I realize that it’s Friday and the world of work is probably the last thing you want to have on your mind as you head into the weekend. Even so, we spend so many of our waking hours behind our desks or at our workstations. We tend to define ourselves based on our occupations, so it’s clear that our careers have a dramatic effect on how we lead our lives. Let’s see what other bloggers have to say about working.

Tyler Cruz is a successful Internet entrepreneur and he loves the ability to run his own business from the comfort of his home. He also recognizes some of the value of attending trade shows, but he also explains why he doesn’t attend many conferences. The travel time can be pretty brutal if you live any distance away from an international airport, but should he be investing more of his time in building real-world relationships?

John Grohol is a resident expert in psychology, so he knows a thing or two about how our little brains work. If you find that you are constantly overwhelmed with your to-do list, never finding enough hours in the day, then you may want to check out Grohol’s recent post on how to get it done today. Challenge your irrational thoughts, know how long each task will take, and break it all down into easily digestible parts.

NC Winters provides an enlightening look into the world of freelancing and why freelancers charge the rates that they do. In Freelance Freedom #114, we listen in on a conversation between a client and a freelance designer, understanding why this designer can justify charging two times as much as an equivalent full-time employee. Can I have my paid sick leave now?

Chris Bibey is a professional writer and he appreciates the fact that his chosen career involves very little in terms of out-of-pocket expenses. So long as his Internet connection is robust and his computer is reasonably reliable, he’s pretty much set. Even so, he also recognizes the importance of saving for a rainy day, in case any unforeseen expenses should arise. You never know when you may need a new laptop or printer, so you should be prepared to absorb these costs.

Andy Hayes published a guest post on Get Paid to Write Online the other day, discussing how it is possible to keep up with your work while on the road. The Internet has certainly opened up a lot of telecommuting possibilities, but there are still steps and preparations that need to be taken in order to best handle the mobile office experience. Test everything, backup everything, and take the time to enjoy yourself too.

We’ve made our way through another work week, so it’s time to site back, relax, and enjoy some of the great posts that the blogosphere had to offer this week. Whether you’re looking to save some cash, embark on a new career, or just survive another day, we’ve got a little something here for you.

Damien Riley has always been interested in the world of psychology, but many of these issues have bubbled to the surface due to the current economic climate. How do you cope with mental health concerns during the recession? Getting laid off can easily be enough to spark a depression, but you have to remember to take care of yourself, just as you would take care of a hurt child.

Foximus demystifies a world that is still very murky and clouded for many people. Check out the most recent post defining financial terms that you need to know. Do you understand how compound interest really works? What exactly is a foreclosure and how is that related to a default? Armed with the new jargon, you may be in a better position to discuss your situation with your banking institution.

Coach Stan continues with our financial discussion by unearthing a very dark secret. The best way to use a credit card is to pay off your balance in full each time you receive a bill, but do you know how much you pay when you somehow skip a payment? It turns out that CIBC charges 92.4% interest on credit cards. This is not the rate that they advertise, of course, but you could be paying double for that new HDTV without even knowing it!

Ms. Danielle went to a discussion hosted by the Social Media Club (Los Angeles) the other day, exploring the phenomenon of citizen journalism. No longer is news restricted to official news outlets, because we have very much turned to our peers. In this way, Danielle wonders if Twitter can make you into an effective journalist. You are providing up to the minute updates, right?

Obzokee has always been an expert on the work-at-home market for a variety of different occupations. Some of us choose to become freelance writers. Others embark into the world of affiliate marketing. Have you ever considered the possibility of being a virtual assistant? Many of the most common questions and myths are debunked within.

Another week has come and gone. Before you embark on what will surely be a beautiful weekend with family and friends, let’s have a look once again at what the blogosphere has to offer. Who knows? You might actually learn something along the way.

Buzz Bishop told us last week that he was going to get married. Now that he’s exchanged his nuptials with his new wife, he’s telling us how to have a wedding on a budget. While it’s easy to go overboard with decorations and party favors, Buzz and his bride were able to keep the total bill at right around $5,000. Impossible? Read his 15 tips on how to keep costs low.

Chris Bibey is a successful freelance writer, not only because he’s good at what he does, but also because he knows how to best run his business. In following this, he refuses to take on paid on accepted work projects. This is where the client will only pay if they “accept” the work you submit. In effect, you are not guaranteed any payment at all and this is a very risk path to take.

Obzokee is a fan of the King of Pop, just like most of us, but he also wonders if it is right to do business with Michael Jackson. In the wake of Michael Jackson’s death, it seems that all sorts of online (and offline) marketers are trying to cash in on our emotions, writing blog posts and selling related products. Is this ethical? Is it right? Should you profit from the passing of notable celebrities?

Hummingbird604 has only been a part of the Facebook scene for a very short while, but he is already getting creeped out by the friend suggestions. This seems like a useful feature for the social networking site, because you can connect with people you may not have found otherwise, but does this mean that Facebook knows you better than you know yourself? I’ve been getting some odd suggestions lately too.

Michel Fortin has an interesting piece of business advice for all of us to consider. Don’t be transparent. It seems that there is a push toward transparency in the business world, being crystal clear with colleagues and customers alike, but Michel says that we should be authentic instead. You don’t have to disclose everything, but you should be perfectly honest and real.

For my fellow Canadians, we ended up with what feels like two very short work weeks. Since Canada Day fell on a Wednesday this year, it’s like we worked two days, got one day off, worked two more days, and now we get two more days off. For our neighbours to the south, you guys get to have a great Independence Day tomorrow. Either way, we’ve got another collection of blog posts for your reading pleasure. It’s got a little bit of everything.

Tyler Ingram took a short trip over to Vancouver Island with Robyn and they decided to go on a whale watching tour. It’s very rare to see the orcas on the ferry routes, so these little tours are definitely worthwhile. Check out some of the terrific shots that Tyler was able to get on his DSLR. That massive lens must’ve come in handy.

Daily Writing Tips has noticed that the MLA standard has been updated to better reflect the way that we access information these days. You all remember the MLA Works Cited rules from high school, right? Well, you no longer have to provide the full URL of a web resource and there are official abbreviations for when you can find the publisher or the publishing date.

Buzz Bishop and his fiance will be exchanging vows tomorrow on their very special day, but this isn’t Buzz’s first time at the dance. He was married to someone else a few years ago and he had to make a decision regarding what to do with the wedding photos. How would you handle the “evidence” of your first marriage? Buzz chose to hit the delete key.

Darren Barefoot may not be from Alberta, but he is still mindful of some of the issues that surround the people who do live there. For example, there is an ongoing debate surrounding Edmonton’s airport. The international airport is just fine at about 30km away from downtown, but the City Centre Airport (a couple minutes outside of downtown) may soon cease to exist in favor of developing the land into commercial and residential property.

Copyblogger noticed that old school marketing techniques no longer seem to work. You can’t just yell at your customers to buy your products anymore and he blames Canada for the change. You see, Canadians are far too friendly to be pushed around like that. You need to provide value and be nice to be a successful marketer with us.

The weekend is upon us again, so as is tradition around these parts, we’re going to see what the bloggers on the Internet have to offer us as we take a tour of the blogosphere. Let’s make this a weekend filled with awesomeness!

No post about being awesome would be complete without Ed Lau. He says that his blog provides 100% of your recommended daily intake of awesome. While he doesn’t have the iPhone 3G S (yet), Ed did upgrade his current iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3.0 software and he’s loving the built-in tethering. Now he can have real Internet access on his laptop anywhere he has cellular service.

The blogosphere just hasn’t been the same for the last few months, because it’s been missing Derek Semmler. Well, the native from the Chicago area has hopped back to his personal blog for a quick update. Did you miss him? In his update, he talks about his day job, getting more sleep, and his Harley.

Like so many other children of the 1980s, Greg Morgan grew up as a big fan of Michael Jackson. He was incredibly influenced by his music, enthralled by his dancing ability, and thoroughly entertained by MJ as a performer. It was definitely sad to see the King of Pop pass away yesterday, but let’s remember the good times… like the first ever moonwalk. The iconic dance has been immortalized on YouTube.

International travel is one of the best ways to spend your money, especially if it means that you get to visit family that you may not have ever seen before. Tyler Cruz is taking advantage of his dot com lifestyle for a two-week (minimum) trip to the Philippines. He’s half-Filipino and he’s going not only to visit the beautiful country, but also to meet up with his 90-year-old grandma and, by his own estimation, 4,023 cousins.

Sometimes, it pays to be a tourist in your own city. Rebecca Bollwitt, who you may know better as Miss604, recently took a trip out to the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver to visit the Vancouver Police Museum. While there, she got a great tour of the old morgue, a brief history lesson on Gastown, and all sorts of views into Vancouver’s underbelly.

Thank goodness it’s Friday. As is tradition around these parts, that means it’s time to take a brief stroll through this place we call the blogosphere to see what the bloggers have had to say. This week, we focus on the gastronomical exploits of some Vancouver area locals (and one bloke from overseas). You like to eat, right?

Ed Lau spoiled himself when he went to visit Japan last year, enjoying some of the best sushi and other fine Japanese cuisine that this world has to offer. Back home in Richmond, his Japanese dining experience hasn’t been quite the same, but he’s managed to find at least one place that does it right. Ed went to Torarenbo for Tenzaru Soba. He got cold zaru soba noodles, fresh tempura, and a chopped scallop roll.

Hummingbird604, who some of you may know better simply as Raul, was invited to The Lazy Gourmet for a delectable barbecue. Located in the Kitsilano area, The Lazy Gourmet isn’t your typical restaurant. Instead, it is a local business that focuses heavily on “providing sustainable food catering options.” Raul managed to triple-book himself for the night, so he didn’t get to eat all that much. He hopes to go back some day soon.

Instant Gratification Girl (aka Lisa) has been trying her hand at a few different dining options lately. Most recently, she attempted the Cavewoman Diet. These days, we eat far too much processed foods, so the idea behind the Cavewoman Diet (or Caveman Diet, if you prefer) is to eat more natural foods from our hunter and gatherer days. In five days, she lost about six pounds. Nice work!

Buzz Bishop may best be known as a local radio personality, but he’s also heavily involved with charitable events around the world. As part of Team Diabetes, he recently made a long trek down to South America for a marathon. While there, he was able to experience several Easter Island restaurants, reviewing several of them along the way. There’s more to the island than giant stone heads.

A Welsh View features a challenge that the breakfast lovers in the audience may want to try. He found a massive breakfast for 10 British pounds. That works out to about $18 Canadian. Included in the meal are 10 eggs, 10 bacon strips, 10 sausage links, 10 slices of toast, 5 black puddings, tomatoes, beans, and mushrooms. If you can polish off the plate in 20 minutes, it’s free.