Over the last few months I started a list of articles and posts that I think are very relevant to my beliefs, what I want to do and how to get there.  I will add to the list as I find more:

The Sport of Business

Higher Education’s Bubble is About to Burst

Why Work at Knowmore?: What We Look For

Get Paid What You Are Worth

The Essential Startup Reader: 10 Lessons in Entrepreneurship

Looking for Gaps and Vacancies

Hiring Employee #1

10 Entrepreneurial Concepts to Live By

I am living in apartment this summer in Houston.  One of my summer goals is to learn how to cook so I don’t starve in the fall.  The following is a list of recipes that I have made.

As I add new recipes, the most recent one will be denoted with *’s.

Campfire Pan-Roasted Chicken

Southwestern Steak and Peppers

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Surf N Turf Dinner

Onion Rice Recipe

Angel Chicken Pasta

Shrimpe Fettucine Alfredo

Warm Runny Chocolate Souffles

Fried Beef Dumplings

Chicken Piccata

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Basil and Potatoes with Peppers and Onions

Chicken with Wine Sauce

Chocolate Banana Bread

Chicken Cacciatore

Beef Teriyaki

Yummy Spiked Cajun Shrimp/Chicken

Buffalo Chicken Phyllo Wraps

Linguine with Chicken and Sauteed Vegetables

*Denotes the most recent band(s)

Bands I’ve seen in Austin
2008-2009
Heavy Pets
Foo Fighters
Guster
Ben Folds
Missy Higgins
Matisyahu
Pinetop Perkins
O.A.R.
Eric Hutchinson
Gnarls Barkley
Grupo Fantasma
Dan Dyer
Keller Williams

Whenever I tell people from Texas that I’m from New York, they always ask me why I would ever come to Texas for UT. My response:

1. Great business school and accounting program
2. Warm weather puts everybody in a better mood
3. I love Mexican food
4. Austin is the live music capital of the world
5. The sizeable scholarship UT gave me is nice

I am always telling everybody how much “I hate people,” but usually my reasoning is because “people are stupid.” It came to my attention that this is not really the best logic, so I took notes over the last few weeks why I hate people and came up with five reasons to hate people.

1. People don’t listen. I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve interacted with or worked with people that wouldn’t listen to me or my suggestions. I certainly have a tendency to get off topic in conversation, but often times when I have an idea or suggestion, nobody will listen to me. At multiple jobs, I have made suggestions directly relating to my duties and I was completely ignored by my supervisors. When I’m the one doing MY duties, wouldn’t I would be the one to observe how my job should be done better or how the firm can compete more efficiently in the field that I specialize in? Note: I would mention the companies and specific examples, but I do not want to ruin future opportunities for myself. Yet again, why would I want to work for someone that doesn’t listen to me?

2. People don’t tell you like it is. People really need to cut the bullshit. I don’t want fluff; tell me the way it is, whether it is good or bad. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people make up stories and excuses to get out of meetings and/or tests. People just think it’s acceptable to lie through their teeth. One day it is going to bite them in the ass.

I once had a group project with one student, who told the group that he “was too busy” and wouldn’t be able to make the group meeting whenever we scheduled it. That was complete bullshit. The kid wouldn’t make time for the group project because he was too busy doing other things. If you don’t care about something, say so. If you have a problem with something, don’t sit on your ass and do nothing. Get up and do something about it.

3. People are not reliable. When I say I am going to do something, I actually plan on doing it. Not only do I plan on doing it, but I plan on making sure that “it” is done to the highest standards. This is not often the case with other people, as few actually follow through. People say they are going to do something and then they either never actually do it or they just half-ass it. It’s called integrity, people! I have seen students blow off meetings, events and projects after ensuring they were going to participate. In a world of corrupt, lying politicians and unethical business people, I would be willing to pay a premium to work with people that follow through with what comes out of their mouth. If I honor my promises, why can’t everybody else?

4. People waste time. As a college student, my time is my most valuable asset. I can spend my time working and making money or I can spend it studying and getting good grades. My time is valuable! Sure I’m not making hundreds of dollars an hour, but I am creating the potential to do so in the future. I once had somebody Facebook message me and ask me if I was interested in making money. If so, she wanted my phone number so her boss could call me, as she was in training. I asked her what company it was for; she wouldn’t tell me. I did not give her my number. Had I actually given her my number, I am sure my time would have been wasted by a phone call from a student working for Cutco.

5. People do not accept change. In a changing economic landscape, the workplace and classroom are changing at a rate never seen before. There are new policies and technologies being implemented everywhere. In other words everything is changing. I understand that it is human’s first nature to resist change, but in a technologically infused service economy, one must embrace change or they will be left in the dust. I have heard people claim that “technology is not my thing.” The problem with that claim is that if innovative technology is at the forefront of education and the economy and you don’t follow or at least keep up to date with the innovative technology, people are going to buy other people’s services, not yours. Change is inevitable and if you don’t embrace it, you will probably not go much further career-wise. In fact, your potential will decrease if you continue with your antiquated ways.

Along with my list, here is my favorite list people should abide by, both in and out of the work place.

Edit: I don’t actually hate people. In fact, I love people. I have high expectations for people I interact with and more often than not, they disappoint me. I have high standards and I will never lower them.