Happy April Fool’s Day! Well, almost.
Michael Arrington really had me going. Initially his story about suing Facebook seemed completely plausible, especially since I’ve seen several negative Facebook stories in the last week. But It wasn’t until I came to the last section of the post where Arrington described his explosive interaction with Facebook Chief Privacy Officer Chris Kelly saying, “He then threw his hot triple soy latte espresso at me, which caused extensive second degree burns over the top half of my body” that I was fairly sure. And then, the icing on the cake (and the perfect end to the ruse), “Later on, he also unfriended me.”
What a hoot! And a day early at that.
This was just what I needed today -- a good laugh when I least expected it. I started thinking about the last time anyone played an April Fool’s joke on me…and would you believe it has probably been at least 10 years. What do you think that means? I like a good laugh as well as the next person. I don’t think of myself as a particularly serious person. Is it possible I am reaching the age where people aren’t sure if I can take a joke? That is almost too scary to even contemplate. I don’t EVER want to be that old. Or at least, I don’t ever want to be thought of as not having a sense of humor regardless of my age. I want to always retain the ability to laugh – both at myself and at others. Yes! I said “at others.” What’s wrong with having a harmless laugh at someone else’s expense? Isn’t that the point of April Fool’s Day anyway?
In the spirit of April Fool’s, here is a link to the Top 10 Harmless Geek Pranks: http://lifehacker.com/373817/top-10-harmless-geek-pranks
10) Install the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver
9) Fake a Desktop with Screenshot Wallpaper
8) Schedule a phone call with a Text-to-Speech Message from Wakerupper.com
7) Fill an office with Packing Peanuts (Or Make it Look That Way)
6) Remote Control Your CoWorkers Computer with VNC
5) Message Co Workers With Net Send
4) ”Break” Your Victim’s LCD Screen With Wallpaper
3) Hijack Firefox with the Total Confusion Pack Extended (Enabled April 1st only)
2) Customize the Office HP Printer’s Console Message
1) Turn Web Pages Upside Down
I am so inspired by this and enjoyed my TechCrunch laugh so much that I am planning to try prank #2 tomorrow at work. It seems funny and relatively harmless. I would have preferred the packing peanuts prank – which would work perfectly in the Dean’s Suite, but I just don’t have the time to get it together. Guess that will have to wait for next year!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Dual Monitors - The only way to go!
Finally – confirmation!
Recently Ben Worthen of the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about the results of a study at the University of Utah that showed that bigger monitors make people more productive. The study – while not perfect – claims that a person can save up to 2.5 hours a day simply by using a larger monitor! I won’t go into the imperfections of the study other than to say that, yes it was funded by a monitor company and that everyone’s work habits vary, but I happen to be in complete agreement with this study simply based on my own experience.
I began using two monitors several years ago and immediately saw a dramatic increase in my work efficiency. Shortly thereafter, I turned into what could be called a “dual monitor evangelist” because I have been urging everyone I know to also adopt the two monitor method. Having two monitors allows me to have several programs open and in view at the same time. It also allows me to drag info between programs without having to go through extra steps to accomplish the same thing (i.e., no minimizing and maximizing of the programs). It really revolutionized the way I use my computer.
What has been surprising to me are the responses I get when I try to tell people how great it is to use two monitors. Most people just say something non-committal like, “Oh really?” Or that they wouldn’t like the space that two monitors takes up on their desk. I even had someone tell me “No thanks,” when I tried to give them an extra flat panel monitor I had at home so they could see for themselves. What is up with that?! Turning down a free monitor?!?? Yikes.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by people’s reluctance to try something new. We all have a tendency to get somewhat comfortable with the way we do things. Even I have to admit to being rather lazy when it comes to embracing new telephone technology. However, I do TRY to be open-minded about new ways to do things. If enough people tell me something is great, I recognize that they may know something I don’t and am willing to give their recommendations a serious look. Yes, it’s true. Turns out that I am actually an old dog who is WILLING to learn new tricks! (Rumor has it that I might be looking into getting an Iphone).
Recently Ben Worthen of the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about the results of a study at the University of Utah that showed that bigger monitors make people more productive. The study – while not perfect – claims that a person can save up to 2.5 hours a day simply by using a larger monitor! I won’t go into the imperfections of the study other than to say that, yes it was funded by a monitor company and that everyone’s work habits vary, but I happen to be in complete agreement with this study simply based on my own experience.
I began using two monitors several years ago and immediately saw a dramatic increase in my work efficiency. Shortly thereafter, I turned into what could be called a “dual monitor evangelist” because I have been urging everyone I know to also adopt the two monitor method. Having two monitors allows me to have several programs open and in view at the same time. It also allows me to drag info between programs without having to go through extra steps to accomplish the same thing (i.e., no minimizing and maximizing of the programs). It really revolutionized the way I use my computer.
What has been surprising to me are the responses I get when I try to tell people how great it is to use two monitors. Most people just say something non-committal like, “Oh really?” Or that they wouldn’t like the space that two monitors takes up on their desk. I even had someone tell me “No thanks,” when I tried to give them an extra flat panel monitor I had at home so they could see for themselves. What is up with that?! Turning down a free monitor?!?? Yikes.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by people’s reluctance to try something new. We all have a tendency to get somewhat comfortable with the way we do things. Even I have to admit to being rather lazy when it comes to embracing new telephone technology. However, I do TRY to be open-minded about new ways to do things. If enough people tell me something is great, I recognize that they may know something I don’t and am willing to give their recommendations a serious look. Yes, it’s true. Turns out that I am actually an old dog who is WILLING to learn new tricks! (Rumor has it that I might be looking into getting an Iphone).
Monday, March 10, 2008
Who Do YOU Want to Work With?
I LOVED this week’s post on Tech Crunch by Michael Arrington entitled “Startups Must Hire The Right People And Watch Every Penny. Or Fail." I wish I’d wrote this post because it sums up exactly what I look for when trying to hire an employee. And as an ex-accountant, the “watch every penny” section simply warmed my cold accountant heart.
I have always looked for that indefinable x-factor when interviewing potential staff. Michael Arrington says to look for the person with the “fire in their eyes” who wants to work as part of the team and gets excited about anticipating and solving problems. I agree they are not hard to spot, but they are often very hard to find – even when the salary is a good one. I think people like this are often valued at their current jobs and may not always be out there looking for a job when you need them. So good networking is often the only way to find them.
However, this advice is not only good for those in the tech industry and startup companies. I think this is good advice for all companies in every industry.
In every company I have ever worked in, the people I want to work with and those I want on my team are the ones I know have a passion for what they do. And I believe it is possible to have that passion even in a receptionist or administrative role. In my mind, it really comes down to taking pride in your work product and in understanding that you are what you produce.
It makes me think of the stories I’ve heard about self-made millionaires who started in the mail room but were able to work their way up to being the CEO of their company. These are exceptional people, of course, but they are also the type of individuals who took pride in being even a lowly mail room clerk – because he or she knew their reputation would be built on how well they did in whatever job they were assigned. And when there was a higher level position available, their superiors were willing to give them a chance (regardless of whether their credentials met the stated requirements) based on their work ethic, their intelligence and their passion for doing an outstanding job under any circumstance.
In terms of the work/life balance issue, I do think this is important. I struggle with this issue every day, but if I didn’t love what I do, I wouldn’t be doing it. I know I can pick up and walk out the door at any time things get to be too much, but I stay and work as hard as I do because I love the company I work for and the people I work with. I am constantly excited about what is around the corner and what new projects might end up on my desk. It’s really not such a bad problem to have. The alternative would, in fact, be much much worse.
I have always looked for that indefinable x-factor when interviewing potential staff. Michael Arrington says to look for the person with the “fire in their eyes” who wants to work as part of the team and gets excited about anticipating and solving problems. I agree they are not hard to spot, but they are often very hard to find – even when the salary is a good one. I think people like this are often valued at their current jobs and may not always be out there looking for a job when you need them. So good networking is often the only way to find them.
However, this advice is not only good for those in the tech industry and startup companies. I think this is good advice for all companies in every industry.
In every company I have ever worked in, the people I want to work with and those I want on my team are the ones I know have a passion for what they do. And I believe it is possible to have that passion even in a receptionist or administrative role. In my mind, it really comes down to taking pride in your work product and in understanding that you are what you produce.
It makes me think of the stories I’ve heard about self-made millionaires who started in the mail room but were able to work their way up to being the CEO of their company. These are exceptional people, of course, but they are also the type of individuals who took pride in being even a lowly mail room clerk – because he or she knew their reputation would be built on how well they did in whatever job they were assigned. And when there was a higher level position available, their superiors were willing to give them a chance (regardless of whether their credentials met the stated requirements) based on their work ethic, their intelligence and their passion for doing an outstanding job under any circumstance.
In terms of the work/life balance issue, I do think this is important. I struggle with this issue every day, but if I didn’t love what I do, I wouldn’t be doing it. I know I can pick up and walk out the door at any time things get to be too much, but I stay and work as hard as I do because I love the company I work for and the people I work with. I am constantly excited about what is around the corner and what new projects might end up on my desk. It’s really not such a bad problem to have. The alternative would, in fact, be much much worse.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Clueless About Blogging...
Ever feel like you thought you knew what was going on, when in fact you really had no clue? Well, that is the realization I came to this weekend about blogs and blogging. I’m going to come clean. I did not fully appreciate the art of blogging until this weekend after reading “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” by David Meerman Scott. Thankfully, his book assured me I am not alone in this. Apparently there is quite a bit of variance in people’s perception, knowledge and understanding of blogs.
For me, I think the problem might be that I haven’t really found my voice yet (even though this is my 7th blog for the class). I am getting more and more comfortable about putting my thoughts out in cyberspace, but I feel like I have yet to find my passion and therefore, any burning need to blog. It still feels forced and awkward for me. Every Sunday night…it’s like a trip to the dentist. I know I have to do it and will feel better once it’s over, but I dread it. Perhaps it’s because I am blogging about technology and feel I have no expertise here, but I am appreciative of the learning experience nonetheless.
Since I am not part of the ASC Online Communities program, perhaps I am a bit behind the learning curve here. But I almost feel as though I have been walking around with blinders on. Yes, of course I knew what blogs were, but I didn’t really see why I should care all that much about them. I was not aware of the value of tagging, or blog search engines or why they might extremely valuable to me. Even though I have been faithfully (and happily) reading the tech blogs each week for class, I have certainly not given individual blogs the attention they deserve. I usually read everyone’s weekly blogs and have learned a lot from all of you. I have been impressed and entertained when I have least expected it. It has been a very positive experience. So why have I not embraced this format on a more global level? Honestly, I’m not sure.
My plan for this week is to start taking a look at other individual blogs on topics that interest me and to start leaving comments when inspired to do so. Perhaps engaging in this way will help to fire a passion inside of me that seems to be missing when it comes to blogging. I’m even more inspired to get on sites such as Technorati to see what I can learn from blog search engines.
Has anyone else felt this way or is it just me?
For me, I think the problem might be that I haven’t really found my voice yet (even though this is my 7th blog for the class). I am getting more and more comfortable about putting my thoughts out in cyberspace, but I feel like I have yet to find my passion and therefore, any burning need to blog. It still feels forced and awkward for me. Every Sunday night…it’s like a trip to the dentist. I know I have to do it and will feel better once it’s over, but I dread it. Perhaps it’s because I am blogging about technology and feel I have no expertise here, but I am appreciative of the learning experience nonetheless.
Since I am not part of the ASC Online Communities program, perhaps I am a bit behind the learning curve here. But I almost feel as though I have been walking around with blinders on. Yes, of course I knew what blogs were, but I didn’t really see why I should care all that much about them. I was not aware of the value of tagging, or blog search engines or why they might extremely valuable to me. Even though I have been faithfully (and happily) reading the tech blogs each week for class, I have certainly not given individual blogs the attention they deserve. I usually read everyone’s weekly blogs and have learned a lot from all of you. I have been impressed and entertained when I have least expected it. It has been a very positive experience. So why have I not embraced this format on a more global level? Honestly, I’m not sure.
My plan for this week is to start taking a look at other individual blogs on topics that interest me and to start leaving comments when inspired to do so. Perhaps engaging in this way will help to fire a passion inside of me that seems to be missing when it comes to blogging. I’m even more inspired to get on sites such as Technorati to see what I can learn from blog search engines.
Has anyone else felt this way or is it just me?
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