ACT LIKE YOU'RE BLESSED

(this is my 12 year old cat, Joey)

Act like you’re blessed, talk like you’re blessed, and think like you’re blessed. Put actions behind your faith, and one day you’ll see it become a reality.

-Joel Osteen Ministries 

I found this quote on Facebook this morning. This is the best life advice I've read lately. It could be a powerful, life-changing mantra for anybody who wants to see positive change around them. Try this: Write this quote on a piece of paper, carry it with you, read it every day. Watch what happens.
   

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane's Youtube Channel

WHAT WOULD 10 YEAR OLD DUANE THINK?

(royalty free image from clipartoday.com)

A Facebook friend recently posted a drawing he did. It was of a little boy looking at a man watching TV. What really caught my attention was the caption he added: “What would 10 year old me think if he saw me now?”

That really got me thinking. What was I doing when I was 10 years old? What did I enjoy doing the most? What were my hopes and dreams? How did I want my life to turn out? And the big question: What would 10 year old me think if he saw me now? 

Honestly, I think he would be impressed. I’m not saying my life is perfect and exactly how I hoped it would turn out. But on the plus side, I have a comfortable home, a reliable car, and no debt. I’m not currently working but I don’t feel guilty about it because I worked hard for many years. I know I will find a job when I’m ready to go back to work. 

Also on the plus side, I’ve had a lot of different jobs, done some traveling, and tried a lot of different things. It’s not as if I’ve been stuck in a rut, doing the same thing forever. 

I’m a positive, happy person. Mean and negative people are deleted from my life as quickly as possible. I used to want to save them all, but I learned that if people don’t ask for help, it’s usually because they don’t want to change. Some people are literally happy being miserable. I don’t get it, but it’s true. Since adopting a “live and let live” philosophy, I feel a huge burden has been lifted off me. Who put that burden there in the first place? I did. 

Something else I finally let go of is the need to make everything around me perfect. I used to drive myself crazy trying to make everything exactly how I wanted it to be. I usually came up short of perfection, which added stress to my life. I finally asked myself, “Who says it has to be perfect?” Only me. Not anymore.

So, back to “What would 10 year old me think if he saw me now?” When I was 10 years old, I loved to ride my bike and play outside. I still ride my bike often. I keep it inside the house. I do regular maintenance on it and keep it tuned up and ready to go anytime I want to ride it. I still play outside, but it looks a little different than it did when I was 10. Now it looks like going for walks, mowing and watering the lawn, and gardening. 

Is my life exactly what 10 year old Duane expected? No. Am I happy? Yes. Would 10 year old Duane be proud? Absolutely.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s Youtube channel 

BEING A HANDYMAN WAS FUN FOR AWHILE

I know, I know, in my last couple posts I said I enjoyed my job. So what happened? 

Here's the thing: I very much enjoyed the hands-on work. I enjoyed the carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and painting. It was a lot of fun. The problem was, it was a very stressful job. It didn't have to be, but it was. After 7 months, I decided the paycheck was no longer worth the stress. 

So what's the next step? 

In my November 18 blog post, I mentioned 3 Alternate Sources of Income (ASI). 
Here they are (plus a new one):

ASI #1-- SCRAP METAL RECYCLING. You would be surprised how easily you can make money by collecting and selling scrap metal that you can get for free! I use a Dodge minivan and I earn $50-$100 per load.. If you are interested in starting a scrap metal recycling business, all you need is a truck or van and some free information. You can learn everything you need to know right here on your computer, via Google and Youtube.  

ASI #2-- YOUTUBE VIDEOS and THIS BLOG. I'm not setting the world on fire with my commission checks but they are becoming more frequent, which is a very good sign. It's taken 6 years to get to this point, but I'm doing something I enjoy, I'm my own boss, and I'm getting paid. Gotta love the Internet!

ASI #3-- BUILDING CUSTOM ELECTRIC BIKES. This is the idea I haven't put into action yet but I'm close. Worldwide, electric bikes are growing in popularity. The electric motors and lithium batteries are becoming cheaper and more reliable. I think this will be a nice little business. Nobody in my area is doing this. I will start off slowly--build a bike, sell it, repeat. We'll see where it goes from there.
                        
                                  (E-Moto 24 Volt Electric Commuter Bike)

ASI #4-- VIDEO KNIFE REVIEWS FOR MANUFACTURERS. I'm currently negotiating with a large knife manufacturer to make review videos for them for cash. They enjoyed the first one I did and they paid me promptly. Hopefully we will have a deal some time next week.

If you have any money making ideas, I'd love to hear about them. 

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel　

$ WHAT'S NEXT? $

   

(free clipart from Google Images)

Now that I've accomplished my goal of finding a job I enjoy, its time to set some new goals.

I love my job but I'm not going to lie to you, being a handyman does not pay very well. I really miss my paychecks from the laboratory work I used to do. That was the best paying job I've ever had. One of my current goals is to match or exceed that income. I have a long way to go, but I have a few ideas. 

Most of my ideas do not involve changing jobs. I'm trying to think outside the box, and come up with alternate sources of income. I have three ideas that seem very promising. Two of them are already showing small profits. The third hasn't been put into action yet. 

More to come later. Sorry for the teaser. :)

If you have any money making ideas, I'd love to hear about them. 

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel　

I'M A HANDYMAN!

(free clipart from Google Images)

This post is long overdue. I was out of work for about 16 months. I thoroughly enjoyed my time off but it was about time to get back to work. No prob. I landed a job doing something I enjoy doing. 

I'm a maintenance man at a large apartment complex here in Washington state. For the last 7 months, I've spent 5 days a week fixing, repairing and improving apartment homes. I have done this type of work around my own home for most of my adult life but I've never done it as a profession. I have to say, most days are a lot of fun and I do look forward to going to work. Not many people can say that about their job so I consider myself fortunate.

OK, so some of you who are currently looking for work want to know how I did it. Here's the truth--

I sent out more than 200 resumes to companies who were advertising job openings that I was either very qualified for or at least sort of qualified for (I honestly felt I could do the job with very little training). That was all a giant waste of time. 

So, how did I land my new job? NETWORKING!

I like to stay in touch with friends, family and former co-workers. When it was time to get serious about finding a job, I let everybody know I wanted to go back to work. I was ready and willing to do just about any type of job. My only requirements were a short commute and no night shifts. 

One day I was talking to a long time friend (of 30+ years). His wife manages an apartment complex and she was having trouble finding an honest, reliable maintenance man. Long story short--I got a great job and they got a great employee. Everybody wins! That's the power of NETWORKING. 

If you are looking for your next job, spend 80-90% of your time on networking. Chances are, somebody you know knows of a job that would be perfect for you.

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel　

UPDATE

I’ve been jobless for more than 10 months. Thanks to the US Unemployment Insurance program, which I have paid into since I was 15 (36 years!), I have been receiving weekly paychecks this whole time. It’s a good thing, because jobs are hard to find. Never-the-less, I have faith I will find a good job before the money runs out. That’s my goal and as you know, setting and reaching goals is kind of “my thing”.

So what have I been up to since my last blog post?

I feel a little guilty because I haven’t written in six months. There are two reasons for my absence. First, I strive to keep my posts interesting, intriguing, positive, and thought-provoking. If I don’t have something to say that meets all those requirements I will usually say nothing. Second, I have been spending a lot of time outside and less time on my computer.

I read somewhere, years ago, that you should spend at least an hour every day outside. Something about nutrients you get from the sun and spiritual health that comes from the earth. I dunno about all that, but it does feel good to spend time outside, especially when the weather is nice.

Bicycling is still my favorite hobby. So far this year, I bought a used mountain bike on Craigslist, cleaned it, tuned it, adjusted it, and made several upgrades with new parts. Fun and easy stuff if you have any mechanical interest and a good assortment of metric tools. 

I rode this bike for about 3 months, then I donated it to a friend who wanted to buy her son a bike for his birthday but was having trouble finding a good used bike. It felt wonderful to help others and to know the bike I had cared for would be loved and ridden and enjoyed. Time to acquire another bike from Craigslist. I found a Schwinn I really liked at a good price and brought it home. I will probably keep this one forever. It just feels perfect for me.

At the beginning of this year, I couldn’t imagine riding my bike 10+ miles in one day. I mapped out some routes of 1 mile, 2 miles, and 4 miles. I really thought riding 4 miles one direction then back home would be the farthest I would travel on a bicycle. Wrong. As summer came and the weather warmed up, I found myself staying out longer and going farther and father on my bike.

To date, I have ridden more than 20 miles in a single trip and I now feel that 10 miles is a SHORT RIDE. Isn’t that interesting? Is there a lesson here? You tell me.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel　

EXERCISE, WHAT A RUSH!

Factoid:
Exercise is good for the body and mind. There are hundreds of studies that show physical activity reduces stress, depression, and makes you feel more energized and confident throughout the day. Exercise helps stimulate the production of serotonin in the brain. The effect of this mood elevating chemical makes you feel good for hours afterward.
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I’ve been unemployed for 33 days. The job search is going about as expected. No interviews yet. Of course my recent experience in a research laboratory is not a high demand field. In fact, the field is shrinking. If you can score such a job, it’s great. Otherwise, you feel the curse of being far too specialized.

So what else have I been doing to keep myself busy? One thing I am committed to is keeping active. I have implemented an exercise routine that is easy, fun, and free. I know myself, and if it weren’t easy, fun, and free there is no way I would stick to it. So here it is:

Every day I will do one or more of the following--
INSIDE--
Stretching, at least 3 minutes
Push-ups, at least 10
Work out with nunchucks, at least 3 minutes
OUTSIDE--
Walk at least 1 mile
Bicycle at least 2 miles

So far in the last 33 days, I’ve only skipped 3 days. Not 100% but better than I have ever done with any exercise routine, ever! That’s a win in my book! I know it’s not much of a workout to do only one thing on the list. But I usually do more than the “required minimum”. Besides, even the minimum is much better than doing none at all.

This is the starting point of my do-it-yourself home fitness program. I would love to hear about your exercise/fitness success stories. What do you do for exercise and what do you do to stay motivated?

Your comments are always welcome!

No go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

ONE GOAL

I normally have 5 or more current goals written down where I will see them every day, and I eventually reach every goal that is truly important to me. However, some of the goals I set for myself are eventually dropped from my list because I realize they aren’t really important to me after all.

Buying a motorhome was one of those goals. When the idea came to me, I was all gung-ho to get one and start traveling. But after a few months I realized I didn’t really want a motorhome and all the work and expenses that go along with it, so I dropped it from my list.

Anyway, I’m telling you this as a precursor to a different approach to goals. I know from experience that anybody with normal mental capacity can have different goals in different areas of life and achieve each one, such as:

A PROMOTION AT WORK
BUY A NEW CAR
HELP YOUR CHILD IMPROVE AT READING
TAKE YOUR FAMILY ON A CRUISE

But think about this-- What would happen if you only had ONE GOAL at a time. You would put the others on a separate list to deal with later. Then you would be free to focus all of your energy and attention on that ONE GOAL. Success would be an absolute certainty! Not only would you be focusing on ONE GOAL like a laser beam, but there would be no question that this is truly something you want.

Try it and let me know your results.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　
Check out
　Duane’s YouTube Channel

My First MRI

Today was my first MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Why am I getting an MRI? My goal is to find out why I get headaches and then find the cure for them. I believe nobody should have frequent headaches. I had 89 headaches in 2010. If you have pain anywhere in your body that often, something is definitely wrong!

Anyway, I want to tell you about my experience with the MRI machine. Since I’ve never been subjected to this type of test before, it was a memorable experience.

First, let me tell you what the MRI machine does--
Your body is mostly made up of water. Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen atoms respond to a magnet. The MRI machine uses a very powerful magnet to line up the hydrogen atoms in your body in a straight line. About half of the atoms point toward your head and about half point toward your feet, but there are always a few unmatched atoms. Then a radio frequency pulse is added which causes the unmatched atoms to spin the other way. When the pulse is turned off, the unmatched atoms return to their normal position and emit energy. This energy sends a signal to a computer, which converts it into an image.

I felt honored that they were going to use this sterile, spaceship-looking mega-machine on me. I did some research before my appointment and learned that just the machine itself costs more than $3 Million. And that’s not including the highly trained staff that runs it. Impressive.

They had me lie on a narrow table, which is designed to slide your body into the machine. The table was surprisingly comfortable. They added a pillow under my legs to keep my back as flat as possible. Then they added pads under my arms (for comfort, I guess). I also got foam earplugs and headphones, which played music and allowed the technicians to talk to me while the machine was running. Last but not least, I got an emergency squeeze bulb attached to a cord. "If anything happens(!?!), just squeeze this and we will get you out of there." That was both worrisome and comforting at the same time. LOL I never had to squeeze it.

One of the technicians said my job was to hold still. In my head, I told myself, "Hold still, think positive thoughts, and smile". It may not help, but it sure can’t hurt! :)

They slid me in and went behind a glass wall. I wondered if the glass was explosion-proof. They turned on the music and started the machine. I was expecting a loud windy sound. Nope, what I heard was very loud pulses of varying frequencies and degrees. Sometimes it sounded like the bass beat of rock music. Sometimes it was just noise.

A lot of thoughts went through my head as the huge magnets and pulsing frequencies did their work. I remembered when I was a little boy, hiding in my toy box, which seemed oddly similar to where I was now. I also wondered if the lights in the rest of the hospital dimmed when they turned the MRI machine on. That led to thoughts of spinning electric meters, and people running the power plant having to turn a few dials to compensate for the increased power draw at Kadlec Hospital in Richland, Washington… Just for me…

I briefly wondered if this giant hydrogen sucking magnet would cause me to have a headache for the rest of the day. How ironic would that be? I tried to keep my thoughts positive. Feeling good, pushing back any negative thoughts, and smiling. I wondered if the MRI techs could see what I was thinking on their computer screen. His name was Don, he was nice. There was a woman, too, but she didn’t tell me her name. She talked to me through the headphones while I was in the machine. She asked me if I was ok, and gave me periodic updates of how much time was left.

They did two separate scans, one of my brain and one of my neck. Each took 20 minutes. There was about a 2 minute break in between. I can’t say it went fast or slow. I was very much aware of the time as it passed. I knew it was almost done before I heard her voice in my headphones, "only 4 more minutes to go".

When it was over, I wasn’t dizzy or disoriented at all. I felt like I had taken a 40 minute nap but I know I didn’t sleep. And I was very hungry!

I won’t have the results for a few days, but I expect a clear picture with no sign of trouble. I suspect my headaches are caused by some type of allergy. I will get to the bottom of this mystery, because that is my goal. :)

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

A Clean Slate

Would you believe my favorite holiday is New Years Day? I have always felt like the first day of the year is a perfect time for a brand new beginning. No matter how good last year was, or how many challenges I faced last year, I always look forward to starting the New Year with a clean slate.

Practically speaking, you can make any day a clean slate day for the next chapter in your life, and I have done it many times at all different times of the year. But New Years Day is special. I don’t know how else to say it.

So, what about this clean slate? What are you going to do with it? Start school? Finish school? Start a new job? Start a new business? Marry the love of your life? Buy your dream car? OMG, the possibilities are endless!

Whatever you decide to do with your clean slate, make it count. Make it something you can later say with pride, “Yeah, I did that!” The surest way to make it happen is to write it down and don’t give yourself an out. No excuses.

“Do, or do not. There is no try.” --Jedi Master Yoda

Now go take on 2011!!

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Poker Secrets

For a four-year period, from 2003 through 2007, I intended to become a professional poker player. I bought dozens of books on how to play poker, how to read your opponents, bluffing, the math of poker, etc. Pretty much the only thing I watched on TV for those four years was poker. I was learning and assimilating and trying to get inside the heads of the world’s leading poker players. I played online poker almost every day for four years. And I played in casinos, small casinos and big casinos every chance I got. But I eventually went a different way. So what made me decide to change my career path after investing so much time in my poker education?

Here are some secrets about poker that I didn't count on. They are very rarely talked about or written about. The first secret is a phenomenon that applies to all types of gambling, and even aggressive investment strategies. I don't know if it has a name, but it goes something like this--

First Secret--
When you lose $500 (or any significant amount), the pain you feel is worse than the joy you feel from winning that same amount of money. If you have an emotional attachment to money (and who doesn't?), you are constantly battling with your emotions. Because no matter how good you are, you are still going to have losing days.

Second Secret--
You can play mathematically perfect poker and still get your butt kicked. This happens for two reasons: First, if you are playing that way, people will eventually figure it out, start bluffing you more, and start folding when you come out betting strong. That's when you need to switch it around to throw them off. But it might be too late by then.

Third Secret--
There is enough luck involved in poker, that you can play world-class poker and still lose some major hands to some schmuck who just got lucky. Now that hurts! All of these things, for me at least, make poker very hard to master. I still love to play, but not as a profession.

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Bigger Goals

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right!
--Henry Ford

What if we lived our lives this way? Well, most of us do!

Many people don’t set big goals because they think they can’t do it. It’s a fact that if you never reach for something beyond your grasp, you will never know what you are truly capable of achieving. If you think you can’t, you won’t. You won’t even try. But if you think you can, read on…

Setting small goals is a good way to build confidence. As you reach each goal, congratulate yourself, smile, cross it off your list, and say, “I did it! What’s next?” This sets us up to try bigger and better things. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we set some big goals and then we got them? And then we set bigger goals, and got them, too!

What if every time we set a goal, we got it? What if every time we went after a new job, we got it? What if every time we asked someone out on a date, they said yes? What if we lived our lives this way?

OMG, there would be no stopping us!

Think about that for a while… Then set some goals and see what happens!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

THE SECRET

I bought a new cell phone a couple days ago. It’s a “smart phone” with all sorts of cool features like Internet access and GPS mapping capabilities. That may not seem like a big deal to some of you. I know lots of people who have had the latest, greatest, state of the art phones for a very long time. Why was I holding on to my old, low tech, low budget cell phone and denying myself the pleasure of owning a new phone with all the fun features that everybody else already had? Follow along and find out. You just may learn something.

I’ve recently realized something about me that stems from my childhood. Something that has quite possibly been holding me back from reaching the level of wealth and happiness that I’ve dreamed about, but never honestly expected to achieve…

I have been living in a state of scarcity all my life. Money has always been hard to come by, until the last 5-6 years. In the past, I never would have described myself as rich, but now that is exactly how I describe myself. However, I still have that voice in the back of my head that reminds me that “money is scarce”. It’s not now, but it was for so long, I haven’t let go of that idea.

I didn’t realize this until my friend, Theresa recommended I watch a DVD called “The Secret”. One of the things I learned from watching The Secret, is that you get what you think about (even the negative stuff!). If you are thinking about how hard money is to come by and that you should hang onto it whenever you get some, then guess what? That’s what happens in your life!

Ahaa!! That reminded me of something I read a very long time ago. I would like to give the author credit, but I don’t remember who wrote it or where I read it. Anyways, it goes something like this: “You cannot receive anything with closed fists; you have to be open to receive.” Oh yeah, now that is deep! :)

So I have assigned myself the task of living in a general state of wealth and abundance and I will not allow my old beliefs to take over and deny me from enjoying something I really want. Hence, the new phone.

Believe it or not, this is a brand new way of looking at life for me. So new in fact, that I will consider it an experiment at this point. I will post updates to keep you informed of my progress. For now, feel free to join me in focusing on wealth and abundance, even if you don’t know where it’s coming from. Believe it, and it will come.

By the way, I highly recommend you get a copy of The Secret. You can find it at Amazon.com for about $10.

Now go take on the day!
Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Raise the Bar

I am an expert at goal setting and goal achievement. In 1992, I became a facilitator with an organization known as The Pacific Institute. It wasn’t a paid position, but what I learned has made me rich. I still use the same concepts today and that’s what I’m going to share with you.

What does the phrase, “Raise the bar“ mean? It was originally a sports term but it is used in many other areas now. When someone does a high jump, he or she jumps over a bar. Therefore, if you raise the bar, the jumper has to perform better to meet the new challenge. That’s what I want you to do.

If there is anything in your life that you want to improve, now is the time to raise the bar. How do you do that? Set some goals. If goal setting is new to you, here are some examples: A goal could be a bigger apartment or a nicer house, a newer car, a new set of matching dishes, or a new knife. Or it could be something big, something life changing: A new job, marriage, graduating high school or college, going back to school, or moving to Boston. It can be anything you want. You will have to work for it, but with what I‘m about to show you, it‘s much easier than you might think.

Step One: Write down your goals. Make a wish list. Write down everything you can think of. At this point, don’t worry about where it will come from or how you will get there. Just ask yourself, “What do I want?“ Have fun with this. Let your mind wander.

Step Two: Once you have your big want list, pick 3 things from your list that you really, really, REALLY want. These are your main goals. These are the things you will focus on and think about every day, several times a day. Keep the first list someplace safe. Once you see how easy this is, your confidence will grow and you will want to add more to both lists. That’s how it works. It’s an ongoing process.

Keep your list of 3 goals where you will see it every day. I keep my list on my computer where I see it several times a day. I like using Word documents because they are easy to edit. My list is constantly changing, but I keep my top 3 goals at the top.

Don’t worry about how long it will take to achieve a goal. It takes as long as it takes, but I guarantee you, this method speeds things up in your favor.

Note: My advice is don’t show your lists to anybody. People who don’t know about this method will try to bring you back down to Earth. Not in a mean way, but they might try to “save you from disappointment” and tell you things like, “your dreams are not realistic, that’s impossible, there is no way that will work…” You don’t need anybody’s approval. These are YOUR goals. Try this method and see for yourself. Once you become an expert at it, then you might want to share it with others. That’s fine. That’s what I did. :)

Step Three: We move toward and become what we think about. Visualize yourself achieving each goal. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and visualize what it will be like once you have each goal. What will it look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, and feel like? Imagine your life with the goal already achieved. How wonderful does it feel? How happy are you? Those are strong emotions and they are part of the process. Do this every day. Here’s why:

We are at our inventive and creative best when we have a problem. Our brain will work overtime to find a solution to the problem. That’s just the way the brain functions. How does this work? While we are reading and thinking about our goals every day, and visualizing achieving our goals, we are programming our brains to get used to something new. But when we look around in our current situation, we are still stuck in the old reality. We see a conflict, a problem. So our brain goes to work to resolve the problem. That’s why sometimes you go to bed thinking about a problem and you wake up with a solution. Pretty cool, eh?

Sometimes you will put something on your list of goals and after awhile, you will realize you really don’t want that any more. No problem. That happens to me, too. Just delete it.

This method works 95% of the time. There are times when you don’t get the goal. It’s rare, but it does happen. Hey, that’s life. There are some things you cannot control, and that’s OK. I believe everything works out the way it’s supposed to. When the 5% happens, look for the lesson, cry if you have to, then pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to work: “My new goal is…”

This has been working for me for 18 years so I know it works. It will work for you too if you give it a chance.

Now go set some goals!
Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel