Articles written by Mark Johnson

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About me - Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson, CGFM, CPM has had a variety of work experiences, ranging from practicing law, investigating government agencies, and budgeting to being Finance Director for a state agency. He has served as Deputy Director for an 800-employee governmental organization.

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Jobs & Careers > Stress & Time Management Why it's important to develop a work-life balance: 2 of 69
Balance can be seen as important in much of the world around us. When a tree leans heavily to one side, a strong wind can rip it out of the ground. When a ship's cargo is unbalanced, the ship can list to one size and be easily capsized. Anyone who has driven a car with a tire out of balance has had a rough ride. Balance can b... More..
Relationships & Family > Domestic Violence & Abuse Incest and the innocent child: 1 of 29
First, what is incest? It is sexual activity, ranging from fondling to intercourse, between two family members who are not married to each other. Incest is a matter of state law, and states vary on the degree of kinship or type of activity that constitutes incest, but even borderline legal incest is still wrong, and still dam... More..
Arts & Humanities > Thoughts on Writing Deciding between more or fewer characters in your story: 1 of 13
Unfortunately, there is no mathematical formula for the number of characters in a story that "works." It is based on the story, and on the author, but a few guidelines and ideas can be presented to help decide. First, what kind of character do you want? You can have a virtually endless supply of what the movie business would ... More..
Personal Finance > Banking Basics What is a credit union?: 1 of 11
Basically, a credit union is a cooperative created to provide financial services to its members. That says it all, but it makes a very short article, so a bit of detail may be in order. A credit union is a cooperative. This means that it is owned and controlled by its members, not a group of investors. It is also created to p... More..
Education > Education (Other) What place do libraries have in our education system today, considering the rise in Internet-based research?: 8 of 73
The modern library has come a long way from the dusty shelves filled with parchment scrolls, waiting to be read some day by the literate with leisure time for reading, or those with a need or desire for research. In our education system today, libraries do far more than simply store dead-tree publications that are available o... More..
Health & Fitness > Depression Recognizing the common symptoms of depression: 2 of 16
Clinical depression is not simple sadness. Sure, it's normal to be depressed when something happens like the death of a loved one, but that sort of depression is not usually debilitating. Clinical depression is a disease of the brain that affects your daily life, but it can be treated. Feelings of sadness are normal, as are ... More..
Business > General Management Successful management skills: 4 of 31
A supervisor is one who gets work accomplished through the efforts of others; a manager is a step up the organizational ladder from a supervisor. A successful manager must meet both the organizational needs where he or she works, as well as the "people needs" of his or her employees. Meeting the organizational needs is often ... More..
Personal Finance > Spending & Saving (Other) Is a credit union or a regular bank the best choice?: 1 of 6
My first impulse is to say, "Of course, a credit union is always the best choice for everyone." Frankly, that may not always be true, much as I may wish it to be otherwise. Actually, it depends on the individual's needs, wants, and situation. Starting with the basics, what is a credit union? It is a cooperative venture, owned... More..
Food & Drink > Wine How to choose a Riesling: 1 of 6
Riesling, served cool, is a wonderful summertime drink. Running the gamut from very dry to almost-too sweet, it tends to have more bouquet than some of the traditionally drier whites, such as a pinot gris. The flavor may not have quite the fullness of a chardonnay, but tends to have an excellent aftertaste. Riesling is also ... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Murder: 34 of 194
The fight began when one of the priest's supporters took the doll from her. Jack, crouched in the ferns outside the priory, clenched a fist in triumph. Suddenly he could hear the police breaking up the brawl. Martha, his unwitting accomplice, bit a policeman on the arm. The officer yanked his arm away and she spat, "Take that... More..