Keep Your Thumb From Doing Double-time
August 11, 2007
If you’re old enough to remember being taught to type on an actual typewriter, you were probably taught to add two spaces after the end of a sentence. The reason for this was because typewriters had a fixed amount of space for each character.
Because of this, it was hard to distinguish where one sentence ended and the other began. Adding two spaces helped bring this separation out.
The Computer Is Not A Typewriter.
When computers came onto the scene, their ability to make more efficient use of the space for each character made this separation unnecessary. Yet, you’ll still find double spaces here and there (e.g., emails, websites).
Is it a cardinal sin to add two spaces? Nope, but why continue making your thumb do double-time when typing when it’s not really necessary? Just think how much time you’ll save typing.
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Written by 
Mark · Filed Under Tips | 19 Comments
5 Sympathies For The Devil
May 10, 2007
I’ve been meaning to branch out a little with my writing. When I found out about Problogger’s group writing contest, I saw this as an opportunity to do just that.
As I grow older, I continue to wonder how things have gotten so out of hand in our American society. I’m not talking about the war on terror or how the world has come to view this country. I’m talking about the absence of justice within its borders. Where are the values we once held so dear?
As children we had youth to blame for our ignorance. Even though we may have been vaguely aware of the issues of the day, we did so on the sidelines and left it to mom and dad to handle. Fast forward to today, some adults still hold tight to that ignorance and blame others for their shortcomings, and leave it to the courts to handle.
Many factors come into play that cause “ripples” to flow through our society. As they collide with one another, they compound the problem and turn into waves. I equate these waves to sympathies for the devil because if people weren’t so sympathetic to his wishes, the world would be a better place. Oh, they don’t see that they’re being sympathetic, but their actions have the same affect, nonetheless.
These are five things I think give him reason to look up to us and smile: 
That’s illegal, not immigration in general.
You want to live in my country? Okay, just…do it…legally, thanks.
It’s the soft approach (if you can call it an approach at all) that the American government has taken with illegal immigration that has encouraged a feeling of security with said immigrants. Millions of illegals and their sympathizers are marching saying they’re not criminals, why they have rights too, how they’re so mistreated.
Stop, you’re making me cry. 
You are criminals (you broke the law getting here), you have no rights in our country (save for the basic human rights everyone deserves), and you have definitely not been mistreated with all the freebies you’ve been leeching off of hard-working Americans who have to pay more still to get what you get for free.
Show a little respect for yourself, for your children, and just do the right thing by going to the back of the line.
And stop expecting to have everything translated. We speak English here.
A woman in Florida is facing two years in prison because she had her young child stand up to a bully in school. No one was harmed, but come on! Two years? A man steals a woman’s purse and gets a lengthy sentence, but another one sells drugs to kids and gets a lesser sentence. Good grief!
The justice system has been turned upside down. Outrageous sentences for minor offenses. Mild sentences for horrendous crimes. Make the punishment fit the crime. Why is that so difficult?
Another notch in the devil’s belt is this little gem. Everyone has gotten so wound up about offending others that not only are they willing to bend over backwards and then some to accommodate them, but people are willing to jump down someone’s throat if you so much as look at them cross-eyed.
Come on! No one has a right not to be offended. It will happen and while I agree it may be painful/embarrassing/difficult at times, I can assure you it will pass and you won’t need someone to sue to see you through to the next day. Get a little tougher, please.
When kids get hurt, they run to their mommies. When adults get hurt, they run to their lawyers. It doesn’t matter if the adult is the one to blame in the first place. They’ve been hurt, darnit, and by golly someone’s going to pay for that!
Why? Whatever happened to just standing up and saying, “I screwed up! I shouldn’t have been blow-drying my hair while taking a shower, I know, but I was running late to work and it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
The gene that’s responsible for making us feel responsible has somehow been given a shot of novacaine. Instead of taking responsibility, we’ve chosen to pay lawyers large sums of money to distract us from doing the right thing because hey: it’s all about winning, right? I take that back. It’s about winning and making sure others lose.
Did I miss a memo somewhere along my life? You know the one that everyone else seems to be referring to. I think it goes something like this:
I, [state your name] hereby promise to follow this code of conduct. I’m going to:
- be the winner (and make sure you know you’re the loser)
- be right (even though I’m not)
- prove that you’re wrong (even though you may be right)
- gloat (your pain is my gain)
- ignore your needs (because if I don’t, then that means time away from me paying attention to my needs)
- scream the loudest (because even though I may be wrong, the squeakiest wheel gets the grease)
- make sure to pull you down with me (because taking blame is a heavy load to bear and I need your help carrying it)
- call you names and make you look bad (which will somehow make me look good)
- count my money and count/spend yours for you
- I’m tired of waiting for what I want so I’ve decided I’m entitled to it, therefore you should give it to me because it now sounds more important
Seriously, does any of this sound familiar? Surely it must be obvious to even the most casual observer that something’s not right with the way things are today.
It has been said that “the devil is in the details.” Well, there are a lot of details he’s been in lately. And as long as people continue to give in to his interests, continue to take the easy way or runaway from responsibility instead of facing the challenge head-on, we’re only encouraging him and things won’t get any better.
I welcome your comments.
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Written by Mark · Filed Under Blogging, Enough Already, Tips | 51 Comments
Stop Doing These 17 Things
April 23, 2007
I was browsing the Web — as I often do — and stumbled upon this great post over at Productivity501. In fact, the entire site is a great resource for time management tips, so much so that I’ve added it to my blogroll.
This particular post lists 17 things that you’re probably doing, but shouldn’t. The goal of this is to make better use of your time and become a little wiser for it.
Do you continue to deposit your checks at the bank instead of using direct deposit? Pay your bills by snail mail instead of elelctronically? How about backing up to CDs? Personally, I could relate to a few of these things and will endeavor to try to improve. How many things do you indulge in?
The author, Mark Shead, covers a wide range of topics: software tips, activity enhancements for business and personal experiences, and much more.
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Written by Mark · Filed Under Tips | Leave a Comment
How You Can Save Money On Your Credit Cards
March 15, 2007
Credit card companies have a little secret they don’t like to actively make public. It’s called the “universal default clause”. These three words carry a lot of force behind them because it means if you happen to pay late on, say, your car loan or even your electricity bill, your credit card company could increase your interest rate by several orders of magnitude.
“Wait, they can penalize me for being late on a payment that’s totally unrelated to them?” Absolutely, and it drives me crazy that they can do this.
Their logic goes like this: if you’re a credit risk to others, then you could be a credit risk to them. So before you become that risk, they want to protect their interest by charging you an arm and a leg (in addition to the other two they’re already charging you for).
So let me get this straight: I’m a little short on cash so I decide to purchase something on credit. I’ve agreed to pay a minimum payment plus interest on a monthly basis. But something comes up that causes me to spend money on something I normally don’t, like car repair. Consequently, I miss my payment to (queue the ominous voice) Bank of the Northern Hemisphere. The bank freaks and thinks that by charging me up to 30 percent extra on my bill for as long as I have my account with them that will somehow magically create money in my wallet so they can get their cut?
Riiiight.
I’m not a math wizard, but I am a thinker. And my thinker tells me this has less to do with protecting their interests and more to do with them creating an excuse to satisfy their greed.
So, in addition to paying your bills when you’re supposed to, what can you do?
First, don’t live outside your means. If you don’t have the money for it, and it’s not critical you have it, wait until you have the money to buy it.
Second, if you are struggling, don’t wait for things to get out of hand before asking for help from creditors. They may have a receptive ear if you call them up first to work out some sort of payment plan.
Third, read the fine print that comes with your statement. If it’s not clear, call up the bank and ask them outright, “What can affect my interest rate?” This is particularly useful if you do this BEFORE you sign up with them. If your creditor does have a universal default clause, transfer your balance to some other bank.
Fourth, check your credit report: AnnualCreditReport.com or FreeCreditReport.com. You should be doing this regularly anyway to check for unauthorized activity.
Hey, sometimes late payments happen, and banks are entitled to protecting their interests, but gimme a break! Do they have to be so voracious about it?
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Written by Mark · Filed Under Tips | 4 Comments
7 Tips for Successful Job Hunting
March 11, 2007
A few years ago I went through a rather tough time when I lost my job. I worked for a large telecommunications company and they were letting go of their employees by the thousands - literally. I was in denial in my last days, hoping that I’d dodge the bullet, but when I got *the call* from my boss to have a meeting with him the following Monday morning (he never did that), I knew my time had run out.
It was a long year and a half before I found full-time employment again. Stress was my constant companion. At times, there seemed to be no hope in sight. But I made it.
If you’re suffering from job loss, here are a few bits of advice that should help you:
Tip #1: Network like crazy
“Get out and meet people,” is what I heard people say. But if you’re an introvert like I was back then, then it’s one challenge among many you have to face. It’s still good advice and will definitely increase your chances to getting that next best job.
I’m a strong advocate of LinkedIn. Basic membership is free and it can help you get introduced to people that work at companies you want to work for. Believe me — it works. I found my job that way. They even offer a free toolbar for your web browser that can tell you how many of your connections are related to the company’s web site you’re viewing.
Tip #2: Network some more
More people get jobs through people they know than they do by responding to an ad. That’s a fact. The importance of face-to-face meetings can’t be ignored. Ask friends if they know of any places that offer such services (don’t forget to ask them if their companies are hiring, too!).
Churches often sponsor their own networking meetings and not just for church-goers. Recruiting agencies could help point you to some I’m sure. Each networking meeting I went to offered emotional support and job leads, and in some cases, had computers to assist me with my job search.
Tip #3: Keep your resume to no more than two pages
Sure it’s tempting to put everything you’ve ever done down on paper. But the truth of the matter is that the longer your resume is and the more cluttered it is, the more likely you are to be pushed to the side. Recruiters need simplicity. You give that to them by making your resume easy to read and to the point.
Tip #4: Confide in someone
If you’re married, talk to your spouse. If you’re not married, then find someone you can go to that will be supportive — a priest, a friend. Doesn’t matter who, but it does matter to know that you don’t have to go it alone. There’s no shame in being without a job.
Tip #5: Get free business cards.
VistaPrint is a service I used to print professional business cards. I just put my contact information on them and handed them out to people when appropriate. Not only are you making it easy for people to contact you, but it also makes you look like you mean business. Hiring managers like that.
Tip #6: Pray
Yes, pray. Pray for strength to make one more call or send out one more job application. Pray for vision and hope as they are easy to let go when things don’t go your way.
Tip #7: Keep a record of what you apply for and follow-up
If you’re serious about finding a job, you’re going to be busy looking for every opportunity you can and that can add up after a while. If you keep a record of what you applied for, to whom and when, then you’ll make it easier on yourself to follow-up with those companies. Don’t let yourself get buried under the competition. Call attention to yourself by following-up with recruiters. Be professional and don’t be pushy with them, but by simply making the effort, you’ve already pushed yourself up a notch or two, thus increasing your chances of staying on the recruiter’s mind. Perhaps using Google’s Notebook might be a place to record this information. That way you could access it from any computer.
There’s lots more advice out there, but these seven things can help you lay the groundwork to make your job hunting a success!
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Written by Mark · Filed Under Tips | 3 Comments
