linklings, field notes from a (mildly sunny) catastrophe

I find something both satisfying and sad about the end of the holiday season. I’m glad the pressure to be happy and festive is over, but I’m sad that the festive and happy times are over. January is certainly a dull month – the word that springs to mind is tedium, a return to pedestrian routine. But we had a bizarre break in the tedium here in the northeastern US with springlike temperatures – almost 70 degrees F. Climate change or not it was stunning – I walked around in shirtsleeves where a week ago I could barely feel my nose. Times like this make me wonder if routine isn’t the enemy of happiness, because something as simple as a break in the weather made me happier. Perhaps my routine gets me down – and what keeps me happy is “new stuff.” Something to ponder as I get ready for Hump Day.

As always, a mix of carnivals and links…

Jeremy Cowart Photography | Music

• This has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with personal finance or personal development or health, but I love these photos. Amazing artistry – the kind of thing where you just know that Jeremy loves what he does.
  

Carnival of Personal Finance 134: Building on the Basics | Mrs. Micah: Finance for a Freelance Life

• Once again, I participated at the mighty Carnival of Personal Finance, this time hosted by Mrs. Micah. I also really liked Patrick’s article there, as well. It’s always full of (almost too many) good articles to get through – check it out!
  
  

Open Source Blogging: Feel Free to Steal My Content | Zen Habits

• Leo hardly needs a link from me, but this was a startling concept – he went 100% open source, telling everyone to rip off his content. Here goes:
  

“Now, I’m granting full permission to use any of my content on Zen Habits or in my ebook, Zen To Done, in any way you like. I release my copyright on this content. From now on, there is no need to email me for permission. Use it however you want! Email it, share it, reprint it with or without credit. Change it around, put in a bunch of swear words and attribute them to me. It’s OK. ”

I don’t even know what prompted him to do this, but good for him. I sometimes think that this is the way it’s all going to have to go, actually – it’s going to be hard to monitor where the information goes in the future, and he’s just succumbing to the inevitable. That having been said, I’m not about to start shooting copies of Zen to Done everywhere.

Making My Brain Let Go Of Money | I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

• With a car repair nightmare and a debt repayment plan setback, you would hardly blame Paidtwice for getting upset. I know exactly what she means when she says it’s hard to mentally let money go sometimes. I can almost see the individual dollar bills sometimes. However, things happen and you have to let it go. I still haven’t internalized that completely, and she hasn’t either, but it’s something we all have to work on.
  
  

Carnival of Fatherhood | Time for Dads

• My article about being a good spouse to a stay-at-home parent was included at the Carnival of Fatherhood. This was the first time I participated in this carnival, so head on over and check it out!
  
  

Running A Business From Anywhere: How A Virtual Assistant Can Help | Location Independent Living | Live and Work From Anywhere You Choose

• Lea at LIL (a very interesting blog) has some good analysis of the pros and cons of a virtual assistant, a la Tim Ferris. I guess I could see doing this if you were very busy and had some tasks which were simple to outsource. Bubelah and I outsource cleaning our house, for example – worth every penny in terms of time not spent scrubbing floors.
  

The Bing Blog The hope of a new generation «

• We all know that the Boomers were soulless ex-hippies, Gen X is filled with tortured unfulfilled middle managers and Gen Y are slackers. This is probably the best single description of Gen Y types I’ve seen outside of Penelope Trunk’s blog. Bing’s description is startling, but it seems to be more or less true in my workplace. All I have to say is “good for you, Gen Ys.” Corporations will adjust to Gen Y or they will die, because the workaholic Boomers are going the way of all flesh, and Gen X is too proud to do the entry level work now that they feel – at last – the Boomers are moving on.

Current Market Conditions Encourage Bad Decisions – Don’t Make The Same Mistakes : Generation X Finance

• Jeremy at Generation X Finance has a nice piece demonstrating that most people who invest in the market are their own worst enemy. Me, personally, I’m buying right now, because the fire sale is on – but you have to read his article to see some of the absolutely insane stuff he sees going on now.
  – post by bripblap

My Wealth Builder: My Tax Optimization Strategy For 2008

• Once in a while you just read one of those posts that make you go “Ah-HAH!” This was one of them for me. When I’m financially independent my taxes will go down. A lot. I knew it but never really had the epiphany per se – and after reading this I did. Very interesting look at the taxes of a retired investor.
  

Do You Go To Work Sick?

• Activate rant! People who go to sick work are awful! I had some woman coughing up a lung on me on my bus this evening; clearly she belonged in bed. She could barely sit up straight. One of my coworkers passed out at work a couple of months ago with a cold. What did she do? Stay late to finish up her work. People, your life is made up of the passage of 675,000 hours, approximately. Please don’t prolong the number of them you spend sick by dragging your contagious self into the workplace. There should be a law…