linklings, playing the building edition

Yet another week gone by! Hard to believe. If you’re looking for part 3 of my location-independent family posts, don’t worry, it’s coming next week. The Carnival of Careers will be here, too. And in the meantime I’ve managed to work a heavy-overtime week (the extra money wasn’t necessary but is nice after taking a 5-week break from work) and running around after the kids every evening. All good, but obviously it messed with the posting frequency. I’m probably going to drop back to posting three times per week from now on, just to keep on top on the blog.

I also made it to Playing The Building today, since it’s near my client’s office. It’s a piece by David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame. All I have to say is wow. Not so much for the exhibit – although it was amazing – but for the bottomless pit of creativity that Mr. Byrne has. I wish I had even a bit of that creativity. It’s a cool idea, and hearing a building artificially groan and creak out music is an eerie but pleasant experience.

I’ll also make a brief digression into politics/the economy and say that all of the horrendously stupid blathering about oil speculation and lowering oil prices and whatnot is really getting to me. America’s had a free ride for a long time. Gas is going to be expensive, no matter what, and all the political preening and pouting in the world won’t change that. It’s time to get more fuel-efficient cars (not just hybrids, a LOT more efficient) and it’s time to rethink how much driving we need to do. Plenty of blogs deal with this, but at the end of the day this is not a personal finance issue. Gas is still cheaper than it SHOULD be.

photo credit: mugley

A Reminder to Keep Your Beneficiaries Up-to-Date: This is one of those things we’re willing to let slip through the cracks, but it’s critically important to keep it updated.

State of the Economy: Investing in one of the greatest companies in American history nets you a 0% return over 53 years. Nice. The last eight years have really been wonderful for our country, haven’t they?

Stop Whining & Start Making Some Money: Amen to this. I see immigrants in NYC every day breaking their backs to get ahead, while my coworkers whine about how they can’t afford a Wii because gas is over $4.

RBS Predicts a Global Market Crash: Yeah, more good news… if America’s woes spread to the rest of the West (and the signs are crystal clear that they are) then it’s going to be a fun few years for all of us.

Rate Your Job, Company and Salary At Glassdoor.com: Compare Work and Pay: I heard about this site and I love the idea – once their database builds up a bit this will be a site I’ll hit a lot. Actual information about salaries would be VERY interesting, even for a consultant…

Stocks Fell Like a Rock: Just because you’re not on the mat yet. Stay down!

PopTop Ranks Replaces Personal Finance Site Rankings: Ah yes, another ranking site for us bloggers to agonize over… subscribe to brip blap and make me rise! rise! rise in the rankings! For the Emperor! Excelsior!

Three Requirements of Great Investing: Well, I’m not 100% sold on the index-fund theology but then again, it works as well as anything for the part-time investor, so read this, grit your teeth and pray (or better yet, vote) for a sensible set of political leaders to start creating some reasonable fiscal policies in this little country of ours.

Free Ebook: Memoirs Of A Gaijin: Hunter’s got a book about his experience as an American in Japan – I’ve started it and it’s a good read so far. Best of all, the price is right, people.

Law Of Attraction, Million Dollar Check, And Business Growth: People are skeptical about the law of attraction, and it all boils down to this: it’s not about thinking you’ll get a million bucks just for thinking about it. It’s about putting yourself in a positive mindset that says I AM going to get it, and I’m going to keep myself open to possibilities to earning it. I have been pushing and pushing myself to do it, and it’s worked – money is flowing in far faster than I would’ve expected two months ago when I started trying to attract it. Not because I wished for it, but because I am now concentrating on staying open to new possibilities.

Simple Credit Card Advice For Everyone, Yes YOU!: This one is truly GREAT credit card advice from a site that about, well, hard-core progressive politics. I hadn’t visited it in months and when I did, this little gem jumped out at me. Owe a lot? Read it. Pay off your balance in full every month? Read it. Good tips from a former credit card company employee.

That’s it for the links. I’ll leave you with a quote for absolutely no reason other than the fact I found it apt:

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition. ” — Timothy Leary