Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with planning

Plan our cross-country road trip!

CommonSense — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:47:21 -0800

Where MUST we stop on a road trip from the Bay Area (CA) to Baltimore (MD)? My fiancee and I will get married in November, in California. Afterwards, we'll throw some junk in her car, and drive from there (the East Bay, just across from San Francisco) to Baltimore (where I live, and will be carrying her, against her will but alas, for the sake of love).

She's got a fun car to drive (Acura TL -- it's an automatic, but I'm done giving her a hard time about that), and that's good, because I know she's going to make me do about 94-95% of the driving. I know we can just generically do the I-80 to I-70 thing all the way here, and that there's even some decent scenery along that path (mainly out west), but surely there's a more fun, more scenic way to do it?

I'm open to being torn away from this "optimal" route. For instance, I'm already pretty sure I want to throw Chicago into the mix. St. Louis is good, too -- I have friends there who'll offer us free lodging, and it'll be good to see them after a while. But I've wondered about the beauty of Montana for the longest (hear good things about Glacier National Park!), though I've also heard Utah's natural beauty is not to be missed. Geography demands I pick one or the other, though.

I've heard great things about the farthest northern reaches of Wisconsin and Michigan's UP. Idaho's supposed to be really pretty in parts. The Dakotas, from what I can tell, have an amazing, idiosyncratic beauty. (Me living in Baltimore, and her living in California, we'd actually find the "utterly mind-numbingly boring, flat" nature of the Great Plains to be an utterly fascinating change of pace.) I hear Central Nebraska is fascinating, in its own unique way.

So, in any event, I'd love to hear some recommendations about how we can transform this otherwise mundane "let's haul the rest of your crap into our new home" trip into an adventure, in and of itself. Hey, we're already going to be raped on gas, to the extent that it'll COST as much as an exotic vacation, so I figure we might as well make the trip BE a destination in itself!

FWIW, this will happen in November, just before Thanksgiving, so yeah -- certain parts of the continent might be kind of inhospitable, weather-wise. But let's assume otherwise, for the sake of argument.

Many thanks, fellow travelers!

Help me have a well-managed pantry.

Flunkie — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:59:34 -0800

Help me have a well-managed pantry. Not a well-stocked pantry. A well-managed pantry. Stocking is not a problem for me: I need something, I buy it. I've got all sorts of crap stocked in my fridge and on my shelves.

But "stocking" leaves a lot to be desired. The biggest fundamental problem is that I have no clue (well, not enough of a clue) about things like how long stuff keeps good, or how to help keep stuff longer. I also don't have enough of a clue on planning how much to buy so that I'd be reasonably sure that little or none of it would go to waste, but that problem would be significantly helped by solving the first problem.

So I buy something, and use part of it, and stick the rest in the fridge (or a cabinet). Should I wrap this particular thing in saran wrap? Cover it with wax paper? Stick it in Tupperware? Leave it open to the air? I dunno. Does the crisper drawer actually do anything special? The dairy shelf? Meat bin? I have no idea. How long does it keep after I open it? Beats me. How long would it keep if I didn't open it? I only know if it happens to have an expiration date. How long would it keep if I froze it? Is it even something that's good to freeze in the first place? No idea. And so forth. (To be clear, these are not really my question - I'm just giving some background in leadup.)

So say I need some foodstuff, let's call it "blerk". I use a little blerk in what I'm making. I stick the rest in the fridge (or cabinet).

Maybe I'll use some more blerk the next day, or within a few days or a week or so if it's something that will obviously last for a long time. But I soon get suspicious of it. So I throw out a lot of blerk.

And a lot of everything else.

For obviously longer-lived things, it's even worse: I buy in bulk, since it will last for quite some time, but I lose track of when it was bought, and when it was opened, and even if I knew those things I still wouldn't really know what they meant with respect to whether it's still good or not.

I have read various things about pantries, but they all seem to be just big stocking lists, "here's stuff to make sure you have", for people who must cook a lot more than me. If I stocked based on the lists I've seen, I'm certain that I'd waste even more food than I currently do.

And of course some of these stocking lists do have information about how long certain items keep, but it's always in an offhand kind of way about some specific item, whereas I'd be better served by an exhaustive reference.

I really, really want to stop this, and get more organized about it. I'm theoretically concerned about the financial aspect of this wastefulness, but I am much more concerned with the fact that I feel very guilty about wasting food in the first place (I'm actually guiltily embarrassed by posting this question). Plus, this issue also is a mental block for me with respect to cooking more, because I know if I buy something to cook something with it, a lot of it will go to waste. So I order out a lot more often than I would really like to.

So, my question is, are there any books or websites or anything that would help with this? Any programs to keep track of this stuff? Anything to help with the fundamental problems of "how long does that keep" and "how do I keep it appropriately", but also with the related problem of "how can I plan to use what I buy"?

I have the kind of personality where if I had a clear, detailed, and broad-scoped reference of such information, I would actually be happy about making and using spreadsheets of when stuff was bought, opened, due to expire, and so forth.

Thanks in advance.

It's fricassee, it must be Tuesday

Miko — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:06:52 -0800

What are your favorite, efficient, menu-planning sequences that use a limited set of ingredients in several different ways? I love home cooking and like to make really good things, but keep the budget down. A lot of meats I buy locally, so they tend to be complete cuts with bones in and need different handling and planning than convenience cooking. For this I'm finding the tried-and-true strategy of using a few main ingredients in different dishes one after the other can really work.

For instance, I had a great week last week: roasted chicken with wild rice and sweet potatoes on the first night, which became chicken enchiladas on the second night, and also provided for a chicken and wild rice soup with thyme on the third night. Everything got used and was delicious. The best part about this is the variety: it wasn't just chicken, chicken salad, chicken salad, chicken salad.

What are some other meal plans that result in three iterations or so with different spins on a main ingredient or two? I'd love to do this more often!

Lovely, simplified project plan tools?

daisyace — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:04:35 -0800

Is there software or a website that supports working with nice-looking, chunky, color-coded blocks to build a plan? Kind of like Microsoft Project for aesthetically attuned kindergarteners? I work for a consultancy, and we have a bunch of ideas that a client company could develop. They won't take on all of them at once. So, we want to put each in a block that our client can rearrange and stretch on screen, to stage development over time. I'm imagining this as a group activity (probably projected), so I don't want anything nearly as detailed and full-functioned and ugly as Microsoft Project. Do you know of shareware, a website, an application, or other digital solution that would support this?

Hosting my first-ever birthday party - and it's for a preteen!

parilous — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:57:57 -0800

I am throwing my first birthday party ever, for my pre-teen niece. Needless to say, I'm completely out of touch when it comes to kids' birthday parties (having not attended any since the 1980s) and don't know what's considered typical and usual. Please share your experiences and advice. This is probably an easy AskMe, but I'm really clueless when it comes to logistics of a kids' birthday party.

1. Cost. How much do these typical things cost? We were thinking of a budget of $150 for the party and another $20 for the cake/ice cream. Is that realistic for a girl of her age, or is it on the low side? Guest count will likely be 6-15 people.

2. Goody bags. Are they still required/expected, or are they passe? If they're still expected, what kind of stuff to put in male/female goody bags for 6th-going-on-7th graders that costs less than about $30 total?

3. Invitations. There's no rule at her school about having to invite everyone in her class, so how do we do this? Her birthday is in July and school finishes on May 22nd -- do kids use "save the dates"? Or how is it that kids relay the information about the birthday party back to the parents BEFORE we're able to give them an ACTUAL invitation?

(We can't send out specific invitations because what we do depends on how many kids can attend. We basically have to test the waters to see how many kids can likely attend and then we pick the party location, sending out the invitations when we know for sure.)

4. Unexpected guests. Is there a way to word the invitations that indicates that we're only reserving/paying for the number of people that RSVP and that any unexpected arrivals -- including parents who want to stay for the party -- will be asked to pay their own admission, or is that poor etiquette?

5. Opening gifts. Are gifts opened at the party? Do they have to be? Should they be? If they are, should the birthday kid still send out "thank yous" or is opening the gifts and thanking the gifter in public sufficient?

6. Bringing in the birthday cake. Most of the places allow you to bring in a birthday cake. One of the party ideas we have is to send the kids to a matinee movie. Has anyone ever tried doing the birthday cake thing in a mall Food Court? Is it better to get forgiveness (at the time, surrounded by a dozen pre-teens) rather than permission (where it could easily be denied)?

7. Is there anything that I'm missing that is considered standard at parties nowadays? The poor kid has been through a lot; I want to make her birthday as normal, usual, and predictable as possible.

Also, a caveat: I do data analysis for a living. I also single-handedly planned our wedding for 120 people. It is entirely possible that I'm overthinking this whole process.

A Library Fortress of Silentude?

robocop is bleeding — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:14:51 -0800

There is a war going on in the library. This conflict is between students who seek solitary silent study and those who seek to study or work on projects in groups. An individual student's allegiance to a faction can change from day to day based on their current course load. Because the Grouparians have the advantage of numbers, they tend to win out over the Solitarites. Surely the latter group needs a fortress all their own? We try to have resources available that fit both factions' needs. There is a quiet floor where cellphones and loud noises are (in theory) banned. There are also a host of group study rooms where folks can meet and work. Unfortunately, each group frequently 'raids' the others' resources in order to satisfy their needs: lone students slip into a group study room because it has a door and is quiet, while groups spread out on tables on the quiet floor (where even if their conversation is kept at polite volumes, it can distract).

Groups have a resource in that they can reserve group study rooms ahead of time. Lone students do not have an equivalent "just for them" resource. So in planning for future building/expansion of the library, I'd like to include one for them.

What I am considering would be an invitation-only, application-required, need-a-key-or-card-to-access "Silent Study" study room (as opposed to the "Quiet Study" floor). The room itself would have individual study carrels (say, a dozen) and an even more draconian noise policy. Like orkut or freemasonry, access to the room would only be provided to those invited by a current member. The initial invitations would be extended by the library to patrons based on past experience and statistics. Each room member would be able to invite a limited number of new members.

Upon invitation, new members would have to apply with the Circ Desk for access. Things like overdue books or frequent problems with noise would impact their application poorly. They would get a card or key that would allow access to the room.

Room policy would be positively draconian for anything other than quiet study. Cellphones off. No talking. No group work, etc. Members who violate the room policy could lose their access privileges AND the member that invited them would receive some sort of reprimand/demerit that could lead to them being evicted in their own right (so they'd have to be choosy about who they invite).

So my questions:

Is there any other American academic library that offers a similar room or service? If so, is there any literature about it?

If you were a college student, would you want access to this room?

How best to promote the room such that membership spreads equally through the college's many social groups? I don't want this to become a "grad student only" or "accounting majors only" type room.

Can you think of any alternatives? We do not have the staffing budget for professional, fulltime shushers (Plus shushing an MBA group as they work on a project goes against the library's desire to help them with their education) and students of both factions get upset when their needs are not met.

I've already taken steps towards turning the library into a TGI Friday's with the use of buzzing pagers to notify patrons when resources are available ("Dufrane, party of 4, your table is ready..."), so don't have much of a problem of turning part of it into a VIP airport lounge. I just want to know if this idea is worth going to bat for.

Seeking guidance with financial planning (loans, down payment, more)

mintchip — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:55:09 -0800

Seeking guidance with financial planning (loans, down payment, more) I've searched through the questions already asked but didn't see anything quite like this. My situation:

1. I am graduating with a very large student loan debt (more than 50k, less than 100k).
2. I have excellent credit.
3. I have no other debt or loans.
4. I have some retirement savings.
5. I don't expect to have a huge salary.
6. I am considering going back for another degree in a year or two--probably one that would result in a significantly higher salary

I'm going to move home for a year or two. I am considering using my cost savings to pay off a large portion of my loans. This appeals to me, except for a few reasons:

1. If I do go back to school (and this is by no means a definite), will having a large debt be to my advantage as far as getting need-based grants and other aid from my school?
2. It seems like housing prices are going to keep going down. Many of the people I know who are financially well off got that way by buying their home when real estate values were low. I could potentially save a large down payment (>20%) in a short amount of time. Also, although my loans are burdensome, the rates aren't horrible (they are all federal loans) and with inflation they will get a little less painful over time (in other words, a fixed monthly payment of $xx will feel like a lot less a few years into the future when money has less value).
3. Although unlikely, is it possible that the government would offer debt relief opportunities for people saddled down by student loans--let's say if the economy gets even worse?

I could also pay off a big chunk of the loans (but not all) and then start saving for a down payment.

(Is it worth it to see a financial planner?)

Best planning/checklist software for moving?

WestCoaster — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:48:34 -0800

Has anyone used an automated tool for moving (to a new house) - for example, like the Move Planner at moving.com? Your experience? What I'd really like to do is get a package like TurboTax, but for moving. But my impression is that there is no one out there selling that. So should I buy just a book (and which one)? And does anyone besides moving.com offer an automated (apparently) way to notify a bunch of magazine publishers that you have moved or are about to move? (I'd rather not fill out all those little cards that the USPS offers - or used to offer, and cut labels off magazines.)

Here are the on-line tools I've found:

* Move Planner at moving.com

* Personal Move Planner at relocationessentials.com

* Moving Checklist Generator at homestore.com

And a free address changer from moving.com, which I've not explored. Is it better/worse/different than the USPS online process?

(P.S. - if this seems like deja vu all over again, it is - I posted the same question in February 2006, the last time I moved. With all the same links. I'm hoping the world has changed a bit.)

I'm going to Disney World!!! (Crap, what do I do there?!?)

CAnneDC — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:34:50 -0800

Turning 24 in Disney World... what should we do there? I'll be there in 2 weeks for 4 days and need some ideas to make sure the SO and I are adequately entertained. So I need your suggestions for the Can't Miss things in and around Disney World. Please, help me plan my vacation! As ya'll helped me decide in this post: link, the SO and I are going to go to Disney World for a little vacation. We've never been and I need help to make this exciting for both myself AND the boy.

About us: 24, working stiffs who are looking to kick back, hang out, have a great time, and party. (We see each other frequently, so no need to make this a romantic type thing...) We are staying in a hotel that is right across the street from Downtown Disney. The hotel has a nice pool, bar, restaurants, etc.

FRIDAY:
We will be getting in on Friday the 11th (my b-day), around noon or one. What should we do friday during the day? Any suggestions for a nice dinner friday night? Where should we go out afterwards (bars, etc)

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:
We want to go to the parks 2 days. Which ones should we go to?? I definitely think I want to go to the Magic Kingdom one of those days... but if it were you, which ones would you go to?

MONDAY:
We don't fly out until 10 and the hotel said we can stash our bags for the day. Should Monday be a relaxing pool day or do you have any other suggestions?

**Sorry to go to this forum for these questions... I've checked out a bunch of other links like this one and this one, but those seem to be catering to a different demographic and I don't know anyone who has gone to Disney World before :(

Basically, what do two 24 year olds who like to have a good time do in and around Disney World for 4 days and 3 nights? Need suggestions for restaurants, entertainment, bars, etc. as well as how to make the most out of our Disney Experience.

Selecting a Financial Planner: Fee v. Commission

mshields — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:11:03 -0800

How should I select a financial planner? Should I find a fee-only or commission-based planner? $150-$200/hour seems like a lot of money to me. My husband and I are looking for a financial planner in the Boston, MA-Portland, ME area.
We live and work in Boston right now. He is an internal medicine resident and I am a holistic health professional. He will finish residency in June of '09 and at that point, we plan to move home to Maine and buy our first home. While we both have student loan debt (consolidated at a low rate), we have also been setting money aside so that we can hopefully come up with a 20% downpayment.
We are good savers, but have been very timid about investments. We are looking to find a certified financial advisor who:
a) can help us reach our short-term goals (move, house purchase, pay of student loan debt);
b) help us set up a solid system for when our income increases significantly;
c) won't charge us crazy amounts of money.
I am hoping to establish a long-term relationship with this financial advisor.
Do you use a financial planner? If so, would you recommend using a fee-only professional ($150-$200/hour seems like A LOT of money to me...) or would you recommend a commission-based professional? And lastly, can someone recommend a CFP in the northeast?
Thanks for your suggestions!

Whoops, I forgot to have kids

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:35:29 -0800

I am turning 40 this month and the only thing that I have been certain of all my life is my desire to have a child. For a bunch of reasons,mainly poor planning, I have no way to make this dream happen any time soon (financial reasons, no partner, etc.). I'd like to look into freezing my eggs so that a couple of years from now I might still be able to make my dreams come true. Does anyone have experience with this? What is the cost? Is it a complicated procedure? Whatever information you might share would be very much appreciated!

I'd like to know when it is safe to walk on Park Ave.

nomad73 — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:12:46 -0800

Why are there certain intersections in Manhattan that do not have "Walk/Don't Walk" signs? Virtually every intersection in NYC has the Walk/Don't Walk signs which tell pedestrians when it is and when it is not safe to cross. However, there is a stretch of Park Avenue, roughly between 47th and 58th streets, that do not have these signs. And being that Park Avenue is very wide, it would seem a weird place to omit them. Is it for aesthetic reasons? That section of Park is mostly office buildings and few (if any) ritzy residences that might shun such lights.

Does anyone know why these lights are absent on this section of Park Ave?

How do I take on these financial burdens, step by step?

cowbellemoo — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:15:25 -0800

My crappy car was deemed totaled and I'm going to accept the payout and finance a new used car. I'd also like to move into an apartment soon. Step by step, how do I wrangle this plan into fruition? Current situation: I co-own an old Corolla with my mom and I'm listed on her insurance. I was in an accident and the at-fault driver's insurance is taking the claim. I went in for an estimate and they said they're considering it totaled and will contact me with an offer. I'd like to take the payout (guessing ~$800) and finance a reliable car for around $10k. I have good credit for my age, $4k in credit debt, $15k in student loans, no savings. I pull in about $1300 per month after stu. loan payments. I live with my mother (so no rent, but I pay utilities and groceries). I'd like to move out within a few months.

So my three financial changes are: finance new used car, move auto insurance to my own account, and eventually get a modest apartment.

My questions: Step by step, what should I plan on? How much cash I should have available, and at what point for each step? Since the car's financing is adjustable, what downpayment/monthly bill/contract length should I shoot for? How can I handle the car handover so I'm not carless at any point?

I've only recently developed the confidence to strike out on my own, and these problems are one of my biggest sources of anxiety, so any help on these points is deeply appreciated.

Recommend a Toronto Financial Planner

gavia — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:19:49 -0800

Toronto money filter: Two full-time students, recently common-law (under the CRA definition) looking for financial planner recommendations. So, we're not rich by any stretch of the imagination and somewhat rudderless when it comes to future financial goals (other than the amorphous "save for retirement" & "buy a house" ) partly due to the uncertainty that comes with pursuing advanced graduate degrees--in both the "we're broke" and the "we don't know where we'll be in five years" department.

I'm in my early 30's, my partner in her late 20's. We don't have friends who are in similar situations to provide us with an already-in-place planner recommendation. We've invested ad-hoc to this moment and want to add some rigour to the process, establish some goals and have a plan. Points for a Financial Planner who has some experience dealing with full-time students. Bonus points for someone who can offer Tax advice.

If you don't have a specific recommendation, I would appreciate what I should be looking for. For example, I think I would feel like I was getting honest advice from someone who I paid, rather than made their money on commission. But perhaps I'm way off on that.

I've found posts that deal with similar questions, but nothing that really offers suggestions for someone in my (our) situation. Merci bien.

A Freakonomics for urban sprawl: Does such a book exist?

stedman15 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:34:24 -0800

Are there any books that take a Freakonomics like approach to explaining and analyzing urban sprawl? I've been interested in urban planning, urban sprawl in particular, for many years.

I want to learn more about this phenomenon. However, most of the books I've attempted to read have been academic in tone and intended for urban planners. Anything out there that takes a Freakonomics like approach to explaining urban sprawl to the layman (or laywoman)?

Project Management Software For Frequently Changing Variables

salvia — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:07:56 -0800

It's time for yet another round of "What is the best project management software!" Come meet the final contestants. Particularly if you have used Microsoft Project or Open Workbench. I'm trying to figure out the best project management software. Microsoft Project, OpenWorkbench, and dotproject are the ones that have been recommended to me. Or something else? (Basecamp is out. We need Gantt charts.)

We have multiple projects with short- and long-term deadlines, all drawing on the same pool of staff members (and possibly additional staff).

The projects have lots of variables. Most tasks could be done to 98% perfection or 30% perfection, most tasks could be done faster if we threw money at them, and most projects have some "black box" phases where we don't know what we'll do or how long it will take (we can't even figure that out until X or Y happens).

Our best guesses about these variables change all the time, so I find myself repeatedly mapping out short- and long-term milestones, what tasks are involved, how long they will take, who could do them, and what the weekly schedule would then end up being to meet (or miss) the various deadlines.

I'd love to have a robust system that could automate calculations and let me play around with scenarios. What will happen if I do Task A the 2-week way or the 3-month way? How much extra help would I need to meet X deadline vs. Y deadline? How much sooner would we finish if we added entry-level staff, or more experienced staff (with the default being that I do everything myself)?

If you've used this software and have an opinion about which is best, I'd love to hear it. Microsoft Project looks like it'll do what we want. (I haven't yet figured out how to get Project to assign a task to "Person A if available, or if not, then Person B.") Or is there something with the same features as Project but with better algorithms for figuring out who is going to do the work as the number of staff assigned to the project shifts around? OpenWorkbench claims it has superior "resource leveling" and "auto-scheduling" -- do you think this is true? And is the learning curve much steeper?

Details: I'm running Windows XP. Something that allowed multiple people (all on our network) to work on the project planning files would be nice, but this is not a requirement. (An additional issue is that one or two of those potential people are on Macs, but my first priority is just getting something that works well.)

How do I plan for surprises?

PoopyDoop — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:37:19 -0800

I saw the movie Dan in Real Life yesterday, and the last line of the movie... ... was "Plan for surprises". How do I do that? I'd like to be more open to situations and people, in particular women. I've been divorced and single for awhile (ok, a long while) and I find I've gotten too guarded and too insulated in my own little world. There's been a number of times where I've blown off signals from women, because either I wasn't expecting it and/or I couldn't make up my mind whether I wanted to take it to the next step (whatever that tired cliche means).

So how do I make room for new people in my life? How do I "plan for surprises"?

I don't want to make New Year's Resolutions. I want to actually get stuff done!

Metroid Baby — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:17:36 -0800

It’s almost the New Year! There’s a lot I want to accomplish in 2008, but I find New Year’s Resolutions to be kinda lame, plus I always end up forgetting them by February. I’d like some sort of substitute that will get me excited about self-improvement right away and still keep me going strong for months/years to come. Ritual value is nice, but more importantly, it has to work. This past year has been full of accomplishments I’m proud of; however, there’s still a long way for me to go. There are things that I really have to get done (e.g. get my finances in order, find a better job) as well as things I want to do (learn to jump rope, be a better blogger, etc.) These aren’t really things that I need to start on January 1 – in fact, the more pressing ones I need to start right now – but I’m not sure how much I can reasonably accomplish while navigating through the stress and baked goods of the Christmas season. So New Year’s it is, for practical as well as symbolic reasons.

However, I don’t really like the idea of the New Year’s Resolution; they seem like an empty gesture to me. I never remember any resolutions I make for more than a few weeks, so of course I never stick to them. I also don’t want to do everything at once starting in January; that seems like a recipe for instant burnout.

What I’m looking for, in short, is a way to plan for the year rather than a list of resolutions.

I’ve already started with some of this by getting a notebook and tracking my goals and progress, though even that is not completely organized. I’m naturally disorganized and not a great planner (another thing to work on this year), so any and all suggestions are welcome. Bonus points, of course, to something that you or someone you know has tried with success.

Where can I find a media and planning chart for a sales promo?

survivorman — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:58:56 -0800

For an assignment in college, I need to cough up a sales promotion strategy for a bogus product, complete with a media and planning chart to outline timing and integration. Since the prof has not supplied any chart templates for the class, and I don't have all day to wait for her email reply, where on the internets might I find said chart to coordinate all these activities in a sane manner? Much of the heavy lifting (target audience, promotion activities etc) have already been done. I just need a chart media planners would use.

Reinventing and/or planning for the future at milepost 60, suggestions?

KneeDeep — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 15:58:30 -0800

Reinventing and/or planning for the future at milepost 60, suggestions? A friend will soon be turning 60. I would like to give him or suggest the tools whereby he can explore his goals, values, character, and so forth and chart his next 20 years. My friend is relatively healthy, mobile, bright and inquisitive. Books and web materials are what I had in mind. Thanks.

Master's Degree in Urban Planning for a JD: now, later, or never?

stopgap — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:29:05 -0800

Master's Degree in Urban Planning: now, later, or never? I'm in my third year of law school, and I've realized (after taking on a pile of debt) that I don't really want to practice law. I think urban planning is the right field for me. Should I rush to get applications in now to start a program next fall, or should I enter the workplace and try to apply next year? Or should I skip the urban planning degree and start applying for planning jobs with my JD? I think I'm not being naive about the field of urban planning. I'm not interested in it because of any dreams of top-down dictatorial imposition of the "right" planning model. I don't think that's possible, and I'd be more interested in organic-growth planning through economic incentives or zoning. I'd be interested to know if any particular schools' programs emphasize this approach—but maybe that's the standard? I figure schools that offer dual-degree with their own JD program would be a better fit because they'd know what to do with me.

If this is something I could get a career in with just the JD, I'd be glad to be done with school and get going, but I don't have any job prospects at the moment and I'm not sure what kinds of jobs I could get. Can I get a job as a planner without a planning degree?

If I took a year off and applied next year, what should I be doing in the interim? Keep in mind that I'd need a real income because I would have to start making loan payments.

Yet Another Savings Question

sprocket87 — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:18:18 -0800

How can I maximize my savings for a trip I'm planning for 2009? The wife and I are potentially going to Africa in late 2009. I've got an HSBC Direct savings account (currently 4.5%), the contents of which I'm allocating toward this trip. There's currently just over $3000 in the account, and I add $75 every week. That'll grow pretty quickly, but I'd like to know what options are available for maximizing my return. Since the trip won't be for another 2 years, I figure I can make those funds relatively illiquid if it means a higher return.

So what options are there? Obviously nothing that would be considered a "risky" investment, as I want to ensure I have a secure savings accrued come 2009. But I'd like to have something that grows even marginally faster than inflation, eh?

Thanks!

Planning Budget weekly menus?

frwagon — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:51:24 -0800

Tips for planning home cooking menus? So, I've found some previous questions that have been very helpful (and now bookmarked), but I'm moving out to a solo apartment for the first time in a few months (yay!), and am hoping to do almost exclusively home cooking. Can anyone point me to resources (perhaps for the beginning, even premade weekly menus) to help me figure out how to plan a cheap weekly or monthly menu?

How do you stick to your long-term goals?

schroedinger — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:14:55 -0800

How do you maintain sight of your long-term goals? I chronically sacrifice long-term success for short-term gains and it's not working out for me. You know the tale of the Grasshopper and the Ant? Yeah, I'm the grasshopper. As soon as I make a resolution to, say, do my homework, eat more healthfully, stick to a budget, etc, within five minutes I've broken it. I can make all kinds of beautiful plans but I fall woefully short at implementation. On a day-to-day basis I just don't make the visceral connection that all the little breaks I give myself now create a big pile of crap in the long-term--though when it comes around to bite me in the ass it is all too clear.

I've tried to-do lists. I've tried GTD. I have ADHD, and have tried medication and therapy. I put little post-it notes everywhere. I can get the system to work for a few days--even a few weeks--and then I slack off or something comes up that breaks my concentration and it's all over. I think the problem comes at making the transition from the "good" behavior going from a temporary fix to incorporating it into my life.

I'm living like I'm five and there are no consequences, though they hit me again and again. It's gotta stop. What tricks do you use to activate your willpower and implement long-term change so you can ultimately realize your goals?

High School Reunion - Planning Advice!

thankyoumuchly — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:08:17 -0800

I'm planning a high school reunion for my class and the two classes that graduated after me. Am I overlooking any planning details? It will be our 4th, 5th and 6th year reunions all happening at the same venue.

What I've done:
1. Obtained the mailing address of all class members
2. Reserved a location.
3. Written a 1 page invitation with details.
4. Assigned 1 class member from each class to serve as a contact.

I've pasted the contents of my invitation below. Please let me know what I'm missing.

What details/planning items am I missing aside from items that should be in the invitation? Planning aspects, things to "watch out for", overlooked positive outcomes, overlooked negative outcomes…

Thanks!

...

!#---BeginPasteOfInvitation---#!

High School Reunion!
This is a reunion for THREE classes at the same time.

Details we are providing to you, the alumni:
1.When: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 from 9PM – 1AM.
2.Location: [venue name]
3.Cost: $45 per person. Must be at least 21 years of age or older.
4.What You Get: Open Bar, Appetizers and a Live DJ from 9PM – 1AM.
5.Please visit [www.website.com] for directions, transportation suggestions and a virtual tour of the establishment–OR–MapQuest the mailing address below.

Details we ask you to provide to us, the alumni reunion organizers:
1.Please cut off and fill out the below RSVP form and place in an envelope.
2.Please include $45 per person. Make payable to “[venue]”. Checks or money orders only.
3.No later than November 1st, 2007, please mail the completed RSVP form and $45 per person to the following mailing address:

[address]

If you have any questions, please contact the alumni reunion organizer for your class:
• [contacts]

------c-u-t--h-e-r-e----------RSVP FORM----------c-u-t--h-e-r-e--------

CLASS REUNION RSVP FORM

Your name: add $45 ___
Guest 1 name: add $45 ___
Guest 2 name: add $45 ___
Total = ___
Your Phone#:
Your Email:

!#---EndPastOfInvitation---#!

Thanks again!