Reinke Faces Life

http://bentoncrane.net/2008/09/19/avego-the-new-slugging/

Avego–The New Slugging
September 19th, 2008

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I recently moved to the Washington DC area. I experimented with various different ways of commuting. I tried driving, riding the bus, and taking a train. With some help from the locals, however, I found that slugging is my ideal way to commute.

Slugging is a funny blend of carpooling and hitch-hiking. It came about over 20 years ago as a result of northern Virginia’s HOV-3 lanes. The I-95 freeway has the typical Northbound and Southbound lanes, but unlike most other freeway systems it has a third artery down the middle.

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Aren’t people smart? And, without a gooferment centralize planner to ‘processize’ the process! How could that ever be?

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http://fseg2.gre.ac.uk/HEED/Email/safety_tips/index.html

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evacuation Information that could save your life

The World’s largest study into the 911 evacuation of the World Trade Center has just begun. However, there have been several smaller studies into the WTC evacuation based on printed accounts from WTC evacuees (for example, go to the following pages to find the UK Building Disaster Assessment Group (BDAG) analysis of the evacuation: http://fseg.gre.ac.uk/fire/BDAG_project.html). While these studies have been limited in their scope we have learnt a number of important lessons that could save your life.

Lesson One – Don’t do anything to delay your departure

Lesson Two – Know your way out

Lesson Three – Don’t stop on the way to reassure friends and family

Lesson Four – Ladies, don’t discard your shoes on the stairs

Lesson Five – Know how long it will take to get out

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When I had a group in WTC, during the first bombing, the supervisor there called me for instructions what to do. My answer was quick: “Send everyone home now! Have them call me when they get home. Go home yourself, and do the same. We’ll figure it out from there. Go now!” And, I hung up on her.

I didn’t check with anyone. Didn’t have to. It was common sense.

I then called my boss to tell him what I did. “Good! At least you’re not one of the stupid ones I have working for me. But, don’t expect a medal. Now get off my phone. You must have work to do!” And, he hung up.

p.s., I got gigged in my annual appraisal for not checking with HR for the correct policy.

Seems easy to me. You can always find another job!

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http://zenhabits.net/2007/08/
five-great-ways-to-achieve-happiness-through-serving-others/

http://tinyurl.com/35byc6

Five Great Ways to Achieve Happiness Through Serving Others
This guest post was written by Stephen Smith, editor and publisher at Business Development in Context.

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4. Keep your promises. You can create an atmosphere of service simply by doing the things that you say you will do. Dependability and punctuality are the hallmarks of the service-oriented individual. When people can trust you it creates happiness all around.

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Creating trust is a common failure I see in IT all the time. Just today, I was trying to explain why a team’s participation was need in a group effort. All I heard was that the subteam didn’t feel they were getting value out of the effort. No concern over the grou[’s perception that they were “mia” and not part of the team. I’m not sure if I got thru the self-centered objection. Sigh!

I’m going to be better at D ‘n’ P.

p.s.: oops, almost said “try”!

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First time I ever saw it. An envelope for the maid. It even had a soft message on the front that went something like: “If you are planning to leave something for the maid and we’re not saying you have to, please use this envelope. Our people are scrupulously honest and any money they find loose in the room will be left there on the table.” What a great idea. Frau and I have decided to make up our own for all future trips.

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My favorite Socialist was just forced, due to exasperating availability on his cable system, (No, he didn’t have Comcast!), to switch to another Internet Service Provider. So he has to change his email address.

What folks don’t realize is the you LOSE all the people who have your email address that:

• you don’t know about (i.e., the recruiter stores your email in the search firm’s database),
• can’t reach (i.e., the recruiter with your dream job is unknown to you), and
• are stored in a static form (i.e., your old resume has the old email address on it)!

You can offset the loss by have robust presences on social networking sites where you can be found or “looked up”. Like LinkedIn, Facebook, the much despised Plaxo, or even MySpace. You can somewhat compensate by a free updater like Plaxo or CardScan.

But, bottom line, there is no substitute for your own domain, with a supporting website, and your own email connected to that domain. It’s so cheap there is no excuse. It’s so easy and executive can do it.

No sympathy here!

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http://www.tuaw.com/2008/07/26/
unlucky-1-percent-of-mobileme-email-users-get-some-relief/

http://tinyurl.com/59f66y

Unlucky 1 percent of MobileMe email users may get relief
Posted Jul 26th 2008 9:00AM by TUAW Blogger
Filed under: Bad Apple, .Mac, MobileMe

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Apologies are well and good — but considering the MobileMe terms of service, that’s about all you can expect to see, as Apple isn’t liable for lost business or damages due to the outage. If there’s a lesson in this, maybe it’s that mission-critical users should own their own domains and public-facing email addresses, so that they can redirect incoming mail in a crisis. Depending on a single provider for mail (even ones with a reputation for reliability) can bite you.

Written by Michael Rose. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

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I’ve ranted and raved about email control. Anyone, who is serious about computer using, needs to “own” this critical entry point into your world.

You need the capability to have a primary and alternate emil address. Buy one and use a free service if money is tight. If your primary goes out, then you need the capability to redirect to the alternative.

Note this means that your domain registrar, website provider, and email provider should NOT be the same entity.

And, you should never allow that all-importnt email address to be controlled by anyone. Companies get sold, go out of business, or just whimsically decide to change their names. You shouldn’t lose your email address because of this.

I made that mistake a long time ago with AT&T as my ISP. Never ever again.

reinke dot cc for me.

(Some day I plan to visit the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian territory.)

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http://www.43folders.com/2008/06/13/zerstreutheit-and-attention-management-cure

“Zerstreutheit” and the Attention Management Cure
Merlin Mann | Jun 13 2008

Linda Stone: Is it Time to Retire the Never-Ending List?

Linda Stone – who coined the phrase “continuous partial attention” – makes a thoughtful distinction between managing time and attention, deflating the misconception that making long lists and then overscheduling your day can be a bulwark against distractions, interruptions, and the crippling feeling of being overwhelmed.

*** AND ***

What did surgeons, artists, and CEO’s have in common? Most of them reported that they managed both their time and their attention. In surgery, in the studio, and in the time carved out to think through strategies and issues, these professionals reported shutting down the devices and endless inputs (email, phone, interruptions), at scheduled times, and claiming those moments to focus. In almost every case, these professionals reported experiencing “flow” (a la Csikszentmihalyi) in their work.

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… share this William James quote, which Stone’s post mentions in passing (my emphasis).

Every one knows what attention is. It is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state which in French is called distraction, and Zerstreutheit in German.

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“Zerstreutheit.” I love it when there’s a German word for my problem.

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me2!

It seems that this descibes the modern enterprise with its overbooking meetings, berry email during presentations, and just ‘no time to focus’. I heard someone (maybe Covey?) describe it as “the Important pushed out of the way by the Urgent”.

Quiet time?

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All the productivity gurus urge doing “first things first”. But, not one of them can stuff more hours in the day. If one learns anything from my time trying to keep all the plates spinning, the key lesson is “no!”. Firmly, gently, honestly applied. “No, I have no more … not bananas, but time today”. On the first of each month, I’m going to ruthlessly prune all the task that I have taken on with an eye to eliminating them.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/garden/21mokki.html?ex=1204347600&en=a7ebad4fcb301ed6&ei=5070title

NO VISITORS
The author spent a year building a backyard retreat for himself, hiding the nature of the project from his wife.
By PHILIP BESONEN
Published: February 21, 2008

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I also had a very particular cottage in mind. I wanted something like the little buildings called mokkis (rhymes with hokey) that I had seen while visiting my relatives in Finland. Mokkis were relatively small and nothing special to look at, but they were invariably off by themselves near lakes or trees, in settings where you could find peace. The feeling of serenity was the most striking thing about them.

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Where’s yours? Where’s mine? Sigh!

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http://lifecoachesblog.com/2007/05/28/7-power-wounds

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5) Procrastination.

Putting off things you could have done and chucking them on a growing pile of to-do lists only adds to the clutter and worry in your life. Imagine having a to-do on your mind that could have been done…6 weeks ago. And it’s still lingering at the back of your mind, now.

If it takes less than 2 minutes to do, polish it off! If not, dump it, stuff it and deal it.

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Seems like a good habit.

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http://lifecoachesblog.com/2008/02/20/new-anthony-robbins-video-interview

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I’m loving this new 12 minute interview of Tony Robbins on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos.

Some highlights; around 3:40 minutes into the video he talks about how depression happens when our life doesn’t match up to the expectations of what we think it should be.

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Interesting. A few gems to take away!

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http://zenhabits.net/2008/01/a-guide-to-cutting-back-when-you-feel-overwhelmed/

A Guide to Cutting Back When You Feel Overwhelmed

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My recommendation: Cut back. Simplify. De-load.

***and**

1. Step back.

2. List everything.

3. Set limits.

4. Prioritize.

5. Eliminate.

6. Renegotiate commitments.

7. Take time off.

8. Create the ideal workday.

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Well, there’s no doubt, I’m feeling the pinch. Maybe it’s my mid-life crisis. The sadness of unmet expectations. The realization that the end of journey is closer than the beginning. An appreciation for Rodney Dangerfield’s rendition of Dylan Thomas. An small understanding of DaVinici’s tears for tasks undone. Maybe I have to try this chap’s advice.

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http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/10853

Creatively Speaking: Isobella Jade’s memoir
by David – January 2, 2008 – 3:02 AM

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It’s a new year, so I thought I’d start by introducing a new feature I’m calling Creatively Speaking, in which I interview all sorts of artists for a first-hand look at how they go about creating their work.

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Humorously, NEW YEAR’S DAY, I wrote the following comment.

http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/archives/1060#comments

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Hey, you have to have a certain amount of ego to take the bruises of everyday life. After layoffs, and all the other bad things that happen to good people every lifetime, you have to have the self-confidence to say “I wrote THE book” on something. Even if it’s one’s own autobiography, everyone has a story to tell.

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And the very next day, the UNIVERSE delivers some reinforcement!

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DI: When you were writing the book at Apple, how did you save your files?

IJ: I saved the files each day to my Yahoo account, email form. I still have most of them saved. The Apple store did bring some tragic moments though while writing the book…I did have a moment when the Internet froze on the iMac I was working on while writing. Which meant I couldn’t save my document to my email and I thought about saving it to a folder on the desktop or making one somewhere discreet so no one would take it. After I pouted to a store employee about my catastrophe he told me I could buy a CD at the store and then download it, but my funds were limited at the time. So instead I called a film director I knew who lived in SoHo and even with a broken leg, in his crutches he brought me a CD and I was able to burn my document on the disk and save one of the best parts of my book. I believe once you write something, you can never fully write it again the same, so I wasn’t going to leave the store without it. And yes I did cry, stomp my foot, and swear a few times over it. It was extremely dramatic at the time because I also realized at that moment how much the store meant to me, what I was doing, and that even if the store didn’t know it, the store was my means to survival sort of, and it was like I saw my desperation on the computer screen waiting for the Internet to be turned on.

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If you don’t believe that your story is worth telling then who will think it so. (Other than me of course!)

I wish that all my relatives took the time to memorialize their wisdom. Even if they were dead wrong (i.e., “the world is flat”), it serves as a jumping off point from whence you came. As they say “past is prologue” and “those, who don’t learn from history, are doomed to repeat it”.

We have in the internet and endless archive of all human thought that gets recorded. True, much of it (i.e., inet porn) is imho a waste of electrons. But who knows what a genetic researcher can glean from all those photos? I’m not about to throw anything away. Especially when its so cheap to keep. (Consult the Inet Archive guy Brewster Kahle on how it’s possible to archive all human knowledge.) Maybe they will need to know what humans looked like in the Year 2000 some time in the Year 4000 after all the genetic engineering makes humans all look alike.

My point was: everyone’s story is invaluable to understanding the human experience.

And, imho, to leave this existence, without recording it in some form, is a selfish act with tragic consequences.

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http://www.43folders.com/2007/12/31/death-and-underachievement-guide-happiness-work

Death and Underachievement: A Guide to Happiness in Work
Ryan Norbauer | Dec 31 2007

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Bennet’s “Principles of Underachievement:”

* Life’s too short.
* Control is an illusion.
* Expectations lead to misery.
* Great expectations lead to great misery.
* Achievement creates expectations.
* The law of diminishing returns applies everywhere.
* Perfect is the enemy of good.
* The tallest blade of grass is the surest to be cut.
* Accomplishment is in the eye of the beholder.

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Good is the enemy of the best? Good enough for government work? Gilding the Lilly. Cheap, fast, or right: pick any two!

Wisdom or whizdumb?

Part of being productive is doing just enough!

Are we – you – me putting in more than we can ever get out?

One thing that was driven home over and over to me this year is it is not “underachieving” to forego attempting to achieve in a lower priority area to allow accomplishments in a higher priority one. I’m not sure if I’ve learned that lesson. But, I’m trying.

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Drawings that Will Change Your Life
By Ralph Perrine

Ralph Perrine believes drawing to be indispensable to good planning and good collaboration—the top two critical skills for success in life. Here, he shares twelve drawings to help bring focus and clarity to teams and any personal planning.

http://changethis.com/41.04.DrawingsChange
http://changethis.com/pdf/41.04.DrawingsChange.pdf

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Reminds me of EdB’s Lateral Thinking.

Great Ideas!!

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The Six Core Values of Innovation
By Jeff De Cagna

Innovation is the critical capability for all organizations trying to succeed in today’s marketplace. But the case for innovation cannot be made solely on the basis of the economic value it creates for customers. It is equally important for enterprises and their leaders to embrace the 6 underlying core values of innovation as an integral element for a more vibrant future. This manifesto explores these values and explains how leaders can infuse them into their organizations in various ways.

http://changethis.com/41.03.SixCoreValues
http://changethis.com/pdf/41.03.SixCoreValues.pdf

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It’s all about “leadership”!

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Seduced By Success: How the Best Companies Survive the 9 Traps of Winning By Robert J. Herbold

Kodak and Sony reached the pinnacle of success within their markets, but were unable to react to changes within those markets. Herbold, retired COO of Microsoft Corporation, examined 44 successful companies to discover 3 common mistakes made by previously successful companies. The mistakes generate 9 traps which can be avoided as companies like Proctor & Gamble and Apple did by anticipating unarticulated customer needs.

http://changethis.com/41.02.SeducedSuccess
http://changethis.com/pdf/41.02.SeducedSuccess.pdf

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A culture of agility?

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http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2007/12/09/half-an-hour

Half an Hour December 9, 2007
Posted by Andy Roberts

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Today, December 9th 2007 the clocks go back in Venezuela – by Half an Hour.

Half an hour?

Yes, half an hour. That may sound a bit like the craziest thing a whole country has ever done in recent times but actually it’s just a reversion to the time zone which was used previously by Venezuela between 1912 and 1964 in the twentieth century.

The new official time zone of Venezuela is determined by meridian 67° 30? west of Greenwich, in South East London, UK. This meridian divides Venezuela into two almost symmetrical areas and represents a -4:30 hour offset from Greenwich Mean Time.

So what’s the time now? Here, very near Greenwich when it’s eight o’clock in the morning 8.00am – GMT, in Caracas, Venezuela it will be half past three: 3.30am.

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It does sound like a “dumb idea”. For the life of me, I never understood why people don’t just set their clocks on GMT and organize their lives around whatever time they need. What’s so sacred about working 9to5? Who cares if you go to bed at 11PM, 2300 local, or 0400+1? I know at my employer, GMT would save a lot of time zone confusion providing across the USA. When I was in the USAF many many decades ago, everything was ZULU this or ZULU that. Guess that’s politically incorrect now? But, there was never any time zone confusion. When I returned to my civilian employer and tried to bring this insight to our datacenter operations, everyone poo pooed it. Every years I’d watch them struggle with Daylight Savings Time or a national time zone confusion. Sigh. Some memes are just too powerful to change. I guess?

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Notice the fine hand of gooferment in the people’s lives.

Not to make things simpler. But to make a role for themselves.

Why not just go to GMT and allow people to organize themselves. It’s not like businesses could figure out what time they should open to best serve their Customers. It’s not like people couldn’t figure out what time they should hit the sack or get up. It’s not like life wouldn’t go on regardless of what digits were on someone’s clock!

In protest, I’m going to be GMT. As soon as I can find my watch!

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