Our job environment plays a big role in our overall job satisfaction. Because of the current job scarcity, more individuals are prone to stay at a job where they are overqualified, underpaid, and more likely than not, very stressed. The option of quitting before another job is secured is less viable these days, which can make a person not only stressed, but also somewhat hopeless. Below are some tips to ease some of the stress of such an environment.

I grew up in the age of Napster and Kazaa as well as DC++ and MyTunes in college dorms. If somebody wanted to listen to a song they could pretty easily grab it and build out their music library instantly. The size of people's collection not only became a contest, but a source of gigabyte based pride. Nowadays the trend of illegal file-sharing is pretty dead. Sure you can still hop onto BitTorrent and grab some music, but with the advent of solid streaming services who really wants to fill up their hard drives with an overwhelming amount of songs you'll never have the time to listen to? There are a number of free services out there to help you get your music fill. 

Happy 4th of July LA! We’re assuming most of you are set on bbq-ing, and watching fireworks today, but we’ve got a feeling that for some that doesn’t sound exciting. Different strokes for different folks and all that jazz. The beauty of a big city like LA is that there are lots of alternative 4th of July options. Whatever your preference, there are myriad ways to enjoy a beautiful summer day.

Sure we love singing in the rain, but we also like dry clothes, so we're probably going to be bumming around the house this weekend. There's no lack of random cleaning and fixing up style projects, but sometimes a bum has just got to relax. We're gonna pamper ourselves with a budget-friendly home spa day. You may go it alone or invite over some friends, but a little special treatment is always a good time. Let's go through the different body parts for an overall silky smooth achievement.

What did you decide to accomplish this year? Scale Mt. Whitney or conquer Kilimanjaro? Right. So focus on what you can do: make some time for yourself. With all the demands on your schedule and the post-holiday blues setting in, you probably need some "me time." Whether you're in dire need of an hour on the couch or an afternoon walk, schedule an appointment with yourself on your shiny new 2011 calendar.

Carolers around the country have been warning you to be nice, but chances are Santa may still leave you a whole lotta nothing in your stocking. It's not your fault; Santa is broke too this year. There's no need to skip the holiday spirit though. You can save Christmas with the help of a couple of bums from bum-ville. Forget the expensive (and unaffordable presents), call up the troops and trim a tree!

Many of us bums are doing freelance writing, working on our screen plays, or trying to take over the world from a corner of our bedrooms and living rooms. Though the commute is great and office attire is unbeatable, when physical space is multi-function it's a bit harder to differentiate work-time from down-time. Unless you have the money to move to a bigger home or add a floor, consider spending some time creating separate space for your work. When creating a plan for work/everything else separation, plan on organizing your private space and re-thinking the public. The space dilemma requires a bit of a mix-and-match-as-needed approach.