The holidays bring a double workload in the accounting profession. Organizers are all in the mail this week and clients are setting appointments. Part-time staff are back training on the new software and learning new office policies. Clients are calling about last minute tax maneuvers.
The holiday bustle is only the start. Soon, office activity will run 16-18 hours a day with everyone working overtime.
The hyper-activity feels good. There is no feeling like it in the world. That moment of excitement when life explodes with action. I am giddy. I already have an appointment on the New Year's holiday. May as well work. Can't sleep anyway.
Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Gus What?
Now that tax season is finally winding down I have the time to reflect on what I want to do with the extra three or four free minutes I get each day. (Yes, I know it is June. I'll explain later.) This blog post will help you understand how your friendly accountant thinks. It is insightful because I see a lot of people over the year and how they manage their money, time, and lives. I recently had a brainstorm that can help you in your life if you open your mind to the possibilities.
First some background. Tax season does NOT end on April 15th; it ends around Memorial Day. Tax season begins around mid-December with setting up tax software and mailing calendars and pre-appointments to clients. Between Christmas and New Year's Day the office is fully staffed with all non-tax preparing employees and additional part-time help. Pre-appointments take a lot of time to set up in the computer. Happy Holidays guys!
January is flush with year-end payroll reports, 1099s, and W-2s. All regular full- and part-time employees begin their tax season schedule the first workday of January. A few small tax returns straggle in by mid-January with a rapid influx the last few days of the month and escalating to season heights in early February.
With a large number of smaller tax returns done, March puts the rush on corporate returns due March 15th. By now the entire office is living on caffeine to keep going. But there is no time to lollygag. The April 15th deadline is fast approaching.
All this time, from mid-December to mid-April, I promise people I'll get to my other work as soon as tax season is over. And, like clock work, the phone rings 926 times with 23, 439 emails on April 16th. Every phone call and email starts with, "Getting ready to enjoy your vacation time?" I smile, but my teeth are grinding. I roll up my sleeves and dig in hot and heavy. By about June 1st I am reasonably caught up. Then I sit back, crack open a cold one and sleep the day away until next December. Oh wait! That last bit was my fantasy. Sorry about that.
I know what you are thinking. You think I am a lucky stiff that works half the year and takes it easy the other half playing golf and other assorted distractions. Well, I am sorry to burst your bubble, but, things only slow down from the hectic to the barely manageable for the last half of the year. What the slow down does allow is for some time for personal interests.
Accountants make their money (virtually all of it) in the first half of the year. It is common to work for six months at a loss to make a nice income in the spring. Accountants are also tight with a dollar. We have to be. The paycheck we get in late April needs to last until January. Compared to most accountants, I am even tighter. My wife says it takes the Jaws of Life to open my wallet. She also says Washington and Lincoln squint when my wallet is opened from the rare glimpse of sunlight.
Accountants are practical people. At least I like to tell myself such. That extra three or four minutes a day allows me to have a nice garden. I am up to four this year and am proud to tell you I should break the 1000 pound mark for harvested potatoes this year. I also added three varieties of grapes and raspberries this year. This fall we should can 50 or more quarts of pears and another 30 of plums. I make home-made wine (dandelion, red clover, current, and grape are my favorite), can and freeze hundreds of pounds of beans carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and anything else I was crazy enough to plant. We also dehydrate hundred of onions, pears and apples.
I tell you these things so you understand where I am and how my thought processes work. You see, I like to extend the period of time I make money. I need something to add to the garden that takes only a modest amount of work, makes good money, and takes time outside tax season only. And that leads to today's topic: Gus What?
I have a small asparagus patch that has kept me satisfied for years. But this year I bought a few more crowns and propagated what I already have. Next year my production should skyrocket over 400%; the year after should exceed 2,000% of this year's take. Within five years I hope to harvest asparagus (which I affectionately call gusses) by the ton. Asparagus sells for $3-4 a pound in local grocery stores. One acre well tended can produce between 3 and 8 tones of asparagus. It takes an hour or so to pick an acre of asparagus. Asparagus picking season is one month where I live (from mid May to mid June). Asparagus keeps well if the cut ends are placed in cold water and kept in the fridge. Asparagus can remain fresh months this way. I can see a nice new side business developing.
This morning for breakfast I enjoyed gusses cut into one inch pieces, sautéed in olive oil, mixed with scrambled eggs until completely done, and covered in Tabasco. My god, I was in heaven.
Oh! I gotta go. My wife is coming and she doesn't like me talking these fantasies. She knows I'm just crazy enough to do it.
First some background. Tax season does NOT end on April 15th; it ends around Memorial Day. Tax season begins around mid-December with setting up tax software and mailing calendars and pre-appointments to clients. Between Christmas and New Year's Day the office is fully staffed with all non-tax preparing employees and additional part-time help. Pre-appointments take a lot of time to set up in the computer. Happy Holidays guys!
January is flush with year-end payroll reports, 1099s, and W-2s. All regular full- and part-time employees begin their tax season schedule the first workday of January. A few small tax returns straggle in by mid-January with a rapid influx the last few days of the month and escalating to season heights in early February.
With a large number of smaller tax returns done, March puts the rush on corporate returns due March 15th. By now the entire office is living on caffeine to keep going. But there is no time to lollygag. The April 15th deadline is fast approaching.
All this time, from mid-December to mid-April, I promise people I'll get to my other work as soon as tax season is over. And, like clock work, the phone rings 926 times with 23, 439 emails on April 16th. Every phone call and email starts with, "Getting ready to enjoy your vacation time?" I smile, but my teeth are grinding. I roll up my sleeves and dig in hot and heavy. By about June 1st I am reasonably caught up. Then I sit back, crack open a cold one and sleep the day away until next December. Oh wait! That last bit was my fantasy. Sorry about that.
I know what you are thinking. You think I am a lucky stiff that works half the year and takes it easy the other half playing golf and other assorted distractions. Well, I am sorry to burst your bubble, but, things only slow down from the hectic to the barely manageable for the last half of the year. What the slow down does allow is for some time for personal interests.
Accountants make their money (virtually all of it) in the first half of the year. It is common to work for six months at a loss to make a nice income in the spring. Accountants are also tight with a dollar. We have to be. The paycheck we get in late April needs to last until January. Compared to most accountants, I am even tighter. My wife says it takes the Jaws of Life to open my wallet. She also says Washington and Lincoln squint when my wallet is opened from the rare glimpse of sunlight.
Accountants are practical people. At least I like to tell myself such. That extra three or four minutes a day allows me to have a nice garden. I am up to four this year and am proud to tell you I should break the 1000 pound mark for harvested potatoes this year. I also added three varieties of grapes and raspberries this year. This fall we should can 50 or more quarts of pears and another 30 of plums. I make home-made wine (dandelion, red clover, current, and grape are my favorite), can and freeze hundreds of pounds of beans carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and anything else I was crazy enough to plant. We also dehydrate hundred of onions, pears and apples.
I tell you these things so you understand where I am and how my thought processes work. You see, I like to extend the period of time I make money. I need something to add to the garden that takes only a modest amount of work, makes good money, and takes time outside tax season only. And that leads to today's topic: Gus What?
I have a small asparagus patch that has kept me satisfied for years. But this year I bought a few more crowns and propagated what I already have. Next year my production should skyrocket over 400%; the year after should exceed 2,000% of this year's take. Within five years I hope to harvest asparagus (which I affectionately call gusses) by the ton. Asparagus sells for $3-4 a pound in local grocery stores. One acre well tended can produce between 3 and 8 tones of asparagus. It takes an hour or so to pick an acre of asparagus. Asparagus picking season is one month where I live (from mid May to mid June). Asparagus keeps well if the cut ends are placed in cold water and kept in the fridge. Asparagus can remain fresh months this way. I can see a nice new side business developing.
This morning for breakfast I enjoyed gusses cut into one inch pieces, sautéed in olive oil, mixed with scrambled eggs until completely done, and covered in Tabasco. My god, I was in heaven.
Oh! I gotta go. My wife is coming and she doesn't like me talking these fantasies. She knows I'm just crazy enough to do it.
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Death of Professional Tax Preparation
This past week Jeff and I discussed the future of the tax profession. Jeff was very concerned as I laid out where I think the industry is headed, mostly for job security reasons. The conversation started as I updated the stats for the past tax season ended October 15th, the extension due date, and the new reporting requirements and costs the IRS has imposed on tax professionals.
H&R Block is closing over 300 offices in 2010 due to fewer tax returns lost to online filing and the increased costs imposed by Revenue. Additional requirements will be rolled out over the next several years further reducing the number of tax professionals that wish to remain in the industry.
To better understand why I think the industry is headed in the direction it is requires a step back in time.
30 Years of Tax Prep History
As every child needs to hear how things were when mom and dad were growing up, so to should you hear how things were when I entered the tax profession. It all started in 1982. I worked for my dad in his agriculture repair related business. My dear old dad was/is a great salesman, but a terrible bookkeeper. He hated taxes, payroll reporting, and bookkeeping with a passion. Therefore, after a 12 hour work day in the silo room I was required to fulfill my additional office duties. It was tough back then with a major recession dug in deep in 1982. The family business was in its infancy after generations spent as dairy farmers.
Money was tight so my duties were great, my income weak. The only way to turn a few extra dollars was to moonlight preparing taxes. So I did: for employees of the family business, suppliers, and a few neighbors. I charged $20 for most returns. In 1982 this was big money for a country boy working the family business circuit. And so it goes.
I hated working in agricultural repair with a passion. My eyes were open for any way out. In 1987 I met my bride; in 1988 we married. I quit the family business and spent 9 months working as a janitor, keeping my side gig preparing taxes in 1987. Once we married, I dumped the job and went both feet into tax preparation. I had 48 small clients as I took the plunge.
Forty-eight clients paying $20 each is not enough to start a family. I needed a hitch to jump-start the tax business. In 1988 electronic filing was just starting to become a big thing. The IRS wanted more people to file electronically and encouraged taxpayers to efile and jawboned tax preparers to offer the service. Most firms charged $15 to efile a tax return. I researched every tax software program I could which included all the major players and an armload of minor players. Drake Software allowed me to efile for only $1 a return; therefore, I offered free electronic filing, the first in my area.
The IRS loved the idea and promoted firms that provided free efiling. I put a business card sized ad in the local paper and went from 48 clients to 379 in one year. I had a real business that paid some of the bills now. I say this because I charged a very low price to build my client list. My gross revenue in 1988 was just under $10,000. When I look back I sometimes question my sanity.
In 1989 I continued to offer free efiling and expanded my promotional efforts to include flyers to the nearest 2,000 homes. My bride and I hand delivered flyers evenings over several days. More clients graced my services. I remodeled the basement of my home and hired more staff. By the mid 1990's I moved into my current commercial location and prepared 1500+ individual tax returns plus businesses.
Over the next decade and a half I transformed the company from a predominately individual tax preparation house to a stronger business services firm. Business tax returns now make up over 30% of the work we do with accompanying payroll, bookkeeping, consulting, and audit services.
Back to the Present
Looking back to how I started in the 1980's is nostalgic, but no longer a viable business plan. When I placed an ad in the local paper I competed with several pages of ads from other tax preparers'. Today, no one puts an ad in the newspaper. The local shoppers are gone, the newspaper read by few. The local newspaper has not had a tax preparation ad for years. Back then an ad brought in new clients: today, nobody notices.
Running flyers to the nearest 2000 homes might still work today. Bringing in crowds with the promise of free efiling is history. Everyone offers free efiling today.
If I were starting out today I would not make it. Most of the folks that started a tax prep business back then have failed by now. Several national firms sucked up a lot of tax prep work and now they are failing too. The national firms have lost ground for several years.
H&R Block's bread and butter was refund anticipation loans (RAL). The fees were large and covered the large prep fees they charged. This year the IRS will no longer provide a debt indicator to electronic filers. This means the banks have no way of knowing if the IRS will pay the refund, hence the loan. Anticipating massive fraud, the banks are refusing to offer RALs. As of this writing, H&R Block still does not have a bank to underwrite their RAL business. If this remains unresolved, Block will take a major hit to earnings. They will lose clients.
Tax Prep & Accounting Services, Inc. is lucky. We never relied on RALs. Instead, I focused on business returns. Businesses do need professional tax services and probably always will. (I better hope so if I plan on working this industry till retirement age.)
The average age of accountants is approaching retirement age. Around 80% will be retirement age within 10 years. Still, I would not recommend a career in accounting or tax preparation. The hours are long and stressful while the accountant's paycheck is under pressure. The future is uncertain for the industry.
The small guy is gone. I am one of the last survivors. The big guys are gobbling up little guys at a furious pace. If you enjoy working for a big firm or in government, then consider the accounting field; if you want your own community practice, think long and hard before taking the plunge.
The Future
The future is always clear after we get there. The national tax prep chains will continue their decline as will small firms like Tax Prep & Accounting Services, Inc. My business model will replace lost individual returns with more business services, consulting, and audits. As more folks prepare their own return they still need help with audits and other snarly tax issues.
The easy tax prep work is gone. What is left will require experienced professionals. Small firms will continue for a while, especially in small towns where the big guys don't have pull... yet.
One of the H&R Block offices closing is down the road from me. I guess I win this round. For now. The winds of change blow hard and I am not immune.
If you prepare your own return, consider using my online service. The program is run by Drake Software, a professional tax program used by over 30,000 tax offices. If you get an IRS letter or audit, let us to help you resolve the issue. Or at least read up on it.
If all else fails I can go into the shredding business. I know a lot of firms that need paper turned into fluff for security purposes.
H&R Block is closing over 300 offices in 2010 due to fewer tax returns lost to online filing and the increased costs imposed by Revenue. Additional requirements will be rolled out over the next several years further reducing the number of tax professionals that wish to remain in the industry.
To better understand why I think the industry is headed in the direction it is requires a step back in time.
30 Years of Tax Prep History
As every child needs to hear how things were when mom and dad were growing up, so to should you hear how things were when I entered the tax profession. It all started in 1982. I worked for my dad in his agriculture repair related business. My dear old dad was/is a great salesman, but a terrible bookkeeper. He hated taxes, payroll reporting, and bookkeeping with a passion. Therefore, after a 12 hour work day in the silo room I was required to fulfill my additional office duties. It was tough back then with a major recession dug in deep in 1982. The family business was in its infancy after generations spent as dairy farmers.
Money was tight so my duties were great, my income weak. The only way to turn a few extra dollars was to moonlight preparing taxes. So I did: for employees of the family business, suppliers, and a few neighbors. I charged $20 for most returns. In 1982 this was big money for a country boy working the family business circuit. And so it goes.
I hated working in agricultural repair with a passion. My eyes were open for any way out. In 1987 I met my bride; in 1988 we married. I quit the family business and spent 9 months working as a janitor, keeping my side gig preparing taxes in 1987. Once we married, I dumped the job and went both feet into tax preparation. I had 48 small clients as I took the plunge.
Forty-eight clients paying $20 each is not enough to start a family. I needed a hitch to jump-start the tax business. In 1988 electronic filing was just starting to become a big thing. The IRS wanted more people to file electronically and encouraged taxpayers to efile and jawboned tax preparers to offer the service. Most firms charged $15 to efile a tax return. I researched every tax software program I could which included all the major players and an armload of minor players. Drake Software allowed me to efile for only $1 a return; therefore, I offered free electronic filing, the first in my area.
The IRS loved the idea and promoted firms that provided free efiling. I put a business card sized ad in the local paper and went from 48 clients to 379 in one year. I had a real business that paid some of the bills now. I say this because I charged a very low price to build my client list. My gross revenue in 1988 was just under $10,000. When I look back I sometimes question my sanity.
In 1989 I continued to offer free efiling and expanded my promotional efforts to include flyers to the nearest 2,000 homes. My bride and I hand delivered flyers evenings over several days. More clients graced my services. I remodeled the basement of my home and hired more staff. By the mid 1990's I moved into my current commercial location and prepared 1500+ individual tax returns plus businesses.
Over the next decade and a half I transformed the company from a predominately individual tax preparation house to a stronger business services firm. Business tax returns now make up over 30% of the work we do with accompanying payroll, bookkeeping, consulting, and audit services.
Back to the Present
Looking back to how I started in the 1980's is nostalgic, but no longer a viable business plan. When I placed an ad in the local paper I competed with several pages of ads from other tax preparers'. Today, no one puts an ad in the newspaper. The local shoppers are gone, the newspaper read by few. The local newspaper has not had a tax preparation ad for years. Back then an ad brought in new clients: today, nobody notices.
Running flyers to the nearest 2000 homes might still work today. Bringing in crowds with the promise of free efiling is history. Everyone offers free efiling today.
If I were starting out today I would not make it. Most of the folks that started a tax prep business back then have failed by now. Several national firms sucked up a lot of tax prep work and now they are failing too. The national firms have lost ground for several years.
H&R Block's bread and butter was refund anticipation loans (RAL). The fees were large and covered the large prep fees they charged. This year the IRS will no longer provide a debt indicator to electronic filers. This means the banks have no way of knowing if the IRS will pay the refund, hence the loan. Anticipating massive fraud, the banks are refusing to offer RALs. As of this writing, H&R Block still does not have a bank to underwrite their RAL business. If this remains unresolved, Block will take a major hit to earnings. They will lose clients.
Tax Prep & Accounting Services, Inc. is lucky. We never relied on RALs. Instead, I focused on business returns. Businesses do need professional tax services and probably always will. (I better hope so if I plan on working this industry till retirement age.)
The average age of accountants is approaching retirement age. Around 80% will be retirement age within 10 years. Still, I would not recommend a career in accounting or tax preparation. The hours are long and stressful while the accountant's paycheck is under pressure. The future is uncertain for the industry.
The small guy is gone. I am one of the last survivors. The big guys are gobbling up little guys at a furious pace. If you enjoy working for a big firm or in government, then consider the accounting field; if you want your own community practice, think long and hard before taking the plunge.
The Future
The future is always clear after we get there. The national tax prep chains will continue their decline as will small firms like Tax Prep & Accounting Services, Inc. My business model will replace lost individual returns with more business services, consulting, and audits. As more folks prepare their own return they still need help with audits and other snarly tax issues.
The easy tax prep work is gone. What is left will require experienced professionals. Small firms will continue for a while, especially in small towns where the big guys don't have pull... yet.
One of the H&R Block offices closing is down the road from me. I guess I win this round. For now. The winds of change blow hard and I am not immune.
If you prepare your own return, consider using my online service. The program is run by Drake Software, a professional tax program used by over 30,000 tax offices. If you get an IRS letter or audit, let us to help you resolve the issue. Or at least read up on it.
If all else fails I can go into the shredding business. I know a lot of firms that need paper turned into fluff for security purposes.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Morning Rituals
It amazes me how often people want to know more about my personal life. I can understand the desire to know something about famous people like actors or politicians, but accountants? Why would anyone want to dig deeper into the lifestyle of an accountant?
On a daily basis during tax season and at least weekly during the rest of the year I am asked questions that dig deeper than I feel comfortable answering. Frequently asked questions include inquiries about how I raise my children, am I married (yes!), what do I do in my free time, hobbies, where I live, where I grew up, who I dated in high school (who cares?), when do I get up in the morning, what I read, etc. Uncomfortable inquiries into my private life are one thing, but sometimes folks ask me how to cheat on taxes. Those conversations are short. And the answer is no.
I am willing to open up on a few personal items of my life. Since lifestyle seems to be the biggest area of interest, I thought I would lay out my morning routine in print.
My pedigree derives from agricultural stock. In other words, I was raised a farm boy. Got up every morning at 4 a.m. in high school and milked cows till 6:30 when I showered and ate breakfast before hopping on the bus. Still have a farm. Nothing fancy mind you, and no milking cows for me anymore. A few chickens and steers are enough to keep me satisfied. Clients that see me the first time dressed in farm clothes have a double-take. I guess it is difficult visualizing a bean counter in farm clothes shoveling the brown stuff, the real brown stuff.
So here goes. My morning routine:
I started writing this at 5 a.m. after reading a back issue of National Geographic. It is a little after six and I need to do a quick review and then post. I plan on reading until seven or so and then preparing for work. See you there.
On a daily basis during tax season and at least weekly during the rest of the year I am asked questions that dig deeper than I feel comfortable answering. Frequently asked questions include inquiries about how I raise my children, am I married (yes!), what do I do in my free time, hobbies, where I live, where I grew up, who I dated in high school (who cares?), when do I get up in the morning, what I read, etc. Uncomfortable inquiries into my private life are one thing, but sometimes folks ask me how to cheat on taxes. Those conversations are short. And the answer is no.
I am willing to open up on a few personal items of my life. Since lifestyle seems to be the biggest area of interest, I thought I would lay out my morning routine in print.
My pedigree derives from agricultural stock. In other words, I was raised a farm boy. Got up every morning at 4 a.m. in high school and milked cows till 6:30 when I showered and ate breakfast before hopping on the bus. Still have a farm. Nothing fancy mind you, and no milking cows for me anymore. A few chickens and steers are enough to keep me satisfied. Clients that see me the first time dressed in farm clothes have a double-take. I guess it is difficult visualizing a bean counter in farm clothes shoveling the brown stuff, the real brown stuff.
So here goes. My morning routine:
- 4 a.m. Yes, I still get up at 4 a.m. Sometimes earlier. The good news (for me at least) is that I no longer milk cows when I get up. Start coffee. Most mornings I read or write until 5:30 when my daughter gets up. My other daughter gets up at 6.
- 6 a.m. The added activity of the kids preparing for school disrupts my reading/writing so I spend time with the girls. We pack a lunch for the girls (The school lunch is more expensive and less healthy. Sad. I know.)
- 6:30 a.m. Sue takes the girls to the bus stop about a mile down the road. I head out and feed the steers. (Or is that steer. I use steer as a plural, but got chewed out by a grammar fanatic, so "steers" it is. But I still say "steer."
- 7:00 a.m. Shower (remember, I was just out in the barn), breakfast, brush teeth, and any other family matters that need attention.
- 8:30 a.m. Off to work I go. By now I may have logged into the office from home and planned out part of my day.
- 9: a.m. I arrive at the office. The phone rings. My plans for the day are shattered. (Only kidding. I plan time for phone calls and emergency work.)
I started writing this at 5 a.m. after reading a back issue of National Geographic. It is a little after six and I need to do a quick review and then post. I plan on reading until seven or so and then preparing for work. See you there.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Zen and the Secrets of Wealth
This week I want to share a thought experiment with you. You need to read the entire blog post before beginning the experiment as it requires you to sit back and close your eyes. The Zen moment I outline will show you the pathway to the highest levels of wealth you can ever attain.
When you finish your Zen moment you will know what wealth really is to you. Most people jump to the conclusion that lots of money is wealth, but for most people this in untrue. Money allows you to experience your real wealth or at least buy it. Wealth is a lifestyle. If money is the only thing that determines wealth then a fist full of Confederate money would make you wealthy in your mind even though it has no buying power.
It is time. Sit back in your favorite easy chair and close your eyes. Clear your mind, relax, and steady your breathing. Think of your life as if you have no debt; you owe absolutely nothing: no mortgage, credit cards, or auto loans to pay each month. Your only bills are normal day to day living expenses: phone, electric/gas, food. Now look at yourself in this new light without debt. How do you act, feel?
You also have enough money invested in government bonds to handle any expense you will ever have. The amount is unimportant. You just need to know you have enough money to buy all necessities and extra for personal entertainment and enjoyment. How will you live now that money is no longer an issue? Feel the contentment.
You no longer need a job in this worldview. You can work if you want or undertake other endeavors. What will you do? This is the point of this entire experiment. If you had enough so you did not have to think about money all day long, earning it, paying bills, spending it: What would you do? How would you live? What really excites you?
Not easy, is it? It takes time and a thorough self-examination to find what really makes you tick. Your true interests take time to rise to the top. We spend so much time earning and spending money we forget what makes life worth living. Too many of us do nothing unrelated to money and the transfer thereof.
It took me several attempts to really find my answer. You may find it takes more than one session to find your true answer as well. Your answer, like mine, may change and evolve with time. That is natural. We are all growing and our deepest interests will modify with time, too.
Your discovery will be different than mine. I will not pollute your process by sharing my answers. What gives your life real meaning is personal. I can't tell you what you should want, be, or experience. All I know is that you need to undergo this exercise on a regular basis. Why? Because the final step in this process is to become what holds the deepest meaning for you. You need to focus on this goal of higher living and meaningful life.
After a session or two, when you find your true bliss, develop a plan to go there to that place of purpose. See it in your mind on a regular basis. Work to adjust your finances to meet your highest need. It will take time. But life is a journey, not an arrival. It is the journey that makes the effort all worth while. Become what you value most.
And remember: If life is worth living, it is worth living well.
When you finish your Zen moment you will know what wealth really is to you. Most people jump to the conclusion that lots of money is wealth, but for most people this in untrue. Money allows you to experience your real wealth or at least buy it. Wealth is a lifestyle. If money is the only thing that determines wealth then a fist full of Confederate money would make you wealthy in your mind even though it has no buying power.
It is time. Sit back in your favorite easy chair and close your eyes. Clear your mind, relax, and steady your breathing. Think of your life as if you have no debt; you owe absolutely nothing: no mortgage, credit cards, or auto loans to pay each month. Your only bills are normal day to day living expenses: phone, electric/gas, food. Now look at yourself in this new light without debt. How do you act, feel?
You also have enough money invested in government bonds to handle any expense you will ever have. The amount is unimportant. You just need to know you have enough money to buy all necessities and extra for personal entertainment and enjoyment. How will you live now that money is no longer an issue? Feel the contentment.
You no longer need a job in this worldview. You can work if you want or undertake other endeavors. What will you do? This is the point of this entire experiment. If you had enough so you did not have to think about money all day long, earning it, paying bills, spending it: What would you do? How would you live? What really excites you?
Not easy, is it? It takes time and a thorough self-examination to find what really makes you tick. Your true interests take time to rise to the top. We spend so much time earning and spending money we forget what makes life worth living. Too many of us do nothing unrelated to money and the transfer thereof.
It took me several attempts to really find my answer. You may find it takes more than one session to find your true answer as well. Your answer, like mine, may change and evolve with time. That is natural. We are all growing and our deepest interests will modify with time, too.
Your discovery will be different than mine. I will not pollute your process by sharing my answers. What gives your life real meaning is personal. I can't tell you what you should want, be, or experience. All I know is that you need to undergo this exercise on a regular basis. Why? Because the final step in this process is to become what holds the deepest meaning for you. You need to focus on this goal of higher living and meaningful life.
After a session or two, when you find your true bliss, develop a plan to go there to that place of purpose. See it in your mind on a regular basis. Work to adjust your finances to meet your highest need. It will take time. But life is a journey, not an arrival. It is the journey that makes the effort all worth while. Become what you value most.
And remember: If life is worth living, it is worth living well.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Frugal Weight Loss
America is the most overweight society in the history of the human race. Even the military has a hard time finding enough personnel in good physical condition. Americans also spend more on diets than anyone: diet programs and diet foods. Sugar and fat are removed from every item on the grocery store shelves and we are still fat.
Overpriced TV dinners hawked endlessly by washed up football players and other celebrities from the past are not the answer. For most people the answer is not in what we eat, but in how we live. The diet advice is endless.
This blog post is not a substitute for medical advice. Your doctor can help develop a safe and effective diet program. Your personal health must be considered when building a weight loss program and your doctor is the starting point.
First, get a skinny doctor. If your doctor does not believe in good health it is unlikely he can provide an effective and lasting weight loss program. Second, I think most people will be told by their doctor to exercise more. This is the hard part. Eating certain foods in certain quantities is hard, but exercise? Are you serious? You mean, like walking, running, and that kind of stuff? Do not cuss out your doctor just because he says you need to move a little. I will show you how to get free exercise without any effort and there is no fee. Heard that one before, haven't you?
The real problem for most folks is daily physical activity. As a frugal accountant (friendly, too) I don't like the idea of coughing up a thousand dollar hairball every year for a gym membership. Without any cost you can get your walking and weight training in without a gym. The swimming and steam room might require a membership, but that is a different matter.
A brisk walk is about the most perfect exercise there is. Here is an easy way to get your brisk walk in: park as far away as possible when shopping. No more jockeying for the closest parking stall, you now park waaaay over there at the other end of the parking lot.
Now for some weight conditioning. Carry your purchases. No cart. If you buy too much stuff, take several trips. The more you buy the more exercise you get. With the extra grand in cash savings from the gym membership you can shop more. (The frugal accountant recommends you save the money.)
Look how easy it is to save money and lose weight. Life is more enjoyable when you can get around. Studies show that a proper diet and exercise lowers risk of several diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Shedding excess pounds also reduces stress on your bones and joints.
Look for creative ways to walk and carry more. It all adds up. Calories burn off when you walk and muscles tone when worked.
Here is to the good life.
Overpriced TV dinners hawked endlessly by washed up football players and other celebrities from the past are not the answer. For most people the answer is not in what we eat, but in how we live. The diet advice is endless.
This blog post is not a substitute for medical advice. Your doctor can help develop a safe and effective diet program. Your personal health must be considered when building a weight loss program and your doctor is the starting point.
First, get a skinny doctor. If your doctor does not believe in good health it is unlikely he can provide an effective and lasting weight loss program. Second, I think most people will be told by their doctor to exercise more. This is the hard part. Eating certain foods in certain quantities is hard, but exercise? Are you serious? You mean, like walking, running, and that kind of stuff? Do not cuss out your doctor just because he says you need to move a little. I will show you how to get free exercise without any effort and there is no fee. Heard that one before, haven't you?
The real problem for most folks is daily physical activity. As a frugal accountant (friendly, too) I don't like the idea of coughing up a thousand dollar hairball every year for a gym membership. Without any cost you can get your walking and weight training in without a gym. The swimming and steam room might require a membership, but that is a different matter.
A brisk walk is about the most perfect exercise there is. Here is an easy way to get your brisk walk in: park as far away as possible when shopping. No more jockeying for the closest parking stall, you now park waaaay over there at the other end of the parking lot.
Now for some weight conditioning. Carry your purchases. No cart. If you buy too much stuff, take several trips. The more you buy the more exercise you get. With the extra grand in cash savings from the gym membership you can shop more. (The frugal accountant recommends you save the money.)
Look how easy it is to save money and lose weight. Life is more enjoyable when you can get around. Studies show that a proper diet and exercise lowers risk of several diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Shedding excess pounds also reduces stress on your bones and joints.
Look for creative ways to walk and carry more. It all adds up. Calories burn off when you walk and muscles tone when worked.
Here is to the good life.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Why I Fire Clients
Over the years I have become more particular about who I take on as a client. Because of my choosy nature I rarely need to tell a client I can no longer serve as their accountant. That said I fired a client last week. In my defense, the client was long-term and from my pre-picky days.
What causes me to fire a client? Foul language, verbal abuse, and non-payment for services rendered top the list. The recent firing came about because she wanted a staff member to perform services without charge. She then made a scene at the office and also used her home and cell phone to call rapid fire. Very childish behavior in my opinion. At this point there was nothing she could say to remain a client.
She returned to pick up her papers the same afternoon and requested she be taken off the mailing list which I informed her was already done. Then she used foul language and refused to leave until I demanded she do so 4-5 times.
I bring this issue up because it highlights several issues. Any tax/accounting professional worth their salt will not work with people that disrupt the office, risking other clients due to the disruptions. The most important point is attitude. Blowing up at the tax office will never help you. The issue she had was minor and quickly remedied. If she would have asked politely, there is a good chance I would have done the work pro bono. Once she tossed an attitude, a discount of any sort was out.
Remember, no one wants to work without pay. And who wants to eat crow without pay? Some clients are not worth it, so they are fired. A smile goes a long way.
What causes me to fire a client? Foul language, verbal abuse, and non-payment for services rendered top the list. The recent firing came about because she wanted a staff member to perform services without charge. She then made a scene at the office and also used her home and cell phone to call rapid fire. Very childish behavior in my opinion. At this point there was nothing she could say to remain a client.
She returned to pick up her papers the same afternoon and requested she be taken off the mailing list which I informed her was already done. Then she used foul language and refused to leave until I demanded she do so 4-5 times.
I bring this issue up because it highlights several issues. Any tax/accounting professional worth their salt will not work with people that disrupt the office, risking other clients due to the disruptions. The most important point is attitude. Blowing up at the tax office will never help you. The issue she had was minor and quickly remedied. If she would have asked politely, there is a good chance I would have done the work pro bono. Once she tossed an attitude, a discount of any sort was out.
Remember, no one wants to work without pay. And who wants to eat crow without pay? Some clients are not worth it, so they are fired. A smile goes a long way.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Lower Stress, Simplify Life, Get Something Done: Turn Off Email
Life is filled with stress. Constant demands and nonstop interruptions cause stress to build until life twists into a swirl of nonproductive and unfinished work. One of the most disruptive tools in the office and daily life is email.
Stress is a cancer that eats you from the inside out. The best way to lower stress is to finish projects or at least make serious progress every day. The way to get good work done each and every day is to eliminate interruptions during work time. Three to four hours of quiet time a day allows you to accomplish more than 98% of people in a day.
The only way to get this uninterrupted quiet time is to turn off all electronics, especially email. Nothing disrupts concentration and a good work habit than email. Cell phones, iPods, and similar devices come in a close second.
If you want a happier, less stressful, more productive, fulfilling life, turn off the cell phone and email. Any electronic that barges in and demands your immediate attention rapes you of your life. It could even cost you your job.
I turn off my email for several hours each day. I need the block of time to get work done. If I don't respond instantly to an email, I am not ignoring you, I am getting work done. You should try it. The stress reduction alone is worth it.
In an always on, always demanding world, something that simplifies life is worth its weight in gold. By lowering your stress your medical costs could go down and you could live longer. Regardless, your life will be more worth living.
This rat is out of the race, yet still in the game. How about you.
Click here to view more details
Stress is a cancer that eats you from the inside out. The best way to lower stress is to finish projects or at least make serious progress every day. The way to get good work done each and every day is to eliminate interruptions during work time. Three to four hours of quiet time a day allows you to accomplish more than 98% of people in a day.
The only way to get this uninterrupted quiet time is to turn off all electronics, especially email. Nothing disrupts concentration and a good work habit than email. Cell phones, iPods, and similar devices come in a close second.
If you want a happier, less stressful, more productive, fulfilling life, turn off the cell phone and email. Any electronic that barges in and demands your immediate attention rapes you of your life. It could even cost you your job.
I turn off my email for several hours each day. I need the block of time to get work done. If I don't respond instantly to an email, I am not ignoring you, I am getting work done. You should try it. The stress reduction alone is worth it.
In an always on, always demanding world, something that simplifies life is worth its weight in gold. By lowering your stress your medical costs could go down and you could live longer. Regardless, your life will be more worth living.
This rat is out of the race, yet still in the game. How about you.
Click here to view more details
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The 3 Hour Workday
My first exposure to the concept of the three hour workday comes from the book Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin
. I have read similar articles on the subject over the years and it makes total sense to me.
From the beginning of mankind (ladies included) the amount of work required to secure the necessities of life (food, clothing, and shelter) takes about three hours a day. This has held true from Stone Age to modern man
. Before the modern era, man would hunt for a few days and then cure the meats acquired. Gardening complimented gathering. The time needed to build shelter, hunt, garden, process and cook foods, and produce clothes took about twenty hours a week per adult. Some days and weeks required longer hours of labor, but over a year, the work required to survive averaged about three hours a day. The remaining time was spent with friends and family playing games, talking, sharing and other pleasurable passtimes.
Then we got civilized. Then we decided that anyone that worked less than 10-12 hours a day is lazy. Now we admire those that work 14-18 hour days. All this insanity started around the beginning of the 20th Century. Only the task of nonstop labor was appreciated.
Working longer than 50 hours a week in unhealthy and leads to all kinds of nasty diseases
. Lack of sleep has brought humanity some of our greatest disasters
. Is it really comforting to know your surgeon hasn't slept in eighteen hours as you go under for bypass surgery? Do you feel safe knowing your airline pilot only slept four of the last 30 hours? Are you a better driver when sleep-deprived and high on coffee?
Where did we go wrong? Can we get sanity back into our lives? I believe we can.
The basic necessities of life took three hours of labor a day on average in the past. Today, with machines and other time saving technologies, we can support our needs on 10-15 hours per week. "Needs" need to be defined to understand how we can live comfortably working only 15 hours a week.
"Needs" include food, clothing, shelter, and in our modern world, transportation. Food costs very little if prepared at home. In 1970, food consumed about 12-15% of our income, depending which study you read. Today we spend 6-7% of our income on food and that includes meals out. Preparing food at home easily reduces the expense to 2-3% of the average household income.
Clothing is also inexpensive unless you need a closet choked full of trendy threads you only wear a few times if at all. Transportation costs will depend on your location. If you live in a large city, public transportation is available and the cheapest route. If you live rural, you will need a car. You do not need a $30,000 gas-guzzler. You need a reliable vehicle that gets you from point A to point B economically.
I saved shelter for last. Housing costs have risen significantly in the last 40 years; some argue even faster than inflation. However, when comparing apples to apples, housing costs are affordable. You see, in 1970, our society (I am talking the United States here) lived in homes of around 1100 square feet. Today we live in homes over 3000 square feet and fewer people live in each home. The price of an 1100 square foot home today is the same as it was in 1970 adjusted for inflation, maybe less than inflation with the housing market problems of the last several years.
Now we come full circle. How can we live a decent life without working ourselves to death? I am not asking anyone to try living on three hours of works a day. You could, but if you want other things, you will work more. The questions is: How much of your life do you want to sell in the form of employment to someone else to get more stuff? Understand there is nothing wrong with wanting and/or having stuff. I am asking you to consider balancing your wants with the selling of your life energy, as Dominguez and Robin call it, and the real pleasures of living your own life your way, with friends and family.
We work 40 years in the workforce because we want to, not because we have to. Most of the stuff we buy ends up in a landfill in less than a year. We work countless hours to satisfy these fleeting desires. If we balanced our real needs with modest desires, we could all easily retire by age 50 or earlier. We choose to work ourselves to death.
Is it really worth it?
. I have read similar articles on the subject over the years and it makes total sense to me.From the beginning of mankind (ladies included) the amount of work required to secure the necessities of life (food, clothing, and shelter) takes about three hours a day. This has held true from Stone Age to modern man
. Before the modern era, man would hunt for a few days and then cure the meats acquired. Gardening complimented gathering. The time needed to build shelter, hunt, garden, process and cook foods, and produce clothes took about twenty hours a week per adult. Some days and weeks required longer hours of labor, but over a year, the work required to survive averaged about three hours a day. The remaining time was spent with friends and family playing games, talking, sharing and other pleasurable passtimes.Then we got civilized. Then we decided that anyone that worked less than 10-12 hours a day is lazy. Now we admire those that work 14-18 hour days. All this insanity started around the beginning of the 20th Century. Only the task of nonstop labor was appreciated.
Working longer than 50 hours a week in unhealthy and leads to all kinds of nasty diseases
. Lack of sleep has brought humanity some of our greatest disasters. Is it really comforting to know your surgeon hasn't slept in eighteen hours as you go under for bypass surgery? Do you feel safe knowing your airline pilot only slept four of the last 30 hours? Are you a better driver when sleep-deprived and high on coffee?Where did we go wrong? Can we get sanity back into our lives? I believe we can.
The basic necessities of life took three hours of labor a day on average in the past. Today, with machines and other time saving technologies, we can support our needs on 10-15 hours per week. "Needs" need to be defined to understand how we can live comfortably working only 15 hours a week.
"Needs" include food, clothing, shelter, and in our modern world, transportation. Food costs very little if prepared at home. In 1970, food consumed about 12-15% of our income, depending which study you read. Today we spend 6-7% of our income on food and that includes meals out. Preparing food at home easily reduces the expense to 2-3% of the average household income.
Clothing is also inexpensive unless you need a closet choked full of trendy threads you only wear a few times if at all. Transportation costs will depend on your location. If you live in a large city, public transportation is available and the cheapest route. If you live rural, you will need a car. You do not need a $30,000 gas-guzzler. You need a reliable vehicle that gets you from point A to point B economically.
I saved shelter for last. Housing costs have risen significantly in the last 40 years; some argue even faster than inflation. However, when comparing apples to apples, housing costs are affordable. You see, in 1970, our society (I am talking the United States here) lived in homes of around 1100 square feet. Today we live in homes over 3000 square feet and fewer people live in each home. The price of an 1100 square foot home today is the same as it was in 1970 adjusted for inflation, maybe less than inflation with the housing market problems of the last several years.
Now we come full circle. How can we live a decent life without working ourselves to death? I am not asking anyone to try living on three hours of works a day. You could, but if you want other things, you will work more. The questions is: How much of your life do you want to sell in the form of employment to someone else to get more stuff? Understand there is nothing wrong with wanting and/or having stuff. I am asking you to consider balancing your wants with the selling of your life energy, as Dominguez and Robin call it, and the real pleasures of living your own life your way, with friends and family.
We work 40 years in the workforce because we want to, not because we have to. Most of the stuff we buy ends up in a landfill in less than a year. We work countless hours to satisfy these fleeting desires. If we balanced our real needs with modest desires, we could all easily retire by age 50 or earlier. We choose to work ourselves to death.
Is it really worth it?
Friday, April 30, 2010
Did You Miss Me?
It has been about three weeks since I wrote a blog post. Tax season took over my life as April 15th approached. Afterwords, I played catch-up with all the work I've been putting off for months. Now, all I want to do is sleep.
I have been writing on a much lighter schedule over on HubPages. You can catch all the articles I have published and other news on my profile.
I am off to the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association spring conference. The board meeting is today. Since I am the treasurer, it might be a good idea if I show up, head cold and all.
The spring conference is one day this year: Saturday, May 1st. They have some very good speakers lined up. Hope to see you there.
If you see a balding, middle-aged guy sleeping on the lobby couch, that is me.
I have been writing on a much lighter schedule over on HubPages. You can catch all the articles I have published and other news on my profile.
I am off to the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association spring conference. The board meeting is today. Since I am the treasurer, it might be a good idea if I show up, head cold and all.
The spring conference is one day this year: Saturday, May 1st. They have some very good speakers lined up. Hope to see you there.
If you see a balding, middle-aged guy sleeping on the lobby couch, that is me.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Assumption
I enjoyed a long discussion with a client this week about her work environment. She informed me she checks her personal email, bank accounts, and so forth on company time.
I told her she should assume the boss is watching.
She said she has a hot key to flip the screen when the boss walks by.
I said, “Assume the boss is watching and recording every keystroke you make, because he probably is.”
“He would have said something by now if he knew,’ she said.
She refused to get the message. In this economic environment, would you risk your employment over internet shopping you could easily do at home on your own time? Do you want the boss to see exactly what you see and type on social networking sites? Personal email? Bank records?
I thought not.
When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me, as the saying goes.
Assume the boss is watching anyway. Because he is. And when he does talk with you, it could be to replace you.
I told her she should assume the boss is watching.
She said she has a hot key to flip the screen when the boss walks by.
I said, “Assume the boss is watching and recording every keystroke you make, because he probably is.”
“He would have said something by now if he knew,’ she said.
She refused to get the message. In this economic environment, would you risk your employment over internet shopping you could easily do at home on your own time? Do you want the boss to see exactly what you see and type on social networking sites? Personal email? Bank records?
I thought not.
When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me, as the saying goes.
Assume the boss is watching anyway. Because he is. And when he does talk with you, it could be to replace you.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Making a Difference
I am a tax preparer. I prepare taxes and have for 27 years, 21 of those years full-time. My ego tells me I am pretty good at it and getting better. My rational mind asks, "Is this all there is? Is there nothing more?"
I answer myself, "Of course there is more. A lot more."
I believe it. I know of at least two clients that kept their home because of my advice since the beginning of the year. Several clients found jobs because of my efforts. At least 100 smiled and had a better day.
"So I am more than just a tax preparer?" I ask myself.
"Yes you are. So very much more. You make people's lives better, happier, safer, more comfortable. They count on you to anchor parts of their life. You are their friend."
I know it.
Lunch is two hours late for me today. My sandwich is getting dry. I lean back in my chair and chew the bread, close my eyes, and see the world I have become.
I answer myself, "Of course there is more. A lot more."
I believe it. I know of at least two clients that kept their home because of my advice since the beginning of the year. Several clients found jobs because of my efforts. At least 100 smiled and had a better day.
"So I am more than just a tax preparer?" I ask myself.
"Yes you are. So very much more. You make people's lives better, happier, safer, more comfortable. They count on you to anchor parts of their life. You are their friend."
I know it.
Lunch is two hours late for me today. My sandwich is getting dry. I lean back in my chair and chew the bread, close my eyes, and see the world I have become.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sacrifice
There is a price that must be paid when employed as an accountant. Tax season, and the resulting long workdays, leaves little time for family and even less time for writing.
Family comes first. I work to support my family. Without family I would live in a sheltered hole, content; never to be seen again.
The amount of spare time available to write is so limited I skip writing most days. I also rush my work and publish my blogs and article without the proper review. Later, I fix any issues in article (blog posts are on their own).
I love my work and plan on doing it a long time. For three or so months a year I sacrifice. Nothing serious. Now I have the opportunity to help a lot of people rapid-fire. I still write, and try to produce at least a few short publishable articles each weekend.
I miss writing each night after Sue and the girls go to bed. Most nights I am too tired to produce any quality. Still, it is such a thrill to get a few articles or a short story out on the weekend.
The 40 hour work week is preferable. For 12 -14 weeks each spring I practice the right of the “marathon run.” It keeps me honest.
Family comes first. I work to support my family. Without family I would live in a sheltered hole, content; never to be seen again.
The amount of spare time available to write is so limited I skip writing most days. I also rush my work and publish my blogs and article without the proper review. Later, I fix any issues in article (blog posts are on their own).
I love my work and plan on doing it a long time. For three or so months a year I sacrifice. Nothing serious. Now I have the opportunity to help a lot of people rapid-fire. I still write, and try to produce at least a few short publishable articles each weekend.
I miss writing each night after Sue and the girls go to bed. Most nights I am too tired to produce any quality. Still, it is such a thrill to get a few articles or a short story out on the weekend.
The 40 hour work week is preferable. For 12 -14 weeks each spring I practice the right of the “marathon run.” It keeps me honest.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Are We There Yet?
This time of year tests the resolve of tax professionals to the hilt. If I retire from the profession early, the impatience of people will be the cause. Time is at a premium now as deadlines loom. When I spend 3-4 hours a day explaining I don’t have your W-2, 1099, or K-1 done yet, it only makes you wait longer. Calling me several times a day until I call you back only delay your tax documents more.
Of course, you can persist if you want.
Anyone out there looking to buy a cheap tax practice?
Of course, you can persist if you want.
Anyone out there looking to buy a cheap tax practice?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
W-2 Season
We are preparing W-2s at a ferious rate with all the complementary side forms: W-3, 941, 940, WT-6, WT-7, UCT-101, ST-12, and on and on. Jeff is looking a little frazzled, but is about half done.
I started preparing my first tax return of the season yesterday. Take a deep breath... breathe. (Me, not you. I have to pace myself. I know what is about to hit.)
Wisconsin requires all employment forms and sales tax to be electronically now. If they get their "My Tax Account" online software to work I should have time for a cat nap each evening.
I will continue to write blog posts during tax season, but they may be short on the busy days. I'll try to give you an inside view of a tax office during crunh time with tax saving ideas when they come up. Excuse my spelling and grammer. I will write and click and return to tax returns. Wish me luck.
I started preparing my first tax return of the season yesterday. Take a deep breath... breathe. (Me, not you. I have to pace myself. I know what is about to hit.)
Wisconsin requires all employment forms and sales tax to be electronically now. If they get their "My Tax Account" online software to work I should have time for a cat nap each evening.
I will continue to write blog posts during tax season, but they may be short on the busy days. I'll try to give you an inside view of a tax office during crunh time with tax saving ideas when they come up. Excuse my spelling and grammer. I will write and click and return to tax returns. Wish me luck.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Technology
Life is easier today with computers, microwave ovens, cell phones, cable TV, etc. Rarely do we think about life without our technological tools, even though many have been around for less than a generation.
If a storm knocks out the electricity we become acutely aware of technology, or lack thereof. Still, with the current out, our cells phones and laptops work until the battery runs down.
When technology is at its best, life is easier, more fulfilling, and pleasant; we can get more work done in less time; we can enjoy entertainment in ways unimagined only a few years ago.
But what happens when technology fails? This became painfully clear to me over the past week. I planned on upgrading QuickBooks in my office over Thanksgiving and the stress followed fast.
I figured by starting over the holiday, I could resolve issues before the next work week. What’s the worst that could happen? Well, let me show you how bad things can get.
First, I ordered QuickBooks Accountant 2010 online and downloaded the program onto each computer. Things went smooth. My office is on a server. It seems QuickBooks 2010 requires Microsoft Framework 3.5 and other update files. My server didn’t update to Framework 3.5. The C drive isn’t large enough for all the added files. My computer guy had to work half the night finding enough room to get the job done. Three days later, I finally got QuickBooks to work on the server.
Technology can save time, but it also can waste so much more time, and I’m not even talking about games and wasted time surfing the web. A tax office today cannot serve their clients without technology. I’m just scared. Soon, I’ll need to install the 2009 tax software. I hope is runs smooth.
Wish me luck.
If a storm knocks out the electricity we become acutely aware of technology, or lack thereof. Still, with the current out, our cells phones and laptops work until the battery runs down.
When technology is at its best, life is easier, more fulfilling, and pleasant; we can get more work done in less time; we can enjoy entertainment in ways unimagined only a few years ago.
But what happens when technology fails? This became painfully clear to me over the past week. I planned on upgrading QuickBooks in my office over Thanksgiving and the stress followed fast.
I figured by starting over the holiday, I could resolve issues before the next work week. What’s the worst that could happen? Well, let me show you how bad things can get.
First, I ordered QuickBooks Accountant 2010 online and downloaded the program onto each computer. Things went smooth. My office is on a server. It seems QuickBooks 2010 requires Microsoft Framework 3.5 and other update files. My server didn’t update to Framework 3.5. The C drive isn’t large enough for all the added files. My computer guy had to work half the night finding enough room to get the job done. Three days later, I finally got QuickBooks to work on the server.
Technology can save time, but it also can waste so much more time, and I’m not even talking about games and wasted time surfing the web. A tax office today cannot serve their clients without technology. I’m just scared. Soon, I’ll need to install the 2009 tax software. I hope is runs smooth.
Wish me luck.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
2012
My day started at 4:30 this morning and I am tired. As a result, this post will be short.
Friday night I surprised the girls. I offered to take them to Funset Boulevard for pizza, games, and a movie. They were allowed to bring a friend. They chose a neighbor girl.
The girls had a lot of fun. Brooke ran wild from game to game. I was exhausted just following her. Sue needed paddles after an hour.
The girls decided to watch 2012. It has been years since I watched a movie in a theater. 2012 disappointed. The science was all wrong; nearly everything that happened stretched the imagination to the breaking point. The movie lacked plot and leaned on special effects and apocalyptic imagery completely.
Here is an example of the stupidity in 2012. A wealthy Russian needs to get from Las Vegas to a rescue ark in China. They need to stop in Hawaii to refuel. Of course, Hawaii is a mound of molten lava. They continue, acknowledging they will run out of fuel over the South China Sea. While enroute to China, the Earth's crust shifted over 1,500 miles and in the perfect direction to get them to within a mile or so of their destination. As crazy as this sounds, the Earth's crust shifting 1,500 miles in a matter of hours is only one in a litany of errors that beg the watcher to turn off the brain and accept any idiocy they dish out.
I enjoy a good movie and I love special effects, but give me a real story. Stretch the rules to make a better story if you must. But, please, please, don't expect me to be a complete idiot. I know more about science than the average person. Regardless, I think any layman will find 2012 too much to accept. I dislike movies that assume only idiots will watch. It will be a long time before I lay down hard earned dollars on such drivel again.
Friday night I surprised the girls. I offered to take them to Funset Boulevard for pizza, games, and a movie. They were allowed to bring a friend. They chose a neighbor girl.
The girls had a lot of fun. Brooke ran wild from game to game. I was exhausted just following her. Sue needed paddles after an hour.
The girls decided to watch 2012. It has been years since I watched a movie in a theater. 2012 disappointed. The science was all wrong; nearly everything that happened stretched the imagination to the breaking point. The movie lacked plot and leaned on special effects and apocalyptic imagery completely.
Here is an example of the stupidity in 2012. A wealthy Russian needs to get from Las Vegas to a rescue ark in China. They need to stop in Hawaii to refuel. Of course, Hawaii is a mound of molten lava. They continue, acknowledging they will run out of fuel over the South China Sea. While enroute to China, the Earth's crust shifted over 1,500 miles and in the perfect direction to get them to within a mile or so of their destination. As crazy as this sounds, the Earth's crust shifting 1,500 miles in a matter of hours is only one in a litany of errors that beg the watcher to turn off the brain and accept any idiocy they dish out.
I enjoy a good movie and I love special effects, but give me a real story. Stretch the rules to make a better story if you must. But, please, please, don't expect me to be a complete idiot. I know more about science than the average person. Regardless, I think any layman will find 2012 too much to accept. I dislike movies that assume only idiots will watch. It will be a long time before I lay down hard earned dollars on such drivel again.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
A Good Deed
You never know when a good deed done will benefit you later. Life works that way. Treat someone nice and you may later find that person in a position to make your life better. Not always, but sometimes. And if you treat enough people nice, the odds go way up.
I bring this up because recent circumstances have allowed me to help one of the nicest people I know and in ways I will never be able to measure.
Back in the mid 90s I purchased Zig Ziglar’s “How to Stay Motivated” series. It includes 3 parts: Changing the Picture, Developing the Qualities of Success, and The Goals Program. I have listened to each tape over a hundred times and it allowed me to build better relationships with my family, friends, and clients; set and keep goals; and see myself in a positive light.
The recordings are on cassette tapes. My car now has a CD player and I wasn’t able to listen as often as I liked so I bought a new set in the CD version about 30 days ago.
Fast-forward to today. A long-time client is struggling in her personal and business life. I will not share details, but rest assured, it is a litany of serious issues. She is a hard worker, mild-tempered, and nice person. She sees herself as always being a victim. I asked her if she could afford the Zig program. She can't. She really has no money right now. None. She has a cassette player in her car, so I borrowed her the cassette tapes version of the Zig program.
One message Zig has is that you should treat other with respect at all times, even if they don’t deserve it. You never know where it will lead. The point is: things come round full-circle.
For some reason, I can feel, deep down inside, this client will pull herself up and have a positive self-image before long. I can’t shake the feeling I did something good for me, too. I did it for her, not expecting anything in return. Yet, somehow, some way, I know I will be very happy I helped another human being today, grow. I wonder if my daughters will benefit. Maybe my children will have a better life as a result. Who knows? Only time can tell.
Anyway, I feel good about myself. And that is good enough for me.
If you want a real treat, check out Zig and his programs by clicking here. I don’t get paid to say this. Zig has no idea who I am. Consider this my gift to you.
I think I am on a roll today.
I bring this up because recent circumstances have allowed me to help one of the nicest people I know and in ways I will never be able to measure.
Back in the mid 90s I purchased Zig Ziglar’s “How to Stay Motivated” series. It includes 3 parts: Changing the Picture, Developing the Qualities of Success, and The Goals Program. I have listened to each tape over a hundred times and it allowed me to build better relationships with my family, friends, and clients; set and keep goals; and see myself in a positive light.
The recordings are on cassette tapes. My car now has a CD player and I wasn’t able to listen as often as I liked so I bought a new set in the CD version about 30 days ago.
Fast-forward to today. A long-time client is struggling in her personal and business life. I will not share details, but rest assured, it is a litany of serious issues. She is a hard worker, mild-tempered, and nice person. She sees herself as always being a victim. I asked her if she could afford the Zig program. She can't. She really has no money right now. None. She has a cassette player in her car, so I borrowed her the cassette tapes version of the Zig program.
One message Zig has is that you should treat other with respect at all times, even if they don’t deserve it. You never know where it will lead. The point is: things come round full-circle.
For some reason, I can feel, deep down inside, this client will pull herself up and have a positive self-image before long. I can’t shake the feeling I did something good for me, too. I did it for her, not expecting anything in return. Yet, somehow, some way, I know I will be very happy I helped another human being today, grow. I wonder if my daughters will benefit. Maybe my children will have a better life as a result. Who knows? Only time can tell.
Anyway, I feel good about myself. And that is good enough for me.
If you want a real treat, check out Zig and his programs by clicking here. I don’t get paid to say this. Zig has no idea who I am. Consider this my gift to you.
I think I am on a roll today.
Monday, October 19, 2009
If You Want To Sell Me Something...
Everyone has pet peeves and I am no different. The phone skills of most telemarketers guarantee I will not buy. Here is what the typical call sounds like:
TELEMARKETER: Is the decision-maker available? (Or they start with: Can I speak with the owner/manager/boss/head kahuna?)
Here are the mistakes: 1.) Caller didn’t introduce themselves. 2.) Caller did zero research; they don’t even know who I am.
Depending on my mood, here is how I answer:
KEITH: Which owner?
The company is shutting down.
You have the wrong company.
He died.
Do you know who you are calling?
And if a phone company calls: We don’t have a phone.
Why do I respond in any of these ways? First, because you called me and I expect you to introduce yourself. Imagine a stranger walking up to you on the street and asking you how much money you have on you. How would you respond? Now you know how I feel. Second, you did no research. You don’t even know my name so you are making the coldest of all cold calls. Here is what could work:
TELEMARKETER: Hello, my name is Alice with XYZ Taxes R Us. I am calling for Keith about our new tax program.
This doesn’t guarantee I’ll buy, but at least you didn’t blow the sale before you finish the first sentence. In most cases, I will listen. I get 10-20 sales calls per day and I never buy from a sales call. But I do ask for more information a few times a month. When I have quiet time to review, I go over those that sent me the information requested.
If a sales call comes from a computer, as most do, you lose every time. I know the telemarketer sales person doesn’t control this, but it is a deal breaker for me. If I have to wait for someone to pick up on a call made to me, even for a fraction of a second, forget about it. If it isn’t important enough to have a live person contact me, then the product or service is something I really don’t care to have.
Break my taboos and I shoot you down every time. You want my time, and if you want my money, better follow my rules. “That isn’t fair,” I hear you say. Maybe. But my money, my rules. If you want a chance, call yourself, don’t send a machine; introduce yourself, company, and reason for the call; and know who you are calling. If you don’t know who handles the phone service/copier/computer/on ad nauseam, how can I trust you know anything about the product you are selling?
TELEMARKETER: Is the decision-maker available? (Or they start with: Can I speak with the owner/manager/boss/head kahuna?)
Here are the mistakes: 1.) Caller didn’t introduce themselves. 2.) Caller did zero research; they don’t even know who I am.
Depending on my mood, here is how I answer:
KEITH: Which owner?
The company is shutting down.
You have the wrong company.
He died.
Do you know who you are calling?
And if a phone company calls: We don’t have a phone.
Why do I respond in any of these ways? First, because you called me and I expect you to introduce yourself. Imagine a stranger walking up to you on the street and asking you how much money you have on you. How would you respond? Now you know how I feel. Second, you did no research. You don’t even know my name so you are making the coldest of all cold calls. Here is what could work:
TELEMARKETER: Hello, my name is Alice with XYZ Taxes R Us. I am calling for Keith about our new tax program.
This doesn’t guarantee I’ll buy, but at least you didn’t blow the sale before you finish the first sentence. In most cases, I will listen. I get 10-20 sales calls per day and I never buy from a sales call. But I do ask for more information a few times a month. When I have quiet time to review, I go over those that sent me the information requested.
If a sales call comes from a computer, as most do, you lose every time. I know the telemarketer sales person doesn’t control this, but it is a deal breaker for me. If I have to wait for someone to pick up on a call made to me, even for a fraction of a second, forget about it. If it isn’t important enough to have a live person contact me, then the product or service is something I really don’t care to have.
Break my taboos and I shoot you down every time. You want my time, and if you want my money, better follow my rules. “That isn’t fair,” I hear you say. Maybe. But my money, my rules. If you want a chance, call yourself, don’t send a machine; introduce yourself, company, and reason for the call; and know who you are calling. If you don’t know who handles the phone service/copier/computer/on ad nauseam, how can I trust you know anything about the product you are selling?
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