The Ukulele Princess

Wow! What talent this young lady has... She gets my vote. How about yours?

How to get 300 drops on Entrecard

300 drops in 24 hours. Can you do it? Not if you drop too fast. What is too fast? Good question. I am not sure what the criteria is, but Entrecard is like having a fast car with a governor on it. You click too fast and zap! With no warning, you get a message that says "Penalty". Along with all of their other cutesy messages, what should one think when they see this new one? Check your points, because if you see that message, your points will disappear faster than a glass of water on a desert island. If you make one drop every 5 minutes, it would take you an entire day to get to 300 drops. I don't know about you, but I sleep once in awhile and occasionally eat. Let us assume that I sleep for 8 hours and take two 30 minute meal breaks. In my remaining 15 hours, I would need to click once every 3 minutes to get my 300 drops. What am I missing... Why would you even need a "Penalty". They already limit you to 300 drops per day. What a joke! Entrecard, just what are the parameters for issuing a "penalty"? I would be afraid to put that one in writing if I were you.

Insurance Companies versus the Rich Doctor

Having insurance in this day and age is a very good thing. I can't complain because there are a lot of people that are less fortunate that I am and don't have any insurance. I have Anthem insurance through my company and they typically take the majority of the sting out of any medical bills that come about. Its when Doctor's decide the push the envelope and choose not to participate with insurance companies that things go array. They are trying to make the most that they can. Of course the insurance company is trying to pay as little as they can. Guess who wins in this little battle? They both do. Guess who loses? You know the answer. I am sure all of you that are reading this have been there. It just doesn't seem fair. There should be some way to make this a win win win, but I don't see that happening. There is no leverage on either the insurance company or the doctor. The hold all of the cards. We hold the bag.

Danica "GoDaddy" Patrick - Obscure Facts!

1. She was ranked 69th on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2007 list.
   
2. She debuted as a swimsuit model in the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
   
3. On May 21, 2007, she rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
   
4. She was listed 42nd on FHM (US) Magazine's "100 Sexiest Women for 2006".
   
5. Miss Danica received the Favorite Female Athlete prize at the 2008 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
   

Ten things your neighbor doesn't know!

1. The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour is 61,000
   
2. A pig can never look at the sky
   
3. The shelf life of a Twinkie is 26 years
   
4. Dale Alexander won the American League batting title in 1933
   
5. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled
   
6. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were both left handed
   
7. Maine is the only state that borders only one other US State
   
8. No word in the English language rhymes with month
   
9. Fleas can accelerate fifty times faster than the Space Shuttle during liftoff
   
10. There are two golf balls on the moon
    

The Gas God says: Stick 'em up!

Gas pushed up to $3.99 a gallon for the holiday weekend. Imagine that! Just in time to take advantage of our propensity to travel on holidays. It is down 15 cents today, one day after the holiday weekend is over. Something is rotten with how this played out. No rhyme or reason other than the holiday creates an opportunity for the Gas Gods to stick it to us one more time! Over $50 to fill up your tank.

There are 46 gallons of gas that get processed out of a barrel of crude oil. Crude is going for over $128 a barrel. Divide that by the 46 gallons of fuel and you have approximately $2.78 a gallon. What makes up the rest? Federal taxes, state taxes, the cost of additives, and distribution costs to mention some of the contributing culprits. Everybody is getting a cut. Somebody is getting rich. Any guesses as to who that may be. Stick 'em up!

Where is superman when you need him?

Do you know how much the rising cost of gas is taking out of your pocket? Think of it this way. Every penny the price of gas goes up, it takes $6 out of your pocket for each vehicle that is used regularly in your family. That assumes you drive an average of 15,000 miles per year. If you have 2 vehicles, a 10 cent increase in the price of gas will cost your family $120 per year. From May of 2007 until May of 2008, the average cost of gas has risen from $3.14 to $3.81 per gallon. That cost each of us an average of $402 per vehicle.

But wait! It doesn't stop there. You have to consider the impact on the trucking industry. Virtually everything we buy as consumers has transportation costs factored into their price. The American Trucking Association claims that every penny that diesel fuel goes up costs the industry $391 million per year. The price of diesel has risen 49 cents per gallon over the past year. That amounts to $19,159,000,000. I am guessing that the trucking industry has not absorbed that absurd amount of incremental cost.

Any thoughts on where that cost is being paid for? You guessed it. You and I are paying more for almost everything we buy. It may be only a penny here and a nickel there, but I can assure you there are few products that have escaped the clutches of the fuel choke hold. We the people, certainly have not escaped that choke hold. Where is superman when you need him?

Gas cans and empty wallets...

At least in my family, I think gas prices have finally hit the proverbial nerve. Over the weekend I was lectured twice, first by my wife, and then by my 26 year old son, about how my driving habits were needlessly consuming gas. It seems that I tend to go from a dead stop at traffic lights and stop signs up to the speed limit in sling shot fashion. Also, my exercising of the 7 mile an hour safe zone over the speed limit is also creating some controversy in my family. Speed wastes gas. Quick starts waste gas. I know that, but it took a couple of subtle barbs from family members to snap me out of the bad habits that are sucking the dollars out of my wallet.

You too may be suffering from this slow draining of your financial well being. Drive slower. Accelerate slower. Coast when you can. Slow down when approaching a red light. You may be able to time the light so you don't have to come to a complete stop. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. These are small things, but they add up. Do your part! Take a look at your driving habits. Are they fueling the war?

We are at War! Make the right choice! Choose to Fight!

Today I paid the most I have ever paid for a gallon of gas, a whopping $3.75 per gallon. I am amazed that we, the people of the United States, are standing still for this slow and deliberate attack on our economy. We have been gradually pushed to our threshold of pain. Just when we are just about to go over the top, things stabilize just long enough for us to build up some more tolerance. What fools we are! Wake up America! We have got to break out of our hubris thinking and go on the offensive before it is too late. Individually and collectively, we need to cut our usage of the evil gas pill. Be it from car pooling, being better organized and eliminating wasteful extra trips to the store, letting our kids walk to school, if your job allows, working out of your home once a week, etc., etc. We have to get creative. Nothing is sacred! This is war my friends. War! Drive the speed limit for God's sake! Park your car one day a week. We can do it. Hit 'em where it counts. They are hitting us in the wallet. Hit 'em back. You have been challenged! You can choose to let it continue to happen, or you can make a difference. What are you waiting on????

Top 10 reasons to give your Mom flowers for Mother's Day...

1. Flowers come in all shapes and sizes
   
2. They smell wonderful
   
3. You can have them delivered almost anywhere
   
4. They can usually be delivered the day your order them
   
5. They come in all price ranges
   
6. Anyone can buy them
   
7. They will make your Mom smile
   
8. They don't need batteries
   
9. Flowers don't need to be walked 3 times a day
   
10. Every Mom loves flowers

Get the party started! Happy Cinco de Mayo...

I live in a great neighborhood with a great bunch of fun loving neighbors. After a long, cold, snowy winter, next weekend is our first opportunity to come out of hibernation and shake off the cobwebs. We are using Cinco de Mayo as our excuse to break out the Margarita machine, fire up the grill, and dust off the lawn chairs. Hail to our kingdom, known by those who live here as "Mortgage Hill". This is the second year for our Cinco de Mayo party. I guess technically it is Cinco de Mayo dos! Last year our break out was met with a cold rainy day, but thanks to our neighbor that has everything, three 10 x 10 party tents magically arrived in the front yard along with a portable fire pit. Plenty of food and libation was had by all. Everyone is looking forward to the weekend with great anticipation. This year will be bigger and better than last year. We have ordered perfect weather for this years party, but even if we have a foot of snow, our celebration will be unequaled! Spread the joy. Get the party started in your neighborhood. Happy Cinco de Mayo dos from the folks on the hill.

Feed the Green Monster...

Every year I pay my good friends at True Green to weed and feed my yard and what do I get? Of course I get a weed free yard. I get a nice green yard. I get a fast growing yard. And... I get to mow twice a week to keep the grass from taking over the neighborhood. Not exactly how I like to spend my leisure time. With the price of gas spiraling out of control, now I'm scraping up all of my spare change, er, I mean, spare dollars, to keep the mower running. That gallon of gas I used to go buy for my Dad when I was a kid that cost a quarter, now is costing me an arm and a leg. Wow! How does that make any sense. And the sad thing is that its not just me. I am sitting here as I blog watching two of my neighbors mow their green monsters. Hey! I have an idea. Maybe we should go together and buy a hybrid mower! Do they make such a thing? That would be the "green" thing to do. Look out Al Gore. Sam Speak is in the yard...

Billy Joel rocks Columbus!

Billy Joel rocked Columbus last night with a high energy performance that went far beyond this concert goer's expectations. No need for any opening act to set the mood as Billy hit the stage ready to get the party started. He performed all of his classics with the exception of Uptown Girl, which who could blame him for skipping over that? When his band broke into to Hang on Sloopy, the Buckeye faithful almost brought the house down! O H I O ! The concert brought out the best in this piano playing legend and one couldn't help but laugh at the playful comedic comments he laced the show with. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the show. I sensed that even Joel was surprised by the crowd's electrifying plea for an encore. He responded with multiple songs including Piano Man! He left it all on the stage... Bravo Mr. Joel! Bravo!

Make Money... SHUT UP!

Do you remember when you were a kid and your Mom told you that it wasn't nice to tell someone to "shut up"? Well, she may have cost you a lot of money during your lifetime if you heeded her advice. The next time you pull out your wallet to pay someone for something you are going to buy, ask them if you are getting the best price they can offer. Then, tell yourself to "SHUT UP". Not out loud mind you, but subconsciously to yourself. Then just sit there and wait for and answer. When you get the answer, tell yourself to "SHUT UP" again. Don't say a word. Just wait and wait and wait and wait. The person on the other end will feel obligated to say something. There initial response may be favorable, but if not, waiting will ensure the other person will eventually feel obligated to say something more. Its human nature. If you wait long enough, and believe me, it will be hard for you to stay "SHUT UP", they will say something more. They will continue to add to what they said and there is a VERY good chance that you are going to get a better deal. Don't break out of your silence too soon. The longer you keep your mouth shut, the better deal you are likely to get. Try it. You will be amazed. Ask, Shut up, and wait... Cha Ching! $$$

Boobs and tubes! Life comes at you fast...

How do you fill your evenings. Are you a creature of habit? Does the boob tube rule your world. Do you have a favorite show that you watch on certain nights? My wife and I seem to slip into the Monday night "Dancing With The Stars", Tuesday and Wednesday night "American Idol",and the rest of the week we live on some version of "CSI". Sad isn't it? Occasionally we get a taste of "TV Wine", some special sporting event. Tonight happens to be the NIT quarter finals. Being a die hard Buckeye fan, that is a very good thing. Especially if my beloved Buckeyes win. That will give us something good and different to watch on Thursday night as well. What would we do if there was no TV? Hmmmmmmmm.

Five things to do if you didn't have TV to watch...

1. Read
   
2. Spend quality time with your significant other
   
3. Play games
   
4. Sleep more
   
5. blog :)
   

Why is it so hard to list 5 items? What would you do readers? Your comments would be appreciated.

Don't sweat the small stuff, but choose the small stuff wisely...

In my last post I wrote about making choices. I have been thinking about the power of making choices and have noticed just how many choices that I make in a day. It starts before I ever get out of bed. Do I sleep for another 5 minutes, or do I get up a and get a jump on my day? Will I exercise today, or will I take the day off? Once I get up choices continues to rule my life. Simple, but powerful choices that have a major impact on what I accomplish during the day and how I ultimately live my life. Many of the choices seem relatively small and unimportant, but they ultimately dictate my life. Do I eat cereal, or do I have a pop tart? Do I read email first, or do I plan my day first? Do I work on the task that I like to work on, or do I work on that pesky project that has a looming deadline? Do I blog today, or do I skip? Do I call my mom to say hi, or do I put that off until later? So many choices. I make them without thinking, but making wrong choices or taking the path of least resistance can eat up the most important resource I have. ME! Make smart choices. To learn more on the power of choice make sure you read Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways to Go from Everyday to Extraordinary by David Cottrell.

The power of choice...

I learned a long time ago that life is about choices. We can choose to act or we can choose to be the victim. Such a simple concept with extremely powerful results. If we do nothing, then we choose to do nothing and we have nobody to blame for the results of our inaction. If we don't like our job, we can choose to do nothing, or we can choose to look for a new one. If we are over weight, we can choose to eat less, or choose to exercise, or choose to get help from a doctor, or ... Choice is what makes the world go round, or not! If you find yourself feeling sorry for yourself, then look around. There are choices that you can make to change that situation. Or maybe you have already made a choice. Maybe you want to feel sorry for yourself.

I have recently been on a reading binge and stumbled upon another gem of a book, Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways to Go from Everyday to Extraordinary by David Cottrell. This is another easy read that discusses the power of choice and how choices can change your life. I highly recommend this book. It might be a good choice for you to read it!

How to be a Mega Rock Star...

Saturday my wife and I took a trip to Cleveland to see the Blue Man Group. I had never really seen anything they had done other than a couple of commercials so I didn't really know what to expect. My wife was pretty excited, as she has wanted to see them for quite sometime. We had a great time! It was a high energy performance from start to finish. They kept the crowd engaged the entire show. The theme of "How to be a Mega Rock Star" gave them plenty of material to work with. A great blend of what I would call "mild" comedy, great music, and creative use of percussion instruments. Some of the instrument were quite unlikely, but very effective. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend the show! Now I am a "Mega Rock Star"! Well, at least in my dreams!

Do you want to be rich?

I just finished a book that I received from my financial planner. My eyes are wide open now. If you want to get to the promised land without question, then you must get this book and follow the plan. It is an easy read that is simple and to the point. Here is just one piece of advice from the author that is both powerful and relevant to the current financial environment. "Don't panic: The secret to wealth in equities is not getting scared out of them". Want to find out why? Get this book, Simple Wealth, Inevitable Wealth: How You and Your Financial Advisor Can Grow Your Fortune in Stock Mutual Funds by Nick Murray. You will be glad you did.


Click here for a step by step guide to financial empowerment!

The sky is falling...

It looks like the sky is falling in the financial world with the news on Bear Stearns we have all been reading the last couple of days. The Fed is trying to ride their horse to the rescue. Who knows how that story will end. Now is the time when your financial adviser should be earning his money. His job is to keep you from doing something stupid. Bailing now is probably the absolute worst thing one could do if their portfolio is properly diversified. Now is the time when most folks who are going it alone get scared and start selling. Your adviser should be holding your hand and helping you stay the course. It is counter intuitive for most of us to feel like there is a huge sale going on. If you are adding to you portfolio routinely, you are getting a lot more for your money in this faltering market. Stick to your plan. This too shall pass!

Click here for a step by step guide to financial empowerment!