10/15/07 Stock Purchase Update - New High

In my 10/8/07 stock purchase update, I wrote about how my stock buy selections of Terex (TEX), Potash (POT), Shaw Communications (SJR) and Avnet (AVT) were performing. In that update, the portfolio had benefited from the Fed rate cut and was up $2,611 for a 14.9 % gain, just slight below the new portfolio high of $2,745. As of 10/12/07, the portfolio was up to a new high of $3,078 for a 17.6% gain. I owned AVT for 5 months before selling it for a 5.1% gain and TEX for 4 months before selling it for a 3.9% gain. Here's the current status on the positions in the two remaining stocks:

	My Wealth Builder 5/28/07 Buy List
Stock	Shares	Purchase Price	Current Price 10/12/07
Potash (POT)	50	$71.39	$112.90
Shaw Communications B (SJR)	100*	$21.755	$26.30
Avnet (AVT)	200	$38.21	sold @ $40.15
Terex (TEX)	50	$82.56	sold @ $85.77

* 2 for 1 split on 8/3/07

Overall, I am still happy with the performance of these four stocks, given that the overall market had a significant drop in August. Since the last update, POT was up $9.24, and SJR was flat. I have owned these two stocks since June, 2007. POT has contributed significantly with a 58.1% gain in that time. SJR has contributed with a 20.9%.

I continue to be impressed with my commitment to stay invested in these stocks, in spite of the market volatility. In the past, I would have closed out the entire position with this level of volatility. Given the performance of the portfolio, I am glad I held my positions instead of allowing myself to be whipsawed by the market each week.

The recent events (credit crunch, central bank interventions) originally had convinced me that the bull market is in its last stage, and I was considering closing out these positions during the next significant rally. However, the Fed rate cuts of 0.5% for the discount and Fed funds rate of September 18, 2007 lead me to believe the bull market will last about another year. So I have updated my stock picks from the modified Unemotional Investor Growth system, which I will publish later today.

At this point, I have not made any purchases from the new stock pick list, since the market rally has not been very strong yet. However, last week the market rally became stronger and I will consider making some buys this week..

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial or investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Tax Return For 2006 and Preparation For My 2007 Tax Return

It's time to fess up and admit I am a procrastinator when it comes to filing my tax returns. I just completed my 2006 tax return, in time for the extended due date of October 15, 2006 (tomorrow:-). To note, an extension does not include extending the time for payments that are due. Taxes owed were still due on April 17, 2007 this year. Thus, I had done a initial estimate of my tax returns in March and, unfortunately, sent in the additional taxes I owed. However, getting an extension usually allows me to make sure I have all my records and to make sure I didn't miss something. Here's what I learned this year:

1. No return needs to be filed for my daughter's UTMA accounts. My in-laws and we have set up custodial accounts for our daughter. Having heard about the "kiddie tax," I thought that I would need to include her income in our tax return, using form 8814 or form 8615, or, even worse, file a tax return for her. However, I learned as long as her unearned income is below $850 and she has no earned income, no return need to be filed.



2. No self employment tax needs to be paid on income below $400. According to Schedule SE, no filing needs to be done for self employment income under $400. While this was not a concern for 2006, it will be good information to know for the 2007 tax year.



3. Sometimes tax rates are reduced. When I calculated our estimated 2006 state tax, I assumed the same tax rates as 2005. According to the estimate, we owed money, which I sent in. However, the tax rates were reduced for 2006, and now we are getting a refund. Although this is probably the last time rates will decrease, I will check our state tax rate for estimates in the future.

Now I have confessed to my misdeeds, I will be taking steps to be better on filing my taxes for 2007. Here's what I am doing:

1. Taking the H&R Block Basic Tax course. Now that I am retired in my forties, I have time for extracurricular activities like this one. If I pass the final exam with 80% or better, I will qualify to be a seasonal tax preparer for 2007 taxes. At the very least, I will be better prepared to do my 2007 taxes:-)



2. Do my initial 2007 tax estimate in December 2007. Since I retired in October, 2007, my W-2 income will be finalized in at the end of October, 2007. While I will have some additional interest and capital gains income, it will be small compared to me income. I should be ready to final in January, 2008:-)

We'll see if these interventions will make a difference for the 2007 tax return:-)

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for the segment.

This is not financial or tax advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

A Few Benefits of Retiring Young

After only being retired for 12 days, I can attest that there are great benefits to retiring in my forties. As one of my colleagues said, "Retiring was the best thing I ever did." Here are some of the benefits so far:

1. More time with family. I am never faced with a dilemma of family time or work time any more. Now there is only one choice:-) My daughter needs me at a parent's night. Done. Dinner with the family. Done. Spending quality time with my spouse, especially to talk about our future. Done. No more multitasking between work and family efforts. I will also be mostly present as our daughter grows older.



2. Healthier eating. Surprisingly, retirement has led me to eating better and more regularly. No more drinking five or more cups of coffee each day, no more doughnuts and no more skipping breakfast, lunch and getting home late for dinner. I now eat three meals, with more fruit and vegetables, and less sugar and carbohydrates. I've even lost five pound during this time without trying :-)



3. More sleep. I used to be proud I slept 5 - 6 hours per night. I thought that 5 - 6 hours was "normal" for high performance people. Since retiring, I've enjoyed sleeping at least 8 hours and not getting up before the sun rises. I now agree the average American doesn't get enough sleep at less that 7 hours per night.



4. Increased life expectancy. As Retire Early and Live Longer shared, younger retirees have longer a average life span, up to 20 more years. While the cause has not been discovered, I hope to also experience this benefit.

A number of my colleagues, friends and neighbors are still expecting me to announce my next job. I've already gracefully declined a few offers, including the paying ones. I guess I'm still at the "honeymoon phase" that retirees experience. At this point, I am still looking forward to further enjoying the liberation stage described in The Five Stages of Retirement.

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.

Photo Credit: morgueFile.com, mirabbi

This is not financial or retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Our Journey To Financial Freedom #2 - The Value of Higher Education

In early October, 2007, I announced that I had retired in my forties. So I now join my wife, who had stopped working earlier to be at home with our child. As promised, I am writing a series on "How We Did It," of which this is segment #2. For reference, our story is a boring one because we did it by working for established companies, spending less than we earn, and prudently investing our savings. There were no business start ups, lottery winnings, or inheritances involved. However, it worked for us. Read on if you still want to find out how.

Step #2 - Get A College Education

In hindsight, going to college for a Chemical Engineering degree has played an important part in being able to retire in my forties. Although my choice of a major was not part of a greater plan, it enabled me to get a great job at graduation, which also paid well. This eventually led to excellent experiences and personal development which led to promotions with significantly higher pay.

As background, I was planning to go to Medical School, when I started college. Therefore, my major was a backup option, in case I didn't pursue a medical degree. By the time I graduated, I needed a break from school and decided to work before applying to medical school. I never did apply to medical school and ended working in the industry my entire career and then retiring.

Here were my benefits and experiences from a college education that I think were important in our journey to financial freedom:

Greater breadth of opportunities. Many of the top companies came to campus to recruit future employees. Without a college degree, I wouldn't have been able to get many interviews with companies such as Exxon or DuPont.

Consideration for better paying entry level jobs. I'm not advocating that everyone should be engineers. However, if retiring early is a goal, college should be used as a financial spring board. Higher starting salaries lead to higher raises, or better salary offers when changing jobs.

Entry level jobs with higher future potential. Recruiters go to university campuses to find potential future leaders for their company. The entry level researchers or managers are expected to become the senior researchers and senior managers of the future.

Yes, but ...

Can't one do well with graduating from college? Some do, of course. A couple of notable examples are Bill Gates and Michael Dell, who dropped out of Harvard and the University of Texas, respectively, to start Microsoft and Dell. However, for most people, one's chances to do well significantly increase with going to college.

Is an Ivy League school going to be better than a state university? Since I graduated from Princeton, I can say yes, AND the advantage is only short lived, perhaps one to two years. After one is an experienced employee, the contributions and results at work matter much more than the school one attended.

Going to college no longer guarantees getting high paying job. Well, it never did. However, one can improve one's chances by graduating with excellent grades in a degree that prepares one for entering a profession.

Finally, while going to college has never guaranteed future financial success, it is unlikely I would have retired in my forties without a higher education. College was an important early step in Our Journey to Financial Freedom. I will also encourage my daughter to make college part of her wealth building plan.

Next segment: Getting The Most From Your Job

Here's the series:

1. Our Childhood Preparation
2. The Value Of Higher Education
3. Making The Most Of My Job
4. Lifestyle and Spending Choices
5. Setting Goals, Developing Plans and Tracking Process
6. Staying The Course
7. How Luck Played A Role
8. My Personal Finance Mind Tricks
9. The Professionals We Used
10. When Preparation Met Opportunity

For more on Reaping the Rewards , check back every Friday for a new segment.

Photo Credit: morgueFile.com, Kenn Kiser

This is not financial or education advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

The Value of a Graduate Degree

Both my dad and my father-in-law have PhDs. However, both my spouse and I finished our education at the BS level, and didn't go on to graduate school. While I do not regret finishing at the BS level, I wonder if the graduate degree is something my daughter should consider in the future. Here is my current thinking about the value of a graduate degree.

It is often assumed that a non-professional advanced degree, such as a PhD or MBA, will give one a long term advantage over peers in the working world. In my experience, the advantage of a PhD or MBA is primarily in two areas. First, such a degree may get one considered for a job over someone with only a college degree. At best, this is a short lived benefit,perhaps for one to two years. Second, and more important, I believe that a PhD or MBA may better prepare one for challenges of the globally competitive market in business. These skills and benefit will last a lifetime, if one can highly develop them in a graduate studies program.

Here are some of the characteristics related to a PhD and MBA that I have seen in people who are successful in business:

1. Quickly assessing situations to set a new course of action. In today's market, businesses are often faced with new situations that haven't been experienced before, and require solutions that haven't yet been developed. The course of study for an PhD requires such thinking, i.e. research an issue that hasn't been done before and drawing conclusions. MBAs are often immersed in case studies, so that they can assess future situations and set a direction to follow.
   
   In my discussions with applicants, I often question them about how and why they chose a specific plan or action for their research. It gives me a good understanding of how they will approach challenges at work.



2. Bigger picture thinking. Another important skill is to be able to see the bigger opportunity for the work they do. This will enable one to independently make good judgement decisions. A great example would be the founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. While working on their PhDs, they developed a backlink protocol that eventually became basis for the Google search engine. They were able to see past the interesting programing they did to a potential business benefit and business model.
   
   In my hiring interviews, I like to ask candidates how their research fits into the bigger picture of their field. What is the potential application, how can it benefit society, and why might consumers want it? These types of questions give me a better understanding of the candidate's bigger picture thinking.
   


3. Confronting adversity and succeeding. Winning in business today is about being successful in spite of barriers and obstacles. This means constantly assessing the market place, refining strategy, and organizing for overcome challenges. And then importantly, doing the hard work to achieve success. There is not a silver bullet to winning.
   
   I particular like candidates who have demonstrated the ability to follow their beliefs, influence others to follow, and overcome challenges to achieve their goal. They will need to do this many times during their career.

Granted for some careers, such as a university professor, a PhD is required. Also, to be a physician or attorney a professional graduate degree is needed. However, for many other careers, a graduate degree is only an initial boost, unless one also further develops specific skills that are important to being successful at work. That's when a graduate degree will lead to competitive advantage over a lifetime.

For more on Crossing Generations , check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial or education advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Links to Carnivals from October 7 - 9, 2007

Here are links to select Carnivals from October 7 - 9, 2007:

Carnival of Family Life #74 - The People's Choice Edition

Investors Blog Network Festival

Carnival of Personal Finance #121- Columbus Day Edition

Carnival of the Capitalists 4th Anniversary Edition

Festival of Stocks #57

Carnival of Money Stories

95th Festival of Frugality

Give these hosts some recognition for their hard work by checking out their Carnivals.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Personal Finance Math

One of the reasons I have been good at personal finance decisions is that I am very comfortable with using math. While being good at math is not necessary, it's important to have a good understanding a few math concepts to be good at personal finance. Compound interest and Loan Amortization are the two I feel are most important. If one can master these two math concepts, over 80% of personal finance concepts will become intuitive:

First, here a few variable definitions:

i = interest (daily, monthly, or yearly, depending on the period n)
n = number periods (days, months or years)
P = principal ( amount of money loaned)
M = monthly payment since most loans are paid monthly.
FV - future value
PV - present value (amount in savings)

Compound Interest

FV = PV * (1 + i)^n

This formula is useful for calculating:

1. How much one's savings will be worth n years in the future



2. The impact of inflation after n years

The table below shows examples of using this equation to calculate savings growth and inflation impact. Savings 1 shows the growth of a $100 at 2 % interest per year for 10 years and savings 2 shows the growth at 5% per year. Inflation 1 shows the decline of $100 at 2% inflation after 10 years and inflation 2 shows the reduction at 5% per year.

	Value at n = 10 years
Calculation	FV	PV	i
Savings 1	$121.90	$100	2%
Savings 2	$162.89	$100	5%
Inflation 1	$100	$82.03	2%
Inflation 2	$100	$61.31	5%

Loan Amortization

M = P * i / (1- (1/(1+i)^n)

This formula is used to calculate:

1. Monthly payments for a home mortgage.



2. How much more one pays for something with an installment loan.

This formula is especially useful for determining how changes interest and time affects one monthly payments and total payment. Not surprisingly, a higher interest rate results in a higher monthly and total payment. However, while a shorter time (n) results in a higher monthly payment, the total payments are much lower. Also, the different between Total Payments and the principal (P) is the total amount of interest paid.

	Monthly Payment Equation
M	P	i	n	Total Payments
$790.91	$100,000	5%	180	$142,342.85
$898.93	$100,000	7%	180	$161,789.09
$536.82	$100,000	5%	360	$193,255.78
$665.30	$100,000	7%	360	$239,508.90

Using these equations have been very helpful to me for deciding to save early, choosing a good mortgage deal, and avoiding debt.

For more on The Practice of Personal Finance , check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

My Wealth Paradigm

In the beginning, I thought people who spent lots of money and owned expensive assets were wealthy. Therefore:

1. Drivers of expensive cars were wealthy



2. Owners of bigger houses or vacation homes were wealthy



3. People who had expensive lifestyles (clothes, entertainment, vacations, etc.) were wealthy

Because of this belief, I sometimes considered buying things more than I could afford. One such instance was the purchase of my first car. Since I had graduated as a Chemical Engineer, I had a well paying first job. A number of my peers were driving new cars, and some were driving BMWs and Audis. On the other hand, I was driving the 13 year old family car that my parents gave to me when I started my job. After two years, I decided to buy a new car.

The choice came down to a American sports sedan and a BMW. I liked both cars. The BMW had more wealth appeal, but was 50% more expensive. I did the calculations on the cost. While would make me appear more wealthy, I would actual be less wealthy. The loan payments were higher and maintenance cost was higher. Once I did the calculations, I couldn't justify the additional cost. So I bought the American sports sedan, which I eventually drove for 13 years.

Over time, I learned that the appearance of wealth does not necessary mean one is wealthy. Therefore, I have modified my wealth paradigm. I now believe:

1. Wealthy people spend less than they earn. Therefore, they have significant amounts of money in the bank, stocks or bonds.



2. Wealthy people use debt sparingly and prudently. They do not use debt to support their life style.



3. Wealthy people place priority on acquiring assets that can generate revenue and profits (e.g. non-home real estate or business). Therefore, their assets grow in value, instead of depreciate.

This paradigm shift has been an important one for me. It has helped keep me focused in our journey to early retirement.

For more on Ideas You Can Use , check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

Photo Credit: morgueFile.com, Michael Shur

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

10/8/07 Stock Purchase Update - Slowly Closing Out This Buy List

In my 10/1/07 stock purchase update, I wrote about how my stock buy selections of Terex (TEX), Potash (POT), Shaw Communications (SJR) and Avnet (AVT) were performing. In that update, the portfolio had benefited from the Fed rate cut and was up $2,745 for a 15.7 % gain, for a new portfolio high. As of 10/8/07, the portfolio was down slightly a $2,611 profit for a 14.9% gain. This past week, Terex was closed out for a $160 gain (3.8% return since June, 2007) since my system dropped it off the buy list in the week ending 9/28/07 . Here's the current status on the positions in the two remaining stocks:

	My Wealth Builder 5/28/07 Buy List
Stock	Shares	Purchase Price	Current Price 10/8/07
Potash (POT)	50	$71.39	$103.66
Shaw Communications B (SJR)	100*	$21.755	$26.25
Avnet (AVT)	200	$38.21	sold @ $40.15
Terex (TEX)	50	$82.56	sold @ $85.77

* 2 for 1 split on 8/3/07

Overall, I am still happy with the performance of these four stocks, given that the overall market had a significant drop in August. Since the last update, SJR was up slightly, and POT was down slightly. I have owned these two stocks since June, 2007. POT has contributed significantly with a 45.2% gain in that time. SJR has contributed with a 20.7%. I owned AVT for 5 months before selling it for a 5.1% gain and TEX for 4 months before selling it for a 3.9% gain.

I continue to be impressed with my commitment to stay invested in these stocks, in spite of the market volatility. In the past, I would have closed out the entire position with this level of volatility. Given the performance of the portfolio, I am glad I held my positions instead of allowing myself to be whipsawed by the market each week.

The recent events (credit crunch, central bank interventions) originally had convinced me that the bull market is in its last stage, and I was considering closing out these positions during the next significant rally. However, the Fed rate cuts of 0.5% for the discount and Fed funds rate of September 18, 2007 lead me to believe the bull market will last about another year. So I have updated my stock picks from the modified Unemotional Investor Growth system, which I will publish on October 15, 2007.

At this point, I am not making purchases from the new stock pick list. Since the market rally has not been very strong yet, there may be a pull back, allowing for a buying opportunity.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial or investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Carnival of Family Life #74 - The People's Choice Edition

Welcome to the 74th Edition of the Carnival of Family Life - The People's Choice Edition. First, I would like to thank Kailani at An Island Life for giving me the opportunity to host this esteemed Carnival. Second, I apologize if any family related submissions were left out. Blog Carnival had a major glitch this week and deleted posts submitted prior to the afternoon of Thursday, October 4. We think we recovered all of them, but are sorry if we missed some. Third, per Carnival guidelines, each blog was only allowed one submission, even in cases where there were different blog authors. For multiple submissions from a single blog, I chose to use the earliest submission.

Finally, doing this Carnival was a great affirmation of the outstanding family blogging community. I read every submission and they were all excellent.

Here's a little background on this week's edition. It's called The People's Choice Edition, because you, the reader, can vote for every post you like. For your convenience, I have grouped the submissions into eight categories: Parenting, Celebrations, Fun Activities, Life Lessons, Education, Health, Commentary, and Miscellaneous. Within each category, the posts are listed in the order they were received (a reward to early submitters:-). You are able to vote for all posts you like using your own criteria. Voting for more than one post or for your own post is acceptable. The only rule is that each individual computer can only submit votes one time for each poll. (You'll see why once you vote:-)

Now on to the Carnival:

Parenting

Good parenting is an art and the set of skills is often passed from generation to generation. Here are this week's submissions that provide insights, guidance and principles on the art of parenting:

Amanda Regan presents Secrets of parenting. posted at The GOOD, The BAD & The MISCHIEF, saying "Secrets of parenting I learnt the hard way."

SummerM presents Sibling Rivalry posted at Our Family Village. Having been an only child, sibling rivalry is a new experience for this parent.

K T Cat presents I am an Evil Father posted at The Scratching Post, confessing that he gets his daughter to eat vegetables without her knowing it.

FrugalTrader presents The Breast is Best posted at Million Dollar Journey, saying " An article describing the advantages of breast feeding. Both financial and practical."

therapydoc presents Stealing from the Closet posted at Everyone Needs Therapy. Not surprisingly, we are our parent's children :-)

Aruni Gunagesaram presents She Went to School in a Pull-Up and Came Home Wearing Underwear posted at Entrepremusings, saying "Potty training is a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Currently, my family is going through an upward trend."






Abel Cheng presents Be Careful What You Say to Your Child - You Could Ruin His Life posted at ParentWonder.com. I agree children seem to learn by example from their parents, both good and bad.

Karen Murphy presents how to stop freaking out posted at Lion and Magic Boy. This makes my tough days look easy.

Linsey Knerl presents My Little Person.... posted at Facipiers and Stinky Toes. Here are the signs that your baby is becoming a "person."

Super Saver presents Lessons From My Dad - Encouragement posted at My Wealth Builder, giving tribute to his dad's support throughout his life.

Stephanie presents Good Tow posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood, observing how her son responded to selling his old toys.

Kevin Heath presents Parenting and Taming The Video Game Monster posted at More4kids, which shares guidelines for video game use by Stacey Schifferdecker.







Celebrations

Enjoying life is about celebrating every day and special events. Never miss a chance to celebrate an event! Here are submissions that celebrate milestone events:

mom & dad present Planning a Ten Year Old Birthday Party posted at raising4boys.com. This will be the first sleep over party for their son.

Kailani presents Welcome Home Heroes posted at An Island Life. Here's a touching moment about our returning troops.

Doris Chua presents Terrific TWO! posted at Life, Travel, Passion & More. Her son has a second birthday party.

Deb presents Guess what I got in the mail today? posted at Mom Of 3 Girls, saying, "Come check out what my dad sent me - a month early!"






Fun Activities

Looking for something to do? Here are some great ideas from the blogosphere:

Erica Douglas presents 31 Kids Activities for October posted at Littlemummy.Com. Check out this list for some fun activities.

Debbie presents Paella Success posted at Delicious Baby, saying, "During the month of October I will be travelling to Spain with my family and blogging about the experience."

Jenny presents Race The Day Away posted at the so called me. This reminds me of how much I love video games and the reason I don't own one :-)

Brian presents Finding my Marbles again posted at welikeplay.org. This article reminded of the great fun games that existed before computers.

Donetta presents School Fund Raiser at the Skate Rink posted at A Life Uncommon, saying "School Fund Raiser at the Skate Rink "






Corey presents F.......is for Follow-up! posted at Living and Loving Every Minute of It!. Check out the apple man, Sigfried the Fuji!

George presents Baby Halloween Costumes posted at Man and his Baby. Some great pictures of some very cute costumes!

Csara presents Have Fun Indoors with Your Child posted at Baby Talkers. Here are some excellent rainy day activities.

Jennifer in OR presents My Elk Hunt and Shoot posted at Diary of 1. A photo shoot, in case you're wondering.

Jessie2850 presents Halloween Fun posted at Hunna's Happenings, offers a follow up to Halloween called Booing to extend the fun and treats.






Life Lessons

To me, learning never ends. Life is a continual process of learning from childhood and throughout adulthood. For reference, while not all the posts were directly "family" related, I thought they could be relevant to families.

David B. Bohl presents Life Coaches Blog Column: The Science of Happiness — Writing Your Own Formula for Happiness posted at David B. Bohl. He writes, "The formula for "happy" for each of us is different because there are so many factors that contribute to individual happiness. There's the happiness we may feel in having a career that is going well. There's the happiness we feel in being with people we love and can be ourselves with. There's the happiness that comes from helping others – from going out of our way to do something, unasked, for someone else that improves their life or circumstances. And there's a different kind of happiness we feel when we get the tax refund check in the mail or find a great positive error in our favor in the old checkbook. "

WorksForMom presents Wake Up Call posted at What Works For Us. She reflects that sometimes a "normal" day is much appreciated.

Tupelo Kenyon presents Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You posted at Tupelo Kenyon, saying, "If the people you spend the most time with are inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and they demonstrate qualities you want to emulate – great, you are on the right track. If not, it's up to you to do something about it. Life is too short to put up with other people's pity parties, complain -and-moan marathons, and oh-woe-is-me clubs. (Enjoy soothing instrumental music as you read plus songs with lyrics related to each article – all free.)"

SingForHim presents Reclaiming Autumn posted at Real Life, saying, "As I walked into Lowes' Hardware last week, I felt like I should start belting out a chorus of Silent Night and passing out the egg nog. There was a parade of shiny new Christmas trees reminiscent of the Charlie Brown Christmas. And of course, my three princesses liked the white sparkly one the best. I love the Christmas season. But I began to feel a little bit cheated out of my favorite season: Autumn."

luvmy4sons presents Home Sweet Home posted at Do You Weary Like I Do?, saying "Going home after vacation."

MC Milker presents Pirates, Guns, Impulse Control and Apologies posted at The Not Quite Crunchy Parent. It's good to have neighbors and friends help with the process of socializing kids.

Dana presents Signs of Progress posted at Mombian, observing how her son is responding to questions about his parents.





Edith Yeung presents How to Achieve Your Childhood Dream by Randy Pausch at Edith Yeung.com Think Dream Act. This post shares the touching "last lecture" by Dr. Randy Pausch, from Carnegie Mellon University, who recently was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Holly Schwendiman presents Fall Is In The Air at Holly's Corner, reflecting on how time is passing, although it sometimes feel it doesn't.

Hal Sommerschield, Ph.D. presents The Power Of Accepting Differences posted at North Star Mental Fitness Blog, notes the power of agreeing to disagree.

My Bubble Life presents Where is your focus? posted at Unleash Your Potential Through Christian Faith. "I came across a message that Minister Aaron Wood preached called "Running the Race". It was an excellent message about perseverance. Staying focused and not letting anything pull you off course."

Whymommy presents Do you even know how beautiful you are? posted at Toddler Planet, provides some great perspective as she recovers from cancer.

FamilyBriefs presents The Measure of Success posted at Family Briefs.com, reflecting that "success" has many dimensions.






Education

From books through college, here are the posts on educating your child:

Joy presents Cornell University offers 19 online programs posted at Online College Blog, saying "If you are looking for a way to increase your knowledge and improve your resume, you may want to consider Cornell University. Promising 'Ivy League Excellence, Online Convenience,' Cornell University has the 'most comprehensive, online professional and executive development curriculum offered by any top-20 university in the United States' (eCornell, 2007)."

Melitsa presents Sensory play 5 Taste posted at Play-Activities.com. A great article about teaching children about their senses.

Lill Hawkins presents Don't Know Much About Mad Scientists posted at News from Hawkhill Acres. "Whether you're an unschooler, homeschooler or schooler, there's a series of books that you should add to your library list. It's Kenneth C. Davis's Don't Know Much About series."

Stephanie presents Frugal Books, Frugally posted at Stop the Ride!, offering ideas for obtaining new knowledge frugally.

artThailand presents Founders Day posted at artThailand shares the graduation "last day" ceremonies at his daughter's boarding school.

Lori Cooperstein presents Tips for Starting a Kids Book Club posted at Lori, saying, "This is the first in a series of 3 articles."






Health

As I've grown older, I realize my health is very important. As Mickey Mantle said, " If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself. " Here are some great posts about health.

FitBuff presents 10 Tips for Aging Gracefully posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, "Now, fast forward 10, 25, or 50 years. You made it. You're still alive. Your tattoos are barely legible on your sagging, wrinkle-ridden skin. And your retirement-home buddies aren't interested in your wild stories of "The Burning Man," because they can barely hear you as you struggle to speak between your smoking-induced coughs. Don't you wish you had done a few things differently? "

Kate Baggott presents Race for the Cure posted at Babylune, saying "How to teach your children to keep hope a few steps ahead of despair."

Bill presents 10 Things you need to know about dealing with a pregnant woman posted at Almost a dad, saying "Blog written by an expectant father about caring for and living with a pregnant wife."

Derek Brown presents Your Doctor Doesn?t Want You To Know. So Tell Him! posted at Omega 3 Investigations, saying "I am asking you to read and comment on this story because I believe it may have a life changing affect on you or someone you love. Please take the time to forward this story on to someone you feel might benefit from the information. There is also a Poll/Survey/Comment form at end of this story. I would be grateful to hear your thoughts and comments. Thanks."

Megan Bayliss presents Fattening kids for child sacrifice posted at Imaginif child protection became serious business., saying "The ancient Inca Indians appear to not be the only ones who fattened their children up for sacrifice. Are we following in their footsteps by feeding our children the wrong diet. Work against childhood obesity by helping children in your community. Charity and change starts with you at home."

Tiffany Washko presents Eco Friendly Halloween posted at Natural Family Living Blog. Making Halloween candy healthy is a great idea. What will they think of next :-)

Kyle James presents Fall Season Means Good Food posted at Rather-Be-Shopping.com Blog, saying, "Post on unhealthy foods your family should try and avoid this fall, at least a little bit!"






Aparna presents Home remedies for burns posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, "In the morning rush hour, it’s quite common for you to inadvertently touch a hot dish which you have just removed from your microwave oven, or sustain minor burns and scalds while handling gas-stoves. That is enough to get you in a frenzy, and you comb every nook and corner of your house and almost turn your house topsy-turvy in your frantic search for the elusive first-aid box. However, in this process, you more or less forget about the throbbing burn which badly needs your attention."

Mommy Poppins presents Sensory savvy snacks help kids do better in school posted at Mommy Poppins—Get more out of NYC for kids, saying, "Better snack foods can help kids perform better in school."

Lisa Mitchell presents Another Reason to Breastfeed posted at Let's Talk Babies sharing that breast feeding can reduce the risk of cancer for first-time moms over 25.

HowToMe presents How To Make a Deodorizer Spray posted at HowToMe. "Since you want only pleasant aromas throughout your house, consider a fragrance that is pleasing to you, while keeping everyone breathing healthy aromas."







Commentary

Looking for humor, politics or being green, look no further. While you may agree or disagree, these posts will stimulate your thinking:

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness. What will marketers think of next?

Ariah Fine presents Cloth Diaper Dilemma posted at Mother Approves Blog. Less rash or less garbage are the opposing sides.

Bob Crawford presents Create Your Day the BOB Way! Part One: Your Morning posted at Growing Your SELF - Bob Crawford Online, saying "Learn to create your day! Give yourself the edge when it comes to manifesting your dreams. It's your day - you get to choose what kind of day it will be. Choose well!"

Suzanne presents rant: television posted at :: adventures in daily living ::. If you hate TV, read this:-)

Jon Swift presents Bush to Kids: Grow Up! posted at Jon Swift, saying, "With his veto the President has stood up to Congress' plans to turn more of our children into wards of the state by expanding SCHIP and started weaning them off of government dependence. Toughening up our children will make sure they are up to the task of fighting the wars of the future."

Ian presents Why Country Music is Better Than Most posted at A Call For Volunteers - Review Your Religious Education Material!, commenting that "there is something in Country music that goes to the heart of the 'good life'. "

Summer presents School Student Assaulted Over Birthday Cake posted at Mom Is Teaching, which shares an excessive force incident at a California high school.






Micellaneous

Here's the best of the rest. These worthy posts didn't quite fit into any of the other categories.

Doris Chua presents Our Son's New Room posted at Home Office Women. Her son gets a great new play room.

Frugal Panda presents 57 Creative Ideas to Save Money As a Pet Owner posted at Frugal Panda. My personal favorite, which is not included on the list, is to have friends and neighbors who have pets:-)

Jody DeVere presents Cool Car Stuff for Moms -- and More! posted at AskPatty - Automotive Advice For Women. Although there is some useful stuff, I'm still waiting for the car seat that lifts our daughter from the ground and automatically buckles her.

Chicago Pop presents Nude on a Staircase posted at Daddy Dialectic gives a good reason to be in this situation.

Christine presents The color of ORANGE in all of it’s Autumn Splendor posted at Are We There Yet?, reminiscing about Fall in the different places she has lived.





laura presents ringmaster of his domain posted at Adventures in Juggling, saying, "this is a tribute to my husband, the head of the family here under the Big Top and one of the reasons he is the ringmaster here."

Robert Bach presents Hannah's Happy Toy posted at Kintropy In Action, saying, "Big brother pitches in to help keep his sister happy."

Stephanie presents Decluttering can Save and Make you Money posted at Unclaimed Money, observing that "Having too much stuff can cost you money."

zamejias presents Ice cream is hot posted at Verb. Wow, a child that doesn't like ice cream.







That concludes the 74th edition of the Carnival of Family Life. I hope you enjoyed reading and voting as much I as enjoyed creating this Carnival. You can check back during the week to see the poll results. The next edition of the Carnival of Family Life is being hosted by manicmama. Submit your blog article by using the carnival submission form.

This is not financial or family advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

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