One Application

During this career search that I am on, I have contacted a number of companies who were advertising positions that I thought looked attractive.  One area that could use improvement in this process is the application.  Some require you to print out their application, fill it in with ink, and mail it in.  Yes, you guessed it.  That was a government posting.  Others require that you set up a profile before applying.  Others request an email with your resume.  This is crazy.  I would like to see one, simply application used by every place of employment.  One and done.  I have all the information and could fill out an application once for everyone in the comfort of my own home.  Then I could attach it to an email or upload it to a company site.  The issue here is how silly it is to apply again and again in formate after formate when it is all pretty much the same information.  I hope to see this one day.  Employers, I hope that you demand it once I have created it.

The Listener's Audio Bible Devotional podcast review

The Listener's Audio Bible Devotional is a wonderful little podcast.  In your browser, you can find it here.  It is also free within the Stitcher app for your iPod Touch.  The narrator is Max McLean.  I don't know much about him but he has a rich, deep voice.  His heart seems to be into this as I never detect sarcasm, mockery, or scoffing.  Max will set up the daily Bible reading with a few comments and then he reads the verses for the day.  I find it amazing how refreshing hearing the Bible is.  The Word can stand on its own.  So often, we listen to teachers and pastors telling us what the Bible says, and that is good, but hearing the Word of God is powerful in and of itself.  This program is about a minute in length.  Max always ends his podcast with "Listen to the Bible.  It is great for the soul."  I would highly recommend adding this podcast to your rotation.

Land Dreams

For a long time I have wanted a lot of land.  Currently, I have a house on a little more than an acre which I am glad for and enjoy working.  However, man always seems to want more.  Here are a few of my land dreams.

Odd parcels.  I like odd pieces of property.  Whenever I see land unused close to a highway or a triangle of land where two roads meet, my imagination begins to fire.  I tell myself that if I had that property I would take down the old building or sign and plant trees.  Or I would place a garage on it.  Or I would erect a small, tasteful sign.  Something that would benefit others and make it more attractive for those driving by.

Five to twenty acres.  I would like to have slightly more acreage than I have now.  We can not hunt here and we can not raise animals.  I would like to build trails, plant trees, and add an out building.  This sort of work is very enjoyable for me and it is a very doable goal.

Huge wildlife preserve.  My ultimate goal is to have a vast track of land that I would turn into my own nature preserve.  I would keep it natural, bring in wildlife, dig ponds, and manage it for what it is without the aim of ever selling it for development.  I would make trails and camping areas so that people could come in to enjoy and study creation.  

Overly focused on costs

In the book "The One Minute Entrepreneur" by Ken Blanchard, there is an important concept that apply's to business but also to personal finance.  "If you focus only on managing costs, your business will never grow."  I think I have been guilty of being overly focused on costs.  It has been explained this way.  Family finances are divided by offense (generating and raising income) and defense (cutting costs).  By only thinking about trimming, cutting, and doing without, it results in a scarcity mentality.  As if what we have is all that we will have so eliminate all unnecessary things for survival and just work to make it.  It is much better to think about better ways to serve, opening a business, and being a great employee because that is focusing on growth and increasing revenue.  For some reason, I have been trained to think of what something costs and making my judgement there.  I instead need to think about possibilities and how things can be done and accomplished.  I need to make things happen.  It is a balance of fear verses faith.

Spend money to save money - part 10

I enjoy spending money like most people do but I also like to see how far my money can go.  This next entry is more spending time to save money.  Go down to your local public library and sign up for a library card.  This card will allow you to take home books, magazines, and movies.  The number on the back of the card is your personal number and will allow you special access to sites like Reference USA.  Computer access is also free at the library.  Signing up for a card does not have a cost, however if you are late with returning items there can be a small fine.  By renting your reading and viewing material first, you can decide if it is worth spending money on to buy it for your home library.  Personally, I am not collecting books or DVDs like I once was.  These items often end up on a shelf never to be used again.  I am getting to be more content with reading or watching once and bringing it back.