Life is too short not to do what makes you happy -- whether it's reading, writing, painting, dancing, fishing, diving, mall hopping, watching movies, preaching the Gospel, going to sporting events, traveling, playing catch with your kids, fixing cars, hitting up museums, and the like. We've all heard the expression, "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." I realize not all of us are fortunate enough to work in careers we love. Maybe we have to stay in our jobs to support our families. Perhaps we're at a point where starting over would mean going back to school, which isn't financially feasible. Or, chances are that what we love to do doesn't pay a livable wage. Luckily, we can do what we love on the side while keeping our full-time job. Indulge your creative bent by writing on a freelance basis. Enroll in a painting or guitar class at your local community college. Use your time after work to finally get that pastry busines...

According to new research from the University at Buffalo School of Management published in the  Journal of Retailing , even health-conscious consumers continue to buy some less-healthy foods. The study found that despite the fact that consumers are concerned about healthy eating, junk food still winds up in their shopping carts. What people say they want to eat and what they actually buy aren't always in agreement. As the researchers point out, consumers make tradeoffs on healthy and unhealthy food to varying degrees. The researchers analyzed two years' worth of scanner data across more than 70 stores of a U.S. retailer as well as survey responses from 400 of the chain's shoppers to determine if consumers consciously balanced their health concerns with their actual food purchases. The study divided consumers into three groups using a mathematical model based on their concerns and attitudes: the first group consisted of health-driven shoppers, the second took a mor...