Displaying All Posts by Bob Bessette

Can You Make Ends Meet on a Single Income?

My wife and I made a conscious decision roughly 20 years ago to live on a single income. At the time, we just had our first child and we didn’t feel right leaving her at day care all day long. Also, my wife really wanted to be home with our daughter. At that time, my wife and I were making roughly the same salary. So, in effect, we basically took a 50% pay cut by having her stay at home and live off of one income. Eventually we went through all of our savings. In time, due to increases in my salary, we were able to stabilize and start saving money for the future – but this took many years. Click Here to Read Article …

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Individual Contributor vs Manager: What’s Your Preference?

Bob Bessette 6th August Career 1 Comment

In roughly 30 years of full-time employment, I have been both a manager and an individual contributor. Through the years of experience I’ve developed my own preference, of course. While I’ve come to my own conclusion on the matter, some of you are just beginning to explore both options as possibilities. Let’s talk a little bit about what is attractive – and what is not – about both types of jobs. Click Here to Read Article …

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7 Green Office Tips Your Company Can Implement

Bob Bessette 4th August Office Life 13 Comments

“Going green” is a very popular phrase these days. Companies are going out of their way to ensure that they are considered a green company – and many initiatives are being spearheaded by the employees themselves. My company is no different. Over the past year or so, there have been a number of steps that have been taken to reduce my company’s carbon footprint. Here is a list of green office tips that we’ve actually implemented at my company. Click Here to Read Article …

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Anyone for a Pomegranate Cosmopolitan?

Bob Bessette 31st July General Leave a Comment

In a previous article, I supplied you with a recipe for the world’s best frozen margarita. Along this same spirituous vein, I am here to unveil another killer recipe – but this time for a cosmopolitan. Cosmos are extremely popular these days, and if you follow the cooking and drinking scene you’ll note that a very popular fruit which has been gaining more and more notoriety is the pomegranate. Pomegranate juice is readily available in stores and is one of the ingredients for this drink. So, without further adieu, I present an awesome Pomegranate Cosmopolitan recipe.

Add the following ingredients to a cocktail shaker:

Add plenty of shaved or cubed ice (3/4 full)
3 oz of your favorite vodka
½ oz of Grand Marnier
½ oz of triple sec
the juice of one fresh lime
100% pomegranate juice (add as much as you like, or just fill the shaker)

Shake thoroughly and strain into a glass of your choice. This recipe should make at least two decent size cosmos. I like to use the stemmed triangular glasses for this drink. I also like to serve it with ice in the glass, but that is your choice. You could just use the leftover ice that is in the shaker.

No matter which way you choose to serve it, relax and enjoy…and let me know how you like it! Click Here to Read Article …

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Where’s the Best Place for Solving Work Problems?

Bob Bessette 29th July Office Life 12 Comments

Being a software professional for the past 20 years or so, I have found that I cannot leave my work at the office. I am constantly trying to figure out answers to problems that I may have at work.

In fact, more often than not, on the drive home, I tend to solve a problem that I may have been having all day long. Even though I do bring my PC home with me, I may not even turn it on while I am at home. Simply the process of leaving the office, and getting away from the workplace environment, stirs something within my mind that allows me to figure things out.

Where do you find is the best place for solving work problems? Click Here to Read Article …

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5 Novel Ways to Unwind from the Workweek

Bob Bessette 23rd July General 6 Comments

The weekends are a time when I need to get away from the rigors of a tough workweek. Even though I oftentimes bring my work home with me, at least in my thoughts, I usually can separate my weekends from the work week. Finding different and interesting activities to do on the weekend tends to invigorate me and adds a lot to the end of a long workweek. Here is a brief list of some activities that work for me:

1. Take a Hike.

I have always been a nature lover and either climbing a mountain or just walking a trail on the weekend is a great way to relax and unwind from the workweek. It is such a stark contrast from sitting in a cubicle and that is what makes it so enjoyable.

2. Visit a Farmers Market.

My wife and I are lovers of great food. To make great food you need to start with fresh ingredients. We oftentimes visit local farmers markets on the weekend where we get to see fresh produce from farms in the surrounding area. You tend to pay a little bit more than the non-local produce in the supermarket but you are 1) supporting local farms and 2) purchasing the freshest produce you can get for your scrumptious nightly meal.

3. Try a new specialty drink.

These days, finding a recipe for a specialty alcoholic beverage is a few clicks away. I love to explore the variety of different recipes that I can find for frozen margaritas, cosmopolitans, or, better yet, a drink that I have never even heard of. Add some spice to your weekend and try something new. It could even be a new wine from a local vineyard. You’d be surprised at the quality of wines you can purchase from local vineyards, even if you don’t live in Napa or Sonoma.

4. Day Tripping.

As I write this article, I am on vacation. This time I did not have anything planned, which was different from my typical vacation. As a result, I was able to take day trips to unfamiliar locations. Sometimes we just get stuck in the same routine and don’t explore surrounding areas that may be an hour drive from our home. Venture out and explore your surroundings. You may just find that it is a lot more interesting than you had assumed.

5. Visit your local library. Really!

OK this one may sound boring to most of you but recently I have really started to take advantage of my local library. Until I actually checked it out, I didn’t realize that there are a multitude of movies and CDs available for free. And don’t think that you can’t get the latest books to read. I can even go online and check out books from my local library which makes it very convenient.

Weekends can go by very quickly but if you fill them with exciting and interesting activities you may find that, by the time Monday morning comes, you just may be ready to tackle the upcoming workweek. At the same time, you may start planning what your upcoming weekend may entail. Click Here to Read Article …

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10 Life-Changing Benefits of the Internet Age

Bob Bessette 21st July Communication 16 Comments

It is hard to imagine life without the internet. Actually, I am old enough to do just that.

But it is amazing the effect that the internet has had on our lives. Believe it or not, there are still many people who don’t even own a PC – but that number is dwindling each year. It brings to mind all of the technological benefits of the internet age. My life has certainly changed within the past thirty years due to the internet and it’s a fine time to reflect on the impact it has had over its lifespan so far.

Click Here to Read Article …

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The World’s Best Frozen Margarita Recipe

Bob Bessette 17th July General 11 Comments

It’s the weekend!

Put those quick recipes aside for a moment and relax with an ice cold beverage. Take the time…you’ve earned it.

My drink of choice is the frozen margarita. I’ve been drinking them for years and I’ve put that experience to good use; I have come up with the perfect recipe. This is an awesome drink to have at the end of a hard week at the office. Here, ladies and gentlemen, is my frozen margarita recipe:

Pour the following ingredients into a blender.

3 ounces of your favorite tequila. I swear by Jose Cuervo Gold.
1 ounce of your favorite triple sec.
1 ounce of Grand Marnier.
1 ounce of Rose’s Lime Juice.
The juice of one fresh lime.
Load up with ice.

Run your blender until the liquid is a frothy mixture. Make sure you add enough ice so that there is a decent thickness to the liquid. Slice a small wedge of lime and coat the rim of your margarita glass with the juice. Pour some sea salt onto a dish and place the glass upside down so that the salt adheres to the glass rim. When your drink is through blending, pour into the glass and enjoy!

I believe that this will be the best margarita you have ever tasted. Take it from what my friends call me: Margarita Man. Click Here to Read Article …

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Are You Living for the Weekend?

Bob Bessette 12th July Your Job 16 Comments

Unmotivated at your day job?

Do you start planning your weekend long in advance?

Do you start thinking about what you’re going to do on the weekends as early as Monday morning?

We all need something to look forward to. But people all around us remind us to stay in the moment. For example, how many times have you heard this?

“Live for today!”

Or this timeless classic:

“Enjoy each day because you never know if there will be a tomorrow.”

Well, it’s my conjecture that most of us, unless we are retired or really enjoy our jobs, live for the future. I am definitely guilty of this but I tend to think it’s a healthy practice. Having activities to look forward to is beneficial to a positive outlook on life. At least we aren’t depressed and feeling sorry for ourselves in what could possibly be a mundane job. Getting through the week is so much easier when we have fun times to look forward to. While I’m not exactly “living for the weekend”, I make it a point to have something to look forward to and I’m happier for it.

How do you approach each day of your working life? Click Here to Read Article …

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Inspirational Quotes for Work

Bob Bessette 9th July Your Job 17 Comments

Do inspirational quotes affect your daily life? Do you surround yourself with them in your cubicle or work space? I have found that being constantly surrounded by quotes is something that helps me get by, especially when I’m not having a real motivating day. Inspirational quotes for work are, of course, just words. But if you heed what they have to say, they could aid you in your working and personal life. Click Here to Read Article …

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Fast Cooking: Boost Your Kitchen Productivity

Bob Bessette 3rd July Productivity 1 Comment

Increasing your productivity in the kitchen is something we can all use, especially if we have a family to feed. A boost in productivity will especially be helpful to working mothers who cook for their families, due to the scarcity of time that they have allotted to preparing dinner each night. Even stay-at-home Dads or freelancing folk can be well served learning the art of fast cooking. What steps can be taken to achieve an increase in kitchen productivity? Click Here to Read Article …

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6 Surefire Ways to Fail at Your Next Interview

Bob Bessette 3rd March Career 12 Comments

In my long tenure of working, I have interviewed at a lot of companies and I have interviewed a lot of candidates for jobs at my own place of work. As well as looking at what you should do when it comes to interviewing for a job, looking at ways that you can fail at your next interview can be an educational experience. This article will give you some pointers on foolproof ways to fail at your next job interview.