amazing

it’s been almost exactly two years since i last shared my thoughts on this blog.  two years in which i’ve seen amazing changes in my life.  two years of experiences.  two years of things i’ve not shared.

what have i lost?  what have i gained?

i do know that i’m no closer to the answer to the question i had back in june of 2008.  where is my inspiration and dedication to write on a regular basis?

the things that have changed, and the experiences to go with them are pushing to be shared.  we’ll see if they find their way out.

still & fast

it always amazes me how much we rush every day, in nearly everything we do.  a simple task is made stressful because of traffic, a calm day at the beach is made less relaxing because of crowds and the need to stand in line for whatever.

where did we go wrong in our bustling modern society that makes us feel like we need to rush, or hurry, or do things faster than is really necessary?

i’m sitting at a local park on my lunch hour, taking a full 60 minutes to unwind from the stress of the office.  at this park is a very picturesque little lake that is also bordered by an interstate on the north side.  its this dichotomy that inspired this post today.

folks like me, taking 15, 20, 30 minutes out of their day, out of their lunch hour and coming to this park for a quick detox from the office.  some simply watch the waves on the lake, others the traffic.  a number of them are out getting their mid-day walk in, and many more enjoying the shade.

the interesting thing is that, while there are a number of people about, we’re in the minority.  we’re just a few people finding he relaxation, or making the time to walk out of the building to the car, driving a couple blocks, and sitting watching what relaxes us.  where are the rest of those that need it?  what happens when folks don’t take the time every day to find the calm and peace within that balances each of us out?

how does this affect their coworkers? how does this unbalance their lives?  is it any of my business?

the still of the water and the rush of the fast interstate traffic is the extremes in my field of view today and i’m just glad that i’m here to enjoy the few quiet minutes today.

taking time

sometimes i long for those cold winter nights when we get away to the northwoods of wisconsin.  its those times when we have a cozy cabin tucked away in a quite corner of the forest, covered deep in snow, that i find the muse most often.

its those times that i can actually get my best creative work done.  in fact, its anytime that we get to some northern getaway that i work the best.  i so wish i had the ability more often to do that, to get away, to find that lodge, the quiet corner in the big snow.  to let the mind wander and unleash the creativity that resides there.

oh when will that time come again?

forgive me

forgive me father for i have strayed.  my posts are few, and words fewer.  i have lost the path and lost the will.  i wish it were a dream, but it is the truth.  i’ve lost my way on my blogging journey and must find it anew.

what is this path i’ve chosen?  why do people believe me to be an expert in a field that barely exists.  how did i get to this point? why do they look to me for leadership? what is the purpose of this torture? how do i satisfy their curiosity, thirst for knowledge and desire to learn?  can i fulfill the promise?  am i the one?

why me?

not technical

i find that i’m not that technical any longer.  i mean, i understand the technical nuances of projects and the trials and tribulations of implementing a given technology.  however, i no longer desire to be on the burning technical edge for the sake of technology.

no, i long to play the part i’ve created for myself.  i’m really the visionary guy who keeps watch on what’s changing, what’s new and how it fits with the needs of an organization.

i’m currently looking forward to fulfilling this role very soon.  a large corporation has extended an invitation to me, which i’ve accepted.  it is basically a social media architect/strategist role, though they labeled it differently to fit their older job descriptions list.

the opportunity to look at problems and know that i’m the one breaking ground is a huge game changer for me.  i no longer have to think about which bits to twiddle, rather i get to figure out both the long and short term strategies for a fortune 500 company.  that is an eye opener as well as a refreshing idea for me.

i look forward to the new challenges, knowing that i don’t have to jump up at 3am to answer a ‘server down’ page. my how times change.

am i that expert?

or so it seems to me right now.  there is a number of things on my mind as I explore my next employment opportunity.  i’m an information technology guy, but i think i’m becoming more than that.  i think i’m morphing into the social media strategist that I want to be.

at least i hope so.

i received an email from a local company with national reach.  they were interested in talking to me about this social media position that they are creating.  it’s extremely interesting to me because of it’s broad scope that extends from social media internally & externally to technology solutions associated with the goals of social media efforts.

i’m going for it.

worried on work

i’m in a bit of a quandary over work right now. first, i’m simply worried that there isn’t anything to jump into in two weeks when my contract dries up. second, i’m worried that i might need to end up choosing from sub-optimal options when there is a juicy choice just a few more weeks out.

here’s to hoping that i don’t wait too long or that i think further a few more steps down the path before i leap.

another moment in time

as it so often happens, a quiet moment with time to reminisce. that’s what i have tonight. time to slip in a cd from years ago and simply get a chance to listen to it all the way through.

this time it’s purple rain. geez, how many times listening to different parts of this this cd, heck it was a cassette tape back in 1984 , while cruising along in the car on a summer night. that’s an example that most all of us can remember isn’t it?

sometimes with friends, sometimes just out for a ride all alone. windows down, breeze blowing through the car, tunes rocking out. good memories for sure.

i happened to reach this stage of life in western wisconsin. there were so many back country roads to explore and so many evenings out driving. i think i drove most all of ‘em. at any rate, its the memories related to these old songs that bring a person back.

is social media “it”

why is there such fascination with social media? it is simply another tool for communicating and building relationships, and while that is exciting and fascinating in its own right, there is little more to it. its just a collection of tools.

i often wonder at the number of folks clawing at social media for a chance to mould it into some new career. the reality of course is that there is a limited number of opportunities for folks as a social media specialist as they’re calling themselves. another reality that these folks don’t understand is that “social media” and “social networking” are quickly approaching critical mass.

while these “social media specialists” may applaud that eventuality, i don’t think they fully understand what that means. the number of people who are going to be required to be “specialists” or “experts” in social media are extremely small, and most of those are already doing the work now.

so I wonder, why all the excitement about social media. its true that it is a great development of web 2.0 expansion of the internet, and it does enable a whole new level of communication between people, businesses, customers, and clients. however, as it quickly becomes mainstream, the uniqueness of social media becomes less. it is quickly becoming a component of nearly every service and a target of every marketing department of the enterprise.

i do have to admit the level of passion these folks exhibit is astounding. i have also found a level of commitment and innovation from a number of people on the social media circuit that i wouldn’t have found elsewhere. so the creativity of these really committed folks is amazing.

still, as time goes on social media itself will dissolve from the exciting medium it is today into just another channel that people use. it’s happening right now, and will accelerate as time goes on. i plan to find my niche and work it into a profitable business to support my family. past that i don’t care what the perception of social media becomes.

insults from a peer

i wonder at times when a person insults another person. what makes them do it? yes another day at the office is how i should look at it, but i still wonder why it’s so easy for people to make a comment without thinking of the outcome.

my hopes are that my friend stops by sometime today to apologize, because i really do respect his knowledge and skills. his non-interest in my opinion and the outright insult to my knowledge was quite a poisoned pill, however.

it is kind of sad really, because he was looking at something from only one perspective and berating the methods and processes in place. without thinking of the larger picture and other perspectives on the reasoning behind a chosen business process, it really does make me sad in a way. he’s missing another whole piece that would bring more depth to his knowledge if he wanted it.