Category Archives: My Posts

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Don’t Look at the Big Picture! or How to Get that Big Cleaning Job Done

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We’ve all been there. You see that big pile of paper that keeps growing next to your computer, or all that dust accumulating on the furniture, or the floors looking ever more dingy in your home, or some other big household job that just seems to be getting ever bigger and more nagging!

You take it all in and just thinking about doing that big household job makes you too tired to do it!

Well, there is a better way and it’s more likely to get that job done. The first thing to do is to stop looking at the big picture!

Actually, this is most of the plan. Once, on a trip to the Grand Canyon, I was listening to a ranger speak at Phantom ranch, about hiking back up to the rim. Phantom Ranch lies at the bottom of the canyon and visitors there must hike down to it. Of course, this means they must hike up back to the rim in order to leave. This is a 9-mile hike with a 4,000 foot elevation gain.

The ranger told us that the best way to approach the hike back up was not to look at the full height of the rim, but instead look at the layers of colored rock individually.

Once you pass one layer in elevation, look only at the next layer. And this was excellent advice! Topping a layer was a far easier goal to achieve at a time than thinking about the entire rim’s height. Before I knew it, I was topping that last layer of rock and found myself at the top of the rim! Sure, I still hiked the same distance, but psychologically, it was a lot easier to do it piecemeal in my mind, and this made the hike easier to do!

Household chores that are big can be tackled the same way! That big pile of papers to go through? Just do a little at a time. If the papers are in a big mess, straighten them out and put them into several neat stacks on day one. Day two, go through a stack. If you’re busy with other things as well, take a few minutes between other tasks and go through 10-15 papers. Before you know it, that pile will look significantly smaller, then it will be gone!

Dusting? Just dust one or two pieces of furniture a day, instead of tackling all of the furniture that day. Two pieces of furniture would be a snap.  And the floors? Just do one room a day!

Yes, you’ll be doing that same big job, but in pieces. And thinking of just one “piece” of these jobs makes them look much smaller and easier to do. And you won’t be so tired just thinking about them!

If you like this plan, or anything else on this site, please let others know!

Thanks for reading and good luck cleaning!  🙂

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Don’t be a Hoarder! or Do You Really Need All That Stuff?

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We’ve probably all know someone like this, or it may even be some of us! You know who they, or you, are. People who cannot seem to throw anything away, get rid of old unused items, or clear space.

There’s even a show on TV about them. I believe it’s called “Hoarders“.

I think we all have a tendency to hoard things. I have been guilty to some extent, but I am more careful now, and I’ve never come anywhere close to the extremes I’ve seen others go to. I do have a limit. I see a pile of paper growing, consisting of coupons and advertisements that I think I may be interested in, only to find I’m not using them. So, after the pile gets to a certain height, about 1-2 inches, I go through it and discard most, if not all, of it.

I’ve also become more careful about buying things, or rather, not buying things that I really don’t need. And when I do replace something, I either give the old item away or sell it at a local flea market.

But some people, including some I know or have known, go to much further extremes than a 2 inch high pile of papers. One person I knew kept his place very neat and organized, but kept every paper that he ever received from any source. As a result, his place was greatly crowded with tall stacks of paper and boxes, to the point where you could only get through his place single file!

Another person I know had tons of old magazines and articles and his place was a real mess. The stuff was piled on top of a table and he slept under it!

Another person I know had a garage full of items and absolutely no room for even a Smart car!

Then there are other people I have known who had apartments crowded with things they didn’t use and also were renting storage spaces for even more things that they didn’t use!

All of this hoarding makes their places cramped and much less enjoyable, and, for those who are renting storage spaces, it is costing them money. All for a vast majority of items that they no longer need. And if they move, all those extra items mean a lot of extra work to move them to the new home or apartment!

Plus, this can be a safety hazard. I have heard of people dying in their homes when piles of stuff fell and buried them. Really!

One of the hoarders I knew kept every receipt for every purchase they ever made!

Now, of course it is a good idea to keep a receipt for a major purchase for a time, at least until the warranty runs out, but keeping a receipt for a burger and fries you ate 10 years ago is just plain crazy!

Now, some hoarders do change. The people with the garage finally decided to clean it out, to everyone’s immense surprise. And, it was only the garage that they had filled with items. The house was always in good order and clutter free.

My advice, if you don’t have clutter, don’t start! Think about what you’re buying and keep the emotion at bay. Yes, this can be hard at times, and yes, I’ve let emotion make me buy things I didn’t need, but try to keep emotion at bay. It will save you time and money.

If you do have clutter, go through it, a little at a time. Try not to look at the whole “pile”, as it may look too daunting and make you give up. Just take a little at a time, and go through it, and really ask yourself if you really need that item, and does it really mean that much to you?.

Yes, it may be your favorite aunt’s hat. But, if you have a picture of her, isn’t that much more meaningful? And if the hat is not being used, and especially if it is in storage, why are you keeping it?

That little at a time may not seem like much, but if you work at it consistently, maybe once a day or once every other day, you’ll see a significant clutter reduction by the end of the week. And maybe you won’t need to rent that storage space! And the space you’ll free up will give you that bigger place you’ve been yearning for, without the rent increase!

If you like this post and what you see here, please let others know of this blog and site!

Good luck, and thanks for reading!  🙂

Unknown's avatar

Don’t Fall!

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Well, fall is here and with it, in my area, the rain. And an increased awareness of slippery surfaces, which ice may add to in the coming winter months.

And an increased risk of slipping and falling. Of course, there is always a risk of falling, but, I’ve become aware of surfaces when the weather turns wet.

Now, the reason I am more aware of this is, I distribute flyers door to door and I come across all kinds of surfaces once I leave the common sidewalk. Many people have wooden steps, or brickwork, or painted surfaces.

During the drier summer months, there are fewer slippery surfaces, and my shoes will grip the vast majority of these different surfaces just fine. But in wet weather, this can change. And, while most of you may not do as much walking on the job as I do, you will still be walking sometime, and in wet or inclement weather eventually.

So here’s what I found to watch for.

Wood. As I now tell myself, “Watch out for that wood!”. I’ve found that wet wooden surfaces can be as good as ice when it comes to slipperiness! Now, a lot depends on the type of wood used and how, and with what, it was treated. Sometimes there’s no problem, and other times, I really have to watch my step. So, when I see a wooden surface on someone’s walkway, I step over it, or, if I can’t avoid stepping on it, I test it out with one foot first and walk gingerly and slowly.

Painted surfaces. Again, it depends on the kind of paint. Even stepping on a painted curb where the paint has not yet begun to fade, can be very slippery. So can the painted stairs of older houses. And, you don’t have to be entering a person’s residential property to encounter this. Some malls and shopping centers and other entertainment venues can sometimes sport decorated sidewalks that are smoothed out with paint. A shopping mall I know of had to change its sidewalk design because it was very slippery when wet!

Brickwork. This can vary, too. If the bricks are smooth and new, they can also become a very slippery walk when wet.

Extra smooth concrete surfaces. Sometimes people’s driveways are like this, or they may have a walkway that is made to be like cobblestones, with the stones rounded and very smooth. This too can be very slippery.

Moss or leaf covered surfaces. I’m in an area where the leaves fall in the fall, and where moss is prevalent. And, these, too, can create slip and fall hazards. Also, so can sidewalks under fruit bearing trees.

And just so you know, I usually wear trail runner type shoes when I walk on the job. And I have nearly slipped and fallen a few times.

So, if you’re out for a walk, on a short shopping jaunt, or visiting a friend’s house, just be aware of what you’re walking on. After all, it’s your feet that belong on the ground, not your backside!

If you like what you’ve read, please let others know of this post and site. Thanks for reading!  🙂

Unknown's avatar

The Best Cell Phone Plan?

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Like just about everyone these days, I do have a cell phone. I started out with one of those large Motorola phones that came out in the mid 1990’s. You remember those? They were state of the art and, by today’s standards, they were big and bulky.

The plan I was on, I stuck with, through changes of phones and also my provider being changed and bought out. My plan was grandfathered, and was pretty good if I didn’t use my phone much. But, as I became busier and ventured into new things, I found that I was using my phone much more often and, those minutes’ charges were making my once great cell phone plan not so great or cheap.

I’d seen those “pay-as-you-go” phones, as well as the minute and money cards for them, but thought that they would be too limiting for me. All of this was assumption on my part. But finally, when going over the bill I had last December, and really going over it with a fine toothed comb, I found that, on some days, my calls and minutes added up to $18 in charges! For one day alone!

I thought about the pay as you go plans and decided to investigate. There are several plans out there, depending on what company you choose. I was with Verizon Wireless and they’d always treated me right, so I went to a Verizon Store and asked about the Pay as you go plans. The one that suited me was the $1.99 per day plan.

This plan charges you only when you use the phone or receive a phone call on a particular day, and, only charges you $1.99 for that day. It doesn’t matter if you are “roaming”, or make or receive one call or 100 calls, or if you are calling next door or across the country, you only pay $1.99 for that day. Texting is 2 cents per text. Other than that, unless you do other things like going online, those are the only charges. Of course, there may be an activation fee, but this is the case with all plans, and it’s also no more, and often less, that with regular plans. And, you do prepay, usually with a credit card or phone card that you can buy in any store. Most require putting at least $15 on the phone, and usually have a $100 upper limit. This gives you a balance that you use, and also a time amount. The time that any amount of money you put in is pretty generous. $100 for me gets me a whole year before I have to use up any remaining balance. I often use up the balance well before the time is up. If your time expires or your balance is exhausted, you may lose your number if you forget to add money to your phone, but your phone will tell you when you’re getting close to having to add money. Your phone will let you know your remaining balance and time left. And, when you add money to your phone, any remaining time and balance is added, so you lose nothing and you don’t have to wait till your balance or time reaches zero before you can add more money and time to your phone.

There are no contracts or monthly bills and in most cases you can keep your cell phone number. And you can get off the plan by simply not adding money to your phone, however, in order to not lose your phone number, you would need to go to some other plan.

The most you would spend is $63 a month and for that you would have to use your phone every day that month! And, if you were to come down to say, $4 left on your balance, you would still be fine and not have to worry about inadvertently running out of money that day, as you only get charged when you use the phone!

To be sure, I went home and looked over my bills for the past year and made note of how many days I used my phone and what the total charges for each month as well as for the entire year were. then I made a hypothetical list, showing what I would have paid if I’d been on the $1.99 per day plan. I was astounded! My bills would have totaled about $300 for the year under the $1.99 plan, while my actual bills totaled over $700 under my grandfathered plan!

I was convinced and switched plans in January. And I’ve been satisfied ever since. My first month, I only spent a little over $17, and I’ve been averaging $25 -$30 a month since, even when I went out of what would have been my service area under the old plan!

Under my old plan, I often had bills from $40-$70, and occasionally, over $100!

To find out more, go to a cell phone provider or ask someone in the phone department or at a kiosk inside a big store or mall, and don’t let them sell you on some “grand plan” that could cost you considerably more!

If you like what you’ve read, please let others know about this site and blog. Thanks!

And thanks for reading!  🙂

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Why I Prefer Small Cars

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When I was a kid, I liked big cars and sports cars. Sports cars looked good and were fast. And large cars were roomy, impressive, had the most options, and suggested wealth and prestige.

I thought that small cars tended to have fewer options, were clunky and clangy, and weren’t fun to drive.

But, having gotten older and now that I drive, I’ve certainly revised those opinions. Especially since visiting an annual auto show every year for the past 8 years.

Some of the opinions I had were true, such as large cars being roomier, and sports cars being fast. But I also have seen that larger or sportier isn’t always better.

However, large cars use lots of gas. Ever hear the term, “gas guzzler”? Large cars of the 1970’s often had this label once gas prices started surging after 1973.  They’ve gotten better over the years as surging gas prices have helped put pressure on automakers to increase gas mileage, but a smaller car will still use less gas and often have the same, or even longer, driving range than many larger cars.

Large cars also take up more space. This can mean a more difficult time trying to find a parking space or, for some drivers, like me, a feeling that the car is too wide for the lane. I can cope with the “too wide for the lane” feeling, but some drivers may have more trouble with this. The term, “boat” comes to mind. I find that smaller cars are just far more maneuverable in tight spaces and, while driving, I don’t feel as if I will sideswipe the cars on either side of me if I drift so much as a micron to either side.

What about options? Well, it is probably still true that the larger a car is, the more options it will offer, as the “flagship” car of nearly any automaker tends to be the largest car that automaker produces, and will be the most expensive, and so will offer the most options.

But, automakers have come to realize that many people in these gas price and mileage conscious times are opting for smaller cars, and so, smaller cars are now coming with a greater offering of options once reserved for the larger models. These include moon-roofs, advanced stereo systems, power door locks and windows, electrochromatic mirrors, and gps navigation units, among others.

And of course, the smaller cars still get the best gas mileage, for the most part. After all, gas mileage has been improved in all sizes of cars, so that now, while 20-25 mpg for larger cars is not uncommon now, small cars can often do 35-40 mpg!

Then there’s handling. Small cars do tend to handle better and are less likely to have that “heavy” feel on corners or when braking or accelerating.

What about sports cars? Well, yes, they are small, but, in compensating for horsepower, they, too, suffer in the gas mileage department. And, they can be very cramped, low, and uncomfortable. Plus, they can be very expensive, especially the exotics from Europe.

Small cars that are not sports cars are not as cramped as sports cars are, though they still don’t have the interior room of larger cars. However, where interior room is concerned, some small car models are, and have been, better than others, and many small car models have been greatly improved in this area.

And where insurance is concerned, the small cars usually come out best as well. After all, how often do people race Corollas and Civics and VW Beetles?

All of the cars I owned were small cars and I’ve been satisfied with all of them. And as the years have passed, it seems they’ve gotten better and better. So, next time you are in the market for a car? Check out the smaller models. You may be very surprised.

If you liked this post, or others on this blog, please let others know about this site! Thanks!

Keep driving and thanks for reading!  🙂

Unknown's avatar

Should I Put Out a “Shame” List?

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As you probably know by now, I put resumes together for people on the side. By and large, most of them pay me when the job is done and, if they have any issues, they let me know. But then there are some that don’t pay.

To let you know, I’m definitely not the kind who will start hounding a customer for payment as soon as the job is done!

I know that checks in the mail can be delayed, and computers do go down or come up with issues, as do websites, so a PayPal payment can also be delayed. And sometimes things come up and a client may not be able to pay in a timely manner.

I generally let them know, once they are satisfied with the resume, how to pay me, and a reminder of how much. I always tell them my prices before anything is done, so that they can decide if they still want me to proceed with their resume.

Once they know of how to pay me and how much, they usually acknowledge that they will send a check, or pay through PayPal, and so on. I then give them a full week (Though I don’t tell them this!) before I start inquiring, and no, I don’t angrily charge like a mad bull when I contact them. I usually send them an e-mail or call them, framing things so that it appears that I am more concerned that they may have had an issue or that their check could be lost in the mail. (I figure that, if they think I’m concerned about them, they will be less defensive.)

Some of the people I had to contact admitted that they got busy and forgot, and they quickly paid after my inquiry.

But others aren’t so honorable or innocent. They simply don’t want to pay. They’re thieves, plain and simple! On top of this, they run and hide when I try to contact them! One guy kept telling me that he was going to send a check, but never did after repeated calls. Oddly enough, one of the points he had me list on his resume was “Honest”. I should have changed it to “Dishonest”. Others were obviously screening my calls and so left their phones on voice mail and never called me back. One answered, then immediately hung up when he heard my voice. And of course they don’t answer my e-mails. I only wish I could foresee the employers they were going to send their resumes to, so I could forewarn those employers!

I’ve decided not to pursue future scofflaws beyond a certain point, but I have been thinking of creating a “Shame” list. This could be a Craigslist post, or a post on this blog, a separate page on this website, or even a new website, dedicated to this “List of Shame” Of course, I would have to be sure of what I can or cannot do legally, as I certainly don’t want to be in any kind of legal trouble, especially when it involves people like these thieves who clearly aren’t worth it! But it is nice to think about such a list, accessible to those who might employ or deal in business with these people. (I’d love to be there, in person, smiling as the interviewer tells “Joe Blow”, “Oh, no, we can’t hire you, Joe, you’re on the List of Shame! You never paid that person who did your resume! How do we know that you’ll even do the work we give you while still collecting a paycheck from us!?”)

I wonder if just the threat of putting someone on such a list but not actually doing it or even creating said list would be fine, legally, and if it would work. But all that aside, some advice. Many of these people who don’t pay may have it, or their tendency for dishonesty, come back to get them in ways neither they, nor I, could guess. I’ve told people in casual conversation at times (Without naming names!) about some of these scofflaws. Who knows that one of them may mention it to the person who is going to interview one of these scofflaws! Or the scofflaw will be stupid enough to brag about not paying me. And the people sitting at the next table may just hear him. Including the guy who will be interviewing him for a job the next day.

Who are these people who don’t pay, and run and hide like the cowards they are? They can be any age and gender and race. The latest one is an older man, well into his 60’s. Not exactly a punk wise guy kid!

Don’t be one of these types of people! If you agree to purchase something, pay your bill when you get the product or service! If you’re selling the product or service, deliver in full and on time! And, if you have an issue and have to delay payment or product or service, let the other party know, dammit!  Believe me, I would have a lot more respect for someone who, when they first inquire about my resume service, tells me up front that they cannot pay full price. I might even be willing to give them a break!

Now I know, I could ask for payment in advance, and I’ve been thinking of doing that. After all, if I don’t do any work or spend any time on something until I am paid, I won’t have expended any time or energy for those who don’t pay me! The only reason I haven’t is to create good will with customers, but sometimes measures like advance payment are necessary for one’s own protection.

I know this is a rant, but I hope you will still tell people of this blog and website, and will follow this blog. I promise not to always rant! (Just had to get this out of my system!)

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Unknown's avatar

Need a Job? Need a Resume!

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If you need a job, or are even bucking for a promotion, business deal, or some memberships, you need a resume! I know, a post about resumes sounds really boring. But, please read on as I tell you in my own way how a resume can help you.

When starting out into the working world, especially if you are a young person going for that first job, a resume can help you stand out and get that job. When I was in my 20’s, I tried for a call center job. it was just a menial, part-time job, but as I had no job at $0 an hour, this “menial” job would be a good step up! So, I went to a group interview and had, in addition to my application, I also had my resume. And, as it turned out, I was the only one who submitted a resume along with my application. I got the job! And I believe that it was simply submitting my resume, even though it wasn’t much of a resume, that gave me the extra advantage in that situation!

A resume brings together those things that will not only give a prospective employer a snapshot of you as a potential employee, but will also give him or her a better basis for the questions they might want to ask you should you score an interview. This also helps you as well. You see, in creating your resume, you are forced to evaluate your skills and experiences, and to remember things that can lead to better answers at interview time.

When you are asked what problem did you have in the past and how did you deal with it, you may be more likely to remember that obscure temporary job you had at the corner store and how you helped a particular customer. When answering the question, you’re less likely to sound as if you were “fishing” your memory for an answer.

Once you have your resume created, it is easier to update it or to create a second resume aimed at a specific type of job, especially now with computers having replaced the typewriter in most cases. And, your resume can also act as an important reference when filling out applications for future jobs.

In addition to its use in job hunting, a resume can also be used when trying for a promotion, membership to an exclusive club or group, or, if you are an entrepreneur, to secure a loan or engage in a business deal or partnership!

Now, while everyone has their own information, many aren’t sure how to put it all together. There are guides available, as well as resume writing services.

One of them (mine) is on the Services page and also the Resumes Available Here! page on this website.

Which service is best? It depends. Most I’ve seen will charge quite a lot of money for a simple resume and cover letter package, usually going up from there for a host of other additional services, including fancy paper with designs, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and keyword emphasis.

As I’m not an expert in SEO or keywords, I just do a simple resume and cover letter for generally less than what most charge for these services. I’ve had a few clients, one of whom told me later that they did secure a job after I did a resume for them. I don’t know for sure if SEO and keywords have a great effect on the likelihood of a resume getting further notice resulting in a person getting the job, since keywords change all the time, as does SEO. And, one hiring manager’s keyword may be what turns off another hiring manager, resumes that go to HR departments are often skimmed over quickly and keywords may not always be noticed. This is just my opinion, however, and I may be wrong about this.

Also, the type of employer one is trying to get a job from can make a difference. The owner of the small grocery store, who does all of the hiring and everything else related to it, may just want to see what a prospective employee is bringing to the table and is not interested in looking for keywords or SEO and may not care what kind of paper the resume is on, just that he or she can read and understand the resume itself.

So, whether you want to go with the simple resume or want a resume with SEO, keywords, and everything else, do get yourself a resume. It’s well worth it!

Go to the Services page or Resumes Available Here! page of this website for your resume now! And if you know someone who needs a resume, send them here now!

Thanks for reading!  🙂

Unknown's avatar

Used vs New: Which is Best to Buy?

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Does everything you buy have to be brand new? The answer is, not necessarily. Sure, we all like new things with their new smells and feel. Who doesn’t like that new car smell? Buying new does have its advantages, such as store and manufacturer guarantees and warranties. New cars typically come with 3-year/36,000 mile warranties. Most stores do have a return policy.

But, buying everything new can be expensive, and some things can be bought used, still be of great quality with most of its life left, and save you a lot of money as well. But you do need to know what types of products are best bought new and what types of products are best bought used. Some items, like cars, can be bought used without problems, if you do it right. Here’s what I’ve learned about which products are best bought new and which are best bought used. The list is by no means complete, but it may give you an idea of where you can score great bargains and where you need to splurge on the new item.

Electronics: In General, Buy New! The biggest reason I say this is due to the safety factor. New electronics have been tested, and not abused or worn through day-to-day use. And, they are made to conform to the most recent safety standards. You don’t know where used electronics have been, or if there is a short somewhere inside, or a frayed section of wire that may spark an electrical fire.

Then, you may not be able to test the used item in all ways, if at all, and later find that it has issues. A used computer may lack a complete operating system, or have an inferior version, or may have a part that doesn’t work, like an internal fan. The internal fan is used to dissipate a computer’s internal heat. You may not notice that the fan didn’t work when you tested it briefly at the flea market, but when you bring it home and try it out for an extended period, it ends up quitting on you or doing strange things because its internal temperature got too high, due to the inoperative fan.

Now, there is an exception to this rule. If the item is new in the box, or is an item you know very well because it is your best friend’s old computer, which you’ve used almost as much as he has, then go ahead and buy it. If you read my post , “Garage Sale & Flea Market Bargains? Yes, and They Don’t Have to be Crappy!“, you would have read about the Sony clock radio I bought at a very good price. It was new in the box and I could see it had never been used, so I made the exception. Actually, this exception could really apply to any item!

Cookware and Dishes: Buy New! Again, you don’t know where the used item has been, or how it was used, and, since it will be used for eating, well, let’s just say I would be leery unless, again, you are already familiar with the item or it is new in the box.

Books, CD’s, DVD’s, Records, and Tapes: Buy Used! Often you can find great prices for these items, especially at flea markets! Of course, the one problem is finding the artists you’re interested in where CD’s , records, and tapes are concerned. Oftentimes, I see CD’s by artists no one has ever heard of. Of course, you may be a fan of one of these obscure artists and so this may be just right for you. And, with most paperback books going for $6 and up in the bookstores, the dollar or less you pay for the used version is a real bargain!

Knickknacks and Collectibles: Buy Used! Knickknacks and other decorative pieces are not going to be used for eating and are not usually electrical, so buying these used makes a lot of sense and you can usually score some great bargains!

Toys: Buy Used with Caution! Toys can be bought used generally, but do make sure that they are intact, with no small pieces coming off them. For larger toys that kids may ride or climb on, do a thorough inspection for structural soundness, and also look for any surprises, like a bolt or latch that doesn’t work right despite not looking worn or broken. Make sure games are complete and that battery operated toys actually work when batteries are added.

Bicycles: Buy Used with Caution! Bikes, like toys, can be bought used and at great prices, but again, as above, do inspect the bike and try it out first. Look for wear, broken parts, and rust. And be sure the gear shift and brakes work and that nothing is still loose even after it is tightened.

Non Cloth Furniture: Buy Used! I’ve seen coffee tables , cribs, dining sets, and other furniture pieces that looked really good being sold at garage sales and flea markets. And I’ve seen crap, too. The biggest problem is finding what you want. Those nice furniture pieces may not be what you are looking for. But if you do find something, you can score a great bargain! Just be sure you can get it home, since I know of no flea market or garage sale that offers delivery!

Cloth Furniture: Buy New! Not knowing where the used item has been, I wouldn’t buy used cloth furniture, or anything used with cloth or fabric, unless it is new in the box! Can you say, “Bedbugs“? And who knows what else?

TV Trays and Small Tables and Shelves: Buy used! Again, great bargains can be had. My TV trays that I talk about in my post, “Garage Sale & Flea Market Bargains? Yes, and They Don’t Have to be Crappy!” is a perfect example! $10 for a set that would set you back $39 new in the store!? Can’t beat that!

Cars: Buy Used with Caution! If you do your research and due diligence, you can score a great bargain with a used car. I did this and have no regrets. And, the good news is that brand name car dealers, independent used car dealers, and private parties all sell used cars. A brand name car dealership is usually safest, but the used cars may be the most expensive here. Used car dealers vary in how honest or dishonest they are, but you still have a chance for recourse with them if things go wrong. Buying from private parties carries the most risk, though a savvy car buyer can score the best bargains from private parties. Fortunately, the internet provides lots of sites that can guide you in your quest for a used car. Be sure to get a Carfax report!

So, these are my opinions on used versus new products. Please feel free to comment and to mention products you would add to this list! Also, if you know anyone who is indecisive about whether to buy something new or used, send them here to this site!

Thanks for reading!  🙂

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Comet of the Century?

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In late November of this year, Comet ISON (comet C/2012 S1), will be at only 700,000 miles from the sun and may be visible to the naked eye here on Earth. Possibly very visible, according to some experts. In fact, some have said that it would be the “Comet of the Century”

Will it? No one knows for sure. In the early 1970’s, Comet Kahoutek was also billed as such, being expected to outperform the 1910 pass of Halley’s Comet. In 1910, I’m given to understand that Halley’s Comet covered half the sky at one point. Nothing like its poor performance in 1986.

As for Comet Kahoutek, it was an extreme disappointment, to say the least. I never saw it myself, though I did look for it. I did see Halley’s comet, but it was very hard to find and looked more like a faint dusty spot.

But, I have seen two other comets, though neither matched the 1910 Halley’s Comet pass. (Which I would have liked to have seen but that was over a half century before my time!)

One was in early 1974. I don’t remember the name of the comet, but it was clearly visible to the naked eye early in the morning just before sunrise. it had a well-defined head and tail. It wasn’t visible for too long a time.

Hale-Bopp was the other, appearing in 1996-1997 and was visible for over a year, longer than any other comet recorded. It was impressive and could be easily seen from even the polluted skies of Southern California.

Will ISON be spectacular or will it fizzle? No one knows for sure and comets, like Kahoutek, have been proven to be quite unpredictable. So, come November, watch the skies. Maybe we’ll have quite a show and ISON will really be the “Comet of the Century”.

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Thanks for reading! 🙂

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Monopoly, Anyone?

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You know, I like board games. One of my favorite is Monopoly. I used to play the board game from time to time, though it was sometimes hard to get others to play, as some of the people I’d asked were older than I was and had played the game so often in their younger days that they were now tired of it.

When I first started playing as a youngster, my strategy was to buy everything in sight, right off the bat. I didn’t think about trading, or how some properties or property groups could be more advantageous than others, depending on the situation. But, as I played more, I learned, among other things, that having Boardwalk doesn’t mean victory. So, here’s what I learned along the way.

Getting the railroads early, especially if you get all 4, can be a really big help early in the game. One railroad gets you only $25 rent, but 2 get you $50, 3 gets $100, and all 4 gets you $200 rent every time someone lands an a railroad. As it’s rare for players to get monopolies and have them built up to hotel strength early in the game, $200 can be a big deal! Plus, there are two “Chance” cards that take players to the nearest railroad, and one more Chance card that  takes a player to Reading railroad. That’s three cards sending players to your railroads! Boardwalk, Illinois Avenue, and St. Charles Place only have one, and the utilities might have two. And the other properties have none at all. (Though there is a “3 Steps Back” card that can back a player onto New York Avenue from the Chance square between Kentucky and Indiana Avenues.) Then, the “Nearest Railroad” cards make a player pay twice the rent, which would be $400 that you would collect if you own all 4 railroads! Then, there is no need to “build” in order to get $200 rent. It comes automatically when you get all 4 railroads. And this means they are also immune to the Chance and “Community Chest” cards that charge you for each house and hotel you have! And finally, the railroads are spaced 10 squares apart, so that other players are always within striking distance of one of your railroads while they, even if they have a monopoly, have to wait for other players to come all the way around again before they come within striking distance!

The Utilities are similar, but there are only two of them, and owning both, while giving you an added benefit, still won’t be as effective as the railroads. But combined with the railroads, they can be quite a help!

Having the orange or red color groups as monopolies can be very advantageous! According to what I’ve read on the internet, as well as what I’ve seen in playing the game, the orange group gets landed on the most, followed by the red group and, according to an article I read online, Illinois Avenue is the most landed on single square in the game. One reason for this is that, when players get out of Jail, they have the best chances of landing on the orange group. Which leads to another fact I’ve discovered.

All of the color groups between Jail and the “Go To Jail” square, are probably more likely to get landed on than those that come between the Go To Jail square and “GO”. That’s one advantage that color group monopolies from Jail to Go To Jail have over the green (Pennsylvania Avenue) and dark blue (Boardwalk-Park Place) color groups! By being sent to Jail when there are lots of monopolies, players can get reprieves from landing on those monopolies, especially those between Go To Jail and GO. Jail in Monopoly isn’t always bad for  a player.

Which brings up Boardwalk, and the greens, too. These two monopolies, when built up to hotel strength, can be very powerful. But getting them built up , and even buying the initial properties themselves, is very expensive! The greens require $3000 to build them all up to hotel strength, more than any other color group. And the three properties cost a combined $920 to buy initially.  Here’s where the superiority of the Boardwalk-Park Place monopoly is apparent. It only costs $750 to buy both properties initially, and $2000 to build them both to hotel strength, at which they are the two most powerful properties by far! And, Boardwalk does have a Chance card that can draw in other players to pay the $2000 rent!

But, as I mentioned before, having the Boardwalk-Park Place monopoly doesn’t guarantee victory. In one game, I traded Boardwalk to the player who had Park Place for several properties, including a railroad that gave me ownership of all 4, two other properties that gave me two monopolies, and some cash. This gave me the ability to build the two monopolies to hotel strength quickly, while the other player couldn’t afford to build up the Boardwalk-Park Place monopoly very fast. They lost and I won!  Of course, if my luck had been bad and theirs good, things could have been different, but with the trade, the odds were shifted strongly in my favor.

Finally, the least expensive color groups, the light blues (Connecticut Avenue) and the dark purples(Baltic Avenue), can also have advantages, especially if both color groups are owned by the same player. They can be built up cheaply as houses only cost $50 each and, if bought and developed early, and especially if combined with the railroads or utilities, can be good money makers and keep the other players at bay!

Monopoly has been a popular game, and still is, if not more so, with all of the variants that have come out. There are also computer versions, which take the hassles of setting up and keeping track of money and properties out of the picture, making things much easier, and, you can also play against the computer. Also, there are most likely online versions as well.

If you’re into Monopoly, hopefully the facts I’ve illustrated above will lead you to victory!

Have fun and don’t stop playing!  Please tell others about this site!

And thanks for reading!  🙂