Category: Writing
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An Overview of Financial Planning Checklists
I’ve spent some time this past week investigating the topic of financial planning checklists. These are my rough notes: 1) I completely agree with Michael Kitces’ 2013 article on the topic where he notes that checklists should be – but are not yet – implemented as the workhorse of professional practice standards in the financial planning…
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Online writing tips from Jeff Bullas
Create an opening line that pops Use facts that surprise Insert insights that are not obvious Make up a creative subtitle Use rhythm in your writing Break the rules Use an opening paragraph that mentions a pain point Develop a voice that is original Include visuals in your articles Use statistics that are mind blowing…
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Turning Point for Success
“I found every single successful person I’ve ever spoken to had a turning point. The turning point was when they made a clear, specific unequivocal decision that they were going to achieve success. Some people make that decision at 15 and some people make it at 50, and most people never make it at all.”…
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Advertising investigation by BBB
I am frustrated by the Better Business Bureau’s “shoot first and ask questions later” policy in pulling my A+ rating for an advertising review. I wrote about my original complaint with BBB staff behavior at https://novaktony.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/the-detail-of-my-complaint-against-the-better-business-bureau/. I became aware that the BBB replaced my A+ rating with a “NR” (not rated) on September 28 when a…
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Annotated copy of “Death and Taxes for Zombies”
This is my annotated copy of another writer’s work used for noncommercial purposes. DEATH AND TAXES AND ZOMBIES Adam Chodorow† The U.S. stands on the precipice of a financial disaster, and Congress has done nothing but bicker. Of course, I refer to the coming day when the undead walk the earth, feasting on the living.…
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How to write good
How to write good By Frank Visco Avoid Alliteration. Always. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They’re old hat.) Employ the vernacular. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive. Contractions aren’t necessary. Foreign words and…
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A short reflection on accepting change
Robert Frost wrote: “When I was young my teachers were the old. I gave up fire for form till I was cold. I suffered like a metal being cast. I went to school to age to learn the past. Now I am old my teachers are the young. What can’t be molded must be cracked…
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My biggest regrets of 2011
1. Missing the Delaware Estuary Summit in Cape May this past January. I’ll be sure to make the next one in 2013. 2. Underestimating consumer reaction in response to passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The change in consumer market behavior caused a net drop in my net income through Freedom Benefits of about 40%. 3. Relying on…
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Odetta’s birthday December 31, 1930
Please take a few minutes today to consider Odetta who would have been 80 years old today but passed away in late 2008. She is among the most powerful, most inspirational and most-respected role models in American culture over more than six decades. It seems that every artist and leader of our generation was influenced…
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Spin on “junk health insurance”
My writing this week illustrated the power of language in the most simple and classic form. I know when I’ve hit a nerve because of the number of complaints generated; it is an unfortunate fact in the political world that those who cannot directly combat free speech will attack through another means. By that measure, a sudden wave…