Mahalo How To » Evan

Sitting around the house

Evan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:34:01 +0000

You may be finding yourself with lots of time on your hands, but without the budget to cure your boredom by going out and hitting the local hotspots all the time. If this is the case, there are plenty of skills to learn that will keep you occupied (and get things done) right in your own home.

If you’re living on your own for the first time, or maybe you just recently got a job that requires you to dress a little more formally than your usual dirty t-shirt and sweatpants, now may be the perfect time for you to learn how to iron a shirt.

Perhaps you would like to kill some time learning a culinary skill or two. Try making miso soup to start out your next meal, or delicious cream cheese frosting for a tasty dessert topping. Learning to cook will have instant benefits for your tastebuds.

Tired of hauling your car to the local shop only to feel like you’re getting ripped off? If you teach yourself how to perform basic car maintenance, you can save yourself the hassle (and the question of whether or not it’s a good deal) by changing your own oil and checking other auto essentials.

Then again, maybe you’re just bored because you’re so sick of being at home all the time. If that’s the case, it just might be time for you to rent your own private island. That was included in your yearly budget, wasn’t it?

Collecting from Uncle Sam

Evan — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:41:09 +0000

All across America, purses are tight and pennies are being pinched. Since so many people are looking for a few extra bucks here and there, tax season may be a bit more welcomed than usual by many people this year for one simple reason: refunds! If your bank statement has been waning before your eyes, getting your tax refund could be a real lifesaver. But make sure you do it right—take a look at How to File Your Taxes for some great tips on getting the job done correctly and on time.

Don’t forget that the Federal government is not the only refund you may be entitled to; you’re probably also going to get a little something back from your state government. Here are a few state-specific pages that might give you a little helping hand:

How to get your New York refund

How to get your California refund

How to get your Illinois refund

How to Become Just About Anything

Evan — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:31:31 +0000

With a lot of people looking for jobs these days, you may be wondering how to kick start the dream career you’ve always wanted. Mahalo has a whole host of How Tos that can help you get to where you want to be, no matter what direction you’re headed. For example, you can become a part of your local nightlife scene by training to be a bartender. Or for the slightly more ambitious, why not get started on the long (but ultimately rewarding) journey to becoming a doctor. If you’re hoping to help mold the minds of America’s future generations, perhaps you should consider being a teacher (or substitute teacher).

But learning a new skill doesn’t necessarily have to translate into a career. If you find yourself with your head in the clouds on a regular basis, you might consider learning how to become a pilot to see those clouds firsthand. Crazy about the film industry? Be a part of the cinema experience you love so much by becoming a movie extra.

With a whole slew of instructionals that can inspire you to do something new, or even become something you never thought you’d be, take a look through Mahalo’s How To category to find your calling!

Funding your band

Evan — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:47:40 +0000

As a musician, I’m always on the lookout for online promotion tools for artists and other great services. One of the more common sites that every independent artist could benefit from is CD Baby, which not only allows anyone to sell their CD online to fans across the globe, but also provides digital distribution to the iTunes Music Store (and just about every other digital music store) and has an advice area on their site in which musicians can discuss promotional techniques, making money with music, touring tips, etc. Also, their sister site Hostbaby is website hosting geared specifically towards musicians. Both sites are well known for their artist-friendly attitudes and attentive customer service.

One of the more interesting concepts I’ve come across recently is SellaBand.com. The site is basically set up to allow fans (called “believers”) to become angel investors for bands that they like. They find bands registered with SellaBand and invest as little as $10 (or more if they desire). Once a band reaches $50,000 they record an album and everyone who invested will receive a free copy (well, almost free… The $10 is more like a pre-order). Then the profits from the music that gets sold is split between the band, the site, and the believers who helped make it all happen.

Something of a revolutionary concept, really. While it may not be the ideal scenario for some bands (if you’re a garage band playing the local talent show circuit, good luck finding up to 5,000 people to support you), it just may be a sound business model for today’s internet-savvy indie bands. If you’re interested, check out their how it works page to learn more!

Flirting for beginners

Evan — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:18:36 +0000

Flirting is an art of such nuance that even the most enlightened Eastern philosophies dare not attempt to explain its mysteries. Consequently, my spiritual journey led me not to the Bhagavad-Gita but to the annals of the Internet, where even the most spiritually inept man or woman can find the occasional bit of accurate information. After stumbling upon such excellent resources as the BBC’s Science of Flirting and SIRC’s Guide to Flirting, I performed a public service by writing up Mahalo’s guide to How to Flirt.

But I couldn’t allow myself to stop there. I needed to give more back to the community; I needed to be sure the valuable and powerful information I had discovered would reach all who needed it. And, judging by what I’ve seen in day-to-day life, a lot of people need it. So I made this instructional video. I hope you enjoy it.