I hate comic books.
No, that's not entirely true. It's not so much comic books themselves that I hate. There are plenty that I really enjoyed over the years. Preacher, Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, and Spawn were all a lot of fun. Sandman was better than a lot of books I've read.
The problem is all the baggage owning them entails. You can't just stick 'em in a box and forget about them. You have to store them in individual bags with cardboard. And you have to keep them standing upright in giant white boxes. In my case, 10 giant white boxes. Each box weight around 75 pounds, but it might as well be 375 pounds. That's how is feels after carrying a couple of them up and down the stairs.
I really don't mean to gripe, but sometimes you just have to. Since I had separated out all of the completed sets into smaller boxes, my 10 giant stackable white boxes have become over 20 non-stackable smaller boxes, which are now scattered all over the basement. They're a little more exposed now too, most likely a prime target for the cats to chew on / puke on / pee on or do any other number of things that cats do.
Well, there's not too much I can do about it other than get them sold. I'll list the full sets and single issues on a variety of places, including craigslist, ebay, and a couple of sites that buy comics. We'll see how it goes.
I don't necessarily regret buying them, but if given the change to go back and do it all over again, I definitely wouldn't. (Or is that the definition of regret?) Either way, that's the test Dave Ramsey gives people when it comes to selling something. If you could buy it today, would you? The answer is "no" so that means the comics need to go.
I would still pick up the graphic novels to Sandman and Preacher though. And maybe some of the Alan Moore Swamp Thing and Garth Ennis's run of Hellblazer. That's still great stuff.
I'll start listing stuff this weekend and post a happy-braggy post after they are all gone.
Showing posts with label General. Show all posts
Showing posts with label General. Show all posts
June 10, 2014
June 7, 2014
How to sell your comic book collection in 24 hours (well, maybe 1% of it)
So here's what I did. With a neighborhood garage sale underway over the weekend, I decided at the last minute to put my comics out there. I put in for a vacation day Friday, my wife put together an awesome craiglist add and some great signs, and then I stayed up until the ungodly hour of 1:30 (Hey, for me that's late) taking inventory and getting everything priced out.
I made the terrible mistake of buying the overwhelming majority of my comics in the 1990s. And none of them were superhero books, either, so I'm already at the big disadvantage of missing out on the "spontaneous purchase for the whiny kid" market.
Here is one conversation I know I would not be hearing over the weekend:
"Whaaa, Daddy, buy me that issue of Verotika!"
"Okay, son, hope you enjoy that space-mutant-bondage story as much as I did."
Well, before I get put on any lists, I'll get back to the sales prep. I've got ten long boxes full. To the laymen out there, that translates to "A whole hell of a lot of comics". Most are complete sets of DC Vertigo stuff, which is generally considered to be for "mature readers." Some are big sets, like Swamp Thing or Hellblazer, and some are expensive sets, like Preacher.
I didn't want to split up any of the complete sets I have, so I pulled them out and put each set in a separate box. It looked really neat:
It looked better on Friday when I had them on a couple of tables outside under a tent, but we took this picture after we had to set them up inside on Saturday to avoid the rain. Sadly, we couldn't avoid the snakes the like hanging around outside the garage, but that's a story for another lifetime, preferably in Ireland.
So I put all the sets together at just under "ebay sold" prices, and then put everything else in two-for-a-dollar boxes.
Here's where I went wrong, at least from a garage sale point of view. People don't show up at a garage sale planning to drop a couple hundred bucks on a complete set of Swamp Thing. They go to garage sales to browse for a bargain. Most of the comic collectors who came said that the prices were good--most books ended up listed at less than a dollar--but if you have the first 135 issues of Spawn, for example, in a box for $100, it's just too much for a garage sale.
Over half of the stuff I did sell came from the 2-for-a-dollar boxes. I think I would have made a lot more money by splitting up most of the sets and putting everything out there in dollar boxes.
But that's okay. My motive here wasn't necessarily to sell the collection, but to learn. I have no idea what the best way to sell 1990s mature label comics is, so this was one way that didn't work out so well. I did have interest in some of the larger sets ("Good price, but I can't afford it", "I don't want to buy it, but don't break it up, and don't cut the price") so we'll see how it goes if/when I try selling stuff online.
In the end, it was kind of fun hanging out in the garage, talking comics with people, and meeting a lot of neighbors that I hadn't met before. I don't know if I'd do it again, but if I do I'll definitely have to do it a different way.
I made the terrible mistake of buying the overwhelming majority of my comics in the 1990s. And none of them were superhero books, either, so I'm already at the big disadvantage of missing out on the "spontaneous purchase for the whiny kid" market.
Here is one conversation I know I would not be hearing over the weekend:
"Whaaa, Daddy, buy me that issue of Verotika!"
"Okay, son, hope you enjoy that space-mutant-bondage story as much as I did."
Well, before I get put on any lists, I'll get back to the sales prep. I've got ten long boxes full. To the laymen out there, that translates to "A whole hell of a lot of comics". Most are complete sets of DC Vertigo stuff, which is generally considered to be for "mature readers." Some are big sets, like Swamp Thing or Hellblazer, and some are expensive sets, like Preacher.
I didn't want to split up any of the complete sets I have, so I pulled them out and put each set in a separate box. It looked really neat:
 |
| This is about half of them... |
It looked better on Friday when I had them on a couple of tables outside under a tent, but we took this picture after we had to set them up inside on Saturday to avoid the rain. Sadly, we couldn't avoid the snakes the like hanging around outside the garage, but that's a story for another lifetime, preferably in Ireland.
So I put all the sets together at just under "ebay sold" prices, and then put everything else in two-for-a-dollar boxes.
Here's where I went wrong, at least from a garage sale point of view. People don't show up at a garage sale planning to drop a couple hundred bucks on a complete set of Swamp Thing. They go to garage sales to browse for a bargain. Most of the comic collectors who came said that the prices were good--most books ended up listed at less than a dollar--but if you have the first 135 issues of Spawn, for example, in a box for $100, it's just too much for a garage sale.
Over half of the stuff I did sell came from the 2-for-a-dollar boxes. I think I would have made a lot more money by splitting up most of the sets and putting everything out there in dollar boxes.
But that's okay. My motive here wasn't necessarily to sell the collection, but to learn. I have no idea what the best way to sell 1990s mature label comics is, so this was one way that didn't work out so well. I did have interest in some of the larger sets ("Good price, but I can't afford it", "I don't want to buy it, but don't break it up, and don't cut the price") so we'll see how it goes if/when I try selling stuff online.
In the end, it was kind of fun hanging out in the garage, talking comics with people, and meeting a lot of neighbors that I hadn't met before. I don't know if I'd do it again, but if I do I'll definitely have to do it a different way.
May 10, 2014
Backbreaking Labor and Baby Monitors (and other scary stuff, too)
Today was an interesting day.
Our baby hasn't slept through the night in a long time. I think this is mostly because she's still in our room. She's a pretty light sleeper and if I stay up late writing, I wake her up when I go to bed.
I'm also a weird sleeper. I need the right position, the right amount of clothing, and the right amount of blankets (in the right place) before I can fall asleep. Once I get there, I'm out immediately, but sometimes that can take a half hour. After I get up to go to the bathroom, which happens far to often, I have to do it all over again.
In other words, my constant tossing, turning, and walking around wakes up the baby and then we're all screwed.
It sucks, but come on, how could you not love a face like this:
So anyhow, we finally decided to move out of our (her) room today. This meant first moving everything in the computer room/library down to the basement. That was hard enough, but then came moving everything from our bedroom down to what was previously the computer room, including a king-size bed that didn't want to squeeze through hallways or around corners very well.
After everything got done, I fell to the floor and whined and cried about my back while my wife gave the kids baths. We set up the baby monitor and put them to bed.
And that brings us to the baby monitor.
Let me share with you a little secret: I'm scared to death of baby monitors. If you've seen Insidious, you'd understand. That reminds me, I'm still putting off the sequel to that one. Now that I have to do all my writing in the basement in the middle of the night, I might not ever watch that one. It is, after all, common knowledge that most, if not all, basements are haunted.
So what I was going to do tonight was work on a new horror short story. I found this really cool list, 20 Terrifying Two-Sentence Horror Stories That Will Keep You Up At Night and was going to use it for writing prompts/inspiration. But then I read them and got freaked out.
So now I'm going to go to bed and hope I don't have nightmares about Number 8 on that list...
Our baby hasn't slept through the night in a long time. I think this is mostly because she's still in our room. She's a pretty light sleeper and if I stay up late writing, I wake her up when I go to bed.
I'm also a weird sleeper. I need the right position, the right amount of clothing, and the right amount of blankets (in the right place) before I can fall asleep. Once I get there, I'm out immediately, but sometimes that can take a half hour. After I get up to go to the bathroom, which happens far to often, I have to do it all over again.
In other words, my constant tossing, turning, and walking around wakes up the baby and then we're all screwed.
It sucks, but come on, how could you not love a face like this:
So anyhow, we finally decided to move out of our (her) room today. This meant first moving everything in the computer room/library down to the basement. That was hard enough, but then came moving everything from our bedroom down to what was previously the computer room, including a king-size bed that didn't want to squeeze through hallways or around corners very well.
After everything got done, I fell to the floor and whined and cried about my back while my wife gave the kids baths. We set up the baby monitor and put them to bed.
And that brings us to the baby monitor.
Let me share with you a little secret: I'm scared to death of baby monitors. If you've seen Insidious, you'd understand. That reminds me, I'm still putting off the sequel to that one. Now that I have to do all my writing in the basement in the middle of the night, I might not ever watch that one. It is, after all, common knowledge that most, if not all, basements are haunted.
So what I was going to do tonight was work on a new horror short story. I found this really cool list, 20 Terrifying Two-Sentence Horror Stories That Will Keep You Up At Night and was going to use it for writing prompts/inspiration. But then I read them and got freaked out.
So now I'm going to go to bed and hope I don't have nightmares about Number 8 on that list...
March 30, 2014
A sample workout plan for busy people
Like I said in my previous post, exercise is something that is important to me. While there are times that I would like to dedicate more time to keeping in shape and (in theory) looking good, but there's just too much going on right now.
I know I'm not the only one in the world with a long commute. I know I'm not the only one with young kids. That's why I wanted to write this up. For all of us busy people out there, we need to squeeze in as much exercise as we can.
It's not about doing the bare minimum in a week, but about doing the maximum you're allowed in the time you have.
The first thing I learned was to give up the idea of a training split. That's where you train a specific group of muscles (or an individual one like chest) each day. I got my best results from a four-day split, but if I can't be guaranteed to make it to the gym four days a week, that type of workout is a bust. Same things for 3-day or 5-day.
What I do instead now is just a simple full-body lifting routine. I shoot for lifting twice a week and doing cardio twice a week. With no fixed schedule, it doesn't throw the entire system off if I miss a day.
Here's what my current full body plan looks like. The type of exercise doesn't matter so much as the body part I'm training. For example, sometimes I'll use machines and sometimes I'll use free-weights. The order of lifts doesn't matter too much, with the exception of keeping the isolated, smaller muscles at the end (biceps & triceps.)
I either do 1set of 15 or 2 sets of 12 pending on how much time I have. This is the order I prefer.
1. Chest: Barbell, dumbbells, or a machine.
2. Legs: Leg press or squats.
3. Back: Lat Pulldowns (wide grip or close grip), pull-ups, or chin-ups.
4. Hamstrings: Lying leg curls, seated leg curls, RDLs, or Good Mornings.
5. Shoulders: Press with dumbbells or machine.
6. Quads: Leg extensions.
7. Rows: Machine, cables, or bent-over barbells.
8. Calf raises
9. Flys, either dumbbell, machine, or cables.
10. Shoulders: Dummbell or cable lateral raise
11. Biceps: Any variety of curls.
12. Triceps: Any variety of triceps extensions.
13. Crunches (sets of 25) or leg-lift.
14. Lower back extensions.
And that's it. This workout takes about 30 minutes. I also do a little bit of cardio for warm-up and cool-down.
This is really just a sample. What's most important is finding some exercise you like to do and making sure you do it at least four times a week.
I know I'm not the only one in the world with a long commute. I know I'm not the only one with young kids. That's why I wanted to write this up. For all of us busy people out there, we need to squeeze in as much exercise as we can.
It's not about doing the bare minimum in a week, but about doing the maximum you're allowed in the time you have.
The first thing I learned was to give up the idea of a training split. That's where you train a specific group of muscles (or an individual one like chest) each day. I got my best results from a four-day split, but if I can't be guaranteed to make it to the gym four days a week, that type of workout is a bust. Same things for 3-day or 5-day.
What I do instead now is just a simple full-body lifting routine. I shoot for lifting twice a week and doing cardio twice a week. With no fixed schedule, it doesn't throw the entire system off if I miss a day.
Here's what my current full body plan looks like. The type of exercise doesn't matter so much as the body part I'm training. For example, sometimes I'll use machines and sometimes I'll use free-weights. The order of lifts doesn't matter too much, with the exception of keeping the isolated, smaller muscles at the end (biceps & triceps.)
I either do 1set of 15 or 2 sets of 12 pending on how much time I have. This is the order I prefer.
1. Chest: Barbell, dumbbells, or a machine.
2. Legs: Leg press or squats.
3. Back: Lat Pulldowns (wide grip or close grip), pull-ups, or chin-ups.
4. Hamstrings: Lying leg curls, seated leg curls, RDLs, or Good Mornings.
5. Shoulders: Press with dumbbells or machine.
6. Quads: Leg extensions.
7. Rows: Machine, cables, or bent-over barbells.
8. Calf raises
9. Flys, either dumbbell, machine, or cables.
10. Shoulders: Dummbell or cable lateral raise
11. Biceps: Any variety of curls.
12. Triceps: Any variety of triceps extensions.
13. Crunches (sets of 25) or leg-lift.
14. Lower back extensions.
And that's it. This workout takes about 30 minutes. I also do a little bit of cardio for warm-up and cool-down.
This is really just a sample. What's most important is finding some exercise you like to do and making sure you do it at least four times a week.
March 13, 2014
And Everything Keeps Moving Forward
I just wanted to throw out a quick post today, mostly for therapeutic reasons, if anything.
We had Grandma's funeral today and rosary last night. It's just so crazy to think about what it would be like to be over a hundred years old. In the sermon, Father talked about everything she would have witnessed in the last century. Everything from World War I (as in ONE) all the way to GPS and the internet.
It's just so amazing to think that she lived through both September 11 & Pearl Harbor. That she could remember FDR, JFK, Watergate, Reagan, the moon landing, the Challenger, Vietnam, the Great Depression, and more popes than I could even attempt to name.
It makes me wonder how many things we live through now that history will consider huge world-changing events that we just consider "the news."
I'm from generation that was there for the internet's coming out party of the middle '90's. Someday my kids and grand kids will be asking me what life was like before the internet. When phones were plugged into walls and we only had three channels to watch plus PBS. I feel like we like we should all be keeping diaries to remember this stuff, but now we have facebook to do that for us.
I know this is all kind of random. Funerals mess with my head, I guess. In the end, it was a nice day and great to see my family, but of course it was hard. Saying goodbye always is.
So I guess that's it. I'll be back with a Five Links Friday post tomorrow and try to get back to the novel in the next couple of days after my head clears up. Thanks for reading.
We had Grandma's funeral today and rosary last night. It's just so crazy to think about what it would be like to be over a hundred years old. In the sermon, Father talked about everything she would have witnessed in the last century. Everything from World War I (as in ONE) all the way to GPS and the internet.
It's just so amazing to think that she lived through both September 11 & Pearl Harbor. That she could remember FDR, JFK, Watergate, Reagan, the moon landing, the Challenger, Vietnam, the Great Depression, and more popes than I could even attempt to name.
It makes me wonder how many things we live through now that history will consider huge world-changing events that we just consider "the news."
I'm from generation that was there for the internet's coming out party of the middle '90's. Someday my kids and grand kids will be asking me what life was like before the internet. When phones were plugged into walls and we only had three channels to watch plus PBS. I feel like we like we should all be keeping diaries to remember this stuff, but now we have facebook to do that for us.
I know this is all kind of random. Funerals mess with my head, I guess. In the end, it was a nice day and great to see my family, but of course it was hard. Saying goodbye always is.
So I guess that's it. I'll be back with a Five Links Friday post tomorrow and try to get back to the novel in the next couple of days after my head clears up. Thanks for reading.
March 10, 2014
So I lost my Grandma today...
My Grandma turned a hundred a few years ago. It was pretty neat to see the longevity on that side of the family. Here older sister is still here at 105 and was able to make it to the party.
Once someone reaches 100, you always know in the back of your mind that every time you see them, and every conversation you have might be the last. I figured that when her time did come that it would be a little...I don't know, easier, I guess. I hate to use that word, but you know what I mean. I've always been so proud of my family heritage, and I respect my Grandma so much that I assumed when she passed we would celebrating her life more than mourning her death.
While that is true in a sense, I underestimated the mourning part. No matter what, it still sucks when people die. No matter how emotionally ready you might think you are, it still hurts.
For me, that immediate grief that hits comes in the form of regrets. I regret that I only came to visit her a few times a year. I regret that my son didn't get to know her better. I regret that I never made it out to the farm with my daughter. I regret that I never asked her what she though about the Pre-Vatican II Church, even though I've wanted to for a decade.
I know that's normal, and maybe even in some ways healthy, but I think it's best to let go of those regrets and instead remember the better things over the last year couple of years. I had a great chat with her on the phone last Easter. My two-year gave her a really big hug on Christmas. The little guy likes Batman, so I shared stories with him about when Grandma would were a blue robe and I would wear a little yellow blanket and we'd run through the hallways playing Batman & Robin. I remember playing "Hide the button" with her and Grandpa. And I remember her and my aunt Kathy laughing at the TV ads for Friday the 13th Part 4. ("Jason's unlucky day") Don't ask why I remember that one, but it's always brought a smile to my face.
She didn't suffer much at the end, and I'm grateful for that. And even more so, I'm grateful knowing we don't need to worry about her at this point. I know she's with our Lord in Heaven. I know she'll be reunited with my Grandpa.
And I hope she'll be able to look down on me and my family every now and then.
And I hope we make her proud.
Once someone reaches 100, you always know in the back of your mind that every time you see them, and every conversation you have might be the last. I figured that when her time did come that it would be a little...I don't know, easier, I guess. I hate to use that word, but you know what I mean. I've always been so proud of my family heritage, and I respect my Grandma so much that I assumed when she passed we would celebrating her life more than mourning her death.
While that is true in a sense, I underestimated the mourning part. No matter what, it still sucks when people die. No matter how emotionally ready you might think you are, it still hurts.
For me, that immediate grief that hits comes in the form of regrets. I regret that I only came to visit her a few times a year. I regret that my son didn't get to know her better. I regret that I never made it out to the farm with my daughter. I regret that I never asked her what she though about the Pre-Vatican II Church, even though I've wanted to for a decade.
I know that's normal, and maybe even in some ways healthy, but I think it's best to let go of those regrets and instead remember the better things over the last year couple of years. I had a great chat with her on the phone last Easter. My two-year gave her a really big hug on Christmas. The little guy likes Batman, so I shared stories with him about when Grandma would were a blue robe and I would wear a little yellow blanket and we'd run through the hallways playing Batman & Robin. I remember playing "Hide the button" with her and Grandpa. And I remember her and my aunt Kathy laughing at the TV ads for Friday the 13th Part 4. ("Jason's unlucky day") Don't ask why I remember that one, but it's always brought a smile to my face.
She didn't suffer much at the end, and I'm grateful for that. And even more so, I'm grateful knowing we don't need to worry about her at this point. I know she's with our Lord in Heaven. I know she'll be reunited with my Grandpa.
And I hope she'll be able to look down on me and my family every now and then.
And I hope we make her proud.
Goodbye Grandma B.
February 25, 2014
Don't forget the small stuff
Oh man.
I went downstairs to work on a a revision and then I heard something. My two-year-old was telling my wife something. I turned down the music and listened:
"He doesn't like me down there. He wants to be all alone."
I immediately took off my headphones and went upstairs. My son was eating some peanut butter and making his little sister laugh. He had apparently already moved on. Still, I took him in a big hug and he kissed me on the cheek.
I told him I had to go downstairs and work for a little while but when I'm done we'll read a book. (His current favorite is King Kong.) He told me a quick story about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly and then said "sorry I got peanut butter on your shirt."
I kissed him on the forehead and went back downstairs.
This is the biggest problem with writing part-time. I spend so much time trying to squeeze in an edit here, a blog post there, that I sometimes forget the little things. Like two-year-olds.
I don't usually get emotional about stuff, but I hate make my little guy sad. It's so easy to give him a hug and tell him Daddy is going downstairs to write for a little while.
So that's my lesson in the never-ending quest to find complete balance in life. Kids notice the little things, no matter how "little" they may seem to us grown-ups.
I went downstairs to work on a a revision and then I heard something. My two-year-old was telling my wife something. I turned down the music and listened:
"He doesn't like me down there. He wants to be all alone."
I immediately took off my headphones and went upstairs. My son was eating some peanut butter and making his little sister laugh. He had apparently already moved on. Still, I took him in a big hug and he kissed me on the cheek.
I told him I had to go downstairs and work for a little while but when I'm done we'll read a book. (His current favorite is King Kong.) He told me a quick story about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly and then said "sorry I got peanut butter on your shirt."
I kissed him on the forehead and went back downstairs.
This is the biggest problem with writing part-time. I spend so much time trying to squeeze in an edit here, a blog post there, that I sometimes forget the little things. Like two-year-olds.
I don't usually get emotional about stuff, but I hate make my little guy sad. It's so easy to give him a hug and tell him Daddy is going downstairs to write for a little while.
So that's my lesson in the never-ending quest to find complete balance in life. Kids notice the little things, no matter how "little" they may seem to us grown-ups.
February 2, 2014
Super Bowl
I jokingly asked on Twitter, "Do the terrorists win if I don't watch the Super Bowl?"
Obviously the answer to that question is uncertain because no one can truly skip the Super Bowl, so of course we had it on over here at the Bougger household. It was kind of fun introducing my two-year-old to the largest genuinely American phenomenon.
I'm not the biggest sports guy in the world, and have to really try hard to even name five NFL teams. In fact the only time you can even remotely consider calling me a fan of anything is during the first few games of Husker college football and I usually stop following that after their second or third loss of the season.
But with that out of the way, I have to sing praises to the NFL. What they have created with this annual game is nothing short of amazing. Ever year, a hundred million people, both fans and non-fans alike, get together across the country and party like it's New Year's Eve, while on the screen, the best athletes in the world are butting heads for the championship.
It's almost crazy to think about it, but these players are literally the best in the world at what they do. Seriously, the training, dedication, and God-given talent that brings these guys to the game is amazing.
So even when it's a 43-8 stinker of a game, it's really cool to witness the spectacle--the commercials, the half-time show, the production, and the competition.
Obviously the answer to that question is uncertain because no one can truly skip the Super Bowl, so of course we had it on over here at the Bougger household. It was kind of fun introducing my two-year-old to the largest genuinely American phenomenon.
I'm not the biggest sports guy in the world, and have to really try hard to even name five NFL teams. In fact the only time you can even remotely consider calling me a fan of anything is during the first few games of Husker college football and I usually stop following that after their second or third loss of the season.
But with that out of the way, I have to sing praises to the NFL. What they have created with this annual game is nothing short of amazing. Ever year, a hundred million people, both fans and non-fans alike, get together across the country and party like it's New Year's Eve, while on the screen, the best athletes in the world are butting heads for the championship.
It's almost crazy to think about it, but these players are literally the best in the world at what they do. Seriously, the training, dedication, and God-given talent that brings these guys to the game is amazing.
So even when it's a 43-8 stinker of a game, it's really cool to witness the spectacle--the commercials, the half-time show, the production, and the competition.
December 31, 2013
Make the most of it
It's just crazy to think about how fast a year can fly by.
I'm sitting here at my computer on New Year's Eve waiting for the ball to drop in New York City (they do that every year to remind me that the New Year is only an hour away) and thinking about everything that came out of this year. So many good things happened to me this year; the most important of them was becoming a dad for the second time.
There were some failures, sure, but overall 2013 was a hell of a year.
I wrote a few posts around this time last year stressing the importance of keeping written goals. It's still good advice. Pick the top 5-10 things you need to get done in the following year and write them down. Keep them specific. Don't just write "I'll lose weight." Instead, write "I'll lose 25 pounds." Then write a fairly detailed plan on what you'll do to get it done. In that plan, set smaller goals with deadlines that will build to your larger goal. ("I'll lose 2 pounds in January by walking 2 miles a day 4 days a week," or whatever.) Pick something that works for you.
Something else you should do tomorrow while you're waiting for the hangover to pass is pull out your goal book and write down you top ten achievements for 2013. You might have to struggle to come up with ten, but once you've done it, you'll feel pretty good about the previous year and get a quick boost of confidence to hit the New Year running.
Also look over your goals from the previous year and if there were any that you didn't achieve, write a quick note of why you didn't make it. And that doesn't mean I'm giving you permission to make excuses. Making excuses (or worse, assigning blame) won't help you or anyone else. Look at why you failed to meet a specific goal and learn from the failure.
So to close things out, I want to say that I really wish everyone reading this all the success in the world. Have a great New Year and don't waste a minute of it.
I'm sitting here at my computer on New Year's Eve waiting for the ball to drop in New York City (they do that every year to remind me that the New Year is only an hour away) and thinking about everything that came out of this year. So many good things happened to me this year; the most important of them was becoming a dad for the second time.
There were some failures, sure, but overall 2013 was a hell of a year.
I wrote a few posts around this time last year stressing the importance of keeping written goals. It's still good advice. Pick the top 5-10 things you need to get done in the following year and write them down. Keep them specific. Don't just write "I'll lose weight." Instead, write "I'll lose 25 pounds." Then write a fairly detailed plan on what you'll do to get it done. In that plan, set smaller goals with deadlines that will build to your larger goal. ("I'll lose 2 pounds in January by walking 2 miles a day 4 days a week," or whatever.) Pick something that works for you.
Something else you should do tomorrow while you're waiting for the hangover to pass is pull out your goal book and write down you top ten achievements for 2013. You might have to struggle to come up with ten, but once you've done it, you'll feel pretty good about the previous year and get a quick boost of confidence to hit the New Year running.
Also look over your goals from the previous year and if there were any that you didn't achieve, write a quick note of why you didn't make it. And that doesn't mean I'm giving you permission to make excuses. Making excuses (or worse, assigning blame) won't help you or anyone else. Look at why you failed to meet a specific goal and learn from the failure.
So to close things out, I want to say that I really wish everyone reading this all the success in the world. Have a great New Year and don't waste a minute of it.
September 13, 2013
A personal note
Hi there. I just wanted to chime in with some bad news my family have recently received.
My nephew, who will be turning seven very soon, has been diagnosed with cancer and has begun treatment for his long road to recovery.
The emotions that come in with news like this are so surreal. It's one of those things that you hear about, but never really think about because it doesn't seem like it's something that can happen to anyone you care about. Kids don't get cancer in real life, right? Wrong. They do far more often than anyone likes to think about.
So I'd like to ask any of my followers out there for a couple of things. First off, if you're a believer please pray for my nephew, his parents, and his wonderful brother. Keep in mind my wife and my two-year-old as well as this is a difficult time for them too.
I'd also like to mention that there are so many good charities out there supporting kids with cancer, and they can use any spare dollars sent their way. Please consider.
And on a final note, try to remember to never take life for granted. Treat every day as a gift and stay positive with all you do.
My nephew, who will be turning seven very soon, has been diagnosed with cancer and has begun treatment for his long road to recovery.
The emotions that come in with news like this are so surreal. It's one of those things that you hear about, but never really think about because it doesn't seem like it's something that can happen to anyone you care about. Kids don't get cancer in real life, right? Wrong. They do far more often than anyone likes to think about.
So I'd like to ask any of my followers out there for a couple of things. First off, if you're a believer please pray for my nephew, his parents, and his wonderful brother. Keep in mind my wife and my two-year-old as well as this is a difficult time for them too.
I'd also like to mention that there are so many good charities out there supporting kids with cancer, and they can use any spare dollars sent their way. Please consider.
And on a final note, try to remember to never take life for granted. Treat every day as a gift and stay positive with all you do.
February 18, 2013
How Free Are You?
Or maybe a better question is "Are you free at all?"
I think quite a few American would say the answer is "No."
Ask anyone and they'll tell you they're a slave to their job, or their debt, or whatever life situation they find themselves unhappy with. You know, it's the man holding you back, as they say.
And that defeatist notion 100% incorrect.
It's not your job or your debt that you're a slave to; it's yourself.
If you hate your job, there are only two people to blame. 1) The person who accepted the position and 2) The person who chooses to stay there.
If you're up to your ears in debt, it's the same two people: 1) The person who ran up the debt and 2) The person who hasn't paid it off.
Oh wait, all of those are the same person. You.
So I'll use your job as an example, but it's the same for any situation you're in. You are the one enslaving yourself by keeping yourself in a miserable situation. And the only way out is to find out what it is you'd rather be doing--and then quit screwing around and just do it.
Let's say you're in IT, but you'd rather be a personal trainer. So what stops you from getting your PT license and picking jobs on nights and weekends? No don't bother telling me the answer. I already know it: You're too busy for that. After all, how could you possibly find time to work on your real passion when there are so many hours of reality TV to watch? So many hours to spend on the latest Zynga Facebook game. So many weekend mornings that you want to sleep in until noon.
So remember next Monday when you show up to the job you hate that you are not slave to it. You're a slave to the distractions in your life that are keeping you away from chasing your dreams. They are what keep you tied down to the situation you hate being in because you're just too "busy" to take the time to change it.
The only way to true freedom is to figure out a way to spend your life living your dreams--and getting paid for it. Everything else is a distraction.
So put away the distractions and take your first real step toward freedom.
I think quite a few American would say the answer is "No."
Ask anyone and they'll tell you they're a slave to their job, or their debt, or whatever life situation they find themselves unhappy with. You know, it's the man holding you back, as they say.
And that defeatist notion 100% incorrect.
It's not your job or your debt that you're a slave to; it's yourself.
If you hate your job, there are only two people to blame. 1) The person who accepted the position and 2) The person who chooses to stay there.
If you're up to your ears in debt, it's the same two people: 1) The person who ran up the debt and 2) The person who hasn't paid it off.
Oh wait, all of those are the same person. You.
So I'll use your job as an example, but it's the same for any situation you're in. You are the one enslaving yourself by keeping yourself in a miserable situation. And the only way out is to find out what it is you'd rather be doing--and then quit screwing around and just do it.
Let's say you're in IT, but you'd rather be a personal trainer. So what stops you from getting your PT license and picking jobs on nights and weekends? No don't bother telling me the answer. I already know it: You're too busy for that. After all, how could you possibly find time to work on your real passion when there are so many hours of reality TV to watch? So many hours to spend on the latest Zynga Facebook game. So many weekend mornings that you want to sleep in until noon.
So remember next Monday when you show up to the job you hate that you are not slave to it. You're a slave to the distractions in your life that are keeping you away from chasing your dreams. They are what keep you tied down to the situation you hate being in because you're just too "busy" to take the time to change it.
The only way to true freedom is to figure out a way to spend your life living your dreams--and getting paid for it. Everything else is a distraction.
So put away the distractions and take your first real step toward freedom.
December 23, 2012
Ten books to read in 2013
With 2012 coming to a close, I'd like to share ten books I read in the last two years that focus on personal or financial success. None of these are directly related to writing, but have a broader focus of achieving your goals and holding yourself accountable.
Do yourself a favor and pick these up in the next year. I promise you won't regret it.
Here's the list in no particular order, although I consider the first two the most important.
1. The Top Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class by Keith Cameron Smith
2. QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by John Miller
3. It's Called Work for a Reason!: Your Success is Your Own Damn Fault by Larry Winget
4. No Excuses: The Power of Self Discpline by Brian Tracy
5. Poke the Box by Seth Godin
6. Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy
7. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
8. The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
9. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley
10. How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell
Do yourself a favor and pick these up in the next year. I promise you won't regret it.
Here's the list in no particular order, although I consider the first two the most important.
1. The Top Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class by Keith Cameron Smith
2. QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by John Miller
3. It's Called Work for a Reason!: Your Success is Your Own Damn Fault by Larry Winget
4. No Excuses: The Power of Self Discpline by Brian Tracy
5. Poke the Box by Seth Godin
6. Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy
7. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
8. The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
9. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley
10. How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell
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