MyklK

• @Ed_Dale in pre-season my Flock has dropped for the 3rd time, evil PC ? Should there be a Firefox alternative before August? Just in case? #
• @CaroMcC If your site is anything like your forum prowess – it will be fantastic. Still remember your 30DC III insigts… You go girl! #
• I have a new contract (job) starting Monday (07/14/08). I didn’t even have to interview! I’m either real good, or they’re real desperate 😉 #

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Today, was a holiday in the U.S. – Independence Day. But even among the celebrating with a big dinner and talking about what a great privilege it is to be a citizen of this country I was still able to get some things done.

• I finished reading “Feminists Say the Darndest Things” by Mike Adams. A little raunchy because of the topics important to radical feminists, but dripping with sarcasm. Too bawdy to recommend, but the kids kept wanting to know what I was laughing at.

• I added all the church images I could find to the church web site.
• I started Hannah on her first book report for pay.
• I took the three oldest to the park. Then I went on with the older boys to the high school and the track.
• I ate too much dinner, including corn on the cob, macaroni salad and dessert, and had a good nap!
• I got the lyrics for Laura’s penultimate quarter teaching Cradle Roll typed up.
• I kept working on my Set of Sail web site layout.

Over dinner we peppered the kids with American history questions – they did pretty good.

Yesterday I updated this site and some of the associated components.  This includes the component that integrates with Twitter.  It seems that it isn’t working as I expected.  In addition to the tasks I wanted recorded from that system, I wanted to also record some of the other things I completed yesterday.

• I put Laura’s VBS signs back out.  I didn’t have the key to the church so I just used the bent posts we already had.  At least the signs are back up and we can replace the posts as needed.
• I mailed out my last two mentored Peacemaker cases, since the e-mail versions are having a hard time getting through.
• I went to the server location and inventoried supplies for my business partner.
• I updated the church web site to include rotating pictures – finally.  This required that I load the demo template using WAMP and then see how they did things in the demo.  Pastor has been waiting a long time for this.

If the Twitter report doesn’t come back, I’ll have to amend this with entries from there manually.  Automation is so cool when it actually works.

• My server has been hacked – some doofus from Texas is sending spam from MY SERVER! 🙁 #

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(Update – I wasn’t hacked. I talked to my server management at Rose Hosting and they explained that there would be outbound spam in my mail que if that were the case. Spammers don’t mind bringing a mail server to its knees, because there are so many out there unattended. But someone had logged in. So I changed all the passwords on the system and we were back in business a day or two later. I didn’t want this misconception left out there without a follow-up. 7-4-08)

I read an article this morning about how there are macro (100,000 year, 41,000 year, and 23,000 year) temperature cycles based on our planets orbital irregularities.  And that there are also micro (1,500 year) cycles based on variations in the sun’s – a.k.a. the ‘ultimate’ cause of all global warming – cycles of activity.

There was also a little bit about the famous “hockey stick” of a long period of tame temperatures and then a big spike at the end proposed by a Dr. Mann.  And how his poor statistical analysis makes even random numbers introduced into his calculations come up with this kind of alarming curve.

This is all well and good.  I tend to think global warming is overblown.  If it’s true, I’m looking forward to milder winters and hot summers aren’t so bad.  I just haven’t been convinced by hysteria that man is what’s causing it and that if we wold just breath less – or eliminate others who keep exhaling these toxic fumes like Carbon Dioxide – we would save the world.

The article is here if you want to read it yourself…

SouthCoastToday.com: CONSERVATIVE CORNER: Global warming “” right on schedule

What did catch my attention was a statement made about Greenland and it’s example of these mini temperature cycles – here’s a quote:

Greenland (aptly named at the time it was settled by Eric the Red) became a thriving Viking colony, known for its fertile coastal farmland and bountiful ice-free waters — that is until the Little Ice Age turned it into an ice-covered wasteland, surrounded by pack ice. Yet Greenland’s ongoing recovery from the Little Ice Age is treated as an enigma today.

Now this is not what I was taught in elementary school!  I was taught that those tricky Vickings didn’t want to share the good stuff with everyone so they named Greenland because it was all icy and they named Iceland to keep people away from the little paradise they had discovered.

Now I’m reading that Greenland was green before this ”little ice age” between 1300 and 1850.  What are the facts?

My point is this: we need to be very careful about what we believe just because we are told it.  Or at the very least we need to keep in mind that we could always be wrong.  Not only does this keep us humble, it also keeps us from looking like a fool when the rest of the data comes rolling in to contradict what we so vehemently defended.

Does this mean we should never stand for anything?  Of course not!  Just be willing to look like a fool for doing it.  And that’s alright by me! 

I’ve been preparing the outline of my book.  I have given myself the deadline of 3/31 to complete it.  As I have been looking at topics I want to include and that I want to exclude, I keep coming back to these small daily disciplines, or habits, or rituals.  They seem to be the key in my thinking.

I was thinking the other day that I would like to be in such a place that no one could ever come to me and ask, “So, Jonah, what’s the word?” (Sorry, an allusion to VeggieTales Jonah…)  In other words, I would like to always be ready to tell something I’ve been learning from God’s word lately.  To do this I must regularly be in the word of God.

I have also wanted to gather the pieces of wisdom from Jim Rohn’s book “Leading an Inspired Life.”  There is a point in there that the difference between success and failure is small disciplines faithfully repeated or small errors in judgment allowed to accumulate.

And then yesterday I was reading Og Mandino’s “The Greatest Salesman in the World” and the first scroll talks about how we are slave to our habits.  But we get to determine those very habits that are our masters.  So if we establish good habits (or disciplines – I need to settle on a term I that is meaningful to me…) then we will begin to see a change in the course or trajectory of our lives.

I have come up with my basic habits.  I use my fingers to illustrate for me 5 foundational daily disciplines.  I’m a lefty so on my left hand I start with my pinky and ring finger as Bible study and prayer.  These fingers form the foundation of the hand.  They are the least active, but they offer stability to the others.  Next is my longest finger, and for longevity physical fitness is the key.  Next is my pointing finger and right now every direction I want to turn in life (coaching, counseling, authoring, web development) all involve writing of some kind.

Then there is the opposable thumb.  This is where the focus of balance is, this would be my daily focus of activity.  Mark Forster calls it the “current initiative.”  This will always be changing, but the point is to get to it every day.  Knock it out; make progress until it’s done.  This takes focus and it give the grip to taking hold in life.

There are my thoughts, as scattered as they are.  So today I have already accomplished my Bible reading, my prayer, and my writing.  I will now move on to exercise before I get ready for work.  I just have to decide on my current initiative.  Here are some possibilities:

• Getting organized, desk, schedule, finances, book, life coaching business, ministry, family relationships, and so on (pretty big one)
• Peacemaker Certification (probably could fall under getting organized)
• Getting ready for the next Peacemaker seminar we will do (this too could be consider getting organized!)

Hmm so maybe getting organized should be my first current initiative – I just need to organize how, exactly, I’m going to get organized!

Any ideas?

I haven’t posted at all through December. But I don’t want the current to slip by without making some mention of where I’m going. My last post mentioned some musings I was having about direction. I’m settling down to something more concrete. For one thing I’ve decided on just one book to work on for starters. Focus… focus. The working title is Set of Sail.

I’m working on consolidating some other goals. I currently have a list of 12 for 2008. I’m trying to decide if I can live with such a deluge or whether I should try for 10, 7, 5, or maybe just 3. You’ll know in just a few days – because I will post back here before the end of the year (this is why I added the Will Do category to this post).

I’m also getting some experience with audio and video on blogs from our family blog over at thekelseys.  Hopefully this will translate into a more media savvy web presence in general and ultimately a stream of income from putting together an audio or video package of helpful information.

Laura’s headed off to the grocery store and I better get ready for my last day of “in the office” work this year (tomorrow is my last “work from home” day for the year).

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I’ve been putting some time into thinking about setting some goals for next year. I’ve been concentrating pretty hard on my “day job” as we head into testing and prepare for an impending release – ready or not. As an aside, software development schedules are so ridiculous – with all these smart people, you would think that common sense would enter in somewhere.

Anyway, enough about them; let’s talk about me.

Take the technical trek?

One of the biggest issues I’m working through is what kind of projects I want to concentrate on over the coming months. I really want to put together a book. In fact I have two and a half ideas for content. One on a religious topic and one and a half on life skills and personal improvement topics. I thought I would do the religious one first – but now I’m thinking that one would not provide the benefit for the effort extended. Most of the concepts I would cover are already adequately addressed elsewhere. Do I really need to have the same thing only my way?

That brings me to the second (and a half) book(s). Here again, I wouldn’t be presenting anything shockingly new. However, I am going after a different audience and I will be packaging the information in a new and, hopefully, meaningful way. So I think I’ll put my effort there. More on this soon. I want to break this task down into manageable bite sized pieces. Well see what happens.

With respect to software development – I don’t believe this is part of my long term vision for my life. But to transition out will take some serious planning and commitment. I am able to support my whole family from my current arrangement. If I’m going to replace that, I’m going to have to really get creative. If this is indeed my decision, I am going to lay out a ten year transition plan to make the switch. What? Is ten years too long? Should I shoot for five, or three? I’m not that confident yet – so I’m more comfortable with ten.

If that is my direction, I am not going to be able to dig into PHP and frameworks and try to become a web development guru. It’s not my path, it’s not really my passion, and it’s a diversion of tons of time and thought. In my line of work there is always the “build versus buy” decision. I’m deciding to buy instead of build. What are the ramifications of this?

1. I’ll have to depend on others to get the results I want. I may even have to pay for something I could “just do myself.”
2. I’ll have to collaborate, share, and work with others more. The ‘Lone Ranger’ strategy isn’t a winner here.
3. I’ll have to give up on trying to solve technical issues myself as my knowledge becomes more generalized.

Those will be some things will take some swallowing. On the other hand, what technical knowledge I do keep up with will have to relate to my current “hold the fort” work.

Aligning with a vocation

So if I’m not going to be a technical nerd – what am I going to do?

• Conflict resolution, mediation, coach counselor
• Life coach
• Financial counselor
• Author
• Web site manager
• eMarketer
• Tutor / teacher / educator
• Minister

How do I take those options and coalesce them into one direction? They all generally relation to teaching or counseling others. The eMarketing comes in with including the Web as a venue for activity. Helping people in their situations, financial, relational, or spiritual are all underlying motivations. This needs more definition, but it also need some sort of monetization model. Do I write materials or a book and offer that as a product? Do I sell my time for coaching or to give presentations? I don’t want to sell time – that’s what I’m currently doing. There has to be a better way.

Shoring up the underpinnings.

I also want to focus on the fundamentals. My physical improvement, my mental growth, strengthening my family, and becoming organized and proactive. These are all areas that can only improve by small incremental victories gained over a sustained period of time. But without a plan, these little victories aren’t planned or won. Here are some areas that I would like to focus on:

• Family relationships – making plans as a family. Becoming the best family we can be. Setting complementary goals.
• Physical exercise – not to reach a weight, but to gain energy and improve my quality of life as I age.
• Financial tracking – testing and tracking personal and business accounts is the baseline for improvement.
• Processing information once, whether paper or electronic. Putting things in their proper place.

I know many of these things are pretty vague – but I still have some time to further define these things. I’m just putting these here so they are somewhere. If you would like to add your thoughts or reflections – feel free!

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These next 3-4 weeks will be pretty stressful for me. I’m in the process of having some software tested and released. Why is this stressful? It’s not complete to my satisfaction!

Here is a thought about projects. I’ve used it in the software arena, but it may be helpful to you in other areas of your life.

There are only three things you can change to get a project completed.

1. You can change the due date and give yourself more time to reach completion (the most sane option in my opinion).
2. You can get help!  Have people join in.  For complicated projects, there will be a ramp up cost.  Don’t forget that.
3. You can sacrifice quality and just “deliver something.”

It has been the story of my life that I am rarely brave enough to use #1, I’ve never been wise enough to try #2 (although I’m eying that option very carefully), and I find myself time and again facing #3.

But the way I’ve handled things in the past is that I would rather just miss a deadline and not turn out anything, than the turn out something I’m not satisfied with.  This could tend toward perfectionism.  This may be why I haven’t blogged so consistently..  I want to have quality things to say.

I’m just wondering, but maybe life is better when you “just get something out there.” Let it face criticism and then hone and revise.  This would lead toward a satisfactory product instead of striving for something flawless out of the gate.

Something to consider – what do you think?  Are these the only three options for a project, or are there others?  Are you a perfectionist?  What do you think about the draft – revision cycle?  Is that how you really work?  What works for you and what are you doing currently?  Are they the same thing?

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I was encouraged by a little nudge from Aaron over at Personal Development Partners to report on my progress from a committed goal of getting back to regular exercise in November.  Although the topic over there is very interesting, I would like to say a few words about the value of web communities.

People might wonder, “Why would I sit online and type short messages to people I may have never even met?”  Ok, for most other people they would be short messages – I don’t seem able to do that.  That’s neither here nor there; it’s not my point.  My point is that many people don’t see the point.  Get my point?

So I want to give you a few reasons why I feel that it is beneficial to find a community that you can join – and contribute to.  Just going and reading forums can be addictive – there’s a voyeuristic quality to it.  That’s why they call it “lurking,” as in lurking in the shadows.  So why participate in these communities.  Oh, oh, I feel a list coming on…

1. You get to meet distant people.  Sure you can meet people in real life.  But from Australia?  From Guatemala (or Canada 😉 )?  Not much of that happening pretty much in the populational and geographical center of the ole’ U.S. of A. (actually that center is about 2 hours south and west of here, but close enough.)
2. You can find people with similar interests.  This beats bar hopping!  I know people who have had romantic involvements with people that went really bad.  “Why did this happen to me?” they moan.  Well what did you have in common?  You both were willing to troll around in a smoky bar looking for love in all the wrong places.  Why not go where you can find people with the same mindset and interests as yourself.  I also know people who have met online and gotten married (well, only two off the top of my head – but that’s not insignificant!).  They knew (and loved) each other from the inside out.  Which brings me to my next point.
3. You get to know people by their character and their thoughts and opinions – not just their looks.  One of the big advantages to online communities is you don’t have the problem of judging the book by the cover.  You are forced to at least skim the contents.  I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of an online community and then have a party were members came from near (mostly near – this was college days…) and far (like states away…) to meet in person.  It is a huge shock!  There was one guy who was a close friend online, but when I met him I thought, “If I saw him coming down the street my way, I’d cross to the other side for safety!”  Hey, King Zombie, if you’re out there drop me a line… I haven’t heard from you for forever!  — Elias  (sorry about that, but you never know what Google will dredge up…?)
4. You get to have your own thoughts and assumptions about life challenged and stretched.  You can do this in person as well, but with such a high concentration of activity online – it is magnified and intensified.  There’s nothing like an advanced course in multiple perspectives that will open your eyes to how small your world view has been.
5. Oh, come on, there’s got to be at least 5 reasons!!  Oh here’s one, “they’re always there for you.”  No not in the sense of emotional support, although that’s available in many places.  I mean that it’s a place that’s jumpin’ in all 24 time zones.  It doesn’t matter when your where you are – you can hop online and engage with others.

Well that’s a little starter for reasons to participate with others online.  Now I’m still learning all this social networking stuff (is that the same as Web 2.0? I don’t really think so…  Ok, don’t drift off – stay on target…).  So I’m going to take this opportunity to try to link this post over to the community mention in the title up there.  I’m also going to do what I see at the end of so many other blog posts – let’s see how this works…

So, how about you?  Do you participate in online communities?  Why or why not?  Do you have other reasons why you do(n’t)?  Leave a comment here and tell me, er I mean us, about it.

(not too cheesy was it?  I sure hope I have my comments functionality properly enabled.  That would be embarrassing wouldn’t it?  I probably should’ve checked before I posted.  No time now, if I don’t go exercise I’ll miss my window of opportunity and have to go on to work!)

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