Category Archives: Episodic Musings

Musings Episode 21: Get Organized…

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Last week was crazy….and it doesn’t stop there, no, it continues onto this week. Long story short, I have a business associate I’m working with on trying to finish up a brand new, completely revamped commercial property, who is all over the board – no sense of organization or time allocation whatsoever…and it’s just about damn near driving me up the wall.

The project we’re both working on together, has been like molasses once it gets out of the bottle – initially, it trickles down slowly, reaching the spout – but once it does….it all comes out as if a landslide. Stopping it takes a bit of skill and you’ve gotta be quick enough to catch it all without spillage.

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That’s pretty much the same thing I’m dealing with with the tasks at hand – it’s at the landslide part. Because of lack of organization in the beginning – everything, and I do mean everything is having to be done last minute. Now, if you were to hang out with me and get to know me on a week to week basis, over the years you would discover when it comes to business – or most things for that matter – one thing I absolutely despise is leaving things until the last minute.

It’s impractical. Leaves room for mistakes. Work gets sloppy, because things must be done in a rush and much faster. Things get forgotten, details overlooked, and in the end having to go back and correct/complete the overlooked/forgotten things actually just ends up creating more work, that takes more time.

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Disorganization is not my friend.

Some people thrive in diving into a project where everyone’s flying by the seat of their pants. Others, like myself, don’t mind building a structured system to apply to a project that’s currently all over the board – but not often.

Getting organized really isn’t that hard. It just takes a few small simple steps on a day to day basis, until you can pretty much put everything on “auto pilot”. I’ve always liked the sound of that – maximizing time efficiency. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not at all a fan of things such as auto bill pay or cars that drive themselves.

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I’m just one who appreciates shaving off a few minutes – even hours – here and there so I can enjoy the most of my day. It could be as simple as setting things out a certain way so I can breeze through my daily routine, or creating “systems” in my work to speed up the process of certain things. Even when I plan a great night out, I’ll have it laid out down to the minute detail – always of course, with room for flexibility. What I dislike, is when minds can’t be made up or large amounts of uncertainty.

Some things are made to where they seem more efficient but really end up being less so and take up more time. A good example of this is voice text – okay, so I get the basic concept and all, but honestly, has anyone really tried that shit out…? Even if you calibrate it to recognize the way you say certain words, it can still fuck up pretty bad. I’m a stickler for the smart phones with the Qwerty keyboards….like the LG Mach. At least if you make a mistake it’s purely your own grammatical error. Instead of…eh…I don’t know, implying you want someone’s grandpa dead.

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….or implying you have a strange addiction to certain foods…

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….or you know…just getting plain frustrated with the auto correct feature and not even being able to express said frustration.

Last one I swear.

Last one I swear.

The amount of time spent correcting mistakes made by the phone’s auto correct or voice recognition takes longer than banging out a simple text that just requires a bit of dexterity and finger work – today, I still have a Qwerty keypad phone for my personal use, and a regular “swype” keypad as one of my business phones.

But back to the main subject – being organized basically means putting a little bit of effort in day to day, so you don’t have one collective pile of stuff that’s been pushed aside coming back and slapping you in the face like an overwhelmed teen who just found out they’re pregnant.

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The main thing here is to sort out the simplest things first, then work a structured plan and pace of action for the bigger fish you have to fry. Anything last minute has a bigger chance of going tits up…and and anything that’s “put aside” until later has a bigger chance of becoming unnecessarily overwhelming. If you try focusing on the biggest things first all the time, or worse, jumping from one project to the next simultaneously, you can potentially end up taxing your brain too much.

Wanna know how successful people really get things accomplished? They take more breaks. They stop multi-tasking….and the avoid bullshit time-consuming things, such as going back and forth with e-mails, instead of just picking up the goddamn phone.

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There’s loads of ways that you can get organized. I may be elaborating on this in a later post. For now, this is more of a rant – I know, I’m usually not one to rant, but jesus christ disorganization is a pet peeve of mine…actually no – I don’t even want to call it a “pet.” It’s a pain in the bum.

Look out for this Thursday’s “For The Weekenders” post….I can guarantee I’ll be doing every single thing on the list…maybe even for a week…or three….thousand.

Stay cool.

– Rego

Musings Episode 21: Get Organized… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 20: Early Retirement…

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This past week I went out of town on business. The place I stayed in was great – beautiful beach front resort with all the bells and whistles – they pretty much won a Four Diamond award, if that’s not grounds to be impressed I don’t know what is. I’m talking about Costa d’ Este – if you haven’t been or are looking for a great place to holiday I highly recommend checking them out. Ask for an ocean view room, second floor.

So anyway, after a reluctant, late and drawn out night of “shooting the breeze” with business associates, I wake up incredibly hungover – pretty much facing up to the fact the gym will have to wait until the evening time. Yet besides the hangover, I feel great – and after grabbing a bottle of water, plop myself back into bed admiring the view.

Second floor view from my balcony.

Second floor view from my balcony.

I slowly start getting ready for the day, while listening to some chill sounds of bossa nova floating out of the in-room speakers they provide for your iPod…and when I finally am dressed, the pounding headache and insurmountable weakness from alcohol felt suddenly disappears – and the same feeling that’s always pushed me to do more and be better comes over me.

It’s the feeling of wanting more, wanting to see more, wanting to do more. It  made me think of my retirement plans and how I’ve been slowly but surely building up to the ideal lifestyle I’ve had in mind for years. In experiencing all this, I wanted to share my thoughts and some discussions I’ve had regarding retirement – when I say retirement, it’s not at all what the typical meaning of it is nowadays. I’m not at all talking about going someplace nice to die once someone’s reached past the age of 65…because really when you think about it, that’s the type of retirement that’s been pitched for decades…and it’s downright depressing.

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The kind of retirement I’m talking about is enjoying life now, and coming up with a way of having a consistent stream of income with minimal effort – automated practically. A lot of people raised on the standard society model deem this impossible and foolish. Even back in my university days I once had a (friendly) debate with a mate of mine who was a real penny pincher, and believed that he should be a miser so all the money he saved could be enjoyed when he turned 65.

Whenever I hear this type of logic I have a tendency to ask someone – what if they saved all that money then died the next day after they finally go to cash out? What would they have to account for it….? What could they say they did that was extraordinary with their life? What would they say they missed out on that they wished they did…?

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Too often people are concerned about saving money for retirement, instead of saving money or utilizing credit in a sound way to build a business (see my Musings Episode 19) to where it pays you. Little do they know by the time you save that money, inflation’s already devalued it and you end up having less by the time your skin turns wrinkly. I want everyone to learn and understand that waiting until you get older is a played out method of thinking of things, and enjoying life in general. There’s no joy in going to pick up that sports car you wanted 30 years ago only to drive it slow as all get out because you’re older now.

Retirement doesn’t have to mean being over the hill and waiting until the beginning of the month for your pension check or social security – retirement can be right now – from mini holidays to treating yourself to something you’d usually steer clear of because “it’s the responsible thing to do”. I’m not saying go out there and blow your life savings on a Ferrari – that’s beyond stupid.

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What I am saying is instead of planning for decades ahead, shift your focus instead towards creating an actual bucket list and starting with the simplest things to accomplish right now. If you already have a bucket list go over the things you set out to do and have accomplished, and work with it the same way – at least if you get the simplest things out of the way the bigger goals may seem like less of a challenge.

Early retirement doesn’t have to mean having all the money in the world – it can simply mean taking small steps towards your goals bit by bit. It doesn’t mean stop working all together – it simply means finding ways to check off certain things from that mental list you’ve always had. It means turning that mental list, into an actual hardcopy list.

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The first place to start is imagination. It sounds childish – but really the main song that was ever so popular in the original Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory movie never rang so true. As we age, we’re taught that imagination is for kids, and that it’s time to face the real world and focus on real responsibilities. Yet no one every told us that if we continued to use our imagination, we could potentially and almost certainly come up with even better ways to take care of those responsibilities – hell, possibly even easier ways, no doubt.

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I know that this may sound like a sort of rant but really it’s just a collection of thoughts I’ve had jumping around in my head for a while, that resurfaced into actual structured paragraphs and sentences since Vero. I want everyone to experience the great parts of life now, not later. There’s so much more to it than getting up and doing the same mundane process over and over, week in week out.

In the words of William Faulkner,

“It’s a shame that the only thing a man can do for eight hours a day is work. He can’t eat for eight hours; he can’t drink for eight hours; he can’t make love for eight hours. The only thing a man can do for eight hours is work.” – William Faulkner

While I believe that there are some things that a person can do for more than 8 hours (such as lounging on a boat 😉 ) this quote really hits home – there was something I used to say when I was a kid to my parents….

Why is it, that adults can make money to pay the bills, and adults can make it on time to their place of employment to do someone else’s work….but it’s so hard to find time for other things?

Sometimes I wonder if as humans some people get into a sort of lazy pattern…the “Who moved my cheese?” syndrome. More than likely people do – you see it everyday…but I don’t wanna focus on that – the main thing is, with enough effort, and enough energy, and enough outside-the-box thinking – I believe as humans we can have whatever we want.

It just takes some creativity. So exercise your mind – exercise your body. Join a sport. Check something of your bucket list. Don’t zone out to the daily doldrums of television – actually it’s a lot easier to live without TV than you may think – just this past month I gave up TV all together and now I only pay for telephone and internet. A) I don’t have the time for it, and B) it’s not worth giving time.

Because when you get to a point in life, where you want to watch your life unfold into something great – instead of vegging out and watching others – you’ll begin to play a whole different ball game.

Stay sharp.

– Rego

Musings Episode 20: Early Retirement… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 19: Turning Bills into Leverage….? The Ultimate Cheat Sheet Tip for People with New Credit

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A lot of people shun new credit if someone’s in their early to mid 20s. Consider it weird…awkward….odd. As many may know, credit is a big thing in the United States of America. Not so much in the United Kingdom. So when someone wet behind the ears turns 18 – the first thing they (usually) get in the mail are a bunch of credit card offers – that’s how it was when I hit that age.

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Though some things did change when Obama came into office and the biggest recession hit in 2008 since The Great Depression.

I remember when I got back to the states a few years ago, and decided to finally get into the loop of credit – but like I said – a LOT had changed then. On the one hand it was great – because it protected the less financially educated people who associated credit with consumerism – on the other hand, for the finance savvy counterparts such as myself, it made things far more difficult.

All sorts of questions were asked and statements made,

“How many lines of credit do you currently have?”

“Have you ever taken out any loans?”

“There’s no credit history of you anywhere.”

“If you don’t have any credit history we’re going to have to secure double (sometimes triple) the amount.”

“Why haven’t you gotten a credit card before?”

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Question after question piled in, and after finally believing that I had no desire to really have credit cards, advice and suggestions followed.

“The fastest way to build your credit is to take out a loan…don’t pay it off early – pay it according to the payment plan until the very last installment.”

“Apply for a secure credit card – put your own money on it and borrow from yourself.”

“Get a few consumer cards under your belt – you know, places like Target, Macy’s, etc – spend and then pay the balance.”

The last one really made me laugh…firstly, because I’m not much of a consumer at all (especially not at those stores), and secondly, buying just to buy makes no sense to me. While the media pushes consumerism and teaches society to accumulate – I’ve always been one to take opposite advice – besides, I don’t like clutter.

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The funny thing is, though minimal – I actually had credit history – just not in the USA, but instead abroad. So for me it was a little like starting from scratch all over again, except with far more jumps and hoops.

I finally got one decent credit card, from Capital One. Starting out, I mostly used it for gas and the occasional meal, and would pay off the balance weekly. This made my credit history with Capital One soar – not to mention one insanely awkward time where they “blocked” and held one of my payments – on account of me paying the balance down too rapidly – to which they heard the far less calmer, quiet version of Rego.

After that small hiccup, shortly after they offered me a credit line increase.

I kept at this, switching my payment methods to monthly, never with a minimum payment and always in full, until after a while combined with calling up and asking when the statement dates were, I had nearly two months available to pay the balance – interest free. On top of that I was getting free cash from them as well with cash back rewards.

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Within 6 months, this doubled my credit score. While this was all fine and dandy, I wanted to accelerate the process even more – and then it hit me. I was gaining leverage of time, with money that was practically mine to use without worry of giving anything back in return – just on time payments. Forget consumerism. If I was getting time, to pay something almost two months later, interest-free, and making a percentage of my cash back – why not take it a step further and pay my monthly bills with it?

Mind you, things such as accommodation and utilities, I still paid off my own separate accounts…but things like telephone, internet, insurance, even business expenses, I could easily pay off of the charge cards – and did.

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There were numerous reasons why this worked out to be in my best interest:

  • Leverage of time
  • Money I could use practically interest free without touching my own, for almost two months (which pretty much is the same thing as leverage of time)
  • Cash earned on interest free credit I was using
  • Better, more secure methods of paying bills – using a credit company if need arose to dispute a charge was far easier and resolved more quickly than with a debit card
  • Ability to build a track record of using lines of credit and keeping them in good standing

Present day, I stick with three solid cards, and try to keep my balances below 33% – which is extraordinarily easy. So really, if people are taught to think of credit less as a consumer opportunity, and more of a business one – there are many ways to win – allowing a person to go after bigger fish, by building credit faster.

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I’ll give you guys a good example of an excellent way to build your credit, keep the balances low, and leverage your time on payments made for your monthly bills. If you take 3 cards, and split them into categories – business, mandatory living expenses, and recurring leisure expenses – you can get your mind geared towards clearer, more strategic thinking – and take your way of seeing money to a new level.

So let’s say you used one card for business expenses – i.e. if you have a recurring monthly bill from Blue Host or Host Gator for a website you have – you can put that on the business card. Business trips where you’re buying gas? Business card.

How about mandatory living expenses? I say mandatory, because with the way the world operates today, this could easily apply to internet, telephone, and auto insurance – staple things like that. So you’ve got a recurring charge that comes out every month for auto insurance – then you put it on the living expenses card.

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Pretty good at managing money but still can’t let go of that Pandora One or PlayStation Plus subscription? Go weak in the knees for Netflix? Alright – that’s fine, I’ve got a weakness for Pandora One too – so put it on the leisure expense card.

It’s all very simple. If you can start looking at credit lines and charge cards this way – you can have a great time all around – and literally be laughing all the way to the bank. Because paying a credit card bill won’t seem like a task anymore – but an advantage.

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I’m seeing green.

Just remember these 4 key things:

  1. Always pay ON TIME
  2. Always pay IN FULL
  3. Always keep spending CATEGORIZED and SEPARATE
  4. Always keep the balance UNDER 33%

I know the last one may be hard starting out, especially if you’re given a very low line of credit, but keep at it and you’ll see that quickly change.

Stay savvy 😉

– Rego

Musings Episode 19: Turning Bills into Leverage….? The Ultimate Cheat Sheet Tip for People with New Credit is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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Musings Episode 18: Appreciation…

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This week has been pretty crazy. Crazy as in busy – the good kind…I’ve been working on a treatment for a screenplay I’ve had for a while now, and in working on it I came to think of a few things.

Gratitude…no – appreciation. Appreciation for one. Why…?

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Looking back on the years gone by, I’ve been able to accomplish a lot that many people wait a lifetime to do. I’ve gained a lot of skills, seen a lot of places, done a lot of things, and have had my fair share of ups and downs. The latter has always been a learning experience, and everything else an adventure as well as an education.

If I had to go back and change anything – I don’t think I would. Sure, there was the occasional foolishness – but even that I don’t think I would change. So for this episode I’d really like to discuss appreciation and seeing the bigger picture in life.

“You-don’t-overcome-challenges-by-making-them-smaller-but-by-making-yourself-bigger.”-—John-C.-Maxwell

As humans we’ve all come from different backgrounds and experienced different things, learned different ideologies and adopted new ones. We’re constantly evolving and while the evolutionary process may decline, it will never stop.

It’s in our blood. Everyday, one way or another, person to person does actions that lead to different “story lines”. We feel change – in our bodies, our minds…we feel it at our very fingertips.

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Without change there would never be progression – stagnation is the mother of all failures. Continuing to move forward is the way to go – and whether we decide to or not, it happens without our will. One way or another it happens. As effortless as a blade of grass or the hair on our head grows, so too does change happen.

The key is finding appreciation in the change and seeking to be proactive at every chance. I’ve come across so many people over the years that wander through life aimlessly, without thought of how much they have to appreciate – and with a little effort how much more they could appreciate and be grateful for.

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The main key in appreciation is never taking anything for granted. In doing travel photography and other mobile business ventures, I’ve lived in many well off countries, including one of the five richest countries in the world (Bermuda) – to the not so well off countries, where I’ve seen people live in poverty (Thailand). Conscienably when living in the latter, I couldn’t bring myself to stay there.

Doing photography in Thailand was one of the hardest things – to see a house of grandeur directly opposite a house made with a bare tin roof and poorly assembled wooden structure never settled well with me. My entire stay I struggled with taking my camera into my hands and doing a shoot. The people were great – I did it – but with difficulty…the shots came out well, but I still felt odd…

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On the flip side, it made me appreciate more of what I had. In travelling I’ve also learned to be a minimalist. My desire for the biggest has declined over the years – and instead I seek things like location, styling, energy, “zen”, atmosphere, things to do, etc. Don’t get me wrong – I live quite comfortably and am not at all a fan of these new micro accommodations that have been popping up…yet I’m still a minimalist in many other facets.

I’m not really one to collect a lot of furniture – no…cluttered place cluttered mind. I prefer open floor plans. If I chose to get up and leave to travel non-stop for a full year – I could easily do so at the drop of a hat without having to worry about so many “things”…sure, I would still miss my place…

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…because I appreciate it. From running my fingers along the walls to sitting for hours late at night with nothing but a glass of wine in one hand and the sound of music, while looking out from my balcony’s view, I appreciate every detail and even imperfection.

For a while I was in a “wandering” phase…not necessarily a negative thing, in fact it was a good thing…but for a while that “wandering” phase had me restless. Sleepless nights and the feeling of always needing to just GO. Do something, see some place, be somewhere, a wanderlust, you could say.

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It was a bittersweet point in my life, being a perfectionist, I felt as if it was all I wanted yet not enough. Never enough. Then slowly, that changed. My thinking changed. Don’t get me wrong – I still have a tremendous desire to shoot for the stars and then some – but it’s no longer a gnawing, never-satisfied type desire. I still always want more – just in an entirely different sense.

I’m no longer as hard on myself as I used to be. I think of life more as a joke now. The present as a gift. There’s no tomorrow – because by the time tomorrow rolls around, it’s today. So I’ve learned to just keep moving forward – the only way the tomorrow a person wants doesn’t roll around is because they didn’t take the action now to make it happen.

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I appreciate my proactivity – I suggest a person always appreciate any steps they take towards something – no matter how small. I appreciate everything from the cars I’ve driven, places lived, people met, clothing worn, places been, experiences had, determination felt, and things learnt.

So you’re probably wondering when I’m going to get to the point – exactly how should you show appreciation for everything in your life…? It’s quite simple really…and at times can be quite difficult to grasp, if you don’t keep your eye on the ball.

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Appreciation is one of those things taken for granted. Many people never sit to stop and think of all the great things they have going on in their lives – the most basic example can be a cell phone. Sounds funny I know but, hear me out (no pun intended).

Before cell phones…there were two ways to get in contact with each other – I touched on this briefly in my “Musings Episode 14: Friends for Friends…or Friends for Money…?” – there was getting a phone call at home or calling someone on a payphone – or meeting up with them to talk. People don’t realize the ease and access they’ve been given today – but it’s used in the wrong way. At times, cell phones can cause a social disconnect….

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…and this isn’t old fashioned thinking – this is really concept I want you to grasp. Let’s go for another example. Computers. Skype. Vonage. International Texting Plans. Me keeping in contact with the people I’ve met all over the world, with this technology, has been the most beneficial and amazing thing ever.

Before all this – it was pen pals. Waiting for weeks for a response back. Eagerly checking the mail. Day in…day out. The wait was longer but anticipation greater – we yearned for it. We appreciated it. Now, with this type of technology making things such as keeping in contact with a good friend more than 6000 miles away possible – let’s appreciate it more.

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You get the general idea. The thought of appreciation can be applied to anything – food we eat, places we have accessability to shop at, entertainment venues we have to go to, sports we have to participate in – from a football/soccerball to a snowboard. Inventions.

Inventions.

Inventions fueled from creativity.

Creativity fueled from imagination.

Imagination kept alive from thinking on what already exists and how to make it better. Cooler. More enjoyable. The list goes on.

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Appreciation is a state of mind. A feeling. A review of collective memories and thoughts. Mostly memories – it’s from looking back and looking currently at what we have, what we’ve done, what we’ve seen, where we’ve gone, who we’ve met….that we get that warm, fuzzy, comfortable feeling inside.

Appreciate the little things.

The big things.

The seemingly insignificant things.

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…and everything in between.

Try it everyday – and realize how much you actually have. If it doesn’t seem like enough – push for more – if it seems like too much – say thank you…and don’t lose your head – stay cool.

I know I’m late in posting this – but to everyone who takes the time out to read my musings, my weekend posts, and my quotes – I appreciate you all…and when I write every post, I like to make sure there’s effort, and thought put into it – to where you can relate. Quality is key in my world – not quantity. Seriously.

Stay awesome and look out for my upcoming “For The Weekenders” post, this Saturday night.

– Rego

Musings Episode 18: Appreciation… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 17: Understanding The Unsaid…Body Language and Reading The Air

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Words in my opinion are extraordinarily superfluous. They’re not really how we as humans communicate. It’s been said that 93% of our communication is non-verbal – 38% being vocal (i.e. tone), 55% physical (gestures, facial expressions, posture, eye contact), and only 7% being words to make 100% (check out Dr. Albert Mehrabian‘s book, Silent Messages).

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This got me thinking….if the majority of what we say is how we come across physically and tonally – how often is it that people really pay attention to their day-to-day habits?

…and even if people are self-conscious of the way they talk and act – do they really realize how they’re coming across…? I touched on this briefly in both Musings Episode 14 and 16, and thought I’d elaborate a bit further.

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There’s a vast difference I’ve come to realize since living in both the Western world and the Pacific Rim. One thing specifically still stands out in my mind today – and was something I absolutely had to learn while I was living in Japan until I became proficient enough with the language to carry on a conversation with ease.

It’s a little something called 空気を読む (kuki wo yomu) – or, as best as it can be translated into the English language, “reading the air”…which is not always as easy as one may think. Fortunately, because of my upbringing and the fact I learned how to become a conversationalist well before travelling, this came with a certain amount of ease to me.

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Reading the air can best be explained as, but not exactly kin to, reading between the lines. The Japanese take it a bit further by it being an intricate part of their culture.

When you think reading the air – I want you to think of it as the ability to interpret / understand thoughts and feelings that another person you’re conversing with has – without them necessarily hinting towards or being blatantly obvious about what’s floating around inside their little heads.

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Thankfully, in the West, this is a little less relied upon….unfortunately, for many Westerners visiting a country like Japan – this is a major pitfall for them….but this post isn’t about Japan – it’s about communication in general…

…body language says way, way more than many will ever realize. From people’s hand gestures, to eye movements, facial expressions, to touch – even posture and walk – every single one of these play critical points in the way many are perceived and approached. I’m going to try and keep this to 3 points maximum, as this could easily turn into a dissertation – in future I may touch more and more on things such as these though.

Let’s go with eye contact for starters. In my experience…eye contact is something that can bring out many, many different sides to people. From intimidation, to intrigue, to insecurity, to nervousness. So many people use eye contact in so many ways without really paying attention, to the manner in which they do.

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So let’s say you want to come across as someone that commands respect, but also shows that you’re genuine and honestly interested in what the other person has to say. What do you do?

Well, for starters – and I’m sure some of you may have heard / read this before, but it always helps to look at someone dead center between their eyes or focus on the bridge of their nose.

Don’t focus so much on their actual eyes – shifting from eye to eye can make you seem as if you’re looking for a reaction to what you’re saying. Staying focused on center points out that you’re focused on them and gives conversation a better, genuine, more intimate feel.

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So when you’re speaking, hold eye contact 70% of the time and avert it 30% of the time – giving someone 100% eye contact when talking can make a person feel like you’re forcing them to be engaged in the conversation – breaking away at this ratio gives everything a more relaxed feel.

When you’re the listener, you want to maintain eye contact with the speaker for as long as they do with you and then some – so when they’re talking and looking at you, then decide to look away, you maintain eye contact for 1-3 seconds more, then look away. Absolutely avoid locking eye contact the entire time you’re listening to someone talk – it comes across as staring and can easily make someone feel self-conscious.

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This next part may sound funny, but avoid blinking. This comes naturally to me because when I was younger I had a soft spot for playing high intensity video games – so blinking was out of the question for me. Blink occasionally – and usually only when the other person looks away. Blinking too much exudes that your thoughts are potentially off somewhere else – where blinking sparingly shows that you’re interested in what the other party is saying.

Keep in mind some people – mostly insecure, may be intimidated by this…don’t let this change your way of communicating with eye contact – by having a steady gaze that comes across as focused – in both being the speaker or the listener – you’ll project that you feel confident, self-assured, and certain in your thoughts and opinions.

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There’s loads more in reference to eye contact that I could cover, but for now this should suffice. At the moment I really just want to point out the key aspects that should get you rolling in the right direction…which brings me to my next point – sitting and standing.

Sitting and standing? You’re probably asking. Seems pretty basic and harmless right? Try again. These two actions can make or break how you want to come across…whether you’re going for casual/laid back or serious/suave…there are tiny little actions can make you come across exactly how you want to – or the complete opposite.

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Both sitting and standing are fairly straight forward – though the latter relies slightly more on posture than the former. Improper posture, though not intended, can make you come across as insecure or unsure. If you’re tired after a long day or a difficult workout, it may seem difficult to pull yourself up straight – but it’s worth making the conscious effort.

Also, as a quick side note – shoes play a BIG part in this as well – when your feet don’t have proper support / your arches aren’t properly taken care of, this can cause you to naturally “slouch,” and actually make sitting / standing up straight more difficult. So, get out to the store, and get yourself some proper footwear – and no, they don’t have to be something your grandparents would wear.

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Whenever I want to get my posture sorted out, I’ll shrug my shoulders until they touch my ears then relax – I also like to imagine a “hook” is pulling my front chest cavity up thus straightening my spine and shoulders. You’d be amazed at how both of these work.

When it comes to standing, if you’re going for the laid back look, it helps to avoid things such as crossing your arms / digging your hands in your pockets.  The latter can be an exception to the rule IF, you know how to do it right. Check out the photo below – this can be applied to both men and women, contrary to popular belief (I’ve seen many women in Portugal have their hands in their pockets and actually be able to pull it off).

Fashion Woman with Hands in Pockets

If you want to seem more serious, simple – avoid any casual movements, making sure your actions are more regimented and controlled. There will be a certain amount of control in your more relaxed movements as well – but they’ll be smoother.

Sitting is practically the same thing – except hand / leg placement plays a much bigger part. The simplest way I can explain it is to suggest avoiding any sitting positions where your “energy” is constricted – i.e. crossed arms, crossed legs….however, if you’re shooting for casual, crossed legs where one leg has a sort of playful “bounce” (both for the men and women – for women I call it the “foot dangle”, men I call the “casual tap”), is acceptable and can come off as casual and relaxed. Grasp the idea of that, and you can grasp the idea of hand / arm placement as well.

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Sitting when it comes to being more serious / suave, is similar to the casual example, but slightly different. Again regimented, and more slow, controlled movements…a girl can cross one arm while holding a drink in the other next to her chin/face, while a man can sit with one arm across the couch and one leg casually crossed over the other…

…both genders can rest one arm across their leg that’s being supported, while maintaining excellent posture.

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Got all that? Good…this brings me to my final point – facial expressions and hand movements. These two kind of go hand in hand…the latter getting someone to focus on the former. Think about it – if you’re sitting and having a conversation with someone, who uses no hand gestures whatsoever, but instead just sits there and talks with very little movement – how engaged do you think you might be if a distraction occurs? Or the subject slowly begins to die off…? Or you haven’t had a chance to respond in a while…?

You’ll more than likely look away. It’s not that you mean to – it’s just that the other person hasn’t really pulled you fully into the conversation – you’re not invested in it.

I’ll give an example….

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Have you ever watched a girl/guy drum their fingers on their cheekbone – or run their hand through their hair to push it back (or for girls) off their face? Like you’ll be sitting there, listening to what they have to say – and your eyes wander – yet once they do that your eyes instantly go back to focusing on them, more specifically their face.

They’ll do this and maybe look in the air while they’re thinking or dart a look off to the side while they pause before they continue on with their thought…and somehow paired with their facial expression, eye movements and hand gestures they’ve got you paying attention to them with much more investment.

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Now think about expanding this concept to other ideas…someone says something you’ve got to think on, or there’s an odd silence where they’re waiting for your opinion on something – you rest your jaw in your hand…look over at them, and let a slow, warm smile spread across your face – almost like you’re about to laugh – and they end up laughing before you do – they may be a bit puzzled by the reaction, but you’ve got them engaged – without saying a single word.

The goal here with all these points is to put across the most effective messages as possible – with the least effort and minimal words. Even though as humans we speak and use words, subconsciously our brains interpret deeper meanings and constantly read off of many more things than just the bits we use to piece sentences together…deaf people are excellent at picking up on whether or not a person is lying – where they lack the ability to hear words, their sense of body language is heightened thus making it easier to understand exactly what is being said with minimal effort.

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So stop analyzing words, and start studying gestures, eye movements, touch, mouth movements (i.e. frowns, lip quivers, smirks, etc)…and start paying attention to what people are really saying – without them having to spell it out to you.

Stay focused.

– Rego

Musings Episode 17: Understanding The Unsaid…Body Language and Reading The Air is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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Musings Episode 16: Effective Communication…How to Talk to People in Both Personal and Business

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So this weekend I was out with a few people on Saturday night, some new and some I’ve known a while. One thing that caught my attention was the manner in which one of the new people were talking. For a bit of background info while keeping anonymity, this particular person is in the real estate sector, and considered a “real estate guru”.

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While it seemed they had a knack for closing on sales and acquiring large amounts of cash, their real hiccup was talking in a normal setting. They weren’t shy, no – but overbearing, critical, and constantly shot negs – and no, not the type used to pick up women – but backhanded compliments in general.

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When it came to listening to others talk, he’d comment that while they seemed to know the terminology, they still had a ways to go…”but continue, this is interesting,” he’d say. This repetitive behaviour left the group annoyed and albeit them trying to accommodate and override the awkwardness in recovery from these comments, eventually everyone went their separate ways earlier than intended. Slightly later on a friend and I met up to shoot pool and discuss the evening.

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“Man….” my friend started before breaking the rack, “…that guy was a dick. What planet did he come from expecting people to just be okay with him talking like that? He insulted the whole group almost. What a fucking know-it-all.” It was here I examined the table, trying not to laugh to hard at my buddy’s reaction, while also figuring out the most sensible and logical answer to his question.

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He was justified in his opinion – they guy did act like a total ass, while mostly everyone else was getting acquainted with each other and exchanging view points and opinions on their given businesses/professions, exchanging ideas and thoughts – but never once did anyone, and I do mean anyone but this guy, have the balls to openly point out to another their lack of complete knowledge in any given field that was discussed but not necessarily their own.

So I lined up my shot, thought for a bit, took a sip of my drink and finally answered, “you know…and this is not at all making an excuse for the sod – but while he may know how to close, and have the ‘gift of gab’ when it comes to a sale…he’s clearly lacking in overall social skills…and really, when you think about it – honing in on that skill is what really makes a good businessperson. It has more long term effect, leaving a deeper impression on the mind.”

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He nodded, agreeing that’s a critical point in any aspect of life – business, personal, romantic, platonic, you name it….and thinking on this made me want to share a few pointers with you ladies and gents, on how exactly to be a social elite – or, social butterfly, call it what you like. This is going to be slightly different from my usual episodic musings, but I’d like to share – so here goes….

Build up people

….and no, this does not mean kiss ass. Sycophancy and building people up are two completely different things. Building up someone means getting to know someone’s strong points, their desires, their dreams and goals…and most importantly their passions.

Get a person talking about their passions and desires – and you’ve got miles of road to run off of. The rest takes care of itself – because you’ve got someone talking about what they like. Most people go quiet because they’re waiting to talk – rarely do they ever go quiet to listen.

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This doesn’t mean go completely quiet either – this means really assess what the person is saying, pick a point you’d like to know about/catches your eye (ear?), and engage them in that point.

An example:

Person 1: So you work as a foreign currency exchange trader?
Person 2: Yeah.
Person 1: That seems like an interesting trade – what got you so interested in it?
Person 2: I don’t know – I guess you could say I really like numbers.
Person 1: Same – money and math – the only two international languages 😉
Person 2: Haha, yeah.
Person 1: So what is it about numbers that you like exactly? Forex is a very volatile game – there’s gotta be some type of thrill factor in there…and my guess is you’re definitely the type who stays on their toes. It’s not for everyone.
Person  2: Oh yeah, no joke, it’s fast paced…well I guess you could say I was never really good at English – but Math I always nerded out on…so I guess I like the fact that though it may seem random and volatile – it’s really not, but instead….

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You see how that interaction flowed…? Person 1 showed interest, intrigue, and a natural engagement in what person 2 did as a profession. They not only showed it – but also subtly complimented them on their skills, even though they weren’t entirely sure all of what it entailed. It didn’t come across as obvious or as if they were trying to compliment them at all. Which leads us to our next point….

Be genuine. Not nice.

These terms are another pair that tend to become easily confused. Being genuine, is  a whole different ball game from being nice. Being nice is easy. Being nice is effortless. Being nice doesn’t take thinking, and it doesn’t take a whole lot of engagement either.

Like OMG

Being genuine is a different story however. It’s a little more proactive, a little more involved, and a little less bullshit. Being genuine means actually backing your words, having a reason why you said or did something, and not just doing it in order to keep up appearances.

Someone who’s nice could engage you as if they’re really paying attention. They could easily state, “oh absolutely, I’d love to know more about what it is you do as a fitness consultant. I myself thought about getting back into tennis!”

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….only to leave your business card on the side table or the kitchen counter after parting ways in conversation with you. It happened to me the first time I had a business that relied heavily on social interaction – and it stung like hell. It was insulting, rude, and I felt like it was a complete waste of time talking to them.

Someone who’s genuine is really going to want to know about YOU. Not just find out things like they’re filling out a Facebook profile only to regurgitate the information for gossip later.

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That’s the difference between nice and genuine…and it’s a fine line.

There’s “humor”…and then there’s humor.

The apparent trend nowadays portrayed by the media leans more toward the theory that being a complete smartass will get you somewhere. While the shock value of that may fascinate and intrigue intially, long term, it just gets plain old.

Humor, contrary to today’s popular belief, does not have to be at the expense of others. It does not have to be created from picking apart a conversation and pulling out points that don’t make sense. Remember that dialogue I showed you earlier? Between Person 1 and Person 2?

Person 2: I don’t know – I guess you could say I really like numbers.
Person 1: Same – money and math – the only two international languages 😉
Person 2: Haha, yeah.

While the statement may seem slightly unrelated to any sort of punchline, it actually flowed quite well. It didn’t involve bringing any other person in, nor did it involve shock value or discussion of something negative. It wasn’t forced to where Person 1 was trying to “create humor out of thin air”…

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It stemmed from the conversation naturally, and in the most casual way possible. Sure, it’s not laugh-hysterically-funny, but it was calm, casual, and enough for a warm smile back at least with a bit of afterthought on what was just said – and on top of that, it was a true statement.

Of all the countries I’ve been to, it’s the only thing I’ve literally seen everyone be fluent in…from hand gestures to writing the numbers down (the Western Arabic numeric system is widely used in many countries).

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What are some of the don’ts, you ask? Well, they can be summed up fairly easily:

  • Don’t brag/gloat – noone wants to randomly hear about your mega yacht, unless deep-sea fishing is brought up – nor do they want to hear about your newly acquired BMW unless some form of mechanics or lifestyle is mentioned – stick with topics that flow in the conversation

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  • Don’t always focus on the negative – some people who are “experts,” focus so much on picking apart and analyzing the negative they forget to leave it at the door. While critical thinking, the occasional pessimist view, and problem solving may be good in a business setting – trying to tweak and discuss all the pitfalls could discourage conversation by dampening someone’s mood on a subject they may really enjoy talking about – and leave you wondering why conversation suddenly dries up at your every turn.
  • Be humble – making a big point that you own your own company (and then pointing out again you’re the CEO…no shit Sherlock)/are in a management position does not sound cool. It just makes you sound like an insecure, never-had-anything-significant-happen-ass. Brushing casually over your title in a nonchalant manner will actually spark more intrigue than saying it with your chest puffed out.

So you get the general idea of this whole post…while there’s LOADS….and I do mean loads more things that must be learned and practice to further your goal of being a social elite, these are just a few tasters that can make a world of difference. I may continue this in next week’s episodic musing…we’ll see.

Until then, stayed tuned…and stay classy.

– Rego

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Musings Episode 16: Effective Communication…How to Talk to People in Both Personal and Business is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 15: Let The Music Play…

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So I was brushing up on my knowledge and doing my homework this weekend on some great new speakers I’m considering buying for my car…

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…when I came across this little snippet from Sonic Elextronix:

“As an object vibrates it produces a mechanical disturbance in the medium it resides in, which results in the creation of a pressure wave which travels through that medium (air usually). This pressure wave impacts objects around the source, causing them to vibrate and resonate at different frequencies.

When a pressure wave impacts our eardrums, they vibrate and in turn our auditory system converts these vibrations into electrical signals that our brains can convert into sound. Remove our auditory system and sound would not exist to us, all we could do is feel low frequency pressure waves that vibrate our skin and bones.” – Sonic Electronix

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…this really got me thinking – sound is more important to us than we may think. Music, to be more specific is more important to us than a lot of people realize…and it’s not just music, but the type of music…and there are a lot of genres out there.

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Music can make our mind swing from one thought to another, our heart skip a beat, and our feelings range from mood to alternate mood.

More importantly, music can actually bring success – not just in the monetary sense, but all aspects of life…and you don’t necessarily have to be the lead singer in the band, for lack of a better analogy.

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There have been studies that state music increases performance and concentration, and often improves work productivity.

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” – Victor Hugo

Music in my opinion touches us in a way that nothing else can, affects us more than anything we ever encounter, and relates to the things aurally, instead of orally – that we feel in different parts of our lives more than just regular words do.

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It breeds success no matter what the genre, it’s merely dependent on person and preference. Think about it – when you get ready to run track, do you prefer silence or have you got the Crystal Method blaring from your ear buds? For many, this could be either or.

How about when you wake up in the morning and your alarm goes off – do you wake up in a better mood with an annoying buzzer blaring in your ear, or do you just kind of, “float” out of bed to the sound of “Wish I” by Jem?

Without even realizing it music can change, and often enhance your mood. Your thinking. Your way of doing things.

Personally? I’m a fan of numerous genres. When I wake up in the morning, most days I prefer waking up to the sounds of artists like Jem, Frou Frou, or Bitter:sweet. Days that I choose to sleep in, it’s a bit different.

Certain beats set a person in different mindsets when they kick off their day. I’m a fan of the previously mentioned artists because well, I like being woken up to the sound of dreamy, melodic tunes with a sultry, sexy voice to go with them (obviously, Bruno Mars is a serious exception – sorry buddy, you’re not my type, just cool). It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Usually I’ll carry on with this type of music until post-breakfast. The relaxed beats and slow rhythm help me get my thoughts “sorted” for the day, meticulously organizing my to-do list like a filing cabinet, ordered by priority and urgency. It also drowns out the sound of the blender in the morning.

While it mixes everything into this deliciousness.

While it mixes everything into this deliciousness.

Some people are different, this is just me.

Workout wise, I’m all over the board. Some evenings I’ll be dripping with sweat to the sounds of Shaka Ponk, Powerman 5000, or Nickelback (yes, their later stuff – you haven’t heard them until you’ve heard “Gotta Get Me Some” – shutup). Other evenings I’m all for listening to Daft Punk.

Ever noticed how when you step into a gym – a big one, how the music tends to be different in different rooms/areas? In the cardio section, you’ll find something techno or club – anything that has what I call a “jumpy” beat to it.

But then when you switch to another floor or room, and you step into where they have the free weights or machines, it could be rap or rock playing – a slower, more “hard core” beat – because psychologically and physically – lifting requires rhythm, pace, focus.

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These are just a few examples. Now I’m not much of a weight enthusiasts, because I believe you can get ripped without having to bench 300lbs. I barely use any weights and still look athletic as hell.

In fact, check out “7 Weeks To Getting Ripped”, for free, and see how you can carve your own Adonis/Aphrodite body.

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Anyway, cotinuing with the current subject, before I wander into discussing fitness and nerd out on topics like ADL and DOMS, different wave patterns in different music affects different parts of our brains.

So for yoga, there’s relaxing music – allowing us flexibility and focus – for strength conditioning, rap/rock – cardio, techno/club…and the list goes on and on. This is just a generalization but the variety is huge.

I know whenever I have small house parties, if it’s a group of friends and there’s one or two in the kitchen, another manning the bar…and a few sitting around conversatin…artists like “The Jojo Effect” really kick off the night right ;).

Music can enhance conversation, instill confidence, erase sadness, bleed out pain, bring people together, and describe the things that can’t be said through something strictly visual.

When I write or am working on a project, I’m a HUGE fan of music that gives off a creative, “quintessential” vibe. There are times when I can write in complete silence – and then there are times when one beat can make the words pour from my mind to my fingertips faster than a GTO reaches the finish line. There are beats that can make me add humor to my writing – and even a bit of fun underlying meanings.

Music, is a gift to the soul…it is one of the few things left in today’s time, that still pushes past the often detached feel of technology and convenience, and no matter what, at some point, brings together humanity.

Like the legend Jimi Hendrix once said, “Music is my religion”.

Stay cool.

– Rego

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Musings Episode 15: Let The Music Play… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 14: Friends for Friends….or Friends for Money….?

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So  my friends and I were all sitting around this weekend by the pool, and remembering exactly how each and every one of us first met. Some at coffee shops or events, others through other friends…and it kind of bled into the topic about how exactly people acquire friends as they age.

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Obviously by getting out there more and having more experiences, from travel to dance classes, yachting to hanging out at a decent lounge bar, you make friends one way or the other. Well really, acquaintances when you think about it – then there’s a filtration process. My buddies and I discussed that as well and that’s probably the most frustrating part.

Most of my friends run in the same circle – and by circle I mean way of thinking. Entrepreneurial, driven, independent, forward thinking. We all work, and play hard – well, maybe play a bit harder than we work 😉 after all the motto is work smart, not hard.

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What exactly do I mean by filtering? Well, I’m not trying to go on a rant here, while picking up acquaintances is easy, it’s finding genuine friends that requires a bit of skill. You’ve all heard it at some point before – in movies, general conversation, through music. While being successful is great, sometimes it’s an absolute drag when people get to know you better.

Think of it like this – you happen to meet someone – in public, at the grocery store, through a social event, maybe shooting pool or going bowling, joining a fencing class in your area or hitting up a dojo because you’ve been wanting to try out Aikido for months now. You two exchange a few words, hit it off really well, get each other’s contact info. You invite them out, either with other friends or maybe to party it up somewhere, maybe go for some hookah.

Somewhere nice. Hookah's always better when it's someplace nice.

Somewhere nice. Hookah’s always better when it’s someplace nice.

Turns out you guys have a lot in common – both into sports, both into great music, both into travel and open to other cultures. It’s great – ever had those kind of conversations where it’s not forced and it just flows really well? Yeah – those are awesome. So you talk, talk, talk the night away. Bond with some hookah, bond with some drinks, hell, you may even become wing men/women and hit on people together.

Things seem great – until something happens. It could be the first time, could be the second, third even. Bottom line is – it happens…

…and usually, it leaves you with that sick, churning kind of feeling in your stomach. The “oh no…not again” type.

The bill comes, and they ask if you can cover some of their portion for it.

Or the bill comes, and they say ask if you can spot them this time because you’re “good for it.”

Or…my favorite, because it’s just so damn funny – the opposite (or same, for some) sex, says that you’re good for it, and while they may not have enough cash – they have something else for you afterwards if you do front their half of the bill. Then just kind of…nudge or press into you and wink.

After all....sex sells. For some. I'll pass though, thanks.

After all….sex sells.
For some. I’ll pass though, thanks.

Now don’t get me wrong here – I love treating people. I love buying a bottle or two and passing it around the table. I love buying food for everyone or buying every other round of drinks. However – when it’s expected that it should be done automatically, sheerly based off the fact someone is under the assumption you’re better off than them – even if they may be doing pretty damn well for themselves. This absolutely irks me.

My friend Luke (no, not the one from Star Wars) absolutely hates it as well.

Why?

Well, because honestly it kind of makes a person feel like they’re being used. Taken for. Taken advantage of. Sort of like if someone’s looking at you, and you look into their eyes, and instead of the reflection of yourself – you see dollar signs. Their eyes are lit up, bright and green, with paper.

As green as this girl's shirt.

Almost as green as this girl’s dress.

And again hey, don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t just happen with successful men – so fellas, before you go on a rant about how women are gold diggers, there are plenty of guys out there who seduce women for the thing humans so highly hold called money. Don’t believe me? Check out the movie Spread (2009).

…and this is where the filtration process kicks in.

My friends and I all have different tactics – one of them when inviting new people out, attempts to have the most boring outing of their life, just so they can see whether or not the person wants to be their friend because they want to hang out with them. Not their money. You’re probably asking why they’d go out and do something boring – well, think about it…

…you’re out and about, having a good time, at a live music venue, yadda yadda. Or maybe you’re both playing squash or out racing go karts. Naturally, a setting has been created, where you’re both having fun. This really eliminates the need for any form of meaningful conversation. The fun is there – the mind is focused on said fun. The engagement is already there.

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Prepare to get owned.

It’s like video games – or even better it’s like watching a movie – you don’t really engage with each other – you just watch the movie, and maybe share some brief thoughts about it afterwards. Which is why I’m really not a fan of suggesting those type of things in my dating life, for a first date. It’s an inefficient use of time, and an exit for pushing yourself to become a conversationalist.

My point is creating a boring atmosphere really accomplishes two things:

  1. It pulls people out of their shell and gets them to talk – instead of fiddling with their phone.
  2. It reveals whether a person wants to get to know you or your money.

So when you’re sitting there with nothing but a Dos Equis in one hand and the view of the beach across the street, you’ve gotta actually think about what to talk about. What questions to ask, topics to pick, etc, etc. The best part about this is – you can get a relatively clear reading on the person. Not doing an all too engaging activity gives you time to study body language, eye movement, facial expressions (which tell you a LOT, like if someone’s lying – if you pay attention), and much more.

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This is the best way to get to know a person…and besides, before all the technology, before all the awesome things that were created for having a great time graced human existence today, this is how we started out – through conversation. Literature was once the fuel that flamed this fire – reading about different things, educating ourselves, studying an atlas, breaking down and comprehending poetry, all that jazz….

…and by conversating with and reading people, often you’ll find you can read their thoughts. Their motives. Their intentions. Their hearts.

You can tell if they wanna get to know you, for you.

Not your bank account.

Stay smart…and you’ll stay happy.

– Rego

Musings Episode 14: Friends for Friends….or Friends for Money….? is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 13: Being Practical vs. Being Cheap…

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I’ve always wondered why some people look for the cheapest things, instead of just focusing on being practical.

The cheapest gas.

The cheapest iPhone.

The cheapest meat.

The cheapest (worst of all) shoes.

Many times when I ask about this most people equate practical and cheap as being one in the same. When they most certainly are not.

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2013 Ford Taurus – starting MSRP $26k – new and “cheap.”

Acura Integra - Fully modified asking price $14,500 - 57k actual miles. Which would you pick?

Pre-2000 Acura Integra – Fully modified asking price $14,500 – older and 57k actual miles, but quality engine and make. Which would you pick?

I really wanted to bring attention to this because many times a lot of people tend to lose more money than they’re under the impression they save.

Sometimes it’s not always about finding the lowest price.

Sometimes it’s not always about clipping coupons to shave off the most cents.

Often times it’s about seeing the bigger picture, and realizing that looks can be deceiving and math a bitch if you don’t pay attention to the overall numbers.

Think of it like this – you go to the gas station – you top up your tank – the next week, you find gas at a cheaper station, not exactly one that you’re all too sure about, a no name station but hey – what do you care? It’s 15 cents less on the gallon!

Which technically is only 9/10ths of a gallon there, buddy.

Which technically is only nine-tenths of a gallon there, buddy.

One thing may be accomplished here – but two things could also be setbacks.

“Setbacks…?” you ask, questioning my sense of logic and slowly wondering if I have any bit of common sense.

“It’s cheaper gas,” you think to yourself.

The two main setbacks? Well let’s think:

A) You just wasted the current gas in your vehicle’s tank driving around looking for cheaper gas. Good job.

and

B) Aside from the bullshit the media tells you about it “all being the same,” you’ve potentially put something very bad for your engine in your tank that possibly has cheaper “detergents” – if you don’t understand what I mean, this basically means the numeric grades you see at the pump, “87, 89, 93”. While every station may have these, some skimp on quality.

Or worse, selling bad gas (left).

Or worse, sell bad gas (left).

And yes – you’re partially correct, it’s been argued that to a degree it doesn’t matter what grade it is – BUT,  in my opinion that’s only when it comes to mid-grade. If you’ve ever pulled up to a pump you’ll notice the little ticker counters above the prices – and you’ll notice that while there are three nozzles, often there are only two tickers – often, mid-grade pulls off the same ticker as low grade.

So yeah, you’re partially being screwed…but honestly – I’d rather be screwed less and take my chances by buying high test.

I’m a fan of classics, ergo I drive one.

Gotta love Hondas.

Gotta love Hondas.

It’s probably the only thing I’ll consider my child, and probably the only kid I’ll ever have in my life, nephews being the exception. My vehicle only takes high test. Believe me I’ve tried – there was a time when I thought, “fuck it, gas is up to $4.35 a gallon, I’ll go cheap this time.”

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Damn…did I screw myself over. One empty tank later and my girl (car), is choking like mad. Three fuel injector treatments later and she was back to normal…fortunately.

Now I’m not here to rant about gas, but this is just an example. Let’s shoot for another one —-

You hate your phone company? But you got that new iPhone 5/Samsung Galazy S III for only $100? Sounds good…sounds good….did you have to renew your contract for another two years?

Yeah.

Think on that for a minute.

Let it really sink in.

Close-Up Of Stop Watch

Now take what you pay per month on a contract plan (I can guarantee you it’s probably more than me).

With a company you hate.

Uh-huh.

Then multiply that figure by 24 months.

Take that figure and compare it to the cost of the phone…which you’re probably going to ditch when “Like, OMG the iPhone 6/Samsung S IV is out!”

Truth is…you’re eating more of the costs than you think.

…..did you crunch the numbers? Good? Still think you got that phone for a steal?

Didn’t think so.

What am I trying to explain here? Well…even though you may think you got the better end of the deal because it was a “cheaper” price for a phone everyone has, you’ve just locked in two years of your income (and your life….that you’ll never get back. Congratulations.) all for the hype of that enticing price you saw in the display window.

Now let’s say you want to leave the country within those two years.

Move to a place where there’s no service provided by that company.

Just plain change companies because you’re finally fed up and bring yourself to accept the service sucks.

Or like many do….change service providers because one company has a newer phone that you’ve suddenly fallen in love with like a girl who changes her mind as often as she does shoes.

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What do you get slammed with?

Huge fees because you’re breaking a contract.

That iPhone 5 doesn’t seem as cheap as it was when you first bought it now, does it?

Me? I pay roughly $40 a month for my phone.

Unlimited everything.

Smartphone everything.

No contract.

Ultimate freedom.

rock_star_concert-applause

Did I pay a little more for my phone than you? Maybe….but the freedom I gained from practicality feels way better than the metaphorical ball and chain so many people acquire to get that “cheaper priced phone.”

I could leave the country tomorrow for two, three months and come back to the same number, same phone, like nothing even happened.

You get the general idea here. These are just a few examples and I’m not saying they’re for every scenario, but it reaches a wide scope of people.

The list goes on – you buy shoes cheap because of the price, you either get uncomfortable feet or shoes that wouldn’t last 3 miles if you decided to walk it.

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It doesn’t have to be a crazy amount in order to be quality. $350 for a mass cut Chukka?

Fuck you Red Wing. I like you guys but with enough connections I could find a shoe maker who does a better job and creates a custom shoe.

archer-shoemaker

Practical.

Practicality.

That’s what you’ve gotta aim for.

Aiming for cheap is short term – short term is instant gratification – instant highs are often instant lows. The age old adage of “you get what you pay for” is still as relevant as the day “adages” were spawned. Aiming for stupidly expensive is impractical.

What I’m trying to say is cheapest isn’t always the best – nor is overpriced. Sometimes if you spend a little more and shop around a bit differently while not always going after the mainstream stuff, you can really find yourself living a comfortable, enjoyable lifestyle with things that last.

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I’ll buy a $300 Seiko diver’s watch any day over an $8000 Rolex or a $10 Timex – both of which I’d be terrified to get shoved into a pool with while wearing.

This doesn’t just include consumable items either. This type of thinking spreads to all aspects of spending – especially travel – a coach ticket on off-season to South Korea while picking a decent hotel that’s just an extra 5 minutes out from Gangnam, works out to be better than the peak-season ticket while wanting to stay in the city center and skimping on accommodation, winding up at a shared dorm dump.

The extra $15 you spend on cotton shirts, instead of that polyester shirt you found on sale for $5 at a closeout store, ends up lasting longer than the plastic crap that causes you to catch fire if you get to close to a hot engine hood on a Dodge Ram…and really with a little (and I do mean little) research you could get tailor made shirts for less than $20, cotton, without having to trek over to Hong Kong.

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You could look like a million bucks and only spend a thousand.

Instead of trying to look like a million bucks while spending $900 and looking like $9 (we’ve all seen it at some point).

Remember, it’s not always in the numbers but in the quality as well.

Anyone like LG TVs? I do – I have one. They’re great, I love them.

My ex was looking for a quality flat screen TV last year but didn’t wanna break the bank. She thought either a cheap off brand TV, or Black Friday was the only option.

(HA....yeah no.)

(HA….yeah no.)

The result? 32″ LCD TV $149 with tax. Brand – Dynex.

“Dynex? Who the fuck is that,” you’re probably thinking.

Well, they’re a subsidiary of LG…and you know what, the quality is practically the same. Is it as sleek and sexy as the LGs? If you’re an electronics snob like I sometimes am, probably not.

Asian chick not included.

Asian chick not included.

….but she didn’t care. Because the quality was the same if not similar…for half the price…and she didn’t have to go buy some extreme ass-backwards off brand.

This is what I mean when I say practicality…and it doesn’t always have to involve coupon hunting like a mad house wife holed up in a condo while her husband works a 70 hour work week.

Extreme-Couponing

Next time you’re out and about think, before you buy…be it plane tickets, gas, shoes, clothing, heck, even food.

Quality over quantity.

Stay savvy.

– Rego

Musings Episode 13: Being Practical vs. Being Cheap… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

Musings Episode 12: Location, Location, Location…

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So this guy I know just closed on a house last week, and I have to admit I was pretty happy for him.

For a bit of background, the guy made his way down to South Florida after a brutal break up – he and his fiancee were set to marry, he’d sold his house, given away all his furniture and moved in with her. Then, no more than a few weeks later she said she didn’t think it was gonna work out, and the poor guy was left high and dry. Ridiculous.

Almost as ridiculous as this guy getting kicked out of his own country for being too handsome””. That’s a true story, by the way. Check it out.

Just brutal.

First time I met him, he was cantankerous. With a bit of conversation though, you could start to see his real side come out. I knew he wasn’t a mean guy – just hurt.

So I pulled a few strings, got him a nice set up where he could forget any and all problems associated with that situation.

corona

Then I find 3 weeks later he’s up and running again, ready to get back into his usual way of doing things, ready to see what else out there the world has to offer, ready to check out the other fish in the sea and cars on the market.

This whole situation made me realize even more how the location and area that surround a person is more important than we may think. In both a financial, and energy sense.

I’m very big on location. VERY. 95% of where I have lived is based on 7 major factors – local activities, distance, weather, beauty of surroundings, general attitude of people in the area, convenience, and building layout and view.

I think many people think this way, but then also many people move where work takes them. They learn to settle in, get adjusted, and become interested in the place because that’s where they’ll be for the next god knows how many months because that’s where the money is.

While this is all fine and dandy for some, I’m sure for others it may seem like a nightmare.

For example, one wrong word could set this fellow gentleman into hurling his suitcase at an innocent...back away slowly.

One wrong word could set this fellow gentleman into hurling his suitcase at an innocent…back away slowly.

In my opinion that type of moving doesn’t really allow you to move for the reasons you want to – and in fact it’s more like chasing dollars – literally. The “who moved my cheese?” metaphor and then going to find it is real, scarily enough.

So after much pondering, I thought I’d write a bit about some key factors in a location I look for, and maybe, just maybe it’ll get you thinking about what you look for as well…and remember – I’m talking about things that would make where you live seem like an absolute sanctuary. So here goes.

amazing-view-hotel

Let’s start with local activities. Clearly, from all the “For The Weekenders” post you all have read, it’s well known I’m all about places that have amazing things to do without having to necessarily travel to some exotic far out place no one’s ever heard of if you choose not to.

Even a paddle boat in the right setting can be fun.

Even a paddle boat in the right setting can be fun.

Yet keep in mind when I look for a place that has great local activities, I also avoid overpopulated and high traffic places like the plague.

While finding such places that have one without the other may seem impossible, I must assure you it most certainly. Is. Possible. Just takes a bit of research is all.

So I guess you could say local activities also tie in with distance. Yes, very true. I always try and look for places that if possible, have everything at your fingertips, where literally if you’re going by car, you could just keep making a right at every major intersection until you circle right back around to where you live and hit up every place you need for groceries, gas, nightlife, etc.

Lox, champagne, high priced call girl...you name it. Joke on that last one.

Lox, champagne, high priced call girl…you name it. Joke on that last one. Indulgence level 99.

The same thing should be if you’re going by car as well.

Take Shin Okubo for instance, in Tokyo. Located on the Yamanote line, this trendy little area had an array of shops, and you could find a decent place with a nice view that was a very short walking distance to the train station. The best part? Two of the most major hotspots were no more than a few exits away – making total costs to travel to them less than $2 one way. Heck, you could even walk if you felt like a nice little stroll.

Kickass little place.

I’d say that’s win.

Speaking of which, trendy for me isn’t complete without some class A surroundings. I have to, have to, have to, have an excellent view with every place I move into. When I step out my door and get in my car, drive down that street, it has to be aesthetically appealing. From the landscaping to the architecture of buildings. Add a beach less than 10 minutes away and you’re talking an A+ spot in my mind. Which really when you think about it ties in with weather.

Conrad-Rangai-24

Another great area I could say pulled this off with tremendous effort albeit surprisingly dreary weather are some places in the UK. I remember uni days there. Now if you’ve been to some bits of the UK, you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say dreary. Minimal sunshine, rain for days, bitter cold winds.

Yet then you get the odd, sunny days where everyone bolts for the park like a herd of race horses or wild mustangs.

Sunny or dreary, the place I was in had great architecture. Old structures that had been up for years, somehow brought together with new developments to form this sort of, hybrid town with shoppes, banks, and decent “high street” lounges, that you could dip into on a cold rainy night during your uni days after that three hour lecture that almost bored you to tears.

From this....

From this….

…to this.

And most of all…combined with everything else, I’d say the attitude of the people in such areas with the attributes I’ve been discussing with you ranks incredibly high on the list. This, in actual fact, can either make or break a place, in a variety of ways.

Ever noticed how certain people hang out with certain people? It’s not intentional, it just sort of happens. I wouldn’t call it a “clique” tendency, that’s too juvenile and should be left behind at grade school graduation day.

But I’m talking about how people who are fans of water sports or fishing migrate to areas where there’s a plethora of opportunity for that, or how people who are really into performance auto migrate from Tokyo to Yokohama. Heck – even snowboarders make their way to Vermont Canada or Colorado.

snowboarder-sky

The people and the attitudes of said people play a larger part in enjoying where a person stays more than many people think it does. That’s why younger people wouldn’t exactly feel comfortable in a 55+ community…nor would young spirited 55+ feel comfortable if said community had a majority of members that were constantly talking about hip replacements.

It’s these subtle little things that people sort of know they’re looking for, but never really make the ultimate decision and assertion that they ARE going to be picky enough to find all their requirements and desires…more importantly desires….

dreams

…and by neglecting those desires you neglect a part of yourself.

It all ties in, be it clothing, or cars, accommodation or friends. We were given free will to choose – and in doing so thus stimulating our imagination. There’s more importance to this than you may think…and in the end it’s all worth it, guaranteed.

So go ahead, get creative, and get picky – it’s you who has to stay in that area, live in that house, and make friends with those poeple. Exercise your free will, and in doing so you’ll exercise your imagination and awaken your real desires – and by awakening your real desires, discovering just another part of your real self, fueling and finding your own happiness within because you did activate your imagination.

Stay decisive.

– Rego

Musings Episode 12: Location, Location, Location… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life