Now that I am older and a senior in college, my dad is trying to include me in his finances a little bit more so I can get a grasp on reality and how much things actually cost. I have always been a pretty good budgetor and can handle my money, but investing a large amount of money on something like a home insurance policy is definitely foreign to me.

My dad had seen an ad about a new car insurance agency and he wanted to look around to see how our company compared to others now (he had done this when he had purchased the policy but hadn't in many years). So he thought this would be the perfect time to let me research different policies to see the different costs and plans so that I could get some experience doing it.

Now thankfully, we have the internet to do things like this. My dad said that when he first got car insurance for our family (more than 20 years ago) you had to go into each agency and talk to someone face to face. I can't even imagine the time that would take because it took me a long time just doing it online and calling around to different places.

But I went online and typed out information into the different websites to see what kinds of plans we could get and comparing the prices to each one and the benefits that they all had to offer. It was interesting to see what each company had for us and what they suggested that we get depending on our cars and ages and the number of people.

We ended up staying with our insurance agency (I think he planned on that all along anyways) BUT I saved him some money and found out that we can get student discounts for my sister and I and since my dad was a great driver and hadn't had an accident in over 15 years, we could lower our premium. He was excited to hear this for sure (the power of the internet ha) and even gave me the difference of the next bill that we got. But I think I learned a bigger lesson about the power of taking the time to shop around and not just rushing to the first policy I see and taking the easy way out.

Posted by Greg on Monday, November 16, 2009 @ 10:23 AM

Like many people these days, I decided to start my own online business. There were so many economists that were showing this as the way to go, that I decided they must be right and so I decided to give it a try.

Unlike many people, I really understand the purpose of spending money to make money and although some at home businesses start on a shoe string budget, I knew that I wanted to start out my business in a very professional way. I didn't want to be mailing out items in hand written envelopes and in cheesy wrappings, so I started by ordering address labels and return address stamps as well as some professional mailing supplies.

I didn't want to over spend for these items but I went online and found a good deal on the things I needed to give my business that professional look and feel to it. You see, when you are mailing out items that look professional with your business name on them, they seem more like they are coming from a "real" business and not just from someone who is working out of their home. There is nothing wrong with running a homemade business but you don't want to look unprofessional while you are doing such.

Professional looking silver foil labels serve as an advertisement for your business and so do hand written ones. The problem is that hand written labeling makes you look like you are running a second hand shop and not a legitimate business. Taking the extra time and spending a few extra dollars to mail professional looking envelopes and packages is really well worth it when you are starting a business. You will always want to put your best professional foot forward and what better way to do that then mailing out professional looking packages.

Posted by Greg on Monday, October 05, 2009 @ 9:36 AM

The all natural products market is growing so quickly. I used to go to the health food store for some night cream or to pick up some natural shampoo or face creams, but lately it seems like the real market is in the area of weight loss supplements. Weight loss supplements are all around and choosing the right one, honestly can make or break your weight loss plan.

When you are trying to lose weight or diet you are constantly cutting things out of your diet and unfortunately some of the most successful diets limit you to just one or two food groups. Although, they may truly accomplish the goal of getting the body to burn the extra fat off, very often these diets are difficult to keep with because they are denying your body of some of the essential nutrients that it needs. This may cause your body to become depleted in certain vitamins and minerals, leaving your body more tired and run down. And if you have never dieted before then you probably don't know what a tired and run down body does, it looks for the only place it knows it can get energy quickly and most often that place is through sugary foods with lots of carbs and a high fat content. Not exactly what is best for someone who is trying to drop some pounds.

That is where the right weight loss supplement comes in. You need to make sure that whatever you are skipping while you are dieting, you are making up for in a weight loss or nutritional supplement. This means covering not only for the missing vitamins, minerals and nutrients, but also making up for any food groups that you are eliminating. Doing this will help eliminate any cravings and will help your body feel energized even while you are on a diet. This will help you keep with the weight loss plan that you are on and make sure that you are not starving your body of necessary nutrients in the process. Choosing the right weight loss supplement is essential in making your next diet a success.

Posted by Greg on Monday, September 14, 2009 @ 11:32 AM

Okay, so perhaps this statement is a little bit exaggerated, however if he had not advised the President of the United States to provide the Afghan government with Stinger missiles, then perhaps the Russians would have taken over this region of the world and this would have proved to become a major long term threat to the United States. The U.S. needed Afghanistan to hold off the Russians and stop them from taking over more land. And that is where Michael Pillsbury was truly instrumental in helping the U.S. improve its military stature.

So who is Mike Pillsbury. He was born in CA in 1945 and was educated at Stanford University and Columbia University where he was taught by top advisers to President Carter and that is perhaps where he found his niche in aiding future administrations in their military strategy issues. He also studied some with Roger Hilsman who was instrumental in the Kennedy administration in the areas of intelligence and military strategies. He was taught by some of the best and most influential people in history and this perhaps helped mold the man as one of the key players in the Cold War, Charlie Wilson's War as well as strategic and military adviser to presidents over the past several decades. He is author of two books on Chinese foreign policy, exploring the deep routes of the Chinese heritage and how it plays into their military powers today. He has also penned several journal articles that have been praised by top leaders in the United States and also found himself a topic for discussion in books such as "About Face" by author James Mann and also a 2008 book called "Living the Policy Process" which was written by one of Clinton's advisers.

Michael Pillsbury's work is often overlooked in the general public who remain relatively naive to the workings of the U.S. government however, several top advisers have praised his contributions to the United State's overall military strategies and he has been commended for his work worldwide. An incredible asset to our society you can read more about Michael Pillsbury and his contributions as well as his written works at www.wikipedia.com.

Posted by Greg on Sunday, September 06, 2009 @ 3:13 PM

Online gaming has become not only a great recreational activity, but also a great way to make friends. I started gaming a few years back when my old roommate got me into it. It was fun and a great way to kill time, since I didn't work or know a lot of people where I was living. You know, one of those rural towns that just has a lot of farm land and stuff. Well, we really enjoyed WOW and the role playing that it provided, and we also found that it was a great way to meet people.

Now when my room mate and I decided to go our separate ways, I knew that it was time to reinvent myself, both in the gaming community and in real life as well. So the very first thing that I did when he left is I went online and found a site that lets you buy wow accounts cheap and I found myself a character, a Level 80 Draenei Shaman on Lothar. This sexy half human half creature was just what I needed, or so I believed at the time. Now it is really possible to buy wow characters online and to buy wow accounts safe. It is just important to go with a reputable site and one that takes MC or Visa to make sure that they are truly reputable. This way you can't get taken for a ride.

Well, there must have been something to that because I began to meet the most incredible people online. Some of whom were right in my area and some who lived on the other side of the country, but I really did enjoy making all these connections to new people, with my new self.

Finally, a guy I knew from a few towns over contacted me because he needed a place to stay and I knew him from WOW, so I said sure. Next thing you know, he and I decided to move in together. It was all rather sudden, but so far so good. He moved in last weekend, and now we are playing WOW together and having a blast. It is really cool when an online game can lead to forming relationships with the potential to last, and maybe even the occasional love connection.

Posted by Greg on Tuesday, July 07, 2009 @ 5:03 PM

Summer is one of my favorite times of year. One of the biggest reasons, I think is because things just start to slow down and become just a little bit more laid back. After classes end, I find myself being in a funk for about a week or two and then I seem to feel as though I return to normal. This summer, I will be spending some time working but I really plan on just kicking back and heading to the beach. I have put on some weight this past year, and so I plan to be really active this summer and I have just begun taking a Lida supplement which is supposed to be excellent in helping you lose weight and get healthy. I don't really like to take pills, I have never been good at swallowing them down so I got some Lyda tea which I have been drinking several times a day. I know that if I keep with the Lida and start biking to the beach, like I enjoy doing, that extra weight will come off quickly.

Summer time always makes me eat less and exercise more, and this is why I am considering moving to sunny & warm region of the world when I graduate. I haven't decided where yet, but I know for me that health and natural well being comes from the out doors in the nice weather, and if you live somewhere it is cold and rainy all the time, then you feel more depressed. I know at least that doesn't work for me, but I would be interested to find out if other people find that gain more weight in regions of the country that are not sunny and warm. Maybe it is a built in mechanism or something that your body is trying to keep warm in the winter, and therefore is trying to put on weight during these times.

In any case, I will lose at least 10lbs this summer. I will take the Lida and eat right and exercise. After all, fruit is a great item to take along with you to the beach to eat!

Posted by Greg on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 @ 6:51 PM

What can you do to ensure that you keep your job or that you even find one in an economy like this. So many people are losing their jobs and getting laid off because companies can't afford to keep everyone on. So you need to make sure that there is a way for you to stand out among all of the other people who either have your job or a similar one like yours or from the other people who are also applying to the job that you are.

One thing that you can do is make sure that you go above and beyond to make sure that you are qualified and stay qualified for the job you have or would like to have. A lot of companies are impressed by employees or potential employees who do more than they are expected of them. If your company is in a more technological field you may want to consider obtaining you're a+ certification (which you can do through a computer training course or a CBT). Just taking that next step will ensure that your employers knows that you are serious about your job and that you want to stay with your company and help take it as a whole to the next level.

It can be scary right now especially when people who have worked for companies for decades are getting laid off. If they are losing their jobs, what ensures that someone who has only worked for a company for a few years or even months won't too? Nothing really. As terrible as that sounds it is the reality right now. But doing whatever possible that you can to keep your job is what you should be doing right now.

And honestly, if you do all of those things and the company have to lay you off still because of financial problems, you have paved a great future for yourself. Odds are, you will get a glowing recommendation and you will have all of those efforts, certifications and achievements to put on your resume to show a potential employer. So doing what you can to advance in your company in the present or even just to try to keep your job secure now will benefit you forever. You resume sticks with you and you want to be able to put those kinds of things on it.

Posted by Greg on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 @ 7:44 PM

For part of our computer science class that I took sophomore year (and I am terrible at computers and technology in general) we had to go through a computer training course to get our a+ certification. I hadn't really known before what that was, but it actually came in handy when I was writing my resume and showing it around at the career fair last semester.

It turns out that any CBT (computer based training) course or certification shows great initiative and is really appreciated in the career world. I walked around and talked to a lot of different contacts and networked a little and showed off my resume and even though my major really isn't computer based (pharmacy) it does involve the daily use of a computer and a mistake using one in this field could actually be life threatening. So a lot of the employers were impressed with my experience.

Also, I think that it isn't just experience that employers are looking for in potential employees. When I was at the career fair a lot of them talked about the fact that I (as well as other people) took the initiative to do more and try to learn more on my own (I also had a lot of volunteer experiences outside of school and the computer certification). Because people try so hard to get a job, but once they have it they often just sit back and relax after the first few months. I have a part time job working at the computer labs at school and I took an optional class that was offered on a weekend to help improve general computer knowledge. It showed that even though I had the job (and obviously wouldn't be punished if I didn't go or rewarded if I did) I still took the opportunity to learn more about computers in general and how I could help if someone was in the lab when I was working or during my shift and needed help with something. It shows that I didn't just slack off once I had it and that I knew I had to keep working. Employers look for people who will continue to go above and beyond not only when they are being hired but also after and to keep doing it throughout the time that they are with the company.

Posted by Greg on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 @ 6:52 PM

Our university offers a program that is for seniors or students (maybe younger than seniors or grad students who are older) that are about to graduate and are looking for work.

Although they have almost always polished their resumes, this program offers support for students on how to go about finding that perfect job or internship, or even just finding the next step to take that will get them there. They offer seminars with speakers from companies that are hiring and what they are looking for as well as job fairs just for them. They even do practice interviews, clothing's checks to see if you have a professional wardrobe (it may seem silly but you need to look professional when interviewing).

One of the seminars I went to with a friend of mine who is graduating in the fall. It was all about competency and competition with others who are after the same job as you. Taking that next step (like using enterprise learning library) and getting you're a+ certification can put you over the edge of another person with a similar resume to your own. Many of the employees that are currently working for companies are doing everything that they can to keep their jobs (including taking classes through e-learning while continuing to work). Knowing what they are doing to push themselves over and make themselves stand out can help you to gauge on what skills and experiences and certifications you may need for that particular job.

I don't think that a single one of these meetings or lectures were a waste of time. It is an amazing service that the school is providing and next year when I am a senior I will be taking advantage of as many as I can fit into my schedule. Even when the speaker works in a field that has nothing to do with your own, they have work atmosphere and etiquette experience and even interviewing experience that they can share with you. Right now we are young and have not been through this process yet. But these people have and they have volunteered their time and energy to help us through it. So definitely do what you can to go to as many events as possible and network and learn. Because this is the time to do it and you don't want to look back and regret missing out.

Posted by Greg on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 @ 12:52 PM

Though there are many amazing moments throughout the year, the winter around here though tends to be a bit overwhelming and can make all of us sort of numb and dull to a great many things. For me the summer still seems to stand out the most in my mind as the time in life when we create our most lasting and strong memories. In my mind it is all about the bike riding and the birthday parties, since my birthday is in July. It is also the time when everyone who has been married in my family got married in the past so that also stands out as a benchmark in my past. This summer will surely be similar those that have passed before.

My best friend from high school, who goes to school across the country, will be getting married in early June. She set the date in early September and since then we have been in almost constant contact. I am most excited for school to end because when finals week is over I am not going home first. I will be going to her house and we will be planning some of the items for the reception. She says she has a lot of things in mind for the candy, but she's just not sure if it is the right kind of wedding candy for the type of people her and her fiancé Brad really are. Right now she is sort of jumping around a lot about her plans for it but I think she should just go with some ghirardelli chocolate because it really is the best chocolate I have ever had. I usually use that when I bake anything, especially if it is for company because they are always impressed with the dark and rich flavor of the chocolate. That is exactly what I think that they should portray of themselves at the reception of their marriage.

I don't mean to bore you all with the minor details but I am just so excited. I mean it is one thing when someone in your family is married, but it is another thing when your best friend gets married. I hope I don't get marriage fever from all of this. Here's hoping.

Posted by Greg on Friday, April 10, 2009 @ 7:38 PM