Larry Smith: Why you will fail to have a great career

Cold hard talk right here......

Small Business Saturday

While many are recovering from Black Friend riots in there local retail stores and preparing for hand cramps and sore rear ends after hours of Cyber Monday shopping , please be aware today is SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY!!! It's a day to put your hard earned dollar behind your local small business. So if you have friends, family and associates on their legit business grind show support and break bread for the cause. You'll be glad you did.

The Dark Knight Gets It........

Pass these Words of Encourgement on.....

This is from My Super Homie Jillian's Blog. If your not on it then you need to be. She dropped this last night and asked my to pass the positivity. SO I'm here doing my part and hoping you'll do the same.

This weeks TOTW is a little late...it's been a heavy hearted type of day. I don't usually duplicate messages on Mondays....but this one was unavoidable...As I sit here and listen to Beyonce's "Me, Myself, and I"...I've just been reflecting on today's events that have inspired this week's thought..this weeks very emotional thought.

I got a call this morning on my way to work from my boss. He said, "Don't go into work today." Immediately my heart dropped...am I getting fired?

Quick flashback...the biggest reason I moved from Phoenix was because I got laid off from the company I worked for for seven years. That was my first experience with losing a job. It was a very emotionally devastating experience. One that has definitely made me stronger and ultimately led me to many blessings, but nonetheless during the experience it was very hard...very tough.

Back to today...I simply respond with a very hesitant Okaaay. He then proceeds to tell me that there isn't any bad news for me...I'm okay...but today the office will be very unpleasant as they will be letting several people go...so it might be best for me to work from home. He said I could go in if I wanted to...but I am welcome to work from home today. (Pause as Lyfe Jennings sings "Must Be Nice" right now...) So I spent my day fielding phone calls...setting up conference calls for my managers to inform their reps in the field...instant messaging some of my coworkers to see if they were okay...to see if they were "still there". In my previous situation, I wasn't cut the first time...I was let go in the second set of lay-offs. So needless to say, this whole ordeal has made me uneasy...has brought my heart and mind back to a dim place. I may exhale a sigh of relief...but I truly inhale sorrow and sadness for those that were let go. So...I don't know what this means or where this is going...but I just know that I am okay jobwise...for now.

This week I so genuinely and deeply encourage anyone...everyone who has been through or is going through a tough time right now...to feel yourself through this moment...truly FEEL yourself through...because that's all it is...a mere moment in this journey of your life. Being tough doesn't mean to be hard and callous...it just means to be resilient...walk through this moment fearlessly and know that you will come through it all...on top of it all. I can testify to that...truly. So even though the burden may weigh heavy on your shoulders...that just means you can hold your head up that much higher. Everything will be okay.....everything will be okay.

= Know Your Greatness =

I just got a Free Chinese Dinner or A small bottle of Alcohol

Today Obama's stimulus tax cut went into effect for me.And it got me a cool $8.72 added to my pay.

That can get me a nice Chinese Take out meal....a large one too.Or a nice little bottle of Alcohol.Lol,hey its progress right?

TGIF

Return of Conscience OR Media Pressure and Bad PR

Via The Boy Genius

Word broke out over the weekend that Microsoft had sent letters to ex-employees asking for repayment of severance package overages. Apparently damage control was able to beat the Grinch out of HR because the company apparently decided to do the right thing. Microsoft human resources chief Lisa Brummel says the company is reversing its course of action and contacting those who received the notice to advise them that repayment is not necessary.

**Full Story**

Sign of the Times......Damn

A listing on Myopenbar.com



If that doesn't tell you how funky times are, nothing will.

How to get by.......

Truthfully, regardless of the economy I've always had a how to get by on less mentality.(Watch how I can squeeze $20 lol). But anyway, I came across this small Ebook, Thriving on Less—Simplifying in a Tough Economy. ChecC it out and follow the free download directions.

**I found this on lifehacCer.com they have some of the best tech info on the web period.

Ooohh I'ma get mine......

So this is what really bothers me about the current "bad economy".You see, yeah things aren't' great but depending on your mind frame and how you handle yourself, especially being young the economy hasn't smacCed me in the face as it has many other people.In fact the dropping gas prices have been a welcome change. BUT this morning I come to work and receive an email "sadly" informing my co workers that ALL wage increases for the upcoming year have been canceled.Ain't that a bitch.Now 'm thankful to even have a job but what put my co workers in a funky mood and what put a sinister smile on my face is that my job has been BLOWING money left and right on needless renovations, spending hundreds(at times thousands) on food for meetings that other managers have deemed worthless and a waste of time.Yet they can't pay us?We had an annual summer day full catered picnic that they canceled and replaced with burgers and hot dogs in our parking lot.They canceled our elaborate holiday party in exchange for a 2hour lunch this Friday and the office closing early and no holiday bonuses either.

It's alright though because I'ma get mine believe me.In the mean time my corporate counterparts can eat a big fat donkey dicc.

Cyber Monday....wont fall for the Trap

I have my budget set up that I plan to follow, but this cyber monday extra online sales stuff is tempting me.....WILL POWER!!!!!!!!

Lol, cheap bastards....

Watchout cuz with the new catch phrase being "with the economy being so bad" a lot of people are using that to get away with just being cheap.People who genuinely give will have to cut bacc but keep an eye out for that person who never gave anyone anything but now is quicc to blame the economy.

I see you cheap bastards out there ESPECIALLY you corporate bastards scaling scaling bacc holiday expenses and keeping that monet for ya selfs.You're not slicC.

Screwy ass gas prices.......

So, after I dealt with a Late Spring/ Early Summer of +$400 monthly gas costs for my Expedition.I now watch gas nose dive all over the nation.I just paid 2.26 here in NY.I can get a 1/2 tank on $25.That was a fantasy just a few months ago.I guess we better enjoy it while it lasts.



Not the greatest pic but it says 1.68.Are you kidding me?lol

ATL?????

So I'm here looking at and comparing Home cost/prices between NY and ATL and can someone please explain to me why I can get this in Atlanta for approx $1350....





And for the same price only get this here in NY????



What the Hell!?!?!?!?

Kmart Smart or Weak Economy

I saw a commercial last nite for Kmart that was advertising their newly implemented Lay-Away program. Ok most folk who arent on the high end of the pay scale know what law-away is.Honestly I never saw anything wrong with it when moderately used but just seeing it trumped up as this great new option on T.V really shows just how bad the economy is getting right now.And as the holidays march on I wouldnt be surprised if this is a new trend among more mainstream stores.