous improvement. Always continue to improve your flaws and identify other areas you can also improve on. If you think you are perfect, you better check again.

College experience -> over.

2006-04-26T15:44:00.000-04:00

Wow. College is over. One week to go and I'm off to the real world. Here are my thoughts on the whole "college experience" and if it was actually worth it.

Major advantages:

A future $1 million dollars. Having a college degree will increase your income 60% over high school graduates which translates to around $1 million more over the course of your life (from increased income and time value of money).
Key to getting a good job. College education puts you in a more diverse pool of jobs and if you don't prefer manual labor, you are likely to get a job that doesn't require it.
Earning power. Moving up in a company comes easier with a degree. The financial benefits alone will entice many people to accept.
Job movement. It is much easier to find other jobs if you dislike your current one. The pool of jobs is better for college grads than for high school grads.
Networking. One of my favorite benefits. I have met so many people here and the experience alone was worth the cost. I have had a great time and people that I have met here will be great networking opportunities in the future.
Fun. College is awesome. You stay up late because your class doesn't start until 12:00pm the next day. You go out and have fun with friends on almost any night of the week. Responsibilities are low unless you have a paper or exam that week. I had the time of my life here, which is why I don't want to leave.

Major disadvantages:

Expensive. I spent close to $40,000 on my undergrad education. Factoring in that I could have saved that $40,000 and been working full time, it's a lot more expensive then it seems. That is just tuition expenses and doesn't include room and board.
Stress. Exams and homework were not usually all that fun but they weren't the end of the world either. I never got too stressed out and it wasn't really all that bad but sometimes it is enough to push some people to give up.

What's next for me?

Learning never stops. I will never stop learning. It is really what makes me tick. If I am not learning something, I am usually bored. I will learn through a job, reading, talking to people and any other experiences I will have.
MBA Degree. After a few years of working, I will be going back to school for my MBA (Master's of Business Administration). I am really set on doing it and I think it will definitely happen in the future. Average salaries for MBA graduates is $88,087 starting out and $167,052 after 5 years as listed on Fortune. My industry focus is going to be Venture Capital (starting: $103k, in 5 years: $233k), Investment Banking ($95k, 239k), Management consulting ($97k, 195k). I feel that I would enjoy any of these fields and if I push myself hard enough I will be there someday.

Becoming a Millionaire

2006-04-24T12:06:00.001-04:00

Becoming a Millionaire
It's not really all that difficult to become wealthy. Wealth means different things to everyone, but I feel it is simply 'a comfortable financial state'. Maybe you don't want to be a millionaire but most people do, just simply because of the status that many people see attached to it.

Here are my three steps to become wealthy:

Spend less than you earn. Not a hard concept. As many people receive raises at their job or encounter new income - they also increase their spending. "I got a raise at work so I should treat myself to a new car." This is not a good way to get ahead, always spend less than you earn.
Invest. There are millions of ways to invest but the important part is to put your money somewhere that you think will earn a return. Make sure you diversify your investments so if one drastically drops - you won't lose the farm. Examples of investments are the stock market, commodities (oil, precious metals, etc), real estate, a business, precious coins, stamps, art work or antiques. Pick something you enjoy or think you would be good at.
Keep adding to you investments. Keep adding to your investments over the years. If you are unaware of the term 'compounding interest' - do some research on it. It has a profound effect that I believe many people either don't know about or don't pay much attention to. This is the key to making many people wealthy. The earlier you start investing, the better the effect of compounding interest.

Dale Carnegie Course

2006-04-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

The Dale Carnegie Courses are supposed to be very beneficial. I would probably do the public speaking course first. I am not that bad at public speaking but I could be better. Public speaking is consistently one of the largest fears of people and rivals spiders, heights, snakes and terrorism.

Breaking Out of Your Shell

2006-04-19T12:40:00.000-04:00

What shell?

The shell you have become so accustomed to in your life. The shell that makes life simple and routine.

People and "daily routines"

Maybe you like where you are in life... I'm not saying "change everything". It feels good when you do something different for a change. Most people are just sucked into their normal routine and life gets boring. They wake up at 'x' time, go to work, come home, eat dinner, maybe do a few things around the house, watch tv and go to bed EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Break the shell

Always wanted to cliff jump? Go do it! If you don't like it then at least you will have a story to tell. Instead of watching tv after you get home, go out and have fun. Play a sport or learn something new, you typically won't regret it. The least you can gain is knowing that you don't want to do that ever again... and that's not a bad thing.

Free learning from MIT

2006-04-17T15:33:00.000-04:00

This is incredible. MIT provides classes that are featured online - FOR FREE. It's pretty awesome that a great college like MIT is striving to educate the public for free.

Check it out:

Courses (http://mit.edu/education/)
Public events (http://mitworld.mit.edu/)

Advice from Mr. Buffett

2006-04-17T15:11:00.000-04:00

I would like to first start off by saying that my trip to meet Warren Buffett was amazing. He is a down to earth, hilarious guy that seems like any other person (except that he has $40B under his belt). He is very intelligent and seems like he has the ability to memorize exact quantities and dates. He's just a really interesting guy that loves to tell jokes.

Great Advice:

"Change is not an investor's friend". Look at businesses that are simple. Determine what the businesses will be in 10-20 years. He does not particulairly like technology companies because they change way to fast and are unpredictable in that time horizon.

"Swing hard and swing at the right price". Wait for the perfect price to buy. Determine the value of the company and only swing at that "perfect pitch". You may have a few pitches that you could swing at but the perfect pitch will be the best to hit out of the park.

Hold companies that you have confidence in. If someone offers you 2x what a company is worth, don't take it. You should have so much confidence in the company you are investing in that the future will be better than what someone will offer you now.

Tips for buying a business (stock). Buying a stock is like buying a business. You should have the mentality that you are purchasing the entire business, even though you may only be purchasing a few shares.

Find out if the manager loves the business or loves the money. If he/she loves the money then this should be a warning to you. If they love the business, chances are they are there for their enjoyment - not to get a pay raise.

The business should also have the right leader (CEO). He/she should be appropriate for that business and paid in an appropriate way.

Good leaders should also have the ability "to inspire others". These are the leaders that make great businesses.

Key things a person should gain in business:

Communication (oral and written) skills. Warren commented about a Dale Carnegie course that he had taken which had one of the greatest impacts on his life.
Accounting knowledge. "It is the language of business". If you do not understand accounting then you are at a huge disadvantage in the business world. It is essential to your success.
Getting people to work for you. Many different characteristics go into this one but getting people motivated and to work for you is absolutely essential to being a leader and being successful.

Essential People in Your Life

2006-04-12T12:50:00.000-04:00

How many essential people do you have or need in your life? Here's a list of what I think I need or have:

Headhunter
Career Coach
Computer Tech
Realtor
Electrician
Plumber
HVAC
Appraiser
Lawyer
Financial Advisor
Accountant
Medical Doctor
Venture Capitalist(s)
Auto Mechanic
The Cheapskate
Best Friend
Entrepreneur
Fitness / Workout Buddies

I was surprised on how many connections with different types of people and skills that I actually have. Some of the jobs I am able to do sufficiently by myself but I need to continually build my network so that I have people there if I ever need help. Most of my friends are filling the essentials right now. The other positions I haven't had a need for in the past but expect to in the future.

Personal MBA

2006-04-10T16:07:00.000-04:00

I just came across an awesome blog called Personal MBA. It was written by Josh Kaufman and it gives many recommendations for reading materials in order to succeed in the business world.

I have personally read a few of these and would highly recommend them also:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Many of them that are listed are on my 'to read' list or will be shortly.

ETF Portfolio Done... for now

2006-04-07T15:22:00.000-04:00

I finished my portfolio objectives for now (see objectives). I am well-diversified country wide as well as market capitalization. I took a riskier route than most but I am young so I can afford to do so.

Holdings:
Emerging Markets Index (VWO) - This ETF tries to mimic the performance of a custom version of an MSCI emerging-markets Index.
Mid-Cap Index (MDY) - This ETF tracks the S&P Midcap 400 Index.
Small-Cap Index (IJR) - This ETF tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 Index.
Pacific Index (VPL) - This ETF tracks the MSCI Pacific Index, which includes Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand.

* This is a very risky profile but as they say, with risk -> comes return!

Buying or Selling a Business

2006-04-07T15:08:00.000-04:00

Excellent guides for buying a business and selling a business by Anthony Cerminaro.

Leading without Power

2006-04-03T16:42:00.000-04:00

It's tough to walk in a job and lead people. There are a lot of things you have to establish before people will follow you.

Managing without Authority
Trust & Respect. You need to gain this from others in your team or company. Make positive impressions on others by keeping your lines of communication open, give your views and let the group critique them and do things for others. Help others out when they need it and make sure you get them done on time. These will all start building on how well people trust and respect you.

Individual Interests. Everyone has motives for what they do and everyone is interested in slightly different things. Keep communication open and let people let their ideas out. The team can decide together on what the best ideas are. Keep your ego on the backburner, most people aren't impressed by this.

Show Your Interest. Stand up and take blame when needed and maybe even take the blame for another team member if you were partly at fault. Don't be self-centered, everyone makes mistakes so fess up.

Lead by Example. Don't say one thing and then do another. Lead with your values and stick to them. If someone does something good, commend them for it and make sure others recognize.

REITs

2006-03-31T12:45:00.000-05:00

REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) - A company that purchases and/or manages real estate properties, using money invested by its shareholders and typically pay back 90% in dividends.

Some REITs are paying back around 20%+ in the form of dividends and are doing very well. I see strong growth in the economy for at least the short term and I don't expect the "housing bubble" will have much effect oin it right now.

The only disadvantage to REITs is you are fully taxed on the capital gains as opposed to the 15% that you would usually get taxed on for stocks that are held for at least 1 year.

I am currently screening REITs for >= 4% dividend yield, >= 5% dividend growth and >= hold recommendations by analysts. TMA has caught my eye right now.

Finding good websites

2006-03-30T11:11:00.000-05:00

A great site that I use for finding popular websites:
http://del.icio.us/popular

Just type in a keyword into the search box and it comes up with the most popular results.

Out with the Singles - In with the Index Funds!

2006-03-23T12:04:00.000-05:00

I have put sell limit orders on my single stocks. I have read quite a few articles recently many stating that it is very difficult for the individual investor to compete against large institutions. Individual stocks tend to have large swings and are not diversified. I truly believe in the performance of index funds so I will increasingly be investing in them - plus they are diversified already.

Advantages of index funds vs. other funds:

Cost. You will pay more expenses on actively managed mutual funds than you will on index funds, since they are passively managed.
Performance. Index funds perform better than 85% of all mutual funds (1998 data). This is very surprising. Managers of mutual funds get paid for what they do and if 85% of them were unable to beat the market what does that say about them? By investing in index funds you will only make what the market makes but you are still better off than 85% of mutual fund investors and have lower expenses to pay!

There are many index funds available and Morningstar.com has a great ETF screening tool that I use.

Warren Buffett Trip Approved!

2006-03-23T11:44:00.000-05:00

I have just been notified that I was chosen to visit Warren Buffet next month. A group of 30 of us are bussing down to Nebraska to visit two of his companies and to sit and talk with him. I have prepared a few questions to ask him so far:

Is it true that you are in the process of writing an autobiography and will it outline some of the investment techniques that you have used over the years?
What is your reasoning for keeping Berkshire’s stock price so high? is it to weed out the smaller investors?
Do you feel that the market is overvalued and if this is the case would you ever issue a Berkshire dividend or would you use other investment avenues?
Could you give us some insight on which way you think the economy is heading?
Which investment books/articles/newspapers do you recommend?

I still can't believe it...

If anyone has any questions, please comment.

Unique Ways for Getting the Job

2006-03-22T12:48:00.000-05:00

A friend, Brian has been trying to get into the firm that I am working at (or will be in August). I had given him many tips and hints throughout the interview process. Unfortunately they did not accept him to go to a second round interview. He seems extremely interested in the job and is very persistant. He has been talking back and forth with two of the Directors there and has requested to work over the Summer for free (my suggestion).

Free Labor. Working for free shows that you are willing to put in the time and produce the drive to succeed at something you really want. It also gives the company a chance to see how well the person performs and how they blend with the culture. I give Brian credit for asking and he is currently trying to work something out with the HR Department.

Persistant vs. Annoying. There is a balance between being persistant and being annoying. You have to be persistant enough to show your interest but not too much which can be annoying. I wish Brian luck as it will be difficult to balance I'm sure.

FREE Razr Phone from Verizon

2006-03-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

I am really not all that impressed with Nextel's mobile phone service over the last few years. It hasn't been terrible but it doesn't really work in my house... which is the real problem. I wanted to switch to Verizon because I have heard great things. Amazon.com has the Motorola RAZR V3c for FREE after rebate which looks like a deal to me. I read a few reviews online about the phone and they seemed to be mixed, some love it and some hate it. I need to make a decision in the next day or so.

Applied for a new credit card

2006-03-20T14:46:00.000-05:00

I just applied for the Citi Dividend Platinum Select for College Students credit card today. It looks like a good card with great cash back perks. It gives back 5% on gas, grocery and drug store purchases and 1% cash back on ANY other purchases. I will be using this for all gas, grocery and drugstore purchases and probably most of my other purchases also. I am not worried about the high APR because I will be paying it off every month, on time.

I needed two more open lines of credit because I only have one open credit card at the moment. Refer to my First House post about why.

How much do you need to retire?

2006-03-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

Most people that I have asked have no idea how much money they will need to retire. Everyone's requirements will be different but I found a nifty tool to give you an idea of what you will need (it will probably be a lot higher than you expect).
Use CNN's Retirement Planner!

Buying on Value

2006-03-17T14:21:00.000-05:00

I'm a good saver when it comes to money. I buy things on value - or what they are really worth. If I see a deal on an item, I ask myself, can I get it cheaper anywhere else?

The value of an item is it's fair price or how much it is worth if you sold it now. If you buy an item for $100 and can sell it for $80, you have lost $20. It is not about how much an item costs, it's about how much it is worth.

The people you call penny-pinchers and cheapskates are typically just cheap and do not buy on value. They buy the cheapest product to save money which can later end up costing them more (cheaply made so it breaks, no warranty / customer service support, etc.).

Don't be afraid to spend extra on an item or to buy nice things. I splurge every once in a while but I like nice things. Going to the bar and buying overpriced beer is not buying on value... or is it? You go out and have a good time, meet new people and strengthen bonds with friends. To me, this value is worth every penny even though you can't compute it on paper.

Talking to People / Creating Conversations

2006-03-17T13:59:00.000-05:00

Most Important Rule: Be Interested In THEM

Find out their interests. All it takes is a little charm and a few good questions. Start off by finding their interests and ASK about them. If you know something about their interests you can add to the conversation, if you don't - it's not a big deal, you can learn from what they have to say. I have found that many people love talking about either themselves or their interests. Your job is to get them to start talking and hopefully the conversation goes well from there.

Good starter questions:

Hi, I'm xxxx, what is your name?

What are you studying in school?
What do you do for work?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Have you seen any good movies / listened to any good music lately?

It is difficult to talk to some people, it may be that they are shy. A majority of people are interested in meeting new people - keep this in mind. You just have to find a way to get information out of them, everyone is different but it comes easier with practice.

Sell Your Stuff On Ebay

2006-03-17T13:48:00.000-05:00

Get rid of all the things you don't need! It is just money sitting around, collecting dust and losing value as time passes - unless we are talking about precious items or antiques.

Take a look around your house and see what you can get rid of. Anything that is no longer 'needed' (key word) is fair game. I try to get rid of any electronics that I don't need as soon as possible, as these items lose value very fast.

Get on Ebay and set up a Seller's account, there is really nothing to it. Either that or sell items to your friends or post ads in the classifieds.

Don't be lazy, you mind as well burn it if you're going to let it sit around.

Warren Buffett Opportunity

2006-03-17T13:29:00.000-05:00

As the trip date nears (April 14th) I am filling out an application and hoping to get picked to go. I am friends with Simon, who is picking the people to go, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Efficiency with Computer Programs

2006-03-15T12:22:00.000-05:00

I have some applications that are always open on my computer to save me time throughout the day:

Microsoft Outlook (Calendar)

I use this to put all my important dates and tasks in. You can have it notify you so you don't forget. I then have it sync to my iPod and it alerts me on there if I am away from my computer. A PDA or PocketPC would be easier but I do not have one right now.

Mozilla Thunderbird (Email)

A great email program! I have set up my three email accounts and Thunderbird checks them all automatically and I don't have to deal with logins or passwords every time I check my email.

Mozilla Firefox (Internet Browser)

The best browser in my opinion. It is secure, has tabbed browsing and has some great plugins and extensions so you can do basically anything you need.

Newz Crawler (News Aggregator)

A newly found time saver! This neat, little program takes all the news and posts from my frequently viewed websites and puts them all into this program. It saves me hours by not having to browse each website to check what's new.

Quicken (Money Management)

Excellent for tracking your finances. It is very powerful and pulls my two bank accounts and brokerage information in, automatically. You can view your portfolio performance, net worth and track your expenses.

iTunes (Music)

The best music player that I have found so far. Better than Winamp, Windows Media Player and MusicMatch. It is easy to use and every song is at your fingertips. I put all of my songs in the library and then I create playlists by dragging and dropping. I sync it with my iPod and can also burn CD's from it.

Gaim (Chat)

If you have multiple chat programs you use, they can all be combined into this program. I only use AIM but this program is simple and easy to use. My favorite features are the tabbed chat and away message checking in which you just hold the mouse over the user you want to view.

First House

2006-03-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

I had dinner with a friend and his dad, who is a real estate broker. We talked for 3 hours about how to get started, no money down loans, government rentals and flipping properties. It was very interesting and now have a great connection if I have any questions or need help.

I start my job in August so I will not have much of a paycheck or steady job until then. I have to wait until at least a month on the job to be able to get a loan so that puts me somewhere into September/November. I plan on looking now to get familiar with the market and to see what is out there and what I want. This is what I have in mind:

Price: $125,000-$150,000
Solid structure but needs work: Foreclosures are a good place to start.
Find renters: Find trustworthy friends that won't trash the place or mind me renovating while they live there.
Good school district: Families typically move into houses around this price range so the school district is very important which helps the resale value.
Low taxes: The lower the property taxes... the better.
No down-payment loan:

I am able to get one with the following criteria:
- 3 open lines of credit that are used frequently: Credit Card, Gas Card, Home Depot Card.
- 1 year of previous living payments: I can use the rent payments while I was in school.
- Good credit.

The Plan:
Buy a undervalued, foreclosed home, with a no down-payment loan (watch out for high interest rate). Fix the house up with the money I saved from not using it on the down payment while my friends and I live there. Get the house re-appraised after the renovations and then re-finance. I will now (hopefully) have more equity from re-financing to play with. I can use the money to either put more money into the house, buy another house or for other investments. If everything goes well I can sell within a year or two and move to a house of equal value (new appraised) and avoid capital gains taxes.

Why Do I Want To Be Wealthy?

2006-03-05T23:18:00.000-05:00

Why do I want to be wealthy?

I want to provide for and help others. I want to be someone who friends and family go to for advice and help. I want to be able to provide my family with anything that they deserve. If you feel that your wife deserves a new car and can't provide it for her, then I would personally feel like I am not doing enough.

Less worries. Who wants to worry about money all the time? It's just one less thing to worry about in life. Money doesn't make people happy but I feel that it can make people unhappy.

"The deepest human need is to feel appreciated" - William James
Many people have more appreciation for people who are wealthy. I WANT people to look at me as a successful person and many people view success through wealth.

I have appreciation for certain people who have money. People who I have less appreciation for are the people that have ruined others lives, have done immoral things or are greedy just to make a buck. For example in the movie Lord of War, Nicolas Cage is successful and has many material things but I do not respect him or appreciate him more because of the way that he obtained his wealth.

Gold Diggers

2006-03-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

Definition. A gold digger is someone who looks for or expects to receive expensive gifts or money from another person.

Wasting Time. I think I have been paying more attention to gold diggers as I am getting older. I really want to find someone who I am compatible with and can spend the rest of my life with. If you meet a gold digger, chances are they are not in love with you or interested in you, they are just in it for the money. I am not stingy with my money, nor would I have a problem sharing with anyone, but if I am wasting my time on someone who is ONLY in it for the money - then that is a problem. Someone should be more focused on getting to know you in your first few dates and not on what you are spending. If you find they are more focused on where you go for the dates and what you buy them - cut your losses - get rid of them. Once you have established a connection with them after a few weeks you can start spoiling them.

Helping Out Others

2006-03-02T10:44:00.000-05:00

I have always believed in helping others out. Sometimes giving to other people can help you more than just simply helping youself or can just make you feel like a good person. I recently have done a few things to help others out, which align with some of the values in my personal mission statement:

Refrain from competing and add to other's success.
Be interdependent in my relationships with others.
Give more and expect less.

I recently had two job offers from two financial companies. I could only obviously choose one offer so the other became worthless to me. I figured if I am not going to be working there, I mind as well try to help out a friend and attempt to get him a job. I forwarded his recommendation and name to the recruiter soon after I declined the job. He eventually got an initial interview and then made it to the second round. He is still waiting to hear about an offer but it makes me feel good to know that I had an impact on possibly getting him a job. Maybe someday he will repay me but that's not what I did it for. It has strengthened my relationship with him and it seems like others view me as more of a giver, both of which are rewarding.

Entrepreneurship

2006-02-28T11:33:00.000-05:00

I have been brainstorming on starting a small venture for a while now. Something with low startup costs and a flexible schedule works best for me:

PC Repair / Cleanup. Send out some flyers locally to advertise PC repair or cleanup for cheap. Maybe do free estimates to start a client base and hopefully referrals spawn from that. Spyware cleanup is extremely easy and many people are clueless on what is causing their PC to slowdown.

Build a Website to Sell Products. Build a website to sell high profit margin products. Possibly arrange for the products to be drop-shipped to your customer’s door to avoid extra shipping costs and time. I don't have many ideas on specific products yet.

Turn Deals into Profit / Ebay Business. Find a deal on a product and then turn around and sell it for a profit, Ebay is great for this (just watch out for the fees). Great sources are from friends, local papers, online deals (slickdeals, techbargains, fatwallet) or craigslist. Find under-priced products that you know the real value of to make a little cash.

Website Design. This has done well for me in the past. I should continue to find clients that need a new website or an old website improved. The pay is generally good, the work isn't too bad and you can work from home and in between tasks.

Google

2006-02-28T11:05:00.001-05:00

Google (GOOG) has officially ruined my day. It has been seeing great performance since it's IPO and I decided to ride the wave. I bought in and put a stop market at $382 (meaning it will sell at $382 or close to that value if it reaches that price). I check my account today and Google dropped from $390 to $350, so I figure that my sell order had executed at $382. Wrong. The sell did not execute and I am still riding down the stock and the price is now $350. I am pretty angry after loosing a lot of money, just because the order didn't execute. Just venting...

Material Things

2006-02-27T14:29:00.000-05:00

The Lord of War. After watching "Lord of War" featuring Nicolas Cage last night, I discussed the movie with a few friends. The movie is about a arms dealer who becomes extremely wealthy by selling guns to other countries. He eventually marries his dream girl but they never talk about what he does for work. Everything in his life eventually comes crashing down (family, the law, etc) because of the nature of work that he is in.

Everything is not always what it seems. After the movie ended, a friend stated "I couldn't imagine having everything and then all of a sudden it is gone." In my opinion, the character never had anything. He had material things like a house, cars, airplanes and a model wife but lacked in every other area. He basically sold arms to countries to promote war and violence. Everything he owned was basically bought with "blood money", it wasn't an honest way of living. He never had any honest relationships, they were all filled with lies and deceit.

I don't want to be someone who owns everything and realistically has nothing. I see people all the time with a nice house, nice cars and all the toys. You generally think of these people as successful. Many of these people do not have a dollar to their name and live "paycheck to paycheck". They have huge amounts of debt and if something was to happen, they would lose everything. It could be something as simple as getting your hours cut back at work, an injury or a family emergency that requires you to take time off. Even a Adjustable Rate Mortgage could cause you to lose everything with the interest rates continually rising, causing your mortgage payments to go up.

Money, Knowledge & Relationships

2006-02-22T12:55:00.000-05:00

Money Isn't Everything

Knowledge & Relationships. Sometimes the sacrifices you take (less money, your valuable time) can be rewarding in other areas. For example if you take on a job where you actually make less money but plan on establishing key relationships with people, gain invaluable experience or have better opportunities to succeed, you may find yourself better off in the future. Even doing a non-paid internship can give you the experience you need and get you a foot in the door. If you take sacrifices, you may come out on top... BIG.
There is more to life then money. I don't believe I would be happier with the more money I have but I also think it can not hurt. The real backbreaker comes from the ways that you obtain money. If you work long hours there is always a trade off; if you work a lot, you spend less time with a significant other, friends, family, etc. It's all about how you spend your time in the end.

Maybe you choose to work extremely hard in the first few years of your career, get a few breaks, maybe get a little lucky and then cut back on work and enjoy life more. You now have less worries about your, now strong, financial situation and can do things you enjoy like traveling and spending time with people.
Maybe you work just enough to get by and do many of the things you enjoy along the way. You may have more worries than the previous guy but hey, at least you are enjoying life!

Broken relationships. Whether you are a saver or a spender, you should NEVER sacrifice relationships with people for more money in your pocket. These people are the ones that help you in times of trouble and vice versa, why would you want to damage them over a few dollars? It's just not worth it.

I find that my happiness comes from other people. I am happy when I spend time with friends/family by talking with them, gaining insight, by helping them out and in general just having a good time. No amount of money in my opinion is worth damaging this, after all it is my happiness.

Me? An Investment Banker?

2006-02-21T14:16:00.000-05:00

What do they do?

Investment bankers advise their clients on high level financial issues. They can be responsible for issuing types of debt, recommending strategies for take overs and mergers with other companies or helping with an initial public offering (getting a company on the stock market). Work involves a lot of financial analysis and personal and strategic skills are a must. Clients range from small companies to multi-billion dollar organizations. People in the field say the job is very satisfying and rewarding, both intellectually and financially.

Education Requirements

Minimum requirements are a bachelor's degree. Degrees of graduates widely differ but many come from finance, accounting and economics.
An M.B.A. is usually required to move up in the field.

My Take

This is definitely the job for me, especially out of college. Investment banking jobs are the most prestegious jobs you can get with a finance degree. I luckly got a few interviews with banks and it sort of just happened, everything fell into place. I believe I have the right mindset to succeed in this industry and the benefits (from what I hear) will be rewarding. If I don't like it I can always move around but I feel I will enjoy it and do very well. I can't wait to start near the end of August!

Personal Mission Statement

2006-02-21T13:41:00.000-05:00

I have decided to make my own personal mission statement. Corporations and many companies have them to set goals and values. Why not make one for your own life on the values you would like to have or accomplish? This idea spawned from the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, which I highly recommend.

Here is my personal mission statement:

Family & Friends

Value and protect my family and friends.
Thank those who have helped me and return the favor.
Refrain from competing and add to other's success.
Be empathetic and forgiving… people make mistakes.
Surround myself with people of the same values.
Be interdependent in my relationships with others.
Give more and expect less.

The ultimate goal is happiness, but not at the expense of others.

Accomplishment & Growth
- Give everything I do my best effort.
- Continue to learn, grow and adapt to change.
- Be successful, both emotional and financially, not only for myself, but for the benefit of those around me.
- Allow my values to guide me, not jealously or other peoples' values, competition or wealth.
- Constantly improve on my weaknesses and learn from my mistakes.
- Be resourceful and have a sense of worth.
- Think positively about any situation.
- Protect and be conscious of my health.
- Travel and see the world.
- Be thankful for what I have.

The ultimate goal is happiness, in which we feel wanted and needed by others and the world.

Life Changing Book

2006-02-20T23:05:00.000-05:00

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
One of the best and most influential books that I have read. Dale Carnegie really understands how relationships with people develop and are maintained. It lays out how to talk to people and to be genuinely interested in them and what they have to say. I found I am a much better person after applying aspects of this book in my life. I have made new friends much faster and have strengthened existing relationships. Overall it has been a life changing book for me and I would recommend it to anyone!

Investors/Businessmen I would like to meet

2006-02-15T14:25:00.000-05:00

Warren Buffet

A very successful investor and businessman. He started with $10,000 and is now worth over $40 Billion, the second richest under Bill Gates. He did it all mostly through investing and owns the firm Berkshire Hathaway.

I may be meeting him in April through a student organization at my college, I am crossing my fingers because only 25 people are going to be able to go!! This is the chance of a lifetime!!

Jim Cramer (of Mad Money)

A unique guy that is the star of the show Mad Money on CNBC. He is a little crazy but very intelligent. I wouldn't take everything he says seriously but he has some great ideas for trends and picks.

Eddie Lampert

Often called "The Next Warren Buffet", this graduate from Yale was a member of the skull and bones society. He runs a hedge fund called ESL Investments that averages around 29% a year, which is incredible. He is a value investor like Buffet but hasn't been around as long so it's tough to say he is the next Buffet. His returns have been remarkable so we'll have to see what he does in the future, regardless he is a very successful investor and businessman.

Donald Trump

Quite an interesting guy and entrepreneur. He has great business ideas and is a hard worker. He is a little too straight forward and egocentric in my opinion but it seemed to work for him very well. Needless to say, he would be an interesting guy to talk to.

How to be Happy

2006-02-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

Be Optimistic

Look at everything in a positive light and you will be happier. It is tough to do sometimes but once you get in the right mindset, it just comes natural. Plus, everyone likes being around a positive person.

Gain Perspective

See where your life is going and change the direction if need be. Don't let the little things stop you from getting to your goals and dreams.

Be Thankful

Show some appreciation to those in your life and you will feel good about yourself. A simple "thank you" can go a long way.

Enjoy Life

Do things you enjoy doing or take up a new hobby. A change in pace is never a bad thing.

Take Care of Yourself

Eat well and exercise. You will feel 10x better if you eat healthy and exercise, I notice a huge difference. It also can boost your self-confidence.

Change Your Schedule

Get out of your same routine, try something new and exciting. Take a day off work, try a new type of food or hobby.

Keep in Touch With People

Contact an friend that you haven't talked to in a while. Keep in touch with the people you in your life, you have to make the effort as much as they do for it to work.

Find a Significant Other

Talking with someone you love can give you a real boost. If you establish a good relationship, keep making it better and the unconditional love will give you security and confidence.

Forgive

Forgive someone for something that was said or done, you can't change the past or what happened now. Maybe you were hurt by an ex but they meant something to you at one point in your life so maybe it's time you forgive them.

Buying a "New" Car

2006-02-07T13:30:00.000-05:00

I like to purchase cars that are a few years old and try to get the most recent body style. You can really save a lot of money here because most of the depreciation value has dropped off considerably already. You also get the feel of a new car and a possible existing warranty if you buy one new enough. I usually like to keep the miles under 40,000 if possible which dramatically reduces future repairs and helps resale value.

Here are my basic requirements for a new car:

Price range: $17000-25000
Driveable in winter
Sporty, fast and classy
Reliable
Good resale value
Good gas mileage

I have been researching for months now and I have come upon a few cars that fit the requirements:

Nissan 350Z (2003+)
Infinity G35 Coupe (2003+)
Audi S4 (2000-2001)
Audi A4 (2002-2004)
Audi TT (2000+)
SVT Cobra (2003-2004)

My first two choices are the Infinity and Nissan, both of which are RWD and I need to be able to drive them in winter. Each can be bought with traction control which makes them much more possible to get around when it's snowy. The Audi's are very nice cars and I would be very happy with either of them, the benefit of AWD is a major perk. The Cobra is really out of my price range and not too practical in the winter so it is basically out of the running, although it is a monster as far as performance.

I find a lot of my information on Kelly Blue Boo k, MSN Autos and Edmunds. I use Autotrader typically to find the cars and will look around car-specific forums for opinions and comments on the specific models.

Work and Life Balance

2006-02-06T13:06:00.000-05:00

Allocate your time

Work and money aren't everything - find balance and enjoy life. If you enjoy working, then by all means, work as much as you want. Many people get so wrapped up in work that they forget about their family, friends and social activities which can come back to haunt them later in life if they have neglected and damaged these relationships severely.

Focus on yourself

Make time for yourself. Find activities and hobbies that you enjoy and DO THEM. Everyone in this world can think of things they would "like" to do or "would" enjoy doing but they never go out and actually do them. Stop thinking about it and do it, you will not regret it.

Connect with others

Take the time to contact the people in your life. They are the ones that hold you up if you come on rough times and these are the people that you can help when they need it.

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends, and spirit - and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life." - Brian Dyson

Hobbies

2006-02-06T12:51:00.000-05:00

Find some new hobbies that you might enjoy and go after them. Some of the ones I would like to persue are Scuba Diving, Skydiving and Backpacking.

Scuba Diving - Info

Underwater has always intrigued me so I feel that I would love scuba diving. I always go snorkeling, if it's available, when I'm on vacation and scuba would be even better in my opinion.

Backpacking - Info

I am also researching Europe right now to backpack for a month before I start my new job in August. There are a lot of great websites out there with tons of information to sift through. Talking to friends and people are a great source of what to do and what not to do while I am over there. I don't want to pre-plan everything before I go but I would like to know some of the destinations and places to see while I am there. I think the best part will be meeting people that come from different backgrounds.

Skydiving - Info

Skydiving is also something I would love to do. I just have to save up the money for it and find some people interested in going.

Steps to Success

2006-02-03T11:55:00.000-05:00

Steps to Success

Start at the top

Great family, great morals, great high school, great college = great person? I feel like I have been given chances and opportunities from the top. I am lucky and thankful, that's it. Some people start at the bottom and I have more respect for these people but everyone is unique and you do with what you've been given, even if that means starting from nothing, look at Opera Winfrey.

Education

One of my passions. I love school because I am good at it. I find you typically like anything you are good at. I consider myself very successful in college and I want to go to a top B-school for a MBA in the future.

Well-rounded upbringing

Not everyone is good at everything. Being a well-rounded, likeable person is who I am striving to be. I have identified my interests, learned more about these subjects and through it all I want to be a nice, considerate and likeable person.

Make contacts

Make yourself known. Have an interest in people other than yourself. Go out, meet new people and have fun whenever possible. I have found that if you are genuinely interested in other people and ask them about themselves you have a much better chance of becoming friends with them - so get over your ego and be empathetic for once. Something simple as saying "hello" to someone you have never seen before could change your life. After all, everyone is looking for friends and if they aren't - then they are either inhuman or not important to you anyways.

Make an impression

You make an impression on people that notice you everywhere. You don't have to be a great story teller, you don't have to be surrounded by beautiful women - just be whoever you are or want to be and people will love you for it. If you do not like who you are then practice being the person you want to be (without being fake) and someday it will happen, just don't give up. If you want to be more social - put yourself in positions where you have a chance to be. If you want to be more knowledgeable in the area of finance, hang out with people who talk about money.

Find balance with a partner

I'll admit it, I am struggling here. I was in a long-term relationship with the same person through high school and most of college. We broke up and I am still having a hard time getting over her. I am not really looking for a serious relationship right now but if someone amazing crosses my path, I definately wouldn't mind.

Recognize a time for change

Recognizing change - very IMPORTANT. This falls under every category of your life. Work, school, relationships, family.... If you cannot adapt to change - then start to. Some of the best companies in the world have failed because they didn't realize change. If your relationship takes a turn then be receptive and fix it. Without adapting to change you will lose in the long run everytime. "The times are a changin', something Mr. Burgandy did not understand" - Anchorman.

The Pitfalls of Money and Power

2006-02-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

Careful What You Wish For
"Those who say, "I want to make enough money never to have to think about it again," obviously have no cash flow. The more money you have, the more you worry about it because, after you've stuffed every pillow in your house, you still need to find places to stash your cash. It becomes unmanageable; you can't keep track of all your money, and you worry about which slimeball in your inner circle has his eyes on your children's meal ticket."

This is exactly it and I find myself in the same position. Money takes over people's lives and they get greedy about it. I shoot for the stars but want to be respectable about it. There is no need for me to have a personal airplane or own my own island. I do not wish to own a house over 3000 sq. feet. I would enjoy a house on a lake, a few nice cars and toys (boat, jet skis, etc) and I will feel I have accomplished my financial goals in life. I would enjoy working 20 hours and week and making $100,000 but I am not going to push myself too hard, although I know it's attainable. I realize there is more to life than money and power, for example family, friends and love. I have always valued my friends and family but lacked in the area of love. I had a really great girl and didn't put much effort into the relationship and it folded. Maybe it was both of our faults, I guess it doesn't really matter anymore but I still miss her every single day, but heartbreak is just a part of life. If anyone is looking for any good books or information on meeting people, making friends or having successful relationships - check out Dale Carnegie, David DeAngelo and read Askmen.com daily.

Intro

2006-02-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

Here is the story of my life, not sure who really cares... but I never asked you to read about me anyways. If you enjoy it or want to learn something, you should hang around.

I'm just an easy going guy who wants to be successful in all aspects of life. I am finishing up college and preparing for the "real world" and frankly, it scares me. I'm not much of a complainer and I generally like everyone. I am tough on myself and believe in excellence. I try to be the best and often fail, so I try again. I feel I have done very well for myself, but who doesn't? When I lack in certain areas, I attempt to get better but realize noone is the best at everything. Maybe I'm not the best speaker, maybe I'm not the best at relationships, but hey, I tried and thats all I could do at the time. I keep a positive outlook on life and believe that people in general are good. I don't think there is anything else to life other than being happy. "Life is short, live while you have the chance."