Thinking even more about giving up the blog, I realize that I do still LOVE and believe in the idea of devoting significant time to a public forum to house thoughts, reflections, and more than anything a slow climbing path towards being an expert on some discrete finite topic. It is very much in line with Malcolm Gladwell’s ideas in Outliers on effort – similar to the "10,000 hour rule" espoused by a lot of writers at the New Yorker and various publications.
You can only become truly knowledgeable… or, phrased more positively….. you can actually become an EXPERT with just really hard work and time in front of you. Which provokes me to ask myself, what do I really want to perfect within myself? What could I become an expert in, and where could I develop myself through practice and effort and time?
I’ve had so many side interests – while I love writing and want to maintain that with a certain level of ferocity, I find that too private to actually blog about. I started getting really interested in wine and really would love to take advantage of opportunities to learn more. I have a good start on a tracker of my tasting notes… but then, I would post on that more sporadically, and there are SO many wine blogs out there, that mine would be, once again, the least knowledgeable and interesting voice out there!
I COULD use it as a professional opportunity to start practicing for case interviews, since I've determined I may want to break into management consulting after grad school. A case interview a day! That actually has the potential to create a real following, based on the lack of real, free resources or forums out there. Another sort of more general business school blog could be lumped into that as well – which would actually be FUN to maintain.
I think we’ve got some changes afoot....
Showing posts with label good blog reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good blog reads. Show all posts
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
A Few Good Reads...
A few non-financial notables I’ve been perusing lately….
Bottlenotes
This website is still getting off the ground, so there’s not a lot of activity, and some of it is simply promotional at this point, but I think this has potential to be a real community for those so inclined. Just filling out the introductory survey was moving for me – from radial button answers to ranking grape and sensory preferences in wine – to open-ended questions like When did you first taste wine? and When did you first love wine? they really sparked my memory and capacity for nostalgia. Something wine itself does. They also help you identify great promising new wines by price range, which is helpful when you’ve graduated from the two-buck-chuck at Trader Joe’s but are still budget-conscious.
Beanstock’d
The mission of the website is intended to incorporate ecologically sensitive information and green-propaganda into the delivery of pop culture gossip and news. Sort of like a Green E! channel. The combination is sometimes clumsy. But like all gossip networks, it’s sort of addicting prose. And as I don’t currently read anything else of that nature, I can somehow justify having it in my Google Reader.
TED
I feel a little embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of TED before a few weeks ago when a friend of mine sent me the link and recommended a few. The premise: tap amazing talent to give the talk of their lives in 20 minutes. In some cases that really means a talk about their life, and in others, it means a talk on the subject that fuels their life, and literally the best and most inspiring talk they have given and will ever give. Such a bold challenge for the boldest of characters living in this age inevitably produces inspiring little pockets of 20 minutes. My favorite so far in getting through the archives has been hearing Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love, talk about genius.
Bottlenotes
This website is still getting off the ground, so there’s not a lot of activity, and some of it is simply promotional at this point, but I think this has potential to be a real community for those so inclined. Just filling out the introductory survey was moving for me – from radial button answers to ranking grape and sensory preferences in wine – to open-ended questions like When did you first taste wine? and When did you first love wine? they really sparked my memory and capacity for nostalgia. Something wine itself does. They also help you identify great promising new wines by price range, which is helpful when you’ve graduated from the two-buck-chuck at Trader Joe’s but are still budget-conscious.
Beanstock’d
The mission of the website is intended to incorporate ecologically sensitive information and green-propaganda into the delivery of pop culture gossip and news. Sort of like a Green E! channel. The combination is sometimes clumsy. But like all gossip networks, it’s sort of addicting prose. And as I don’t currently read anything else of that nature, I can somehow justify having it in my Google Reader.
TED
I feel a little embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of TED before a few weeks ago when a friend of mine sent me the link and recommended a few. The premise: tap amazing talent to give the talk of their lives in 20 minutes. In some cases that really means a talk about their life, and in others, it means a talk on the subject that fuels their life, and literally the best and most inspiring talk they have given and will ever give. Such a bold challenge for the boldest of characters living in this age inevitably produces inspiring little pockets of 20 minutes. My favorite so far in getting through the archives has been hearing Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love, talk about genius.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
People Currently Reading...
I think I found something else to add to that financial wants list - the Amazon Kindle. I am just not a gadget geek, have no desire to wait in line for the 3g iphone, but as someone who has been carrying a book around everywhere [even movie theaters!] since she was seven, THIS is technology I can use.
Also, decided to add a currently reading gizmo to the site... still on Jane Eyre, but always looking for good next-read's. :)
Also, if you haven't seen the People Reading blog, you've got to check it out - currently featuring random Californians encountered on the street and sidewalks reading. I'm at my blog quota, but if I weren't, I would definitely start one of these for the Twin Cities.
Also, decided to add a currently reading gizmo to the site... still on Jane Eyre, but always looking for good next-read's. :)
Also, if you haven't seen the People Reading blog, you've got to check it out - currently featuring random Californians encountered on the street and sidewalks reading. I'm at my blog quota, but if I weren't, I would definitely start one of these for the Twin Cities.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
While I Was Out...
So in my blogging absence, I realized I’d also missed out on a lot of great stuff by my fellow pf folk, so I digested this for myself – three of my tried and true daily read’s and a new find! Hopefully some of you enjoy as well:
MFA or Bust
Appreciated the thoughts on "the financial responsibility funk". And can definitely appreciate bringing someone else into the wisdom of budgeting. I recently had to teach the Guy how to shop for groceries. His ridiculous spending habits come to the forefront once we reach those sliding glass doors. And he is notorious for never buying enough to last him for several meals, so that he has to go back to the grocery store prior to every single meal he prepares. Thus it is almost economical for him to go out to eat for every meal!
Piggy Bank Blues
The short & sweet link from Piggy Bank Blues on Credit Card myths was great – and also lead me to this link: The 15 Most Rewarding Credit Cards. I was happy to see that my new Starwood Amex made the list! Made me feel justified in going after that one even though it meant opening up a new card. I have graduated through a number of credit card myths and predispositions.
My attitude at college graduation: All credit cards are bad. I will pay everything with debit (and in so doing, never built up any positive credit history). My attitude 1 year out: Alright I have a credit card – but I’m only going to have one. All the cards out there are probably the same and only give me small change kind of rewards for my purchases. My attitude now: I have three cards, with different reward structures, and I pay them all off entirely on a schedule, with each new paycheck. I don’t know if I’ve hit the credit card Shangri-la yet, but I’m at least in a lot better place.
Feminist Finance
A smart post on why you shouldn’t read the tea leaves on future policy in a candidate’s personal finance records. Doh. I should write smarter posts.
Always the Planner
This was a new blog that I had never read before – and definitely a fan of now. I especially liked this post: “What’s worth it?” and it basically summarizes my philosophy on spending and saving and why I don’t buy into the idea that everyone needs to give up their $4 lattes. If that makes your day that much happier, and you can skrimp elsewhere, all the better. Lately, I’ve also been feeling daunted at how little discipline I have when it comes to not spending on certain things. But this helped re-energize me with the idea of thinking of what I REALLY want to spend on – a $40 cab ride or $40 worth traveling in Argentina. (Oh I like the idea of “No Spend Days” too. I might have to take that for a spin.)
MFA or Bust
Appreciated the thoughts on "the financial responsibility funk". And can definitely appreciate bringing someone else into the wisdom of budgeting. I recently had to teach the Guy how to shop for groceries. His ridiculous spending habits come to the forefront once we reach those sliding glass doors. And he is notorious for never buying enough to last him for several meals, so that he has to go back to the grocery store prior to every single meal he prepares. Thus it is almost economical for him to go out to eat for every meal!
Piggy Bank Blues
The short & sweet link from Piggy Bank Blues on Credit Card myths was great – and also lead me to this link: The 15 Most Rewarding Credit Cards. I was happy to see that my new Starwood Amex made the list! Made me feel justified in going after that one even though it meant opening up a new card. I have graduated through a number of credit card myths and predispositions.
My attitude at college graduation: All credit cards are bad. I will pay everything with debit (and in so doing, never built up any positive credit history). My attitude 1 year out: Alright I have a credit card – but I’m only going to have one. All the cards out there are probably the same and only give me small change kind of rewards for my purchases. My attitude now: I have three cards, with different reward structures, and I pay them all off entirely on a schedule, with each new paycheck. I don’t know if I’ve hit the credit card Shangri-la yet, but I’m at least in a lot better place.
Feminist Finance
A smart post on why you shouldn’t read the tea leaves on future policy in a candidate’s personal finance records. Doh. I should write smarter posts.
Always the Planner
This was a new blog that I had never read before – and definitely a fan of now. I especially liked this post: “What’s worth it?” and it basically summarizes my philosophy on spending and saving and why I don’t buy into the idea that everyone needs to give up their $4 lattes. If that makes your day that much happier, and you can skrimp elsewhere, all the better. Lately, I’ve also been feeling daunted at how little discipline I have when it comes to not spending on certain things. But this helped re-energize me with the idea of thinking of what I REALLY want to spend on – a $40 cab ride or $40 worth traveling in Argentina. (Oh I like the idea of “No Spend Days” too. I might have to take that for a spin.)
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