Airbag Deaths

If you are looking for a used vehicle, beware of certain cars that have deadly airbags. Twelfth Fatality Reported From Takata Airbags appeared on MSN Money.

Pursue Your Passion by Raymond M. Wong

We had a Student Success Day for new students to City College on June 30th, and I worked with a lady (I’m going to call her Claire) at an education planning session who said she went to an earlier workshop we facilitated called “Identify Your Career.” Claire said it made her think about passion and purpose and what she should pursue. She thought of being a softball coach but she was afraid and had some doubts about her age. She looked to be in her early forties. 

At the education planning sessions, we have a lot of students we need to work with to develop a two-semester plan, so we don’t have time to do career planning. I had to advise her to schedule an hour appointment with a counselor at a later date to look at her career in more depth. It was hard for me to tell her this because she was really struggling with whether to choose coaching as her career, but I couldn’t take the time to work with her there. 

I hope that Claire scheduled an appointment to talk with a counselor but if she didn’t, here is what I would have wanted to convey:

Dear Claire,

I know it can be scary to think about going after something you feel passionate about. From my perspective, if the thought of being a softball coach brings up some fears, that’s not necessarily a bad sign. The jitters may be because you’re on the right track. If you are thinking about a career you’ve never done before, some anxiety is perfectly normal and expected. The fact that you’re nervous tells me it’s important to you, and I hope you pick a career that really means something to you because you’ll put more effort and energy into it. You’ll put your heart and soul into it and you’ll make a difference to the players you’re coaching.

A Dog Helps Veteran with PTSD

Meet Merrick, a service dog, that is helping McLean Raybon deal with his PTSD. This People.com article appeared on MSN News.

https://www.k9sforwarriors.org/

Deadly Jobs

Some jobs come with added risks. The 10 Deadliest Jobs In America appeared on MSN Money.

A Flair For The Dramatic by Raymond M. Wong

My daughter, Kristie, is thirteen and has participated in drama the last two years in middle school. She recently tried out for “Honors Drama” for the upcoming school year but didn’t get selected.  

Kristie was disappointed, especially when one of her friends did get chosen for Honors Drama. The glum expression on my daughter’s face told me how she felt when she checked the message board on the computer and her name wasn’t on it. 

Kristie tends to be quiet in school. She gets good grades because she studies hard, but comments from teachers are usually along the lines of, “Joy to have in class. Excellent effort, quiet, and dependable.”

I don’t have a problem with Kristie being quiet. I’m an introvert myself, so I understand my daughter’s personality. I don’t need her to be an outspoken candidate for student body president or a rah-rah cheerleader for the football team. I’m fine with Kristie just being herself but I’ve come to realize this can hamper her ambitions to become the next Jennifer Lawrence. 

My wife, Quyen, and I have been to a number of Kristie’s drama performances, and I’m slightly biased, but I think our daughter is pretty good. She remembers her lines, and she nails the dance steps in her routines. The thing is, she has a quiet voice and she isn’t animated to the extreme. This works against her in a field where flair and exuberance are the calling cards for success. 

Homeless Students

"I didn't have anywhere to go. I lived in my car. I didn't have my job anymore and I got evicted from my apartment," said (Jennifer) Carr, who is in her first semester at Wayne County Community College District in Detroit. "I was ashamed I was living in my car."

Homeless College Students A Growing Concern on Campuses appeared on Yahoo News on June 25, 2017.

Hungry and Homeless in College was published in the San Diego Free Press on March 27, 2017.

Help for homeless students at City College

Tally of Sheltered Homeless Falls Amid More Shelter Beds was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on July 1, 2017.

Gordon Walker Takes Helm At Homeless Task Force appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on June 27, 2017.

Be Happy and Make 100K

You don't have to sacrifice your soul to make good money. Here's proof; these careers pay over $100K a year and the people working in them are happy in their jobs. The Ten Happiest Six Figure Jobs 2017 appeared on MSN Money.

Make Money Playing Video Games by Raymond M. Wong

In my last blog post, I wrote about my son, Kevin, and his passion for video games. I also shared my ambivalence about encouraging him to make this a career because I have doubts about how viable this is. I mean, would an employer actually pay him or anyone else to play video games?

To find out, I did a little research. According to this article from MoneyPantry.com, there are six ways to make money playing video games:

1. Test video games
2. Sell “Gold” within a game
3. Play in eSport tournaments
4. Record “Let’s Play” videos
5. Teach about video games
6. Write about video games

The author of the above article makes it sound easy but at the end, he admits that making money at playing video games is probably more of a side job than a full-time career.

Money for Books!

For students looking to sell their books at the best prices, this website is gold. It allows you to type in an ISBN number for a book and it will provide up to 35 vendors with multiple offers to buy your book. The site even allows you to ship for free to get paid.

Career Choice: A Parent's Dilemma by Raymond M. Wong

My son, Kevin, is 16 and just finished the 10^th grade. It’s hard to imagine him that old. It seemed like just yesterday we were playing Bakugan Brawl, Yu-Gi-Oh, or racing his Hot Wheels cars down our driveway. It didn’t seem long ago that I saw him riding his Razor scooter in front of our house. Now, my wife, Quyen, and I are talking to our son about getting his driver’s permit.

Kevin just started a Japanese class at Grossmont College this summer because he found out taking one college course is equivalent to two years of high-school credit. He is really into Anime so he jumped at the opportunity to take Japanese.

I have asked him about studying Chinese, and Quyen has suggested Vietnamese but it was like trying to get him to the dentist for a root canal. This isn’t the case with the Japanese course. Kevin is taking it with a friend from high school, and they stay on campus after class to do their homework. Our son makes flashcards to go over his vocabulary, and there are times he chooses to study Japanese instead of watching YouTube videos at home. What I’ve learned is that Kevin puts a lot more effort into his work when he chooses the class.

MIlitary Dad Raises 4 Kids

"I appreciate the time we have together because I know how important it is to live." -- Jonathon Stone, who lost his wife to cancer.

Dad Keeps His 'Team' Strong appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on June 18, 2017.

Dangerous Cars

Which cars are involved in the most fatalities? MSN Autos gives you the scoop on America's Deadliest Cars.

Cell Phone Plans

Need help picking out a cell phone plan? How about deciding on a cell phone without the contract? Data overages making you cranky? Here are your solutions:

MSN Money helps you decide on the best cell phone plan.

CNET guides you to the best cell phones that don't require a contract.

CNBC shows you how to avoid data overages on your iPhone.

Homeless Man Saves a Life

"When the accident happened, nobody knew who I was. You'd go by and sometimes people would lock their doors, say 'Oh, my gosh, there's a homeless person, lock your door,'" Pocock said, sitting in a chair in his tent. "Well, since then, people are like, 'Oh, my gosh, there's that homeless guy. Roll down your window.'"

A Miracle Save By A Homeless Man Gives Him A New Beginning was published by ABC News on June 7, 2017.

Making A Difference

"People who don't know me gave me brand new shoes, socks and prayed for me. It's awesome. It touched my heart. People really care about people."  -- Christopher Roe, living at the Rescue Mission.

Volunteers Wash Feet and Lift Spirits appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on June 10, 2017.

http://www.sdrescue.org/

Men in Healthcare

"Once you're the person in the room talking to the patients, seeing the ramifications of the choices you make, I don't see how anyone can not be pulled into it." -- Chauncey Incarnato, on becoming a registered nurse.

Health Sector Drawing More Men appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on June 15, 2017.

Highest Paying Internships

Where can you do an internship and get paid over $50K a year? This photo gallery includes companies like Facebook, Yahoo, Amazon, Yelp, and Qualcomm, where an internship can pay anywhere from $5000.00 to $8000.00 a month.

Want to Make $8000 Per Month? Get an Internship at . . . was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on May 2, 2017.

Once you complete your internship, you might consider applying for a job with grocery e-tailer "Boxed." The company head, Chieh Huang, has been known to spring for his employees' weddings. This Dream Boss Pays for Workers' Weddings, Their Kids' College appeared on MSN Money.

5 Money Mistakes -- New Graduates

I made the mistake of not doing a monthly budget until very recently. Why is that a problem? If you don't know how much you're spending, there's no way to rein it in. You have to be aware of where your money is going before you can curtail your spending, and a monthly budget helps. If you're not keeping a budget, start immediately. The following article has budgeting tips and an app that makes it easier to budget.

The 5 Biggest Money Mistakes New Grads Make appeared on Yahoo Finance.