Three Ways to Put $100 in Your Pocket Each Month

Always up for some extra cash?  Here are three sure fire ways to add an extra bill into your purse each month.

1.  Bring lunch to work. 

Oh no I didn't just pull out the ol' bring your lunch to work idea, did I?  Uh, yeah, you bet I did.  I go into our office EVERY day (not exaggerating at all) with my lunch from home.  I don't need to get too creative; usually a sandwich, a soup, sometimes fruit and such.  At the most, I spend approximately $12-$14 per week on lunches.  Compare that to people I see stopping at McDonald's or Starbucks in the morning, then spending $6-$7 per DAY on lunches and maybe a buck or two in the vending machines!  Let's just call their average $38 per week.

$38 * 52 weeks = $1976 per year
$1976 / 12 months = $164 per month

Compared to:

$14 * 52 weeks = $728 per year
$728 / 12 months = $60.67

Savings of $103.33 PER MONTH in YOUR pocket!!  You're on a roll!

2.  Pay for gas and groceries with a debit card and take out $5.00 - $10.00 extra dollars in cash.

Wait a minute, I'm supposed to be telling you how to put money in your pocket not take it out, right?  Well, here's the thing.  Let's say you're like the average American who fills up once per week and shops once per week.  That's two trips where you're pulling out a total of about $20 extra each time.  You then take that $20 and put it into a "secret stash" at home.  You don't really feel that extra $10 coming out each time and at the end of the month you have extra cash you would have invariably spent on foolishness (like lunches, maybe?).

$20 * 52 weeks = $1040
$1040 / 12 months = $86.67

There's an extra $86.67 you would have normally seen do a magical disappearing act come back into your life!  You rock! (P.S.  each month deposit that cash into a savings or money market account to keep you away from the temptation to spend it!)

3.  Claim more on your taxes

Now before you rush out to your HR department, please consult a tax advisor or the irs.gov website. 

This seems crazy to me:  People get all fired up about getting a tax "REFUND" each year.  Some people I meet with actually think that the government is giving them free money.  There is a reason it is called a REFUND.  It is simply because you OVERPAID the government taxes and they are required to return to you what you overpaid.

Guess what is happening during the entire year as you keep giving away your extra money to the government?  They are earning INTEREST on your money.  By claiming more you will actually be able to get more of that money on a monthly basis and therefore earn interest on YOUR OWN MONEY!  Instead of giving the government a LOAN and not requiring them to pay you interest when they give it back to you each year!

Some people tell me that they like getting a refund because it's almost like a forced savings account.  Well, if you don't like "thinking" too much then just set up an automatic withdrawal straight from your checking account for the extra you would normally have needlessly given to taxes into a mutual fund.  Some banks are even able to coordinate your direct deposit to withdraw and distribute funds before you even see it in your account.  Therefore you wouldn't have to "think" about putting your money away and you'd be instantly earning interest on your own cash to boot.

Plus, at the end of each year, you're paying off a ton of bills with the refund money.  Bills that you likely wouldn't have accrued had you had enough money to pay for it up front (Saving you interest dollars also!).  Lots of people use that money to go shopping or take a trip.  You'd be more careful about mindlessly blowing your money if you understood how hard you've worked for it rather than thinking it's a free check from some random source.

Savings:  AT LEAST $100 per month.

Do all three and then voila....$300 or more EXTRA in your budget each month.  Money is simple, just learn the rules.  Whether you are playing on the right side or not, the game continues to go on!

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Fortune Cookie Wisdom

I love Fortune Cookies!  After eating a delicious meal, I go immediately toward my cookie and eagerly await my good fortune inside.  Of course, you cannot read your fortune until your meal is finished or else the fortune becomes invalid.  There is some superstitious wisdom for you.

It is interesting how each fortune can be applied to you and your situation.  We've been getting ones that say, "You will make a big change in your future" or "You are capable of great things with your new venture" and each time I get one of those I round my mouth into an O and look at my husband as if the cookie was a psychic giving me the next winning lottery numbers.  I get all excited about the possibilities!  All this from a cookie.

We are so moldable in our minds.  Imagine, if a cookie can get me excited about my future, what do you think is happening everytime I hear, "You're crazy for moving so far!" to "You're going to do so well!"?  You hear these comments from people all day every day!  The craziest part is that we take them in and allow them to program the way we think! 

Imagine your brain is a computer.  For a computer to have codes put in it, you must type the instructions on a keyboard.  Now, imagine our amazing brain computers with which we were gifted.  We have the potential and capacity to do incredibly huge things!  However, most of us take this keyboard and turn it around and allow others to type in instructions for us.  Anything they want to tell us, we just give them free reign to type the words and hit enter.  Once they do, it becomes a program in our mind.

The key is to take back that power.  The keyboard is yours!  If others want to type in mental programs, let them type those in on their OWN keyboards, because we were all equally equipped with one.  So, instead of letting fortunes, good-willing friends, or outside influences decide what gets typed into our brains, take control.  Type the stuff you want to see happen.  When someone else starts attemtpting to type in a command, simply say "thank you for sharing, moving right along" and type in your own program.

You were meant to be awesome, so it's time to prove it!

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Moving on a Budget

"Most people don't plan to fail, they just fail to plan."

Heard that one before?  Probably because it's true.  That's what makes a cliche' a chliche'.  There's your fortune cookie wisdom of the day. 

Moving can be expensive, it can be strenous, and stressful.  However, it DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.  In fact, I down right believe it shouldn't be.  What's the missing factor?  You got it...PLANNING.

I've seen situations where people are moving and on their very moving day they are packing up boxes and such.  That is insane!  This is why moving can get expensive...if you do not plan and prepare in advance you take more trips than you need or rent a truck bigger (therefore more money) than you need.  Other things that people do that make moving more stressful is not have all of their important paperwork handy.  If you are in a rush to pack then you put away your documents you will need for your movef (mortgage papers, licensing documents, etc.)  The list virtually goes on and one.

The thing about this piece of information is that it isn't mind boggling.  It's simple.  Plain and simple.  No frills about it, however, it is POTENT.  Planning will take all the stress out of a move and put a lot more money in your pocket.  When you plan, you have time to research and repair, which can be mind-saving later on.

At the end of the day things will still go wrong and you may feel stress bubbles start to well up, but at least you've minimized it drastically by being prepared.  Chalk one up to the boyscouts for that lesson!  Time goes by fast either way, so why not do things daily to get ahead.

P.S.  Notice that planning makes many more things manageable...not just a move!

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Moving Preparations

Wow! A move can take a lot of time and energy to plan and execute. However, each minute is pretty exciting. Honestly, I really consider myself an expert at moving. My husband and I have moved about a dozen times in the 7 years we've been married, and I went to 7 different schools from Kindergarten through High School. Needless to say we've got most of it down pat.

One of the things I was concerned about in this out of state move is the amount of personal items that would be able to come along with us. As always the longer you spend in one place, the more you end up accumulating. Most of your accumulations are needless in terms of material value, but boy do we put an emotional price tag on those things.

Every time we move, I make it through our closets, shelves, garages, drawers, and any other crevice where space used to reside. In each of those places I go over all of the things I've stashed there for some unforetold future moment. The part I'm most proud of is that I actually do part ways with most things. I mean, really, who wants to lift and move things that aren't necessary?

This time, we're moving with as little as we can and we're just planning on building up our belongings from scratch when we arrive to the east coast. That is a venture I'm truly looking forward to. Who wants a fresh start with all your old stuff? However, for the must-take items I found a solution to a huge space dilema...the almighty SPACE BAG! No one is paying me to say this about the product, so this tidbit is my own two sense.

I went to Walmart and found them for sale and because of them I will be able to fit about 75% more clothing and bedding items that I would not be able to have taken with me given the limited space in an automobile. Not to mention once we're home, the pillows and blankets and clothing items not in use will take up minimal space once I put them in these storage containers.

So it is with a full hearted approval that I recommend these bags in your move. Even if you're just moving across town. When you move, you want to take the least amount of items with you and this is a great way to go.

More on our moving experience to come...

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What's the Change?

Writing is as theraputic for the writer as it is for the reader. My last post consisted of how to deal with change and as I applied the three steps I wrote about, I felt better about the change happening in my life.

What change could this be? I'm moving cross-country! My husband and I have an opportunity to move back to my home state of New Jersey...yes The Garden State! This won't be the first time I've moved out of state, and in fact this long distance move is taking me back to the familiar. so it shouldn't have been so scary, but for some reason, the thought almost petrified me at first.

Maybe it's because I'm older or maybe jus because it still lies in the unknown, but I worked on myself in order to feel good about what we are doing...and now: I feel great, fired up and very excited. Although everyone we've told so far just crinkles their nose and says , new Jersey?" as if I just told them I was dying my hair purple.

Yes world, we are moving to New freakin' Jersey...and since that is where my hometown is, I couldn't be prouder!

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Embrace Change

change can sometimes be a fiery ball of excitement, but the older you get and the more drastic the change, the scarier it can seem. The truth in life is that change is necessary when it comes to progress. In fact, even when you think you're staying the same you are still changing. If you are a couch potato, then you are changing by becoming less sensitive to emotions and people, little by little removing yourself from your ability to socialize and expand. So no matter what you do, you change.

When it comes to life, I am a huge fan of and I have a lot of faith in our ability to choose our path. So why not choose our change, instead of just sitting around and waiting for change to happen to us?

Even though doing things differently can be a daunting task, with preparation even the largest hurdles can be overcome.

How to change with grace? Here are three tips:

1. Set a goal for the result of the change. (Many people set the item of change as the goal in and of itself. For example, buying a house, moving, going on a diet, etc. Those are usually the methods by which the change will occur, they are not the end all. By having a results goal, you'll feel the change to be a natural progression.)

2. Think positively about your new endeavor. (This may seem obvious from the outside looking in, but many time we fill ourselves with dread about all the things that can go wrong. The truth is, many of the things we worry about won't come true, so the fear we self-instill is needless. Look only in the direction of the good things that will come.)

3. Give yourself the peace of knowing that this will not be the last time you will make a change in your life. (What? I'm gonna have to go through this all over again and that's supposed to give me peace? Yes. Simply because you become aware that change truly is a way of life. You understand that you will always move in new directions and that just becomes a normal ocurrence. You realize that the more NEW you have in your life the more closely you will come to resemble the YOU that lives inside your mass.

What changes will you make today? I challenge you to go for it!

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Your Bucket List

Have you created your personal life's bucket list, yet?  It's not as easy as it sounds, but definitely worth the effort.  It took some thinking but I finally created my bucket list a few months ago.  I thought as soon as I put those words down on paper I could go to work happily chopping away at the the tasks on that list as if it were a lengthy to do list for a Sunday afternoon.  Boy, was I wrong!

I have been studying that list and am realizing that it is slow going.  There are things I've crossed off (3 out of 100 to be exact) but there are many many items on that list that will require some planning and creativity to pull off.  Lots of world vacations and meeting famous people just to name a few.  But that's the purpose of a list like that.  To stretch yourself and do things you wouldn't normally be put in front of by just lounging around and watching re-runs.

One of the fun parts about a bucket list is that you really don't have to do the tasks in any certain order.  Just go after each item one by one until your life will become a habit of continual goal pursuit.  What an adventure life can be if we decide to mold our days rather than just be left prey to the conveniences of our surroundings.

There is a whole world to explore and only a few short years to do so.  My days are invested with thoughts on these goals and I can't help but wonder what wonderful opportunities can come my way because I live my life with a purpose.  So much to do, but there is plenty of time if we take action now and not wait for more convenient moments (Ha!).  Goals are great, especially when you mean them!

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Stephenie Meyer

Okay, I am fascinated by this woman.  Yes, we all love Twighlight.  What's not to love?  Average girl next door falls in love with a gorgeous powerful vampire who loves her in return with a power fierce enough to fight off legions of rival vampires and werewolves.  It's great and the success of her story has been impressive.

Here's why I think Mrs. Meyer is one of the cool people:

Think about it.  She was a stay at home mom just living her life going about her daily business.  Raising three wee ones while her hubby worked outside the home.  She had a dream.  It was a neat story.  How many of us have cool dreams?  How many of us write them down and then proceed to make full length books out of them?  Yeah, she took action and that's what sets her apart right away.

She found something about which to be passionate and decided to pursue it to the end.  Once she had her finished product she decided to push through the rejection in finding an agent and then landed one out of all the queries she sent in.  Stephenie didn't stop there!  She kept pulling out of her mind a story that would unfold in complexities and intrigues enough to create such a fan base all over the world that seems mind boggling.

Interviews with her to this day reveal her sweet nature and humble personality.  Don't misunderstand, her confidence is high, however, she proves that you can be confident and reachable all at the same time.  She has critics galore and yet one thing I notice is that she lives her life.  Now her husband is retired and they raise their kiddos together.

See, this story wouldn't be here if she didn't decide to do something about her dream.  She took out a pen and began to jot it down.  How many times have we had ideas and just let them slip?  Can't be a hater on her for being so successful when she did the one thing most people neglect to do...MOVE FORWARD.  Stephenie Meyer is creative and her stories are great.  So, yeah, she is one of the COOL PEOPLE!

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The Science of Getting Rich - Book Review

Here begins my weekly review of books.  My goal is to plow through 50 books this year alternating between fiction and non-fiction (got to diversify, you know?).  The first book of the year is a re-read of a classic that is PRICELESS in its content.

THE SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH  by Wallace Wattles

Some great points to the book itself before the review:

You can get a copy of it for free HERE.  Yes, FREE!  Absolutely no strings attached FREE.  It is amazing that a book with this caliber can be yours for nothing, thereby giving you no excuse not to have its knowledge.

This book inspired the making of "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.  Yeppers, this is the very one.  Must be some good stuff inside to inspire such a phenomenon.  Just you keep reading.

Okay, so for the review.  This book gets 5 out of 5 stars.  It is not a book about lucre or wealth in terms of just acquiring money to rub all over yourself.  The central message to this book is about become as abundant as you possibly can be.  It's about growing to your fullest potential.  It's about staying close to God because he is the source of all that is in your life.  Needless to say this book is a deep reflection on the capabilities we have as human beings.

The part that struck me the most was the chunk of section on GRATITUDE.  I cannot even express to you how powerful it was for me to revisit that part of the book.  The author talks about being grateful as the single most important factor of our life as we try to increase our self worth.  To always recognize God's hand in our world and to stay close to him while traveling on our journeys.  The way we stay close is by continually expressing, deep, from the heart, earnest, and loving gratitude.  Say THANK YOU a lot...and mean it.

Many people out there think that the law of attraction and such is a mystical magical potion that will give you all you want just by sitting there and thinking of stuff.  The point that this book explains is that you have to give more in use value than you receive in cash value.  Translation:  Get into action!  Deliver on your promises and then some.  Give of yourself to every extent that you can.  In return it will come back to you tenfold or more.  The law of attraction is a law of action.  He who sows harvests MUST reap...that is the law.

Here is a video that will give you a quick summary of the book and it's main points.  Enjoy and pick it up!  It's free, a quick read, and incredibly valuable!

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Embarrassing Moments

We have all been mortified at one time or another. However, I really don't understand the feeling of being embarrassed.  We all go through stuff that makes us blush, so why then do we feel weird when something like that happens to us?  Probably because others laugh, huh?  It's true, you fall, we'll laugh.  You say something air-headed, we'll laugh...and of course it is so vice versa.  But that's the beauty of it.

Yesterday I was climbing up a set of stairs and BAM I miscalculated the distance between my foot and the step and tripped.  I almost wiped out had it not been for the cat-like reflexes of my right hand landing on the stair in front of me to provide steady support.  So I'm okay, maybe I screamed a little while my hubby just looked at me shaking his head as he laughed.

What was the first thing I did as I recovered from the incident?  (Well, I actually prolonged the motion because I kinda didn't want it to be the first thing I did, but you guessed it...) I looked around to see if anyone else saw.  What in the world is up with that?  Who cares first of all?  Secondly, I'm sure if anyone did see (which nobody did, by the way *wink) they would have been in the same position themselves at least at ONE point in their lives.

How nuts is it that we care so much about what others think.  Hey, if I do something silly, people will laugh.  I for one am okay with that.  I love it!  Anything I can do to make someone chuckle is fine by me...even if it means me being a little bit of a fool sometimes.  I guess the trick will be in not overdoing it...ha!  Good luck with that one! 

Here's to silliness and laughing at each other!

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Laughter for the Soul

A duck walked into a bar with one shoe on.  The bar tender looked down at the duck's feet and said, "Hey!  You lost a shoe!"  The duck looked back at the bartender perplexed and replied, "Noooo, I FOUND a shoe!" 

Okay, so maybe you thought that joke was funny, maybe not...but I hope you at least chuckled.  Laughter is probably among the best things you can do to increase the state of joy, peace, and completeness in your life. 

"We change physiologically when we laugh. We stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues.

People who believe in the benefits of laughter say it can be like a mild workout -- and may offer some of the same advantages as a workout."   ~  WebMD.com

Laughter is a way to get us to consciously change our focus from something negative to something positive.  There truly is no greater gift upon our control than that!  How do you laugh when you're not in the mood, though?  Simple...JUST DO IT!

Just laugh.  Try it now.  Who cares if you look silly, just do it!  Laugh out loud from the belly.  After about 10 seconds you already have endorphins flowing through you like a mad river and you're feeling much better.  The thing that makes laughter so powerful is that it is impossible for a negative thought to sit in your mind at the exact same moment as a positive thought.  The same goes vice versa.  So laugh when you're mad...you'll have to stop being mad by default.

If you're having a tough time with this, makybe this video can get you going:

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BUDGETING 101

About five years ago I was hired to teach a public education class on the Basics of Family Finance.  I would be the only teacher on that subject amidst the dozens of choices the community had available.  The coordinator and I were very excited about this prospect and felt that we could do a significant amount of good to the families who attended. 

Come registration time we were hopeful and projected a smaller class size since it would be a new topic available from which to choose.  When registration finally closed, both the coordinator and I were completely shocked at the ZERO registrations.  There were a few inquiries and that was that.  No one wanted to invest time and money for a few week course on getting your finances in order. 

So, today (in a different state) five years later when I received my community education catalog in the mail, I was surprised to find that there were multiple finance classes available.  Everything from balancing a checkbook to investing in real estate.  It was a double edge for me.  On one hand I was elated to see more interest in personal money matters, on the other hand I wished that our culture was as preocupied with finance five years ago so that families wouldn't be in the mess they are in today.

Alas, it is what it is, and hindsight is always 20/20.  My insightful hubby said to me, "You were just ahead of the times."  That of course helped.

So now that people care much more deeply about their pocket book and are always looking for ways to stretch out our mighty dollar, I wanted to post regarding the basics of budgeting.  STOP....DON'T CLICK AWAY just yet.  I know what most of you are thinking...oh, I've got the basics down, I need to go further!  The challenge with that is that the basics are usually all most of us need to get ahead, yet we neglect them for their mundane qualities.

Get the basics down and you will do fine with the bigger issues that come your way.

So what are the basics exactly?  I will sum it up in one sentence.  This sentence is so powerful that if taken to heart you can actually transform your financial self within a year max!  Most of us would love a slight improvement let alone a complete transformation, but knowing this one phrase and applying it will make all the difference in the world. 

LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS.

Is this brand new earth shattering information?  Probably not.  However, it is basic.  It is so basic we overlook it thinking that it is just too simple advice and cannot possibly work in making our lives better.  Sometimes this piece of advice is unwanted because it would mean sacrificing certain luxuries we afford ourselves on a daily basis such as: dining out frequently, buying new clothes, entertainment costs, hobbies. 

At the end of the day you have to ask yourself what is more important?  Eating at Burger King today or putting five bucks away in my emergency stash?  If you think eating a hamburger is more important, then by all means go for it.  If not, then you know what you need to do.

If you change one thing about your habits this year (or this month, or hell even this week!) then make it a habit of living within your means.  At least work toward that direction.  You'll be so amazed at the money you really have the ability to use and work with to create your financial freedom.

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Melissa Rycroft

Why am I writing about a former contestant on the Bachelor?  Because I think she's pretty cool.  Her story is unique and everyone can clearly see she has recovered well from her bachelor days.  For those of you who may not be familiar with the events that happened, I'll do my best to update you as best I can.  It needs to be prefaced that I do not watch television at home.  Purposely, we decided not to have a t.v. because of how easy it is to just plop in front and stay there for hours.  I caught this episode of the bachelor and the follow up episode while I was visiting at a friend's house.  So, from what I know I'll share, which is the jist anyway.

Watch this video for a catch up...




So she gets dumped on national television.  Okay, being dumped is definitely a bad experience...PERIOD.  But let the record stand that being dumped in front of millions of people cannot feel good at all.  Here's the part where it starts to get interesting.

Melissa goes through that emotional trauma, then begins to come to her own.  This is why she's so cool.  She gets invited to be a guest on talk shows and even competed in "Dancing with the Stars".  For New Year's she hosted the Time Square New Year's show with Carson Dayley (and by the way is now happily married to someone other than that bachelor Jason fella).  As we were gathered around watching the New Year's countdown I couldn't help but feel happy for her.  She went through that heavy emotional time in her life but has obviously come out of it so well. 

Surely she's prospering and feeling great about life now.  The funny thing is, that the dump-er Jason is nowhere to be found.  He's just a little insurance salesman with his ego somewhere.  The best thing for Melissa was what happened, and it seems she's faring well because of it. 

I love people who can take a bad situation and make something great out of it.  No matter what it is or how it happened.  She could have easily turned down interviews and such because it "hurt" too much, but instead she bucked it up and made some great things happen in her life.  Hats off to Melissa Rycroft for being one of the cool people!

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Creating a Mission Statement

Having a personal mission statement has been on my list of things to do since for-eva ago!  I have always thought the concept of such a thing was valuable, since having direction and purpose always yields much more lasting and meaningful results.  I have come up with several demos and have thought them to be pretty good, however, never truly felt connected to any of them.

Last week I heard the quote: "A leader makes decisions quickly but changes her mind slowly."  This statement impacted me in regards to developing my mission statement.  I figure it is better to begin somewhere with one and then as I progress through my life I can evaluate how it is performing for me. 

What does a personal mission statement have to have in it in order to serve its purpose effectively?  Well, the deepest requirment I feel is the ability to make you think about the moves you make in life.  If you have a meaningful mission statement for your own life you will always be able to move from where you are to where you want to go because of the phrased you coined to lead your life.

Also, I think it is perfectly okay to borrow another mission statement.  If you hear a statement that rings very true for you then go ahead and use it as your own.  The purpose is that now you have a MISSION!  That you are not just a casualty walking aimlessly through this precious gift of life, but you have direction and purpose. 

Finally, a mission statement shouldn't be more than one or two sentences in length.  If you walk into some businesses you would see that they completely disagree with that.  You'll see some mission statements that are paragraph lengths long and very tediously padded with huge words.  Mission statements need to motivate you toward them, not bore you by sentence number forty four.

So what is my mission statement?  Drum roll please....

"To inspire people to move in the direction of their dreams by constantly moving in the direction of my dreams."

Is it a perfect final draft?  Most likely not.  However, instead of just continuously aiming for who knows what, now I can begin in a solid direction.  I want to inspire people to lead fulfilling lives and help them to feel free and to love life.  The best way I know to do that is by being an example of doing just that for myself.  Have you created a mission statement for your life?  Put one together today and live by it, remember you can always reevaluate and change it later, the important thing is to take action now.

To your dreams!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Holy of holies!  It is now TWO THOUSAND AND TEN!  I had to spell it out because my fingers are still a little slow in typing the 1-0 instead of the 0-9...craziness!  I for one am very excited about this new year!  It is a little strange how we place such a high emotion on a calendar day.  How all of a sudden we're enthusiastic about life just because it's now January 1st.  Poor December, it really gets the butt end of the deal.  I guess that's why Christmas is thrown in there...to make up for the timing!

As my hubby and I put together some goals for this year, one thing we came to realize is that this year is and only can be better than last.  Ever feel that way?  If for no other particular reason, then for the fact that we too have joined the throngs in excitement for this new-ness the new year brings us.  We're fired up about taking ownership to a new level.  Not just in business, but in life!  Ever hear the phrase Own or be Owned?  I believe it wholeheartedly and have committed to invest this coming year wisely.

Our theme for this year is.................

INTEGRITY

Yeppers.  Plain and simple.  I want to be the kind of person who is 100% reliable.  My word is my bond and I have to live and die by my commitments.  As I study successful people, one thing I see in common is the strength in their character.  More than anything I want to be that way.  This goal, above any other, seems the most daunting, so here we go.

What is your goal?  Whether or not you believe in the whole "resolution" thing is up to you, but when you focus on a direction, you're certain to get somewhere desirable.  When you focus on nothing...well, then who knows where you'll end up and what kind of a mess you'll look like when you get there.

Here's to a NEW YEAR...CHEERS TO 2010!

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