Goodwill

Recently, I've been given the opportunity to put my accounting brain to use a little bit at work. Despite my departure from the field, I still have an analytical mind that deals well with numbers and accounting concepts. I've been able to enjoy exercising this part of my brain recently because it's gone largely unused for so long.

For some reason, one concept that keeps coming to mind over and over again is that of goodwill. In accounting parlance, goodwill essentially represents the residual value of a company after all of it's physical assets have been stripped away. An appropriate way to illustrate goodwill is through the sale of an organization. Suppose I have an accounting firm and it's physical assets are a $100,000 building and $50,000 worth of computer hardware and software and desks, chairs, etc. Now let's say I was able to sell my firm for $225,000. The $75,000 that a buyer was willing to pay above and beyond the value of the physical assets of my firm is goodwill. This $75,000 represents the positive reputation the business has in the community, client lists, and other such intangible assets.

Now, the point.

I write a blog. Well, I used to write a blog. Now I possess a blog that I have failed to update in months. Seeing as how there are no physical assets related to this blog, it's sole value is found in goodwill. This goodwill is embodied in all the people that come back day after day to read and enjoy what I have shared. I am fairly convinced that after my repeated writing droughts, I have lost anyone that meets such a description. This leaves my blog utterly and completely worthless.

Putting your time into something you know is worthless can be discouraging, but I don't want to have my name on something that's worthless, so I'm going to try to get some of you back.

I don't want this to be one of those posts where I apologize that I haven't written in awhile and promise to write more.  I've already written that post a few times and seen it countless times on other blogs. Truth is, I've been crazy busy so I can't blame myself too much. There is some really cool stuff going on in my life right now though, and I'm hoping that I'm going to have the discipline to share as much of it as possible here. So, check back soon. Maybe I will have added a little more that's worth reading, and we can increase the value of my little corner of the webernets.

In the meantime, watch these videos, more awesomeness from Gotye and a sweet group that covered him:



Homeboy goes a little hard on the chorus, but this is a ridiculous cover. Love it.



An admittedly sardonic but an awesome depiction of the way we let life and the dull, pressing routines therein captivate us and bum us out. I'm amazed that this guy has time for social commentary with all the time he spends making incredible music and accompanying videos.