Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
August 10th, 2010 | 
Author: 
Posted in 
Summer just isn’t summer if there isn’t at least one family camping trip planned. As Dr. Gary Smalley says, "Camping is wonderful because there’s at least one major disaster that in the end brings you all together." So hurry up and get that disaster planned! Hopefully it will go a little smoother than this classic Sanford and Son camping trip.
Build family relationships on your next camping trip by using our Top 10 Ways to make your family camping trip rock!
Be Tenacious
“Anybody can be a halfway man, but the one who rises above this class is the one who keeps everlastingly pushing.” — J. Ogden Armour, Touchstones of Success (1920)
More than any other, one lesson stands out from the books I’ve read: Never give up. If you have a goal or a dream, pursue it. If there’s a cause that you truly believe in, then fight for it. That’s not to say that you should doggedly chase greed or gluttony, but that you should do your best to achieve those things that are important to you. Great men struggle through daunting obstacles to reach their destinations. In everything that you do, do your best. And remember: The road to wealth is paved with goals.
Exercise Self-Control
“‘Tis easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it.” — Benjamin Franklin, The Way to Wealth (1758)
Benjamin Franklin famously attempted to codify his quest for self-control. As Brett wrote at The Art of Manliness, Franklin committed himself to thirteen virtues, and he developed a system for tracking how disciplined he was in his daily pursuit of these ideals. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence. But when the indulgence becomes a habit — or worse, a vice — this can affect your life. Even destroy it. If you have habits that prevent you from fulfilling your potential, find a way to boost your self-control. (You might, for example, use Joe’s Goals to track your progress, much like Benjamin Franklin did.)
Do the Right Thing
“To be truly rich, regardless of his fortune or lack of it, a man must live by his own values. If those values are not personally meaningful, then no amount of money gained can hide the emptiness of life without them.” — John Paul Getty, How to Be Rich (1961)
Have a code of honor, and live by it. Your code of honor might come from your faith, or from your education, or from your family. Whatever the source, live by these values. Life is filled with temptations. The more you accomplish, the more people will tempt you with offers for quick gains or passing pleasures. Many men succumb to these, but those who do rarely achieve what they might have if they’d stuck to their principles. The books I’ve read are filled with stories of men who have resisted the urge to compromise, and who believe that this has been a key to their success. Don’t cheat. Be honest. Work hard. And embrace the golden rule.
Embrace The Golden Rule
“Good will is one of the few really important assets of life. A determined man can win almost anything that he goes after, but unless, in his getting, he gains good will he has not profited much.” — Henry Ford, My Life and Work (1922)
James Cash Penney — the man behind the J.C. Penney chain of department stores — believed that success could be measured by how a man treated others. In his book, Fifty Years with the Golden Rule, Penney describes his life-long adherence to this maxim: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Other great men believed the same. They believed that their fortunes came not from pursuing money itself, but by producing something of value to others. But this principle also holds true outside of business. In your dealings with your friends, your family, and with strangers, treat others as you would like to be treated. Doing so builds social capital, strengthening the fiber of the community.
Pay Yourself First
“Many a man is poor today, although he has worked like a slave, simply because he could not save.” — Orison Swett Marden, The Young Man Entering Business (1903)
Another common thread in most of these books — and in personal-finance classics like The Richest Man in Babylon — is the importance of saving. “Pay yourself first,” the old adage goes, and it’s great advice. If you will set aside ten or twenty per cent of all that you earn, your fortune will grow far beyond that of your peers. Some of this money should be invested in a manner that makes you comfortable. (You should learn about the concepts of asset allocation and diversification, if you haven’t already.) But some of your money should also be set aside in a high-interest savings account to act as an emergency fund. When you save — when you pay yourself first — you are using the strength of your youth to insure your uncertain tomorrow.
Avoid Debt
“Be assured that it gives much more pain to the mind to be in debt, than to do without any article whatever which we may seem to want.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to his daughter Martha (14 June 1787)
Debt is slavery. When you owe money to another man, you are obligated to work for his benefit, not yours. Many young men struggle with debt — I did so myself. But those who are not able to overcome their spending habits are likely to find themselves always poor. When you pay interest to someone else, you cannot earn interest for yourself. When you’re in debt, your options are limited. You cannot choose, for example, to take a month off to travel across the country with a friend. You cannot quit a job you hate. If you did, how would your bills get paid? To be sure, a certain amount of debt is useful in business, but make it a policy in your personal life to never borrow for something that will decrease in value. (And if you’re already behind, make it a priority to get out of debt as soon as possible.)
Keep Well
“The foundation of success in life is good health: that is the substratum of fortune; it is the basis of happiness. A person cannot accumulate a fortune very well when he is sick.” — P.T. Barnum, The Art of Money Getting (1880)
Your health is your greatest asset. If you lack health, you cannot work, and cannot produce an income. Health allows you to engage in productive activities, at work and at play. It allows you to enjoy the company of your friends and family. And it allows you to live with vigor. Guard your health. Do not neglect your body. Eat well. Exercise regularly. If you drink or smoke, do so in moderation. You will not live forever, but with some care and foresight, you may get a little closer!
Do Not Covet
“By wishing to be what he calls ‘up-to-date’ as his friends or boon companions, many a young man mortgages his future.” — Orison Swett Marden, The Young Man Entering Business (1903)
It never pays to compare yourself to others. For one, you can find yourself longing to own the same things they do. Your best friend buys a new Ford Mustang, and suddenly you want one too. The guys from work go out for drinks on Friday evening, but you’re broke — the temptation to join in, to have what others have, can be unbearable. Focus only on yourself and how the things you own and do relate to your goals. Don’t be jealous of others. (This is one message in the famous essay, “Acres of Diamonds”: Instead of looking elsewhere for wealth, look at your own life.)
Live Modestly
“This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of wealth…To set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or arrogance.” — Andrew Carnegie, The Gospel of Wealth (1889)
This is the flip side to “Do Not Covet”. Just as you should not allow the behavior of your friends to influence your spending decisions, so too be conscious of your influence on them. If you have money, don’t flaunt it. And if you don’t have money, don’t pretend that you do. It’s fine (even good) to buy quality products, but don’t be flashy. Live simply and well.
Practice Patience
“No matter how great the talent or the effort, some things just take time: you can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.” — Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report (1985)
Too many men want to “get rich quick.” They’re on the lookout for fast money. They also want to lose weight now, to be a great golfer now, to be in management now. This obsession with “now” is a problem. In his new book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell writes that the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is 10,000 hours. That is, those who achieve mastery have patiently practiced their craft for at least 10,000 hours — the equivalent of five years of full-time work. When people ask me why Get Rich Slowly is so successful, one of my responses is that I’ve worked at it 60+ hours a week for the past four years. Practice may not “make perfect,” but it certainly breeds success.
Give Generously
“Thrift does not end with itself, but extends its benefits to others. It founds hospitals, endows charities, establishes colleges, and extends educational influences.” — Samuel Smiles, Thrift (1875)
I wasn’t raised in a culture of giving. It’s only something I’m beginning to learn in middle age. But as I read about the choices of men who have come before me, it’s clear that they have derived satisfaction (and done a lot of good) by giving generously — not just of money, but also of time and knowledge. Do not hoard the things you have. Share them so that others might profit, too.
Learn from the Average Joe
Over the past few months, I’ve enjoyed reading the real-life stories of how great men became great. But I’ve also found it enlightening to read about the experiences of the average everyday guy — fellows like you and me.
One book I strongly recommend (especially considering the state of the economy) is Hard Times by Studs Terkel. Hard Times is an oral history of the Great Depression. Terkel interviewed scores of men and women about their experiences during the 1930s. Their stories are amazing, and they offer great insight about how we can live better lives today.
Go forth, my friends, and do great things.
Rewrite the Constitution and break down its firewalls through Judicial and Bureaucratic fiat.
Concentrate all meaningful power in the Federal Government.
Suppress and Repress the Individual by attacking his Unalienable Rights through laws and constant torment.
Eliminate Private Property through Confiscatory Taxation and Regulation and wage constant war against Business Enterprises and Entrepreneurs.
Control Institutions of Education at all levels and turn them into Indoctrination Centers for the State.
Change the Citizenry by opening National Borders to virtually all comers and changing the qualifications for Citizenship to include mostly poor, uneducated illegal aliens.
Destroy the Private Financial Institutions that have funded the Greatest Production and Accumulation of Wealth for the Most People the World has ever known.
Destroy Capitalism and replace it with Redistributive Policies by Destroying the currency and Replacing it with a new currency or Revaluing the old currency.
Eliminate American Sovereignty through arrangements and agreements with Foreign Countries and International Bureaucracies.
Use American Foreign Policy not to improve American Economic and National Security, but to advance the Notion of One Government Globalism.
1) Successful parents don’t expect perfection either from themselves or their children.
Parenting is an art, not a science.? Successful parents understand that, like themselves, their children aren’t perfect either.? This frees them to love their children unreservedly.
2) Successful parents don’t fear occasional failures.
They understand that mistakes are a normal, even healthy, part of parenting.? They make the best decisions they can and when they’re wrong, they learn from their mistakes and try to do better the next time.
3) Successful parents don’t expect to have smooth sailing.
Children have their own opinions, personalities and preferences. Inevitably, they cause us to say "Where did THAT come from" or "What WERE you thinking" Our responsibility to provide them with limits and guidance will sometimes clash with their growing desire for independence. Successful parents aren’t surprised by them; they expect them. But successful parents understand that their responsibility to their children is not to always please them or make them happy – it’s to make the hard decisions that will be for their best in the long run.
4) Successful parents don’t go it alone.
Successful parenting means trusting yourself, but not being a Lone Ranger. No one has the experience or answers to every parenting challenge. But each of us has some of the answers and, together, we’ve got them all. So successful parents aren’t reluctant to seek out the wisdom of others. They know that, at the end of the day, the decision is theirs, but before they get there, there is plenty of wisdom along the way waiting to help them.
5) Successful parents try harder.
They face the same pressures we all do – demanding jobs, spouses and children who need them. But they live by this rule: "You get back what you put in." They have a clear sense of priority for their family and are willing to put in the time to achieve it. They give more than the "average parent" so their children will be more than just "average children." These parents work at nurturing and developing themselves to be the best parents they can be.
6) Successful parents enjoy being parents.
They enjoy parenting not because it’s easy or instantly rewarding, but because of the sheer joy and privilege of cooperating with God in shaping another unique and precious life. Any parent of grown children will tell you "they grow up so quickly." Successful parents remind themselves of that and try to savor every day with their children. They immerse themselves in their children as much as possible and just enjoy them – even the days of dirty diapers, illness and disappointments. They don’t just LOVE their children, they LIKE them and look forward to spending time with them.
7) Successful parents strive to be the person they want their children to become.
There are no formulas for parents. You can’t just "program" children like a computer and be guaranteed of the result. But children are great observers and imitators. They watch, listen and absorb values and habits from the people who have the greatest influence on them – their parents. So successful parents resolve that they will set the best example they can for their children.
John DeButts was the CEO of AT&T just prior to its breakup in the 1980s. At the zenith of his power, he had more than 1,000,000 employees around the world. DeButts retired very wealthy. Not long after that, he needed to have a leg amputated.
He later said, "In spite of all that money, power, prestige and influence, do you know that as I lay there in my hospital bed, not one person came to see me, called me on the phone, or dropped me a card? But there at my bedside, tending to my needs day-by-day, was the woman I had ignored for 30 years."
If you haven’t let your wife know lately how much you love and appreciate her, send her an e-mail or text right now. Better yet, stop by a flower shop on the way home tonight.
This is a quiz for people who know everything! These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with straight answers.
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine, it hasn’t been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw" and they are all common words. Name two of them.
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter "S."
Answers To Quiz:
1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. Boxing
2. North American landmark constantly moving backward. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute..)
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside. Strawberry.
5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
6. Three English words beginning with dw. Dwarf, dwell and dwindle. (Isn’t "Dweeb" a word?)
7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8.. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh.Lettuce.
9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with "S".
Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.
Why does God love you and me so much? Why did He send His Son to die such a horrible death for us on the cross? It is not because you and I are so wonderful; it is because God is so wonderful (Deut. 7:6-9). The Scripture clearly tells us "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Love is a BIG part of His nature.
God chose to love us regardless of who we are or what we do. Because it was a choice of God, it is not dependent on you and me. Talk about getting off the performance-based acceptance train! Here is truth to put in your heart: There is nothing you can do to get God to love you any more than He already does, and there is nothing you can do to get God to love you any less than He already does. HE JUST LOVES YOU!
Our job is to receive His love and rejoice in His love. Obedience to His commands comes when you realize that everything God tells us to do or not to do is for our greatest good. The God who loves me tells me "yes" to some things and "no" to other things. His commandments are not given to deprive me; they are given to bless me because every one of them is given in love.
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13
I am a consumer who needs to carefully start to look at my possessions in light of the realities of the world, the Church, and the Kingdom of God. We live in a consumer culture. We consume goods, endless cups of coffee, worship services, sermons, Bible studies, church programs, food…the list is endless.
I’m convinced it’s time to move from being a consumer to becoming a giver. I challenge you to join me. Instead of trying to get more things, how about if we decide, starting today, to concentrate on giving more…loving more…reaching out more… and looking at how the Kingdom of God can touch people’s lives through us?
Jesus calls us to be givers rather than consumers. Remember, he said, “Freely you have received. Freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them” ~George Bernard Shaw
The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:9
Ever are the Lord’s ears aroused to hear the pleas of His people. He is faithful to hear your cry and to answer your prayer. Take joy in the lovingkindness of the Lord and give glory to His mighty name even as He answers your pleas with peace and comfort.
I just stumbled across this awesome series of articles on parenting by James Dobson and Focus on the Family. In particular the articles focus on how to be an effective man of God for your family. I promise you God will bless you if you take the time to read these articles…
“Raising healthy, well-educated, self-disciplined children who love God and their fellow human beings is, I believe, the most challenging responsibility in living. Not even rocket science can approach it for complexity and unpredictability. And of course, the job is even more difficult today when the culture undermines and contradicts everything Christian parents are trying to accomplish at home. Fortunately, we are not asked to do everything perfectly as moms and dads. Our kids usually manage to survive our mistakes and failures and turn out better than we have any right to boast about.”
Continue reading…
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting_stages/the_involved_father.aspx
This list is a little lengthy, but I could not pass up the chance to share it with everyone…
Whether you’re bored out of your mind at the office or don’t have an office to go to, there’s no reason to sit around idly when there’s so much you could potentially be getting done. With the web at your fingertips, you can find numerous ways to keep your mind and body engaged and active. These 100 tools will help you get busy doing just about anything from organizing your DVD collection to planning your potential future, giving you no excuse to be bored or unemployed for long.
Organizing Your Life
If you’ve got nothing else to do why not organize your life? These tools will help you manage everything from chores to your fitness routine.
Backpack: Whether you’re organizing business prospects or just your own personal affairs, this tool can help manage schedules, documents, discussions and more.
Mindomo: If your mind is buzzing and you can’t seem to get a clear picture of an idea that is forming, try out this mind-mapping tool to lay out your thoughts and get them organized into a coherent picture.
Stuffopolis: With this site you’ll be able to organize and track just about anything you own.
Chore Buster: Make dividing up the chores in your household easier with this helpful tool that keeps track of who’s in charge of what.
Inbox Organizer: Is your inbox full of spam, junk and other flotsam and jetsam? This tool can help you clean it up and get you organized.
Manage My Ideas: Use this site to keep track of all your moments of inspiration so when it comes time to use them you’ll know just where they are.
Daily Plate: Without a job to keep you busy it can be easy to fall into unhealthy eating habits. This site will help you track and monitor what you’re putting into your body and how much activity you’re doing.
MyHomePoint: Check out this tool to organize your home and your family in one easy place with schedules, calendars and much more.
GiftBox: Have a million birthday and holiday wish lists? This tool will help you organize them and make sure everyone gets just what they want.
We Gotta Eat: With this tool you’ll be able to record and share all your recipes for easy access and the ability to generate shopping lists to match your cooking needs.
SimplifID: Here you can create an account and use it to log into all of your password-required sites, making your life a lot simpler.
What Bills?: Make sure you never forget to pay a bill again with this tool that tracks and helps you to pay everything from your mortgage to the electric bill.
OurWeddingDay: It’s hard to imagine being bored if you have a wedding coming up, and this tool can help you make sure that everything is planned, ready and wonderful for the big day.
LibraryThing: Enter in your entire library to this site and you’ll be able to track, make notes and share your favorite reads.
allmythings: Use this tool to make a list of all the things you own. You never know when you might need it for insurance purposes.
Resume and Job Search
Not a fan of being unemployed? These tools will help you to spend your new found free time more productively searching for a new source of income.
Gramlee: Make sure your resume and cover letter is free of spelling and grammar errors by submitting it through this site first.
Side Job Track: Just because you don’t have full-time work doesn’t mean you can’t work on the side. This tool will help you keep tabs on your work and who knows, maybe small jobs could turn into a big career.
Worksolver: With this site you can network, manage your resume and other important information and keep track of interviews.
JibberJobber: This site is designed to help you manage all aspects of your career, from finding a job to keeping great connections.
Virtual Job Coach: Here you’ll find a job search engine, resume builder, contact management, to-do list and much more to keep you on track.
PayScale: Do you know how much your job skills are worth? Check out this site to find out just how much you should be making.
Career Value Tool: Give this site a visit to learn what it is you value most in your career. It could help point you in the right direction.
Indeed: Search for jobs in your area using this tool that scours multiple other sites for the best listings.
JobPile: This site will make it easier to search for a job, with aggregation of numerous job boards for the best positions available.
Juju: This job search engine is sure to streamline your job search.
Socializing and Networking
Whether you want to make connections that can help you get a job or just want to keep in touch with those distant cousins, these great tools can make it fast and easy.
LinkedIn: This site is a great place to make career contacts and get in touch with old coworkers and people who may be able to find you work.
BigContacts: Check out this tool to better manage your business contacts, keep track of clients and ensure you never miss an appointment.
Skype: Chat with friends, family and potential employers with this web-based calling tool.
MyFamily.com: Here you can build your own private website so that your family can share photos, memories and more without it being public.
Ning: Whether you want to network with other recently unemployed individuals or just keep in touch with old friends, this site is perfect for creating a customized social network.
Amiglia: This site serves as a virtual family tree, photo album and great way to keep in touch with all those you love.
Socializr: If you’ve got nothing else to do, why not plan a family picnic or a get together of old friends. This site makes it easy and efficient.
Zvents: Check out this site to find out what’s going on in your area so you can stop being bored and get out of the house.
Facebook: With Facebook, users can create a profile that will allow them to manage personal contacts or get their business name out there.
MyHeritage: Sign up for this site and you’ll be able to build a family tree that will allow you to keep in touch with all of your relatives, close and distant.
Ryze: This business networking site can help you make new contacts and reconnect with old ones.
Fast Pitch: Have a great idea? This tool will help you get in touch with businesses and potential investors so you can sell your idea and start making money.
Xing: This global site is designed to help professionals connect and may be able to help you find a new job.
GroupLoop: Whether you want to keep your family in touch or your ultimate frisbee team, this site makes it easy to chat, send messages and arrange meet ups.
Hobbies and Fun
Book lovers, crafters, golfers and more will find great ways to stay active in their hobbies and leisure activities with these tools.
CraftMemo: With this tool you’ll be able to list and keep track of the supplies and finished products you have on hand, ideal for everything from beading to making birdhouses.
TripHub: Taking a trip doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and this great site makes it easy to plan for a getaway with lots of other friends.
team snap: Organize your recreational teams, whether you play soccer, baseball or kickball, with this helpful tool.
RubyChip: Spend your free time planning your next big poker night with the help of this online tool.
GoodReads: List and share your literary favorites on this site. You’ll meet others who share your passion and find great suggestions for new books.
WhatshouldIreadnext.com: Check out this site to find a suggestion for a great book to read to pass your time.
LivingSocial: This site can help you catalog everything you do from your favorite ski spots to the beer you like to drink. You’ll be able to read what others posted as well and maybe get some ideas of new things to try.
TournEase: If you love to play golf, this site makes it a whole lot simpler to set up a tournament, whether for your favorite charitable cause or just for fun with the guys.
DOPPLR: Learn more about cities around the world and how you can visit them through this site.
Closet Assistant: Unsure what to wear? Want help putting together great outfits? This site can help you through, step-by-step so you’ll look great for a date or a day at the beach.
Browsing the Web
For those who prefer to spend their free time a little more lazily, there’s always web browsing. These tools will help you do it as productively as possible whether you want to buy a new suit or leave yourself a note about potential entrepreneurial endeavors.
Google Reader: Organize all your favorite RSS feeds into one easily-accessible place so you can waste time more efficiently.
diigo: Sign up for this site and you’ll be able to highlight and sticky the web. Better yet, you can access your notes on any computer or iPhone.
Delicious: With this site you can not only keep up on what others think are newsworthy, interesting sites, but add your suggestions own as well.
NetVibes: Make your web browsing easy by creating a catch-all start page with this site that allows you to access all your important stuff at once.
iPaper: With this tool you’ll be able to read .doc files right from your browser.
MyStickies: Leave yourself virtual stickies all over the web with this fun and easy-to-use tool.
Notefish: This tool is a great way to do research on the web, whether you’re trying to find a new job or plan a trip to somewhere exotic. You’ll be able to save, annotate and organize all your data and keep it stored in one simple place.
Pocket Manila: Check out this online notebook to jot down your ideas, sketch out art or anything else you can think of.
SecondBrain: This site combines the content you create from over 20 social networking sites into one easy and searchable mass of data.
PriceScan: Make sure you’re getting the best deal possible on anything you’re buying on the web by checking this site before hitting purchase.
Coupons.com: Find out what coupons are out there for just about every product you could want.
Creativity
Since you don’t have anything else to do, why not embrace your inner artist? These tools will help you create art, write and even share your work with the world (and potential employers) when you’re done.
Zhura: This free software will help you start writing that play, TV show or movie you’ve never gotten around to writing.
Aviary: With vector editing, image editing, and visual laboratories, this site is a great place to explore your creative side and create great images.
Issuu: Check out this site to publish your own images, documents and writings and see what others are putting up as well.
WordPress: With a little free time on your hands why not start blogging? WordPress is a free and popular place to start.
Audacity: This tool allows you to mix, edit and tweak your audio files.
Coroflot: Use this site to publish your portfolio and find potential clients.
ComicLife: Jazz up your photos and get creative on the Web with this fun tool that lets you add text, create stories and more.
GoAnimate: If you’re interested in animation, why not create your own with this awesome online tool.
Writer: This tool acts like an online typewriter, storing and saving what you write as you write it so you don’t have to worry about losing an afternoon’s work.
NaNoWriMo: Think you can write a novel? This site challenges you to do it in only one month. You won’t be alone as thousands work at this challenge every year.
To-Do Lists
If you’ve got nothing to do, why not make a list of the things you want to do? You can lay out the steps to finding a new job or just fun things you’d like to do in your free time.
Remember the Milk: Divide your tasks up into work, personal and study to keep track of all aspects of your life that need doing.
Nutshell: With nutshell you can search the web, take notes and manage a simple to-do list all from one place.
OrchestrateHQ<: This task manager makes is easy to keep track of everything you’d like to get done this week, month or year.
Ta-da List: This easy list tool can be a simple way to make and share your to-dos, goals and desires.
The Online CEO: Manage your life like a business with this easy-to-use productivity tool that gives you points for completing tasks.
TaskThis!: Create tasks, add notes and publish them in an RSS feed with this tool.
Toodledo: This to-do list can help you get organized, motivated and get more productive with access to your data from anywhere.
ListPool: With list pool you can not only create lists of things you want to get done but share them with others as well.
Todoist: The simple interface and built in calendar of this tool makes it a great choice for keeping track of all your tasks.
Nozbe: Keep track of everything you’ve got going on with this tool. You can take it mobile as well, for task tracking on the go.
Setting Goals and Planning
Just because you don’t have anything to do right now doesn’t mean you want it to always be that way. These great tools will help you start planning for your future, whether that means setting goals for finding new work, planning your wedding, or just figuring out what to do next week.
Joe’s Goals: Whether you’ve decided today is the day you’re going to stop smoking or want to start spending more time on your hobbies, this site can help you stick to your goals and follow through.
43 Things: With this site you can list your personal goals and get support from others who have the same ones.
LifeTango: Check out the tools on this site to brainstorm, get motivated and set goals.
Ben Franklin’s Virtue Chart: Go old school and work towards having better virtues like temperance, silence, industry and frugality with this downloadable PDF.
eLifePlans: Set goals, get coached by others and find personal and outside motivation on this site.
Goals Together: There’s no reason to feel alone in working towards any goal as this site proves. You’ll get support from friends, family and other users no matter what you want to start or stop doing.
Goalmigo: Meet up with others who have similar goals and work together to meet them on this site.
SuperViva: A bit like a virtual "bucket list", this site will allow you to record them, meet others who feel similarly and check them off as you accomplish them.
MyProgress: Mark every day that passes on this great and visual tool for goal maintenance.
Don’t Break the Chain: This is an incredibly simple tool, but an effective one. If you’ve gone three weeks without breaking your resolution why start now? Here you’ll get motivation and help persevering towards your goals.
Learn Something New
Learning new things can be a great way to pass the time if you’ve got nothing to do and a great way to improve your skills if you’re in the market for a job. These resources can help you to learn a wide variety of things, from simple car maintenance to astrophysics.
iTunesU: Just download iTunes and you’ll be ready to get started with the lessons on iTunesU that range from language learning to lectures at world-class colleges and universities.
OCW Finder: OpenCourseware can be a great way to learn about college-level material without having to actually attend college. Check out this search engine to match you up with courses on subjects you’re interested in.
NanoLearning: Give these tiny learning modules a try when you want to learn more about something but don’t want to spend hours doing it.
Instructables: On Instructables you’ll find videos that will show you how to do a variety of things from the practical to the entertaining.
LiveMocha: For many, learning another language can be a valuable skill to add to a resume. This resource will allow you to try out your language skills with a native speaker, so both you and they can learn to speak more fluently.
VideoJug: Check out this how-to site to learn about simple things like eating ethnic foods correctly, styling your hair and even how to do well on college tests.
GoogleScholar: This site is a great resource for doing research or searching for more information on a subject that interests you. Best of all, all the results are scholarly materials so you won’t have to worry about credibility.
Library of Congress: Take advantage of those tax dollars by using the resources provided by the Library of Congress. You can read about American history, see photographs and thousands of source documents.
Newsvine: Just because you don’t have a job doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep up with what’s going on in the world. This site will give you frequent updates on the important news out there.
Project Gutenberg: Here you’ll be able to read hundreds of famous and widely-acclaimed books without ever leaving your chair.
