William Powers, Hamlets Blackberry p. 61
ISBN:9780061687174

————————————————-

Though digital tools are designed to make the workplace more efficient and workers more productive, the effect is often the opposite. And still businesses and other institutions continue down a slippery slope continually increasing the investment and engagement with the digital age.

Jen Sorensen an observer of our digital landscape captured the absurdity of our compulsion in her “Slowpoke” strip entitled “Small Business Meets the Virtual Vortex.”

Panel 1: A businesswoman is shown taking an order by telephone. “A dozen by noon? You got it!” she says.

The caption: In the beginning, you did your work, and it was good.

Panel 2: “And then you needed a website.” An entrepreneur at her computer screen, proudly launching her business’s NEW online site.

Panel 3: Our hero is adding a blog.

Panel 4: …and joining social networking sites posting short updates about her status throughout the day.

“Be sure not to miss my tweet from 11:27am!”

Panel 5: Confused and staring deep into her screen she wonders. “What do I do for a living?

There are things we have always wanted to do, to learn, to accomplish in our lives that sit just below the surface of awareness, untouched.

The realization that we can, if we move away from fear and allow ourselves a little bit of  freedom, dawns on us one day and we take those first faltering steps.

What are you waiting for?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN-koOtjnjs

A gem of a film: Carlos Saura – Tango

Additional Links.

The Tango Lesson – Sally Potter
Itzhak Perlman
Canaro Milonga
La Cumparsita

• Insight :: Seth Godin
• Generosity :: Michael Beirut
• Incisive :: Edward Tufte
• Timeless :: Paul Rand
• Treasure :: Boekie Woeki
• Limits :: Victor IV
• Gentle :: Origami Spirit
• Success :: Copyblogger
• Experiment :: Alan Fletcher
• Thought :: Daniel Eatock

Blogging is a skill like any other and a wonderful way to lay out ideas on any topic. And just like every other skill, becoming a good blogger is the result of constant practice.

To grow your blogging skill-set no matter your current level, it helps if you can find someone who sets a good example by blogging regularly. Darren Rowse has been one of those examples for me by writing regularly on all things blogging at Problogger.net.

Here is my version of a list of Suggestions For Beginning Bloggers that Darren posted recently. And when you’re finished reading my list, be sure to check out Darren’s as well.

1. Adhere to the KISS principle: Keep It Super Simple

2. Post every day. Build a habit with a few sentences, a short paragraph, a quote with a comment. Short is sweet and is all that’s needed.

3. If you don’t post regularly, don’t bring that to everyone’s attention.

4. If you want someone to read a post and send them an email invite, include the text of the post and URL in the body of the email

5. If posting something makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t.

6. Link to other bloggers that write in your subject area. Feature their work. Get to know them. Make a friend. We might be on line and on the other side of the planet –or across town, but we’re all real people.

7. Read about blogging at resource wells like Problogger or CopyBlogger.

8. Post lists of ideas, like this list that you’re reading now. People love reading lists because it’s a fast and easy read.

9. Make sure people know what your blog is about and state so in a prominent place.

10. Wrap your message in a story and always strive to be yourself. You have a lot to say that’s unique to who you are and that in itself is interesting.

11. Keep a record of all your posts off-blog on your computer. I have a folder with the final draft of each post including copies of any images I might have used with that post.

12. Keep a small notebook with you at all times and scribble down any ideas that come to mind.

13. Above all, relax and live. Remember that your blog is just one dimension to your life, not your whole life.

BONUS: And don’t forget to smell the roses, ride a bike, garden, or read a book.

Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe for updates by email!

Photo Credit: Leyla Torres; Origami folded by Leyla Torres of Origami Spirit

Life is one long string of problems waiting to be solved. There are personal problems, business problems, family problems, creative problems, economic problems, technical problems, social problems, small large, huge, and seemingly unsolvable problems.

Every day we’re presented with one challenge or another framed by its own level of difficulty. Some problems are easily solved. Others not so much and stubbornly resist our best effort at a solution.

So how do we approach these problems? How do we get out of the box of our restricted world-view and find that elusive answer and once out where do we look? How do we find those key ideas that unlock the gate?

STRATEGY

The journey begins with a strategy of clearly defining the problem. By asking penetrating and incisive questions our thoughts will be organized and focused on particulars. Working from a detailed view we will be in a better position to generate ideas that might lead us to a workable solution.

To formulate these all-important quality questions, we must understand our biases and cherished preconceptions that lead to inevitable dead-ends. The world of limited perspective is often defined as a box constructed of various constraints along with the fear of making mistakes. Together these limiters blind us to answers that seem painfully obvious, once found.

Here are four different approaches that can be profitably used to clearly define problems and find solutions through the cultivation of workable ideas. With patience, consistent and persistent effort paired with a strong motivation, no problem is insurmountable.

INDIVIDUAL BRAINSTORMING

“Individual Brainstorming” typically involves free writing, free speaking, word association, and the construction of mind maps as a visual representation of thought. Individual brainstorming is especially useful in creative writing .” [1]

1. Clearly define the problem
2. Develop a set of questions that generate ideas.
3. Evaluate these ideas.
4. Ideas should be practical and not require resources or skills we don’t or can’t have.
5. If specific resources or skills are needed these should be acquired first.
6. Steps necessary for implementing an idea must be clear.
7. Milestones should be defined to evaluate progress
8. Incentives and rewards are important to maintaini motivation.

QUESTION BRAINSTORMING

This approach has also been called ‘questorming‘ and can be done individually or in a group.

The immediate goal is not that of producing ideas or immediate answers, but instead maintaining an exclusive focus on shaping questions that form the framework for future action.

Removing the pressure to produce helps the mind to relax and ultimately encourages creativity.[2] Once a list of questions has been drawn-up they should be prioritized to find the best solution for the problem at hand.

MIND MAPPING

Also called webs, mind-webbing, or webbing, mind maps have been used for centuries as a visual thinking tool for problem solving.

Leaning more toward the intuitive while fully integrating logical thought, mind maps are a pictorial method for graphically representing in a hierarchical tree structure the relationships between central and supporting ideas. These maps are constructed using shape, line, text, colors, and symbols.

There area also many mind mapping software applications available that can enormously expand the scope of mind maps traditionally built on paper. These applications can organize large quantities of information including not only thoughts and ideas, but websites, spreadsheets, documents and images.

• What are the best questions we need to ask right now?
• Is there a better way to state that question?
• What are the standards by which we decide that one question is better than another?
• How can we best organize the questions in descending order of quality?
• Who or what should ask the question?
• To whom or what should the question be directed?
• How should the question be asked?
• When or under what conditions should the question be asked?
• Where should the question be asked?
• Why should the question be asked?
• Should the question be asked?

For a complete list of questions click here.

SIX THINKING HATS

The Six Thinking Hats System is a thinking tool of Edward De Bono. This method is closely related to de Bono’s work on the creative process and closely tied to his theory of  Lateral Thinking. Central to this idea that the human mind gains the most comprehensive overall view of any issue when thinking about it at different levels, and from different perspectives.

According to the Six Thinking Hats system, different facets of thought are each considered metaphorically as, not surprisingly, a hat. Each is assigned a color with corresponding characteristics or qualities. When a particular hat is worn, the predefined qualities of the hat dictate the perspective from which the issue should be viewed.

In this manner each problem is considered more broadly with these varied perspectives encouraging deeper and more creative thinking about the issue under consideration.

White Hat: Represents Facts and Information
Black Hat: Represents Logic, Evaluation, Criticism
Red Hat: Represents Feelings and Emotion
Yellow Hat: Represents Optimism
Green hat: Represents New Ideas
Blue Hat: Represents The Big Picture; Thinking About Thinking.

REFERENCES:
[1] Furnham, A., & Yazdanpanahi, T. (1995). Personality differences and group versus individual brainstorming. Personality and Individual Differences, 19, 73-80.]
[2] Ludy, Perry J. Profit Building: Cutting Costs Without Cutting People. San Francisco: Berret-Koehler, Inc, 2000. Print.

Further Reading:
Six Thinking Hats, Edward De Bono
The Mind Map Book, Tony Buzon

Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe for updates by email!

FTC Disclosure: The above book links are Amazon affiliate listings. If you click and buy a book then I receive a small commission. Thank you very much for your support and encouragement! And I do mean it… Thank You!

Here are a few simple tips that can make a qualitative difference when photographing small objects for a website or blog.

Images 1, 2 and 3:*
These two images show the setup. Note the piece of paper, the seamless background, on which the object sits when photographing small objects. Please note the following:

• The piece of paper the object rests on recedes back and curves upward.
• The paper is matte; the color a neutral mid-tone that’s neither too dark or too light.
• The object is near a window.

• The natural light illuminates the object on one side.
• The light is indirect, enhancing volume. Photographs taken in direct sunlight will create high-contrast shadow.
• An overcast day is ideal.
• Avoid using a flash.

Photograph 4:
This is a crop of the subject and the final image. While the object may be seen, the surrounding area has been left out of the photograph without further manipulation of the image.

* To see an enlarged view, click on the image.

Some Other Examples

This particular technique is one I learned from Leyla Torres at Origami Spirit. Here is an example on Leyla’s blog of Christmas Stars that can be folded as ornaments. And here’s another example of  modular boxes. Both the stars and the boxes were photographed using the same technique described above.

Have a suggestion?

Do you have any simple techniques for photographing small objects that you’d like to share? Please leave a comment, or share a link.

Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe for updates by email!

I don’t know about you, but I use social media not only to keep up with people I already know, but to meet people I don’t know as well.

Two of the channels I use, Facebook and LinkedIn, seem to presumptuously think it’s their job to protect us from each other, and dictate under what circumstances we can say ‘Hello, you look like an interesting person. I don’t know if you’d be interested, but I’d like to get to know you. Would you like to connect and see what comes of it?’

I’ve never understood the attitude of those who would defend such an idiotic policy. What gives the developers of Facebook or LinkedIn the idea that they have the authority to lay down rules about who can, or cannot, meet and get to know someone else? And that some people agree I suppose is due to the paranoid culture of fear that permeates all levels of society. Circle those wagons, it’s dangerous out there!

Imagine the following.

You’ve been invited to a large social gathering and don’t know a soul. It might be some kind of ‘offline’ party, networking, or other business event. In the spirit of the moment you walk up to a complete stranger, a smile on your face and hand outstretched saying…

‘Hi, my name is Martha, how are you?’

Your potential friend fixes you with an icy stare, pauses, and replies…

‘Excuse me, but I don’t think we know each other. So, if you don’t mind…’ Then turns on a well- polished heel, and  vanishes into the crowd.

Stunning in its silliness, isn’t it? Probably wouldn’t happen, right? Well, it might given the coarse social habits of some, but generally I find it hard to think that anyone would be so socially crude or inept. If this is foolish behavior offline, why would it be any more acceptable in a social situation, online? To me, it isn’t.

Introducing myself and making a friendship request is my prerogative. Accepting or declining that request is the sole option of the other person. Nobody, has the right to get in the way.

What do you think? Have you ever had a rude experience online or off? Please, leave a comment and tell us what happened.

November 4, 2010 must have been a lousy day for the editor of a formerly obscure, freely distributed, for-profit food magazine, Cooks Source, of Sunderland, Massachusetts. The unfortunate and misguided editor, Judith Griggs, committed a copyright infringement and public relations mega-blunder, then compounded it with yet another error of poor judgement. The result was a viral media backlash of the nth degree, one that could only be considered remarkable for the intense negative reaction (Twitter: #cooksource).

Here’s a brief chronology of the day’s events as understood.

Mistake #1: Cooks Source magazine publishes in its on and off-line October 2010 issue, a 2005 article written by Monica Gaudio about the origins of apple pie, without asking her permission.

Mistake #2: When Monica Gaudio finds out, she contacts editor Judith Griggs, asks for a public written apology and a small donation to the Columbia School of Journalism. Instead of owning the error, Judith Griggs’ responds with condescension and contempt. Big mistake.

“…honestly, Monica, the web is considered “public domain” and you should be happy we just didn’t “lift” your whole article and put someone else’s name on it!”

Surprising isn’t it, especially coming from someone who claims to have worked in publishing for more than thirty years? Respect for intellectual property rights is  something Judith Griggs should have learned a long time ago. But, adding fuel to the fire,  she wades in even deeper.

“…If you took offence [sic] and are unhappy, I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally.”

Reading these words it’s hard not to feel pain along with a deepening bloom of embarrassment for her. But, after taking in some of the comments on the Cooks Source Facebook page in a day long comment frenzy that showed no sign of letting up, maybe a little sympathy could be granted.

Why?

First there must have been a degree of naiveté, if not ignorance, of the potential danger of mixing arrogant disregard for a sensitive issue like copyright infringement, and the viral power of social media. I don’t think Griggs had any idea of the minefield she was flirting with. If she had, I would bet she’d have been more circumspect and less cavalier in handling the situation.

Second, while many of the comments directed at her were sincere and justified in their indignation and anger, as the day wore on most seemed  repetitive, if not gratuitous, foolish, and silly. Many who  joined the witch hunt, jumped on the bandwagon of condemnation appeared to do so merely for the sport of it. If I had to guess, I would say that many of those who left comments are probably far from innocent themselves of borrowing at one time or another the images or ideas of others without credit or permission, much less compensation. A case of protesting a bit too much, maybe?

Whatever. Even though the likelihood is small of being called on the carpet by the social media jury for misappropriating an image or article, it can happen and this particular incident  remains  a cautionary tale.

FURTHER READING:
Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits
10 Misconceptions About The Public Domain
University of Maryland: Copyright and Fair Use

Photo:
Flip Schulke (1930-2008), Forest Fire in the Everglades, Collier County,  Flikr Commons

I was watching a video of a Blogger World panel discussion recently.  The three panelists, Brian Clark (Copyblogger), Sonia Simone (Copyblogger and  Remarkable Communication) and  Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) were wrapping up the session with personal anecdotes about the course of their blogging careers over the last few years.

Darren Rowse was the last to speak. He related how his son, age 4, walked into Darren’s studio while he was working at the computer, preparing a blog post. The little boy came up behind his Dad, quietly watching him work. He stepped up onto the back rung of the chair, wrapped his little arms around Darren’s neck, tucked his  head up close to Darren’s ear and whispered.

“What are you doing, Daddy?”

“I’m writing a message to the world.” replied Darren.

The little fellow fidgeted  and thought for a minute about what he’d just heard.

“Daddy? Can I say something?” he asked.

“Sure, you always do!”

“Make sure you tell the world something important.” he said, then hopped down and walked out of the study.

So many things distract and demand attention in the course of a day. It’s true for everyone, everywhere. When we add to that volume of stuff, stuff that clutters the thought-sphere, we need to do everything we can to be sure our contribution is helpful, and relevant. If it is, our posts will be seen as important enough to pay attention to in the future.

Respect the value of time to our audience and that respect will be returned in kind.

‘Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing about.’ Benjamin Franklin

More than ever people do understand there is value in the Internet. They might not know exactly what the value is, or how to access it, but they know there is value. So, recognizing this value, what do most of us do with the potential? Beyond initial faltering steps, not much.

Yes, websites get launched and social media accounts are opened. But then, after a short period of time and initial enthusiasm has worn off what happens? More precisely, what doesn’t happen?

Survey Website Usage

Conduct a survey of personal or business websites in any community and you’ll find an answer. As with millions of other websites most sites are antiques that were designed years ago –probably in the shadow of the Internet bubble, and sit untended and abandoned. If the site is more recent and the owner had the perspicacity or sound advice to invest in a site built with a blog framework or other content management system, it’s most likely unfed; its power and potential unrecognized or under-appreciated. If this same owner has opened social media channels, tying them to the main website, the opportunity to cultivate relationships with subscribers or customers are either not exercised, or clogged with content that has no direction.

There are plenty of businesses and individuals who use the Internet to fulfill clearly established goals. These folks often use a strategy based on the well-established broadcast model, or, the maintain-control-of-the-message-at-all-cost paradigm. But as a rule, most people tend to treat the Internet not like a communications powerhouse, an unparalleled interactive medium, but as a toy. The image that comes to mind is of an infant gripping a wood letter block in a small moist fist, and banging it incessantly on the floor looking up periodically for approval with a grin and an elastic drool.

The Force of Habit

As a still relatively new medium, the Internet has variably been misunderstood first as a substitute vehicle for traditional print, and more recently as a substitute for television. But the Internet is so much more than a broadcast medium. It’s a level playing field. The Internet is a democracy. Joe Kraus, the founder of the search engine, Excite, observed in an interview that when faced with adapting to new technologies there’s the all too common tendency of falling into the classic anachronistic trap of mistaking the old methodologies, for the new. The Internet is no exception.

“When a new medium comes out it adopts the practices, the content, the business models of the old medium –which fails. For example: all the television programing in the early days looked like radio. It was literally the same guys reading the radio programming on television and it was extraordinarily boring. And advertising was radio advertising –the announcer reading the ad.”

Have an opinion on this? Please leave a comment.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVh7sZl2H8c

Further Reading:
Founders At Work, Jessica Livingston