The working world: May 2008 Archives

My wife and I don't get to the movies very often, but we were talking for months about going to see the new Indiana Jones flick. Then, those who went before us had a warning: Don't waste your $9.

Wait, what did they say? The movies are $9 per ticket?!!! Definitely not going now, especially with the reviews I've been hearing from people I trust making it sound like Rocky V.

So instead of the relief from day-to-day monotony found in a cinema, I took my fly rod and waders and took off toward Delta, stopping just short of the hamlet for a little Sulphur and Rusty Spinner action on Muddy Creek near Bruce. I already paid for my fishing license, so it was free.

Well, pretty much free. It used to be pretty much free.

I hope you all enjoyed your day off and celebrated outdoors in style. We certainly had the weather for it. But now it's back to reality and time to chug our way through a short work week.

Here's a look at what's coming up.

You may remember last week I posted about the free gas contest that started yesterday at Rutter's. You can find more info here.

Dress for Success is holding a fundraising event on Sunday June 1. The Afternoon Tea is from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn East on Lindle Road in Harrisburg. For more information about the event, check out the organization's Web site.

If you're interested in networking opportunities, check Sunday's Money and More for a list of the groups meeting this week.

Perhaps because he had so few finances to manage while we were growing up, my father kept his financial advice simple:

Always pay yourself first.

Four simple words. Yet this concept is almost guaranteed to make a millionaire out of anyone who adheres to it.

Here’s how it works:

This morning, my phone rang, and on the other end was John Shelley, owner of John Shelley's Garden Center and Nursery, a southern York County landscaping business that caters to those who want new landscaping designs for their homes using higher-end plants.

And after two minutes on the phone, I wish I would have gotten him into a story that was already in today's paper.

What he told me was this: He got out of the vegetable gardening business years ago, but starting recently, his ornamental landscaping customers began requesting something a bit odd. They wanted raised garden plots - patches framed with timbers for growing vegetables -incorporated into their designs.

"People want to grow a Victory Garden in their backyard," Shelley told me, referencing a government initiative during World War II.

No, it wasn't in the middle grade or premium column. It was for regular. Saw it on my way in to the office this morning on Carlisle Road.

If you didn't file your taxes electronically the last time around, your stimulus check is coming in the mail, but it's taking longer than those getting direct deposits because they did file electronically.

I just wanted everyone who is electronically challenged (like me) and back-burnered to know that the checks are finally showing up. I got mine yesterday in the mail. What glee! I'm rich!

I began thinking about all the things it could pay for:

* Three months of car payments
* Three months of student loan payments
* A month's rent
* Utility bills for the next two to four months

"Wow," I thought. "I'm on easy street. No bills for a full month, I can go out and stimulate the economy by buying crap I don't need."

Just before you leave work, here's the big biz stories of the week.

Oil prices keep climbing.

Who's surprised the Saudis aren't going to produce more oil?

We're not going to put oil in reserves anymore.

Pamper the cows and they'll produce more milk.

Craigslist is throwing punches.

First and foremost, major props to the Office writers for throwing in a plug for Allentown. I love my hometown representing even if it's only where Jan is going for Lamaze class.

Let's get right down to what we learned this week. Because the episode was an hour long, we've got double the amount of lessons.

Lesson one: Do not leave your cell phone setting on your desk or you may find that all of your calls are being transfered to someone else's phone.

That's the picture emerging from a recent study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I glanced at this at first, and figured someone was reaching a bit for conclusions. Then I took a look at the numbers.

In roughly the past six months, women have gained about 300,000 jobs. Men have lost 700,000 jobs. Check out the reasoning yourself and see if you agree.

Passing Delco Plaza this morning, I nearly had a heart attack. The sign said $3.75 for regular gasoline. Super was more than $4. My wife saw the same thing, driving in front of me as we made our way to the same workplace at the same time in the morning.

Same workplace?, you ask. Why don't we carpool? My wife made the suggestion as we walked in the door this morning. "Sounds like a plan," was my reply.

Then, I thought about it. Having one car instead of two is going to start forcing us to make tough choices in our schedules. We won't be able to do all the stuff we do now.

Last month Dunkin' Donuts gave out free donuts with the purchase of a coffee to celebrate tax season ending. This Thursday it's giving free iced coffee because it's the annual Free Iced Coffee Day.

According to the news release Dunkin Donuts plans to give out close to 4 million cups of free iced coffee Thursday.

Here's some fun stats from the release about what other things you could do with all that coffee:

As we're about to close out another week, it's time for the weekly round up of top biz stories this week.

Speed networking is all the rage.

The Business and Tech expo was on Tuesday.

First quarter homes sales weren't so good.

Even fairly well off people are turning to discounters.

Flying just keeps getting more expensive.

And because I hate to leave you with depressing news on a Friday afternoon, check out this video shot by photographer Paul Kuehnel.

Side note: The baby bump is the reason we only see Angela from her shoulders up because there's no storyline written in for her pregnancy.

Jim Halpert was successful this week, for once acting like a real businessman and sealing a sales deal on the golf course.

But before we get to his overwhelming success, let's take a quick look at Michael's inept struggles.

When money gets tight, you'd be surprised what you can do yourself. My colleague here on the business staff broke his lawn mower the other day, and it sounded like a simple fix, so I decided to help him out with it last night.

It was either that, or he would have to pay a few hundred dollars for a new lawn mower, or get put on a two-week waiting list at the local repair shop.

No offense to my father and mother, my sister, and my new cousin-in-law. But I don't want to drive an average of 400 miles per weekend to see them for the rest of this month.

But these people are close to me. They are family. I want to cut out the driving, not seeing them.

So really, what are my options here?

In my exploring of the expo, I saw a lot of really interesting displays companies had set up. I didn't have time to take pictures of all of them, or even stop and talk to every single person there. That would have been quite the challenge.

Here's a quick look at two more of the business that were there.

Here's a reason to come to the Business and Technology expo today: Free massages.

Chiropractic Healthcare Center on East Market Street has a booth where they are teaching people about the services they provide and offering free massages.

If that's not a reasons to step out of the office on your lunch break, I don't know what is.

Update: There will be another speed networking session at 2 p.m. at the Toyota Arena for anyone interested in attending.

Thanks to photographer Paul Kuehnel for snapping this picture with his phone.

"It's like speed dating without all the freakiness" -- Sean Kenny, Networking and Communications Coordinator for the York County Chamber

Basically that's exactly what speed networking is. Two people sit facing each other at a table, shake hands, exchange business cards and chat about their businesses. When the bell rings five minutes later the people on the inside get up and move one seat over to their right.

I've gotten to the expo and found the InYork.com booth. The expo is scheduled to start in about 40 minutes and there are a ton of booths and companies here to show off their stuff.

I'm heading to a speed networking event right now. Check back later for more details about that.

If you can't make it to the expo today but are still interested in finding out what's new and interesting, you'll want to check back with Mind Your Own Business throughout the day.

I will be spending most of the day at the Toyota Arena and will post updates as I see the various exhibits and talk with different presenters.

If you have a specific question about a booth or a presentation e-mail me or leave a comment and I will do my best to get it answered.

The York County Chamber of Commerce Business and Technology Expo is tomorrow at the Toyota Arena.

According to the news release, here's a few things you can expect to see if you check it out:

* Integrity Bank will focus on their Express Banker remote banking product. The bank provides a desktop scanner that allows a customer to make all of their business deposits of checks from the convenience of their desk.

* Dallastown Area School District is demonstrating a “smart” classroom highlighting the use of laptop computers, LCD projectors, a smart board—an electronic whiteboard—and student response systems, as well as using software to show the educational uses of these tools.

I'm trying to get as much mileage as I can out of my trip to Europe last month. The way the economy is going, it's the last time I'll be there until after I'm dead. And that's only if I get cremated and my ashes get blown all the way across the Atlantic.

Anyway, they have a lot of these Smart cars over there, and I think the coolest thing at first glance is that you can back into a parallel parking spot, with your bumper to the curb and the hood toward traffic. And you still don't stick out any farther than a normal sized car.

I wanted one.

Then I got back to the states, and realized why no one has one here: SUVs.

While the weekend forecast might not be looking so sunny, I think we can all agree that Friday afternoons are a bright spot in the week because the weekend is thisclose.

To help you make the final push through the last few hours of the week, check out the hot business stories of the week.

You probably shouldn't be resting your eyes at work.

Have you gotten your rebate check yet?

Everyone's trying to figure out what the falling gas prices mean.

Rice is in short supply.

Things look good for Comcast.

Michael surprised me in last night's episode. I think it's the first time in maybe forever that he handled an uncomfortable situation appropriately. Sure it may have taken some poking and prodding from HR and in the beginning he may have wanted to take a half day on account of a stomachache, but in the end he did the right thing.

But after giving Michael that credit, I think it's time to examine what Michael and the rest of the Dunder Mifflin crew taught us not to do.

Are you getting ulcers from layoff worries and want to find something with a little more job security, but don't know where to start?

Perhaps it's time to get back to basics, and ask yourself this question: If you were a customer, how bad would things get before you would stop buying the product you are selling or making, or service you are providing?

I have a laptop that blew up on me going on two years ago. I haven't fixed it. My wife and I have a desktop that serves our needs OK. I can spend that money elsewhere, like on food.

I did a story the other day about Glatfelter's push into making coffee and tea filter papers. No one will give up a morning cup of coffee or tea until well after they've started sewing their own clothes and supplementing their grocery shopping with the backyard garden, or so the logic goes.

It's an example of a company looking to make their business as recession-proof as they can.

Are you plotting a move to a "safer" career? If so, let us know where you are now and where you want to go.