The Stampede starts today and many a Calgarian gets a head start on their alcoholism problem today. Don’t get me wrong - there’s lot of fun and partying to be had. Just a few too many people seem to go overboard during the next 10 days of barely getting any work done before one goes on vacation.

Many times over the last 15 years or so I’ve been asked by friends, acquaintances, clients and employers ‘how do you know your relationship is working?’ Or, ‘if we hire you, how will we know that you’re committed to our firm and that you won’t just leave in a few months when something better comes along?’ Good questions! Tough questions that require some introspection and self-analysis to determine their answers. Perhaps you’ve had these same sorts of questions leveled at you? Perhaps it’s been a struggle or you’ve been confused for some time now as to what to do: “should I stay in this dead-end job or should I leave?” Maybe you like the work you’re doing but you still don’t feel quite right, happy that is? Maybe you’re in a relationship with someone where things seem to have gone stale over the months or years you’ve been together and you don’t know whether to stay or go. Honestly, the way you view and handle your relationships with yourself, your significant others or your work are all essentially the same. You need to do some personal work and come up with some answers for yourself that will be the foundation for your relationship approach.  For myself, putting it quite simply, I typically look these unsuspecting Questioners in the eyes and say “as long as I’m winning!” Let me explain in more detail what sounds like a self-centered answer.

Came across a great little tax-related book written by David Voth for Canadians. It’s not a long book (just over 130 pages) and doesn’t take the place of your personal tax Adviser but it’s chock full of great tax saving tips any taxpayer or entrepreneur should take advantage of if they aren’t already. Especially if you don’t like paying taxes - I mean, who does really? And the tips Mr. Voth talks about are legal and simple. Take for example the tip on the “reasonable expectation to make a profit” test.

While my posting of these workplace/workforce predictions isn’t that timely, it’s still relevant and interesting to see what futurists predict for this year. Myself, I predict that a flattening of the upward growth curve for the economy (particularly here in Alberta) will feel to some people like a catastrophy given that employment growth will slow down, cutbacks made, debts out of wack, etc. As well, a lot more folks will try the contract or self-employment route. So, work hard and clean up your personal finances for the coming rougher waters ahead. Then it’s back to clear sailing.