Buying a Home

I recently bought a house and thought the whole pre-approval and putting an offer on a house was quite interesting.  In the past, I’ve built a home so purchasing an existing home (and by myself) was something new.  A bit heavy on the nerves, I migth add. 

Going through the pre-approval process was somewhat in-depth but not all inclusive of my expenses, including one of my monthly major expenses:  children.  My credit was checked and my monthly debts such as my car were documented and calculated to determine how much I could afford.  My car payment is the least of my expenses!!  I checked with two lendors recommended by my realtor and both seemed very thorough and approved me for an amount that was workable.  This was based on my calculations and knowing all my expenses.

If this is the normal process and all inclusive of how people are qualfied for home loans, in the interest of setting the bank and the home buyer up for a win, wouldn’t banks be in a better financial position to ask questions related to all personal monthly expenses?

Ego and Confidence

I am VERY interested in hearing what EVERYONE has to say about this so I’m just going to put this out there and see what happens…no long explanation or how I came to posting this one:

Which is more fragile and why:  a male’s ego or a female’s confidence?

Efficient or Dependent?

Have you ever given thought to how technology changes lives?

Of course you have! You’ve read about it in publications, learned about it in a class, experienced it through work or chatted about it with your friends or colleagues.  Well, let’s chat about it some more and I’ll pose a question at the end that will be sure to get you thinking.

Technology makes us more efficient for the most part, correct?  We receive news on-demand whether through RSS feeds, email subscriptions or Twitter (my favorite these days!).  If you want information on a particular topic, you Googleit through your PC or mobile device upon request.  Trying to get someone’s attention so you can get an answer to your question ASAP?  You text them! 

My point is that although technology has made our lives more efficient it has certainly made us more dependent (and less intelligent – yeah, I put it out there!).  Five years ago I knew people’s phone numbers and now I’m lucky if I can recall a four-digit extension.  I know I can reach my best friend with speed dial 2 but couldn’t tell you the number if my life depended on it!  Email and websites have the type ahead feature that permits us to “forget” the entire address and still get to the site…faster!  We find instant answers to our questions by Googling it.  We spend less time learning along the way because we’re in such a hurry to get what we want, i.e. our “on demand” world, we lose focus of the journey.

I’ll admit I like, and am confortable, in my fast-paced, on-demand world.  I like that I can find information when I want it. I like that I can access people faster and get problems solved faster so I can keep things moving along and move on to new things. What I didn’t really think about until this morning was how dependent I’ve become on technology for much of my “on-demand world”. 

Have I become more efficient and dependent at the same time?  Yes, all the examples stated above.  Have you?

Are you concerned that we’re losing our abilities for independent comprehensive thoughts?  By relying too much on technology, will our multi-dimensional cognitive gift become a past behavior, replaced with theoretical and hypothetical practices?

Blank for “Dummies”

Have you ever tried something or read something and just couldn’t understand it?  And you start thinking….there has to be a way. There has to be some sort of resource I can tap into….

We’ve all heard of the “….for Dummies” series whether for the computer, learning a new language, buying a pet or exercising (OK, I’m not sure about the last one but I’ve seen the others). You may also non-admittedly remember the “Cliff Notes” series from high school and/or college. Do these still exist or am I showing my age? What Cliff Notes was used for was a high level summary of a book or condensed version of a topic. I remember very vividly that you can’t rely on these for comprehensive reading tests. I caught on to that pretty quick.

A friend of mine is reading a book recommended by our church Southbrook called “The Divine Conspiracy” by Dallas Willard. When this was discussed and incorporated into the week’s discussion, it was very comprehensible and intriguing. I volunteer in the bookstore and heard it was a good book but a difficult read. Once I hear “difficult to read” I quickly retreat.  I like to read books (pictures optional) and want to enjoy the time, not feel overwhelmed or frustrated. So, I decided this book wasn’t for me. My friend decided it take the challenge!  He determined it was difficult to read which led to a discussion about the “….for Dummies” series. We agreed this book would be a good candidate.

So….my point? What books, experiences, etc. do you think would be good candidates for the “Dummies” series?

How Handling Change Defines Character

A little change is worth investing.

When something new comes your way whether the turn of the calendar, a change in your routine or a major life changing event, how do you react?

People handle change in different ways – I love it (for the most part)! Don’t get me wrong – I like routines but love my unpredictable work days (keeps things interesting!!). Each day brings change and the need to be flexible. I can have an entire day planned and each item quickly gets pushed down my to-do list and is replaced by a higher priority item. Change. Then I like figuring out how I’m going to incorporate the new with the old and get it all done!

Change is something that most people prefer to avoid for the most part. Why? Because it means changing the familiar, changing a habit and/or changing a routine. Change can be seen as positive or negative. It’s all about how we embrace the change. Is it for the better? Does it create new opportunities? Does it create more good for more people?

Think about the world around us and technology alone. We are surrounded by change! Whether it’s the going from a flip to a touch-screen phone, transitioning from a PC to a laptop, trading in the laptop for a PDA (OK, let’s face it, you can’t do EVERYTHING on a PDA….at least not yet!) or communication with our colleagues, friends and family via email to (gasp!) Facebook! Isn’t it amazing? So many wonderful changes surround us and continue to happen all the time…how do you react? More importantly, how do you embrace change?

If this post created any anxieties for you or you now fear change, refer to a quick read book titled “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson, MD.  Great book whether leading change or trying to embrace change! Once you read it you’ll be creating change in no time .

Exercise: Not Just for Resolutions! Part 2 of 2

You came back! That’s a good sign – you must have chosen “good habit” from the article in yesterday’s post. Sweet!!

I’m just going to put it out there – mostly because that’s what I do. I’m like most people and I love food but I also like to feel good about myself.  Unfortunately, the human body wasn’t made to eat whatever we want so it’s all about moderation and exercise. I have cravings – a sweet tooth and coffee!  And what I’ve learned is that I can do both – indulge a little and still feel good about myself. How? Check it!

1. Exercise!
It’s a choice. Exercise has too many benefits to NOT do it. And there’s all kinds of excuses to not do it but there’s a cost. How much do you enjoy your occasional indulgences? What about feeling your best? Why save the positive feelings for only one time a year? 

2. Eat healthy!
For every meal and every craving there’s a healthy alternative. I learned this over the years and now enjoy great, healthy meals that have variety and flavor (much better than what I use to eat!).  There are a lot of ways to cook food using health alternatives. Look recipes up on the Internet or ask friends. I have great friends who understand the concept – and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. 

3. Start slow, set realistic goals and expectations of yourself!
No one knows your body like you do. Replacing all your foods choices and establishing a rigid exercise regime is probably not the smartest way to begin. Instead, start slow. Think about your next home cooked meal – how healthy is it? What could be healthier? Then replace some ingredients and try it out. For instance, instead of frozen or canned vegetables, steam fresh vegetables. Only takes 10 minutes and doesn’t contain all the preservatives and sodium that the canned and frozen varieties have. And if you want to add flavor, forget the butter! Instead use seasonings. 

With exercise, what is it you want to accomplish? To borrow a Steven Covey quote, keep the end in mind. Now break it down so it’s not overwhelming. Focus on the short term goals then reward yourself accordingly (and not with food). This might be three days a week with 15 minutes of walking on the treadmill and light weight training. Grab bar bells and do some curls to work on biceps.  I still use 5 lb bar bells and focus on resistance training so I can tone not build muscle mass. Once you hit a particular goal, reward yourself with a movie, a new book or extra “you” time. You deserve it!

4. Manage results!
Accept it. If you want to look and feel good as well as lead a healthy lifestyle, it’s not something you can do randomly. You have to commit to it. It boils down to one thing: choice. Realize there might be times when you “fall off the wagon” but don’t use that as a reason to not focus on your goal. Just move things around so it’s still manageable.

So….what are you going to do?
Replace I can’t with I can – you can do whatever you want. You just have to decide in your mind that you really want it. Then make it happen. You’ve already come up with the plan….now put it into action. And remember – take it slow. Be realistic. You will feel great about yourself and your decisions when you start off with small and easy steps versus throwing yourself into it full force.  Build up to where you want to be. Bad habits took time to create and it takes 30-60 days to form a new habit. Have patience. You’re setting yourself up to fail if you think good habits will quickly and easily replace bad habits.  Be realistic. You’re in control.

Exercise: Not Just for Resolutions! Part 1 of 2

How many of us overate during the last 30 days? Who put exercise on hold because of the chaos? Come on, show of hands, please.

First….a definition according to Miriam-Webster:  resolution is the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones.  Keep that in mind as you read on…

We know ahead of time that the holidays present us with a plethora of fabulous food choices – most we don’t normally have the rest of the year. We feel compelled to eat what’s presented, perhaps because of how the food is displayed, our desire for adventure, our need for variety and change, or simply that feeling of “this is the only time of year I get X so I’m going to enjoy it now!” Our taste pallets go into overdrive! And it’s wonderful!!  Should we indulge in these joyous adventures? Of course! Should we be more conservative about portion size? Absolutely! And should we find a way to maintain some sort of aerobic activity as we do the other ~335 days of the year? Certainly!

Check out this link: a simple truth by Simple Truths.  Then return so we can figure out what to do next. Feel free to replace “football” with your sport of choice.  Mine is soccer!

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OK, did you read the article?  Pretty cool.  Did you make your decision? If you chose good, check out Part 2 tomorrow. If you chose bad, you’re on your own  Part 2 will provide more details on how to incorporate healthier choices into your lifestyle so the holidays aren’t so……….guilty!

Managing Your Online Presence

How many applications are you on and/or manage? 

I received an invitation yesterday to another online application, Naymz. This one is new to me and as I began to click the link to sign-up, I realized I didn’t WANT to be on another application (at least until I see that it’s proved value to spending time there).  I recently tried out Yammer which is promoted as a business version of Twitter and I like the concept but again, at what point do people not want to be on another application?  Or is it just me??

Including my core job, I manage five email accounts, four social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Plaxo), three websites, one blog and a partridge in a pear tree (OK, I couldn’t resist!  It IS Christmas Eve )  I understand the importance of being in multiple online places and the importance of staying informed of new apps, trends and opportunities.  I get that. But how do you keep up with everything – especially as your online presence increases?

At what point do we say “enough”?  Or better yet….when will someone or a company develop one application to manage all other applications?  If it already exists – please do share!!  If not, who wants to go in and make millions with me??

Could You Be Santa?

Have you seen the move “The Santa Clause” with Tim Allen?  I LOVE this movie!  The idea of something magical, believing in something just because and the childhood memories of excitement and anticipation remind me of such wonderful memories of Christmas morning and all the gifts under the tree and goodies in my stocking.  My parents knew how to make Christmas special.

As the movie evolves, Scott Calvin (played by Tim Allen) basically distracts Santa who falls off his roof, Santa dies and after putting on the Santa suit and fulfilling the evening’s mission, Scott unknowingly becomes Santa. Once at the North Pole, Bernard (the head Elf) explains the policies, procedures and what this means to Scott:  He’s the new Santa.  Check out this YouTube video to find out what happens next (9 minute clip – well worth the watch!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYNqiVwc9TY&feature=related

Scott asks a very interesting question…”But what if I DON’T WANT to do this??” 

If this were real, and you were presented with the opportunity to be the new Santa, would you accept?

All or Nothing?

I was reading an article the other day and an interesting concept was thrown out there. You’ll notice I love to throw hypothetical questions out there to see how others would respond. I also find it an intriguing way to learn more about people. Different perspectives provide greater insight into any situation!  So….how would you respond?

If you were presented today with everything you ever wanted and had only a moment to decide to take it all or turn it down, what would you do and why?