42 Years and Counting

The era of 30 years with the same company, a pension and a retirement party. Are over!

I'm one of the few dinosaurs who after 28 ½ of not only working for the same organization but in the same city, was able to take a retirement.

There are those who have set another course, simply doing what they loved, practicing their profession, improving themselves and living life.

So what do call someone who's career has spanned 42 years, mostly on their own terms?

How about Bonnie Raitt?

 Photo from Edwards 2008

How Creative?

Creative or Not?

"The urge to create has never been stronger, and the ability to create is unprecedented, yet a new global study shows that most people feel they are not living up to their own creative potential,We challenge the notion that creativity is reserved for an elite few, and believe that no matter what you do, everyone has the potential to be creative."

-Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO of Adobe

Creative Whack Pack!By MeganElizabethMorris

Debate about creativity has been ongoing especially for those of us concerned about the seemingly rote educational system which is practiced in the United States. Designed more to produce cogs and cubicle dwellers for the industrial complex than free thinkers.

A newly released study funded by the Adobe Foundation helps us put some numbers to our perceptions of creativity.

There is a universal concern that the educational system is stifling creativity (59% Globally; 62% United States). AND there is increasing pressure to be productive rather than creative (75% Globally; 80% United States).

The full report is here: state of create

Braves and Opening Weekend

It's time for Baseball again. As luck would have it, we mananged to make it to the opening game on Friday the 13^th and the following night, Saturday, the 14^th .

Braves fan support was awesome, with special emphasis on the Chop (Thanks Deion and FSU!).

Photo Credit: capl@washjeff.edu

One thing that stood out was the Atlanta fans reaction to the appearance of Ryan Braun. Each plate appearance and introduction was met with sustained boo's and jeers. Consistent calls of “cheater” and “Conseco” were prevalent. No visible response from Braun, but I wonder if it continues, how long before it will affect him?

Baseball fans don't seem to appreciate artifical means to win at any cost. But then again, maybe Braun's testing positive for testosterone implies a sexual dysfunction. Only his girl friend knows for sure

Making The Case for eBooks (Unintentionally)?

Argentina has just banned imported books. Not exactly, but their customs actions mean a lack of new books coming into Argentina.

President President Cristina Kirchner is placing her version of Fahrenheit 451 on books imported into Argentia. Not just books her administration might disagree with, but ALL dead tree books. Basing the regulation on public health reasons (possibility of lead in the ink), there is also an incentive for local printing and publication.

Curiosa justificación de las trabas de Moreno a los libros importados

Have they not heard of the iPad, Kindle or eBooks? 

Somehow, I think the law of unintended consequences is getting ready to hit the Argentian book business. University textbooks, instructional manuals not just pleasure reading will surely be affected.

Can we say the digital revolution may be coming to Argentina sooner rather than later.

And how many eBooks can I put on that SD chip hidden in my boot heel for bootlegging into Argentina?

If you ban it, they will read it :-)

Independence

How independent are you?

If you lost your job today, do you have a fall back position?

Think it can't happen? Ask the fourteen former employees of Elizabeth R. Wellborn, P.A. . who were fired for wearing orange.

Since the University of Miami and the University of Florida both have orange as part of their scheme, we know the principal didn't attend a school with one of those colors ( Cornell - carnelian and white Emory University Law School - gold and blue)

Remember there is no guarantee of a gold watch and a pension anymore.

There will be career military who will be released despite their service and sacrifice with the retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan. A lot won't make the minimum twenty years and will be dependent on the private job market which has its' own issues.

Maybe we should listen more to Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard and Seth Godin

Think about your fallback position.

BTW, Orange apparently is going to be the fashion color this year. So look for more firings at Elizabeth R. Wellborn, P.A.

The Power of the FLOW

While in Ventura for the 2012 Triiibes/Linchpin Retreat, I had my first surfing lesson.  After growing up in Florida with proximity to lots of open water (Gulf and bays), I was reminded how much I miss being in the water.

I also remembered how elemental the ocean really is.  The Gulf has its moments mainly triggered by severe storms.  The Pacific is even more capricious. 

Listening to my instructor Jeff Belzer, describe the breaking of the waves, the change from north to south based on wind and tides and identifying the rip tides  reminded me of the respect that any body of water should be given.

Facing and going through a two foot breaking wave was much different than seeing  the same wave from shore.  Feeling the power of the wave and the pull as it washed back was sobering

At its best or worst, nature is a neutral player.  But it is also unforgiving.

On The 101

“They fell in love on the 101”

Shawn Mullins from “California”

In coastal California, it seems everything moves around the 101. Driving north to south or south to north from Los Angeles, it’s impossible to escape the 101.  It seems everything else can happen on the 101, so why not love?

Take love where you can find it. On the 101 whether LA, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Solvang… 

Let it FLOW

Lifestyle is a KILLER

In addition to our research, the landmark INTERHEART study, led by Canadian scientists, followed 30,000 men and women in fifty-two countries on six continents. It found that nine factors related to nutrition and lifestyle accounted for almost 95 percent of the risk of a heart attack in men and women in almost every geographic region and in every racial and ethnic group worldwide. These factors were: smoking, cholesterol level, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and psychosocial issues such as emotional stress and depression.

95% of Heart Attack risk is due to lifestyle issues = 95% of Heart Attack risk is LEARNED!

What the story needed to change the lifestyle learning? Death, Grieving Family, Incapacitation?

Lifestyle issues – coming to a Death Panel near you.

Tradition. Respect and Simple Courtesies

Passing through the “small” Alabama town of Eufaula , I was stopped for a few minutes by a multitude of flashing blue lights. It was the police escort for a funeral procession.

For those not familiar with the procedure in these areas, the police escorts allow the funeral procession to remain together and cross intersections without regard to traffic or traffic lights.

It's also a tradition, that all traffic stop both ways for the procession whether the deceased were known to you or not. Four lanes on a busy state highway going through a small Southern town came to a complete stop for a few minutes out of respect for not only the deceased but their family.

The family in their grieving may or may not have noticed that the world literally did stop for them for a few moments. However it did remind me of the necessity of simple courtesies in life.

Some gestures may be tradition, but still provide respect to a stranger as a simple courtesy.

Hold the door open for someone the next time you go shopping.

Little Things

It is the little things that matter

I've always heard, “Pennies, make nickels, nickels make dime...”

In many things, it is the little steps and things we do that really matter. Knowing that the simple act of brushing our teeth not only keeps our teeth and gums healthy, also helps prevent other health issues.

Years ago, a journalist/sports writer/columnist/comedy actor in Atlanta, Lewis Grizzard, died from his congenital heart condition brought on by his gum disease. Simple preventative dental care could have extended his life.

It is the simple things that do make a difference. Somewhere in your life is some simple act that you know you need to do, but don't follow through.

Just Do It (especially the little things)

iBooks Author vs ???

iBooks Author vs?

The buzz over the last several weeks has been on Apple's new multimedia authoring program for iPads.

There has been a minor firestorm over the license restrictions, i.e.; if you sell the product created with Apple's software, it HAS to go through the iTunes store. If you give it away (free), you can distribute it anywhere. The initial reactions intimated that if you created your product and HAD to sell it only through the Apple store meant Apple owned the rights to the text. As it turns out, Apple's restriction applied only to the output of its software. Not as draconian as it was first thought.

As an aside, for those of you using Microsoft Office Student Home Edition, note that it cannot be used for commercial use. At least one business has been turned in by a former employee and had to pay fines. Pay attention to the EULA, you might really be selling your soul.

But now from the shadows, a competitor has emerged. Atavist! 

Atavist? Who are they?

“The Atavist publishes bestselling nonfiction stories that are longer than typical magazine articles but shorter than books for digital devices like the iPad, iPhone, Kindle, and Nook. In our app publication for the iPad/iPhone, each story is laced with video, audiobooks, additional layers of information, and a host of other features."

A boutique publisher with its own software package developed for internal use, Periodic Technology, which has one click creation for almost all devices. Right now it can be licensed through the company, but they have announced a FREE beta test program. To quote:

“We will soon be launching a free version of our platform for everyone: authors, photographers, creators, small publications. To join the list for our private beta please enter your email below, and we’ll be in touch.”

I've signed up for to be a beta tester (masochist that I am) and received the email below



Hello from Atavist, and thanks so much for signing up for our free-version beta. We've been overwhelmed by the response! It's only reconfirmed our suspicion that there are a huge number of talented people who could use our platform for creative projects. So...now we're rushing to get it to you. Our current plans are to let a small number of people into an initial beta on March 1, with everyone else to follow about four weeks later. We may be in touch between now and then if the schedule shifts at all, as these things sometimes do...

In the meantime, we greatly appreciate your interest, we're extremely excited at what people have planned, and we're working overtime to get started helping you produce it.

Thanks,

Evan Ratliff
Atavist
www.atavist.com



As the testers get their hands on it, we'll see how it plays out. Since they're already publishing for all of the platforms, the output should be fine. It depends on how complex it is to prepare the input files (the requirements for iBooks is very specific and not always easy to follow).

A viable competitor in the public market. So all those textbooks won't necessarily have to be on an Apple product.

If it works, how long before Google or Amazon moves in on them?

Time + Execution = Success

Fram the Atlanta Bloggers Meetup last night at Manuel's Tavern:

John Saddington of Tentblogger

Time + Execution = Success

In other words, SHIPIT or go, Go, GO

The slides for his presentation which will also be repeated at the upcomng Atlanta Wordpress Camp can be found here:     Can’t Wait for WordCamp Atlanta!

One of the best parts of the talk:

Cool Asian Hair

Before

(OK you had to have been at the Bloggers Meeting to get the joke)

After