• Share the humor of the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight and explain new financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Friday Financial Follies

This week’s news has been all about Europe with Greece being back to the future, I mean back to the front page.

The current discussion is whether Greece,  after a couple of years of bailouts and a whole bunch of gnashing of teeth, will indeed pull out of the European Union.  Of course the big question is, if they do indeed pull out, what will happen to the other teetering economies in the European Union.  Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland being the most frequently mentioned as next in line for trouble-you pick one.

Domino's: Which will fall next?

Imagine the domino effect. Will one falling over knock down other countries, one after the other, drip, drip, drip or is it plop, plop, plop??? The problem for us in the USA is that this uncertainty weighs on our stock market.  And if our stock market is doing poorly, it will be harder for companies in the US to want to hire new employees and expand their businesses.

I’m an eternal optimist, but this may be a tough summer.  Hold onto your hats….

Let’s get to the

Friday Financial Follies:

You Tube Prank

Very funny, why I’m not sure, exactly, but you will watch the entire clip, at least once.  Teachers are really very funny people.  Especially when they’re dancing.

Not Invited, GAO Outraged

A  group of Buddhist monks, at a memorial service for a departed co-monk, were filmed secretly in their luxury hotel room smoking, drinking and gambling.  Gambling, not the nickel kind, with multimillion $ wagers.  Wow.

Piercing with a Purpose

Tattoo artist implants magnets in his wrist so his nano ipod will stay put without a wrist band.

Shiri

The name of a robotic butt.  No, really.  Interesting, definitely weird and why?

Lottery Winnings-6 Times

Arizona man wins 6 million dollars with 6 tickets.  I know, I know, playing the lottery really is a bad idea.  really.

Medical News

Fries With That?  10 servings…

Michael Phelps, the Olympic Gold Medalist, is eating 12,000 calories per day.  What I eat in 6 days, and is still skinny as a rail, as my Grandma would say…

Morning after…IUD???

IUD more effective than morning after pill for emergency contraceptive. Don’t look for widespread US adoption unless the price comes down-it’s 7 times more expensive.  Remains way cheaper than an unwanted pregnancy.

Laser Light Show

A probe being developed at Mass. General Hospital marries two microimaging technologies could alert MD’s of clot formation in arterial stents well in advance of problems.

Great Reads Around The Blogosphere:

Donna heads back to Alaska at Surviving and Thriving.

Maria at Money Principle reviews a book on personal finance, and likes a quote about toilets and your pectoral muscles.  Maybe you should go read it….

Len Penzo  tells us how much it will cost us when we get a ticket for a driving infraction.  My kids still don’t believe I got a speeding ticket 2 years ago, cause I’m a notorious slow poke-I was going maybe 46mph, in a 35 construction  zone….

Lifehacker tells us we are more likely to lie in a phone call than in a text message response….Hmmm. Why??? Theories are when we have time to think, our answers are more likely to be truthful, and when we are under time pressure on a live call, we are more likely to say what we think the questioner wants to hear.

Steve Pavalina gives you 33 ways to improve your productivity. This is an oldy but goody from Steve P.

Giveaways

Win an Ipad2  from Jeremy Schoemaker @jeremy schoemaker through Twitter

United Airlines is giving away a trip to London to cheer on Team USA for the Summer Olympics.

Win $500 at Financial Higway

Carnivals

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie at One Smart Dollar

Financial Simplicity Carnival at Make Money Make Sense

Yakezie Carnival at Well Heeled Blog

Festival of Frugality at Money Wise Pastor

Carnival of Retirement at Portfolio Princess

Thanks for reading.  Let me know if you find something you think we should share here in our Follies, all nominations are welcome, but we only share the best here at the Friday Follies, at least we try…

Have a great weekend!

Dean and Cil!

{Photo Credit: barryskeates c.c.}

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by Cil Burke BSN

Twitter works for me.  Facebook?  Not so much.

I re-tweet with abandon, but only if I think the original tweet is too funny to keep to myself, or it would be helpful to a wider audience.  In short, I’m not a robotic retweeter.

Twitter led me to an article from the Harvard Business Review about functional fixedness, something I would never have discovered except for Twitter.

I realize fixedness is not a word. You tell the guy (Karl Duncker) who first tweeted, or um, explained it in the 1930′s.

Functional fixedness describes how the function of an object (or concept, really) is fixed in our brains.  When we see an object, we tend to see it for its traditional use, not the object itself, and its possibilities.

One common example is a hammer. When we see a hammer, we see something that pounds nails.  We might not think of it as a good paper weight, a potential door stopper, a work of art, or if tied to the end of a string a perfectly good pendulum.

The author of the HBR post uses a Titanic story to make his point.  The poor souls on the ill-fated ship looked only to the life boats on board for rescue.  The mammoth iceberg that took down the unsinkable Titanic offered solid ice on which passengers could wait for the rescuing ship that arrived 4 hours later.

Those who drowned never recognized the iceberg as a substitute for a life boat.  What if the captain of the Titanic had turned to his First Mate and said, ‘Good God, man, I see a floating surface that is  200 feet long.  Pull this ship up to it, use our anchor chains to make us fast, and let’s unload the passengers there, while we still have a chance!”

The author posits these fixed thoughts we have about objects are an enemy of innovation.  As a studier of creativity for many years,  he has a technique to help us rid our brains of these non-innovative fixed thoughts.   He suggests a method he calls the generic parts technique.

Generic Parts Technique

Using the generic parts technique requires looking at an object in a new or unique way- by breaking it down and describing in detail its various components.  What they are, not what they do.

Here are the steps:

• Describe the parts of the object in generic terms.  (Romance Book: A pile or stack 1″ thick of 250, 6″x8″ papers. Each paper contains typewritten words, bound by glue on one side of the stack, enclosed in cardboard cover on front and back 3mm thick with a picture of a muscular man holding a beautiful woman on top and a picture of a grey haired woman on the back sitting at a typewriter…..The papers are arranged so that an idea flows from one sentence to another that appears to tell a story….)
• Then divide the individual parts of the object, and describe them further. (Each page is made of  cotton fiber paper and contains words of varying lengths and sizing following a regular pattern with a number in the top right corner…)

Breaking Down Items Into Component Parts:

This breakdown of an object into its basic components may allow you to see the object for  it’s components or features, rather than the commonly accepted  function of the object. This process allows your creativity to be released without your functional fixation  paralyzing your thoughts.

This is probably what allowed the backwoods dwellers with out-houses to identify the Sears Catalog not as a way to acquire “stuff” because they had no money to buy stuff.  Their poverty did begat the necessity of finding alternative uses for items, so ‘Eureka’, here is a whole stack of toilet paper, or kindling for the fire and “they gave it away!”

In the article at the Harvard Business Review, the author shares the story of teaching his students the Generic Parts concept by looking at a candle.  The candle has been around for 5000 years-and basically looks the same now as it did then.  We may  have different colors and widths but otherwise a candle is a candle.

But no, the study group, using Generic Parts Technique altered the candle and came up with new design concepts.  Innovative designs even after 5000 years.  The new designs were  attractive to current candle manufacturers…

How cool is that?

What if we made a conscious effort to use the GPT ideas to view problems,  objects or concepts in our daily lives that may need improving.

Maybe allow us to use things we currently own in a new and unique way.  Who knows maybe we can simplify our lives and save money in the bargain.

What if we used GPT to examine our path to financial success?  Maybe we think of financial success in a fixed way.  Go to school, learn a skill, get a job, get a paycheck, save money, blah, blah blah….

What are the basic parts to financial success?

• Less spending-how do we spend our money now, so what are the generic steps involved in our shopping  Is there any unique way to change what we are doing to improve and save more?
• How do we save money now?  What are the steps involved from getting a paycheck to actually depositing the money into an account.  What can we do to make the process more likely to work, compared to what we are doing?
• How do we increase our income?  What are the methods we use now to make money? What are the steps?  We have knowledge and abilities we are paid to share. Are there other ways to use our talents that might allow  a different income stream?  We may need to break down our jobs into functional generic components and shine a creative light on each part.

We all want to embrace innovative ideas, but how do we go about having them?  The secret is looking at each aspect of our lives from a  different angle so that a new or improved solution can jump all over us.

It’ll make our brains work more creatively, a good thing, and might even make us happier, wealthier and more motivated.

What do you think?  Could your creativity use a boost?  Are the building blocks right in front of you, if you would just look at things a little differently?  Get into the habit of looking at problems and breaking them down into generic steps. If you can get your whole team looking at things in this way, the number and variation of new ideas could be limitless..

Go forth, and avoid functional fixedness-your life will be the better for it.

Don’t you just love Twitter?

Cil Burke BSN, Co-owner of The Millionaire Nurse Blog.

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You are in the break-room getting a cup of coffee and shooting the breeze with Ladon, your co-worker.   Actually, you’re rolling your eyes while he’s getting all hot under the collar about something or other-as he does almost every day.  You know from experience to expect his face to flush as a Bieber sighting teen as his voice hits a pitch high enough to make you wish you’d left your ear-buds in..

You turn around to grab the creamer for your coffee, hoping Ladon will calm down or get back to work. “Thunk” you hear as Ladon hit the floor,  looking as grey as that beached whale you saw at Nantucket last summer.  You finally yell for help after staring in disbelief, thinking “This must be a joke!”  Riggghhht….as you remember  Ladon has no sense of humor…

What Do You Do?

Your gut feels like it’s been kicked 35 minutes later as the EMT’s wheel Ladon out on a gurney.  The tech straddling him is pushing quickly on Ladon’s chest just like in the movies…Another is squeezing the balloon-like bag attached to a mask clamped to Ladon’s once familiar, but now foreign, face.  The EMT’s grim expressions speak volumes.  They don’t give Ladon much hope-it took seemingly forever for them to get to the 25th floor after fighting rush hour  traffic.

You felt so helpless during that 20 minutes waiting on help to arrive.  The office was crowded with crying hand wringing co-workers, who now lined the hallway. All have their own private thoughts watching their cubicle mate being physically abused by the techs as they vainly  try to jump-start his poor heart.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

This scenario or something similar occurs almost 300,000 times every year in our country.  It doesn’t just involve the elderly.  Children account for almost 7,000 cardiac arrests outside hospitals every year. Healthy kids playing with buddies one minute, not breathing and with no heart beat the next.

Who hasn’t heard of the young adult in his/her prime dead during a 5K, or a pick up basketball game?

You may just shake your head.  Think, “glad it wasn’t me” and move on.

Is there more you could do?

Learn CPR/AED Use

As the saying goes, if you’re not part  of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

The problem is the inadequate number of people trained in CPR, and the lack of Automatic Electronic Defibrillators readily available.

It is estimated that 40,000 lives across this country could be saved if an AED and someone who could use it were nearby.

Do You Have An AED AT Your Office?

Before you think, “that’s too complicated for me,”  if you can lean over, tie your shoes, turn on a computer, and can count to thirty, you can learn CPR and how to operate an AED.  It ain’t rocket surgery.

What should you do?

• Find a CPR/AED class.  It only takes a couple of hours, every other year to stay up to date with your training.
• Ask at your job, church, and gym if there is an AED onsite, make sure it’s not a dust covered paperweight, and that you know where it is.  If your company doesn’t own one, encourage  them to buy one.  Their liability is greater these days in not having one than in having one.  They can be purchased for less than 250 bucks for lower end models, but I would recommend getting an easy to operate device. They make ‘em so simple that just opening the box turns it on, and a computerized voice tells you exactly what to do.  Just like your GPS, and unlike with your GPS, you’re not likely to get lost.  Even Average Joe could do it.
• Participate in fundraisers to help buy them for your school, scout troop, church or any other place people gather.  If you’re in a civic club, encourage this as a project.
• Decrease your own chances of being a victim.  Eat right, exercise, get checkups, know your cholesterol and blood sugar, and get plenty of sleep.  Don’t let ‘stressed out’ be your default mood. (is your nickname Angry Bird??? that’s a sign…)

You never know. The life you save may be your Grandma, Mom, Dad, spouse, partner, child, co-worker, or, of course, your own….

Reader Questions: Do you know CPR/AED use?  Have you ever been in a situation where you wished you had?

{photo credit: danielguillemette  & frederickmdpublicity c.c.}

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What are your dreams?

Are you uncertain how to make them come true?  Join the crowd.

A few among us have decided to quit dreaming and start making things happen.  Sheila Saul is one of those.

The health and wellness arena, unlike the economy in general, has continued to grow.  Research and development in that industry is constantly delivering new products and an ever changing market of ideas and innovations.

Innovations are opportunities!

In our search around the globe for nurses who are expanding their traditional roles from the bedside to a more entrepreneurial arena, time and time again, we find nurses who have found a home in the area of prevention.   Nurses who want to help prevent disease rather than treat it in the traditional fashion.

Sheila Saul, the latest in our series about entrepreneurial nurses, has been a health care provider for many years.

Raised on an Oregon farm riding horses and milking cows, she is well grounded in what a healthy, active lifestyle is all about.  Even before nursing school, she was involved in sports that required discipline and training.

As an athlete, she brought to nursing the zeal to strive for better health for her clients through diet and exercise. These areas of her life were always intertwined, but she has found a way to emphasize wellness and therefore prevention in a way that is a better fit with her core values.

She made the change a couple of years ago after a pivotal experience one night in an Emergency Department setting.  A man came in with chest pain; he was overweight and had all the signs of someone who lived a ‘heart attack waiting to happen’ lifestyle.   Sheila made the decision to stop thinking about it and do it.  She wanted to live her values-help people before they had that life altering heart attack where so often the damage was irreparable.

Prevention and wellness offered her this opportunity.

She chose a new lifestyle by building a business focused on her values and that helps people lose weight, increase their energy, slow down the aging process and improve their athletic performance.  She also enjoys mentoring people and helping them to create their own wealth through wellness.

She is aligned with a company that is expanding around the world providing a great service for her clients and an excellent financial reward for her.

If you have ever considered taking that natural step and growing an online business focused on prevention, Sheila Saul can show you how it’s done.   She has an infectious laugh and loves to share her message.

Tips

During our interview, she gave me some great tips to share with anyone wanting to move into an entrepreneurial role:

• Find a mentor. Find someone you trust who is successful at doing what YOU want to do.
• Align yourself with a proven business plan.
• Find a product you absolutely love.
• Learn to share your passion, it may be awkward at first, but keep trying until it comes natural.

If you want to start an online business, all you need is a computer connected to the World Wide Web and the passion to succeed.

I asked Sheila my favorite interview questions: “Who can or should do this?  What personality type makes a great online entrepreneur?

Sheila: “Anyone.  My co-workers and associates are from all walks of life, but many are from the health care industry.”

Question 2: “What is the most challenging part of starting a successful online business?”

Sheila: “The challenge is for people to believe in themselves.   Getting over that mental hurdle.  Putting aside their fears and making the decision to try is a challenge.”

Question 3: What do you like the most about your new venture?

Bubbling, Sheila makes these comments without hesitation, “Connecting with people.  That’s what I loved so much about nursing.  In my new online business, I’m connecting with people who want to feel better.  I have helped so many people find a healthier lifestyle!” she continues,  “It’s rewarding and also fun to have such a positive impact on people’s lives!”

If you have an interest in finding out what has made Sheila so excited about what she does, email her.  If you’re interested, reach out. You can find her on facebook.  She loves to share her story with those interested in making extra money while helping others.

Do you have a final message for our readers?  Sheila’s answer:  “I am creating an income stream from a trillion dollar/year industry.  I enjoy the financial freedom and the lifestyle as I create my own hours and how I choose to work.  You can do it too!”

Check her out.

To TMN Readers, Thanks,

I do appreciate you, my readers.  It means a lot to me to know my thoughts and ideas have enough merit to keep you coming back.  I’m humbled beyond belief.

Dean and Cil contributed to this mess post…

{photo credit: mikelicht c.c.}

“Like” me please!

My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal.

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke and @cilburke

Like-Facebook

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Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

• Share the humor of the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight and explain new financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Friday Financial Follies

If you haven’t seen the Time magazine cover that has been flying around the web this week, then check it out here. What do you think?  When is it time to wean the child?

There is so much discussion recently about:

• helicopter parents,
• not letting our kids grow up,
• parents siding with kids rather than teachers,
• parents being their child’s best friend rather than a parent.

Does this mean we realize as a culture we’ve gone too far and it’s time to go back to real parenting?  Making the difficult decisions on how to best discipline a child and teach them to stand on their own two feet?  Is it possible this cover will trigger  that backlash???  Nahhh

Financial and Health Friday Follies

Stolen Bike Stolen Back

Cyclist finds his stolen bike on Craigslist and  steals it back. Common problem as  Craigslist is the new place to look for your stolen items.

Cure for Hiccups

Fool proof.  Hiccupops invented by a 13 year old as a cure for hiccups.   A patent for the Popsicle was applied for when she won top prize at the Connecticut Invention Convention.

Social Surgery

Brain surgery posted as a  live twitter feed and pinned on Pinterest.  Yep, it’s a first.

TwitPic

@Dave Dawes RT ‘What if the Male Avengers posed like the Female one?”

Hero Dog Texas Style

Shelter rescue dog who has repeatedly saved his master, wins national top dog hero award.

Observant Parishioner

Just a bit of humor found on the mighty Twitter: RT@davedawes

The Ugly Meter

If your friends won’t be honest and tell you how horrid you look, just turn to your smartphone app.  Digital to the rescue-again!

Macbooks: Urine Victim

Yep a youth is in trouble for peeing on and killing $35,000 worth of Macbooks.  A felony….

Does the Book Come with Handcuffs?

Bestselling book at USA Today: Fifty Shades-a sadomasochistic romances.  I’m sure there is a social commentary there.  I’ll have to ask Cil to read and review for us.  Cil replies, “What makes you think I”m not the author?”

Medical News

Nurses Intervene

One of the first ever studies to take a look at childhood obesity and  TV time-A nurse led intervention had an impact.

Bionic Eye for the Blind

A group of researchers in Australia hope to have a micro chip for use as a bionic eye available by 2014.

Health App

NeedToEat  offers healthy eating alternatives based on factors including your mood and the weather, variables that can alter healthy living.

Around the Blogosphere

American Debt Project starts off with a very funny customer service video and then proceeds to give some useful tips for sellers on eBay.

Maria at Money Principle is unabashedly emotional over a gift from a student.

Jai does a nice job of thanking his Mom for being his Mom at Jai Catalano Photography, the blog.

Derek  at the Bucksome Boomer writes about those pesky student loans that are bankrupting so many people.

J Money at Budgets Are Sexy unveils his new Blog Agency.  It sounds like a great idea and he’s getting good feedback.  Check it out.

The hosts of RN.FMRadio interviewed with Tamara Walker, RN. Tamara is the host of Blog Talk Radio show Ask MomRN

Giveaways

There are 2 days left to enter a $25 Amazon Gift-card  from Make Money Make Cents.

Thad Thoughts has a date night/Mother’s Day giveaway going until May 15.  Hustle on over there and take advantage.

Carnivals:

Carnival of Financial Planning at Living in Financial Excellence

Stock Carnival Ecstasy at Fast Swings

Working at Home Blog Carnival at Working at Home on the Internet

Carnival of Christian Family Information Exchange at Olin’s Blog

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie at Young and Thrifty

Financial Carnival for Young Adults at 20s Finances

Carnival of Money Pros at Financial Success  for Young Adults

Yakezie Carnival at One Cent at a Time

Life and Business Coach Carnival at Innovative Solutions for Positive Change

Carnival of Retirement at Simple Finance Blog

Festival of Frugality at See Debt Run

The Wealth Builder Carnival at My Wealth Builder

Baby Boomers Blog Carnival at Baby Boomers Blog

Have a great weekend.

Thanks,

I do appreciate you, my readers.  It means a lot to me to know my thoughts and ideas have enough merit to keep you coming back.  I’m humbled beyond belief.

Dean and Cil contributed to this mess post…

{photo credit: mikelicht c.c.}

“Like” me please!

My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal.

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke and @cilburke

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Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

What do Facebook, Twitter,  the guy’s locker-room at the gym, and the break-room at the hospital all have in common?  And why will efforts to stop cell-phone use while driving  fail just as miserably as prohibition?

These are all places  where we get to do something that turns us on!  We get to talk about  OURSELVES!

A new study at Harvard explains why we love Facebook and why we love to talk and share  our lives with others: what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, when we’re doing it, and who was with us when we did it.

Talking About Us Is Pleasurable TO US!

It activates one of the pleasure centers in our brain.  The same ones that eating, spending money and sex lights up on brain scans like Times Square on New Year’s Eve…

"Did you hear my son got into Harvard?"

“What does this mean?” “Why should I care?” you might be rightfully asking.  “Does this help me in my job, help me make more money, help me in my marriage?”

Yep, it will probably help you do all three if you’ll learn to harness this natural urge we all have  to go on and on about ourselves.

Because it’s the kinda guy I am, I’m going to share a secret technique for getting others to do things for you.

Shhh, it’ll need to be our secret.

The Secret:  How Do You Get People to Talk About Themselves and How to Use What They Say to Help You?

How do you do it?  First of all, it’s important to understand that you have to be careful with this secret power.  Why?  Because lighting up this area in the brain can be addicting.  We all love pleasure.

The difference between you and me and an addict is not just the ability to know when enough is enough.  Most addicts know they are doing too much of whatever it is they are doing.  It’s the ability to say no, to move on, to harness our desires by mentally deciding to say “No more” that separates us from the truly addicted.

“What’s the secret?” Gettin’ irritated aren’t you?  Patience my child….

The secret is:  “Letting others go on and on about themselves so much that you learn something valuable.  Something you can use to succeed.  Maybe in your negotiations for a raise, maybe to get yourself a better deal on your new car.  It basically gives you “An Edge!”

If you can make someone happy, they will be better customers, better patients, better wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends…..You get the drift…This magic power can be used ‘most anywhere.

How do you do it?  How do you use this newly discovered knowledge that talking about ourselves is so pleasing to our brains?

• Step one (and most important) Learn to shut your own mouth.  How can you let other people brag and talk about themselves if you’re so busy talking about yourself?
• Step two: Encourage others to talk about themselves.  This is an art. It may surprise the hell out of you, but some people have to be coerced into talking about themselves.  They may be shy, they may have been beaten by their parents for talking too much.  Learn the art of getting someone to let go, to let ‘er rip with  self-promoting banter.  You know it’s in there, just waiting to pop out.  (The study was done at Harvard, they can’t be wrong!)  You  just have to find  the key that turns people on.  You may have to lead the witness:   “I bet you did well in school?” “What’s that wonderful scent you’re wearing?” “Don’t you have grand-kids?”  Find their weakness!
• Step three: Be an active listener.  If you’re daydreaming while they’re going blah, blah, blah about themselves, then you may miss  the thing that will help you become successful that day. The thing that will give you an edge, help you close the deal!  As a nurse, you might miss your patient admitting they love to watch Dr Oz, but the TV is on the sports channel….Change the channel and tell ‘em where they can find their hero tomorrow when you’re off.   Your grade on their patient satisfaction survey will skyrocket!
• Step four: Learn the art of putting what you learn into action.  Just like in step three, when you find that nugget of information amongst the hours long soliloquy, pounce.  Know when and where to put it to work.  To do this you need to be aware of your end game. What is it you want from this person?  That neighbor who’s moving to Idaho tomorrow?  Kindness never hurts, but keep it brief.
• Step five: Practice, practice, practice.  Anyone you run into tomorrow can be your guinea pig.  Ask your partner where she learned to cook so well.  Ask the bus driver where he bought that great looking tie.  Ask your boss where he got his nails done? (first, be sure he gets them done…)  Soon you’ll be so good at getting people to tell their personal secrets, the CIA will be recruiting you.

Now we know why we spend so much of our time on Facebook, or Twitter.  Or why we go to Rotary.  We love to have a chance to talk about ourselves. Let’s harness that information to help us succeed.  When you make so much money you can retire, then you can talk about yourself all you want…

Shhh, don’t tell anyone our secret….

Reader questions:

Does it give you pleasure to talk about yourself?  Could you improve your ability to learn things about others that could help you in your job, your relationships?

{photo credit: digitalart2}

“Like” me please!

My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal.

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke and @cilburke

Like-Facebook

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Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

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Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

You think your car is killing you one quart of oil at the time.  Drip, drip, drip on your driveway. You feel the money leaking from your wallet in the same way: drip, drip, drip….  You can’t stand the idea of putting more hard-earned cash money into that 10 year old rag of a car that vomits smoke with the least tap of the gas….

You think: “Who would be stupid enough to throw good money after bad, throw money down the toilet, wasting away in Margaritaville.”  (Oops,  wrong metaphor…)

When is it time to rid yourself of the 4 wheeled  friend your vet would want to put down if it was the family pet?

I’m sorry to say it’s not an exact science. Everyone’s personal finance situation is different.

My buddy Len Penzo is a spreadsheet geek. He keeps up with the maintenance costs  on his automobile to the penny-the only accurate way to know what your car is costing you.  ‘Cause your memory will lie!

You can do the same thing in a paper notebook, or if you use Quicken or Mint.

Costs Of Transportation

Keep up with these costs:

A Hint: Don't Use This Auto Repair Shop!

• Routine oil changes and maintenance
• Tire replacement costs
• Upgrades (new music system or GPS)
• Repairs
• Insurance, tags and taxes
• Total gas costs, plus miles driven-this comes in handy to compare the payback time of a new vehicle.
• Your time involved in keeping the rust-bucket going. (spending 4 hours on the interstate waiting on a tow three times in a year may be enough justification even for me….)

These numbers added together at the end of the year are the total annual costs for your vehicle and transportation.

Hint,  we LIE to ourselves when faced with paying  a repair bill.

Some of us are more controlled.

We may just have a fleeting thought about trading when writing that check or swiping your credit card at the car repair shop.  “Damn, I wonder if it’s time to get another vehicle?”

As long as you don’t act on  these urges, no problem.  We all have ‘em.

Whether at work or home we have fleeting thoughts we just file away without seriously considering them.

Like those murderous thoughts you had as the amused plumber pulled a GI Joe and Terminator out of the toilet drain.  Your kid explains it all “I just wanted to see if they could swim, Daddy….”

If you catch yourself pulling into a car dealership or walking over to the new car section after paying that repair bill, phone a friend (or your banker) and let them talk you down from the high-wire you’re walking without a net.

Use the facts as your guide, not emotion

Then go home and run those figures above and see what your true annual costs are. The numbers won’t lie.

Consider buying a replacement vehicle if only:

• Your current transportation  costs are truly significant in relation to the vehicles worth and what it would cost to replace it..
• A trusted mechanic or two tells you a repair is not financially justified.

Remember, don’t let a few repair bills screw with your self-control and cause you to exchange a few hundred bucks on repairs for  a 5-7  year monthly payment.

Don’t be fooled by the temptress disguised as the clerk at the repair shop who says seductively through her little metal speaker: “We just got in a truckload of those 2013 hybrids.  They are sooo cute and get great mileage….”

Don’t worry how stupid you look, just plug  your ears with your fingers and whistle to yourself like you did when you walked past a graveyard  when you were a kid.  You’ll thank yourself later!

Reader questions:

What about you? You keep your car running with baling wire and duct tape?  Or as soon as it needs an oil change you’re thinking of its replacement.?

Dean

{photo credit: stevensnodgrass c.c.}

Best In Nurse Blogs:

Several nursing blogs this week discuss Nurses Week and the sometimes futile attempts by their employers to let their nurses know they are appreciated as a valued member of the team.

I would say that most nurses would appreciate just that sentiment: being valued….. but on a daily basis, but yes, most appreciate free food, if the nurse bloggers are any indicator of universal preferences…..

Nurses should be respected for the job they do, they should be supported in their attempts to grow their knowledge base, they should be sought out for their opinion and recommendations for improving the delivery of exceptional care, and they should be provided with the tools they need to do their job.  Of course they should be paid a competitive wage for this service.

Happy Nurses Week!

For nurses to deserve and command this type of respect, requires them to come to work prepared to serve with a smile in their heart.  They should be life long learners striving to improve in both their service and their work ethic.

When this mutual respect is at its best, you’ll have Nurses Week atmosphere every day all year long.  That would be a goal to strive for.

Let’s get started with,

The Best Nurse Blogs

Caveat: Not a Nurse

ePatient Dave has a slide presentation on  patient compliance worth a look, I like the term achievement over compliance too!

Students say the darnedest things

At Your Cervix has a not-to-be-missed list of things discussed in her mid-wife student forum....Sometimes you truly do laugh out loud…

Skateboard?  I’m thinking broken bone…

Get your kid groove on says Kevin Ross at Innovative Nurse.

Alcohol Does The Darnedest things…

Whose hallucinating about which hallucination? I don’t know, but Nurse K can be funny!

Tattoos and Needles

Needle phobias and the extreme tattooed.  A cartoon at ER Nurses Care.

Billionaires Get Special Treatment

JParadisiRN discusses Warren Buffett’s prostate cancer diagnosis.  J points out the dichotomy/contradiction of hoopla/major media outrage over too much treatment/intervention (prostate cancer in elderly) and too little evaluation/early detection (mammograms in your 40′s).{ Yes/that/was/fun!}

Could that be why health care is so expensive?  It’s what I call the Burger King Phenomenon: We all want health care our way, and we want it NOW!  This is why universal health care is a noble but impossible goal in our country. For it to work financially without breaking the country we will HAVE to establish guidelines limiting diagnostic testing,  and access to certain treatments, both medications and surgery (so-called best practices).  Unlike in other countries, I  don’t think Americans will allow grandma to die without intervention even with her terminal illness or to go without dialysis when she has 18 chronic medical conditions.  Who  is this unelected board and how can they tell me how to treat my Momma….  (OK, I will get off my soap-box now.)  Everyone will demand every known treatment every time or they will get on Twitter or 60 Minutes and cry about Granny abuse…. (well, maybe I won’t get off my soap-box, it’s my soap-box.)  And without serious liability reform, no physician is ever going to limit diagnostic testing, it ain’t happening…

OK, sorry, back to the blogs….

Pleasure Island, Hmmm, I’d like to go there…

Yoga Nurse discusses self-care, both our  lack of proper self care  and its treatment.

Welcome!

We welcome jeanhill, a new writer,  at Toronto Emerg’s blog: Those Emergency Blues: Senior staff first in line for breaks is the topic.

Malpractice Prevention:

Keeping lawyers away, is Barbara’s objective at the Nurse Practitioners Business Blog.

The Lonely Nurse

The lone nurse can be a lonely place says Joni at Nursetopia.… I assumed the title meant in a clinical situation, but the boardroom is probably a more frightening place to someone who hasn’t been there.   Many folks sitting around board room tables really are looking for rubber stamps rather than genuine input and opinions.  Just my opinion…having been in a lot of boardrooms…

Miracle Disappearing Tumor

The Nerdy Nurse describes her vanishing brain tumor and the not so nice sequelae of proving its absence.

If you missed it?

Check out another in Cil’s series of interviews with Nurse leaders and entrepreneurs, this one with Robin Menefee, highlighting her leadership training.

Happy Nurses Day, (early)

And in closing, Nurse Keith at Digital Doorway wishes you would treat yourself the way you think you should be treated for National Nurses Day.  Don’t forget to check out RNFM Radio, hosted by Keith and his buds every Monday evening.

Thanks for reading.

And if you have a Nurse related blog not on my blogroll you want to promote, just leave the URL with a comment below.  We are always looking for new nursing blogs to promote.

Happy Nurses Week!

Dean and Cil

“Like” me please!

My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal.

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Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

• Share the humor of the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight and explain new financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Friday Financial Follies

With Cinco De Mayo this weekend I thought this review of the day’s historical background was interesting.  Like many holidays the history is long forgotten, but the partying is just beginning.  Most, like me before I read that link, think of Cinco De Mayo as Mexican Independence Day, but that’s actually in September…

Moderation is the best prevention!

How ’bout you? Going to a Cinco De Mayo celebration? Any beer involved?  Is it Mexican beer?

Cheers to ya! Let’s get started with:

Financial and Health Follies

Times Are Tough (What about Down to the Bare Bones?)

Florida motel goes nude to boost bottom (or is it top) line.

Nurse Anesthesia Debate

The debate over supervision for Nurse Anesthetists continues to rage, this time in the Colorado courts.

Wedding Debt Extraordinaire

I thought weddings were expensive in the US, boy was I surprised:  The cost of getting married in South Korea averages $200,000.  The average annual salary in South Korea-less than $50,000/year

Bed Racing On Duval Street

It’s that time again, bed racing in the Florida Keys.  Like Vegas and New Orleans, you never know what you’ll see at the Keys.

Romance on the job-not too smart!

Recorded by students: Principle and secretary  in passionate embrace on school grounds.  Young  Spielbergs or Jerry Springers in the making???

Hope For Wheelchair Bound

A wearable robot (bionic exoskeleton) that allows wheelchair patients to stand and walk.  Not science fiction, cool stuff.

Spending Returns

Visa reports a great quarter, credit card spending going back up. A billion dollar profit in the first quarter….Sad to see after card use was dropping.

Preterm Births Too High

Too many preterm births in the USA.

Inspirational 6 Year old’s Lemonade Stand

He wanted to raise money for his Dad who is undergoing chemo for cancer.  Word spread, the lemonade sold, and the kid raised $10,000.

Around the Blogosphere

The latest podcast with the worlds brightest panel of commentators: Worst of the Free Financial Advisor, Episode 7: Top 5 Annuity Traits, at The Free Financial Advisor

James Altucher writes a story about Lisa, his hair dresser who lost 100lbs.  Great story and great nutrition and fitness tips.

Seth Godin warns against catastrophizing.  I’m pretty sure he made up the word, but he is Seth after all so he can get away with it…His sentiment, as usual is dead on.  I’m going to try to quit catastrophizing myself…

Erin at The Dog Ate My Wallet is passionate about A Look at Unemployment

Shaun at Smart Family Finance writes about, of all things, writing!

Maria at The Money Principle posts Part II in her look at seasonal analogies and your debt/spending profile.

Giveaways

Donna at Surviving and Thriving has a big 2 year anniversary giveaway going and a new site design.  Love the new look Donna!

$25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway at Make Money Make Sense

2 Cinemark Platinum Movie Passes and $50 in Dining Dollars offered at Thad Thoughts and given by Matt Dale at Moolala.com
The offer runs through May 15.

Couple Money has a Fuel Challenge for the month of May.  3 people can win either Paypal money or Amazon gift cards.

Read the review of Andrew Hallam’s Millionaire Teacher by Fox at Finance Fox and then enter to win a copy.

Carnivals

Financial Carnival for Young Adults at 20s Finances

Yakezie Carnival at The Frugal Toad

The Life and Business Coach Carnival at Innovative Solutions for Positive Change

Easy Six Figure Income Blog Carnival at Lisa’s Six Figure Income

Carnival of Retirement at Young, Cheap Living

Top Personal Finance Posts of the Week at Personal Finance Whiz

Carnival of Money Pros at My Journey to Millions

Baby Boomers Blog Carnival at Baby Boomers the Blog

Thanks,

I do appreciate you, my readers.  It means a lot to me to know my thoughts and ideas have enough merit to keep you coming back.  I’m humbled beyond belief.

Have a great weekend!

Dean and Cil contributed to this mess post…

{photo credit: mikelicht c.c.}

“Like” me please!

My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal.

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Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

by Cil Burke BSN

Airport security lines can be long and often move slower than cold molasses.  Being the impatient type, I immerse myself in people watching as the herd slowly shuffles forward.

I’m free to observe these strangers who are just as bored as I.  This time, I got lucky.   The backside of the guy in front of me was way too cute to forget.  Those designer jeans fit him jussssst right….

Finally, we’re past the full body scanners and X-Ray machines, bare feet and all the rest.  This is where I’m most concerned about losing my stuff-chaos is an understatement as people are trying to get dressed, re-cram all their liquids back in their bags, and not look guilty-all at the same time…  I lean down,  slip on my shoes and then  reach  to grab my lap-top.

Oops, the bin just ahead of mine still had Mr Cute Butt’s  lap-top in it.  I looked around, knowing I would recognize him at any distance, but he was long gone.

The financial loss of these items is large, but there is so much more involved when we lose our electronic valuables.

Where's Your iPad??

That ‘left-behind’ laptop had plenty of company.  We don’t do so badly with the smaller things like phones, according to an article I read recently in the WSJ.  We don’t do so well with the larger items like laptops.  iPads and the other tablets seem to be taking the number of  ‘lost’ electronics to a whole new level.

There are hundreds of iPads warehoused by the airlines according to that article above.  In San Francisco, Virgin America Airlines reports they hold them for 30 days and then donate them to charity.

What makes iPads so easy to lose and so hard to retrace?

• iPads easily hide in seat back pockets at the end of the trip.
• iPads only come in 2 colors.
• An iPad without unique identifiers is hard for the finder to trace.
• More kids are using them for movies and games and then leaving them behind.
• People don’t file claims thinking they were stolen.
• People don’t always remember where they left the items.
• When someone does call to claim an item, there is a room full of identical devices.

Airlines Try But the Problem Is:

• Emailing or calling seat owners only works if that information is on file.
• Planes are often not cleaned thoroughly after each flight and those black covered pads are hard to see in that seat pocket stuffed with your old magazines and newspapers.
• The ‘findmyiPad’ function only works if Wireless Internet is available.

What Can You Do? Ten Ways To Get Home With Your iPad

1. Apple can engrave the information for you or you can securely tape a business card  to the back.
2. Use a brightly colored case you can’t miss in a messy airplane.
3. Set up a phone # on the screen saver, visible even if it’s locked.
4. Keep a list of your electronic device’s serial numbers.
5. When purchasing a ticket online, don’t skip that ‘Cellphone number here’ tab.
6. Keep up with your flight #s and seat assignments for each leg of a trip-and save them until you are home safe with all your valuables.
7. Make your kids keep their tablets in a mesh front pocket in their book-bag where it’s easy for Mom and Dad to see when leaving.
8. Don’t put iPads in the seat pocket, although the next guy in your seat may appreciate your generosity…
9. Don’t put off reaching out to the airlines even if you aren’t sure where you left it-I know you are busy when you get home, but a quick email may save you $499+ on replacement.
10. Know how many devices you take on the plane, and do a quick re-count while waiting on the airline door to open-this method has worked for years to keep from losing sponges during surgery.

As Soon as  You Realize it’s Lost

• File a claim
• Enable ‘find my iPad.’ It will make a sound that helps with the search.
• Cancel any automatic subscriptions and deal with any credit cards/passwords or other personal data that might be associated with the device.

Just so you know, computer equipment is excluded from airline liability and reimbursement,  surprise, huh?

Yep, they’re great little items, but the problem is they’re too big for a pocket, and too small to always be in your way.  We’ve just got to try to keep track of them.

Reader Questions:

Have you lost an Ipad or other electronic device?  Did you get it back?  Did you try?

{Photo Credit:  DearEdward c.c.}

“Like” me please!

My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal.

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke and @cilburke

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Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?