For many people, the only type of the work they’ll ever know is working for someone else.  For others, staring their own business or following through on a late night idea is part of their genetic makeup.   The following is a bit of insight from David, a small business owner / entrepreneur.  David is an ideal example of what […]

– Gen X Finance on the “Gig Economy”  – Bargaineering speaks to getting better deals with service providers or how to negotiate  – CrackerJack Greenback warns about buying in bulk  – Diamond Cut Life ponders when less is more – The Simple Dollar writes about maturity and money  – 101 Cookbooks on Porcini Mushroom Soup  – The Wall Street Journal’s […]

If you haven’t figured it out yet, making your way through life is all about relationships and keeping, quoting a cheesy Sun Tzu, your friends close and your enemies closer!  Personally, I don’t like having dinner with enemies, including my old grammar school bullies, mean spirited high school teachers, and the grumpy South American whom I occasionally purchase my coffee from […]

I just don’t get all the hype surrounding the launch of the Kindle 2.0.  Technologically adept folks, which I think I’m one of, are raving about the design, functionality, and all the ways the Kindle will liberate humans from reading books in the traditional format.  And I’m asking myself: really?!  PC Magazine recently published a top ten list of all […]

Homemade pizza dough recipe I’ll go out on a limb and posit that pizza may be the best food type on the planet. Pizza has everything: incredible texture, rich flavor, it’s cheap to prepare, it’s filling, and, in general, is one of the rare food types that contains both complexity and simplicity. My beloved Aunt Giovanna (pictured on the left) owns a small […]

The Wall Street Journal’s Personal Finance blog, “The Wallet” recently posted an article on how to save money on rent.  The article also offers a free template on how to approach your landlord about reducing your rent, which goes to show that you can haggle about anything, even in one of the most expensive cities on Earth (thank to Rich […]

How to Shave Like an Italian with a Double Edge Safety Razor Shaving is something most men learn from watching their father (or some other male figure) or from simply trying it on their own.  There are no formal “how to” shaving classes offered during Freshmen year in high school, for example, so how’s a man (Italian or otherwise) supposed […]

In yet another move away from its core business, and to curtail increasing losses, Starbucks introduced special breakfast pairings such as a tall latte with coffee cake and a tall coffee with a breakfast sandwich, all for $3.95. The move comes after the chain announced job cuts of 6,700 and the closing of 300 stores. My advice to the average consumer […]

Do you dream of coming up with a big idea and working hard to bring a product to market?  Or do you relish the idea of a steady income with time for both yourself and your family?  The differences between an entrepreneurial mind set and someone who works for others are vast and it’s important to understand the pros and […]

Unlike other parts of the world, Italy is blessed with varied micro-environments.  The micro-environments help preserve the varied culture, foods, and traditions of the 107 provinces or regions of Italy. Cheese is an ideal example of how each Italian region produces it’s own version of a basic food commodity.  The region of Calabria, and the birthplace of my parents, produces […]