noelham

All Over the Place!

I’m sure you can tell from the few blog posts I’ve written, I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up!

You’ve seen posts from me about surveying, writing, and building a cash flow business. So you might be thinking to yourself, “This guy has the attention span of a gnat!”, or “This guy better pick something and get to work!”.

You are correct. Although, I feel like my problem has always been that I’m a bit too much like Charlie Brown. I used to read a lot of Peanuts cartoons by Charles Schultz and I always identified deeply with Charlie Brown. A super-nice guy, but a little flaky and a little wishy-washy. As the old song goes, “He’s a clown, that Charlie Brown…” (“Charlie Brown” by the Coasters – look it up if you’ve never heard it!).

I’ve been reading books lately that give all sorts of great advice, but there was one thing that stuck in my head recently: “Find someone who’s doing what you want to be doing and go learn from them.” I can’t find the book I read that in and I definitely can’t take credit for something so smart and simple.

A friend of mine from high school is currently building himself a living through investing in rental properties and real estate. I called him up, invited him for drinks, and then attacked him with 20,000 questions. Maybe I should have warned him what was coming, but I found out pretty quickly that he was more that willing to talk about what he’s been working at the past few years. He also gave me a ton of great advice and resources to look at. Here’s a few of the nuggets I’ve got so far:

Look into courses and information from Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) Canada (reincanada.com): a great resource for learning about real estate investing in Canada.
There are many ways to get into real estate investing, but understand the numbers – “it’s all about the numbers” (I’ll maybe elaborate on this a bit more later).
The worst thing you can do is to do nothing – my friend said he read that in the literature somewhere. It’s not something he came up with, but it’s something that stuck with him.
Take some time, think about what it is you really want, what you want your future to look like, what you want your business to look like, and why you’re getting into real estate investing. Then write it down, make a plan, and start working.

In my last post (Our New Journey…..) I mentioned my wife and I were going to talk to a Mortgage Broker and find out if we can afford a new property. Our real estate agent recommended a very professional broker here in Regina – Denise Allin. She has been amazing to work with so far! And I can’t say enough about our Real Estate Agent – Jennica George (Regina – RE/MAX)! After talking to my friend I realized that we were getting ahead of ourselves a bit and needed to first come up with a plan.

Over the weekend we (my wife and I) will be spending some time thinking, talking, and writing about our plans and goals for the future. We have an idea in our minds about where we want to be in 10 years (retired!), but we need to be in agreement about how we’re going to get there and what we think our retirement looks like. After all, I don’t want to imagine what retirement looks like without my wife and I hope she feels the same way! I guess I’ll find out this weekend….

Our New Journey – Creating Cash Flow with Real Estate

I’m sorry that I’ve been missing in action for the past 6 months!

There are lots of things I could blame for my inactivity:

busy at work
busy playing Hearthstone
busy with day to day life
busy being lazy

Lots of things to blame….. but only one person to blame: me.

For the past few months I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up and I’ve come to the realization that I don’t ever intend to grow up. I’ve also been trying to figure out how my wife and I can reach our biggest goal: that I can be retired at age 60 and my wife can be retired at age 52.

Let’s back up for a minute….

I got very sick about 10 years ago and ended up in the hospital. My employer at the time was amazing and gave me time to get healthy and get back to work. That illness helped me put things into perspective and made me think about what I really wanted. I wanted to be a father and have the financial freedom to spend time with my family. I convinced my wife that we needed to find a property that could provide rental income and could help us work towards building cash flow. There were many long days while I was sick and away from work, so I had started reading books by Robert Kiyosaki and other experts on “cash flow”.

We bought a house that had 3 suites and started our journey to building cash flow…… except we didn’t.

My employer was amazing and I enjoyed going to work, coming home, playing with my daughter, having time to play board games with friends on the weekend, and enjoying life. And life was good.

Life still is good. I’m no longer with that employer, but I have a good job that pays well. I’m happy that I have evenings and weekends for my wife, daughter, family, and friends. But lately I’ve realized I want more.

I want the freedom to get up in the morning, have a coffee, take my daughter to school, come home, exercise, work for a few hours, run some errands, pick my daughter up from school, make my wife and daughter supper, and enjoy my evening.

In order to achieve the lifestyle I’ve described above and reach the goal my wife and I have of early retirement I have to start doing things differently.

I believe I can achieve these goals by building cash flow. I’ve been reading books about it and learning about it for more than 10 years – the latest one I picked up is called “The Lifestyle Investor” by Justin Donald – I highly recommend it! It’s time for me to actually put these ideas into action.

I also plan on writing about it! So here we are: Day 1 of my family’s journey of creating cash flow with real estate investing!

What’s first? The first thing I did was get the name of a good Mortgage Broker from a Real Estate Agent I know – Jennica George here in Regina. If you are looking to buy or sell a property here in Regina give Jennica a call. She’s great! I’ve sent the Mortgage Broker an email and hope to have a meeting with him in the next few days.

The next time you’ll hear from me will be about my meeting with the Mortgage Broker and the beginning of our search for the right property!

Have a great week and I’ll talk to you soon!

Noel – September 6, 2021

That was a Bust…

Well… that will teach me for making a New Years Resolution.

The reason I never make resolutions is because I never stick to them and this time was no different. I said I was going to do more writing:

“I intend to have a new blog written each week (maybe even twice a week),” is what I said in a previous blog post (have a look at my blog from January 6th “Starting A New Year!”).

I really did have the best intentions and had big plans to write once a week.

“So, Noel… does this mean that from now on and for the rest of the year we can expect a blog post each week (and maybe two)?” Is what you might be thinking.

The short answer is NO.

I will try my best and promise nothing.

Here’s some things that I have been looking at and thinking about over the past two months:

Freelance Writing: I’ve been watching youTube videos about Freelance Writing by Sean Ogle, creator of Location Rebel Academy: https://www.locationrebel.com/join/ . His videos have great tips and tricks for starting freelance writing and ways to use a website to start generating passive income. I haven’t put any of his advice into practice yet (except for starting a blog), but I intend on starting with his video: 31 Ways to Start Making Passive Income TODAY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ5Chr2DTs0&feature=youtu.be
Hearthstone by Blizzard: my best friend and I meet up online and challenge each other or watch each other beat other online players on HEARTHSTONE: https://playhearthstone.com/en-us . I’ve always been a big Blizzard fan and Diablo, StarCraft, and WarCraft were some of my all-time favorite games. Now, it’s Hearthstone. Mostly just a waste of time, but I enjoy it.
The Open MMS Project: https://www.openmms.org/ is the personal project of a real Geomatics Guru: Ryan Brazeal! Being interested in Geomatics I have been trying to keep in touch with Ryan as I know that he will always be right at the forefront of Geomatics technology. His Open Mobile Mapping System is no exception and I would love to to one day work with or for Ryan!
Space Weather: Keeping an eye on the sky is important to me, as things that happen in the solar system can have a huge impact on my chosen career as a Geomatics Guru. One website I like to check out every day is https://www.spaceweather.com/ . I can keep track of solar flares, geomagnetic storms, near earth asteroids, and the night sky – ALL IN ONE PLACE!! It’s awesome.
Finally, almost every night for the past couple of months my wife and I have been trying to watch one or two episodes of Brooklyn 99 on Netflix. It’s a lot of fun and we needed something to watch now that we’ve finished The Good Place (which we HIGHLY recommend).

So, now that you’re caught up on what I’ve been doing – join me next week for a new blog post about something Geomatics related. I haven’t decided what it will be, so make sure you come back and check it out!

Stay safe out there!

Not Enough Time

Almost 300 years ago Benjamin Franklin wrote “time is money”. In our fast paced, modern, technologically advanced society the aphorism “time is money” is even more true now than it might have been in 1748. There’s never enough time!

In my previous blog post “Why Do I Need Survey Equipment?” I wrote about possible reasons for needing or being interested in survey equipment: total stations, GNSS equipment, 3D Lasers Scanners, etc. I suggested spending some time researching and looking at information online about the equipment you are interested in. Yes, I realize it’s hypocritical to say “there’s never enough time” and then tell you to spend time researching. Here in Saskatchewan, January is the perfect month to spend time researching and looking things up on the internet.

There is no way to get around the investment of time and learning that will need to take place when you are interested in purchasing survey equipment. The benefit will become clear as you use the equipment and begin to see savings in time, efficiency, and materials.

The amount of time saved using survey equipment typically increases with the amount of time it takes to master the equipment. With any type of equipment I’ve used I’ve noticed the same thing:

The first few times I use the equipment/instrument it takes a while to get it set up, working properly, and learn best methods and procedures to achieve the desired outcome.
Over the next few weeks, months, and years I get more familiar with methods and procedures, begin to learn little tips and tricks that improve my efficiency and the final product, and I am able to anticipate and be prepared for problems or issues that arise at work (and there are always problems or issues that arise at work).
I finally master the equipment! I’m able to use the equipment/instrument to its full potential, work at peak efficiency, and it often feels like I’m on cruise control while working.

If you don’t have time or interest in doing research on the internet there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can contact survey equipment suppliers in your area – this is something I recommended in my previous blog. A member of their sales team will be more than willing to visit you and give you a demonstration of their equipment. This will require a time commitment to allow the salesperson to join you at work and perform the demonstration. It also means that you have to interact with a salesperson, which – depending upon the salesperson and their company – may or may not be irksome and frustrating.

My final recommendation would be to talk to others in your industry, especially if you trust their opinion. Find out if they’re using survey equipment and what kind they’re using. Ask them about pain points: what errors or issues have they encountered or what kinds of things do they wish were different about the equipment or software. What are they using the equipment for and have they seen an increase in productivity and efficiency since starting to use it?

If all else fails and you still have questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help increase awareness and interest in survey equipment! Survey is an important part of everyday work in an increasing number of fields and will only become more so in the future.

Starting a New Year!

Welcome to 2021!

I’ve never been big on New Year’s Resolutions, but I made one this year: In the next 12 months I will work toward becoming a writer.

When I started my university career almost 30 years ago I was greatly interested in writing, and dreamed of one day calling myself a writer. Unfortunately, I quickly let life intrude on my plans, stopped writing for myself for enjoyment, and the only writing I’ve done for the past 10 years has been for work or emails.

In the past 10 years I’ve also noticed I’m not reading as much. Before I went back to school for Geomatics I would have a book on the go at all times, and would read every night before I turned out the light.

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I decided that we weren’t going to bring our devices into our bedroom anymore. We were spending 30 to 40 minutes every night on TikTok or Facebook or playing games on our phones or tablets before bed. We both complained about not sleeping as good, not going to sleep early enough, and being tired and cranky the next day. It was time for a change.

I started this blog as a way to start writing again. I took a bit of break since Christmas, but I intend to have a new blog written each week (maybe even twice a week). Please be patient with me as I work to improve my writing skills. It’s a skill that’s definitely easy to loose if you don’t practice.

I remember getting a copy of Stephen King’s book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” when it came out in 2000. It made me want to spend time every day doing some writing. I wish that I had started that habit 20 years ago!

Everyone is looking for a silver lining or something positive that has come out of the past year. Let’s face it – 2020 was a burning dung heap of a year, and most of us wish we could forget it ever happened. My silver lining, which lead to my resolution for 2021, is a renewed appreciation for writing and the desire to one day call myself a writer.

Where ever you are and whatever adversity you faced in 2020, I hope that you found a silver lining and are working towards something that you’re passionate about!

All the best to you and yours for 2021!

Noel

Why Do I Need Survey Equipment?

Does your job involve measuring things?

Do you have to build something to very precise measurements?

Are you currently using levels, tape measures, string lines, or other measuring devices?

Do you receive detailed design drawings or data from clients, contractors, or surveyors in a digital format (.pdf, .dwg, .xml, etc.)?

If you answered “yes” to any (or all) of the above questions it might be time to take a look at today’s survey technology. Survey equipment is evolving quickly and constantly, but it is also becoming more accessible and easier to incorporate into your current workflow.

Will it take an investment of time and money?

Yes! But nothing in life is free, and anything valuable is worth your effort and time.

Okay. You’re sold on the idea of incorporating survey equipment into your current workflow! Where do we start? Unfortunately, we have to answer some more questions.

What kind of equipment do you currently use on your project? In the office? In the shop?

What kinds of things are you measuring?

Do you currently work on a site with Surveyors or use information provided by Surveyors?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions you might benefit from investing your time and money into survey equipment.

Are you ready for more questions?

No!

That’s okay. I’ve used enough question marks to fill 500 blogs. It’s time to start finding some answers.

Where do we start? (Sorry – I know – another question)

We start with an investment of time. My suggestions mostly involve the internet, so I’m sorry if you don’t have good or easy access to the internet. Do a search for your industry with the words “survey equipment” added to the end. If you know the kind of equipment you need you can search for that directly (total station, 3D laser scanner, construction laser, etc.). I would also recommend YouTube, as there have been many videos made showing survey equipment in action in many different industries.

Another good resource is companies that sell survey equipment. They really want to tell you about their equipment and in many cases will do a demonstration of the equipment for you. If the salesperson is a good one they will ask you about your business, your workflow, and have recommendations for equipment that will most benefit you.

Also, feel free to reach out to me. My contact information is all on my “Contact” page and I promise I will respond (although it might take me a bit and I’m limited to English).

Companies are out there using this equipment to increase production and reduce costs. You can too!

Freelance Writing – A New Journey

There are two times in the past 10 years I thought about starting a blog: when my daughter was born and when things were not going well at one of my previous jobs. In both cases, I wasn’t able to get as far as I have today.

When my daughter was born six and a half years ago I felt the need to start writing. I think it was a response to all the complex feelings and emotions that come along with being a new parent. I’ve felt that need before, but never as strong as when I became responsible for a new human being. I did some journaling, and found that cooking and baking was a good way to calm my body and mind. I remember thinking a blog would be a way to keep track of things I want my daughter to learn as she gets older. I just about looked into creating my own website; obviously, it never happened.

When the price of oil began to drop four years ago I didn’t panic right away. But three years ago, after the second or third round of lay-offs at my workplace, I started to get scared about the future. I remember researching websites and looking into creating my own site on WordPress, but life got in the way. My grand ideas about blogging never materialized.

Looking back, there are many things I wish I had done differently. I wish I had started writing more. I wish I had started looking for work before I was laid-off instead of after. I wish I had looked into freelance writing.

Things happen for a reason.

That’s a powerful statement. I’m not sure if I believe things always happen for a reason, but that might be a topic for another blog.

The past is past and I’m ready now!

I’m excited to think that one day I will look back on this post and say, “That’s where it all began!” And, “look at how crummy my writing was!”

You might be wondering what set me on the path of Freelance Writing now.

“Why so ready to start this new journey now, Noel?” – is a question you might ask me if we were standing around talking instead of me sitting alone in my house in my pajamas.

About a week ago I was searching the internet for information on Freelance Writing and I found a YouTube channel by Sean Ogle called Location Rebel. I can’t say enough good things about his YouTube videos and all the great information he has about Freelance Writing! I don’t understand why he doesn’t have millions of subscribers on YouTube!!

Anyhow, in one of his videos Sean talks about being a writer and calling yourself a writer. Something clicked inside me when I thought about calling myself a writer. It’s always been a dream of mine to be a writer, and it would be amazing to introduce myself as “Noel Hamilton – Freelance Writer”.

So – my goal is to become a writer. And this is where it starts!

My First Blog Post… Ever!

Welcome!

My name is Noel and I have dubbed myself the Geomatics Guru.

I hope we will learn a lot over the course of this blog, but the first thing you need to know is this: I am nothing like a guru, I have no business calling myself a guru, and when it comes to Geomatics there is always something new to learn.

Why start a blog about Geomatics?

What’s so important about Geomatics?

I’ve thought long and hard about the above questions and my main reasons for starting this blog are:

I enjoy writing, would like to do more, and eventually hope to become a freelance writer.
Geomatics is a very interesting profession and I want to share my love of this industry with the world.

For the past 14 years I have been immersed in the study and practice of Geomatics. I am constantly frustrated and irritated that Geomatics is a mystery to so many people.

So, let’s learn together!

Geomatics is a continually changing and evolving industry and there are many topics we can learn about together:

3D Laser Scanning
UAVs and Drones
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GNSS Surveying
Robotic Total Stations
GNSS Networks of Base Stations
Open Source Data and Software Solutions
and so much more!!!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog – I am in no way qualified to call myself a Geomatics Guru. It is my goal to make Geomatics less of a mystery, make it feel fun and maybe a bit more accessible, and learn a bit in the process.

Please join me on this adventure!

Noel – the Geomatics Guru