My other blog entries!


Monday, April 25, 2011

Places I've travelled to before I turned twenty...

 Countries...
Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com



United States
Dominican Republic
Mexico
Canada
Italy
Vatican City State
Turks and Caicos Islands





States...
New York
California
Nevada
Florida
Mississippi
Louisianna
Illinois
Florida
North Carolina
Virginia
Pennsylvania
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Connecticut
Maryland
Deleware
New Jersey
Massachusetts

Thanks for visiting my blog :)

~Matthew Berger 

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Summer Job Experiment- Success!

A Cordless Lawn Mower! ("Don't mowers use gas?")

I grew up, during the summer months, listening to the roar of engines... those forty eight inch commercial lawn mowers as they swept through the lush green lawns of my neighborhood. Since I loved the smell of fresh cut grass, I would always open my windows in the morning despite the loud pollution. As those massive lawn mowers approached the left side of my house, where my room is located, I would run to the windows to close them, because I despised the smell of gasoline!

As I grew older, to around twelve years old, I started to realize that I wanted to start cutting lawns! So, for the next two summers, I did just that. As I matured, I started to realize that I wanted to make a difference in the community. I thought "People hate the roar of a mower, despise having to go out and purchase gasoline and do not like the smell of gasoline either.

I took a trip to The Home Depot Website and saw electric lawn mowers for sale. I said, "Okay I am totally upgrading to one of these!" That was going to be my birthday gift to myself! So I took three hundred dollars of my Summer Money and without a doubt, have since Doubled My Summer Money. Anyways, so I bought a cordless Electric Lawn mower that uses a re-chargeable lithium - ion battery. It will last about five hours or so.

No Gas, No Oil, No Noise Pollution!

I was so excited that night, that I designed fliers using Microsoft Word and handed them out to all my neighbors (Some still have the fliers I handed out when I was twelve or thirteen years old) announcing my purchase and to remind them that my services are for hire.

I was blown away with the amount of responses about people wanting to hire me to maintain their properties. The 'Green' trend was only beginning at that point... I knew I was off to a good summer and a great future since I was ready to explore the contents of this global eco-friendly movement.


A Cordless Electric Lawn Mower by EARTHWISE to take a look at...















A Corded Electric Lawn Mower by EARTHWISE to take a look at...

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Quote for the day- April 19, 2011

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
        - Henry Ford 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Getting To Know Yourself...

What exactly does, "Getting to know yourself" mean?

Sadly, many people do not and will not ever know themselves very well. I bring this to light because I feel it is crucial to your success in your future career as not only a professional, but as a student.

I'm currently writing this chapter of my book (this blog entry) at Fort Wetherhill park in Jamestown (an island) in Rhode Island. It's 9:50 a.m. on a Saturday and I have about an hour until work starts, which is only a 2 minute drive from here. This is the spot where I first met myself. Seriously though, I came here, to this secluded cliff side overlooking the bay. It's a great place to escape the real world for a short period of time, or a long period of time if you choose. It's so quiet and tranquil that it almost forces you to do some real deep thinking. 

These are some things I thought of:

Who am I?

Why am I here?

What was I sent to do in this world?

I've always thought a lot, but here I was thinking more than ever before. I knew this was a magical spot that I would always come to if I wanted to come up with some good ideas or if I just wanted to give my mind a break. Before coming here, I always thought a lot, but not always clearly and concisely. Well, after coming here over and over again, I started to understand that my unclear and hectic thinking practices were actually clear and concise, but that I was just missing a piece from the puzzle! I wasn't writing anything down. It was formulated in one brain cell, passed to the front of the line, pondered upon, and then disappeared into thin air. Finally, I started bringing a notebook with me and I started to organize what I was going to think about, and on what days I would think about them. It was a giant experiment/plan that I was formulating to see if I could put my ideas to work, rather than just taking up some of my free time. Well to say the least, it has worked so far.

Anyways, after some serious calculations (joking, I'm awful at mathematics) I decided to start working on my book, 'Doubling Your Summer Money.'

So what's the point, I find a place to go to, relax, and I'll realize I should write a book? You may decide that, but I remembered, after some good thinking practices and organizing of my thoughts (organization is key!), a dream that I had thought of when I was much, much younger. I wanted to grow up to help make positive changes in peoples lives and eventually become an author. I never thought about becoming an author in high school, hence why am I constantly working on my writing skills. I had many thoughts when I was younger of what my dream life would be when I was a 'grown up.' Professors and teachers always say go with your intuition or your first thought, but how could you if you can't remember what your first thought was when you were younger? Sure people change their life paths and do absolutely fine for themselves. All that I am trying to say is that through my continuous process of getting to know myself(through organizing my thoughts), I was able to understand what I wanted in life and what I was sent down here to do. I remembered my dream. Life is a challenge, so getting my writing skills up to par with the credentials I need to take my book to the publishing house is a personal goal of mine.

Find a place to escape to.

Try and remember your dreams from years ago.
 
Don't forget to trust your intuition!



Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Google Magic

Chapter 10- Young Adult Googles His Idea For A Business

University of Rhode Island- April 13, 2011
Peter was simply walking down the quad at University of Rhode Island and like most young adult college students, he was surfing the web on his smart phone. Unlike other students, Peter has a strong interest in graphic design, particularly drawing designs on T-Shirts. Never did he think about selling his designs though. He would make T-Shirts for his family and friends. He really enjoyed this hobby, and that made him think hard about what he could possibly do to invest deeper into his passion.

After scrolling through his designs on his resume website, he came up with a great idea mixed with a dollop of entrepreneurial spirit. “How can I sell these designs imprinted on clothing to people around me on campus?”

He knew that he didn’t have time to open his own store and he did not want a life as a store owner either. He was a graphic design major. His dream was to sell his line to a major clothing retailer. He came up with a better idea. Since people always use their smart phones, he figured he could attract the largest audience by having his shop accessible online. There would be no physical storefront, but that he could run the shop out of his dorm or area at home with his parents.
After visiting a Border’s Book Store, he came across a book that discussed the idea of creating App’s to be viewed on Apple Products. He found a problem and he found a solution, both which are crucial to opening a business, whether it be a physical store front, a website, or an Apple App viewed on your hand held device.

The Problem:


Young adults do not always have a mode of transportation.

Many Young Adults would love to be able to just simply walk throughout a ‘mega-mall’ at least once a week.

Many do not have the money to buy name brand merchandise.

The Solution:

Since most young adults own a product that can access Apple’s App World or has itunes, which enables them to do just that, then they could access Peter’s genius idea.

The Idea:

An app which can be downloaded for free. You could scroll through several, if not hundreds of designs for the fronts of t-shirts search able by different styles. Once you open an account with E-Tshirt, you will be asked if you would like to add your shirt size and favorite t-shirt color. You can even opt to pre-load your account with money so that when you find a t-shirt design that you like, you can simply click and buy without having to hustle down your parents for their credit card.

As a society, we have to understand that we simply don’t have time anymore to go to a mall and spend several hours there walking endlessly hoping to find at least one item that you like and that you can afford (or not really be able to afford it, but buy it anyways). Sure we may have some time to spare, but wouldn’t you rather get a great deal on something that you know you like rather than something that everyone else is buying! Something original... What about the fact that you could find what you want and have it with the simple touch of a button... reducing your carbon footprint, and now you have saved time to exercise, play outside with friends or get homework done!

When we go to malls, we end up walking around, making our minds crazy over items we really want, but cannot afford, and then we end up going to the food concession and spending money on food that we really didn’t need. So now were training our minds to work our lives away to buy designer clothing, eat junk food and not have a true goal in mind, making a difference in our community. Sure buying lots of clothes, appliances and food at the local mall helps our economy, but it surely isn’t giving back into our community. Were creating carbon footprints by driving there, walking around in an indoor mall which uses heat, air conditioning, or oil and electricity, and of course, coal!

With the touch of E-Tshirt, you can avoid all of that, and rather than wasting time at a mall, you can play in the local park or volunteer at a local food bank, or even study for your next test. Now do you see what Peter was thinking all along?! It’s not about getting rich, it’s about creating the next name brand clothing company. The next designer clothing company will be a role model for us all.

Save Money.

Reduce Carbon Footprints.

Save time to do more proactive activities with our time.

Reduce non-sense spending to give back in other ways, not just to our economies financial end.

So why is Peter not going to be rich and make a fortune over his idea?(Well, he will be rich mentally.) Because he is a designer clothing company, and because he is a name brand company as well, that’s why! When your at the top of your league, you should be known for being the best out there. For ever t-shirt purchased, he will donate seventy five percent of his profit to non-profit organizations out there. Simply put, he will re-define what name brand means. 
















 
 "Sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny."
-George Dana Boardman

Friday, April 8, 2011

Retired in College

Are You Retired Yet?



You don't have to be 65 or older to answer yes or no...

That's a weird question for a blog titled, Doubling Your Summer Money, right? It may sound weird to ask on this website, but in my world, its a concept I like to think of translated to, "Are you happy with your studies or career? Are you in a career or aiming for a career that's not at the top of your "dream" list. 

If you are not a young adult (but still young hearted) and are answering yes, than I salute you, because I have spoken to many adults who have careers that are second choice jobs, and not something that they really want to be doing. In fact I've only met a select few adults who are truly retired, since they are in a career they have always dreamed of. No I am not talking about truly retired, as in financially ready to stop working, but retired, with my concept of being happy with your current job. 

If you are a young adult, and are either getting ready to go to college, or already in college, and you consider yourself not retired (remember I am not talking about financially retired), then I recommend you step back for a second and THINK about  your choices in life. Although there are many of us who go to college because we want to study something that interests us, and eventually land a job in that career field, there are many of us who are studying something because either their parents want them to study (law or medicine) or because they know they will make 'bank' in a certain field. If you are one of those students, who are studying something that you love, then consider yourself retired since you can be sure of having a great retirement for the rest of your life, rather than waiting till your financial retirement to truly enjoy the simpler things in life.

For those of you who are studying in a certain field to become rich, I warn you against that decision. Although money is nice, it does not solve all problems. Study what you truly want, and if you do not know what you truly want to study, then look through the majors offered at your college again and again until you find something that strikes you. 

We live in a society that depends on speed, effectiveness, and the internet. I personally want things to come to me quickly and efficiently. I do not want to sit back and wait. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has these views. With that in mind, wouldn't you want retirement now (mentally speaking, not financially), rather than waiting forty or so years to receive a check in the mail. 

Study what makes you happy, not what will hopefully and eventually add large numbers to your bank account. 

If you don't believe me, go speak to the closest adult to you, and ask them if they are happy with their job. Seven times out of ten (in my opinion), you will hear a negative response. 

Be the minority, not the majority. 
  


Just because we want things quick and we want things now, doesn't mean we shouldn't plan for the distant future. I recommend opening a "Roth IRA." Ask your parents or a local bank about how to go about doing so. When you hit the financial retirement age (59 and a half), you should have a nice check waiting for you at the bank.