Productivity @ Home

Why These Games Scare Me...

This article from CERC and the National Post are the reason I hate war related video games - thankfully, my boys seem too interested playing various instruments to pay much attention to them, but this tragic story of a 15 year old obsessed with Call of Duty 4 raises huge red flags for me.  I am praying for his parents, who surely thought they were doing the right thing by confiscating his game console. 

A Canadian teenager has been found dead after running away from home when his parents confiscated his Xbox gaming machine. Brandon Crisp, 15, was obsessed with the online Xbox 360 game Call of Duty 4, in which several participants in different locations fight wars alongside a squadron of others -- with whom they communicate over the internet using headphones and speakers. During the three-week search for the boy his mother said that the game was “his life right now”; she had taken the gaming system away numerous times.

Internet addiction expert Louise Nadeau, a psychologist at the Universite de Montreal, said that as a teenager her mother had accused her of being “a slave to TV”. “There’s something around being 13, 14 or 15 that kids find it easier to live through a screen,” she said. But internet games made it easier to lose touch with real life: “Our world becomes more and more foreign.” Nadeau added: “Addiction sets in when one feels responsible for what happens in the on-line world.”

Microsoft, the company that sells Xbox, offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the boy, and “grudgingly co-operated with police who sought IP addresses” of those who played with Brandon, according to the Post. Future Shop, a chain of stores selling games, was launching a new Xbox game, Gears of War 2, at the time Brandon’s body was found. The chain cancelled parties outside its stores in Toronto and Vancouver out of respect for the Crisp family.

MercatorNet | Family Edge | Canadian Boy Lived In An Online World

Equifax and BBB Identity Theft Alerts

From this month's Equifax member newsletter comes the frightening news of a recent trend in ID theft at airports via free Internet connections.  Be sure to click through the link at the bottom of this excerpt for advice on keeping yourself and your identity safe.

Travelers Beware: Free Wi-Fi Scam Strikes at Airports

In order to keep up in today’s world, travelers need to stay connected, even on the road. Many airports and other public spaces offer free wireless, or Wi-Fi, connections for the public to log onto the Internet from their laptop computers. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that hackers are now taking advantage of this convenience by setting up fake Wi-Fi connections designed to steal your personal information and files without you even knowing. Find out how it works and what you can do to safeguard yourself.

How it works
Although hackers can and have set up fake Wi-Fi connections in a number of venues, usually they will target consumers at airports. When searching for connections, consumers may see a network connection available that could be simply named "Free Wi-Fi." Thinking it’s the free connection offered by the establishment, they’ll log on. Unfortunately, the network may actually be an "ad-hoc" network, or a peer-to-peer connection. The user will be able to surf the Internet, but they’re doing it through the hacker’s computer. And the whole time, the hacker is stealing information like passwords, credit card and bank account numbers, and social security numbers. Beyond simply stealing keystroke information as the user enters various types of data, if the PC is set to share files, the hacker could even steal whole documents from the computer.

Read this entire article

Shoe Shine

On Thursdays, I share my thoughts on Family Finances.

I'm a spoiled girl - I'll admit it.  Along with my many familial and spiritual blessings, I live in a nice home with a husband who has a relatively recession-proof job.  I read accounts of so many families who are facing troubling financial times and feel almost guilty for the fact that we too sometimes struggle near the end of the month, despite our fortunate situation.

So I've been trying to be cognizant of ways I'm wasteful in my life, especially financially and when it comes to stewarding our family resources.  I've been trying to be acutely aware in the past few weeks of my spending, and my urges to consume. 

I caught myself Sunday morning in a classic "materialistic" moment.  Reading to go out for the day, I pulled out my favorite pair of black loafers.  The are the perfect shoes - comfortable, able to be dressed up or dressed down, and well worn in.  I put them on, and then looked down at them and realized that they were badly scuffed and had seen better days. 

Making a mental note that I needed to ditch them and replace them with new shoes, I set them back in my closet.  But a few moments later, I saw a mental image of my husband and his "shoe shine" kit.  Many times, I've seen him take a pair of shoes, sit in our bathroom, and renew them with this little kit.  Greg is a frugal guy, and he also hates shopping - so shining a good pair of shoes back into spiffy-ness is second nature to him.

Pulling the shoes back out of the closet, I took a second look at them and realized that they are still in very good shape with the exception of the scuffed leather.  Their soles are still solid, the leather looks good, and most of all they are so comfortable.

So I asked Greg for his shoe shine kit and sat on the bathtub edge shining the loafers and adding "shine all of my shoes" to my to do list for this week.  We're about to enter boot season, and rather than buying a new pair I'm sure I can bring last year's boots back to life with a fresh shine.

Shining shoes is not a big deal, but changing a mind set of "new is better" is a major attitude shift for me.  I'm going to continue to seek out occasions to reduce waste in my life.  I'd love to hear your suggestions for little ways you control both spending and over-consumerism in your own life - remember, I'm spoiled, so I can really use your help!

Make Multiplication Magnificent

Thanks to Vikki for sharing the heads up about a great tool for teachers and parents called "Timez Attack".  It's a great video game that will help your kids learn to love multiplication. 

There is a free Base Version available online to teach your child 2s through 12s and to give you a chance to preview the product.

You can check out the game at BigBrainz.com.  I really wish this tool had been available when my boys were learning multiplication!  If you've used Timez Attack, I'd love to hear your comments!

Multiplication Tables - Flash Player Installation

Happy Veterans Day

Thank you to all those who have ever served to keep us free and safe, and thank you to the families who stand behind them and support them.  Today, we offer a prayer for your safety and security, and a "thank you" for all of the sacrifices you have made on our behalf!

"Telework" Resource

On Monday, I share my thoughts on Working @ Home. 

I'm fortunate to have the joy of working @ home, and am convinced that I would have a truly difficult time transitioning back into a traditional office environment - I'm spoiled by the fact that I am ultimately my own boss.

My work thrills me.  My hours suit my family's schedule - I work around my responsibilities to them in a way that helps me to feel productive, yet not overwhelmed.  Granted, I could probably be earning more in a corporate position, but my happiness and job satisfaction can't be measured in dollars.

If you're currently working in an office setting and want to consider working at home for your current employer, you may want to check out Work From Home Handbook: Flex Your Time, Improve Your Life b(USA TODAY/Nolo Series) by Diana Fitzpatrick and Stephen Fishman.  Here's a quick overview of the book:

Haven't you ever wished that you didn't have to waste hours in rush-hour traffic on your commute to the office? Had more time with your kids? Or simply had the luxury to go to work in your pajamas?

Co-produced with USA TODAY, The Work From Home Handbook is an excellent resource for anyone who dreams of a work-from-home career. You can find the option that best suits your personal, financial and professional goals through the book's systematic, step-by-step advice.

This book shows you how to:

• Find out where and how you work best
• Prepare a great proposal for your current employer
• Demonstrate productivity in your home office

If your current employer is inflexible, this book also covers finding a new "beyond the office" job, or becoming an independent contractor.

Filled with solid tips, real-life examples, practical advice and - best of all - inspiration, The Work From Home Handbook can help you transform and achieve a healthy balance in your life and career.

Seventy-nine of Fortune Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" last year allowed - even encouraged - employees to work from home at least 20 percent of the time. More than two thirds of all American companies offered some telework options in 2005. And the country's largest employer - the U.S. government - encourages employees to work from home "to the maximum extent possible." Don't be left behind. Find out how you can chose this career option for yourself.

If transitioning from the office to a work at home environment is a priority for you, Work From Home Handbook: Flex Your Time, Improve Your Life b(USA TODAY/Nolo Series) would be a worthwhile investment.  The authors provide information to help you consider the option of "telework" from an informed perspective, offering tips to help you make the case to your employer if you determine that it's the best option for you.  I'd say that this book is more geared towards currently employed "teleworkers" as opposed to those seeking to work for themselves from home.  That being said, it offers helpful information on freelancing and finding work at home options (and avoiding scams) as well. 

As someone who is living my dream of working at home already, I found the final chapter "Strategies for Work at Home Success" to have a few helpful ideas - I'd love to see the authors expand on this topic in their next book!

Lisa Likes

Because I am a big geek and because our family loves music, I find this fascinatingly fun:

Waste Not This Winter

On Thursdays, I share my thoughts on Family Finances.

Over at The Simple Dollar they have a great post online about winterizing your home to help against the impact of big energy bills in the coming cold months.  Here in Fresno, we're in that magical period where the temperature inside and the temperature outside nearly match - we only have a few months each year where we're not cranking either the AC or the heat.

I really love this article's checklist for things we should all be doing to ensure that our homes run through the winter in tip-top shape.  But taking the next few weeks to work through Trent's suggestions, we can accomplish everything without being too overwhelmed by any one particular task.  Of particular importance during this post-time change week is this reminder:

Check (or install) your carbon monoxide detector and smoke detectors. You should have a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and a smoke detector in all rooms in the house. Check them all to make sure they’re in proper working order.

What steps are you taking this week or this month to save money and get your family's home ready for the upcoming winter?

The University of YouTube

On Wednesdays, I share my thoughts on Learning and Professional Development.

I love YouTube.  I can't tell you how many times I've turned to it when stumped and come up with the perfect video to help me work through my particular dilemma.

So last week, when we had a family "crisis", we turned to the computer and the problem was resolved within five minutes.

The "crisis" in question was the proper tying of a necktie.  You see, one of my sons had a tie wearing occasion and dad was out of town for the week.  I tried initially to put the tie on my own neck and imitate some of the wrapping moves I've seen my husband perform for over twenty years, but the end result was quite laughable.

So we turned to YouTube and within five minutes had a perfectly tied tie!  It's uncanny that there seem to be several helpful videos for just about anything that I need to learn.

What's the most original thing you've ever learned from YouTube?  What are some of your other favorite sources for learning things online?

Is Your Family Frantic?

On Tuesdays, I share my thoughts on Family Life. 

Is the grind of daily life starting to get you down now that the days are short and the activities are running rampant? 

If so, you will definitely want to check out The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity To The Most Important Organization In Your Life by noted author Patrick Lencioni.

The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family is the story of Theresa and Jude Cousins. The couple is knee deep in the chaos of managing a family, a household and raising four children. Beyond the rigors of parenting, Theresa and Jude are overwhelmed by volunteer activities, business trips, family trips, soccer games, swim practice, birthday parties, play dates, Girl Scout meetings, client meetings, parent-teacher meetings, back-to-school nights, and in-law visits. As a result, they live in a constant state of hustle, with little free time to relax and communicate with one another. Theresa bears the brunt of the situation, and she has had enough.

After numerous declarations that things must change, Theresa finally has a revelation one day when Jude says, “If my clients ran their companies the way we run this family, they’d be out of business.” Theresa decides to take a different look at her husband’s consulting practice, with her eye on family life. Ultimately, she adapts his methodology for creating healthy organizations to the Cousins family, “the most important organization of all.”

During the story, Theresa struggles to operationalize her theoretical breakthrough, trying to balance theory with application in the real, messy world of family life. She experiences ups and downs along the way, but eventually develops a model that works.

I found this book to be a quick read, but one that made a lasting impression upon me.  The book reads like a novel for the first section, and then comes to a great culmination with power packed tools that will help you take control of, but better yet make the most of, your family life.   The books "Three Big Questions" companion tools will help you simply and quickly implement the plan for your own family.