Month: December 2018

Austrian Economics is Common Sense Observation

The Austrian school of economics derives most of it’s teachings from logic and philosophy. Austrians, students of this branch of economics, don’t create new rules, rather they observe and interpret the natural interactions in the market that were already there.

Think of it as Isaac Newton “discovering” the laws of gravity. He didn’t create those laws and then gravity suddenly behaved the way he described it, he’s simply concretizing natural phenomenons that already occurred. Continue reading Austrian Economics is Common Sense Observation

Movie Review: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Coen brothers released their latest film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. It’s an anthology, a collection of six different stories about life in the wild west. Between each story, pages of a book are turned segueing into the next story.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs pays homage to both western novelists of the past and old western movies.

The first story pokes fun at the absurdism of the American directed westerns from the 1940s and 1950s, with the main character, Buster Scruggs representing that era.

The first story also has a lot of references from spaghetti Westerns, represented by the grit of the characters and the realism of the dirty clothes they wore. Contrast that with Buster Scruggs’ pristine costume, his happy-go-lucky attitude, and frozen smile.

Each story gets more serious than the last and they all share a common theme of death. Life was difficult and illnesses like tuberculosis and small pox were common.

Overall, every scene was beautifully edited and the acting was superb. The stories all have sudden twists and unexpected endings so it keeps you on your toes.

If you haven’t watched any Westerns you might not understand the references being made. So I recommend watching ones with John Wayne or spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood to gain a better appreciation.

Five Below is One Reason Why I Love Capitalism

I feel like I’ve been living under a rock because I had no idea Five Below existed until this year. It’s the best place to shop for gifts within a cheap budget and everything is five dollars or under!

Think of it as a higher quality version of the dollar store with more variety. Continue reading Five Below is One Reason Why I Love Capitalism

How to Land a Job Without a Degree

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

You can get a job without a degree by creating a value proposition and pitching it to your future employer. A value proposition is basically a work project that a business will find valuable and improve by implementing it.

The truth is employers don’t give a crap about your credentials, internships, degrees, and community service, or Greek life. It doesn’t tell them how you’re valuable to them. Instead, it says, “Thousands of other people have similar resumes and I’m just another cookie cutter, but hire me anyway because I graduated just like everyone else.” Continue reading How to Land a Job Without a Degree

Module 5 of Praxis: The Final Month!

It’s the final module of the Praxis boot camp and this means I’m preparing for the month apprenticeship.

I can’t believe how fast time flew since July when I just started the program and it has been the most productive six months of my life. I keep asking myself, “Is this really happening?”

I experienced imposter syndrome throughout the boot camp. I felt everyone in my class was smarter than me and knew what they were talking about. It turns out that this was a common occurrence for most Praxis participants, in fact T.K. Coleman, the education director reassured us, “You are in the right place at the right time.”

So this module will focus on preparation for the six month apprenticeship. Basically, I’ll be creating projects to increase my hireability and looking for ways to improve a business.

I’ll keep you posted about my progress. Wish me luck!