Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Some old time prose from 9/27/2000

Things I wonder when coming near.
What would it take to be so near?
Care and wonder is all I think of.
May be the latter will some day take off.
Nonsense I think, but nothing else to think of.
Image I see because there is nothing else to think of.
Someday I will come to a conclusion,
I do wonder if that’s even possible.

Anything is possible, the choices are limitless,
But what do we do in the meanwhile?
Every day flies, and another day comes.
Things go away so where is the fun?
Is it supposed to be, than what is the point?
Enjoy every day, but forget of the point?

Meaning we need unless we cannot function.
Function is questionable, existence is function.
World is so mere that it makes people wonder.
Wonder again, but the nature can thunder.

Choose recreation or choose to make money.
Choice is again a limitless wonder.
Think is a process, but can you survive it?
Thoughts and your own mind can make you lose your whole focus.
That is to say you have focus to begin with. Anything goes, or it seems, point the finger.

Candy and apple and childhood stories,
Why do we grow up, and why do we quarrel?
Love is a killer or at least certainly can be.
Life without love to some seems ungrateful.
But what do we do if there is nothing out there?
What we see in others is the only key to be aware.
Do we need to experience or is it enough just to see?
Share or stay focused on what you can do.
Love is irrational, so is a human.
Who should we trust?
Who should we trust if the world is so full of…

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Networking opportunities at 'Smart Networking' events

You hear it everywhere. Experts are giving speeches and coaching lessons every day throughout the country. There is soon to be a networking degree program I am sure. I attended one of these networking events last night. Particularly, it was a networking event to teach you how to network in today's world of highest unemployment rates, employers who are hesitant to hire and changing ways we communicate.

The event was good, helpful, refreshing, giving hope to all those that are looking for new opportunities, transitioning careers or those that have been layed off 3, 6 or 12 months ago. The speaker emphasized the importance of setting yourself apart from the pile of thousands of resumes. As has been the practice of many generations before today, it is still who you know that gets you where you want to be. The only thing that may have changed is how you get to know that key 'who.'

The internet and social and professional sites are full of networking opportunities. You can be 'LinkedIn' to an industry group member on the other side of the country. You can find your old co-workers who are now on the other side of the ocean and classmates that are on a different continent. The world is really getting smaller.

Ironically these opportunities take us away from the people that are sitting right next to you or at least a few chairs away from you in that same room, at that same event looking for that same key 'who' person that would lead them to their next big opportunity. Yet, I was surprised that the organizers and the speaker did not make it a point to turn to your neighboor and give your '30 second' pitch to them. Isn't that the first step of networking?

It is a personal challenge to many of us to turn to a total stranger and feel comfortable even saying 'Hello' without feeling like a potential fool. Remaining focused, poised and direct becomes even more complicated. Even if you've 'linkedin' someone to your profile, there will nevertheless come a time when you may need to speak to that person on the phone to ask them your '3 key questions' or in person over coffee for an informational interview. These are still the real challenges that are becoming harder to face as we get into the comfort of the online communities.

Be brave, break the ice and soon enough you will be the one contacted for an informational interview!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The test of friendship?

What should happen if you are having a heated discussion with another person, a friend, who has opposing views and no room for budging them? Throughout the conversation you get angry, you get offended, you laugh, you make fun of others, or present other's views as examples of ideals to support your view.

Yet, it is hopeless. It is difficult to think like others, or to even try to figure out how others think, let alone follow their thought process in a way that makes sense to you. With opposing views and strong personalities, that almost never happens.

For this, thank you my friends. Thank you for challenging my views and my thought process. Thank you for trying to understand me, but being strong in your own opinions.

At the end of the day, even after a lengthy back and forth of typing, smily faces and exclamation points, nothing really changes about you or the person at the other end of the conversation. Surprisingly though, you just still feel better, you got it off your chest, you don't put in the back of your mind to be nice only to blow up at your friend two years later. You move on to talk about the things that you still agree on, or the things that make you happy, inspire you and make you feel accomplished. The end of this conversation is the real test of friendship.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Randomness...

Blue nail polish, sepia photographs, wooden smell and cold iced tea.



Spending the night at the parents. Wondering if you'll be 'laid-off.' Saying I love you. Filling an empty box with words. Ordering initials to be engraved. Feeling warm and comforted.