My Jobs Report Month 18

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Eighteen months. My job search has gone from regrettable but an opportunity to dive into old passions (before regular job reports), to surprise it was taking so long (at nine months) and putting my home on the market, Home For Sale to temporary hope that was dashed (at twelve months) , to habitual searches with lowered expectations (at fifteen months) and the departure from paying my mortgage, to today’s familiarity with the process and an expectation that the answer lies outside the job ads. It was somewhat reassuring to hear a radio report of confirmation of others in a similar plight. Of my various backup plans, getting a job is Plan C. I’ll continue to pursue it, but more energy is going into the rest of the alphabet. There’s some good news there.

I rarely listen to radio, unless I’m in the car. Unfortunately, that means I don’t have a link to the key piece of data that helps explain my situation. Unemployment is down. Yeah! Unemployment is below average for middle-aged workers. Yeah, again! But the length of time required to find a new job is much higher than average (~55 weeks?) for people fifty and older. I’m 54. Oops. And the likelihood of finding a job drops considerably for people that have been looking for over a year. We might have a problem here. The odds aren’t zero though, so I’ll continue looking and applying.

Many of the job postings and I are acquaintances now. I have a list of forty job sites I regularly visit. Most of the jobs I see and know I can do sit there. I know I can do the job, but can I get the job? My resumes are updated. My applications are in. On rare occasions companies actually send emails telling me I’m not qualified, even when I’ve done the exact job listed. It somewhat limits the search. By the way, regular readers can appreciate the irony considering the other most likely response I get is that I am over-qualified. I’d be more disheartened, but the job packages I deliver for consulting clients continue to generate uplifting testimonials. When I finally get to work, I get compliments – and encouragements to charge more.

I may not have an official job, but at least I have a title: Interim Project Manager for HCLE. HCLE is the History of Computing for Learning and Education Virtual Museum Project. I’m Project Manager thanks to the founder, Liza Loop, who knows me from our mutual work on New Road Map Foundation. The title is Interim because the funding is interim, and possibly about to run out. Expect to see indiegogo and other funding proposals. (Of course, if you want to help preserve that critical time in history when computers entered the classroom, give us a call, send us a donation, or drop by and help scan some of the ten thousand documents in the collection. It’s a big job.)

Thanks to the donor who contributed the interim funding, and to the founder, I’ve had my largest client work package, was paid for it expediently, and have enough money in the bank to pay the next few weeks of bills – except, of course, the mortgage bill.

Of all of the entrepreneurial collaborations I’ve accepted invitations to, HCLE has the most traction and is making the most progress. My role could change from consultant to interim manager to part time manager. That would cover almost all of my bills – except, of course, the mortgage bill. Full time can be good, but other part time positions can be just as good. Most of those collaborations are created by collaborators in situations similar to mine. They are definitely past their twenties and thirties, though their attitudes and acuity haven’t changed; they want or need to embark upon work that benefits them and others; and the conventional avenues are being redefined for “internship”, “recent graduate”, or “entry-level”. Ah, but there are no age requirements, nor do employers discriminate based upon age. (For those that have a hard time recognizing sarcasm, that last sentence is an example of the type I produce.)

The exciting thing is (and yes, even through all of these eighteen months excitement remains) many of the other collaborations are as viable as HCLE but merely lack the funding. If even two, three, or four of the dozens found funds and included me in some paid position, I might be able to pay back the mortgage company, get out of credit card debt, un-dam dammed plans, and begin rebuilding my savings. Those collaborators, like HCLE, have some great ideas. Instead of diving into old passions, we are launching ourselves into new passions. This could be fun!

There is additional good news. It hasn’t resulted in cash yet, but it is heading that way. A few of my investments in small companies are quietly continuing their recoveries. Within the last few weeks I’ve gone from a negative financial net worth to a positive financial net worth. It’s a squeak over the line, but it is the right side of the line. In my opinion, those companies are undervalued. Now that they are attracting at least some attention, their proper valuations may finally be reflected in rising stock prices and I may have regained an emergency buffer and more.

All of those efforts, whether looking for jobs or working with collaborators, require logistical coordination and strategic consensus. They take time, and almost all take money. Much waiting is involved.

While I wait, I work. I am working on things that only require me and my resources. This week’s main task has been producing the paperback version of my most recent book, Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland. Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland The e-book has been selling well (though the speaking gigs pay better) with encouraging reviews.
“It is a story about finding happiness and joy in the new “rut” he was learning to love.” – Patricia Gross
To everyone I’ve helped with self-publishing, No, it never goes flawlessly. But it is getting better each time.

Eighteen months. Eighteen months of people praying for my success, of networking in person and through social media, of diligently perusing ads and applying for jobs. Eighteen months of you literally listening to (i.e. reading) the process. (You’ve done a good job.) As I’ve said before, maybe the universe is giving me a hint and that a regular job is not the answer; and that new solutions may be a bit irregular and take a bit more time. Until we know, I’ll continue reporting and remaining open to new passions. That’s probably the best way to have good and interesting news to report in month 19.

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PicoP Ala Newton

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

I like to look ahead. I like to guess at trends and watch them develop. That skill, talent, and habit is why I live on Whidbey Island. It is why I invest in individual stocks. Decades of looking ahead is why I am less likely to laugh at ideas that seem silly now.

(If all you want is the MVIS portion, skip ahead a few paragraphs. I got on a roll that made sense to me, but hey, you may not care.)

From what I remember of Mainstream America, the most common question at a party was, “So, what do you do?” Occupation is important because it defines a person’s potential social scene. America does have a class system, even though abandoning that was one reason for the Revolution. Here on Whidbey, and probably in other small communities too, the most question is, “So, why’d you move here?” Motivation is important because it tells whether a person moved to get away from something, or was drawn to something, or both, or was simply random. Whidbey has enough people who were just driving through and decided to stay. Some didn’t even stop in Seattle. They just saw it as they drove through on the Interstate. I found more reasons before making my move.

Whidbey is close enough to Seattle that I can drive to downtown in less than an hour if the traffic’s right. (Ha!) The city has a lot to offer. You’re probably seen a lot of it in some movie. Yet, it is far enough out that last night’s stars were more obscured by marine moisture than urban lights. Most of the day, the loudest noises are from birds. A car driving by is an odd event. I’ve traveled across and through a bit of the world (bicycling across America, bicycling across Austria, walking across Scotland, hiking New Zealand, etc.) and realized I want to live near the ocean and snow-covered mountains, where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness have few external constraints, where I could watch sunsets over the water, and where I knew the language. Finale Those criteria eliminate a lot of the planet. So, yeah, I moved to Seattle. But Seattle is growing and hemmed in by geography and resources, so density, noise, and urban troubles arise. Whidbey is inconvenient enough to discourage many. And Whidbey’s water and septic constraints limit growth better than any regulation.

When I moved to Seattle in 1980, it was considered to be so silly that few wanted jobs here. According to Boeing HR, one of the reasons I got the job offer was because I didn’t balk at the weather. Now Seattle is trendy and those days are hard to imagine.

When I moved to Whidbey in 2005, friends didn’t say the move was silly, but they made it apparent that they thought it was odd. I think I’ve found a haven within the Salish Sea that will become much more apparent as Seattle’s growth resurges.

What’s this have to do with Newton, and what’s a PicoP? Trends. As Seattle grew it developed and attracted entrepreneurs. Living amidst them made it easier to watch simple ideas that were laughable to some become incredibly valuable to others. Rewind to 1980. How much money can anyone make on software for small computers, selling books without a store, serving fancied coffee, selling airplane tickets without an agent? I watch for trends, treat them with respect, and pay particular attention to the ideas being laughed at.

I bought a Newton MessagePad in about 1994. It was a personal digital assistant that recognized handwriting and was far easier to carry around than a laptop. Despite being made by Apple, it flopped and people laughed. The handwriting recognition was one of the first introductions to the joke of auto-correct. The synchronization was effectively overnight. It was handheld, but only because I have really big hands. Eventually I returned to paper notebooks. The MessagePad was either too early, poorly designed, or not given enough time to develop. Yet, almost all of its features are part of every cell phone and tablet (though some are transformed: wi-fi instead of IR, Siri instead of handwriting, etc.). Ten years later the iPhone is introduced and becomes a phenomenal success.

In March, 2010 I bought a ShowWX pico-projector made by a company that I own shares of: MicroVision (MVIS). ShowWX The idea was great. An always-in-focus projector the size of an iPhone that lasts long enough to play a move and that can create a display the size of my house. Granted I have a small house and the display is only visible on a dark night, but hey, it does it. I watched DVDs that way for a while. Making a thirty inch display made a much brighter image, but even then it was simpler to use a conventional monitor rather than arrange furniture to hold up the device. The product proved technical feasibility, but was too expensive to make. The company may not be the object of laughter, but it certainly isn’t being heralded as exemplary entrepreneurship.

I think few are laughing because many see the potential. The main guts of MicroVision’s projector (the PicoP part of the ShowWX) have shrunk and can fit inside a cell phone, or a laptop, or almost any electronic device. The costs are down. The manufacturing hurdles are being cleared. Volume production is hinted at. And we investors wait. Some wait to prove themselves to their friends. Some wait as champions of new ideas. Some wait because the stock can’t go down further, right? Some wait because, like me, they may remember a report from years ago that provided a market valuation for MicroVision that would result in roughly a $125 price for MVIS. (I searched, but can’t find the article. Post int the Comments if you find it.) That was years before the 8-for-1 reverse split. Multiply $125 by 8 and get $1,000. Laughable.

The other trend I’m watching now is entrepreneurship. Re-entering corporate life is difficult (Saturday I’ll post my My Jobs Report Month 18) and many are relying on themselves and collaborations. The internet and delivery services enable home businesses, saving the cost of storefronts. A loss of confidence in institutions increased interest in simpler, more personal solutions. Dealing with a person is more appealing than trusting a corporation or government regulation. On average, every ten days someone asks me to participate in a collaboration. They are widely varied, though almost all are based on simple, local ideas. Others laugh. I listen. Eventually, some will succeed. Sign me up!

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The Day Before

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

On Thursday, a meteor blew up over Russia. On Wednesday, there was plenty of press preparing people for an asteroid that would pass by on Friday. So, even when millions were ready to watch the skies for one cosmic event, another happened without warning that had a much greater effect. It is prudent to make plans for our futures, and we might even be considering the right topic; but, we have to be ready for surprises. No risk doesn’t exist; and, rewards can show up without warning.

Those of us living in the Pacific Northwest in about 2004 had a similar, though much smaller, experience. Our meteor explosion, called a bolide, happened at night and set off a lot of car alarms. I didn’t hear the alarms. I was tens of miles away snow camping at Lake Valhalla, in wilderness, miles from people and one lonely mountain highway. Winter In Summer From Above I happened to be up in the middle of the night adjusting my sleeping bag. The world turned bright. My tent glowed from every side, but there wasn’t a sound. Either someone was playing a trick with a large flashlight on a solo camper, some catastrophy happened to an airliner flying high over the pass, or the aliens had landed and were coming to take me away. I poked my head out of the tent and watched a trailing string of fire balls drift down the sky. No radio. No cell phone coverage. No one to talk to. As my adrenaline subsided I considered my choices. I could try to ignore it and go back to sleep. I could channel Monty Python and “Run away!” I could attempt to assist, because if it was a plane crash I’d probably be the first new person on the scene; but traveling on snow, alone, towards an unknown destination was risky. I decided to listen for helicopters and walk their way if they flew by. Eventually I accepted the silence and fell asleep. I learned the truth when I got home. (Want more? Buy the book.)

We (the human race) didn’t begin searching for collision course asteroids until recently. When I graduated from college in 1980 the prospect was acknowledged and dismissed as if it was as likely as extraterrestrials visiting. The solar system was assumed to be a reasonably stable place. Finally, someone started to look. Getting funding was difficult, but somehow they found some money; and then they found asteroids. A short time later they announced that a little looking proved their initial guess was wrong. They had to bump up the estimate by a factor of ten. Surprise! The job isn’t over, but there’s confidence that we’ve found most of the potentially lethal ones. We’ve even become confident enough to announce scheduled passages. “Here comes another one. Watch it online!” Then, oops. From a completely different reaction we are hit by something traveling 67,000 miles per hour. It was “small” because it only weighed 10,000 tons, 20,000,000 pounds. Maybe funding will be easier to get now. I suspect the NEO (Near Earth Object) budget is far less than NORAD‘s. The time to shift some funds was a decade or two ago, but now works too. By the way, the advocates for a meteor protection system are having trouble with their funding. HINT. (A curiosity: What did NORAD’s sensors show? They’re looking in a different direction, but what did they make of an air burst 20-30 times more powerful than the bomb we dropped on Hiroshima? Did we scramble a bomber or two? Did we change our DEFCON status? Was the President ushered towards a bunker or Air Force One?)

With foresight and an open mind, turn a negative into a positive. One of the places I’ve applied for a job sees asteroids as opportunities. That 10,000 ton asteroid that became a meteor that became a meteorite that injured people and became a news item may have been mostly metal. Many asteroids are. If not, then it may have had a lot of water. Metal and water are valuable in space and the folks at Planetary Resources plan to mine in space. As I understand it, they saw what happened with the BP spill in the Gulf, saw the extraordinary technologies required for deep-sea resource extraction, and realized mining in space was simpler, cheaper, cleaner, and possibly safer and more profitable. “Mining’s bad!” But come at it from a different and unexpected direction and it may be good. (By the way, when I applied there were 1,500 other applicants. I didn’t get the job, but I’m glad to see there are so many people who want to help.)

It is easy to live in fear. We live with long lists of what can go wrong without a moment’s notice. The list of what can go right without warning tends to be shorter and dismissed as wishful thinking; but, people do win the lottery, and some fall in love at first sight – so I hear.

As my financial situation deteriorated, I reminded myself that good news can happen within a phone call, an email, a letter, or a news item. It has happened to friends. I’ve even had some nice examples. My work on the History of Computing for Education and Learning was prompted by a conversational turn within a phone call. RSOL’s 40% then nearly 80% jumps on Tuesday and Wednesday happened without warning. Especially in the digital age, ideas, posts, photos, videos go viral without asking the owner for permission. Hannah Hart’s indiegogo crowdfunding program requested $50,000 and received over $200,000. She uploaded the videos of her watching the donations come in. It is a lesson in the emotional course of accepting overwhelming generosity.

Consulting, teaching, and simply being sociable with interesting people brings me into contact with a lot of people who are taught caution and management of their expectations despite their impressive ideas and visions. That’s prudent, but can be taken to an extreme. I like to ask, “Who do you want to be interviewed by?”; because, if their idea catches on they’re going to get noticed. Someone is going to end up on Oprah’s show. Someone is going to sit across the desk from Jon Stewart. There are no guarantees because, “No risk doesn’t exist.” yet conversely, “Rewards can show up without warning.”

I’m watching the progress of some friends’ ideas. The most exciting ones realize the pairing of simplicity with quality, are tapping into rising trends because they are champions of ideas instead of mercenaries chasing dollars, and are solutions pervasive enough to reach across the country, and beyond. Cabin by Angela Tiny houses well done: Mighty Micro Built House & paleo diets for health: Primal Island  Primal Island They are like many entrepreneurs, working hard without a schedule or guarantee of a return on investment, who after months or years of work may suddenly find themselves handling very healthy businesses. Welcome back to the 10,000 Hour Rule, where years of effort happen without notice until an event that makes success seem to appear overnight. The day before that critical call was a struggle. The day after will probably be a struggle too, but with much more substantial positive reinforcement (of which money is a fine example.)

I hope the same for myself. That’s how I keep my spirits up while my money was draining away. RSOL gave me a nice emotional boost. If it and the other stocks in my portfolio attain their proper valuations (according to me) my financial life will be greatly improved. Significant positive news for MicroVision could make MVIS climb at historic rates. A regular and frequent corporate client or three could be gratifying to me and my mortgage company. My collaborative self-publishing workshop could go national if we find the right support. Maybe Planetary Resources needs an ex-rocket scientist despite 1,500 other applicants. Various publishers may send me large checks because my books became best sellers, in which case, Hello Jon Stewart. Maybe my lottery ticket(s) will win me the jackpot, or some other windfall will favorably come my way. I watch them all – yet something tells me I am more like the folks at NORAD and NEO, watching here and there, but about to be surprised from a similar and different direction. The day before, I won’t know a thing about it; and then, there’s the day that will come. Stay tuned.

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Small Recoveries

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Try to remember. Try to remember those days when there was actual enthusiasm when people talked about stocks. The Irrational Exuberance era was appropriately named, but its negative over-reaction hasn’t worn the title it deserves: Irrational Revulsion. For the last few years, it has been impolite to mention stocks in casual conversations. The markets, which are by definition the large companies, are recovering. The stocks I’m more familiar with are from smaller companies that have languished, but that may be changing. That’s good news for my portfolio, but it’s also good news for the country because small companies have been the engine of growth. Witness three companies that may persevere: Dendreon (DNDN), AMSC (previously known as American Superconductor but now just AMSC like its symbol), and Real Goods Solar (RSOL). Sudden news may not be as important as sudden recognition of persistent stories.

Disclosures shouldn’t be put at the bottom. I’ll mention here up front that I’ve owned shares of DNDN (but had to sell), and own shares of AMSC and RSOL. It’s been a bumpy ride.

It would be handy to point back to a stable time in the stock market when theoretical models closely described reality, when stocks were priced based on the value of the company and any variation and deviation in price was part of a free market discussion argued with real money. The last time we had anything like that was back in the era of Pres. Bush, Sr. and Pres. Clinton. Prior to that, the nation was recovering from double digit inflation and interest rates. (Great deals on mortgages as low as 12%! Lock in now!) Then came the Internet Bubble and Irrational Exuberance, which probably would’ve resolved itself in a few years, but 9/11 hit and our fears and anxieties amplified a downturn. The recovery eventually began, until someone went too far, violated assumptions, and nearly imploded the world economy. No wonder few people want to talk about stocks or investing. People in their twenties probably have no experience in “rational” markets.

One sign that markets are irrational is when stock prices are not affected by company news. If the stock is based on a company’s value, and the news affects that value, then the stock should change proportionally. It isn’t straight math because there is plenty to argue about in terms of risks and potentials. Five years ago, DNDN, AMSC, and RSOL were much less mature companies. Dendreon had yet to achieve FDA approval for its revolutionary cancer treatment (Provenge). AMSC was still called American Superconductor because they were developing superconducting power cables, but hadn’t figured out the manufacturing process. Real Goods Solar wasn’t even public yet, but was about to be spun off from Gaiam (GAIA) and launched into the growing solar power industry. Since then, Dendreon’s treatment has worked better than expected. AMSC is producing cable and has expanded into wind power and power integration (Tres Amigas). Real Goods Solar has doubled revenues and continues to grow. Yet, DNDN, AMSC, and RSOL are far below their peak prices or even their prices from back then.

And yet, the stocks are recovering. I think they are worth much more than today’s valuations, and their interim performance suggests that possibility, but the relief is that they are recovering. Since the election, or New Years, or the Inauguration, or the failed Mayan Apocalypse, stocks in the small companies that I follow are rising. DNDN and AMSC are up nearly 50%. RSOL has more than quintupled. (If I type in sextupled will the spam bots mark it as offensive? And if they do, is that because of allusions to procreation or an irrational revulsion towards enthusiasm for stocks?)

Hidden within this discussion is a consequence of arithmetic. Companies are frequently measured by their market caps (the price of the stock multiplied by the number of shares available.) So, if everyone decides to sell a stock and plummet its price, the company can drop from large cap to micro cap merely from the (dis)wisdom of crowds regardless of its value. Some companies are not affected because they have existing product lines, sufficient cash flow, no debt, and competent management. If they persevere they will survive. Other companies are more strongly affected, and what affects them can affect us. Dendreon’s curtailment of a rapid expansion into treating other cancers was arguably required because of an irrational reaction to growth that was lower than expected. In any case, the company may be able to continue adding value that isn’t recognized immediately.

My investing history extends back to the Carter era. Sounds old, doesn’t it? But I was one of those kids who started investing a few hundred dollars before I got my first “real” job. I’m also a fan of history and have learned that every era makes fun of the previous era’s obliviousness. Of course the world isn’t flat. Of course the Earth goes around the Sun. Of course those points of light are other planets, stars, solar systems, galaxies, universes, ad infinitum. Within investing, the lesson I’ve learned is that if an investor and the companies can persevere, stock price eventually reflects company value regardless of the investment community’s interim derision. The market realization of a proper valuation is as abrupt as the depths or heights of the market’s earlier over-reaction. We’ve experienced years of doubt, dismay, and derogatory comments. If our financial system survives (a subject of active debate), then the market re-evaluation of hundreds of overlooked companies may seem extraordinary even though it may only be a return to ordinary.

My perseverance has been tested. As DNDN dropped and Dendreon succeeded, I had to sell to pay my bills. I ran out of DNDN before my other stocks recovered. My mortgage company is not happy about that. I have backup plans layered on backup plans and still can’t pay my bills. Three years ago my portfolio was much more diversified. What remains is a small quiver of small cap stocks representing companies that are making progress, though less than I expected, but with reactions that are greater than anticipated. AMSC announced a relatively large order a few days ago. RSOL announced a collaboration too. Describing the resultant stock price rise to fellow investors was met with disbelief. We’ve become too familiar with small expectations. As I type, RSOL is up about 70% for the day. Unbelievable. And yet, for RSOL to return to it’s IPO price when it was making less money and solar wasn’t in as much demand, RSOL will have to do that two or three more times. (Just checked again as I looked for the IPO price. RSOL is up 78%.)

Even with such recoveries, my losses are so great that it will take weeks of such performance for my portfolio to relax me, and a longer run for complete recovery; but good things can happen, for me, for the companies, for the nation, for us.

Of course, for those who follow such things, maybe something as small and grand as MicroVision reaching its long-anticipated impressive profits will rocket MVIS within a time that pleases me, my portfolio, my mortgage company without testing my perseverance much more. That would be a marvelous recovery.

PS While poking around for links I stumbled across Real Goods’ sweepstakes to win an electric car and enough solar panels to power it. Yes! Sign me up! Offer not available in WA. Wah. Maybe one of you will win.

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Choose Your Emotion

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

“Tom, how’s it going?” With a week like these last seven days, the answer changes with the hour.  Luckily, my walk across Scotland was a lesson in picking my emotions. Events trigger emotions as ever, but because of a revelation I am more likely to keep the lows from being as low, am more likely to celebrate the highs, and raise the average. That’s a handy skill in the midst of turmoil, uncertainty, chaos, concerns, and potentials. Every moment contains every emotion. Choose.

The week started with unexpected help with a job search (+), an embarrassing bit of confusion over an event (-), a fun radio interview (+), paying less of a bill than I wanted to (-), various people calling me a Renaissance Man (Renaissance Rebirth) (+), a computer and a car that went from broken to fixed in a time of tight money (+/- +/-), a trio of job setbacks (- – -), a new title of visionary (+), a pronouncement from LinkedIn that I am in the top 1% of people marked as Public Speakers (+), sold a print to an ideal recipient (+), Nebulous Octoberhad a fun dance (+), was embarrassed that I forgot the name of one of the other dancers and had to back out anyway from an offer to dance due to hunger (-), and had a fun time giving a talk about Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland at Langley Library (+), and forgetting to tell them they could buy the book (self-inflicted dope slap) (-). How’s it going? Let me check. I just had lunch, a glass of wine, and a nap after getting back from the talk; and didn’t find any bills in the mailbox. Right now it’s going well.

Right now is much better than what I recall from six months ago. There were fewer + signs back then. There aren’t enough yet to pay my mortgage or pay down my credit card bill, but thanks to several clients, the rest of the bills are getting paid. Except for massive positive windfalls, incremental changes are more common. When an airplane pulls out of a dive, as a pendulum swings from high to low to high again, the transition from falling to rising is smooth, not sudden; and at the nadir of the curve, the lateral motion is greater than the downward or upward motion. I certainly have lots of motion, and plenty of hints of progression, but pulling out of this swing is taking a lot of energy.

Cough, cough, sputter, sputter, cough, sputter, varoom is the way an outboard motor can sound as it starts. For me and many of my friends, our finances continue to cough and sputter, but the intervals are shortening, and occasionally the fiscal engines catch for a moment. In some cases, they’re actually getting somewhere with some control of their direction. Amidst the coughing and sputtering though, unexpected expenses like cars, computers, and house repairs can trigger anxieties. The repair costs are far less than the replacement costs, but when your savings are less than new car money, repairs are a noticeable event.

I went on my Scotland trip to relieve some stress, find perspective any rut I was in, and play with the idea of wandering from distillery to distillery. Except for the whisky, that’s what happened. One of the unexpected treasures was the revelation I mentioned about. “I’d learned that every moment held every emotion, and that all I had to do was choose.” Want to know how that happened? Read the book. Hey, maybe even buy it! Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland

With a week like I described above, it is easy to get swept up and down. The trio of job setbacks were enough to send some people into depression. Hiding under the covers is an easy and cheap response. It saves on heating bills. Sometimes the bad news sends me into a dark space. I’m not positive all of the time. But the awareness that every emotion is available helps. Even if I don’t know how to tap into a grin or a smile (though I have developed a tool for that – Grin Smile Laugh), knowing that it is possible is a major help.

My string of perverse luck began back in August 2011 (Triple Whammy). I’ve been looking for jobs since then (My Jobs Report Month 17). I’m continuing to try selling my house (Home For Sale Alas) since last May. A year and a half of such events begins to take on the spirit of what will become a farce in retrospect. Well, I’ve waited long enough for so many things that if it’s going to be funny later, I might as well laugh now. I even laughed at the fact that I laughed. And laughing now has had another consequence. My luck has seemed perverse, but I now also realize that if there is perversely bad luck, then it is possible to have perversely good luck, which will be much more welcome and be equally laughable. Laughing my way in, through, and out (with occasional diversions into other healthy emotions) is much more appealing than grinding my way through.

I’m not an expert at choosing my emotions. I only realized the possibility in 2010. The revelation came as a thought and feeling attached to a spider thread that could lead to something more substantial. “I decided to keep a tender mental hold on that emotional thread and slowly reel in that treasure.” I’m still reeling.

Managing personal finances isn’t only managing money. Emotions are tied to money and come with attachments to identity, security, and self-worth. Being able to choose an emotion from a moment begins to disconnect the outside influences on personal finances. What makes me happy doesn’t cost much, though not paying my bills definitely gets me down. Beyond having “enough”, I find very little in advertisements that appeal to me. I like my simple life. Much of it is externally imposed right now, but I know that what I enjoy wouldn’t change much if or when I am a millionaire again. A friend an I were daydreaming, er, planning, about what to do with a lottery jackpot. Both of us preferred to renovate our cars (my Jeep Cherokee Classic that they were silly to stop making, and his old built-to-last-forever-regardless-of-fashion pickup) rather than buy something new. (Though I am intrigued by the electric motorcycles whenever I’m in the ferry line. Motorcycles load first. Electrics don’t have to idle.)

My emotions as I type are a bit reserved. I enjoy public speaking, but it usually takes some time to unwind and get my energy back. I’ll have a cup of tea and sit for a bit after I post and share. Then I’ll dive into the emails and phone calls to follow up from this morning’s talk. Three or four want to talk to me about Scotland, or finance, or a few unnamed topics. In the nature of the small city of Langley, a friend called out as she drove by and as I walked back to my car. She slowed down to invite me to talk at her place. (And caused three cars to line up behind her, which is a major traffic event.) That’s a string of positives (+ + + + +) that makes it easy to pick an emotion.

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Renaissance Rebirth

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Something’s up and I don’t know what, but it may be an epochal change in civilization. Such a change makes me question my assumptions, including those behind my book, Dream. Invest. Live., that is the basis for this blog. Dream. Invest. Live. The Renaissance was such a change. It was unscripted, unplanned, and unexpected. People that effected those changes required courage, curiosity, or naivete. It was a creative and messy process of awakening. If it’s happening again, this change will be the same and different. That’s our nature.

Despite a week-long unplanned Computational Hiatus, my main business activity has been as Interim Project Manager for HCLE, the History of Computing in Learning and Education, a virtual museum of how computers changed education. How we learned changed. What we had to learn changed. Prior to computers, education was based on a scheduled performance where a teacher verbally delivered information, knowledge, insight, and wisdom to an audience of accepted students. Now, anyone can be a student, we can receive almost any information we want at whatever time we choose for free. The teachers may be professionals or eager volunteers who deliver their expertise to resources like wikipedia or the Khan Academy. Education is continuing to shift, and it may take another generation before the switch is complete; but imagine the courage required of those pioneers who introduced computers to the system in the era of punch cards, cassette tapes, and write-your-own software. (By the way, that’s why we’re creating the Virtual Museum, to capture those experiences and sociological changes before those memories are lost or those programs can’t be read and run. Care to join in, donate, or cheer us on? hcle.wikispaces.com Donate enough and I’ll only have to write one last Jobs Report.)

Last night I was watching a documentary (yes, I am a geek) about the Medici called; Godfathers of the Renaissance. Episode one taught me that The Renaissance began with a change in thought based on education. People with education, money, and time began exploring monasteries for ancient texts, more as a treasure hunt than a serious pursuit. One aspect of the hunt was to be able to read what you found. Eventually, the act of reading became more of an education than a performance stunt. There was hidden, and sometimes forbidden, knowledge in those texts. It began to sink in that they’d forgotten things that the Romans knew. The one that struck me was that for hundreds of years civilization forgot how to make concrete. The more important insight was that people they’d talked about in abstract terms, The Romans, were eventually seen as real people and if The Romans could do it, why couldn’t someone in 1400? They looked to others for different points of view and actually invented perspective. The world changed.

Now that my computer is repaired and returned (thanks Gail) I naturally visited my Facebook wall to see what was happening in my friends’ lives. A video I’d shared was being shared around. It went viral long before I found it, so it wasn’t a surprise to see that it was popular. It’s a one minute video of third world people reading first world problems. “I hate it when my house is so big that I need two wireless routers.” finds a new perspective coming from a man standing in front of a house smaller than most suburban living rooms. I shared the video because I liked the way it put most complaints into perspective.

Perspective. Learning from people who many treat as abstractions. Thinking about how education and insights are reaching us in new ways. Noticing the unexpected changes wrought through the Renaissance. What changes are we amidst that go beyond quarterly reports, monthly bills, and national elections?

Over the weekend I was honored to be included in a photography project by Sue Averett called The Emanations of Love Project. I would never have nominated myself to be included, but maybe that was one of the criteria for inclusion.

One of Sue's shots I use for a new bio pic.

One of Sue’s shots I use for a new bio pic.

Sue did a wonderful job of describing her project, so I’ll point you to her site for the details. The piece that struck a chord with the evening’s line of thought was a line from her short bio of me; “A good-hearted Renaissance man, is Tom.” Pardon me as I blush, and yes, it is a mini-breakthrough for me to type such a thing about myself (but that’s another story.)  Enough others have called me a Renaissance man that I’ve jokingly considered having new business cards made. Go to my bio page to make your own assessment. But the more important introspection was, regardless of me, are we in the midst of the next Renaissance? If so, how would it be different?

The Medici supported people who went to remote places to acquire knowledge from people distanced by time. We are crowdsourcing ourselves to acquire remote knowledge from people distanced by geography, economics, and culture. Some seek obscure videos to prove they can find viral material before it’s gone viral. Others are taking that material and learning from it. The video I described above was produced by a charity that advocates for as simple a thing as fresh water. It highlights the reality of people who are normally treated as abstractions.

If this Renaissance (there will be more so maybe we should number them) is about getting past us versus them to realizing that we is global, then we’d be effecting a change greater than any seen in history. That’s heady stuff. Considering the pace of change now, this Renaissance may take decades instead of centuries.

Last night there was also a tsunami alert. Well, there was actually a magnitude eight earthquake too, but the news emphasized the tsunami because it might reach “us”. The warning wasn’t necessary. Google News said so. This morning I had to dig to find any news about the quake. Magnitude eight quakes should be major new events. But very few people were affected. They lived on islands in the South Pacific. So, evidently, it didn’t matter. Evidently, “they” didn’t matter.

My book is titled Dream. Invest. Live. because personal finance is not just about Invest. Invest. Invest. Dreaming and Living are global. Though some dream of a second router; others dream of clean water. I dream of health, emotional ease, and financial security, at the very least. (aka Live Long and Prosper) For now, the basis of the Invest part remains valid enough. But the Renaissance was funded by a revolution in finance. Another could happen again. Ask the Occupy crowd.

Economies are definitely changing. The price of energy may begin to limit travel, and travel is one of the best ways to change perspectives from abstract to real. (Check a recently published excerpt from my Scotland book.) Fortunately, the Internet has come along and provided new ways for us to learn about the rest of us. Am I a Renaissance man? Maybe, but I believe that the courageous, the curious, and even the naive who explore the world via any device may be creating a generation of Renaissance people. The show about the Medici started with the origins of the word renaissance. It basically means rebirth, which is a messy, creative, and positive event. We may be our civilization’s midwives.

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Computational Hiatus

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Remember life before computers? The percentage of the population that does diminishes every day. Even a brief break from them is an adjustment, even for me, and I remember when typing involved a typewriter. My laptop sits here, beside my suddenly over-worked iPad, waiting for Gail to install a new hard drive. It’s winter, and computationally, much is moving a bit slower. That’s probably going to change.

Traffic to this blog has doubled since twelve months ago; yet, there’s been a collective pause as people wait for dramatic news. Has the house sold? No. Have my stocks recovered? No. There weren’t even any good MicroVision rumors out of the Consumer Electronics Show. Book sales are walking along with the release of Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland; and yes, I probably will produce a paperback version soon, but first I want to finish a client’s book. Speaking of clients, my consulting work was entering a new phase just as the hard drive started chattering instead of just whirring. There is good news, but I suspect the traffic awaits the celebratory level of announcements that my finances have dramatically improved. Maybe it will happen that way. Maybe it won’t. In the meantime, most folks can concentrate on other aspects of their lives. I’ll holler if something happens.

For the last few days, I’ve been on a computational hiatus. This iPad can do a lot, but it can’t do the detailed or quality level of work I prefer. I can keep up, but I can’t progress. I can’t apply for jobs. Announcing this weekend’s upcoming talk in Langley Has been difficult. By luck, my Scotland photos are on my iPad, so I’ve been able to upload a few to my new online gallery at FineArtAmerica.com.Vanishing Horizons But I’ve had to put aside the fine formatting of grant proposals, or extracting project data from massive spreadsheets. It makes me that much more aware of the more permanent digital divide others are forced to live with. I should be back up to full connectivity by Wednesday. For others, it may be never.

I’ve taken the time to take some time. Fortunately, the founder of my major project, Liza Loop, founder of the History of Computing for Learning and Education, understands. And this happens to happen during a hiatus in our process. Better now than earlier or later. (By the way, I now have the title of Interim Project Manager. Care to make it more permanent? Then help us raise funding to create a virtual museum for software and educational documents that redefined the way we learn. hcle.wikispaces.com)

As I said, I’ve taken the time to take some time. (And no, I can’t readily go back and edit what I type. Sorry, wordsmiths, but such is blogging from iPad.) It has been months since I took more than an hour to sit and think. Strategies, tactics, or even just relaxing haven’t been much of an option while I scramble to make enough money to appease the mortgage company. Thanks to clients, patrons, and benefactors I’ve been able to pay all of the other bills and even have enough for a new hard drive. That was a pleasant and undramatic revelation. Thanks, folks.

The other major benefit is one that is valuable regardless of finances. I had time to relax, to think, and to feel. It is relaxing to sit for a few minutes, but it wasn’t until I’d disconnected for a day that my mind untensed. I realized how, even after an hour of doing nothing, my mind was still tensed, prepared and waiting to dive back into a cerebral task. Two days later, my forehead wrinkles were less engrained. A few days into  this hiatus, various emotions feel safe enough to say hello again. (Though, typing on an iPad has scrunched things up a bit. That will pass.)

Friends surviving the corporate cubicle world call and vent about the constant level of urgency, even for non-urgent businesses. As a society, we complain about stress, but it is a required fashion. Suits and ties may have acquiesed to casual clothes, but casual doesn’t describe typical corporate culture.

I look forward to returning to full computational operations. There is much work to do. The mortgage company continues to call and I continue to do things like eat. But, I’ve now reminded myself that what I’m working towards aren’t the things in advertisements. I’m working to feelings, feeling at ease, a relief from stress, and time to appreciate it all. I look forward to frequent, intentional, pleasant, computational hiatuses.

And, I look forward to a real keyboard, a mouse, and helping people build museums, publish books, construct houses, live their lives, and dance!

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Relax And Enjoy Or Else

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Hey Gail, my computer is heading your way. Today’s bLog is brought to you from my iPad because my laptop’s hard drive is making clicking noises. Gail LaForest of The Tranquil Computer will swap out the old with a new, next week. In the meantime, I guess I’ll be taking it easy, whether I wanted to or not. Sometimes we pick our vacations. Sometimes the universe suggests we slow down. If we don’t stop occasionally, we may get stopped permanently, like my previous hard drive. Relax and enjoy.

I took longer vacations when I worked at Boeing. Use it or lose it was the motto regarding accrued vacation days. When I retired at 38 (evidently a temporary condition) I listened to the advice that advised against sitting around. Not a problem with my childhood-engrained work ethic. I backed off considerably, but I started teaching karate and eventually began writing books. (My fingers shudder at the thought of writing a book via iPad. This ain’t easy.) A while back I realized I lived a Rule Of Seven, which is more a guideline than a rule. Check that old post for details. I my current situation it means working every day; especially, since I haven’t been paying the mortgage. That’s  a tough rule, but tough times require concentrating on necessities over luxuries.
Of course, relaxation is not a luxury. Even machines must take a break on occasion. Maintenance happens. The human body is marvelous at self-repair,
But sometimes it must sit still to do so. The converse is true too. I’ve been busily sitting still, working on the computer so much for the last few months, and the weather has been so hypothermic, that I haven’t been running as much. Dancing isn’t as frequent as it was. Yesterday, about the time I realized I should set aside the computer, my back tweaked. Over decades my back and I have negotiated a recovery plan: lay down and read, then get up and walk or run. Yesterday was a sodden day. Today I started with a walk. I’ll go for another after I post this.
This break actually comes as a good time. I mailed off a major completed work package (a development plan for the History of Computing in Learning and Education Virtual Museum). A friend and client’s manuscript finally cleared Amazon’s CreateSpace hurdles (book announcement to follow). A couple of job postings and referrals are in the hands of insiders. A custom art order was mailed to it’s new happy home. And I filed and paid my state business taxes on time.
Retracting from conventional life heightens the awareness of what is missed. My iPad is useful, but not useful enough to manage my online photo galleries. Walking, bicycling, or busing are useful, but I’m ten miles from Langley, and even the bus stop is 1.6 miles from my house. Even casual socializing is no longer casual. My stalwart Jeep has a few issue (I don’t roll down the driver’s side window unless necessary) and gas is expensive. Staying home is my preferred option. Even home projects are put on hold pending funds.
And then I think about life prior to computers and cars. People lived full lives entertained themselves with books, friends, and quiet time. That old image of sitting in a rocking chair on the porch was real. I wouldn’t do it in today’s weather, and if I had a pipe the stuff I’d put in it wouldn’t be tobacco; but, the idea remains valid. What we need to relax and enjoy isn’t our stuff. It is us. I have to be willing, and then actually dive into, relaxing and enjoying. That’s a phenomenally frugal notion.
The responsible part of me can focus too easily on responding to the mortgage company’s valid concerns. I want to pay my bills and honor my commitments too; but, I’m also responsible for the other aspects of my life, including my mental and physical health.
So, I’ll draw this to a close, see if I can upload it, try to insert the links or even an image or two and then listen to the hints being delivered in batches to slow down, relax and enjoy – because I certainly want to avoid the or else.
Sorry folks, no links, not even to Dr. Craig Weiner and EFT and the effects of emotion and stress on the body. Rats.
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My Jobs Report Month 17

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Another resume, another web site update to include the link, another edit to my bio page. Another “Sorry, but you’re over-qualified.” Another month looking for a job. Another My Jobs Report. Month 17 draws to a close with no official change in my employment status. Many of last month’s hopes have faded; but, this month’s hopes are more hopeful. One good sign = there’s only one overdue bill, my mortgage.

Thanks to everyone for the gifts that helped me through the holidays. At times like this, breaking the cash-as-gift taboo is welcome. Shopping for food without worrying as much about the bill is a relief. A friend and client also helped out by paying for work before I delivered the product. (Propane Check) Washington State appreciates the subsequent on-time payment of my business’s 2012 taxes. The gifts of wine, cheese, and sausage are keeping well, and will be meted out through February. My dad even sent me a funky version of a nerf ball that has been bounced off most of the walls. Not A Nerf

Every month I’ve hoped that writing My Job Report would be a celebration and a finale. Last month there were three or four appealing prospects. The one that pays the most had the thinnest communication channel. The one that paid the least had the most encouragement. Here, at the end of January, the one that pays the most continues to tantalize from the horizon. The one that had the most encouragement, which would pay almost not quite enough, was the one where we agreed that I was over-qualified, and that that was a good thing – well, I didn’t get the job because Shock! I was over-qualified. I guess “was” is the wrong word, because my qualifications haven’t changed. (Being pronounced over-qualified, knowing I’m not the only one, then hearing about corporate pressure to go overseas for hiring because there aren’t enough qualified Americans for the jobs convinces me that they aren’t looking, or can’t see beyond their own dysfunctional processes. And yes, I know my qualifications may not meet their requirements, but surely we can find a better way to match citizens to the national need.)

In the meantime, I’ve backed away from a couple of entrepreneurial opportunities because it was easy to envision eventual involvement with the Attorney General’s office. They hadn’t done anything untoward, yet; but, they thought my concerns weren’t worth considering. OK, time to go.

To balance those though, there are a few other opportunities that are positively intriguing. Somehow, without advertising, folks are asking me to help start their businesses. I do advertise my consulting skills; but, several people have approached me as a possible partner instead of as a consultant. They want more of me. I like the trend. Now if we can only find funding.

The best news is that I’ve effectively completed my largest work package for a client. During the first few weeks of 2013 I put together a program plan and development strategy, on-time, on-budget, and with thanks from the client. (reminder to self: update resume, again) We worked so well that I’m starting on the next work package, drafting proposals, which may lead to – dare I say – reasonably paid, committed part-time employment. Part-time employment means I can also pursue the rest of my business part-time as well, or take on another project as a part-time employee or partner there, too.

By the way, I apologize for not being more direct with names and details but, struggling businesses and people trying to decide about business strategies frequently prefer anonymity and discretion. The business plan that looks like it must dance along the edge of ethics might find a slight tweak that returns it to a comfort zone. No reason to besmirch a name for a temporary consideration of impropriety. The scrupulous business aimed at humanitarian needs met in an egalitarian fashion may not want to raise expectations too high.

As for My Job Report, various bits of advice continue to swirl. There’s a common definition of insanity that I suspect isn’t clinically accurate even if it is descriptive, “Sanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results.” That runs counter to, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Seventeen months of applying for jobs is a lot of opportunity to consider both pieces of advice. Then I check in my intuition and hear another common comment, “Can you take a hint?” Maybe I don’t have to apply for jobs. Maybe I don’t have to have conventional employment.

One of the classic pieces of advice for job seekers is that networking and word-of-mouth are more successful than applying for jobs by answering ads. Neither has succeeded, yet; but, the most promising prospects have usually come from personal contacts. When I started my job search, the majority of the time was spent cruising job sites. I checked daily. As I branched out, I added weekly nationwide searches, then monthly international searches. Considering the response and success rate, I’ve scaled back to weekly international searches on an irregular schedule. To keep from doing exactly the same thing every time, I’ve taken to revising my resume for style and eliminating content. (Thanks. I’ll get those books back to you somehow.) I won’t close that door unless I must.

Seventeen months of hints have made it apparent to me that, especially for people who are “over-qualified”, the best way to find a job is to make a job. My consulting work is gaining traction. It’s busier, more visible, and drawing in more revenue. My work is usually also followed with the comment that I should charge more. That may happen, but probably not for folks that I’m already working with. That’s one way I can show my appreciation for them being there when I needed the business the most. Finding a job by making a job isn’t easy either. It’s taken either seventeen months or fourteen years, depending on how you want to count it; and, it still can’t pay the mortgage. Making my own job isn’t in my complete control, clients and customers rule, but I have even less control over resume bots.

I won’t try to predict what will be in next months’ job report. A call can come in from the dozens or hundreds of lingering job applications I’ve filed. My network may deliver an unexpected opportunity. One, two, or more of those entrepreneurial projects may find funding and pay us to do good work at good pay while having fun. Clients may commit to consultations after months of one-of-these-days. I don’t know. But, I’ll keep trying, in different ways, while taking those hints the best way I can.

Stay tuned. (Oh yeah, and who knows, wouldn’t it be a kick and a lot of fun if I hit the jackpot? It can happen, and then maybe some of those projects will have found their funding.)

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Frugal Examples

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Tom Trimbath

Great ideas come from outside my head. Imagining that we can do everything ourselves, being the ultimate independent, and exclusively self-made person may be noble ideals, marvelous accomplishments, and possibly delusions. As someone recently said, “you didn’t build that“, which followed the equally important part of the quote, “If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help.” And if you didn’t recognize that as a President Obama quote, then you manage to follow politics even less than I do, which is impressive. Lots of ideas are sent my way by people hoping to help me out of my financial strife. Most are repeats, but a few march through with fresh ideas that make me go, “Hmm.” One idea about frugality was delivered via the frugal medium of twitter, an idea of doing more with less came in from a channel that limits the message to 140 characters. That made me go, “Hmm”, with a chuckle.

The divine Ms. Michaelene McElroy, known on twitter as @MichaeleneM, and known newly-minted author who is becoming known for her book, “The Last Supper Catering Company” (how’s the sequel coming?) delivered this tweet in response to one of my blog posts.
“@tetrimbath Tom, it might be time to start holding “Frugal” seminars.
Practical tips on how to save $$ during troubled times.”
The thought hadn’t even come to mind.

Frugality is engrained in me. Without the word being used or the topic being discussed I witnessed it daily as a child. It wasn’t until I had my first mortgage that I realized how much of a struggle it must have been for my parents to raise me comfortably. I always considered us upper middle class because there was very little that I wanted but couldn’t have. Yet, as a kid, I knew that my mom wanted those windows that were lots of little panels and that we couldn’t afford them. So, in a very Martha Stewart moment before Martha Stewart began sharing her moments, my mom took out some electrical tape and made the windows look like leaded glass. Sounds odd? Only in retrospect. Like many of Martha Stewart’s craft projects, if you don’t know how it was made, you simply accept the effect. That tape never seemed to fade or peel and I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t on the living room window. By the way, some part of me proudly defends my mom because her name was Martha too, and as far as I am concerned, she came first.

Frugality has become more of a conscious act, partly that’s because I recognized that frugality helped me (temporarily) retire early, it is a core concept in my book, Dream. Invest. Live., and I championed it as Board Secretary of The New Road Map Foundation. I give due nod to the book, Your Money Or Your Life, where I first learned that frugal could also mean respecting the resources in my life, including money, time, people, and the planet. (I’m actually a case study in the new edition. I never saw that coming, either.) As my finances degraded in 2011 and 2012, my frugality turned from a lifestyle choice, to a lifestyle necessity. Fortunately, that transition was easier for me than for those who’ve never lived frugally.

Even though I talk and write about frugality, I’ve mostly limited my discussions to the finances and balancing that with this slice of time called a life. The details of frugality are implicit for me, and it wasn’t until Ms. McElroy’s tweet that I considered doing anything explicit. Yes, small houses are more comfortable than big ones, at least for me. Yes, as I wrote in an earlier post how I enjoy dining in rather than out. Yes, I consider it a treat to walk to a client instead of having to drive. Yes, I may have curtailed the occasional enjoyment of single malt scotch; but, I’ve also learned how easy it is to make my own flavored vodkas, frequently using herbs from my yard or leftover spices. Gotta trim so much rosemary that I could never use it all? Well, steep some sprigs in vodka for a few weeks and produce a martini that goes well with stew.

As much as I like the idea, and am willing to pursue it if there is sufficient interest, I look around at all of the fine examples of frugal champions: Martha Stewart, in her own way; The Ultimate Cheapskate, Jeff Yeager; entire communities, like the Simple Living Forum; and most of my artist and advocate friends who have turned frugality into expressions of style and passion. You can’t experience it, but just thinking about my community made me pause at how some with far less than me manage to so expressively live.

An image flashed to mind: a frugal band would probably include the modern day equivalent of a washtub bass and a washboard snare. I guess that would be the five gallon bucket and the steel drum. Spoons still work.

So, just for the fun of it, we could Start A Hangout on Google+ where we’d talk about such things. We could create a community called The Frugals. (Done. At least at the start I’ve set it up as moderated until I get a feel for the spam traffic.) There’d be plenty of proud experiments to proclaim and celebrate. No sales pitches, people, and let’s skip the politics. There’d also be the appropriate caveats. Spiced vodka is easier than spiced homegrown herbs, at least for me. Of course, if I’d washed the bugs and such from the herbs first – ah, but lessons learned, eh?

I ponder a lot. In particular, I ponder, “How did I ever end up in this situation?” A common ponderence. For a while I pondered such questions by watching the fire in the fireplace. Then during a burn ban, I scaled back and pondered by putting a candle in the fireplace and found that the thoughts and feelings flowed just as easily, especially with a spiced martini in hand. A candle cost less than a fireplace load of wood, too. It turns out that the flame from an oil lamp works almost as well, but that scaling back to an LED is going too far. One candle Frugality is not a race to an extreme, but a search for balance. Find the true value and concentrate on that. Fortunately, in today’s world, there is immense implicit wealth. Advertisers tell us to buy the biggest television or the fanciest car or fastest computer. But The Daily Show is just as much fun on the small screen. My Jeep (not a Grand) Cherokee is fine, even if they don’t make them anymore. And almost everything I ask my computer to do gets done far faster than if I tried doing it myself.

So, I think I’ll take Ms. McElroy’s advice (and go buy her book, and go buy one or all of mine while you’re there – though the frugal part of me suggests going to the library); and maybe the Google Community will answer part of that need for questions, answers, and celebrations whether it comes from my head, hers, or someone else’s. The more examples, the better. Of course, if you want to pay me to drop by and talk about it, too; well, that’s frugal as well because it respects the resource that is my experience. Oh, such an admission may be a breakthrough for me. I must ponder this. I think I’ll go light a lamp or maybe even a candle.

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