Here's one reason why the first quarter of 2013 isn't going to be a good quarter for a lot of retail companies:

From the AP:

President Barack Obama isn't talking about it and neither is Mitt Romney. But come January, 163 million workers can expect to feel the pinch of a big tax increase regardless of who wins the election.

A temporary reduction in Social Security payroll taxes is due to expire at the end of the year and hardly anyone in Washington is pushing to extend it. Neither Obama nor Romney has proposed an extension, and it probably wouldn't get through Congress anyway, with lawmakers in both parties down on the idea.

Even Republicans who have sworn off tax increases have little appetite to prevent one that will cost a typical worker about $1,000 a year, and two-earner family with six-figure incomes as much as $4,500.

 Here are the top ten thing you should do before going on any interview. Remember to focus on yourself and think positive before going into the interview.
 
1. What do I know about the company?
 
2. What do I know about the job?
 
3. What do I know about the interviewer and the selection process? Who am I meeting?
 
4. What is my 30-word response to "Tell me about yourself?"
 
5. What points are unique about me and support my application?
 
6. What achievements will the interviewer(s) be most interested in?
 
7. What possible problem areas are there in my application and how can I
put them positively?
 
8. What possible question areas will I have for my interviewer(s)?
 
9. Have I prepared well for the technical part of the interview?
 
10. What lasting impression do I want to leave with my interviewers(s)?

The Unemployment numbers look good for Massachusetts:

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Dec. 20 were in California (+20,866), Kentucky (+13,337), Michigan (+8,160), Missouri (+7,091), and Indiana (+6,795), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-4,016), Georgia (-3,525), New Jersey (-1,866), Tennessee (-1,649), and Illinois (-1,194).

Connecting with your Goals: Creating a road map for success

• Challenge yourself to work on areas that need improvement
• Goals should be challenging, measurable, self-referenced, and within your control
• Technique goals, practice goals, competition goals, mental training goals, strength/conditioning goals, etc.
• Goal Planning (begin with the end in mind, develop specific action plans and strategies for achievement)
• Set short term goals (daily/weekly, monthly) in relation to long term objectives (Career)
• Balance outcome goals with performance goals
• Outcome goals (Bonuses)
• Performance goals (In order to win the big accounts, we need to commit ourselves to …)
• Write your goals down and specify timetables for achievement
• Monitor, evaluate, and adjust your goals based on the progress you are making (adapt and persist)
• Get in habit of using weekly journals
• Think of creative ways to quantify and measure your goals
• Take Pride and Ownership over your goals - be accountable to yourself and to your teammates
• Finally, have a passion for you are doing - challenge yourself to raise the bar in your pursuit of excellence

Putting Your Mind in a Position to Think Confidently and Compete Well

• Personal Meaning and Incentives (what drives you to reach your goals)
• The Psychology of Personal Excellence (Terry Orlick, 2000, "In Pursuit of Excellence")
• Knowing where you want to go (having a vision)
• How much you really want to get there (commitment)
• How strongly you believe in your ability to arrive at your desired destination (belief)
• Connecting with each step in front of you (focused connection)
• Ask yourself "what type of engineer do I want to become here at XXX, and what is it going to take for me to get there" (vision and commitment)