Author Archives: michael

From Mashable: Foursquare Nearing 1M Checkins Daily

Written by michael. Filed under Startup Scene. Tagged , , , . No comments.

Foursquare — the social site for sharing your location (restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc.) — is homing in on 1 million checkins a day, according to their Twitter and this Mashable article.

Do you use Foursquare? Perhaps more importantly — do enough of your friend use it to warrant your own use?

Good Creative Habits: Solitude or Idolization?

Written by michael. Filed under Professional Advice. Tagged , , , , , . No comments.

Zenhabits' great post on getting creative; inspired

Looking for advice on how to maintain a productive and creative streak? We previously shared some of Hemingway’s Hacks with you, but here, ZenHabits focuses more on consistently sparking your own creativity.

Gleaning some creativity tips from Felicia Day, Chase Jarvis and some historical icons as well, there’s some good insight into how successful creative types keep the ideas coming.

Whether it’s photography, design (web or graphic), writing, music or even business, there’s a fine line between staying sharp and just going through the motions.

What the ZenHabits post inadvertently shows is that often, creativity and inspiration can come from others. The post talks about the importance of solitude, but a lot of times one can simply ponder what creative or professional idols are up to…it’s a good way to rev up the engines!

What do you think? Are you at your best when you have some time alone with your thoughts, or do you get fired up by those you admire?

Salaries Working For The Gov’t Vs. Private Sector

Written by michael. Filed under Career Planning. Tagged , , , , . No comments.

Check out this infographic from Kiplinger displaying the difference between various jobs in the U.S. government versus the private sector. Surprised by any of these? Interesting how some of the lower-paying private jobs are significantly more lucrative in the government…

Salaries in the gov't vs. private sector (click for larger view)

From Focus.com: The Best Jobs in America

Written by michael. Filed under Career Planning. Tagged , , . No comments.

Focus.com puts together the best jobs in America (click for full view)

Social media fad, frenzy, or fluff? What do you think?

Written by michael. Filed under Other Stuff. Tagged , , , . No comments.

Is social media just a fad? The Huffington Post breaks down the stats and claims behind a video based on Erik Qualman’s book Socialnomics. When your mom and dad are playing FarmVille on Facebook, you know this social media thing is the real deal.