Can Planting A Garden Get You Unstuck?

I met yesterday with a client who had been dispirited for a long time and felt unable to make himself look for a job.

Far from the standard career advice, I suggested he plant a garden. I felt he needed an inspiring win to get him moving again.

He was excited, but moreso than I realized. He emailed me today that he was up all night thinking about his garden.

If starting a garden intrigues you, here are some suggestions:

Plant in winter for a spring crop: Allstar gourmet lettuce mix, Estella Rijnveld tulips. (The latter won't work in climates that don't get frost in winter.)

Plant in early spring after last frost: Early Girl tomatoes (matures early,) Big Beef tomatoes (matures later,) Tendersnax carrots, Honey Select corn, Uproar Rose zinnia.

Plant in late spring/early summer for a late summer/fall crop: Packman broccoli, Super Sugar Snap Pea-6-feet tall, mildew resistant) or Snow Pea Norli (2 feet tall), Magellan Coral zinnia.

To create a good environment for growing, pick a sunny patch of soil. Unless the soil is very clayey or very sandy, just spread 2 to 3 inches of a good compost and a handful of general-purpose granular fertilizer over each square yard of soil and spade it in thoroughly.  If your soil is very clayey or sandy, do the above but you might want to lay a raised bed over it. That's simply a box made, for example, of  2 x 8 to 2 x 12 untreated heart redwood or cedar with metal corners to connect the pieces. Those are available at any hardware or home improvement store. Fill that with 2/3 garden soil, 1/3 compost plus a scant handful of fertilizer per square yard.

I'll be on KQED's Forum today: The Present and Future of Jobs/Workplace

I'll be on KQED's Forum (88.5 FM in San Francisco, worldwide at KQED.org) today from 10:30 AM to 11 AM to discuss the most important changes in the job market in 2013 and likely changes in 2014.

Update: HERE is the link to the segment.

The U.S. Job Market is Improving? Bah, Humbug!

The government tries to convince us that the job market is improving by citing that the unemployment rate has declined.

That's grossly misleading. I prove so in my deeply pessimistic AOL.com article today.

To read it, click HERE.

The U.S. Workplace: NOT Bah, Humbug!

Since November 4, I've been devoting my U.S.News writings to a Bah, Humbug! series. Each week, I find something to criticize about employment in America.

But perhaps because Christmas is nigh, I've decided to, like Scrooge, find a little last-minute Christmas spirit. So my USNews.com contribution today is: The U.S.Workplace: Not Bah, Humbug!

Dealing with Holiday Stress in a Harsh World

When I asked readers what they'd like me to write about, Doug Skinner sent me the following email. (He has given me permission to reprint it.)

What's on my mind, Marty, is handling stress from the holidays. I'd love to find a place of peace and joy in a world that's pretty harsh.

Okay, Doug, here are my thoughts.

It seems you're asking about two separate things: how to handle holiday stress and how to deal with a harsh world. I'll try to address both:

Dealing with holiday stress

We'll feel stressed or sad if the upcoming holiday season is unlikely to live up to the stereotype, for example, a party with the happy extended family laughing and bonding. Here are four ways to address the situation:

• Create Christmas: Gather hand-picked relatives and friends or make new ones by taking out a Craiglist platonic ad or even people you like at work, in an avocation, or even at a bar. Invite them to a Christmas party at your place, the community room at your apartment complex, wherever. Invite a lost soul to spend New Year's Eve with you. 
• Volunteer your butt off. A great way to deflect feeling sorry for yourself is to turn your attention to helping others. 
• Forget the norm and enjoy the holidays in solitude. Music, TV, your favorite foods, a glass of wine, contemplation or writing, can make a Christmas that's more rewarding and less stressful than what many people experience.
• Resolve to make more friends or build family relations so next year's holidays will be better.

Of course, a major source of Christmas stress is gifting. Except for a present I bought on Amazon for my wife and one for my best friend, I've forgone gifting and instead created a musical and storytelling holiday e-card that I sent broadly. If someone likes me less for not buying them a present, I believe it's their failing, not mine. For years, I've been sending only an e-card on which I read or play piano and haven't lost one friend as a result.

The harsh world

True, the world seems to be getting harsher. People don't keep their promises. They don't return phone calls. Job applicants often don't even get the dignity of a rejection letter-- they must wait indefinitely hoping, in vain. Even family members may screw each other, especially for money. As my father said, "Respect but suspect."

But there are many good people plus many more who are good when treated well. Easier said than done but I believe it's worth working hard to be a good person. Also, maximize the amount of time you spend with good people and minimize time with lesser lights. Do those things and your stress will likely diminish and somehow the world won't seem so harsh.

I hope that helps, Doug.

Should You Retire?: 10 Questions to Help You Decide.

My USNews.com contribution today: Should You Retire?: 10 Questions to Help You Decide.

Is there anything you'd like to see me write about?

Is there anything you'd like to see me write about?