Comments on: What Color Is Your Parachute? Killing the Doubts http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:51:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Adjunct http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-430490 Adjunct Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:04:38 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-430490 As someone who is 50+ I completely agree with the idea of not just sitting still and waiting for the Grim Reaper to show up. When Katrina blew me out of my home in New Orleans three years ago, I lost all of my adjunct teaching jobs at the local universities and colleges. I really was ready to give up, but I discovered the world of distance education and made myself apply for more than one <a href="http:// extraincomefromonlineteaching.blogspot.com/2008/11/online-faculty-position.html" rel="nofollow">online faculty position</a>. I was completely stunned when I was hired to teach 5 online classes for several schools! Believe me, my life has been changing for the better every since and my attitude about teaching is brighter than it was when I first graduated college. I am one fellow who can testify to the power of exploring every option in order to keeping moving in the right direction. Also, the money is great, and I can travel when I want to and still make a very healthy living. My laptop is my best friend! I say it is worth every once of effort to continuing discovering one’s hidden assets. I realize online teaching isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it has worked out very well for me, and it was a complete surprise. As someone who is 50+ I completely agree with the idea of not just sitting still and waiting for the Grim Reaper to show up. When Katrina blew me out of my home in New Orleans three years ago, I lost all of my adjunct teaching jobs at the local universities and colleges. I really was ready to give up, but I discovered the world of distance education and made myself apply for more than one online faculty position. I was completely stunned when I was hired to teach 5 online classes for several schools! Believe me, my life has been changing for the better every since and my attitude about teaching is brighter than it was when I first graduated college. I am one fellow who can testify to the power of exploring every option in order to keeping moving in the right direction. Also, the money is great, and I can travel when I want to and still make a very healthy living. My laptop is my best friend! I say it is worth every once of effort to continuing discovering one’s hidden assets. I realize online teaching isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it has worked out very well for me, and it was a complete surprise.

]]> By: Minimum Wage http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-146509 Minimum Wage Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:54:40 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-146509 Does Bolles say anything about changing "careers" when you are over 50 and all you've had is dead-end menial jobs, without any sort of "career-related" experience? Does Bolles say anything about changing “careers” when you are over 50 and all you’ve had is dead-end menial jobs, without any sort of “career-related” experience?

]]> By: guinness416 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-146035 guinness416 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:19:15 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-146035 Ambient music has always worked for me; got me through a whole bunch of studying for college & professional exams. Can't beat a bit of Orbital! Ambient music has always worked for me; got me through a whole bunch of studying for college & professional exams. Can’t beat a bit of Orbital!

]]> By: KellyKelly http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-146015 KellyKelly Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:35:34 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-146015 Kris, Thank you for that feedback about getting the spending under control. I do appreciate it -- that's why I post my garbage here. My spending is very under control. In fact, I should probably loosen up and SPEND some money, such as getting a plumber in here to fix the sink so I can quit drinking from the bathtub. I used to be totally debt-free. Paid off my student loan early. Paid cash for (used, carefully researched) cars. Got promotions and raises, stayed in the same small apartment. Had a huge emergency fund. Was generous to people with my time AND my money. On and on it goes. I know how that feels, and I want it back. I decided a few years ago to leave my corporate job and start a business. I do not regret that decision, but I do regret some of the bad clients I took a few years ago. Which eventually led to being in what feels to me like a Hindenberg of debt. That is a very quick summary of how I ended up here, today. I make a monthly budget. I know where my money goes. I don't buy gadgets or books or clothes or go to movies or drink alcohol or take vacations. I live like a monk! Somebody very close to me, who makes roughly what I do, said recently, "I don't understand something -- you don't buy ANYthing. I mean, you don't spend money." She's right. The difference is, I'm paying on debt and she is not. Well, that's enough whining from me. In my case, it is NOT overspending. I need to get 5 great clients and 5 good ones, unlike my current mix of 1 fantastic client and 8 good ones. Stress, stress, stress. Which pollutes the will. Kris,

Thank you for that feedback about getting the spending under control. I do appreciate it — that’s why I post my garbage here.

My spending is very under control. In fact, I should probably loosen up and SPEND some money, such as getting a plumber in here to fix the sink so I can quit drinking from the bathtub.

I used to be totally debt-free. Paid off my student loan early. Paid cash for (used, carefully researched) cars. Got promotions and raises, stayed in the same small apartment. Had a huge emergency fund. Was generous to people with my time AND my money. On and on it goes.

I know how that feels, and I want it back. I decided a few years ago to leave my corporate job and start a business. I do not regret that decision, but I do regret some of the bad clients I took a few years ago. Which eventually led to being in what feels to me like a Hindenberg of debt. That is a very quick summary of how I ended up here, today.

I make a monthly budget. I know where my money goes. I don’t buy gadgets or books or clothes or go to movies or drink alcohol or take vacations. I live like a monk!

Somebody very close to me, who makes roughly what I do, said recently, “I don’t understand something — you don’t buy ANYthing. I mean, you don’t spend money.”

She’s right. The difference is, I’m paying on debt and she is not.

Well, that’s enough whining from me. In my case, it is NOT overspending. I need to get 5 great clients and 5 good ones, unlike my current mix of 1 fantastic client and 8 good ones.

Stress, stress, stress. Which pollutes the will.

]]> By: plonkee http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-146008 plonkee Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:21:53 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-146008 You have to really want to change, and even then it's difficult. On the other hand, sometimes things unstick themselves. Bear with it, do the things that you know are right and see what happens. You have to really want to change, and even then it’s difficult. On the other hand, sometimes things unstick themselves. Bear with it, do the things that you know are right and see what happens.

]]> By: sp http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-146006 sp Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:20:22 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-146006 The tip about classical music (you mean chamber music in general, right?) is a good one. I have heard that baroque music is particularly good for what you are suggesting. You can't go wrong with Bach or Vivaldi. Some of the later music -- from the classical and romantic periods -- is rather dynamic and can be very distracting. The tip about classical music (you mean chamber music in general, right?) is a good one. I have heard that baroque music is particularly good for what you are suggesting. You can’t go wrong with Bach or Vivaldi. Some of the later music — from the classical and romantic periods — is rather dynamic and can be very distracting.

]]> By: Kris http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-146000 Kris Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:10:56 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-146000 A lot of people in debt think they have an earning problem - but really its a spending problem. Before trying to earn more money, first get spending under control. Otherwise, if you are like most, you will spend the new earnings and be in the same place forever. A lot of people in debt think they have an earning problem – but really its a spending problem.

Before trying to earn more money, first get spending under control. Otherwise, if you are like most, you will spend the new earnings and be in the same place forever.

]]> By: KellyKelly http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/comment-page-1/#comment-145790 KellyKelly Mon, 31 Dec 2007 20:10:55 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/12/31/what-color-is-your-parachute-killing-the-doubts/#comment-145790 Ack. The "getting unstuck" thing. I am so, so, so, stuck. I close the year in just about the same pitiful financial position in which I started it. But the "emotional net worth" is further in the red because financial stagnation = regression. I truly do not know what change I need to make in order to fix my earning problem. OK, I know on a superficial level -- make more money. But why? Why and I stuck at this level? Do I enjoy the anxiety, the shame, and resenting people in my life who have no debt (one of my best friends paid off her mortgage before age 40). Sigh. I appreciate this blog, Trent. Ack. The “getting unstuck” thing.

I am so, so, so, stuck. I close the year in just about the same pitiful financial position in which I started it.

But the “emotional net worth” is further in the red because financial stagnation = regression.

I truly do not know what change I need to make in order to fix my earning problem. OK, I know on a superficial level — make more money. But why? Why and I stuck at this level? Do I enjoy the anxiety, the shame, and resenting people in my life who have no debt (one of my best friends paid off her mortgage before age 40).

Sigh.

I appreciate this blog, Trent.

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